Debates of Oct. 27th, 2003

Employment Insurance

[Maurizio Bevilacqua, Liberal, Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, since we are talking about employment, I want to inform the House that over three million jobs have been created since 1993. I think that is good news for Canadians.

Second, the hon. member knows that the EI fund goes to general revenues to make wise investments in strategic, key socio-economic areas that have made Canada the number one country in economic and employment growth. That is also good news for Canadians.

I hope that one day the hon. member will get up and congratulate Canadians for this great economic renaissance.

Veterans Affairs

[Claude Bachand, Bloc, Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, more and more veterans' widows are dissatisfied because Bill C-50, as presented by the Minister of Veterans Affairs, has abandoned them.

The minister says that he has not forgotten them. We, however, claim that he has. Ten thousand of these widows will enjoy the benefits of the veterans independence program, while 23,000 of them will be excluded. This is unacceptable.

Did the minister consult with the veterans organizations before he proceeded with a regulatory amendment that deprived 23,000 widows of access to this program?

[Rey D. Pagtakhan, Liberal, Minister of Veterans Affairs and Secretary of State (Science]

Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated several times in the House, we have been in frequent consultations with the three major veterans organizations, even up until shortly before I made the announcement last May.

They realized the situation. They advised me, and I concurred, that we could proceed with what we had and that we would continue to work for others.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

[Lynne Yelich, Canadian Alliance, Blackstrap, SK]

Mr. Speaker, moving the RCMP's forensic lab out of Saskatchewan costs valuable human resources, time and money.

The Minister of Public Works and Government Services is the only Liberal cabinet minister from Saskatchewan and he is supposed to be our voice at the cabinet table. He argues that a ballistics facility will replace the forensic lab. It does not. It is a trade-off.

Why does the minister not help our province build on existing resources rather than taking them away?

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I want to reject entirely what the member opposite has said. I have said in the House a number of times, and it is on record in Hansard , that the Regina lab is not closing.

In fact, we are expanding the personnel there by two full time equivalents. The bottom line is that it will improve the economy of the City of Regina and we will still continue to do the work as a centre of excellence in that lab.

Foreign Affairs

[Alexa McDonough, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, last week's so-called leak alleging what Canadian citizen Maher Arar supposedly said to his Syrian captors was grotesquely irresponsible.

The Solicitor General has no choice but to investigate those leaks and demand accountability. Or, did the Solicitor General, and perhaps the foreign affairs minister as well, intend the release of such allegations in a scurrilous attempt to undermine Maher Arar's credibility before he can justly disclose details about his illegal detention, deportation and imprisonment?

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, this is indeed a very serious issue. The member for Ottawa West—Nepean also raised it with me last week.

I want to be very consistent on the issue. The fact of the matter is that I, as Solicitor General, should not, nor should others, speak on operational matters related to national security for several reasons.

It is important that we not do that, first, clearly not to jeopardize investigations and second, very importantly, not to impinge on the integrity of individuals.

Ethics

[Stephen Harper, Canadian Alliance, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I want to return to a matter that was asked about earlier in question period.

On October 23 the Minister of Industry told the hon. member for St. John's West, regarding the fishing trip:

--as I have said, at the time this occurred I was minister of health and, for one reason or another, I did not perceive a conflict.

Could the Minister of Industry explain how, when he was health minister going to a fishing lodge owned by the Irving family with an Irving family member who was also a health lobbyist, it did not constitute a conflict of interest? How could he possibly believe that?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, last week I was answering questions that were put on the basis that I had a conflict with the Irving family in shipbuilding because I was there.

Am I to take it today that the member is suggesting I had a conflict because there was someone involved in the health industry? Mr. Speaker, really.

The fact is that I made full disclosure 18 months ago, long before the member started asking me questions. I went on my own to the ethics counsellor. I made full disclosure and took his advice with respect to every step I took since then, and I followed that advice.

Surely by any reasonable standard I was trying to fit in--

[The Speaker]

Order, please. The hon. member for Kamouraska--Rivière-du-Loup--Témiscouata--Les Basques.

Highway Infrastructure

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, highway 185 claimed another life this past weekend, bringing the toll to over 100 in the past ten years. The federal government raked up a surplus of $7 billion last year, and this year has allocated $26 million to renovation of highway 185, whereas its proper share would be over $300 million.

Will a minister of this government, either the Minister of Industry or the Minister of Transport, tell us that the strategic highway infrastructure program funds will be used to solve the problem of highway 185, thereby preventing further fatalities on this unsafe road?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member is well aware, we are working closely with the Government of Quebec in order to ensure that highway investments respect priorities. Certain investments have already been announced. We are still working with the Government of Quebec on identifying other priorities. We will continue, in partnership with the Government of Quebec, to make investments that reflect Canada's needs with respect to highways.

Presence in the Gallery

[The Speaker]

I draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of His Excellency João Bosco Mota Amaral, President of the Assembly of the Portuguese Republic.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[The Speaker]

I would also like to draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of the Honourable Doug Bereuter, President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

Government Response to Petitions

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 20 petitions.

Mr. Speaker, I move:

That the House proceed to orders of the day.

[The Speaker]

The question is on the motion. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Speaker]

All those in favour of the motion will please say yea.

[Some hon. members]

Yea.

[The Speaker]

All those opposed will please say nay.

[Some hon. members]

Nay.

[The Speaker]

In my opinion the yeas have it.

And more than five members having risen: