Debates of May 24th, 2002

Government Contracts

[Howard Hilstrom, Canadian Alliance, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Mr. Speaker, if that is the way it is, why would anyone promote someone who has broken the rules and give him a new job doing the same thing? That is a question that I think the Deputy Prime Minister should answer.

American subsidies, for instance, are driving down our grain prices due to foreign subsidies. We have labelling laws that are hurting our farmers' meat markets. Pierre Tremblay again gets rewarded for handing out government pork, but farmers have to fight against the U.S. subsidies all by themselves.

Why does the Prime Minister give these patronage appointments to people who are being investigated by the auditor general and probably by the RCMP?

[Herb Dhaliwal, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the minister of agriculture, all jobs are appropriately viewed and decisions made through the public service.

The hon. member brings up the point of our agriculture policy. He should know that today the minister of agriculture, the minister of trade and the minister responsible for the wheat board are in Saskatchewan right now, listening to the farmers and listening to the premiers.

I would hope that he would concentrate on issues that are important for Canadians: agriculture policy. Why he is not asking questions on important issues for farmers in the prairie provinces, as the minister is listening to all the farmers and the premiers?

Agriculture

[Tony Tirabassi, Liberal, Niagara Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the minister of agriculture met recently with his provincial counterparts to address the serious challenges facing prairie farmers on a number of fronts. The introduction of the U.S. farm bill has unleashed a storm of protest not only in Canada but around the world.

Could the minister please inform the House what the government is doing on behalf of these farmers?

[Herb Dhaliwal, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that we do not get those types of questions from the opposition about important issues for agriculture.

As I said, the minister of agriculture, the minister of trade and the minister responsible for the wheat board, three ministers, are in the prairie provinces, in Saskatchewan, to talk to farmers, to talk to the three prairie premiers, to get their views to make sure that is a consideration.

With regard to the U.S. policy, of course the Americans talk one language but their actions are about protectionism. The minister of agriculture has made that known to the secretary of the U.S. cabinet--

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Vancouver Island North.

Canada-U.S. Relations

[John Duncan, Canadian Alliance, Vancouver Island North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, there are Canadians sitting at home not working because of belligerent comments about Presidents Bush, senior and junior, by the Prime Minister and his nephew. Canadians are very aware that the government has no influence on the Bush administration and its increasingly protectionist policies.

When will the government get out of its recliner chair and get to work on improving relations with the Bush administration?

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to report to the hon. member what an excellent meeting I had just a few days ago with President Bush's director of homeland security, Governor Tom Ridge, where we were able to make real progress on the very substantive issues relating to the Canada-U.S. border.

From the very beginning, our understanding of how we could have influence with the United States was based on one of maintaining a respectful distance. It may be our closest neighbour, our biggest trading partner and perhaps our closest friend, but we do not influence it by taking the Alliance recommendations of lying prostrate before them and doing whatever it is--

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Vancouver Island North.

[John Duncan, Canadian Alliance, Vancouver Island North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, there is a big difference between a respectful distance and a stick in the eye.

After a protracted and detailed review of current trade policy, the World Trade Organization has decided to effect a cessation of all operations to be accomplished over the next four months, culminating by the end of September. The World Trade Organization will reintegrate as a new trade body the trade regulation organization.

Will the government inform Canadians what impact this will have on our appeals on lumber, agriculture and other ongoing trade disputes?

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

Mr. Speaker, as the member ought to know by now, the government is pressing its case at the WTO, as it has done in the past. Every time we have been forced to go that route the facts have supported the Canadian argument. They will again.

We have seen statements this week from the American public and the American industry understanding that the problem is south of the border and that the WTO will rule in our favour.

National Wildlife Areas

[Bernard Bigras, Bloc, Rosemont—Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since 1986, the Lake St. Francis National Wildlife Area has provided residents from the region with an opportunity to enjoy their natural heritage thanks to a management plan. The wildlife area has no federal employees and relies entirely on dedicated volunteers, but they are running out of steam. The Commissioner of the Environment said that the $102,000 provided by the federal government for the operation of Quebec's eight wildlife areas falls well short of what is required.

What measures does the minister have in mind to provide additional resources for the national wildlife areas?

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, the member has raised an issue of some detail. If he would provide the information we would be happy to provide the answer to him.

