Debates of March 18th, 2002

Citizenship and Immigration

[Paul Forseth, Canadian Alliance, New Westminster—Coquitlam—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, for years the official opposition has been telling the Liberal government it is not properly managing Canada's immigration system. Now citizens are clearly saying so as well.

A poll conducted in February says that 54% are unhappy. People are naturally reacting to how the Liberals have made such a mess of the immigration system.

Citizenship and immigration has thousands of backlogged applications. It thinks the only way to deal with the pileup is to place unrealistic expectations on the backlog then change the rules in the middle of the game. It lets in undocumented security risks yet rejects fine candidates with masters degrees. Nearly $100 million is spent on the IRB to screen applicants whom the immigration department does not accept, which puts them through its own screening.

The Canadian Alliance has a clear, positive immigration policy that can inspire public confidence, for with clear principles we can manage in the national interest. As the evidence shows, the Liberals cannot manage.

Michel Malboeuf

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to draw the attention of the House to the memory of Michel Malboeuf, who died following a cardiac arrest this weekend in New York, while returning from a trip to Florida with his wife. He leaves to mourn his wife, Jacinthe, and his three children, Patrice, Nicolas and Marie-Claude.

He was the founder, president and publisher of the Lien économique , a Franco-Ontarian magazine that he founded in 1993 and was publishing up until the last issue I received. We shall see what will happen to the magazine now.

Before the Lien économique , he worked at the Carillon and the newspaper, Le Droit , for ten years. He also owned his own advertising agency. In addition, he was an innovator in the field of information technology, with his attempt to establish the Village électronique francophone in Ontario.

We will remember him as a very kind person, a man who was involved in his community and in all kinds of organizations. He was in very good shape, and incidentally, he exercised and swam every day. He will be missed.

Agriculture

[Dick Proctor, NDP, Palliser, SK]

Mr. Speaker, many Canadians in different parts of Canada are experiencing the driest 12 months in living memory. Last year's drought conditions coupled with low levels of snowfall this winter have resulted in very little reserve moisture going into the crop year. Many livestock producers have been forced to buy feed over the winter and the lack of snowfall does not bode well for spring pastures or water sources.

Significant precipitation will be needed over the next 60 days to regenerate water sources and enable spring pastures and forage crops to get off to a good start. While no Canadian farmer has ever lost a crop in March, if above average moisture is not received this spring losses to Canadian agriculture will be significant and will have a devastating impact on many producers in several provinces.

The federal department of agriculture needs to make public its contingency plans now so that should the drought continue our farmers will know exactly what assistance they can expect from the government.

Racism

[Francine Lalonde, Bloc, Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Quebec Week of Actions Against Racism is a time to strengthen the ties that bind Quebecers of all origins.

Since 1975, seven years before the federal charter was adopted, the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms has prohibited discrimination based on origin. Nonetheless, the fight against racism has not been won. Racism is a terrible wrong that unfortunately continues to rear its head in our society.

Racism hurts those who practice it and those who are subject to it. In all cases, it prevents us from living fully.

Yet, Quebec society is recognized as being tolerant and open. So we must all work together to make our society more fair and democratic. This fight must be led as individuals and collectively, we must demonstrate honesty, help and solidarity. The fight will require knowledge, understanding and must lead to action.

I hope all Quebecers will discover something about other cultures this week.

International Women's Day

[Sarmite Bulte, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, to commemorate International Women's Day on March 8, I hosted a breakfast to acknowledge the accomplishments of the women of Parkdale--High Park.

The event celebrated the success of local women including Paula Coates, owner of McLellan Jewellers; Rita Cox, citizenship court judge, librarian, educator, storyteller and mentor; Barbara Gordon, actor; Maureen McDonald, project co-ordinator, Parkdale Parents' Primary Prevention Project, St. Joseph's Women's Health Centre; Adeena Niazi, founder, Afghan Women's Counselling and Integration Community Support Organization; and Elizabeth Rogacki, president of the Canadian Polish Congress.

International Women's Day is an ideal opportunity to acknowledge the progress made by women from all walks of life, to assess the challenges facing women in contemporary society and celebrate the gains made, as well as an opportunity to honour all women in each of our own communities.

Education

[John Herron, Progressive Conservative, Fundy Royal, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I stand today to welcome the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations to Ottawa as it begins its lobby week. The non-partisan organization represents 310,000 post-secondary students across Canada.

