House of Commons Hansard #147 of the 37th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was copyright.
David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, naturally, that is what we will be doing, but the House will have to wait until they are ready.
In the meantime, we have dozens of experts working on this. Some of them are from the provinces and others work for the federal government. Three private companies are working on this. As soon as they have completed their work, we will present the details to the House.
Monte Solberg Canadian Alliance Medicine Hat, AB
Mr. Speaker, yesterday I asked a question about refugee policy but the minister refused to answer. Therefore, let me ask the Deputy Prime Minister.
Is it the policy of the government to accept refugee claims from convicted criminals who are being held in police custody?
John Manley LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Crown Corporations
Mr. Speaker, of course that is not the government's policy.
Monte Solberg Canadian Alliance Medicine Hat, AB
Mr. Speaker, that is very interesting because that is exactly what the government has done.
The minister has said it is not the policy but on the other hand his government is doing that in the case of Tafari Rennock, the convicted sexual offender from the United States who has now come into Canada. Will the minister make the commitment right now that the policy will change?
John Manley LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Crown Corporations
Mr. Speaker, first, it is not the government's policy.
Second, I cannot of course comment on a specific case.
Third, the member should know that even where a person may be granted refugee status by an independent tribunal, where that person poses a risk to Canadians there is still a process by which he or she could be removed from Canada.
Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of the Environment will shortly be meeting with his provincial counterparts at a conference in Victoria, where the minister will be presenting various options for give effect to the Kyoto agreements on greenhouse gas reduction.
Can the minister tell us whether, among these scenarios, there is one which includes compensation for the costs to the provinces of acting on the Kyoto agreements, since they, unlike Quebec, have not assumed their environmental responsibilities in recent years?
David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, this Monday and Tuesday's meeting in Victoria is one of a series. Others were held in Manitoba in September and in Ontario in October.
It is not a forum for debate but rather for the parties to exchange views. Everyone shares the same objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Thus, the meeting to be held on Monday and Tuesday is not a matter of provincial-federal negotiations.
Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Mr. Speaker, the minister says he wants to ratify and achieve the objectives of greenhouse gas emission reduction set out in the Kyoto protocol. We trust this is the case and we too wish to see that happen.
Will the minister acknowledge that he is heading for Victoria with a weak position, given the recent statements by his colleague at natural resources to the effect that the Canadian commitment to the Kyoto protocol is wavering?
David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment
Not in the least, Mr. Speaker. It is clear that what those of us on this side of the House want to see is assessment of the potential cost and benefits of ratification of the agreement as well as reduction of emissions to 6% below the 1990 level.
Charlie Penson Canadian Alliance Peace River, AB
Mr. Speaker, Technology Partnerships Canada approved an $87 million loan to Cascade Data Service on March 9, 2001. That is all the information we have on this project because TPC has yet to announce it to the Canadian public. Industry Canada's online corporation database tells us that the company was incorporated a mere three months before its TPC grant was approved.
If the minister is so proud of TPC, why is one of its largest projects shrouded in secrecy?
Serge Marcil LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, I am taking note of the hon. member's question and I will give him an answer next week.
Charlie Penson Canadian Alliance Peace River, AB
Mr. Speaker, since they will be answering it next week, perhaps they could consider the following. This is the more systemic problem.
TPC has been criticized nationally and internationally for being secretive and has promised to be more transparent. Just look at TPC for a moment. It is three years behind in its annual reports. It has never been subject to an internal audit. The required program evaluation on the first four years of operation is two years late. They had better review that while they are at it.
What kind of transparency is this? Is it the kind of transparency we have on the GST style promise that we have come to expect from the Liberal government?
Serge Marcil LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, Technology Partnerships Canada is one of Canada's best programs to promote research and development and to allow Canadian businesses to develop and thrive.
All sorts of allegations are being made, but I want to say that a report is being drafted and it should be tabled soon.
Mac Harb Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, given the increasing focus on living in a global economy, could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Cooperation tell the House and Canadians what specifically the government is doing to assist Canadian youth so they can gain further knowledge into the challenge that is facing developing countries?
Marlene Jennings LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Cooperation
Mr. Speaker, just today the Minister for International Cooperation launched the Butterfly 208 essay and art contest, which is sponsored in part by the Canadian International Development Agency. This contest is aimed at raising awareness among Canadian youth about fighting global poverty and will allow the participants to learn more about CIDA's social development priorities like child protection, basic education, HIV-AIDS and health and nutrition.
What a wonderful way for our Canadian youth to learn more about what we share in common with--
International Co-operationOral Question Period
The Deputy Speaker
The hon. member for Dartmouth.
Wendy Lill NDP Dartmouth, NS
Mr. Speaker, between 1986 and 1995 Revenue Canada was lax in documenting people claiming the disability tax credit. Because of its screw-ups, 106,000 vulnerable Canadians received a form letter telling them to reapply for their credit or be cut off, and 65,000 more letters still have to go out.
Why is the government picking on the most vulnerable? Will the government now tell these people the review is on hold and compensate them for costs accrued to reapply for the DTC? Will it commit to real consultations with disability groups before conducting a new review of the DTC?
Sophia Leung LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, the agency has a regulation to have periodical reassessments of the different departments. This has occurred for the disability group. The government has special consideration and compassion for people with disabilities.
Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Musquodoboit Valley—Eastern Shore, NS
Mr. Speaker, with all the greatest respect, I have never heard such nonsense in the House of Commons in my entire life. The fact is 106,000 insults went to the most vulnerable in our society. What is even worse, the environment minister has said we have to consult, yet the CMA, which represents all doctors from coast to coast to coast, was not even advised about this new disability tax credit form that doctors were forced to sign in some cases to help their patients.
My question again is: why did the government not even consult with the CMA and why is it still picking on the most vulnerable in our society?
Sophia Leung LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, we hold regular consultations with different organizations.
Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Musquodoboit Valley—Eastern Shore, NS
No you don't. You did not. The CMA did not--
Canada Customs and Revenue AgencyOral Question Period
The Deputy Speaker
Order please, does the hon. parliamentary secretary have anything to add? If not I am ready to proceed. The hon. parliamentary secretary.
Sophia Leung Liberal Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Mr. Speaker, I would just like to say that we do have consultation with different groups regularly. In the meantime, it is our regulation to have periodical assessments with different groups. There is no exception with the disability group. It is our regulations. We are doing our best job for this country.
Peter MacKay Progressive Conservative Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans is looking for solutions for the town of Canso, and we thank him for that. However he is aware of another proposal and another problem at ACS Trading which is a fish processing plant in Mulgrave, Nova Scotia. In full operation, this plant employs over 100 people, but it has been forced to close its doors recently. The plant has been successful without any government money or subsidies. What it needs and deserves is equal access to a resource to enable it to compete in the fisheries industry.
Will the minister please give his assurances that he will sincerely consider the proposal he has received from ACS and help save an important industry in Mulgrave, Nova Scotia?