Debates of Jan. 30th, 2003

Privacy Commissioner

[Martin Cauchon, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I have, of course, reviewed the entire privacy commissioner report, which raises a number of points. I believe that the right to privacy is important and fundamental.

On the other hand, there is the matter of protecting Canadian society as a whole in the aftermath of September 11, and even before that date. This is a concern for all governments.

In my opinion, what is important is to seek the proper balance between protecting our society and its values, and protecting people's privacy. As a government, we have succeeded in doing just that for our Canadian society.

[Richard Marceau, Bloc, Charlesbourg—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister's leader, the Prime Minister, is the one who was the most opposed to the Access to Information Act, and who did everything possible to conceal what he was doing from the public. He appears to also have been the one most in favour of snooping in the private lives of citizens, taking advantage of the chaos ensuing from the events of September 11, 2001.

How can the Minister of Justice justify such a contradiction?

[Martin Cauchon, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is a great and democratic country. It is also a country which has established significant social values and cultural elements.

The post September 11 reaction has differed greatly from one country to another. I might add, however, that as far as international conferences are concerned, for example, we in Canada have taken great care to put in place additional measures which, while respecting these fundamental values, and respecting human rights, have at the same time enhanced public safety, and so—

[The Deputy Speaker]

The hon. member for Fraser Valley.

Softwood Lumber

[Chuck Strahl, Canadian Alliance, Fraser Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the international trade minister woke up apparently surprised by the news that the Americans are considering doubling the existing tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber.

The minister may know in his heart that Canada-U.S. relations are important, but his inaction on this softwood lumber file and, frankly, the unwillingness of the government to work co-operatively with our American counterparts on a whole host of bilateral issues have sacrificed this industry and put it at long term peril.

Why is it that when it comes to negotiating a fair deal the Canadian government seems so completely out of touch with its important American counterparts?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I am at a loss to understand what the Alliance wants. My critic from the Alliance just told us to stop all negotiations, to pursue the Americans before the courts and not even talk to them. Now the other member from the Alliance gets up and says, “For God's sake, you don't speak enough with the Americans. You are not nice enough with the Americans. You should blink before them and make sure that you do the right thing all the time”.

The government will listen to neither of the Alliance points of view. We will stand by our industry--

[The Deputy Speaker]

The hon. member for Fraser Valley.

[Chuck Strahl, Canadian Alliance, Fraser Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, if the minister needs some advice, and he certainly does on how to handle this file, I will tell him how to do it.

What one does not do is sit on one's duff while things deteriorate between our two countries so badly that we have ministers wandering the streets of Washington like vagrants hoping for a meeting with some high level official. Maybe then they would stay on the stage for more than two or three questions. That is how to do it.

When will the government make positive U.S. relations a thing of the future and when will it meet--

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, this is a very important moment in the discussions that we are having with the Americans.

Right now the chief executive officers of the softwood lumber industry in our country are in Washington doing serious work. I want them to know that they have the support of our government.

Mr. Aldonas and the secretary of commerce, Mr. Evans, have put this as their very top priority. They have tabled a report on which we are working and trying to improve.

Our advocacy campaign has worked in the United States. We are standing up and going places.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is on the same issue, but a little more calm.

A bill sponsored by a dozen or so U.S. senators proposes increasing countervailing and antidumping duties from the current rate of 27% charged on Canadian softwood, to more than 46%.

Does the Minister for International Trade plan to resist the American administration's blatant attempt to blackmail the Canadian softwood lumber industry, which has been literally abandoned by Ottawa, in order to force us to hastily accept a compromise that would hurt Quebec and Canada before the WTO and NAFTA bring down a decision that would be in our favour?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, allow me to put things in perspective.

This bill that is before the U.S. Congress is one of many initiatives of this type in the United States. I believe that it is a pressure tactic by certain senators who are very involved in this issue. I believe that for now, it is more important to focus our efforts on our relations with the American administration.

Last week I met with Secretary of Commerce Don Evans. Our industry representatives are in Washington right now and are meeting with Mr. Aldonas to see how the document he drafted could be improved and to find a long-term solution to this issue. However, yes—

[The Deputy Speaker]

The hon. member for Verchères—Les-Patriotes.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this is all just talk. However, already close to 7,000 jobs in Quebec alone have been affected by the repercussions of this ruthless trade war being waged by the United States.

