House of Commons Hansard #75 of the 37th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was fcc.
Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I believe the Prime Minister said to the House that what was tabled was a copy of a real document. I think the Prime Minister is entitled to be taken at his word.
Perhaps the Alliance should unleash its alleged expert on the membership lists of the Alliance Party in Quebec.
Charlie Penson Canadian Alliance Peace River, AB
Mr. Speaker, the examiner states “The thirteen lines of writing on the questioned document were written with speed, rhythm and consistency with the exception of the numerals 1-9-9-3 appearing on line 6”.
She also states “From the tremor and retouching on the strokes of the four digits 1-9-9-3, it appears that extensions have been added to the first two digits 1 and 9...it appears that the second 9 was changed...the number 3 also appears to have been retouched” and the entry changed”. When will they table the original document?
Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I repeat that the Prime Minister has said that the copy tabled in the House is that of the original document. I think that the Prime Minister is entitled to be taken at his word.
If the hon. member does not agree let him go outside the House with that so-called document. Also, as I said, let him unleash his examiner on the membership lists of the Alliance Party, starting with Quebec and going across the country.
Paul Crête Bloc Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Mr. Speaker, all week, the Minister of Human Resources Development refused to give us an encouraging answer for the unemployed on improvement to the employment insurance plan.
When we speak of the unemployed, we are not talking statistics. They are real people.
By way of example, what has the government to say to the 200 casual employees of the House of Commons, who will be going home next week without having accumulated enough hours to qualify for benefits because of government cuts to the employment insurance plan?
Raymonde Folco LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, since the employment insurance reform, the system has covered all workers from their first hour of work and first dollar earned.
This is the legislation that allowed us to deliver programs more easily to Canadians. However, there are always situations in which workers cannot accumulate sufficient hours to be entitled to employment insurance, and we are looking at this problem now.
Paul Crête Bloc Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Mr. Speaker, it is true they start paying premiums from their first hour of work, but the House employees this year are not entitled to employment insurance benefits because of the elections, which deprived them of work for several weeks.
Does the government not understand that, when seasonal workers do not have the hours to qualify for employment insurance, it is not because of a lack of effort, it is because they are the victims of external forces?
Does it not understand that there are thousands of cases like that of the employees of the House of Commons, and we want them corrected?
Martin Cauchon LiberalMinister of National Revenue and Secretary of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec)
Mr. Speaker, what the Bloc does not understand is that it is not the fault of the members on this side of the House if the bill that helps all workers was delayed. The decision was purely political.
Martin Cauchon Liberal Outremont, QC
Second, on this side of the House, we believe in a balanced approach.
Martin Cauchon Liberal Outremont, QC
We established an annual report, which the commission will table. This annual report will ensure that the law will continue to evolve. We believe in regional economic development.
Martin Cauchon Liberal Outremont, QC
Tell us, while the member for Charlevoix was saying that seasonal work adjustment measures were possible, when the people on this side of the House work to increase work—
Employment InsuranceOral Question Period
The Speaker
Order, please. The hon. member for St. Albert.
John Williams Canadian Alliance St. Albert, AB
Mr. Speaker, the Minister for Multiculturalism is off on another witch hunt. She funded a theatre group to hold a three day workshop to sensitize the people of Merritt, B.C., on diversity issues because, and I quote from the grant application “rumours of a cross burning in the area several years ago seem to be well founded”.
What evidence did the Secretary of State for Multiculturalism have of cross burning in Merritt, B.C., before she blew $5,000 of taxpayer money up in smoke?
Sarmite Bulte LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, the Secretary of State for Multiculturalism has apologized in the House for her comments. I would urge other members, as is the tradition in the House, to accept her apology.
John Williams Canadian Alliance St. Albert, AB
Mr. Speaker, that was an apology for Prince George. This is Merritt, British Columbia.
Let me quote from a letter from the RCMP in Merritt, British Columbia: “inquiries with long term staff and a search of our records fail to indicate any complaints relative to cross burnings within this detachment area within the past several years”.
Another community has been smeared by this minister's innuendo, hearsay and prejudice. My question is for the Prime Minister. Will he fire this minister?
Sarmite Bulte LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, let us set the record straight again.
What the hon. member on the opposite side alleges are comments made not by the minister but by others. I would ask the hon. member to not please provide us with the comments made by the minister.
Lorne Nystrom NDP Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister for International Trade. It has now been about two months since the FTAA conference in Quebec City. I recall the Minister for International Trade saying on a number of occasions that he wanted to release the text of the FTAA.
Where is that text? When will he release it to the Canadian people? The people of this country have a right to know what is in the agreement.
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his interesting question this morning. Indeed we can be very proud that for the first time in history we will have the drafting agreements of the negotiations on trade. This is extraordinary progress, and I am extremely proud that we could secure that at the Buenos Aires ministerial meeting.
The secretariat of the free trade area of the Americas will have the responsibility of releasing them. I understand it is a matter of days, now that it has the four versions in the four official languages of the free trade zone. It should be any day now.
Dick Proctor NDP Palliser, SK
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Revenue will be aware of an ongoing disagreement between his department and the Saskatchewan government which affects about 100 widows whose husbands were killed on the job before 1985.
Two years ago Saskatchewan paid out $80,000 tax free, but it ran afoul quickly of federal income tested programs like old age security, so the widows had their allowance clawed back by about $5,000.
While the federal and provincial officials continue to point fingers at each other, the only people out of pocket are the widows themselves. How long will it take for the two levels of government to sort this out and make restitution to the Saskatchewan widows?
Martin Cauchon LiberalMinister of National Revenue and Secretary of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec)
Mr. Speaker, first I to thank the hon. member for giving me advance notice of that question.
Of course I cannot comment on the specifics of that file because of subsection 24(1), but generally speaking I would like to say that those benefits obtained through WCB are indeed non-taxable. However that could affect as well other benefits like the income tested benefits.
We are responsible for the management of the Income Tax Act. Therefore, based on those conditions, we have to move ahead and apply the legislation. Those people have received an answer from the department.
Bill Graham Liberal Toronto Centre—Rosedale, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State for Latin America and Africa. On June 2 Colombian indigenous leader, Kimy Pernia Domico, was kidnapped by unknown forces.
Mr. Pernia is well known in Canada. He was a keynote speaker on indigenous rights at the people's summit in Quebec City and has appeared as a key witness before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade. What action is Canada taking in response to the kidnapping of this prominent Colombian indigenous leader?