House of Commons Hansard #43 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was money.

Topics

TerrorismOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Quebec.

Official LanguagesOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC

Mr. Speaker, when awarded the official languages portfolio, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs pledged to produce a plan to support the development of minority communities by making services in their language more accessible.

But according to the latest census data, the percentage of francophones outside Quebec continues to decrease and nothing can be done about it. Now close to 18 months have passed since the minister was assigned the task of formulating a new action plan to strengthen the official languages program.

What is he waiting for to produce this plan? This is a matter of the utmost urgency.

Official LanguagesOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Saint-Laurent—Cartierville Québec

Liberal

Stéphane Dion LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs

Mr. Speaker, in fact the number of francophones outside Quebec has increased. What has decreased, and nothing can be done about it, is the public's support for the Bloc Quebecois. It is waning, and the reasons are obvious, the main one being its attempts to drive a wedge between the francophones of this country. This will not happen.

Official LanguagesOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Canadian Heritage has announced that immigration must contribute to the development of the francophone communities. According to the Commissioner of Official Languages, the structures for welcoming immigrants in minority communities are non-existent.

Will the government ever figure out that, unless a specific structure is created to welcome francophone immigrants outside Quebec, they are now simply doomed to assimilation by the anglophone community, which has such a strong majority?

Official LanguagesOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Bourassa Québec

Liberal

Denis Coderre LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, I recommend that the hon. member consult her colleague from Laval Centre. She will learn that we have a program known as IPOLC. Canadian Heritage and Immigration Canada work with the francophone communities, not only in order to ensure francophone immigration throughout Canada, but also in order to be able to use the resources in the communities.

To that end, we need to get the communities to take responsibility. That is what we are doing. We do indeed intend to have a policy for francophone immigration in Canada.

Airline IndustryOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Lynne Yelich Canadian Alliance Blackstrap, SK

Mr. Speaker, transport, finance and Senate committees are currently studying the air traveller's security charge and the impact it is having on the travelling public.

Numbers given to me today from the Saskatoon Airport Authority show that air travel between Saskatoon and Regina fell by 50% between April and August this year, compared to the same time period in 2001.

This tax is indisputably devastating to short haul routes and to small market economies. Why does the Minister of Finance refuse to axe this tax?

Airline IndustryOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Ottawa South Ontario

Liberal

John Manley LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I will take it as a representation from the Alliance that they are prepared to add additional costs. They like spending money. We have learned that, with $2 billion for this and a billion for that, and in this case $400 million.

To be perfectly frank, one has to wonder how much research the hon. member did in concluding that at a period that followed September 11, 2001, she thinks all of the reduction in air travel was because of a charge for additional security. I do not think so.

Airline IndustryOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Lynne Yelich Canadian Alliance Blackstrap, SK

Mr. Speaker, private companies must be accountable, unlike the government. They respond to the bottom line.

WestJet is one of the few airlines worldwide to maintain profitability in the post-September 11 environment. Its stock was hammered on the Toronto Stock Exchange over the past few days. Why? Because WestJet's president and CEO announced a revision of their economic projections and said that the air traveller's security charge has probably had the greatest impact in causing travellers to avoid short trips. Taxes are up. Air travel is down. There is a link.

The government refuses to listen to stakeholders. Why will it not axe the tax?

Airline IndustryOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Ottawa South Ontario

Liberal

John Manley LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, if it were that simple, fine, we could deal with it, but we do not charge that tax in the United States and air travel is down in the United States as well. Maybe the member should be able to explain that.

The point remains this: that we believe the users of the service ought to pay for the additional security. We have put out a paper showing why we expect there may be some ability to reduce the charge. We will wait to hear from stakeholders how they think the charge should be structured. I think that is the prudent and appropriate way to deal with it.

École de médecine vétérinaire de Saint-HyacintheOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Bloc

Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Agriculture announced investments of $113 million for Canada's four faculties of veterinary medicine, but he overlooked the fact that only one of them, that of Saint-Hyacinthe, lost its full accreditation and can only get it back with an urgent investment of $59 million, not $35 million, which means that the issue is far from being settled.

Can the minister tell us why he did not look after what is really urgent and did not include in his plan the immediate payment of $59 million to Saint-Hyacinthe, and postpone by a few months the subsidy of $37 million to Guelph, which got back its full accreditation three weeks ago, for seven years?

École de médecine vétérinaire de Saint-HyacintheOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member refuses to understand that at this time no veterinary college in Canada has lost its accreditation.

Annually, all four veterinary colleges have to submit a report to the American Veterinary Medical Association in order to demonstrate what they are continuing to do in their colleges in order to maintain their credibility.

Each one of our four colleges has to do that and we as a government have supported all four veterinary colleges across the country.

École de médecine vétérinaire de Saint-HyacintheOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Bloc

Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC

Mr. Speaker, in the case of the École de médecine vétérinaire de Saint-Hyacinthe, it is a partial accreditation. The other three institutions have a full accreditation. This is not hard to understand.

We find it hard to understand the minister's attitude, and particularly the speed with which he followed up on the request from Guelph, which happens to be his alma mater. Guelph is in a comfortable position for the next seven years, while we must continually keep after the minister as regards Saint-Hyacinthe.

Will the minister realize that, without a full payment of $59 million to Saint-Hyacinthe, that school could find itself in an even more perilous situation in just a few months?

École de médecine vétérinaire de Saint-HyacintheOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, the presidents of all four of those universities wrote to me and to the government asking for support. We responded to that request in an equal manner to all the veterinary colleges across Canada, this country of ours, in response to the way in which the presidents of those universities asked.

