Debates of May 10th, 2002

Fisheries

[Bill Casey, Progressive Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, at least we will bring it up in the House rather than just discuss it like the minister said yesterday, but I have another question.

Ottawa bureaucrats who do not know a codfish from a herring are now determining which Newfoundland and Labrador fishermen are core fishermen and which ones are non-core fishermen. By creating red tape and blaming technicalities, they are preventing lifelong fishermen from qualifying as core fishermen.

Will the minister correct this offensive strategy that deliberately excludes lifelong fishermen from being designated as core fishermen?

[Georges Farrah, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, we are obviously very concerned about this. We know that it could disrupt fishing activities in Newfoundland.

As the minister has often said, we must find a way to work with the communities, so that they have access to the resource and so that people can make a decent living from it. This must be done with respect for the resource, because what is at stake is the future of the fishery.

Foreign Affairs

[Stockwell Day, Canadian Alliance, Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC]

Mr. Speaker, known members of Hamas are among the 13 militants reported to maybe, apparently, be possible invitees to Canada by the Prime Minister.

Hamas, of course, is the terrorist organization which proudly took responsibility for slaughtering 18 innocent civilians at a pool hall in Israel this week.

Did the Prime Minister consider that members of a group banned by Canada's terrorist legislation could possibly join the throngs of illegal fugitives already in Canada who may never be removed because they will enjoy the endless ability to appeal deportation for--

[The Speaker]

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

[Aileen Carroll, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, in effect the question is moot, because at no time was Canada requested to take in Palestinian deportees nor did we make any specific offer to do so.

We have been urging, as has been the result, a peaceful resolution. As I said yesterday, the safety of Canadians and Canadian security is our number one priority. We are pleased that a difficult situation has finally been resolved and we commend members of the EU who were major players in that regard.

[Stockwell Day, Canadian Alliance, Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC]

Mr. Speaker, we all know there was no request to do this. The Prime Minister just blurted it out. We know that.

Yesterday a spokesman for the government said the Prime Minister said one thing and then another spokesperson said the Prime Minister said something else. Then a cabinet minister said “this is the position” and that was at variance with what the Prime Minister was reported to have said.

Would someone on the other side please stand up and simply admit to being the author of this confusion, or just explain what the foreign policy position is on inviting people like this into the country? Could someone just simply explain it? These are matters of life and death in some cases.

[Aileen Carroll, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I think difficulties frequently arise when our sole source of information is newspapers. The result has been made very clear. As I said yesterday, there was no request. We did not offer to do so. Again I have to say that the issues raised are simply not concerning us and are really moot.

Child Poverty

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Laurentides, QC]

Mr. Speaker, at the UN Conference on the Child held this week in New York, the Deputy Prime Minister announced $500,000 in funding to assist the poor children of this world. This is less than what the government paid for one phantom report from Groupaction.

Is the government not ashamed of the amount of its funding for poor children compared to what it is channeling to its cronies?

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

Mr. Speaker, perhaps the hon. member did not listen to the earlier questions and answers, but it is true that we have contributed $500,000. We have also contributed $20 million for the third world micronutrients project.

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Laurentides, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is all very nice to shine on the international scene, but the government does not hesitate to spend millions of dollars on propaganda, while in Canada, one child in five goes to bed hungry.

Since the Deputy Prime Minister has admitted that Canada's effort in this area is not good enough, what specific action does he intend to take to rectify a situation which everyone describes as unacceptable?

[Raymonde Folco, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her question, because it provides us with an opportunity to tell the House exactly what the government has done and will continue to do.

In 2001-02, for instance, we made available approximately $7.8 billion—yes, billion—under the Canada child tax benefit, including some $2.4 billion for the national child benefit.

I would add that these two benefits are fully indexed and non-taxable.

Telecommunications

[Brian Fitzpatrick, Canadian Alliance, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, according to recent press reports, the Minister of Industry and the Minister of Canadian Heritage will be vigorously pursuing grey market satellite users.

When the RCMP's precious resources are being used to investigate the Groupaction affair, why does the government want to use RCMP officers to crack down on Canadians who apparently, according to the government, are making the mistake of watching the wrong television channels in their living rooms?

[Sarmite Bulte, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I welcome the question because the government has always been against black market satellite transmissions.

As the hon. member knows, on April 26 the supreme court ruled that the Radiocommunication Act applied not only to the black market but to the grey market. We will continue to enforce that decision.

