Debates of March 12th, 2002

Correctional Service Canada

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, there is nothing more horrible than an individual giving his or her life in the line of duty for the nation. I can assure my hon. colleague that the government has ensured that our police forces in the country have the proper tools to do the job, and we will continue to do so.

[Kevin Sorenson, Canadian Alliance, Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is bad enough that police officers are being shot and killed by parolees. Like I said, 812 dangerous offenders are unlawfully at large. Now murderers are being housed in facilities that offer all the comforts of home.

Will the solicitor general put an end to this appalling charade by ensuring that all first degree murderers are kept in maximum security facilities where they belong?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I thought my hon. colleague would be aware that we passed a rule about a year ago that all first and second degree murderers would spend a minimum of two years in maximum security. The average is 8 to 10--

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

Order, please. We are wasting time in question period. We have to be able to hear the solicitor general and his answer, which we cannot with all of this noise. The hon. solicitor general has the floor.

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

My hon. colleague is also well aware, Mr. Speaker, that they spend an average of 8 to 10 years in maximum security.

For his information in the United States, which it is quick to announce, people who are convicted of life in prison spend an average of 18.5 years before they receive parole. In this country they remain in prison an average of 28.4 years before--

[The Speaker]

I am afraid we have run out of time. The hon. member for Yukon.

The Environment

[Larry Bagnell, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, persistent organic pollutants or POPs threaten the health and well-being of humans and wildlife in every region of the world. Canada played a leadership role in the development and was the first country to ratify the Stockholm convention on POPs.

Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment tell the House what actions the government is taking to address this important issue globally?

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, it is most fitting that my hon. colleague from Yukon would ask a question about persistent organic pollutants, as they pose a serious threat in Canada, especially in our north where pollutants have led to the contamination of the traditional foods for aboriginal peoples.

The majority of POPs enter Canada's environment by being transported through the atmosphere from foreign sources such as China and other countries in south and southeast Asia. That is why $20 million was committed to Canada's POPs fund at the Royal Bank to help countries address POPs issues. Yesterday we announced the contribution of $316,000 through joint funding to the Royal Roads University--

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Regina--Qu'Appelle.

Banking Industry

[Lorne Nystrom, NDP, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the banks have been overcharging consumers with record interest rate spreads on a $50 billion credit card debt. Banks have also been gouging consumers by charging them interest on money that has not yet been advanced to the vendor.

The government certainly uses its power to keep its junior ministers and backbenchers in line. Will it use its power to intervene on the side of consumers in their struggle against these huge banks that are gouging the public with these interest rate spreads?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, to allow consumers to check exactly what their costs are and to ensure that Canadians are able to monitor these kinds of charges, we set up the Financial Consumer Agency which is in the process of doing exactly that.

Employment Insurance

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to interest, the employment insurance surplus is now at $42 billion. There is a rumour to the effect that the Department of Human Resources Development will impose interest on overpayments, which will increase even more the employment insurance fund.

Could the Minister of Human Resources Development tell us whether this rumour is true or not? The employment insurance program is already a thorn for workers. Does the government really need to take what little they have left?

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, my department is reviewing a proposal to charge interest on employment insurance debt related to fraud only and not to debt accrued as a result of mistakes. This intention was signalled in our report on plans and priorities last year.

Grants and Contributions

[Jim Pankiw, Canadian Alliance, Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK]

Mr. Speaker, when he was in opposition, the current minister for public works said that allegations of conflict of interest should be investigated. In fact, he asked the following question in the House:

Can (the minister) specifically tell the House whether he is willing to refer this matter to a parliamentary committee?There have been a number of such allegations made by very credible sources. Isn't that enough?

Why was it a good idea to investigate corruption when he was in opposition, but not now that he is holding the levers of power? Why is the minister ignoring his own advice?

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, this morning the hon. member asked me in committee whether I would appear in committee to talk about the issues involving my department. I had to remind him that I actually was there in front of him. I do that now again. I remind the hon. member that I am here just as I was in committee this morning.

[Jim Pankiw, Canadian Alliance, Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK]

Check the record, Mr. Speaker, that is not what he said. He avoided the question just like he avoided it now. The issue is this minister's double standard on integrity.

The scandal surrounding Liberal pork and patronage at public works continues to grow. Since the sponsorship slush fund was put in place by this government, Liberal friends at Groupaction have billed Canadian taxpayers $60 million and kicked back $100,000 in political donations to the Liberal Party.

Why is the minister adopting the ethical standards of Alfonso Gagliano instead of the standards he demanded when in opposition?

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, there is no such thing as a sponsorship slush fund. There is a sponsorship program of the Government of Canada. It is available on the website of the Government of Canada. Members from all parties across the House come to see me to lobby about sponsorship initiatives within their constituencies. I thank them for that. I support the initiatives. It is a well run program and done in a truly competitive manner. The accusations of the hon. member should be withdrawn.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Monte Solberg, Canadian Alliance, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, our borders are not just for keeping criminals out, they are also to protect vulnerable people from being exploited by criminal elements here at home.

The U.S. state department is saying that over 15,000 Chinese women have been smuggled into Canada in the last decade to work in the sex trade. How can this government say our borders are secure when international people smugglers are using Canada to make a fortune by sexually exploiting women?

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, the government has security as its priority, but it is also clear that human smuggling does not occur only in Canada.

Human smuggling is not just in Canada, it is all over the world. We have invested more and more money since December 10. At the same time, what we have accomplished with Bill C-11 and regulations, is that we now have the proper tools to answer those needs.

[Monte Solberg, Canadian Alliance, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, that was a pretty weak answer. Understandably the U.S. is very nervous about our leaky international ports. In its report it pointed to the ease with which these illegal immigrants can come into Canada and then cross into the United States across our vast undefended border.

Why is the minister continuing to jeopardize our open border with the U.S. by refusing to take seriously this important issue of illegal immigrants making their way into Canada?

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to understand why the official opposition voted against the budget for security. Why did they vote against Bill C-11 at the time? All these tools were helping us and were allowing us to address these issues.

We took our responsibilities. They should now apologize.

Softwood Lumber

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the situation is critical in the softwood lumber dispute, with the intensive round of negotiations now under way and the March 21 deadline approaching.

One day, the government is optimistic, the next it is less so. This has not prevented the government from returning to the table without obtaining guarantees from the Americans concerning unfettered access to their market.

As he prepares to meet with President Bush two days from now, could the Prime Minister tell us what kind of guarantees he intends to seek from the Americans in order to ensure the unfettered access of our softwood lumber to the American market?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I am obviously always extremely pleased that the Prime Minister himself takes the opportunity of these exchanges with President Bush to show that the number one priority of the Canadian government is to find a solution to the softwood lumber dispute, which has been dragging on for a very long time.

It is absolutely obvious that what our government wants, and what the Canadian provinces and the industry want, is guaranteed access to the U.S. market. That is the goal of the negotiations, and that is the goal that we will be working extremely hard to achieve in the coming days.

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this still does not tell us what guarantees the government is going to go after.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Trade mentioned in the House that an assistance plan was being implemented in the softwood lumber industry.

I ask the Minister for International Trade to confirm this statement and to tell us what form this plan to help the industry will take.