Debates of April 12th, 2002

Airport Security

[John McCallum, Liberal, Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, first, it is not a tax, it is a charge. As we have pointed out many times in the House, the charge was brought in soon after September 11 when we were afraid traffic volumes would be low. The matter will be re-examined in the fall. Should the situation change, the government has said many times in the House that we will lower the charge.

Fisheries

[Norman E. Doyle, Progressive Conservative, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, as my colleagues pointed out yesterday to the minister of fisheries, the abuse of our fishery by our fellow NAFO countries is rampant. Canada pays 50% of NAFO costs but when it comes to the enforcement of NAFO quotas we get minimal enforcement. We cannot allow that to continue.

When will the government put a stop to this looming ecological disaster by asserting custodial management of our continental shelf outside the 200 mile limit?

[Robert Thibault, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, the government takes this matter very seriously and has been very consistent in working to ensure that NAFO regulations are followed by all member countries. We will continue to do that.

I do not think there is any service made to the public of Canada by pretending we have a magic wand, that Canada can take over all of the oceans in the world. We are a partner country with NAFO. We will work with our member partners and we will get the regulations respected.

[Peter MacKay, Progressive Conservative, Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the minister has been anything but serious or consistent. My supplementary is also to the minister of fisheries.

Recently the Newfoundland ACOA minister said that Ottawa wants to build its partnerships to shape a prosperity agenda for Nova Scotia. Is the minister including Canso in that agenda? All the work toward diversification will have been in vain if the anchor of this town, the Seafreeze plant, does not reopen.

Since the fisheries minister rejected the redfish proposal, will he allocate shrimp quota to Canso and Mulgrave to return jobs, dignity and hope to these hardworking citizens of his home province?

[Robert Thibault, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, we have been working closely with the owners of the plant in Canso. We have pointed out to the owners that some resources are available that they could process at that plant, that resources are available for purchase on the open market in a private sector entrepreneurial fashion to operate that plant if that is a decision they wish to make.

It would be unreasonable and irresponsible for me to shake up the whole industry and destabilize the industry by taking from one province to give to the other and from one company to give to the other. His government did that and now we are in trouble.

Research and Development

[Rob Merrifield, Canadian Alliance, Yellowhead, AB]

Mr. Speaker, science fiction is quickly becoming science fact. Today's headlines report another group has begun cloning humans. This is not the first headline that we have seen this week.

Scientists linked to a group in Quebec claim that they have already implanted the first human embryo in women. If they are experimenting in Canada there is no law to stop them.

Could the health minister assure the House that cloning experiments are not already happening in Canada?

[Jeannot Castonguay, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, we were obviously aware that this was coming. Science is moving ahead very quickly. That is why the Standing Committee on Health, of which my colleague is a member, worked very hard to table a report in the House.

The minister promised to introduce a bill before May 10. This will be done. We are going to proceed, but we must do so in a reasonable and comprehensive manner, and not just take a patchwork approach.

[Rob Merrifield, Canadian Alliance, Yellowhead, AB]

Mr. Speaker, we warned the government last fall that this would happen. We called for an immediate ban then but it refused to listen. A royal commission reported back in 1993 and it went nowhere. Bill C-47 died on the order paper in 1997. Meanwhile, human cloning is becoming a reality and in fact may already be too late.

Will the government promise that its long overdue legislation will not die on the order paper this time?

[Jeannot Castonguay, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the fact remains that, again just recently, guidelines were introduced by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Our colleagues were not happy because they claimed it was not a step in the right direction. I am very sorry to see this.

Once again, the bill will be introduced and we hope that everyone will co-operate to make it law as soon as possible.

Middle East

[Michel Guimond, Bloc, Beauport—Montmorency—Côte-De- Beaupré—Île-D'Orléans, QC]

Mr. Speaker, under the plan proposed by Germany to restore peace to the Middle East, only a political approach with the active support of the international community can resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Given the UN secretary general's call this morning for an interposition force to be sent the Middle East, which is what the German plan is also recommending, will the Minister of Foreign Affairs tell the House what real measures, and I do not mean vague hopes, Canada has come up with so far—

[The Deputy Speaker]

The hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs.

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister recently said specifically that, in the right circumstances, Canada is quite prepared to do what it has always done, and co-operate with the international community to establish peace. We will do so in the future as we have done in the past.

[Michel Guimond, Bloc, Beauport—Montmorency—Côte-De- Beaupré—Île-D'Orléans, QC]

Mr. Speaker, given that there was yet another suicide bombing this morning in Jerusalem, with many innocent victims, does the minister agree that if the international community and Canada want to give the peace process a chance to work, they would do well to support the proposal put forward by the UN secretary general, Kofi Annan?