With more and more temporary plant closures occurring every day, hundreds of which could become permanent, what is this government waiting for to make substantial improvements in the so-called assistance plan already announced to support the softwood industry and workers to help them get through this unprecedented crisis?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, we will continue our efforts with industry representatives. We are working closely with them.

We have had some success. Because we all worked together, all across the country, with the provincial governments, the American strategy has backfired. That is what we are seeing now. American producers realize that their own strategy has backfired and that is the reason they are now using these types of scare tactics.

I can say one thing: we are continuing to work through the American courts and we are open to a long-term solution with—

[The Deputy Speaker]

The hon. member for South Surrey—White Rock—Langley.

Government Contracts

[Val Meredith, Canadian Alliance, South Surrey—White Rock—Langley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the very day the government entered its fundraising reform legislation, the Liberals shut down any discussion on the Groupaction file in committee.

If ever there were a case for transparency into how political donations can buy government influence and contracts, it would be on the Groupaction file but the government continues to delay its report.

If the government is truly interested in fundraising transparency, why will it not come clean on the Groupaction file?

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Minister of State and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, this is an overstatement of fact, to be generous. First, the issue is in committee so whether it is in order is something on which the Speaker will rule.

Second, I have been told that the committee will be reporting as early as next week, so what is all this phony agitation about?

[Val Meredith, Canadian Alliance, South Surrey—White Rock—Langley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the public accounts committee concluded hearings on this file over six months ago. Instead of dealing with the perceptions of political fundraising having influence, it is time the government dealt with the reality of government contracts going to Liberal donors for reports that do not exist and sponsoring events that did not happen.

My question is for the Prime Minister. If the government really wants transparency, when will it move on the Groupaction report?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am sure the committee will add a useful dimension when it publishes its report and we will all take a very close look at it.

The facts of the matter are that the government did not wait for the committee's report. The government has been acting consistently on this file ever since last spring. The President of the Treasury Board and I announced in December a total revamping of the sponsorship program and the advertising policy. We addressed the issues while the committee was still deliberating.

Foreign Affairs

[Mac Harb, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in light of the reactions in Ivory Coast to the signing of the accord, can the Minister responsible for Africa tell us about the situation in Ivory Coast, particularly with regard to the safety of the Canadians who live there?

[Denis Paradis, Liberal, Secretary of State (Latin America and Africa) (Francophonie)]

Mr. Speaker, I was in contact earlier with our Ambassador to Ivory Coast, Mr. Émile Gauvreau, who assured me that all 500 Canadians there are safe. The embassy has drawn up an evacuation plan to cover all possible situations. However, this morning, calm was restored. Our embassy is open again and our ambassador tells us that Ivorians expect the president to reassure them in the coming days.

Health

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the closer we get to next week's first ministers meeting, the more Canadians worry that the Prime Minister will drop the ball and ignore Roy Romanow's recommendations.

Premier Klein is leading the charge to put public money into private health care and already the Prime Minister is backing down. Canadians want Romanow, not another chequebook deal with no real accountability and no way to keep privatization out of the system.

Why will the government not side with Romanow instead of the Alliance Party and support publicly funded and publicly operated health care services?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I think we all know what Canadians want when it comes to health care. They want publicly financed, accessible, high quality health care. That is what the Prime Minister and the premiers are working to provide. That is what the Prime Minister showed leadership on in September, 2000.

Canadians have every right to be confident that next week their first ministers will enter into an agreement to renew their--

[The Deputy Speaker]

The hon. member for Burnaby--Douglas.

Foreign Affairs

[Svend Robinson, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific.

Sikh Professor Davinder Pal Singh Bhuller faces execution in India on a bombing charge after having been illegally deported from Germany and tried under the draconian TADA act. Bhuller's wife is a Canadian citizen in Surrey.

Will the minister join with Amnesty International, Sikh groups and many other organizations in calling upon the Indian government to commute this death sentence and order a new, fair trial for Professor Bhuller?