Tuition rates have increased 126% in the last decade quadrupling student debt loads, a situation worsened by the government's insufficient student loans program. The government is indenturing an entire generation of students who on average are owing $20,000 in debt before completing university.

The Progressive Conservative Party's 2000 election platform focused on the need for the federal government to be a leader in dealing with this national tragedy. Today I am tabling two motions designed to put money directly back in the pockets of students. The first calls for the elimination of the taxable status of scholarships and the second calls for a tax credit based on the repayment of Canada student loans.

Let every member of the House speak up for post-secondary education, and let us extend a very warm welcome to the students of CASA.

Red Cross

[Gérard Binet, Liberal, Frontenac—Mégantic, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to remind the House and all Canadians that March is Red Cross Month in Canada.

The Canadian Red Cross Society works to prevent and alleviate human suffering in Canada and around the world. When a catastrophe occurs, the quick action of volunteers from the Red Cross and other volunteer organizations helps lighten the burden of survivors.

I am taking this opportunity to underline the contribution of this organization and to urge hon. members and all Canadians to support the Canadian Red Cross Society and their community by working as volunteers on a regular basis, or by financially supporting Red Cross programs around the world and at home.

Zimbabwe

[Keith Martin, Canadian Alliance, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, fraud, intimidation and murder foisted upon the people of Zimbabwe have destroyed that country. Canada's response in the face of gross human rights violations and a rigged election is to sit on the fence. African countries such as South Africa and Uganda have fallen over themselves to stand shoulder to shoulder with despotism and brutality and against the protection of innocent lives.

The people of Zimbabwe have a loaded gun pointed at their heads with Robert Mugabe's finger on the trigger. Unless Canada and the international community, especially African leaders, stand up and speak loudly many people will surely die. By not speaking out against tyranny the credibility of the Prime Minister and of many African leaders is destroyed when mentioning anything about development.

Shame on the government. Shame on the people who have stood against the people of Zimbabwe. May God protect the people of Zimbabwe because nobody else will.

Fight Against Terrorism

[Hélène Scherrer, Liberal, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on February 15, the Government of Canada ratified the UN international convention on the suppression of financing of terrorism.

The purpose of this convention is to deprive terrorists of their sources of financing. This will help prevent terrorist acts such as those that took place on September 11.

By ratifying the convention, Canada pledged to make it a crime to send or collect funds that could be used to commit terrorist acts. It also supports the guidelines of the convention on extradition or on the prosecution of those who take part in such financing.

Ratifying this convention is part of the Canadian government's efforts in the fight against terrorism. Canada has now ratified eleven of the twelve conventions against terrorism, and it has signed all twelve of them.

I urge our government to continue to take its responsibilities in the fight against terrorism.

Grants and Contributions

[John Reynolds, Canadian Alliance, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, when Pierre Corbeil was convicted of running a kickback scheme for those who sought grant money it became a fact that there was an organized influence peddling operation inside the Government of Canada to benefit the Liberal Party of Canada. Now we see that most of those who received generous contracts from the government to buy advertising also made generous donations to the Liberal Party.

How can the Prime Minister assure Canadians that this is not another kickback scheme operating inside his government and his party?

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will know that the advertising contracts to which he is referring have been given through a competitive process. Some fourteen companies fulfilled the documents. Forty-one of them made an initial manifestation of interest. From those nine were selected. The successful bidders were selected and no one else.

[John Reynolds, Canadian Alliance, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, that does not really answer the question. Mr. Corbeil was convicted for asking companies that receive public grant money to make clinical donations to the Liberal Party of Canada. We know the government has done it before. Now it might be doing it again. We can understand the occasional donation but not this gross pattern.

Could the Prime Minister assure Canadians that organizers inside his party and officials inside his government are not asking for or making decisions about tax dollars based on donations to the Liberal Party?

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

Mr. Speaker, last week the hon. member and others were making accusations that proved to be totally fruitless. Now they are going on to accuse even more people in the same kind of fruitless way.

I say to the hon. member that the contracts were given to the lowest bidders. That is the way in which it proceeded. I say to the hon. member that I hope he does not find anything offensive about a public offering of tenders. If he does he should speak to his critic.

