Debates of Oct. 22nd, 2002

Government Contracts

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the ethics counsellor advises members of Parliament, ministers, bureaucrats and so on. He is a counsellor to all of us. These are privileged communications. As the Leader of the Opposition said last week, at the end of the day it is the responsibility of the Prime Minister and I always accept my responsibilities.

North Korea

[Sarkis Assadourian, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The world has recently discovered that North Korea has secretly developed a weapon of mass destruction and has admitted to the capability to manufacture nuclear weapons. Reports state that the North Koreans presently have at least two long range nuclear weapons.

Will the minister explain to the House what effect this will have on Canada's foreign policy in the region and what action has been taken to face this challenge?

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we are obviously very concerned by the recent developments arising out of North Korea. We have communicated to the republic of North Korea the fact that the normalization of relations with North Korea will entirely depend upon its abandoning these weapons of mass destruction and its present program.

We continue to provide humanitarian aid for people in that country who are suffering. We have made it clear to that administration and those people that for them to enter into the family of nations and have regular contacts we must be assured that they are not a threat to the peace and security in the region. I am confident that we will continue to do so.

Post-Secondary Education

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, post-secondary education is less affordable today than at any time in the last 60 years. These are the shocking facts from the CAUT study. In fact, 67% of tuition fee increases in the last decade alone are a direct result of the massive retreat of federal funding. Access denied is the real legacy that young people are struggling with.

How does the Prime Minister intend to reverse his government's disastrous access denied policies to demonstrate that education is not just a privilege for those who can afford it?

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, access to post-secondary education must be a priority for all Canadians. I would remind the hon. member that the setting of tuition fees is strictly a provincial jurisdiction.

Having said that, the Government of Canada has taken significant steps to help Canadians continue on with their education. We have invested over $2 billion in the millennium scholarship program. Every year we provide 350,000 Canadians with Canada student loans. We have also made significant changes to the tax regime to ensure that Canadians can and will have access to higher education.

Employment Insurance

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Speaker, when in doubt about whether or not employment is insurable, Human Resources Development Canada asks the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency to study employment insurance applications.

Workers who wish to appeal the agency's decision can take their case to the Tax Court of Canada. Complainants must wait six to twelve months for their case to be heard. This is ridiculous.

My question is for the Minister of Justice. Will the government hire more judges for the court so that workers can have their cases heard within a reasonable and acceptable timeframe?

My question is direct and I would like a clear and direct answer.

[Elinor Caplan, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, the federal tax court is available to any of those who wish to take their case to that place. I assure the member that the caseload is one which is of concern to everyone and is monitored carefully.

The Environment

[John Herron, Progressive Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the Commissioner of the Environment condemned the government's record on contaminated sites. Despite two superficial throne speech mentions the government does not even have a full inventory of contaminated sites, nor does it even know which ones pose a risk to human health. The government has no idea where to begin because there is not even a priority list. The only legacy the Prime Minister will leave future generations is his toxic legacy on the environment.

Will the Prime Minister commit to providing a long-term, stable funding program as outlined by Progressive Conservatives and demanded by the commissioner?

[David Anderson, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, as virtually all these contaminated sites were inherited by the government from the Conservatives I think that is a pretty stupid question to ask because it allows me to remind him--

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

Order, please. That is the kind of opinion we do not need to hear expressed on the floor of the House. Hon. members may hold opinions but we do not have to say them all in language that is bordering on the unparliamentary. I hope the Minister of the Environment will revise his view.

[David Anderson, Liberal, Victoria, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I certainly withdraw the words that are unparliamentary, but it is a curious question from that party.

We are spending about $100 million on contaminated sites.The sites that have been chosen are priority sites. In fact, we are doing exactly that.

I would like to correct one thing that has been said earlier. There was a comment about the budget of Environment Canada. In fact the commissioner made an error in her calculations and did not include--

[The Speaker]

Order, please. I am afraid that will have to wait for another day. The hon. member for Cumberland—Colchester.

Persons with Disabilities

[Bill Casey, Progressive Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I hope I get the opportunity to ask two questions because the minister gets the opportunity to give two answers.

I just sent over a copy of the Truro Daily News to the Minister of National Revenue, showing a picture of Don Pryor holding his artificial leg in the air. The headline reads “No longer disabled according to the new rules”. For 20 years Don Pryor qualified for the disability tax credit. Now the minister has determined he is no longer disabled.

