Debates of April 26th, 2002

Foreign Affairs

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is distorting the picture. That is not what this is all about.

The unified command plan, the changes in the United States, are completely internal to its system. We are just looking at ways that there can be practical co-operation between the two, maybe in planning or something. We are not talking about putting our troops under its command at all.

The hon. member should know that we already have extensive agreements with the United States with respect to co-operation. We are just looking at the post-September 11 situation as to how we can elaborate on those practical co-operative efforts.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

Mr. Speaker, according to Mr. Axworthy's document, the Americans' military spending level, as a percentage of the GDP, is more than double that of Canada.

Does the Minister of Foreign Affairs realize that the Americans could demand that Canada spend the same percentage as they do, which would result in an increase of some $16 billion in Canada's military spending?

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, as we told the House, the U.S. government is not in a position to demand that Canada engage in military spending. It is this House, it is the Canadian government that makes the decisions regarding our military spending, and we will continue to do so, with the sovereignty and security of Canada and Canadians in mind.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

Mr. Speaker, if, according to the minister himself, there is still no agreement between the two countries, could the minister confirm the existence of informal talks with the United States on Canada's participation in a possible unified command?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, in fact we initiated the informal talks that are now going on. They are discussions to determine how Norad would be affected by this new northern command system. We have now established that it will maintain its high status as a binational command. We are happy about that. We are looking for other ways where we can co-operate with them, but we are not looking for the extent of the kind of integrated structures the hon. member is talking about. This is not a question of integration at all. It is only a question of practical co-operation.

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

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Deputy Prime Minister. It arises out of the press conference held this morning by Lloyd Axworthy, the former minister of foreign affairs, and the current member for Don Valley West. They claimed that the debate over the northern command is as important now as the debate in the 1980s over free trade. Mr. Axworthy also expressed the concern that trade is now trumping sovereignty, something we in the NDP have been saying in the House for the last few years.

I ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs, or the Deputy Prime Minister preferably, does he accept the analysis made by Mr. Axworthy this morning, or is it the government's intention once again to sell out the country like it did during the free trade debate?

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I have not had an opportunity to examine the precise words of Mr. Axworthy so I hesitate to take exactly what my hon. colleague has been good enough to say Mr. Axworthy said.

If in fact he is suggesting that what we are presently doing in terms of mere discussions with the United States as to how we can better assure the security of Canadians is somehow selling out our sovereignty, I totally reject the suggestion. As the Minister of National Defence has indicated to the House, what discussions we have had have enhanced our sovereignty and have enhanced our security. We will continue to do that as this government acts on behalf of all Canadians.

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

Mr. Speaker, what concerns me is the Liberal track record. I remember their campaigning against free trade, getting elected and then implementing free trade back in 1993.

This morning Mr. Axworthy also called for a full parliamentary debate on the whole issue of the northern command. I would like a precise answer from the Deputy Prime Minister to this question. Will he give a commitment today to a full public and parliamentary debate in the House of Commons with a free vote before the government implements the ideas of the northern command?

[Art Eggleton, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, as both the Minister of Foreign Affairs and I have said already in response to questions, the hon. members are greatly distorting what this thing is all about.

Certainly we leave open the opportunity for any discussions and any input from the House. However, members should wait to see what these discussions bring out. We are talking about practical levels of co-operation. We may be able to broaden our security relationship with the United States. It does not mean deepening. It does not mean integration at all.

The Environment

[Joe Clark, Progressive Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the government has said that it will involve the provinces in decisions respecting any ratification of, or alternative to, the Kyoto accord.

Does the government accept in principle the view that it would be wise to convene a first ministers conference on Kyoto and related matters as soon as possible? If such a meeting is convened, would the agenda include the discussion of any federal proposal for a carbon tax?

[Herb Dhaliwal, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, the first ministers asked that we have a joint ministerial group composed of provincial and federal ministers. They meet regularly. They are meeting at the end of May.

Once again the hon. member knows this government has never looked at a carbon tax in the past, nor will it now or in the future. He should not continue to raise this issue again and again. He should look at what work has been done. He should congratulate and commend the good work that has been done by the federal and provincial governments jointly on a very important issue for Canadians.

[Rick Borotsik, Progressive Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the minister should recall what he did with the GST and free trade, so Canadians unfortunately do not agree with what the Liberals have to say in most cases.

The government has kept Canadians in the dark with respect to how good its intentions are in putting forward the Kyoto accord. It has sent up a trial balloon on a carbon tax.

Would the Minister of Natural Resources please tell the House and Canadians today what it is that he has planned for the Kyoto accord, how he will pick the pockets of Canadians and what kind of taxes will be involved in that pocket picking?

