House of Commons Hansard #14 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was accord.
Sophia Leung LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, as a rule we cannot comment on individual cases. However, I would like to inform the hon. member that the government has a lot of compassion and empathy for disabled people. Since 1996 we have paid 70% more for the disabled tax claim. I want the member to know that we have not overlooked anyone who is qualified for the disability benefit.
Bill Casey Progressive Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS
Mr. Speaker, we often hear Liberals say that this is the Liberal way. If this is the Liberal way, it is a sad, sad way.
We have brought up issues of people who have been run over by trains, who have cancer or who have multiple sclerosis with no cure, in order to have them qualify for the disability tax credit. Yet the government decides with no examination that they are disqualified for the disability tax credit.
The government demands that disabled people in Canada get a doctor's report. Is it a doctor who overrules that report when it overrules it?
Sophia Leung LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, we welcome any cases. If they have been declined they can be appealed. We have never closed the door for any interested party. I want to correct the hon. member. We have never refused any appeals. We welcome appeals.
Vic Toews Canadian Alliance Provencher, MB
Mr. Speaker, first the government ignored the disabled and now it ignores children again.
Recently the Manitoba Court of Appeal overturned the jail sentence of Leonard Elder, a child pornographer. In imposing home arrest, the court again ignored the dangerous role of child pornography in the abuse of Canadian children.
Why has the minister not closed this legal loophole in our Criminal Code by eliminating this get out of jail free card?
Paul MacKlin LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, children are a priority with the government. They continue to be a priority with the government. We brought forward Bill C-15A which was passed in July of this year. It deals with much of the Internet, pornography and the way in which we proceed to catch those who perpetrate this crime.
A recent case has been brought before the courts and we are very happy to see that action is being taken with the tools we have given them to work on this problem.
Vic Toews Canadian Alliance Provencher, MB
Mr. Speaker, if children are a priority, why has this Liberal government consistently tolerated sexual brutality against children on the basis of artistic merit? Despite repeated promises to impose a national sex offender registry, it has done nothing of the sort. It has broken every promise in that respect.
Why does the government continue to place the interests of child predators ahead of the rights of children?
Paul MacKlin LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I do not know where this member has been. He has to pay attention to what is going on in the House. We have been taking continuous steps in the House to eliminate child pornography. We are very concerned about it.
As far as the Sharpe case is concerned, to which he refers, there is no question that the minister has clearly stated in the House that we will be bringing forward legislative suggestions this fall.
Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Mr. Speaker, in December, that is in a few weeks, the American Veterinary Medical Association will decide whether or not to maintain the accreditation of the École de médecine vétérinaire de Saint-Hyacinthe, the only such French language school in North America.
How can the Minister of Agriculture justify the fact that, after giving me assurances regarding the financial involvement of the federal government to maintain the standards required, four months later and barely a few weeks before the evaluation, the federal government still has not done anything, thus jeopardizing the very existence of the school?
École de médecine vétérinaire de Saint-HyacintheOral Question Period
Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario
Liberal
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, as I said before in the House, the government recognizes the role of veterinary colleges in the country, not only for the health and safety of animals, but also the vital role they play for the health and safety of humans and the work and research in the laboratories that they provide.
I can assure members that we are seeking ways to work with the provinces to assist the continued certification and to ensure the certification of those colleges in Canada.
Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Mr. Speaker, the minister's replies are always the same. As regards the educational role of the veterinary school, the Quebec government has already done its part in March, with an amount of $41 million.
We are talking about the mission to protect animal and human health. We are talking about food safety, about food inspections, matters that come under federal jurisdiction.
Will the federal government do its part before it is too late and before the only French language veterinary school in North America shuts down?
École de médecine vétérinaire de Saint-HyacintheOral Question Period
Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario
Liberal
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the hon. member repeated all the reasons that I said of the importance of veterinary colleges in the country. I repeat my answer. We recognize that. We as a government are seeking resources, and hopefully we can come forward with resources because we know the importance of the veterinary colleges.
David Anderson Canadian Alliance Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
Mr. Speaker, I know farmers who have shown the courage of their convictions. I know farmers who will sacrifice their freedom for the principle of fairness. I know farmers and their families who are paying an incredible price for defending their principles. One week from today the government will be jailing these same people. They too get no compassion from this government. They are here, in Ottawa, today.
I ask this for them and their families. Why are they being locked up for doing what is perfectly legal in the rest of Canada; selling their own wheat?
Paul Szabo LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, the minister is well aware of legal difficulties that the member describes and we regret that legal circumstances affect producers who oppose marketing laws and regulations.
Let me assure the House, we understand that court proceedings are not very pleasant, but the Minister of Public Works and Government Services has not and will not interfere in court proceedings.
