House of Commons Hansard #165 of the 37th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was code.
Grant Hill Canadian Alliance Macleod, AB
Mr. Speaker, while our military gets second best, the cabinet wants to fly higher, farther and faster. I would like to know how the minister faces the military personnel and explains to them that cabinet comfort and security is more important than military safety and mobility. How does he explain that?
Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, that is not the case. There will be absolutely no change in military funding programs as a result of that particular purchase. The purchase of these substantially upgraded airplanes will enable the government to travel. This purchase will not in any way change any of the programs that support the Canadian forces.
Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, in response to our questions about an assistance plan for the softwood lumber industry and its workers, the Minister for International Trade kept telling us he was taking an inventory of existing programs, and there would be nothing new.
Yet, ten minutes later, upon leaving the House, he told the media that he was prepared to go beyond existing programs, without, of course, promising anything.
Will the minister stop shirking his responsibilities and tell us if he plans on considering our proposals or if he has any other ideas to assist the softwood lumber industry and its workers?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, I believe I have had a number of opportunities to comment in the House. I really felt that I said the exact same thing to the media in the scrum.
I think that it is important, first, to look at what existing programs can do to assist our industry, our workers and our communities. What I said is that, obviously, if the circumstances required our government to go beyond existing programs, we would be ready to consider doing so.
Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, we would like to have some idea of how long it will take to review government programs.
During the negotiations with the Americans, the minister saw first hand that they are not joking, and that their strategy is to penalize our industry to the point of weakening it and even eliminating it.
Given this fact, does the minister not agree that he should present an emergency plan to assist the softwood lumber industry and the workers affected, since winning a legal battle will be of no use once our businesses have closed and jobs have vanished?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, over the last two years, our government has worked closely with the industry, workers and communities on the softwood lumber issue. We continue to talk regularly, constantly. We will work on this issue together. I think that what is important is that we do the right thing, and follow through to the end with the United States.
For years the Americans have gone too far on softwood lumber. We want to settle this once and for all with the industry and with the provincial governments, which are working very closely with the Government of Canada.
Leon Benoit Canadian Alliance Lakeland, AB
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has not always thought that luxury jets were more important than the safety of our troops. In 1993, when he was leader of the opposition, he stated:
There is no need for such a plane...not to have the Prime Minister flying at 35,000 feet, soaking himself in a bath. It is the taxpayer who has been soaked. Will the government come to its senses and cancel this stupid, extravagant expenditure?
I would like to ask the same question. Will this government come to its senses and cancel this stupid, extravagant expenditure?
Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, these aircraft are similar to the kind of aircraft that already exist. They are not luxury models but they are more efficient. They can go a longer distance without refueling. They can land on more runways. Two of the older models are being traded in for them. However there is zero impact in terms of the budget of the Canadian forces.
Leon Benoit Canadian Alliance Lakeland, AB
Mr. Speaker, that is the problem. He will not add a penny to the military budget.
After nine years in government it is now clearer than ever that the members of the former rat pack have become members of the current fat pack.
I will again quote the Prime Minister from the same time in 1993. He said:
One thing that is clear in the minds of Canadians is that the government has absolutely the wrong priorities.
It is clear where the Liberal priorities now lie. Why has the government chosen to put the comfort and convenience of politicians ahead of the safety of our troops?
Art Eggleton LiberalMinister of National Defence
That is simply not true, Mr. Speaker. The safety of our troops is of utmost importance to the government. We have put 20% more money into the defence budget over the last four years. Another $5 billion in new money will go in over the next five years. We continue to make the changes and show the support for our Canadian forces personnel that is necessary so that they can operate in the way they do on behalf of this country. That is something for which we can be very proud.
Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC
Mr. Speaker, wage discrimination is at the core of the dispute currently opposing the Société Radio-Canada and its employees in Quebec and Moncton.
These employees are not getting paid the same salaries as their fellow workers in the rest of Canada and this is unacceptable.
Will the Minister of Canadian Heritage finally decide to send a clear political message to Radio-Canada, to make it understand that it must ensure pay equity between its employees in Quebec and Moncton and those in the rest of Canada?
Claudette Bradshaw LiberalMinister of Labour and Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women)
Mr. Speaker, I am aware of allegations to the effect that female announcers are being paid less than their male counterparts.
The communications union of Radio-Canada has filed a complaint to this effect to the Canadian Human Rights Commission.
Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Canadian Heritage.
We fully realize that the minister is not negotiating on behalf of Radio-Canada and we are not asking her to get involved in the negotiations. However, she must realize that Radio-Canada is a publicly funded crown corporation and that it must respect certain values.
Does the minister publicly agree that the crown corporation must not discriminate between men and women?
