Debates of April 29th, 2002

Divorce Act

[Martin Cauchon, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for the work he has done as a member of the joint committee.

I would like to say that based on the Divorce Act, I am obliged to proceed in tabling a report five years after the implementation of the child support guidelines, which we will do right after question period. The results are very positive. There are 12 recommendations.

Of course in the Speech from the Throne we said that we would move ahead, as well as my predecessor, and I intend to personally meet with some stakeholders in order to proceed this fall with changes, whether in the legislation or in the question of services.

Species at Risk Act

[Andy Burton, Canadian Alliance, Skeena, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the government's own members realize that compensation of fair market value is essential if we are to really protect endangered species and their habitat. Let me quote from the chair of the Liberal rural caucus:

Landowners must be compensated for loss of property enjoyment that results from compliance with the provisions of the act.

Will the minister tell his own caucus how he expects the bill to work with no provision for compensation in the legislation?

[David Anderson, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, once more he made the statement that there were no references in the bill to compensation. There are. They are in section 64. I urge the hon. member to read it.

[Andy Burton, Canadian Alliance, Skeena, BC]

Mr. Speaker, more bafflegab will not satisfy those people who will suffer from this very bad legislation. Saying the Liberal government will put fair and reasonable compensation in the regulations is like saying “Don't worry, just trust us”.

Canadians trusted this Liberal government to get rid of the GST and look what happened. To ask Canadians to expect the government to draw up regulations to provide fair market value is a very long stretch.

Why does the minister not simply admit that the legislation will not protect species at risk?

[David Anderson, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, I have been constantly asked by people on the other side to admit things which are simply untrue. The fact is it will protect endangered species. The fact is there are compensation provisions in the legislation. They are in section 64.

As I am not permitted by the rules of the House to give legal explanations on what is before the committee, I am unable to answer the specifics. I can urge the hon member however to read it. If he needs help, we can provide that.

Société Radio-Canada

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

Mr. Speaker, the Société Radio-Canada is in possession of a report produced by the firm of Hay on relations between employees and management. According to this report, 75% of the employees are proud to work for Radio-Canada but only 16% believe that the organization is efficient and well structured.

Also, Great West, the company that insures Radio-Canada employees, has complained about the unusually high number of cases of burn out among these employees.

Will the Minister of Canadian Heritage releas the findings of the Hay report, considering that Radio-Canada is not governed by the Access to Information Act and that the report was paid for with taxpayers' money?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I did not see the report but I would ask the hon. member to release it.

National Security

[David Price, Liberal, Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Revenue. Could the minister explain why our border policy allows allegedly armed and dangerous criminals to enter Canada from the United States and why our customs officers are being compared to bank tellers?

[Elinor Caplan, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, the customs directive has been in place for more than a decade. It is similar to banking policy during armed robberies and the hot pursuit policies of police forces.

In the case of potentially armed and dangerous people, we say stand aside and call for backup. The response time for Canadian police is excellent. Customs officers do a topnotch professional job in Canada's interest. Although they do have expanded officers powers, they are not police officers.

Softwood Lumber

[Philip Mayfield, Canadian Alliance, Cariboo—Chilcotin, BC]

Mr. Speaker, we understand that the government is sending some of its ministers to British Columbia today to attend the softwood summit organized by the B.C. government.

We are glad to see that the foreign trade minister is at least attending this event. This is an international trade issue as well as one that is extremely important to British Columbia.

This minister waited for a province to organize a summit and has waited for the industry to launch an ad campaign in the United States. Why is it the minister not taking the lead on this vital issue?

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I welcome the hon. member's praise of the ministers for attending this conference. The two ministers have gone there to show that we are solidly behind the softwood lumber industry in our country.

The Minister for International Trade has been working on this file for months. He has managed to keep our producers in this country together and united against the United States. He is in British Columbia to work with governments and the industry, to focus on the future and to put in place conditions for a stronger, more competitive industry in B.C. and across Canada. I think we should welcome his participation in that area.

The Environment

[Ghislain Fournier, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last week, when I asked the Minister of Transport about his inaction regarding the pollution problem in the beaches area of Sept-Îles, he not only said that I was wrong, but stated “there are only two households with this problem”.

It is the Minister of Transport who is wrong. It is not two families, but 24 residents who are forced to use bottled water because of the minister's inaction. Since he is the polluter, he is the one who should pay.