[Herb Dhaliwal, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, instead of looking at headlines, the hon. member should do his research and look at the work that has been done and the process that has been followed.

We are meeting at the end of May with the federal-provincial-territorial ministers. There are discussions going on. We need to make sure that we have the provinces and the territories on side because it is a team Canada approach that we are looking at.

The hon. member should know that any revenue measures are looked at by the finance minister during the budget. Certainly he should know that. That is when those areas are brought forward.

Health

[Rob Merrifield, Canadian Alliance, Yellowhead, AB]

Mr. Speaker, four years ago this week the Liberal government turned its back on thousands of Canadians who were poisoned by blood tainted with hepatitis C. Tears flowed in the House and thousands of victims were shut out of a government's artificial legal window.

It turns out that there is an incredible $900 million remaining in the compensation fund. Can the government find it in its heart to compensate all victims of tainted blood?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the government has been absolutely clear in relation to the approach it has taken to the compensation of certain victims suffering from hepatitis C. In fact a settlement agreement has been entered into. That settlement agreement has been accepted by the court in relation to the action.

The hon. member needs to be aware that the government more than lived up to its obligations in relation to hep C victims.

[Rob Merrifield, Canadian Alliance, Yellowhead, AB]

Mr. Speaker, there is money for the lawyers and there is money for the bureaucrats, but there is no money for the left out victims. What will the government do with the remaining $900 million?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has to understand that there is not $900 million remaining. In fact the government has committed approximately $1.4 billion. The money that has been set aside under court accepted agreement is to compensate hep C victims over the next 10 to 15 years.

We know full well that individuals may be identified in the years to come. There is a progression in some cases in relation to this illness tragically--

Lumber Industry

[Gérard Asselin, Bloc, Charlevoix, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today we learned that the tariff to be placed on Canadian and Quebec exports of softwood lumber will be 27.22%. Unfortunately, the Minister for International Trade has been dragging his feet on this issue.

With the letter from Quebec minister François Gendron, is the minister going to finally agree that it is high time the government put in place measures to help companies and workers in the softwood lumber industry, as the Quebec minister is urging it to do?

[Pat O'Brien, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Human Resources Development has pointed out repeatedly, every possible way to assist the workers has been undertaken and indeed, additional steps are being reviewed.

The suggestions of the Government of Quebec are very interesting and helpful. We have had suggestions from other provinces as well. They are all under careful review. The government is considering what additional steps, if any, may be required. We are not about to take a precipitous decision, but we will act in a timely manner.

[Gérard Asselin, Bloc, Charlevoix, QC]

Mr. Speaker, some weeks ago the Bloc Quebecois proposed a realistic assistance plan for the workers and the companies. Is it not high time the minister assumed his responsibilities and announced immediate assistance measures?

[Pat O'Brien, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, as I said the other day, the Bloc can demand immediate action as often as it wants, but the point is that there are serious considerations under proposal from all the provinces, including the province of Quebec. They have to be reviewed.

The government is taking stock of the situation. In due course it will take a decision, but it is not about to make a bad decision just to please the Bloc Quebecois.

Health

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

Mr. Speaker, when they were in opposition, the Liberals were calling for compensation for all thalidomide victims and all people infected with HIV from tainted blood.

Justice Krever said “Compensating some needy sufferers and not others cannot, in my opinion, be justified”. Today, we have learned that there is $900 million available to compensate all of the victims of the tainted blood scandal.

Does this government have a heart?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, indeed this government has a heart. That is why we contributed hundreds of millions of dollars to a court accepted settlement agreement for those victims of hepatitis C between 1986 and 1990.

Let me just again inform the hon. member that this fund is set aside and is run by an administrator. The administrator is dealing with thousands of claims. In fact some 1,700 victims have already been identified and verified by the administrator and are in the process of receiving compensation.

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

Mr. Speaker, the problem is that the patients who need the money are not getting the money. Sure they are being identified, but the patients with hepatitis C are not getting the money. The problem is the lawyers are getting the money, not the patients.

My question for the hon. minister is simply this. Will she intervene to ensure that those patients with hepatitis C, who were infected through no fault of their own, get the compensation that they deserve immediately.

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, let me reiterate that under a court accepted settlement agreement there is an administrator in place. He has received in total to date approximately 5,500 claims. Over 1,700 of those claims have been verified by an independent administrator and they are receiving compensation.

It is simply not correct for the hon. member to suggest that victims of hepatitis C are not receiving compensation under this settlement agreement.