House of Commons Hansard #48 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was iraq.
Caroline St-Hilaire Bloc Longueuil, QC
Mr. Speaker, the government House leader himself must know that when he was sitting on the opposition benches, the Liberals were demanding that the sending of troops to war be approved by a vote in Parliament. However, these same Liberals changed that tradition when they took office, in 1993.
How can the Prime Minister now justify such an about-face?
Don Boudria LiberalMinister of State and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, there is no about-face. Before this government took office, there was no standard system for such debates.
We have established a rule and abided by it every time. Even during parliamentary recesses, I personally contacted the House leader of the hon. member's party to have the committees meet and thus have a forum to debate the issue of troop deployment. We did it every time. The hon. member must surely know that; if not, her House leader certainly does.
Gerry Ritz Canadian Alliance Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK
Mr. Speaker, to most Canadians, Canada Post sells stamps and delivers the mail. To courier companies in Canada, it has another role. It has become a Liberally connected monopoly using its market dominance to stamp them out of business.
The couriers charge that Canada Post's new partner, Intelcom, run by Liberal Party fundraisers, is using insider knowledge and strong arm tactics to capture business from Canada Post suppliers.
Will the minister responsible investigate these questionable tactics or does he believe that Canada Post has the mandate to bankrupt these other couriers?
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, I am one step ahead of the hon. member. When the report was published in the newspaper around Christmas I asked my officials what the truth was of this.
The fact is this was a commercial arrangement that was sanctioned by the board of Canada Post. It will stand the light of scrutiny. There is no intention whatsoever to do anything nefarious to other companies. It is simply a matter of having a competitive process and following all the rules.
Gerry Ritz Canadian Alliance Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK
Mr. Speaker, there you have it, more Liberal bulwark.
It is no accident that Canada Post, without notice, chose to purchase that particular courier company. Intelcom was owned by Liberal Party fundraisers connected to André Ouellet, a former Liberal cabinet minister and now Canada Post president, and the present justice minister who is the political minister for Quebec.
Is Canada Post's mandate to deliver the mail or deliver these lucrative opportunities to Liberal Party hacks? Which is it?
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is bordering on innuendo here in the House of Commons, slurring the reputation of an honourable person, someone who sat in the House for many years, someone who is doing an outstanding job with the post office and leading it to profitability.
We have the best post office in the world. The Hon. André Ouellet, the president, is leading us to widespread recognition around the world for his good management.
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Mr. Speaker, since 1995, the federal government has collected a special tax of 1.5¢ per litre of gas, supposedly to help reduce the deficit, even if there has not been a deficit since 1998.
Given that there has not been a deficit since 1998, can the Minister of Finance tell us how the $740 million that he took from Quebec drivers was used?
John Manley LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, eliminating the deficit is a terrific achievement for us. We are now in a position to reduce taxes, not only for drivers, but for all Canadian taxpayers. As a result, we have cut taxes by $100 billion over five years.
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Mr. Speaker, there is nothing funny about taxes. The minister can try to excuse his actions, but he is not convincing.
Given that he has reached his objective and has had a zero deficit since 1998, would the Minister of Finance be willing to consider the suggestion of the Quebec minister of transportation, which is to repatriate the gasoline tax revenues to the provinces to fund public transit?
John Manley LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I know that the provinces really like the tax points, but sometimes, they forget about them. They really like them because they want us to impose the taxes and then let them spend the money.
As far as I am concerned, the Quebec minister of finance is capable of imposing a tax if he so wishes.
Paul Forseth Canadian Alliance New Westminster—Coquitlam—Burnaby, BC
Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the President of the Treasury Board about the low ethical standards for claiming business expenses when travelling.
The Minister of Canadian Heritage has claimed about $80,000, which she calls just other expenses, with no receipts attached.
The Prime Minister defended these practices by saying that they fall within Treasury Board guidelines. Which guidelines allow ministers to be paid without receipts?
Lucienne Robillard LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, the ministers of the government have been filing their expense claims the same way for more than 30 years. They have to sign an official statement in which they declare the expenses they have incurred on trips they have made, the duration of the trip, the destination and the lodging and meal expenses.
This is an official statement signed by the minister that is accessible under the Access to Information Act.
Paul Forseth Canadian Alliance New Westminster—Coquitlam—Burnaby, BC
Mr. Speaker, in an atmosphere of questionable cabinet ethics, it is incredible that under Treasury Board rules ministers do not have to submit receipts for expense claims. In fact, the Auditor General is also opposed to the practice.