Fisheries

[Mac Harb, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

We all know that the minister has taken a strong leadership on the issue of fishing outside the 200 mile limit off the east coast. I want to congratulate him on that but I also want to ask him a question.

As he probably knows, the fish stocks are diminishing on a regular basis and there is a need for proper management. We know the issue is complex but what is he doing at the international level to pressure those who are fishing outside the 200 mile limit to stop fishing in order to protect the fish stocks in Canada?

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to advise the House that I will be travelling to Russia next week to meet with the north Atlantic fisheries minister. At this year's conference I will be presenting Canada's position to NAFO member countries.

This year's conference will focus on the renewal of fisheries management and on co-operation in marine research. It gives me the opportunity to express Canada's strong concern about non-compliance outside our 200 mile limit directly to European counterparts.

The government acknowledges that there is no simple solution to this international problem. I think that this meeting will be a big step forward.

Government Response to Petitions

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to two petitions.

Petitions

[Howard Hilstrom, Canadian Alliance, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition from people in my riding and in the city of Winnipeg with regard to the creation and use of child pornography. It is being seriously condemned by these folks.

They are calling upon parliament to protect our children and to take all steps necessary to ensure that these activities involving children are outlawed.

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

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have the pleasure of presenting a petition containing 27 signatures of people from the region of greater Montreal area, particularly from the riding of Verchères—Les-Patriotes, which I have the honour of representing here in the House.

The petitioners draw attention to the fact that rural route mail couriers cannot benefit from collective bargaining to improve their pay and working conditions.

All too often, these workers make less than minimum wage and their working conditions harken back to a bygone era, yet their colleagues in the private sector—who also deliver mail in rural areas—benefit from the right to collective bargaining, like all Canada Post Corporation employees.

The petitioners therefore ask the government to repeal subsection 13(5) of the Canada Post Corporation Act, which denies rural route mail couriers their right to collective bargaining.

I believe the government must intervene as soon as possible in order to put an end to the discrimination against rural route mail couriers that has persisted for years.

[Guy St-Julien, Liberal, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I too have the honour to present a petition signed by 27 constituents of Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik in support of rural route mail couriers.

Whereas private sector workers who deliver mail in rural areas, such as Quebec's far north, have collective bargaining rights, as do public sector workers who deliver mail for the Canada Post Corporation in major urban centres; whereas subsection 13(5) of the Canada Post Corporation Act deprives rural route mail couriers of their collective bargaining rights; now therefore these 27 petitioners call on the government to repeal subsection 13(5) of the Canada Post Corporation Act.

[John M. Cummins, Canadian Alliance, Delta—South Richmond, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure today to present a petition from citizens of Richmond, Delta and other places in British Columbia who would like to remind the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans that he has constitutional obligation to protect wild fish in their habitat.

They note that the auditor general and others have found that the minister has been negligent in his duties to protect wild salmon and the habitat from the effects of salmon farming. They call on parliament to remind the minister to fulfill his obligation to protect wild salmon and their habitat from the effects of fish farming.

[Dick Harris, Canadian Alliance, Prince George—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present four petitions on behalf of the people of Prince George--Bulkley Valley.

The first petition contains thousands of names of people who are tired of watching the current government fail to protect children. They call upon parliament to protect our children by taking all necessary steps to ensure that all materials that promote or glorify pedophilia or sadomasochistic activities involving children are outlawed.

[Dick Harris, Canadian Alliance, Prince George—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the next petition brings to the House that the practice of abortion is taking over 110,000 innocent human lives each year. The petitioners call upon parliament to enact legislation against causing the death of an unborn child by abortion at any stage along the continuum of prenatal life.

[Dick Harris, Canadian Alliance, Prince George—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, hundreds of the residents of Prince George are concerned that the Supreme Court of Canada and the Government of Canada will fail to protect the rights of disabled Canadian citizens and in some way alter the sentence that Mr. Latimer received for the murder of his daughter.

They call upon parliament to ensure that this sentence is not lightened in any way.

The final petition concerns the same subject. The petitioners call upon the Parliament of Canada, under section 15(1) of the charter of rights and freedoms, to uphold the Latimer decision in the Supreme Court of Canada.

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Peterborough, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I just returned from consulting with the parties and I wonder if you would seek unanimous consent to return to reports from committees.

[The Speaker]

Is there unanimous consent to revert to presenting reports from committees?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.