House of Commons Hansard #58 of the 37th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was insurance.
Cheryl Gallant Canadian Alliance Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are concerned about water. Why is the government sponsoring legislation that will allow for bulk water exports?
Denis Paradis LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, it is important for future generations, for everyone, that we take steps to ensure that Canada's water cannot be taken from its lakes and rivers.
That is why we voted in favour of the bill at second reading yesterday evening. The bill was referred to committee and will be reported to the House. It is very important for all future generations of Canadians that we protect our Canadian waters.
Cheryl Gallant Canadian Alliance Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Mr. Speaker, what Canadians want is a full public debate. Bill C-6, now before parliament, licences water exporters and its sister bill, Bill C-10, will establish where the water will be taken through cabinet order.
Why is the government not telling the people who live along the Great Lakes that it is setting the stage to allow the selling of their water in bulk?
Denis Paradis LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, it is exactly the opposite. Our intention is to conserve our Canadian water. We are using a method to prevent the bulk removal of water. That is what we will be doing, in co-operation with all the provinces.
Ghislain Lebel Bloc Chambly, QC
Mr. Speaker, the minister of public works explained that the $615,000 contract was awarded to Groupaction to evaluate the sponsorship system across the country. The Globe and Mail says the opposite, contending that for $615,000, the minister only received a 20 page list of companies interested in getting sponsorships.
Does the minister confirm that all he got for $615,000 was a list of companies? It is a lot of money for each page.
Government ContractsOral Question Period
Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel Québec
Liberal
Alfonso Gagliano LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, the firm was paid to conduct a market study on sponsorships across the country.
The department received the report Officials examined it and they received and paid, I imagine, the bills. Therefore I assume that we got our money's worth.
Ghislain Lebel Bloc Chambly, QC
Mr. Speaker, the minister just said that the $615,000 contract was awarded to evaluate his sponsorship system.
Since that program has no written criteria, will the minister agree to release the alleged evaluation of his sponsorship system conducted by Groupaction for $615,000, so that the public and parliamentarians can finally see how these millions of dollars of public money were used?
Alfonso Gagliano LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, it just so happens that right after the study was completed an audit of the sponsorship system had to be conducted.
We have issued new guidelines and we have even held a new competition for the agencies managing these sponsorship projects. All this information is on the department's Internet site so that members and all Canadians can read it.
Vic Toews Canadian Alliance Provencher, MB
Mr. Speaker, this week we learned that local police in Belleville, Ontario, caught a convicted bank robber who escaped from a federal prison almost 30 years ago.
Currently the Liberal government does virtually nothing to capture violent, hardened criminals who escape from federal institutions. Will the minister commit today to creating a special unit within the RCMP to apprehend the hundreds of federal fugitives at large in Canada today?
Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSolicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I can assure my hon. colleague that escapes are taken very seriously. When anybody escapes from CSC, the person is apprehended as soon as possible.
I am pleased to report that escapes from minimum security institutions have been cut by 55% in the last seven years.
Vic Toews Canadian Alliance Provencher, MB
Mr. Speaker, no wonder there is no reform in parliament if 30 years is a short time.
In Ontario police estimate there are as many as 900 federal fugitives at large. The federal government contributes $500,000 to track them down. By comparison, the Ontario provincial government gives $4 million.
This is a threat to public safety. Why will the federal government not provide the necessary resources to apprehend dangerous federal fugitives at large?
Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSolicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I am sure my hon. colleague is not trying to indicate that there are a large number of people escaping from maximum and medium security institutions.
I think my hon. colleague is well aware that his party is losing members quicker than we are losing prisoners.
Joe McGuire Liberal Egmont, PE
Mr. Speaker, aquaculture is one of the fastest growing food production activities in the world. The potential of the Canadian aquaculture industry and the benefits to the Canadian economy are enormous.
What is the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans doing to give the Canadian aquaculture industry the tools it needs to reach its potential?
Herb Dhaliwal LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, it is always tough to follow the solicitor general.
Aquaculture is extremely important for Canada. We have had a 12% growth in the aquaculture industry. This week I announced $20 million in Halifax to bring the federal government, the provincial government and industry to work in partnership to be a world leader in sustainable aquaculture.
