Debates of June 6th, 2002

National Defence

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Deputy Speaker]

Order. I know we all want to hear the reply from the hon. parliamentary secretary.

[John O'Reilly, Liberal, Haliburton—Victoria—Brock, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we thank the Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs for the report it submitted to the government. The government intends to take the report very seriously, to reply to it and to do what is best for Canada and what is best for our Canadian forces.

We will give them all consideration and we will try to keep those submarines going down.

Canada Post

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

Mr. Speaker, they cannot go any lower than they are, I will tell you that.

Concerned stakeholders have advised us that Canada Post has been using American based printing companies to make our 48¢ Canadian stamp, this notwithstanding that the U.S. prohibits the production of its stamps outside of its national borders. Worse still, the stamps breach the NAFTA rules as there is no indication that the stamp is made in the U.S.A.

Can the minister of public works explain to all the people of Canada and the Canadian printers that Canadian jobs were sidestepped--

[The Deputy Speaker]

Order. The hon. Deputy Prime Minister.

[John Manley, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I can tell the hon. member that I share her concern that where we comply with all relevant trade rules, we would certainly prefer to see the work, where work is available, to be done in Canada.

I am advised that major contracts are all given in accordance with NAFTA regulations. They are available on MERX, the government's online system that makes contracts available. When granted, they are approved by the board of directors of Canada Post.

Government Contracts

[Monte Solberg, Canadian Alliance, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the public works minister has been missing the point with respect to the CBC. Let me make this as simple as possible. We have the government broadcaster and the government wants to place ads on its own government broadcaster.

Why do we need to spend $630,000 for two Liberal advertising firms for a transaction that could have taken place at the water cooler?

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

Mr. Speaker, there are two points. First, as I have indicated, this type of advertising activity which was previously thought to be permissible under the sponsorships program no longer is. Those changes were made by my predecessor.

Second, surely in the treatment of all of the media in Canada in terms of their relationships with the Government of Canada, the treatment should be on an equal basis whether the advertiser is in the public sector or the private sector.

[Monte Solberg, Canadian Alliance, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the public knows a scam when it sees one. This is just an example of the federal government adding a step to a routine transaction just so the Liberals can send a fat contract to their buddies, a practice that is clearly unethical, if not illegal.

How many more examples of this kind of practice does the government have to see before it accepts the need for a full public inquiry?

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

Mr. Speaker, first, I have indicated five different ways in the House already in which this matter is being pursued.

Second, the particular activity that has been complained about by the hon. gentleman would no longer be permissible under the terms that were approved by my predecessor. He made the change already.

Third, as I have indicated, I am looking at all possible options by which I can eliminate the use of external agencies in respect to sponsorships.

Refugees

[Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral, Bloc, Laval Centre, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees has sent a letter to the minister of immigration reminding him that an appeal procedure is vital to any refugee determination process.

Will the minister tell us when he intends to restore the appeal process and, in the meantime, will he make a commitment to keep two commissioners in place for refugee hearings, as unanimously recommended this morning by the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration?

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

Mr. Speaker, first, on behalf of the government, I wish the member for Laval Centre a happy birthday.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Second, I think that the United Nations High Commission for Refugees said that Canada served as a model to others in its treatment of refugees.

I have already made a commitment to the Canadian Council for Refugees that we will have an appeal system in place in one year's time. For now, what we want is a system which is effective and which respects our international obligations.

[Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral, Bloc, Laval Centre, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for his kind wishes, but I must say that the best gift of all would be an answer to my question.

The rumours are that an agreement between Canada and the United States regarding safe third countries is imminent and that it will be unveiled at the G-8 summit in Kananaskis.

Will the minister tell us why Canada will now have to be told by the United States who is a refugee and, more importantly, who is not?

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

Mr. Speaker, the member has it all wrong. Canada has its own refugee policy. Obviously, we are working in co-operation with all our partners, but we have our own policy.

Furthermore, we have a new act and regulations coming into force on June 28.

We want our priorities to be security and openness.

We will do it like they say, in the Canadian way.

Government Contracts

[Vic Toews, Canadian Alliance, Provencher, MB]

Mr. Speaker, despite the scathing report of the auditor general and an investigation by the RCMP, the minister of public works said yesterday that this is justified on the basis of natural justice. These principles of justice could only be natural for a Liberal minister up to his ears in sleaze.

How is it that natural justice provides no protection to Canadian taxpayers while the minister allows his Liberal cronies to continue to pick the public purse on an ongoing basis?

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

Mr. Speaker, if the hon. gentleman has the audacity to make an accusation against me personally with respect to sleaze, I invite him to step outside this room, make that allegation in the public arena and he will have an appointment with my lawyer.

[Vic Toews, Canadian Alliance, Provencher, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the minister is awfully sensitive. I did not say he created the sleaze but he is up to his ears in the sleaze.

An RCMP investigation is under way, yet an ongoing river of money keeps on flowing to Groupaction.

Is the reason the minister refuses to stop the flow of money to Groupaction because it will also end the flow of money to the Liberal Party of Canada?

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

Mr. Speaker, those allegations are really beneath contempt. I have already indicated that it is my personal commitment to deal with the problems and the issues before me in a way that is open, transparent and accountable and fully respects the taxpayers' investment.

I have also indicated earlier today, perhaps if his ears were not plugged with something, that I have taken action against Groupaction.

Employment Equity

[Marcel Proulx, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when the annual report on employment equity was tabled, the President of the Treasury Board indicated that fair representation of persons with a disability was a priority for this government.

As the government wants to promote a culture of “planned inclusion” of persons with a disability in the public service, can the President of the Treasury Board explain to us how the government will eliminate the obstacles facing employees with a disability in the public service?

[Lucienne Robillard, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, the government has adopted the policy on the duty to accommodate persons with disabilities. The aim of this policy is truly to eliminate all obstacles and ensure the full participation of persons with disabilities in the federal public service.

We want a public service that is representative and inclusive. In this regard, we have worked with our various partners and especially with the recruitment committee of the Public Service Commission, as well as with our partners, the unions, and with them we will implement this policy to ensure this representation in the federal public service.

Government Contracts

[Carol Skelton, Canadian Alliance, Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK]

Mr. Speaker, Groupaction triple billed the government for the same report and is now under investigation by the RCMP. The government continues to send hundreds of thousands of dollars in ad contracts to Groupaction. Last week Groupaction's U.S. affiliate cut all ties with it in an effort to protect its own shareholders and its reputation.

Will the minister do the right thing and cut up all contracts with Groupaction?

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

Mr. Speaker, as one respectful Saskatchewanian to another, let me just make the point that I made earlier.

With respect to any other marketing or communications business of any kind whatsoever, beyond and apart from sponsorships which already have been dealt with, I would fully expect my department to decline any new contract awards to Groupaction. For those projects that presently are caught in process in some way, I will of course investigate each one of them on a case by case basis.

[Carol Skelton, Canadian Alliance, Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the prairies need moisture and we have grey fog. The minister tries to convince us he is looking after this mess. His calm tone and reassuring words are not fooling anyone. His lack of action tells the whole story.

Groupaction contracts are under RCMP investigation. Will the minister immediately stop all government business dealings with Groupaction, yes or no?