What criteria does the minister use to determine that a man who was run over by a train, lost a leg, and suffered a lot of other injuries is now no longer disabled?

[Elinor Caplan, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, the administration of the tax credit for those who suffer from a serious disability which impairs their activities and daily living is the responsibility of CCRA.

We are auditing that program as we have the responsibility to do, but I want to assure the member opposite, and all members of this House, that our goal is to ensure that those who are entitled to the credit receive it. I think he would support that. Those who are not entitled to the credit do have the opportunity to appeal that decision in the appropriate manner.

Health

[Charlie Penson, Canadian Alliance, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to health care reform the only advice the government seems to be willing to listen to is to raise taxes. That is rather curious.

The Romanow commission is making noises about raising the GST. The Kirby commission wants to either raise income taxes, the GST or bring in a new dedicated health tax. However both commissions seem to be working long nights to help the Minister of Finance get down from the Peace Tower so he does not have to jump.

What is the government's prescription for health care that will rule out raising taxes?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the government has made it very clear that we are committed to working with the provinces and territories to ensure that we have a renewed health care system which is sustainable.

We know what Canadians want. They want a publicly financed, high quality and accessible system. We are awaiting the recommendations of Kirby and Romanow. They, among others, will help us, the provinces and territories move forward.

[Charlie Penson, Canadian Alliance, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it seems to me that she did not rule out raising taxes. That was the question.

The main reason the government has shortchanged health care is because it has its priorities all wrong. It is too busy pork-barrelling. The government has a spending problem. It does not have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem. That is the problem that the government has.

Will the government commit today, when the finance minister stands in the House, and tell the House and commit to the House that any new dollars for health care will come from a reallocation of existing programs rather than levying higher taxes on Canadians?

[John Manley, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I may not be as old as the hon. member but I can tell him that with the exception of one year the government's spending as a percentage of our GDP is the lowest that it has been in my lifetime.

We do not really have a spending problem when we look at it that way. In fact, the controls that we have had in spending over the last number of years have resulted in us being the only G-7 country that continues to run a surplus at a time when others, including our neighbours to the south, have turned surpluses into deficits. He ought to be applauding us.

International Trade

[Francine Lalonde, Bloc, Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, our ability to take action on health and the environment is once again being challenged because of chapter 11 of NAFTA. While a study shows that the government could be sued following a possible health system reform, a court just sentenced Canada to pay over $8 million to S.D. Myers for issuing an order on the export of PCBs.

Can the Minister for International Trade assure us that provisions similar to those in NAFTA's chapter 11 will not be included in other agreements such as the FTAA?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, allow me to briefly answer each of the questions raised by the hon. member for Mercier.

As regards S.D. Myers, our government has already decided to go before the Federal Court. We have already made the decision to go before the Federal Court and we are waiting for the outcome of this process. So, let us wait before jumping to conclusions.

As for health, I keep repeating it: even though this may be mentioned in a report, Canada's health system and the Canada Health Act are not threatened by our international agreements, by the free trade area, by GATT or by the World Trade Organization, neither in its current form nor in its future form.

[Francine Lalonde, Bloc, Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in July 2001, the minister signed a totally inadequate agreement on the interpretation of chapter 11 of NAFTA.

Instead of trying to plug loopholes, will the minister commit to taking firm action to preserve the power of governments and parliamentarians to act to protect the public interest, by ensuring that the controversial provisions of NAFTA's chapter 11 are not included in other agreements? That is the question.

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, as regards the protection of investments, all those who believe in development in this world know full well that investment rules are required, so that capital can get into certain countries.

We want investment rules. We ourselves, that is Canada, have taken the initiative of convincing Mexico and the United States to propose interpretation clauses to clarify chapter 11. We are the ones who managed to get this interpretation clause at the most recent meeting of the trilateral commission, last year.

Obviously, we will continue to use our past experience in the coming—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Blackstrap.

Grain Transportation

[Lynne Yelich, Canadian Alliance, Blackstrap, SK]

Mr. Speaker, grain handlers have been locked out of the port of Vancouver since August. In addition to the drought, farmers are taking another hit as they are caught in between a labour-management dispute and face added costs due to late contract penalties. The Canadian Alliance has repeatedly called for final offer arbitration as a means of resolving these types of disputes. The drought was a natural disaster, but the lockout at Vancouver is completely preventable.

Why will the government not implement final offer selection arbitration?