House of Commons Hansard #142 of the 37th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was budget.
Dominic LeBlanc Liberal Beauséjour—Petitcodiac, NB
Mr. Speaker, since September 11, Canadians have been asking more questions about the coast guard's ability to monitor marine traffic.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans explain the role that the coast guard plays in the government's security program and indicate what tools they have been given?
Marine SafetyOral Question Period
Bonaventure—Gaspé—Îles-De-La-Madeleine—Pabok Québec
Liberal
Georges Farrah LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his question.
As you know, the coast guard contributes to the marine safety of Canada through its monitoring activities, which it carries out in concert with Transport Canada.
I am very pleased to inform the House that following the Minister of Finance's last budget, $3 million will be added for air surveillance, $5 million for leading edge equipment for Canadian vessel traffic services and an additional $7 million for Coast Guard activities, a grand total of $15 million in additional spending to make our marine borders safer in Canada.
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Mr. Speaker, a Finnish multinational has purchased a softwood lumber company, acquiring a monopoly over crown lands in northern New Brunswick.
UPM-Kymmene made the decision to use machinery to harvest wood, rather than using loggers. This decision has resulted in 200 loggers being laid off in the northeast area of the province.
Will the Minister of International Trade meet with New Brunswick's Minister of Natural Resources to ensure that no jobs are lost? Who is running Canada, Canadians or foreigners?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, I am in regular contact with my colleagues, the ministers responsible for forests across the country. In fact, just this morning, I met with British Columbia's Minister of Forests, our friend Mike de Jong, who was in Ottawa.
I would be pleased to meet with New Brunswick's Minister of Forests at any time to discuss international trade.
However, if the member is suggesting that it is suddenly up to the Government of Canada to manage the country's forests and natural resources, I would ask him to look at the constitution. It is not Ottawa that manages Canada's forests.
Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Musquodoboit Valley—Eastern Shore, NS
Mr. Speaker, prior to Christmas, one of the greatest insults the government has ever presented to Canadians was the disability tax credit form that was sent out to 106,000 Canadians. These are the most vulnerable people in our society and, what is worse, the government is making the people with disabilities pay for the new form.
Will the government get rid of the offensive form that is attacking the most vulnerable people in our society and allow them to claim the disability tax credit as they have in the past?
Martin Cauchon LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, we were made aware of the situation some time ago. I can tell the member that Canada Customs and Revenue Agency and Human Resources Canada have been working together to ensure that the population is better informed and that they will have access to that tax credit.
Jay Hill Canadian Alliance Prince George—Peace River, BC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister for International Trade received a phone call relating to the softwood lumber dispute and he could barely contain his excitement. His reaction speaks volumes about how often the Americans actually call him about this issue.
The minister boasts today of his good public policy which is proving to be good only for the Americans. Rather than bragging that the countervailing duties do not currently apply, why will he not quit staring at the phone waiting for it to ring with a made in America solution and act like a government minister who actually cares about the Canadian softwood lumber industry?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, that is a very bizarre way of looking at it. The government has been working extremely closely with the provinces. We have been working with industry from coast to coast to coast, so much so that for once we do realize in Canada that the problem is not between us and among us, contrary to what the opposition is trying to say this morning. The problem is south of the border in the United States where the Bush administration finds it hard to deal with its U.S. coalition. The problem is not in Canada. It is in the United States.
Jay Hill Canadian Alliance Prince George—Peace River, BC
Mr. Speaker, what is bizarre is that apparently the minister did not know, while all other Canadians knew, that the softwood lumber agreement was going to expire years ago.
The B.C. Liberal finance minister has warned that British Columbia will soon be a have not province. This is without factoring in the disastrous effects of the American softwood lumber sanctions.
If the Prime Minister takes this issue seriously, why did he not extend his recent visit when he went to New York and actually go to the White House and discuss this issue?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, the problem is of course that the White House happens to be in Washington, not in New York where the Prime Minister was at the world economic forum.
I want to be clear in the House. I am impressed by how much this Prime Minister, the Prime Minister of the government at this time, contrary to the Conservative prime minister before, has raised the softwood lumber issue on every opportunity he has had with the White House and President Bush. This Prime Minister has been fully committed to our effort and he has used every opportunity he has had. He has been involved in the file. I thank him for his leadership on it, which is leading us to the right place.
Reed Elley Canadian Alliance Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Mr. Speaker, recently Indian leaders, private business owners, financiers and the Canadian Alliance met in Winnipeg to discuss concerns over the current third party management practices of Indian Affairs.
The minister has stated that the federal government has no legal obligation to third parties, but the current practices are causing undue financial hardship for both bands and private business. Suing a band in order to be paid is not an option because there is no way to enforce the judgment.
Will the minister explain to private businesses in this country how they are to be paid for outstanding debts owed by bands whether they are in third party management or not?
