House of Commons Hansard #145 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was pornography.
Michel Gauthier Bloc Roberval, QC
Mr. Speaker, one by one, ministers of the government are apologizing for accepting a $1,500 fishing trip from the Irving family, which is unethical and puts them in an apparent conflict of interest.
My question is for the Prime Minister, who is responsible for the ethics counsellor. What should his successor do for having accepted $100,000 from the Irving family?
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, political contributions are known and made public and are used for election campaigns. Everything is done out in the open.
Michel Gauthier Bloc Roberval, QC
Mr. Speaker, it is a question of political morality, not a question of rules.
The Minister of Industry is saying that because he accepted a $1,500 trip, he refrained from discussing any issue or making any decisions regarding Irving.
What should the next prime minister do for having accepted $100,000?
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, first, it was his organization that accepted the money, not him personally. Secondly, starting next year, this type of contribution will no longer be possible. The maximum will be $5,000 based on the legislation passed by the House of Commons a few months ago, which will come into effect on January 1.
Paul Forseth Canadian Alliance New Westminster—Coquitlam—Burnaby, BC
Mr. Speaker, many ministers are admitting to very limited knowledge today.
For the minister of the Treasury Board, the author and defender of ethics in this House, the minister who writes all the rules for everybody else, has the minister, the President of the Treasury Board, ever received undeclared gifts in excess of $200?
Vic Toews Canadian Alliance Provencher, MB
Mr. Speaker, the issue of undeclared gifts in breach of the ethics code has been front and centre in the public for some time now. Every minister should be in a position to clearly and unequivocally know if he or she failed to declare those gifts.
Has the Minister of Justice ever failed to declare gifts in excess of $200?
Martin Cauchon LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, to the best of my recollection, the answer is clearly, no. When there is a problem, I ask the ethics counsellor. I am used to dealing with him in a proper manner.
Louis Plamondon Bloc Bas-Richelieu—Nicolet—Bécancour, QC
Mr. Speaker, the agriculture community is unanimous in denouncing the inadequacy of measures to help farmers affected by the mad cow crisis.
Is the federal government, through its minister, prepared to listen to Quebec's Liberal Minister of Agriculture, who is saying that it is essential for the federal government to provide a quick solution to the problems being experienced by producers of cull cattle?
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, it is very evident that the government has been listening to the beef industry and the dairy industry in the challenges they have been facing because of the BSE find last May. I have discussed that on a regular basis with those in the cattle industry and in the dairy sector as well. I also discussed it with all the provincial ministers yesterday.
I will continue to do that in order to provide ways to support the marketing and use of older animals in our beef industry.
Louis Plamondon Bloc Bas-Richelieu—Nicolet—Bécancour, QC
Mr. Speaker, farmers do not want words, they want action. This is an urgent situation. The minister does not seem to understand that. Yet, the minister from Quebec understands, people in the opposition understand, and producers of cull cattle understand.
Will the minister take his blinders off and respond to this urgent situation with an emergency program?
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, the opposition members want government to have discussions with the provinces and with the industry before taking action and that is exactly what we have been doing right from May 20 with regard to this issue.
The federal government has put millions of dollars forward. The provinces have been there. We have been there together. We have worked with the cattlemen, the dairy industry, the processors and the manufacturers. Canadians have supported the situation in Canada.
We will continue to take that approach because it is working.
Brian Pallister Canadian Alliance Portage—Lisgar, MB
Mr. Speaker, for many Canadians $200 is a lot of money. According to Canada's Auditor General and our chief actuary, this year Canada's working poor will be overcharged by more than $200 on their EI premiums.
Has the Minister of Human Resources Development Canada ever received an undeclared gift in excess of $200?
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, to the best of my knowledge, all my gifts have been declared appropriately under the ethics guidelines.
James Moore Canadian Alliance Port Moody—Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.
Has the minister ever received an undeclared gift worth more than $200?
Stéphane Dion LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, the answer is no. One thing is certain, the questions from the opposition today are not worth $200.
Julian Reed Liberal Halton, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage.
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of talking with Wendy Crewson who last week received a well deserved Gemini Award for best actress in a TV movie. As she said, “Canadian drama is in a rough spot right now”.
Could the parliamentary secretary tell the House when we can expect more support for Canadian television and film?
Carole-Marie Allard LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.
I can tell him that he is not the only one concerned about the dissatisfaction of the public in English-speaking Canada with respect to English-language Canadian drama. The CRTC is also concerned and has just issued a public notice to gather comments from Canadians. Those who have opinions and observations to offer have until November 14 to do so.
I would like to take this opportunity to invite all the members of this House to respond to the CRTC's request.
Gerald Keddy Progressive Conservative South Shore, NS
Mr. Speaker, my question is simple. Canadians deserve to know how many undeclared gifts in excess of $200 are still out there. A couple of weeks ago there were none and today there are a lot of them.
Has the Minister for International Trade ever received any undeclared gifts in excess of $200? Canadians deserve to know.
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade
No, Mr. Speaker. Every gift I would have accepted or received would have been declared. I do not think anyone has been that generous with me.
Gary Schellenberger Progressive Conservative Perth—Middlesex, ON
Mr. Speaker, the ministers are the ones who set policies and the ministers are the ones who are influenced. That is why guidelines are in place.
Has the Minister of State responsible for ACOA ever received any undeclared gifts in excess of $200?
Gerry Byrne LiberalMinister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)
Mr. Speaker, my answer is exactly the same as the answer given by the Minister for International Trade and other colleagues. To the best of my knowledge I have complied with all the guidelines.
Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP Winnipeg North Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, even as the Liberals again lowball the surplus and then apply every penny of it to the national debt, cuts are in the air.
Even as Canada's debt to GDP ratio goes down the fastest in the industrialized world, we are told to spend more on debt repayment and less on trains.
And even without any innovation in medicare or a Kyoto plan that really fights climate change, we are told tax cuts are the order of the day.
Why on earth would Canada make another hard right turn? Could we get some answers from the member for LaSalle—Émard?
Don Boudria LiberalMinister of State and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, there has been no question to the government.
Wendy Lill NDP Dartmouth, NS
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals broke their promise to the CBC by cutting $10 million this year on top of the hundreds of millions of cuts since this government took over. Ten million dollars could produce a program like Shattered City: The Halifax Explosion , which over one million Canadians watched last weekend.
I could ask the government to commit today to stable multi-year funding as the heritage committee recommended, but the member for LaSalle—Émard could nix it.
The CBC operates three to four years ahead in programming. What guarantees can the Minister of Finance give that the CBC will receive the funding it needs to carry out its mandate?