Canada Customs and Revenue AgencyOral Question Period
Canadian Alliance
Rahim Jaffer Canadian Alliance Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Mr. Speaker, CCRA documents reveal that Canada Customs officers should not detain anyone attempting to enter Canada who is considered armed and dangerous. Instead they are to give them a friendly wave, let them into the country, then call the police. According to the CCRA, this policy has not changed since September 11.
My question is for the revenue minister. Why is she continuing to risk the lives of Canadians by allowing armed and dangerous travellers into Canada?
Elinor Caplan LiberalMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, in fact the safety of Canadians and the safety of customs officers is a number one and top priority for CCRA.
The facts are as follows. There has been no policy change, but in the years from 1995 to 2001, there were 11 cases of assault reported, 11 cases at a time when over 600 million people entered Canada and were welcomed and inspected by customs officers.
The report that the critic refers to is in anticipation of a job hazard review, which is underway. I want to reiterate that the safety of Canadians and the safety of customs officers is our priority.
Rahim Jaffer Canadian Alliance Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Mr. Speaker, it is truly shameful the way the minister treats our customs officers and Canadians by not giving them the tools that they need at the border.
Our police ranks are understaffed. RCMP officers have already been pulled off the streets to work on the gun registry. Now the minister wants to move more officers to the border.
It should be the job of Canada Customs, not the police, to protect our borders, but the government will not allow customs officers to carry weapons.
Will the minister commit today to granting customs officers peace officer status so that they can protect our borders and the police can protect our streets?
Elinor Caplan LiberalMinister of National Revenue
Mr. Speaker, the critic is wrong on a number of counts. The first is that customs officers have an important role in arresting those who are found to be drunk drivers and those who have outstanding warrants against them. They are well trained in order to be able to do that. There have been no incidents reported where a use of force, a weapon, would have been of assistance.
In fact, customs officers are not police forces. They have excellent relationships with local police and the RCMP and together they are an effective team in protecting Canada.
Charles Hubbard Liberal Miramichi, NB
Mr. Speaker, the Farm Credit Corporation has provided loans to more than 44,000 Canadian farmers. It has a portfolio of more than $7 billion. The auditor general, in reviewing crown corporations this past winter, has made an assessment of its annual report. I know that our minister is in Washington on some very important business, but would the parliamentary secretary please indicate to parliament the assessment that the auditor general made of the crown corporation's report?
Farm Credit CorporationOral Question Period
Hastings—Frontenac—Lennox And Addington Ontario
Liberal
Larry McCormick LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, I am sure the hon. member will be pleasantly surprised to hear that for the fourth time Farm Credit Canada has received the auditor general's award for excellence in the annual reporting by crown corporations.
The award signifies that the FCC has more than met its obligation to the Government of Canada and to Canadians. It is a strong testament that FCC continues to serve the needs of Canadian producers and the agriculture industry efficiently and responsibly.
I wish to extend congratulations to John Ryan and all the good people at Farm Credit Canada.
Bev Desjarlais NDP Churchill, MB
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance. The director general of the International Air Transport Association has revealed that the new government security tax on air travellers, Canada's new GST, is the highest air security charge in the world.
This means either that the Liberal government is the most inefficient administrator of airport security in the world or the Liberal government is gouging Canadians. Which is it?
Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, it is neither. The fact is that the letter from the International Air Transport Association is comparing apples and oranges.
In fact, unlike most other countries, Canada has relieved its airlines of substantial charges in terms of airport and airline security, some $72 million. It is expected that the reduction in the cost to the airlines should be reflected in the price of their tickets.
Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB
Mr. Speaker, the Société Radio-Canada has been negotiating with its employees these past few days. The corporation's executive have threatened locked out employees with stopping negotiations if they met with their federal representatives in Ottawa. This is precisely what they have done today, and it is a disgrace.
Do crown corporations negotiate via blackmail? Does the Minister of Labour support this type of negotiation? If not, what steps does she plan to take to put an end to these anti-democratic actions on the part of a crown corporation and to get these employees back to work?
Claudette Bradshaw LiberalMinister of Labour and Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women)
Mr. Speaker, both parties have met in the presence of our mediators, last week and again since Monday of this week.
It is important that both parties sign a new collective agreement. At this point, it is crucial to let the parties address their problems so that a good collective agreement will ensue.
This is not the time for us to start taking one side or the other.
Bill Casey Progressive Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. One reason why Palestinian refugees turned to the Hezbollah for help is that the United Nations working group on refugees is out of business and shut down.
Canada chairs this United Nations working group. If it is put back into business, maybe we can put the Hezbollah out of business. What is the minister doing to help restart the United Nations working group on refugees?
