Debates of June 19th, 2002

The Media

[Wendy Lill, NDP, Dartmouth, NS]

Mr. Speaker, we know CanWest Global has done at least two big favours for the government. It has donated more $250,000 to the Liberal Party and this week it fired the publisher of the Ottawa Citizen for being openly critical of the Prime Minister.

We also know that CanWest is lobbying for changes to the broadcast regulations in the form of cuts to Canadian content and increased advertising to improve its corporate bottom line.

Will the minister assure Canadians that the government will not further commercialize and Americanize our airwaves as a way of paying back CanWest for services rendered?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, absolutely.

The Environment

[Joe Comartin, NDP, Windsor—St. Clair, ON]

Mr. Speaker, southwestern Ontario is currently under a smog watch, an occurrence that happens all too often.

A report released yesterday by the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation highlights the source of the smog. It found that the alarming amounts of deadly toxins being released by coal-fired power plants in North America is on the rise and is expected to increase by a full 50%.

To date the federal government has remained silent on the use of coal-fired power plants in Ontario and elsewhere. Could we have a commitment from the government to move for a moratorium in Canada and demand that the U.S. do the same?

[David Anderson, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, the government has not been silent but perhaps the hon. member has not taken the trouble to listen. Let me repeat again for him today that we do not believe the program of Ontario power generation will lead to adequate reductions in emissions of pollutants from their coal-fired plants in Ontario.

We believe they will have to go further. The target we have is 39 kilotons. It is a target agreed to by Quebec, Ontario, ourselves and the Americans. We believe it is important to continue the program of reducing emissions of these smog causing chemicals because not only do they--

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Pictou--Antigonish--Guysborough.

Prime Minister

[Peter MacKay, Progressive Conservative, Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS]

Mr. Speaker, in a letter to the ethics counsellor dated March 26, 2001, Deborah Weinstein, the Prime Minister's personal lawyer, stated that a partial payment was made in November 1997 on the 1993 debt owed to the Prime Minister's company, J&AC Consultants Inc., for the alleged sale of the golf course shares.

Could the Prime Minister table the cheque which would show the company that the payment was made to in November 1997? Would he table that cheque?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, all these matters were gone into in great detail a year ago in the House and complete responses were provided by the Prime Minister and by his office.

The world has moved on. The House has moved on. It is time for the member and his party to move on to the real business of the nation.

National Defence

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the New York Times published the key facts from the final report of the American investigation into the killing of four of our Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan.

Given that the details are now in the public domain, will the minister make public the report of the Canadian investigation and, if not, will the minister at least provide the House with whatever information he has received from either General Dumais or Secretary Rumsfeld?

All Canadians, not just the U.S. and Americans, need to know the facts about this horrible situation.

[John McCallum, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, at 8 o'clock this morning General Baril deposited his report with our chief of defence staff. I will receive it within hours. I have instructed our department to move heaven and earth to release this report to the Canadian people at the earliest possible time.

My primary responsibility is to the families of those killed and to the Canadian people to get this information out at the earliest possible moment.

Federal Compensation

[Myron Thompson, Canadian Alliance, Wild Rose, AB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I asked the solicitor general if he could give his word that the city of Ottawa and its businesses will be compensated for damages incurred by protesters at the G-8 summit. He responded that he has and that he will continue to honour all responsibilities.

The fact of the matter is that Ottawa hosted the G-20 seven months ago and local businesses are still waiting for compensation, while in Quebec City many have had to take the government to court for compensation.

Will the solicitor general just say straight out to the people of Ottawa that he will compensate the city for losses suffered?

[Lynn Myers, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, one thing I do know is that the RCMP is in charge of security. We can be very grateful for its ability to do the kind of work that is necessary. We should be congratulating the RCMP for making sure the protesters, the media, the delegates, the residents and everyone else involved will be safely and securely taken care of.

The RCMP is doing the best job that it can and we on the government side will ensure that it continues to do that good work.

[Myron Thompson, Canadian Alliance, Wild Rose, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the RCMP's performance is at a very high level. The government's level is lower than it can possibly be.

I will ask my question once again. Will the solicitor general promise the residents of Ottawa that the federal government will pay their bills?