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, we are always ready to consider proposals put forward by the UN secretary general. The UN is a component of our foreign policy and we will continue to work together with it.

As regards the terrible events that took place this morning in Israel, we reiterate our great sympathy for the victims and their families. People on both sides of the conflict continue to die as a result of this violence. We call for an end to the violence and a return to peace talks. This is necessary for the negotiations—

[The Deputy Speaker]

The hon. member for Cypress Hills--Grasslands.

Agriculture

[David Anderson, Canadian Alliance, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the department of agriculture has become a bureaucratic mess that is out of touch with Canadian farmers.

Currently the minister of agriculture is spending $15 million to travel across the country informing industry groups about the proposed agricultural framework plan. His meetings are closed to the public, leaving farmers out in the cold. Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister is sightseeing in Europe talking about his farm plan.

Will the minister of agriculture admit that the outcome of his $15 million travelling road show will make absolutely no difference to Canadian farmers?

[Lyle Vanclief, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I find it very sad that the party that says we should talk to the agricultural industry and Canadian farmers is now telling us that it does not want us to do that. I am sorry to disappoint the member but we will continue to do that.

People, including those in his own party, have said that the country and the Government of Canada need an agricultural policy and an architecture for the industry for the future. We are going out with the broadest dialogue with the Canadian agriculture and agri-food industry that has ever taken place to ensure that when we take action we have listened to Canadians.

[David Anderson, Canadian Alliance, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Speaker, only a Liberal cabinet minister would believe that closed door, invitation only meetings are grassroot consultations.

The minister is squandering $15 million behind closed doors. Canadian farmers who wish to give their opinion are told to call a generic 1-800 number. In other words, they are being told to take their concerns elsewhere. Meanwhile, this tired government insists on spending millions on fireside chats and personal jets.

When will the minister realize he needs to listen to all producers not just a handpicked few? When will he take back control of his own department?

[Lyle Vanclief, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, the dialogue is taking place in consultation with the provincial governments. We talk to them and make sure that every organization and every farm group in the sectors are represented in these discussions.

I can assure the hon. member that whether he thinks so or not, this is the broadest consultation that has ever taken place.

Research and Development

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Peterborough, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State for Science, Research and Development.

The government aims to move Canada into the top five countries in the world for R and D by the year 2010. Time is short. To achieve this goal we must invest now in our researchers, especially our young researchers.

What is the government doing to attract and promote the best and brightest research minds?

[Maurizio Bevilacqua, Liberal, Secretary of State (Science]

Mr. Speaker, recently at the Montreal Economic Institute I announced $84 million in scholarships and fellowships to graduate students, Canada's most promising researchers. The $84 million was awarded to over 2,100 researchers studying in various areas of basic research, like physics and biochemistry, and applied research like engineering and software development.

This investment is extremely important because it is vital to the current and future innovation capacity of Canada.

Crown Corporations

[John Williams, Canadian Alliance, St. Albert, AB]

Mr. Speaker, there is a dark cloud of patronage abuse hanging over the government.

Tony Genco, the former senior advisor to the Minister of National Defence, received a soft landing as the president and CEO of Downsview Park Inc. Downsview Park Inc. manages land owned by the Department of National Defence and, yes, the park happens to be in the riding of the Minister of the National Defence.

My question is for the Minister of National Defence. Besides being a loyal Liberal and a friend of the minister, what are Mr. Genco's qualifications to be the president and CEO of a crown corporation?

[John Manley, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Crown Corporations]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member will know, we are reviewing the composition of the board of directors of Parc Downsview Park Inc. It is an important element of defining the future of a crucial part of metropolitan Toronto. We believe that it can offer great potential for future generations. We are confident that as we move forward we will have in place the administration that is able to deliver that vision.

Employment insurance

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Laurentides, QC]

Mr. Speaker, while the surplus in the EI fund has reached an unprecedented high, the government of Quebec has had to take the federal government to court to recover employment insurance premiums in order to implement its parental leave program.

Nevertheless, Minister Goupil says he is still prepared to reach an out of court settlement, thus extending his hand to Ottawa.

Is the minister finally going to take the hand that is being extended and resume negotiations, thus enabling Quebecers to benefit from a true parental leave program?

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

Mr. Speaker, for 30 years the Government of Canada has been supporting Canadian parents through maternity benefits and for the last 10 years with parental benefits. I would remind the hon. member that we have doubled those benefits and we have improved the system in an ongoing fashion.

As we have always said, if a province chooses to add to our strong platform it is welcome to do so and we encourage it do to so.