Bob Nault LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, for the member's information and for the information of all members of the House, when first nations are put into third party management it deals directly with the federal dollars that are transferred for core services like education, social services and infrastructure. That does not stop the first nation that has access to other sources of revenue from paying its bills.
Reed Elley Canadian Alliance Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Mr. Speaker, I wish that the minister would simply relay that information to the Indian bands because this kind of thing happens all too frequently.
Right now there are businesses like Chemical Industries of Calgary, Alberta, cutting off the supply of goods and services to all bands because of its experience with a few bands that cannot manage their financial affairs.
Businesses are concerned. Banks are concerned. Aboriginal bands are concerned. Unfortunately the minister does not seem to be doing anything about it.
He truly has an opportunity to stimulate economic activity at the band level and increase the standard of living for many aboriginals across Canada. All of us want that. When will the minister fix his government's disastrous third party management policy?
Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period
February 8th, 2002 / 11:50 a.m.
Kenora—Rainy River Ontario
Liberal
Bob Nault LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, if we are indeed to accept the argument that we believe in a government to government relationship with first nations, I do not think, and I would assume that the member is not suggesting, that the Government of Canada should guarantee every single transaction between a first nation and the private sector. It is very much up to them to deal with that as they would with any other contract in the private sector.
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, Alberta and the oil industry are trying to make the government back off on its commitment to ratify the Kyoto protocol next June. We know that the Minister of the Environment said that he wanted that document to be ratified. We also know that Canada, excluding Quebec, has the world's worst record on greenhouse gases.
Can the Deputy Prime Minister confirm to the House that the government shares the opinion of the Minister of the Environment and that it is firmly determined to ratify the Kyoto protocol by June?
David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, there is no change in the policy of the Canadian government. We support a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. We have a plan in Canada. Our objective is to reduce these emissions by 6% compared to the 1990 level. We will achieve that objective.
There is no change, whether on the part of the government or that of the other parties involved.
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, what I understand from the non-answer given by the Minister of the Environment is that there is no commitment to ratify the protocol before next June.
However, the oil industry claims that Canada cannot ratify the Kyoto Protocol, since the federal government did not release any study on the costs of such a commitment. It is totally unbelievable that the government would not have a study on this issue.
Could the Minister of the Environment confirm whether a study on the costs of implementing the Kyoto protocol exists and, if so, will he table it in the House?
David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment
Of course, Mr. Speaker. We have studies that go back to 1997. We had talks with the provinces. I will attend a conference with provincial officials at the end of the month, and I will meet them again at another conference in mid-May. The discussions are continuing.
Over the past 12 months, I travelled five times to Alberta, that is to Calgary. I had meetings with the industry on two occasions over the past three weeks. We are in almost constant contact.
Ted White Canadian Alliance North Vancouver, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans has been called before the Standing Joint Committee on the Scrutiny of Regulations because Canada's aboriginal fishing regulations have been declared illegal.
It is now clear that the minister has never had the right or the authority to establish a fishery based on race.
I would like the minister to tell the people of Canada why he has not announced an end to this illegal race based fishery.
Georges Farrah LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, this is an issue which has been raised relatively recently. As the member is aware, the new minister has just been appointed. He will look at all aspects of the issue and, in due course, be in a position to reply.
Ted White Canadian Alliance North Vancouver, BC
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite has not done any research at all. In fact this issue was raised in March 1997, almost five years ago.
The scrutiny of regulations committee advised the government that its regulations were illegal, but the government has deliberately and irresponsibly ignored its obligations to fix the problem and has put a bunch of fishermen's livelihoods at risk because of that.
I would like to know, when is the minister going to abandon his repugnant race based fishery and stop awarding fisheries on the basis of the colour of a person's skin?
Georges Farrah LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, the member is referring to a case which is before the courts. I think that it is entirely normal and prudent at this time not to answer the question directly. Let us wait and see what the outcome is.
Marcel Proulx Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Mr. Speaker, this evening, all attention will be focused on Salt Lake City as it hosts the 2002 winter olympics.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage highlight for this House the government's commitment to our Olympic team?
Sarmite Bulte LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, all Canadians can be very proud of the Canadian Olympic team, which will be composed of 345 exceptional individuals, including 156 of our finest athletes.
The Government of Canada is pleased to support the 2002 winter olympics through contributions to the Canadian Olympic Association and the Canadian winter olympic association, containing winter athletes, as well as national sports associations.
I ask members to please join me in wishing all of our athletes their personal best. They are truly a source of great pride.
Rick Casson Canadian Alliance Lethbridge, AB
Mr. Speaker, the agriculture industry in Canada is facing yet another challenge by the U.S. The implementation of country of origin labelling on our agriculture products in the U.S. will adversely affect Canada's agriculture industry and cripple our beef industry.
Will the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food instruct the CFIA to immediately implement the terminal feedlot protocol to indicate that Canada is open for business to head off this potentially disastrous situation?