House of Commons Hansard #186 of the 37th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was c-55.
Don Boudria LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, I am claiming nothing. I read the auditor general's report. I suggest the hon. member do likewise.
Odina Desrochers Bloc Lotbinière—L'Érable, QC
Mr. Speaker, given that the link between the contracts handed out in violation of the rules, Liberal cronies and the party's election fund is so direct, will the government not acknowledge that the burden of proof now rests on its shoulders, and that only a public inquiry will prove that we have gotten to the bottom of this matter?
Don Boudria LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member opposite is contradicting some of his own colleagues, who asked for an RCMP investigation a few days ago.
Indeed, the matter was referred to the RCMP. They will determine if an investigation is warranted.
As we all now know, the auditor general is conducting her own detailed review of the communications activities of the government, as well as of all crown corporations.
James Moore Canadian Alliance Port Moody—Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
Mr. Speaker, with the auditor general's report, most Canadians are outraged, so my question for the government is straightforward.
With the Prime Minister hiding in Europe and Alfonso Gagliano hidden in an embassy, who on the government benches is going to stand up in the House today and apologize to Canadians for this rampant corruption? Who will stand and apologize?
Government ContractsOral Question Period
The Speaker
Order, please. Once again it is clear that we have a popular member who has taken the floor, but we have to be able to hear the response.
David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, the seriousness of the hon. member's question is shown by the fact that his colleagues seem to have no interest whatsoever in the reply.
The fact is that the Prime Minister is attending important meetings in Europe with the European Commission and the European Union. He is currently, as we know, discussing matters of considerable importance to Canada. The Deputy Prime Minister is in New York, similarly on a very important mission for the country. These are perfectly normal trips and nothing to draw attention to.
James Moore Canadian Alliance Port Moody—Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
Mr. Speaker, it is embarrassing to think that a group of adults, let alone the executive branch of a G-8 nation, cannot summon the will and display the simple decency of admitting to wrongdoing and apologize to those whom they have wronged.
I invite any cabinet member to rise in this place today and apologize to Canadians for this corruption. Will anybody over there do that simple act of decency?
David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, it has been made abundantly clear in the House by the Prime Minister, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Works and Government Services that when there are issues which lead to the concern over corruption, the appropriate path is for the material and information to be placed in the hands of the authorities so an impartial investigation can be carried out.
If that were done by the opposition which is so quick to use the word corruption, perhaps then we could get to the bottom of these things. There is a constant stream of accusations happening here with no--
Raymond Bonin Liberal Nickel Belt, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the solicitor general.
Under Correctional Service of Canada policy, the country's most dangerous and violent criminals only have to spend the first two years of their sentences in maximum security.
Why does the solicitor general not make sure that justice is done for the victims and society and do what is right and increase the time violent offenders spend in maximum security? If he will not act, why does he not give judges the power to determine the time violent offenders spend in maximum security?
Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSolicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform my hon. colleague that is what the government has done.
The policy to which he refers was put in place last year to make sure those convicted of first or second degree murder spend a minimum of two years in a maximum security institution. The minimum is two years. In Canada offenders spend on average 28.4 years in prison. That is much longer than they do in the United States.
Lorne Nystrom NDP Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of the Environment.
The government has had years to come up with a credible plan for ratifying Kyoto. Now we see how hollow its commitment is. The Prime Minister said yesterday in Europe that Canada cannot commit to Kyoto until the issue of clean energy credits is resolved.
Why has the government not invested in environmental measures that would allow the government now to commit to Kyoto? The time for talk is over. The time for action is now. What is the government's action plan that will allow it to make that commitment on behalf of the Canadian people?
David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, in Spain the right hon. Prime Minister reiterated for the Europeans a position which he made clear in the House, that clean energy exports are a very important part of our discussions with other countries, particularly the Europeans.
The hon. member comes from Saskatchewan and is also a member of the NDP. I would ask him why is it that the NDP premier of Saskatchewan does not appear to be enthusiastic in following the route the member proposed?
Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP Winnipeg North Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have been waiting almost a decade for parliament to act and make decisions on assisted human reproduction. They expected parliament to make decisions on critical issues like stem cell research, private ownership of life forms, protection of women's health and infertility prevention.
What did we get from the government today? We got a piece of legislation that abdicates the role and responsibility of parliament to decide. It is another case of Liberal avoidance and deferral to an appointed body. Why did the government decide to buck the critical issues and defer these important matters to an appointed body as opposed to putting the matter before parliament to decide for the people of Canada?
Anne McLellan LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, the legislation we introduced today, which is very important, deals with protection for infertile couples. It prohibits certain practices that all Canadians agree should be prohibited, like human cloning, and it regulates certain other practices.
I find it somewhat ironic that the hon. member is criticizing the fact that we have established an independent regulatory agency outside the Department of Health to license infertility clinics, to monitor and inspect them and to carry out certain other regulatory functions. The Standing Committee on Health asked exactly for that.
Bill Casey Progressive Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS
Mr. Speaker, federal government policies are causing the closure of the federally owned marine terminal at Lewisporte, Newfoundland with a loss of 30 or 40 critical jobs. It puts the whole future of the community in question.
What plan does the government have to deal with the devastating impact on this small rural town in Newfoundland?
Lewisporte Marine TerminalOral Question Period
Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte Newfoundland & Labrador
Liberal
Gerry Byrne LiberalMinister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)
Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege to meet with officials from the town of Lewisporte several days ago. I met with them to discuss impacts from the reduction in service.
As well, we discussed opportunities and ideas they had to promote economic development and growth in their community. I am pleased to continue that work. I will be meeting again with the town of Lewisporte in the not too distant future to come up with concrete solutions and ideas for the town.
Bill Casey Progressive Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS
Mr. Speaker, a minute ago the Minister of the Environment said that the Prime Minister was in Spain discussing “important business”.
Did that important business include approaching the Spanish president about the serious overfishing on the Grand Banks? Did the Prime Minister specifically seek support for the Canadian proposal that would take quotas away from countries that overfish and impose lifetime bans on captains? Or is Newfoundland not important business?
Georges Farrah LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, the issue of overfishing outside the 200 mile zone is a very important one.
The minister has made a commitment to speak to the various international stakeholders regarding this problem.
We feel that negotiation is the route that will lead to a lasting solution for the good of the people of Newfoundland, and so that is the way we have opted to go.
Vic Toews Canadian Alliance Provencher, MB
Mr. Speaker, Groupaction has defended its $1.6 million fee for a few hundred pages of photocopies by stating that it followed accepted practice. If this is accepted practice of the Liberal government, a police investigation simply is not enough. Why will the Prime Minister not establish a full public inquiry to see what the established practice of the government is?
Don Boudria LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, the auditor general reported yesterday that she does not agree that this is accepted practice. As a matter of fact she disagrees. That is why she has referred the issue to the RCMP and she is going to do a wider audit herself. It is not at all what the hon. member said.
Vic Toews Canadian Alliance Provencher, MB
Mr. Speaker, it is what Groupaction said.
The Liberal government now is in full denial mode. Last week it blamed the media and the public for being cynical about corruption in this country. Now it has the audacity to criticize the auditor general for doing her hard work.
Only an independent public inquiry will tell us who is telling the truth, the independent auditor general or Liberal ministers with their hands in the cookie jar. Who is telling the truth?
Don Boudria LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, first, we are not denying that the auditor general did her report. We thanked her. Second, we agreed with the auditor general in terms of the assessment and said we fully co-operated with her.
I do not know who wrote that question. Perhaps the individual should have first read the report produced by the auditor general.
Francine Lalonde Bloc Mercier, QC
According to the Prime Minister, the appointment of Alfonso Gagliano to Denmark was not in any way a problem, since he was not the object of any allegations. Now, with the recent comments by the auditor general, the Canadian ambassador to Denmark has become the key witness in the coming police investigation.
In light of the very defence used by the Prime Minister, has the time not come to recall Alfonso Gagliano?