House of Commons Hansard #168 of the 37th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was physical.
Sheila Copps LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, if the member is asking me not to interfere in the negotiations, I am happy to follow her advice.
Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC
Mr. Speaker, that was not the point of my question. I do not want the minister to take a position on the negotiations. I want her to say whether she agrees that employees who do not have job security are more vulnerable to the potential whims of an employer who might wish to impose his or her views to the detriment of journalistic objectivity.
The minister should show some compassion, leave the negotiations out of this, and tell us whether or not employees with no job security are being discriminated against.
Sheila Copps LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, once again, I am happy to follow the member's advice and not interfere in the negotiations.
However, I think that all Canadians, particularly those who have been tuning into Radio-Canada for years, would encourage both sides to return to the bargaining table to ensure that Quebec's broadcasters can take their rightful place among the best broadcasters in the world.
Jim Abbott Canadian Alliance Kootenay—Columbia, BC
Mr. Speaker, my question is about the lack of ethics of the government and the use of taxpayers' money.
The would-be successors to the Prime Minister make it appear as though the taxpayers' money is supporting their leadership bids. First it was the finance minister, now it is the minister of heritage with her own conflict.
Joe Thornley, whose company Thornley Fallis is under contract with the minister's department, held a $500 a plate fundraising dinner for her just last week.
What is happening here is wrong. Why did she do it?
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, we have more questions about it and I am informed that Mr. Wilson has sent me a proposition to have some rules.
We have to be fair. They are just coming from their convention. We have not heard anything about all the money that was raised from anybody, so they should not attack us for that.
There is no leadership on this side and there will be someone--
Jean Chrétien Liberal Saint-Maurice, QC
If ever I were to go I think that there might be a few who would like to take over. It is normal.
The ministers are doing their jobs very well. I think we will have some guidelines to make sure that there is no conflict between their jobs as ministers and the leader--
Leadership CampaignsOral Question Period
The Speaker
The hon. member for Kootenay--Columbia.
Jim Abbott Canadian Alliance Kootenay—Columbia, BC
Mr. Speaker, it seems to me the problem here is the Prime Minister and the heritage minister are kind of caught between a rock and a martini but it is the Canadian taxpayer who is suffering.
The answer is very simple. Will the ministers, whose departments let the contracts, reveal the names and the contracts of the people who are supporting them? It is that simple. There is nothing profound here.
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, there is a reality that everybody on this side, and some in the corner there, are all members of parliament. We all have the right to raise money for our next election. So members of the cabinet, members of the caucus have the right to have fundraising in all their ridings like any other member of the House of Commons.
The money that is raised for the riding, receipts are given. It is documented and the list of contributors giving above $100 is always made public at the end of the year.
Janko Peric Liberal Cambridge, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.
A study by a University of Toronto professor shows that Canada is squandering the talents of skilled immigrants. The cost to our economy is $15 billion a year.
What is the minister doing to make sure that qualified professionals, like doctors, can work in the areas in which they are trained and in which there are shortages?
Denis Coderre LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, that is the most important question of the day.
It is a step by step approach. In the fall, for the first time there will be a federal, provincial and territorial conference. We will talk about provincial co-operation and about equivalence and credentials. Right now there is a process where by the end of June we will have through the regulation certain questions answered.
I think that it is everybody's business on both sides of the House. It is probably one of the most important questions, especially since the new census.
Lorne Nystrom NDP Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK
Mr. Speaker, my question is about the $101 million spent on two airplanes to support the imperial travel style of the Prime Minister.
Can the Prime Minister tell us why officials of three different departments recommended against the purchase? Will he table that information in the House? Can he also tell us once and for all, why do the Liberals need two planes? Is it one plane for the Prime Minister and one plane for his ego?
Don Boudria LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, in the fleet of planes, all Challengers of course, there are actually four, not two. These two planes replace two of the older ones for a grand total of four, just like we had before. They are not luxurious.
The hon. member's own leader flew on it once. I know because I requisitioned the jet for her.
Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Earlier this month a Canadian businessman, James Sabzali, was the first foreign national to be convicted under the U.S. trading with the enemy act. His crime was selling water purification supplies for the people of Cuba.
What action is the minister taking to strongly protest this outrageous attack by the United States on a Canadian citizen whose only crime was to obey Canadian law?
Bill Graham LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I would like to assure the House that we take this matter very seriously. We are in contact with Mr. Sabzali's lawyers to make sure that we make all representations possible for the Government of Canada.