What is the Minister of Transport waiting for to act?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I answered that question a number of times in the House of Commons, and my answer remains the same. We are looking for a permanent solution for the residents of Sept-Îles, but in the meantime some measures have been taken to protect these people's health.

Ethics Counsellor

[Bill Blaikie, NDP, Winnipeg—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Deputy Prime Minister.

I share the concern of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Prime Minister, politics and politicians should not be dragged through the mud any more than they have to be, but surely the government has some responsibility in this as well.

When we see the behaviour of companies like Lafleur, Groupaction and Gosselin steering federal cash in inappropriate directions and the ethics counsellor acting as a kind of coach and spin doctor for the Prime Minister, surely the Deputy Prime Minister can see that something needs to happen here.

Is it not time that the position of the ethics counsellor evolved beyond what it is now so that the position itself is not open to attack?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is important to remember that the ethics counsellor has made himself available repeatedly to parliamentary committees when requested to attend.

In the British parliamentary system there is a particularly responsible role that the prime minister himself plays and, in advising on the conduct of cabinet, the ethics counsellor acts as an adviser to the prime minister since the prime minister has the final responsibility for the conduct of cabinet ministers.

Public Safety Act, 2002

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-55, an act to amend certain acts of Canada, and to enact measures for implementing the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, in order to enhance public safety.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Criminal Code

[Gary Lunn, Canadian Alliance, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-450, an act to amend the Criminal Code (judicial review).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to introduce a private member's bill that would amend section 745.6 of the criminal code. This section, the so-called faint hope clause, allows those convicted and sentenced to life in prison, without eligibility for parole for 25 years, to be legislated by the back door and apply for parole after only 15 years. Eighty-two per cent of these applications are successful and murderers are walking our streets.

Private members' bills to eliminate the section are already waiting to be drawn by a lottery. Legislative rules do not allow me to introduce another bill to do the same thing although I would like nothing more than to speed up this issue in the House.

I am therefore introducing a bill today that would amend the criminal code to allow murderers to use the faint hope clause but only after they have served 100 years in prison. Members should rest assured that any amendment to my bill that would repeal the faint hope clause would be considered a friendly amendment.

The faint hope clause is an affront to justice and an insult to victims of violent crime. My bill would stop obstructing justice and start obstructing the terrible criminal loophole. I encourage all members to support it.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Western Canadian Wheat Board Act

[Roy H. Bailey, Canadian Alliance, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-451, an act to amend the Canadian Wheat Board Act.

Mr. Speaker, I do not believe when the bill became an act that there was anything wrong with calling it the Canadian Wheat Board. However it is now very clear there must be a change to the name. The amendment pays tribute to where the act belongs, in that it is the western Canadian wheat board and clarifies the meaning of the act, its intent and its purchasing powers.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Petitions

[Rick Laliberte, Liberal, Churchill River, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise today to present this petition. Residents of northern Canada are calling upon the Government of Canada and the government of Northwest Territories to immediately announce their timetable for the completion of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline and the highway that is required for development in northern Canada. The petitioners call upon Parliament that a timely plan be related to the long term development of the Mackenzie highway in Canada.

[Inky Mark, Canadian Alliance, Dauphin—Swan River, MB]

Mr. Speaker, it is my privilege to present a petition of 2,217 names on behalf of the good people of Dauphin--Swan River and Manitoba over the issue this past winter of unlimited net fishing by aboriginals. No one disputes the fact that aboriginals have the right to fish on a sustenance basis but not under that guise for commercial purposes.

The petitioners pray that parliament enforce the laws of Canada so those who are taking advantage of their status and breach federal laws will be held accountable for their actions. Canada needs a single justice system for all its citizens.

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

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions. The first one calls for the perpetrators of crimes against humanity, including those of September 11, be brought to justice by international police action and tried before the international criminal court or its interim equivalent under the auspices of the UN and return Canada's foreign and defence policies to full respect for and full compliance with international law and the UN charter.

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

Mr. Speaker, the second petition presented by hundreds of people in my riding calls on the federal government to ensure that freight and passenger service on the Esquimalt & Nanaimo Railway occur for one year. It requests that the federal government works with other interested parties to find ways to encourage use of the services offered and provide for local authority responsibility and marketing to create a viable and environmentally sound and economically sustainable rail service for Vancouver Island.

Questions on the Order Paper

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

[The Speaker]

Is that agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.