Government ContractsOral Question Period

December 11th, 2002 / 2:40 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Gerry Ritz Canadian Alliance Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Alliance called repeatedly last spring for a public inquiry into the Liberal sponsorship scandals.

The public outcry for such a forum continues to build. Canadians now know that several on the frontbench over there are overly friendly with companies that receive millions of dollars in questionable contracts followed by the prerequisite campaign donations.

Now we learn that the Prime Minister gave the green light for his buddy, Jacques Corriveau, a campaign fellow, to belly up to the same trough.

What is stopping the minister from calling a public inquiry? Fear of the truth getting out?

Government ContractsOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services

Mr. Speaker, all of the hon. gentleman's innuendoes will not hide the fact that we have launched a whole series of inquiries and investigations: some of those by the RCMP; some of those by the Auditor General, and some on her own initiative; some by the internal audit department of Public Works and Government Services Canada; some in relation to the time verification audits; and some under the auspices of the Treasury Board.

We have obviously launched inquiries where appropriate, on all fronts, to make sure that this process is thoroughly ventilated.

Government ContractsOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Gerry Ritz Canadian Alliance Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK

Mr. Speaker, we have seen inquiry after inquiry sanitized to the point that there is nothing left in them, far from the truth, anyway. Canadians cannot trust the same ministers who approved the system of rewarding Liberal friends to investigate it. They just will not go for it.

We know the Liberals hate public inquiries. Somalia, APEC and Krever all gave Canadians a glimpse into the Liberal government's incompetence.

Is not the real reason the minister refuses to call a public inquiry that he knows it will lead directly into the Prime Minister's Office again?

Government ContractsOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services

Absolutely not, Mr. Speaker.

Long before I was appointed to this portfolio, the Prime Minister made it clear in a speech in the House that wherever there were legal issues they would be investigated by the police, wherever there were administrative mistakes they would be corrected, and where there was a money problem that the money would be recollected.

When he appointed me to this job, the Prime Minister's instruction was clear and simple. He said, “Find out what's wrong and fix it”. I am in the process of doing just that, those innuendoes notwithstanding.

Human GenesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger Liberal Ottawa—Vanier, ON

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Industry.

Last week, the Supreme Court of Canada handed down its decision on the patenting of life forms. In response to a question posed in the House on this matter, the minister said, and I quote:

We will be acting soon in response to the issue. We will be consulting Canadians.

Up to now, the private sector has dominated the debate on the patenting of human genes and life forms.

Can the Minister of Industry tell us when and how the government will consult with Canadians on this important issue?

Human GenesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Etobicoke Centre Ontario

Liberal

Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Industry

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member remarked, the Supreme Court decision was handed down quite recently. We intend to act soon. Over the coming weeks, we will begin consultations to ensure that we can introduce legislation which will strike a balance between innovation and, at the same time, Canadian values with regard to this complex and difficult issue.

TaxationOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

NDP

Bill Blaikie NDP Winnipeg—Transcona, MB

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance. It has to do with the U.S. Senate's investigation of a one day, $1 billion sham loan from financial giant J.P. Morgan Chase that was used to produce $60 million in Canadian tax breaks and $65 million in benefits to Enron.

I ask the Minister of Finance, why was this apparently legal? If it was, what is he going to do to fix the Canadian tax system so this kind of outrage never happens again?

TaxationOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Thornhill Ontario

Liberal

Elinor Caplan LiberalMinister of National Revenue

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite should know that I have been informed by my officials that I cannot, nor can anyone, discuss any of the details of this case as it is before the courts. Section 241 of the Income Tax Act is very clear. We just cannot discuss it.

Highway InfrastructureOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

Mr. Speaker, following the announcement of a $90 million investment by the Minister of Labour for highway infrastructure in northeastern New Brunswick, involving highways 11 and 17, the Government of New Brunswick pledged to invest the same amount, $90 million.

The province is still keeping its word, even though the federal minister is now talking about previous commitments for other highways in the south.

My question is for the Minister of Transport. Is the minister prepared to honour the promise made by his colleague, and invest the $90 million for the economic development of northeastern New Brunswick, or not?

Highway InfrastructureOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Don Valley East Ontario

Liberal

David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, we have the strategic highway program which calls for $600 million to be spent across the country. New Brunswick has a portion of that. The financing is fifty-fifty between the province and the federal government. Some expenditures have been announced.

In addition, I might say that under the strategic fund in the last budget there was an announcement by the Prime Minister and the premier earlier this year on another highway in New Brunswick.

It is quite obvious that these programs are working. The people of New Brunswick, along with people in other parts of the country, are benefiting from this government's investment in highways.

Coast GuardOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Loyola Hearn Progressive Conservative St. John's West, NL

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Coast Guard has recently pulled out of the joint Canada-United States agreement aimed at preventing marine catastrophes on the Canadian and United States coasts.

The main reason for the breakdown of this agreement is the lack of Canadian financial resources. As a result the Canadian Coast Guard was unable to fulfill its obligations for a new cross-border cooperation agreement on vessel traffic control.

How could the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans justify such blatant disregard for coastal security and protection on Canada's west coast?

Coast GuardOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

West Nova Nova Scotia

Liberal

Robert Thibault LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, Canada and the United States continue to work cooperatively in supporting one another to ensure marine safety. Both countries have limited ability to overlap in the other's territory. It is a problem we continue to work on cooperatively and very successfully.