House of Commons Hansard #41 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was plan.

Topics

Kyoto ProtocolOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Vancouver South—Burnaby B.C.

Liberal

Herb Dhaliwal LiberalMinister of Natural Resources

Mr. Speaker, in fact, today we have capped a price for industry. It is something we have been working with for many, many months to say that the cost would not go beyond $15 a tonne. It is interesting that the Leader of the Opposition just a few minutes ago said that we are now subsidizing the industry, when he stood up every day here saying that we should protect industry and make sure that we deal with the risks and uncertainties. Now he is saying we are subsidizing it. What is it? The members of the opposition should make up their minds.

Kyoto ProtocolOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Bob Mills Canadian Alliance Red Deer, AB

Mr. Speaker, the truth is the government really has no idea what Kyoto is going to cost. From job losses and investment chills right down to the shabby plan it has for paying for emissions credits. By capping the cost of credits, the government will simply be passing the cost on to the taxpayers as a disguised carbon tax.

What is this going to cost the Canadian taxpayer?

Kyoto ProtocolOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Vancouver South—Burnaby B.C.

Liberal

Herb Dhaliwal LiberalMinister of Natural Resources

Mr. Speaker, we have been working closely with industry. There were three important issues we had to deal with. The first one was to give them certainty on quantity. Second, we had to make sure that we gave flexibility to the covenant. Third, on the price, we have capped that at $15 a tonne. The opposition members have stood up every day and told us to deal with those risks on price but now they have changed their minds. Now they are saying we are subsidizing it.

I think the industry will be very interested to see how the member and the Leader of the Opposition keep changing their position every single day.

Coast GuardOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

John M. Cummins Canadian Alliance Delta—South Richmond, BC

Mr. Speaker, in February a fully loaded tanker was travelling in American waters near Victoria. An earthquake shut down the American vessel traffic control in Seattle. The Canadian Coast Guard took over and averted disaster, clearing a passage for the huge tanker through a narrow channel. But not any more. The agreement to backstop one another's traffic control has been cancelled because Canada can no longer do the job. Supertankers are now on their own.

How could the government contemplate a fully loaded supertanker operating on Victoria's doorstep without any--

Coast GuardOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

Coast GuardOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

West Nova Nova Scotia

Liberal

Robert Thibault LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, the member is often quite selective in his facts. The other day he was talking to us about the “Russian spy ship” that was off our coast that we had no knowledge of. I checked into the matter as it was tracked all the way along our coast by the Coast Guard, by the Department of National Defence and we were in communication with them.

We have a very good marine communications system and traffic control system. We will improve it and make it better. We give Canadians a great service.

Coast GuardOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

John M. Cummins Canadian Alliance Delta—South Richmond, BC

Mr. Speaker, the minister does not get it. The agreement to backstop one another's vessel traffic control was put in place because of Canada's concern about supertanker traffic in American waters adjacent Victoria and the Gulf Islands. The agreement is now cancelled because Canadian Coast Guard personnel lack the training and equipment to take over in the event of an American system failure.

Why has the government decided to risk supertanker collisions and oil spills on the west coast? Why has the government allowed the system to deteriorate to the point where supertankers could be playing bumper cars in the Strait of Georgia?

Coast GuardOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

West Nova Nova Scotia

Liberal

Robert Thibault LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Coast Guard works in close cooperation with every other federal agency and with our international partners. It provides a great service and keeps our coasts safe. It keeps transportation going.

Motion Picture ProductionOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Bloc

Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC

Mr. Speaker, the film industry is impatiently awaiting the finance minister's decision on improving the Canadian film production tax credit.

Film productions, in particular foreign productions, are a source of significant income for all involved in this industry.

Will the Minister of Finance tell us whether he plans to help this major industry or whether he intends just to sit back and enjoy the show?

Motion Picture ProductionOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Ottawa South Ontario

Liberal

John Manley LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I can confirm that I have received representations. All representations will be closely examined during budget preparation.

Highway InfrastructureOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

Mr. Speaker, last week the federal Minister of Labour and minister responsible for New Brunswick announced that $90 million was available for highways 11 and 17 in the northern part of the province.

While the province was also committed to matching the amount, the minister is now saying that she can contribute only $77 million.

My question is for the Minister of Transport. Is the minister prepared to make up the difference, so that together, the federal and provincial governments can provide the $180 million announced at the outset to give the economic development of these regions a chance?

Highway InfrastructureOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Don Valley East Ontario

Liberal

David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, there is a program in place to improve the highway system across the country. We have signed an agreement with New Brunswick. There are plans to improve the highways. I will review the situation and see if the hon. member is right.

Kyoto ProtocolOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Joe Clark Progressive Conservative Calgary Centre, AB

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister. Will the government's estimates on the costs of Kyoto be as reliable as the government's estimates on the costs of the gun registry?