I want to remind the House however, that this gentleman was convicted not only for activities which he conducted in Canada, but the majority of activities for which he was convicted were when he was in the United States and in the jurisdiction of United States laws and courts. This makes this case somewhat more complicated than other cases that we have had to face in the past. However, I want to assure the member and the House that we will follow it closely and give every aid we can to this Canadian citizen and his problem.
Loyola Hearn Progressive Conservative St. John's West, NL
Mr. Speaker, on Thursday the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans practically accused me of lying to the House in relation to the cargo of fish landed in Newfoundland by the Russian trawler Tynda . I presume the minister has now seen the manifest. I have a copy.
I ask him, how long can Canada sit back and see redfish the size of one's thumb, turbot the size of a coke bottle and species such as cod and American plaice which are under moratorium being scooped up by foreign trawlers while our plants are closed and Canadians are unemployed?
Robert Thibault LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question.
My officials checked the manifest. They verified with the vessel and investigations are continuing. However there were no NAFO regulations nor Canadian regulations contravened.
This matter is important in light of the requests that have been made by the member's colleague that I increase by 3,000 tonnes the redfish quota. There are no regulations on that one. We believe it should be brought under NAFO regulations and therefore we do not think it would be wise to increase that quota.
Loyola Hearn Progressive Conservative St. John's West, NL
Mr. Speaker, the minister constantly defends the indefensible, NAFO. He says there was no illegal fishing involved with the boat.
When well over half the catch was still in an unprocessed state, where did the fish come from to make 80,000 pounds of fishmeal when one-half million pounds of raw material will be required to create such an amount of finished product?
Robert Thibault LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, once again I point out that we are continuing to do the investigation. There is no information to date that we have uncovered from the manifest or from the visit to show that there was anything untoward. The best way we can work to manage the resource properly and to have sustainable fishing on the nose and the tail of the Grand Banks is to work with our partners who fish there from NAFO.
I met today with the ambassador for the European Union. I will meet with the commissioner of fisheries and make sure that we all work toward the same goals.
James Rajotte Canadian Alliance Edmonton Southwest, AB
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Alliance has repeatedly asked that the ethics counsellor table his rules and guidelines as well as table all investigations into potential or real conflicts of interest.
We understand Mr. Wilson recently met with the Prime Minister to discuss new guidelines for placing restrictions on contracts with cabinet ministers who aspire to be Prime Minister some day.
Will the Prime Minister live up to his promise of a more open and accountable government by tabling the results of the ethics counsellor's recent investigations into conflicts as well as the new guidelines?
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I did not have any discussion myself with Mr. Wilson on this subject. I am told that he has sent me some prospects for guidelines. I will read them and discuss with him what we should do.
I have to tell the hon. member that when they had their leadership convention a few weeks ago, they had the same problems that members of this party will have when there is a leadership convention. It is something that is out of the operations of cabinet. It is the normal process in a democracy to have a leadership convention. The rules should be the same for the opposition as they are for the party that governs.
James Rajotte Canadian Alliance Edmonton Southwest, AB
Mr. Speaker, the distinction is clear. It is cabinet ministers who have control over the public purse. There is a clear distinction between that side and opposition members. That is politics 101.
The pursuit of ethical government is not a private matter to be discussed between Liberal fundraisers and cabinet ministers. The office of the ethics counsellor falls within the Minister of Industry's portfolio. The minister, who is himself an unofficial leadership candidate, could radically improve Liberal standards and define his own leadership style by improving the transparency and accountability of the government.
I ask the Minister of Industry: Will he ask the ethics counsellor to table the results of recent investigations as well as the new guidelines?
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to hear that opposition members think they will never be ministers so they are not too preoccupied about the eventual conflict of interest. I thank them very much for already conceding the result of the next election.
As I just said, yes, Mr. Wilson is writing to me. He is making some suggestions. I will look at them and I will see what can be done. There will be guidelines. When the guidelines are ready, I will be very happy to make them public.
Robert Lanctôt Bloc Châteauguay, QC
Mr. Speaker, at the last National Summit on Sport, in April 2001, the Secretary of State for Amateur Sport established a number of committees responsible for making recommendations to help athletes. These committees have been at work for close to a year. Even though the issues have been known for a long time, so far nothing concrete has emerged from these committees.
How long will athletes have to wait to get the funding promised by the secretary of state?