Lorne Nystrom NDP Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance. Many Canadians cannot drink their water, highways are crumbling, family farms are dying, and health and education are in a crisis in the country. Yet it appears the Minister of Finance is paying off the bondholders by putting about $15 billion of the surplus on the national debt. The costs of the day are the investments of tomorrow.
Why does the minister not align his priorities with those of the Canadian people and invest the surplus in programs for people in order to bring down the human deficit instead of paying off the bondholders of Bay Street? That is what the Canadian people want, not the direction he is going.
Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should take a look at the amount of money the government has invested in things like the infrastructure program precisely to deal with that problem.
I would simply remind the hon. member that it was the hon. Tommy Douglas who said that government should be in sound financial shape so it would not be beholden to bondholders.
Bill Blaikie NDP Winnipeg—Transcona, MB
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Justice. The minister will know that today is the 10th anniversary of the terrible tragedy at the Westray mine. It is some time since the justice committee recommended that the criminal code be amended so as to make sure that the kinds of people who are responsible for these kinds of events do not literally get away with murder, as is sometimes the case and certainly the case in this case.
Has the Minister of Justice had discussions with the Minister of Industry and other members of her cabinet? I have raised it with the House leader. What is the government's plan for bringing to fruition the recommendation of the justice committee so finally there will be amendments to the criminal code?
Anne McLellan LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member raises a very serious and important question on this, the very sad and tragic anniversary of the Westray mine disaster.
As I indicated before in the House, the justice committee issued a report in relation to possible changes around corporate criminal liability. Unfortunately the justice committee did not hear witnesses from the corporate community or from labour, as was pointed out to me by the hon. leader of the New Democrats last week.
In discussions with my colleague, the Minister of Industry and the chair of the industry committee, we would like to move forward on this important matter and hold hearings that would ensure the interests of the corporate community, labour and others—
André Bachand Progressive Conservative Richmond—Arthabaska, QC
Mr. Speaker, the study submitted by the Canadian Institute for Health Information indicates that our chances of survival vary according to where we live.
We have in the Health Act five major principles, including that of accessibility. What is clear is that the people living in the regions do not have the same services and run more risks than those living near the big cities.
What does the Minister of Health plan to do to ensure, with his provincial partners, that the people living in the regions have access to properly equipped hospitals and quality health services.
Finally, is it not time to review the Canada Health Act?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, it is not a question of reviewing the Canada Health Act; the five principles are still appropriate.
However, the hon. member is right in saying that it will be a major challenge for us to ensure that Canadians living in remote regions have access to quality health care services.
This is why at Health Canada we started with an office of rural health to look into having a cross Canada strategy to make services available to everyone in this country.
Loyola Hearn Progressive Conservative St. John's West, NL
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of the Environment. The Minister of Industry said that the cleanup of St. John's harbour would take all the infrastructure money allocated to the whole province. This is incorrect. The $100 million cost is to be spread over a five to ten year period.
The province has committed its one-third share. The municipalities have committed their one-third share. In light of this, will this environmentally conscious minister commit to the one-third share, $3 million to $6 million a year, to finish the job?
David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, the infrastructure program is a joint program of municipalities, the provincial governments and the federal government.
We have a situation in Newfoundland where the province has decided to focus its attention under the infrastructure program on smaller communities. Certainly it wishes to deal with the issue of water, drinking water, and I think that is appropriate in light of some of the developments that have occurred recently.
That is the decision and the proper decision of the people of Newfoundland and not of the federal government.
Howard Hilstrom Canadian Alliance Selkirk—Interlake, MB
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the wheat board minister refused to support organic farmers and blandly propped up the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly.
The minister claims that the board's policies allow organic farmers to sell their own production. He is wrong. All the Canadian Wheat Board does is lend money to organic producers so they can afford to buy back their own grain from the board.
Why does the minister not cut through all this absurd red tape and allow organic growers the freedom to sell their own barley and wheat?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Natural Resources and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman continues to deny the effectiveness of the democratic process that has been put in place with respect to the Canadian Wheat Board.
He would impose his judgment upon the Canadian Wheat Board rather than trusting in the confidence of the 10 farmers who have been elected to run all the affairs of the Canadian Wheat Board.
The issue with respect to organic farmers has been raised in the House for a number of days. I have also received some correspondence on the matter. As promised, I will make sure that this is laid before the directors for their consideration.