David Anderson Canadian Alliance Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Wheat Board minister keeps dodging his responsibilities. He is the one who charged farmers under the Canadian Wheat Board Act. He is the one who lost the first court case. He is the one who changed the customs regulations to make these men criminals. He is the one who ignored the Alberta plebiscite.
He is personally responsible for the situation in which these farmers find themselves. When will he and the government quit persecuting prairie farmers and give them the same rights as producers in the rest of Canada?
Paul Szabo LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, the member will well know that two-thirds of the board of directors of the Canadian Wheat Board are elected by western farmers and they are responsible for the policy and strategic direction of the Canadian Wheat Board.
In this regard though, it is totally inappropriate for the minister to interfere in any due process of law.
Murray Calder Liberal Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. Earlier this month the minister announced $600 million of the transition money will be moving into the farmers' NISA accounts.
What I would like to know is how is that proceeding and how can the farmers get that money as soon as possible.
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, I said earlier this month that the money was starting to flow into the farmers' NISA accounts. To date, already $495 million has been placed into farmers' NISA accounts. We estimate that over 70% of this will be immediately available to farmers based on their 2001 business year. The other farmers have had the opportunity since April and will now have the opportunity of continuing to apply for interim payments based on their 2002 estimated income.
This money will be well used by farmers in the transition to new and improved risk management programs for farmers that are being negotiated and discussed with the provinces and the industry.
Jim Gouk Canadian Alliance Kootenay—Boundary—Okanagan, BC
Mr. Speaker, last Tuesday in question period the Minister of Labour proved that she does not understand the elements of collective bargaining. She should know that strikes and lockouts are not part of the collective bargaining system but the result of the failure of it.
Knowing this, why would she not immediately impose final offer selection arbitration to end the lockout at Vancouver port?
Claudette Bradshaw LiberalMinister of Labour
Mr. Speaker, when the employee and the employer are in a conflict and they are negotiating, they have three options. We always give them a mediator and a conciliator, but they have three options. One is arbitration. Two is binding arbitration. Three is final selection.
They have that option and that option belongs to them, not to me as Minister of Labour.
Jim Gouk Canadian Alliance Kootenay—Boundary—Okanagan, BC
Mr. Speaker, the federal government has a responsibility to prevent a strike or a lockout by a relatively small number of people when it adversely affects an entire industry. Imposing final offer arbitration in place of a strike or lockout does not interfere with collective bargaining or stop negotiations; it simply provides a dispute settlement mechanism that does not disrupt work.
How long will the minister allow farmers, shippers, dock workers and the reputation of the Vancouver port to sink before she imposes a non-disruptive dispute settlement mechanism?
Claudette Bradshaw LiberalMinister of Labour
Mr. Speaker, as I have just said, collective agreements are between the employee and the employer. Our mediators and our conciliators are in place any time they want to return to the table, and I encourage them to return to the table. They also have the option of an arbitrator, binding arbitration or final offer selection. It is their choice. It is their collective agreement, not mine.
Diane Bourgeois Bloc Terrebonne—Blainville, QC
Mr. Speaker, for several months, the climate in federal correctional institutions has been unpleasant. An in-house survey commissioned by the President of the Treasury Board revealed that 20% of employees, regardless of gender, experienced some kind of harassment without anything being done to remedy the situation.
Will the new Solicitor General of Canada show the leadership necessary to put an end to this and ensure a harassment-free work environment?
Wayne Easter LiberalSolicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I, like the previous solicitor general, certainly intend to provide a role of leadership. Harassment in any workplace is certainly unacceptable. Correctional Service Canada does not condone harassment. We will be doing everything to ensure that harassment does not take place in correctional services.
Jerry Pickard Liberal Chatham-Kent—Essex, ON
Mr. Speaker, the media reported last Monday that four Leamington Mennonite churches have raised $8,000 for the Canadian Food Grains Bank, also known as CFGB, for the purchase of grains for third world country relief. This is just one example of how Canadians are involved in helping the developing world.
Would the Minister for International Cooperation please inform the House of how the government encourages organizations, such as the Canadian Food Grains Bank, to raise funds for such important causes?
Susan Whelan LiberalMinister for International Cooperation
Mr. Speaker, the members of the Sun Parlour Food Grains Bank, the Leamington Mennonite churches and the local farmers all deserve our thanks for helping to provide food aid for those less fortunate in the developing world. I would also like to thank the Essex Food Grains growing project for their harvest last week of 811 bushels of soy beans.
The Canada Food Grains Bank and their community partners all across Canada accomplish important work. For every dollar that they raise, the Canadian government and CIDA matches $4.
I congratulate the member for Chatham--Kent Essex for making the chamber aware of this very important contribution of our community partners.