Kyoto ProtocolOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Saint-Maurice Québec

Liberal

Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, there is a very good chance that, after 10 years of implementation of the program, neither the leader of the fifth party nor myself will be able to reply to this question.

Organized CrimeOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Gurmant Grewal Canadian Alliance Surrey Central, BC

Mr. Speaker, on Saturday five young Indo-Canadian men were gunned down in a Surrey parking lot. They were lucky. They could have been added to the list of 70 already dead. Today's suspect is tomorrow's victim and the RCMP, with limited resources, can do little but wait for vigilante justice to prevail.

While this weak Liberal government mismanages a billion dollars on a gun registry, the RCMP watches helplessly as violent tit-for-tat gangs have shootouts in busy neighbourhoods.

Will the Solicitor General admit that the RCMP needs better resources to tackle organized crime?

Organized CrimeOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Malpeque P.E.I.

Liberal

Wayne Easter LiberalSolicitor General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, I reject the allegations that we have done little. Let me outline for the hon. member some of the things we have done to improve policing of organized crime.

We have implemented anti-gang legislation. We have created 13 integrated proceeds of crime units. We have renewed the national anti-smuggling initiative. We have improved cross border law enforcement cooperation. We have renewed the Canadian police information centre. We have increased RCMP presence at major airports. We have increased the RCMP budget significantly. We have improved the national DNA data bank. We have created new--

Organized CrimeOral Question Period

3 p.m.

The Speaker

Hon. member for Rosemont—Petite-Patrie.

Kyoto ProtocolOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Bloc

Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—Petite-Patrie, QC

Mr. Speaker, it is reported in this morning's Globe and Mail that the federal government might provide financial assistance to industries, including polluting industries, if the costs arising from Kyoto were higher than expected.

Could the Minister of the Environment confirm this? Does he realize that taking this approach could be tantamount to abandoning the polluter pay principle?

Kyoto ProtocolOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Vancouver South—Burnaby B.C.

Liberal

Herb Dhaliwal LiberalMinister of Natural Resources

Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, we have been working with industry closely to ensure that we deal with the risks and uncertainties that exist in Kyoto. We want to ensure that we protect jobs and protect investment in Canada. By dealing with the risks by saying that we will cap at $15 a tonne carbon, we are ensuring that investment will stay in Canada and that jobs will protected.

Government Response to PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3 p.m.

Halifax West Nova Scotia

Liberal

Geoff Regan LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 20 petitions.

Interparliamentary DelegationsRoutine Proceedings

3 p.m.

Liberal

Charles Caccia Liberal Davenport, ON

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian delegation of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association to the fourth part of the 2002 ordinary session of the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe, held in Strasbourg, France, from September 23 to 27, 2002.

Gun Control Legislation Expiry ActRoutine Proceedings

3 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Garry Breitkreuz Canadian Alliance Yorkton—Melville, SK

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-330, an act to provide for the expiry of gun control legislation that is not proven effective within five years of coming into force.

Mr. Speaker, I am reintroducing this bill for the fourth time. I would like to thank the member for Prince George—Peace River for seconding my firearms law sunset act.

Never in the history of ill-conceived gun control laws has the need for this legislation been more obvious. The firearms law sunset act guarantees that scarce tax dollars will only be spent on gun control measures that actually improve public safety.

My sunset law would require the automatic repeal of any gun control measure five years after it has been implemented unless it can pass a public safety test administered by the Auditor General for Canada which proves the measure is cost effective at achieving its stated purpose. I believe all laws we pass in the House must be cost effective at achieving their stated goals. Sunset provisions are the only way of guaranteeing it.

In conclusion, maybe we cannot repeal Bill C-68 right now, but by passing this bill we can ensure that all ineffective measures like Bill C-68 imposes on Canadians and the billions more it will waste in the future are redirected to fighting real crime and curtailing the activities of street gangs, organized crime and terrorists.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:05 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

John Duncan Canadian Alliance Vancouver Island North, BC

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions signed by more than 500 individuals from my riding. In two of them the petitioners ask Parliament to protect our children by taking all steps necessary to ensure that all materials promoting or glorifying pedophilia or sado-masochistic activities involving children are outlawed.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:05 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

John Duncan Canadian Alliance Vancouver Island North, BC

Mr. Speaker, I have a further petition signed by 30 individuals in my riding of Vancouver Island North. The petitioners ask Parliament to focus its legislative support on adult stem cell research to find the cures and therapies necessary to treat the illness and diseases of suffering Canadians.

PetitionsRoutine Proceedings

3:05 p.m.

Liberal

Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON

Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to present to this House three petitions on behalf of my constituents. The first two petitions relate to Bill C-250, formerly Bill C-415. One is signed by 1,769 people and the second has 154 signatures.

The petitioners recognize that freedom of speech and religious freedom are guaranteed under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Thus, they call on Parliament to oppose Bill C-250.