House of Commons Hansard #182 of the 37th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was c-55.
Maurice Vellacott Canadian Alliance Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, SK
Mr. Speaker, I still have to ask my question.
The government needs to work for Saskatchewan farm families for a change. The legislature has invited them to go there. The wheat board minister is very familiar with that place.
Why will the ministers not go there and talk directly to those people who are so severely affected by the government's abject failures?
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, it was only about three or four weeks ago that I spent over a full day in Saskatchewan. I spoke to the Saskatchewan Agrivision Corporation. I met with producer groups at that time. I do that all the time, as my colleagues do, and will continue to do so.
The minister in charge of the wheat board, as the hon. member said, is very familiar and is there quite often. We will continue to do that as we have in the past. Before this day is over, I will be meeting with more representatives of the Saskatchewan grains industry.
Gilles-A. Perron Bloc Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Mr. Speaker, despite the enormous growth the Canadian auto industry has experienced since the signing of the auto pact, Quebec has never received its fair share of the benefits.
With the closing of the GM assembly plant in Boisbriand, over 1,400 direct jobs will disappear from the greater Montreal area.
Will the government finally decide to do its job and take action to save the GM plant in Boisbriand?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, we are naturally concerned about the possibility of job losses. This was the reason we were behind the support committee. We worked with the mayor of Boisbriand, with local stakeholders, and with the government of Quebec. The previous ministers of industry visited Detroit with Mrs. Marois. We are continuing to bring all possible pressure to bear on GM to resolve these problems. And we are concerned about—
Shawn Murphy Liberal Hillsborough, PE
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister responsible for Communications Canada. I, like I believe most Canadians, am very proud of the federal government website and the capability that website affords all Canadians to communicate with the government.
What plans does the government have to ensure that this website remains ahead of all competition?
Don Boudria LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for raising this very important issue. As the House will know the government's online project was nominated for the second consecutive year as being the best in the world. However we are now improving it to give better access to Canadians, particularly those with mobility impairments and so on.
There will be a new feature, a new site accessible to MPs, particularly opposition MPs so they will know what is going on, where information from 35 departments and agencies will be posted--
Communications CanadaOral Question Period
The Deputy Speaker
The hon. member for Edmonton Southwest.
James Rajotte Canadian Alliance Edmonton Southwest, AB
That is a tough question to follow, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Industry still needs to account for the work of his personal staff in his leadership campaign. All week on this side of the House we have been trying to confirm whether or not his staff has been flying on taxpayer dollars.
I ask the minister yet again, and I do not want to hear whether documents were tabled or not, a simple question about his personal staff. What does Mr. Thiara do for Industry Canada?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, the member cannot have it both ways. He asked for information about expenses incurred. The information was provided. The member's position now appears to be that there were not enough expenses incurred.
All those expenses that were incurred on public business were claimed and the information has been produced.
Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Mr. Speaker, since 1999, the École de médecine vétérinaire de Saint-Hyacinthe has been fighting to keep its accreditation with the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Without this recognition, the school, the only such French language school in North America, which is located in this agri-food high-tech hub, will lose its research expertise and will not be able to survive.
Will the minister of agriculture tell us when the federal government will do its part and come up with the $59 million needed for the school's survival?
École de médecine vétérinaire de Saint-HyacintheOral Question Period
Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario
Liberal
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, first, we need to recognize that post-secondary education is the responsibility of the provinces. Certain parties in the House have a problem when the federal government gets involved, such as with the millennium scholarships.
However having said that, we also recognize the importance of the francophone college for veterinarians in Canada and the importance of other veterinarian colleges in Canada from the standpoint of the health of Canadians and animal health. The government will continue to look at ways in which we can assist that because we also recognize the importance of the international accreditation of those colleges.
Dick Proctor NDP Palliser, SK
Mr. Speaker, today the Canadian Wheat Board reports that conditions in southern Alberta north to Red Deer and areas in Saskatchewan from Saskatoon through the whole southwest area of the province remain extremely dry with no soil moistures. Meanwhile all the money for drought relief under the PFRA has already been allocated. It is only May but the money is all gone. This has nothing to do with the US farm bill.
Will the minister of agriculture commit to increased funding, immediately and significantly, to help increasingly desperate farmers and ranchers?
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, I know the hon. member will recognize that it was just last week that the PFRA was able to fund 800 applications that could not be funded prior to that.
I am proud to say in one way that we did it fully federally. I am disappointed to say that the province of Saskatchewan, even with its importance to agriculture, decided it did not have enough money to support its farmers in that way.
We will have more money available for the farmers in Saskatchewan through the rural water programs and in other ways as well.
Greg Thompson Progressive Conservative New Brunswick Southwest, NB
Mr. Speaker, thanks to former minister Gagliano, the government entered into a contract which resulted in aviation and military spare parts being stored and marketed out of a warehouse in Florida owned and operated by a convicted international money launderer and drug smuggler.
What happened to those spare parts? Did the government receive payment for them? Were they seized by U.S. authorities or did they fall into the hands of international terrorists? Why was an investigation not launched into the sale of these spare parts owned by Henry McFliker, a convicted felon in the U.S.? What happened to these spare parts?
Public Works and Government ServicesOral Question Period
Glengarry—Prescott—Russell Ontario
Liberal
Don Boudria LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, this is the first that the hon. member has brought this to our attention about these spare parts for the Canadian military being warehoused in Florida. I have no idea whether that information is accurate or not.
We will verify it of course and I will gladly inform him or the House, if he raises the question again, at the earliest opportunity.
Presence in GalleryOral Question Period
The Deputy Speaker
I draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the Speaker's gallery of the Honourable Geraldine Frasr-Moleketi, Minister for the Public Service and Administration of South Africa.
Presence in GalleryOral Question Period
The Deputy Speaker
I would also like to draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the north public gallery of the 29th Canadian Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment, South Alberta Regiment.
Presence in GalleryOral Question Period
The Deputy Speaker
Our visitors will be in Room 253D and they look forward to the visit of those members who might be available to do so.
André Harvey LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to one petition.
Dominic LeBlanc Liberal Beauséjour—Petitcodiac, NB
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans.
Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2), the committee has completed it study of the management of Little Harbour causeway issue.
Jay Hill Canadian Alliance Prince George—Peace River, BC
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-461, an act to amend the Income Tax Act (child adoption expenses).
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from South Surrey--White Rock--Langley for seconding my bill today.
I rise today to introduce a bill to amend the Income Tax Act, specifically to make the act more equitable for parents, in this case, those who have adopted a child. The bill if passed, will allow adoptive parents to deduct the expenses related to the adoption of a child up to a maximum of $7,000. The expenses must have been incurred in that taxation year or in the previous two years.
Canada is faced with the challenges of an aging population and a low birth rate. We as legislators should be doing everything possible to encourage childless couples to start a family. This bill if supported, would be a great first step.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Val Meredith Canadian Alliance South Surrey—White Rock—Langley, BC
Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to be here representing constituents from all over the lower mainland and area. The petitioners are concerned about violence, pornography and so on that their children have access to on television during the early hours of the evening.
The petitioners call upon the House of Commons to legislate the CRTC to reduce the sexual and violent content contained in the basic cable and satellite packages.