What is required of average taxpayers should be required of ministers. It is very simple.
Will the President of the Treasury Board take the responsibility of this ethical lapse, this privileged status for ministers over there, and require receipts for all claimed expenses?
Lucienne Robillard LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, each minister who has to claim expenses must make an official statement. It is their name, their word on this document, stating that they incurred expenses on trips for lodging and meals.
This official document signed by the minister is even accessible. It can be provided to anyone who asks for it under the Access to Information Act.
John Harvard Liberal Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, MB
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister for International Cooperation.
There are more than 11 million Ethiopians in need of humanitarian assistance today and another 3 million need to be closely monitored. No one wants a repeat of the 1984 tragedy when mass starvation caused widespread suffering and death in Ethiopia.
Could the minister inform the House how the Government of Canada through CIDA is responding to this emergency?
Susan Whelan LiberalMinister for International Cooperation
Mr. Speaker, during my recent trip to Ethiopia I witnessed the effects of drought firsthand and had a chance to speak with some of the local people who are benefiting from Canada directly.
On January 16 the Government of Canada announced an additional $40 million in emergency assistance. Assistance will be delivered in partnership with the World Food Program, the Canada Food Grains Bank and other NGOs which will bring our total contribution to $47 million since September.
Canadians are providing a leadership role in dealing with the drought and the famine in Ethiopia. We will continue to monitor the situation very closely.
Joe Comartin NDP Windsor—St. Clair, ON
Mr. Speaker, earlier this month the Minister of the Environment had a discussion with the head of the United States Environmental Protection Agency over the loosening of some EPA regulations for 18,000 coal fired power plants and said that it would not have an impact on air quality in Canada.
In the context of the fact that we have 5,000 deaths that are air pollution related and in the context that a great deal of that air pollution from the United States ends up in southern Canada, and in particular in my home city of Windsor, is the minister really serious? Does he believe that by loosening those regulations that--
David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, we certainly agree with the hon. member that the issue of air quality is particularly important and, of course, as he pointed out, to achieve improvements on the quality of air that comes from the United States we have to work with the United States.
As to specific concerns, I would bring to his attention, with respect to phase two of the 2018 timeframe, we are concerned about changes in particulate matter in ozone. We also are concerned about mercury levels. We will be working with the Americans to make sure these specific concerns about specific pollutants that kill--
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
Mr. Speaker, why is that after three years and $300 million to solve homelessness we still have a national disaster and no social housing? Why is it that a baby is born on cold concrete steps in the middle of winter because there is no safe housing for women and kids? Why is it that life on minimum wage means poverty and despair?
Quality of life and human dignity used to mean something in this country. Why have the Liberals abandoned this? What does the Prime Minister say to these Canadians who are still out in the cold, still homeless and still poor?
Claudette Bradshaw LiberalMinister of Labour
Mr. Speaker, community organizations across the country have worked on the homelessness file. I have to say that we have gone away from shelter beds and into transitional housing.
As for housing, since we have travelled on the homelessness file, the government has put $680 million into housing. The provinces are spending that money as we speak. A lot of work still needs to be done but through our partnerships with the provincial governments, the municipalities and the communities we are making a difference in the country.
Bill Casey Progressive Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS
Mr. Speaker, following the tabling of the Blix report before the United Nations Security Council on Monday, the United States concluded that Iraq was in material breach of resolution 1441.
Then, Britain and Australia concurred. On the other hand, France and Germany argued that more time was needed. What is Canada's position?
Bill Graham LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has answered that clearly in the House three times today already.
We know that Colin Powell will be going to the Security Council on February 5. We know that Dr. Blix will be reporting back to the Security Council on February 14.
I had a long conversation with Dr. Blix yesterday. We are constantly consulting with our allies and United Nations officials to ensure that resolution 1441 and the processes laid out in that resolution are followed in a way that will ensure the disarmament of Iraq on the one hand and the peace and security of the world on the other hand.
Joe Clark Progressive Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, yesterday in Hansard the Minister of National Defence said that it would be very difficult to know what the rules of engagement would be.
Today he said that there are rules of engagement for the Canadians involved with the British in the gulf but that they are so secret he cannot reveal them.
Are these rules of engagement Canadian rules? Are they British rules? Are they American rules? Or, does the minister know?