[Lynn Myers, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, the solicitor general and the government have always said that we will compensate wherever necessary for our responsibilities. We will continue to do that.

The hon. member opposite and that party should understand that we will do what is required when it is demanded.

We always support the RCMP. We always support safety and security. Security is always priority number one for the government .

Government Contracts

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

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in connection with Media IDA Vision's reimbursement of interest, the minister of public works and government services said “there have been no such discussions to my knowledge.”

Yet, when money is owed to it by the unemployed or by taxpayers, the government is very quick to initiate recovery procedures, as well as to charge interest and impose penalty charges.

Can the minister explain to us why, once again, the government has a double standard, two different policies depending on whether the money owing is in the hands of the cronies of the Liberal regime or in the hands of the unemployed?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, there is no double standard whatsoever. I think the hon. gentleman is misconstruing earlier remarks.

The Prime Minister has said that wherever there were overpayments, the government would seek to recover those overpayments.

On the matter of the interest charges, I have said that we are examining the legal basis upon which any payments, if they were in fact overpayments, could be recovered by the Crown.

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

Mr. Speaker, does the minister not feel it is immoral for the government to be rushing to get money back from the most disadvantaged, while it is not only rushing to meet with the companies that are buddies of the regime in an attempt to cover up their wrongdoing, but it has even neglected for two years to recover the interest earned by Media IDA Vision on the taxpayers' money? This is immoral.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, overpayments in any circumstances are obviously not appropriate. Where they happen is a matter of contractual error or administrative procedures that have gone awry. They are obviously that much more serious. We are examining the legal basis for which we might be able to pursue recovery in the interests of the crown.

National Defence

[Leon Benoit, Canadian Alliance, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, when the House is recessed for the summer and the Prime Minister and his cabinet ministers are flying around on the new luxury jets, our military will still be stuck with 40 year old Sea Kings. They will still be hitching rides with the Americans. They will still be making do with unsuitable equipment and too few soldiers.

Will the minister break with the tradition of past defence ministers, start putting the military ahead of Liberal Party issues and commit to an immediate defence review with input from parliament and from the public right across the country?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, the defence review will take place very quickly and expeditiously.

As for the helicopters, we have been assured that the Sea Kings are safe. It is in the culture of the military that they never put their people into harm's way in helicopters.

At the same time, the government is committed to purchasing the right helicopter at the right price as soon as possible.

[Leon Benoit, Canadian Alliance, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, members of our military know all too well about the Sea Kings and the story there. Canadians across the country know the reality of what is going on with our Sea Kings.

The minister did not answer the question as to when the review will be initiated. Will there be full input from parliament and from the Canadian public across the country? Only with that will we have a review that will be meaningful and helpful to the military.

[John McCallum, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, the review will be undertaken expeditiously and with consultations.

As for the safety of the Sea Kings, it is my first priority after parliament ends to go up in one so as to demonstrate my confidence in their safety.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Joe Peschisolido, Liberal, Richmond, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

Ji-Won Park, the 22 year old Korean exchange student who was brutally attacked while jogging in Vancouver's Stanley Park last month, remains in a coma with a massive brain injury. Ms. Park's visitor's visa will expire next week on June 27.

Could the minister tell the House what can be done to ensure that Ms. Park's immediate health care needs are not compromised by her immigration status?

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, usually I do not comment on specific cases because of the Privacy Act but due to the extraordinary circumstances and especially because of the tragedy, I would say that compassion is in order.

I want to assure British Columbians, the Canadian people and especially the Park family that we need to look at all the options before making any decision.

I can assure my colleagues that there will be no removal action against Ms. Park on June 27. Ms. Park and her family have all of our sympathy for their situation.

Agriculture

[Rick Casson, Canadian Alliance, Lethbridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow the Prime Minister will attempt to give Canadians the impression that he cares about farm families. The truth is far different.

Canadians need to see through this Liberal shell game. The budget documents for this year show that he has already cut over $675 million from last year's safety nets.

Will any announcement on agricultural funding do anything more than restore the $675 million cut from last year's agricultural budget?

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

Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member has the patience to wait until an announcement by the Prime Minister and myself tomorrow, he will see that the government will continue to support agriculture and even more so than we have in the past.