[Brian Fitzpatrick, Canadian Alliance, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, that is a perfect example of the government's mixed up priorities.

The Canadian Police Association has lobbied the government to protect children and to stop the club med prison system. Instead, the government wants the RCMP to swoop into rec rooms of law-abiding Canadians.

Would not negotiating a new arrangement with the United States be a more appropriate response to the issue of grey market satellite users than calling in the RCMP?

[Sarmite Bulte, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, as I said before, we will continue to defend the law of the land as announced by the supreme court on April 26.

Forests

[Gérard Binet, Liberal, Frontenac—Mégantic, QC]

Mr. Speaker, National Forest Week is an excellent opportunity to reflect on the current state of our forests.

My question is for the Minister of Natural Resources. What is Canada doing to ensure that we will continue to benefit from this extraordinary resource, which means so much to Canadians?

[Herb Dhaliwal, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, first, in addition to offering exceptional recreational activities and precious wildlife habitat, Canada's forests support a vibrant forest industry.

Canada is the world's largest forest products exporter. The latest figures available show that forest products were the largest contributors to Canada's surplus balance of trade, which was $37.5 billion in the year 2000.

More than one million people across Canada are employed directly and indirectly by the forest sector. Communities, in rural Canada especially, depend on the forests to maintain their quality of life.

Agriculture

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

Mr. Speaker, talk is cheap. What farmers need now is action. In the last few days both houses of the U.S. congress have passed the farm bill. It only needs the president's signature.

Prairie premiers are meeting in an emergency session in Regina today to fight rising U.S. subsidies and protectionism. Canadian farmers and their provincial governments cannot and should not fight this battle on their own as the government continues to neglect them.

Will the minister of agriculture implement a federally funded trade injury protection program immediately?

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

Mr. Speaker, over the last number of years the federal government has increasingly supported farmers and the challenges they have had, whether it has been trade challenges, weather challenges, market challenges, et cetera.

As I said to the ministers earlier this week, and they agreed, we need to sit down and talk about how we can continue to do that for and with our farmers and with the provinces.

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

Mr. Speaker, the minister of agriculture has said over the last few days that he wants to mitigate the impact of the U.S. farm bill but no farmer in the country has any idea what he means by that statement. Meanwhile, many farmers are still living below the poverty line. The minister's estimates have cut $650 million of support for farmers.

When the minister says mitigate, does that mean he will commit new federal money to grain and oilseed producers, and will he have this money in the hands of farmers this summer?

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

Mr. Speaker, over the last number of years we have found ways to help counter the effects of a number of challenges that the agriculture and agrifood industry has had, and certainly the challenges of farmers, be they drought, trade challenges or whatever. I pledge that we will continue to seek all the resources we possibly can to do that.

Shipbuilding

[Antoine Dubé, Bloc, Lévis-Et-Chutes-De-La-Chaudière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, following an agreement reached on March 31, 1998, the public works department awarded a $12 million contract to Davie Industries to repair the Champlain dry docks, plus an additional annual amount of $800,000 for operating costs. The work has been completed since December, but there is still $2 million to be paid for repairs, and another $800,000 for this year's operations.

What is the department of public works waiting for to pay the money owed to Davie Industries?

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, first, I want to thank the hon. member for his question. We have both discussed this issue on a number of occasions in the past. I also discussed it with some of my cabinet colleagues.

MIL is bankrupt, and the company's assets are managed by a trustee in bankruptcy. This situation has the effect of nullifying the agreement in question. However, we are currently working with the trustee in bankruptcy to find a way to make the contribution, either under a special or conditional agreement, and be able to contribute nevertheless.

Children

[Hélène Scherrer, Liberal, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, during the United Nations Special Session on Children this week, progress made since the World Summit for Children in 1990 was examined. In this way, the governments are recommitting to ensuring a better future for all children, creating a world action plan and, in particular, setting the objectives for the next ten years.

Can the Secretary of State for Human Resources Canada again tell the House what the Government of Canada is doing to help children get the best possible start in life?

[Raymonde Folco, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Louis-Hébert, but I am merely a parliamentary secretary, not a secretary of state.

Her question provides me with the opportunity to indicate how pleased the Government of Canada was to take part in the special United Nations session devoted to children.

Since another member has already asked that same question, this gives me the opportunity to remind hon. members of how much Canada has done for its children, particularly concerning the child tax benefit, assistance to the provinces and territories for early childhood development, and—