[John Reynolds, Canadian Alliance, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, we are not asking fruitless questions. We did not ask him about Mr. Corbeil either. We are trying to find out where the rotten fruit is.

There is a pattern that exists. There is a problem that exists. Will the Prime Minister tell Canadians what action the government is taking to clean up this mess?

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

Mr. Speaker, asking the same question three different ways gives exactly the same answer.

The contracts were given to the best bidder. All of them were awarded that way. Is he suggesting that we should have given them to the highest bidder or is he suggesting that we should have given them to the people who did not even qualify in the bidding? How about giving them to the people who did not even bid? Maybe that is what he is suggesting.

[Rahim Jaffer, Canadian Alliance, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, how about being straightforward with Canadians, something the government never does.

While the average citizen is working like crazy to pay this government's crazy taxes, the Liberals seem to be laughing in their face. They are handing out over $158 million in sham contracts to their friends, while the average person is having a hard time just making ends meet.

When will they stop greasing their friends' palms, start cutting some of the fat, and lower taxes so that the average Canadian can enjoy the good times too?

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

Mr. Speaker, I find it interesting that the seatmate of the Leader of the Opposition would speak in such a way about advertising contracts. I have in hand a letter signed by the Leader of the Opposition in which he quotes “...seeking financial commitment from the federal government of $50,000” for a sponsorship event in his own riding. I am willing to table this letter.

[Rahim Jaffer, Canadian Alliance, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, what has that got to do with anything?

The government has nothing but disregard for taxpayers. We wish that it would be straightforward with Canadian taxpayers because there is a pattern here. Three firms that donated over $246,000 to the Liberals were awarded almost $158 million in contracts over the last five years.

The government saw one of its bagmen and organizers, Pierre Corbeil, convicted for peddling influence along the same lines.

Could the Prime Minister stand in his place and assure Canadians that influence peddling is not in fact happening again?

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

Mr. Speaker, I have and I will continue to say to the hon. member, to everyone else who wants to hear it and even to those who do not, that those who will be winning contracts will be those who have succeeded in getting the best bid for Canadian taxpayers. That is what the government has been doing and what it will continue to do.

I say to the hon. member that these kinds of accusations, even if repeated, do not make something that is inaccurate the truth.

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, the Minister of Public Works tabled a package of documents from Groupaction that was supposed to be the bulk of the famous $500,000 report that nobody in the government could locate.

Will the Minister of Public Works explain why he is passing these documents off as the missing report when a brief comparison of these documents and the report already tabled in the House for 1999 confirms that it is essentially the same report?

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

Mr. Speaker, I did not table any report in the House of Commons, as the hon. member well knows.

On Friday, the company in question, Groupaction, released a report, which I personally sent to members of the House, or which I had sent to them by people working for me.

According to Groupaction, this report contains a replica of the documents from the contract in question. Furthermore, the company has undertaken to send an affidavit to that effect later today. I undertake to table it in the House of Commons tomorrow, or when I have received it.

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I can certainly understand that the minister is distancing himself from what has gone on, now that he knows the truth.

Between 90% and 95% of the documents which the minister had distributed as the missing report is, in fact, lifted from the second report, the one which was presented as having been done and not posing any problem.

Does the minister realize that all that he is proving with this document is that our concerns are indeed justified and that, in addition to facing a political scandal, he is now engaged in an attempt at a cover-up?

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

Mr. Speaker, the member may make allegations if he wishes. I have no intention of covering up anything at all. I undertook to table, to make public and to transmit to all members all the documents I receive. That is what I had my staff do last week. That is what I will do later this afternoon or tomorrow, when I have received the affidavit I was promised, and that is what I still intend to do.

[Ghislain Lebel, Bloc, Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the mysteriously disappearing $500,000 report has still not turned up. The Minister of Public Works is trying to make us think it has by providing us with documents taken from another report. This is a shameful procedure.

How can the Minister of Public Works justify the mention in this Groupaction report of October 1999 of the Jeux du Québec as a coming event, when they had been held in August of 1999?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I have told the hon. member and all the others who have raised this matter, the document was provided to us on Friday and I passed it on to my colleagues. Then later in the afternoon the company made a commitment to sign a legal undertaking that this was indeed the report in question. I am committed to providing this to all hon. members as soon as it becomes available to me. That is what I have promised and that is what I will do.