House of Commons Hansard #147 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was provinces.
Marcel Proulx LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, the new funding will not only provide for faster, more frequent and more reliable passenger rail service across Canada. The minister is committed to making rail transport available to all Canadians. These new cars will be fitted for the necessity of rail travel.
Rex Barnes Progressive Conservative Gander—Grand Falls, NL
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport recently announced $700 million in new funding for VIA Rail. The decision was immediately put in doubt by the member for LaSalle—Émard whose staff insisted that VIA had better not spend those funds.
Could the Minister of Transport guarantee that the funds needed to make these cars accessible for disabled people will be there or will these funds have to be reviewed by the member for LaSalle—Émard as well?
Marcel Proulx LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, the department and the minister received a copy of the final decision of the Canadian Transportation Agency. The agency's decision is being carefully reviewed by Transport Canada officials.
Again, I remind the House that the minister has committed that rail would be available to all passengers. He will ensure that it is.
Yves Rocheleau Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC
Yesterday in the House, Mr. Speaker, all Quebec Liberal members and ministers voted against recognizing that the Quebec people is a nation. This is truly shameful.
Can the government tell us why it recognizes National Acadian Day, acknowledges that the Nisg'a are a nation, and yet refuses to recognize that Quebeckers too form a nation?
Stéphane Dion LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, the member has had his answer already, but I will reflect the question back to him. Can he say he is a proud Quebecker, a proud French Canadian, and a proud Canadian? Can he accept all the identities within him without rejecting any of them? If this is so, we are in agreement, and can vote together.
Yves Rocheleau Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC
Mr. Speaker, for the minister's information, I am not a Canadian. A number of the Liberal members sitting here have previously been members of the Quebec National Assembly—
QuebecOral Question Period
The Speaker
Order, please.
The hon. member for Trois-Rivières has not yet asked his question.
Yves Rocheleau Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC
Mr. Speaker, I can tell you that I take great pride in being a Quebecker.
A number of the Liberal members here have previously been members of the Quebec National Assembly.
I would like to ask the President of the Treasury Board, who was once one herself, why she voted against recognizing Quebec as a nation? If it is called a National Assembly, that must mean there is a nation. How then can she justify her vote?
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I think the member for Trois-Rivières ought to leave this House, since he has said he is not a Canadian, not a citizen of Canada. Yet he is one when it comes to getting paid.
Rob Anders Canadian Alliance Calgary West, AB
Mr. Speaker, I am not a Liberal, but a British defence study on operations in Iraq states that the low level of U.K. casualties is a reflection of the outstanding protection afforded by its Challenger tanks.
In June 2003 the chief of the Australian army stated, “The risk of casualties...would be unacceptable” without tanks”.
A French army spokesperson said that the invasion of Iraq “confirmed the absolutely key role played by a land army with heavy armour...in winning a war.”
Why is Canada going in the opposite direction of our allies?
John McCallum LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, I am receiving conflicting advice. In one corner I have General Hillier, the head of the army and the next commander of ISAF, the first Canadian lieutenant-general to lead an international mission since the Suez crisis, who described tanks as a millstone around his neck.
In the other corner I have the hon. member, the only member of the House to oppose Nelson Mandela as an honourary citizen of Canada, who says the opposite.
I ask you, Mr. Speaker, which of these two sources would you believe?
Rob Anders Canadian Alliance Calgary West, AB
Mr. Speaker, he should quit listening to Liberals.
Canada is joining with Iceland and Luxembourg as the only NATO countries without tanks. The scheme of the Minister of National Defence to scrap our tanks runs contrary to the plans of our allies. Terrorists, armed with rocket propelled grenades and landmines, will be able to threaten the lives of Canadian soldiers.
Will the minister admit that the Strykers are more vulnerable to attacks from rocket propelled grenades and landmines than are tanks?
John McCallum LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member continues to speak nonsense. This is not my plan for the army, I am accelerating the plan. It is the army's plan. As General Hillier also said yesterday, the best tanks in the world, sitting in Edmonton and Val Cartier, are useless to our soldiers in Kabul.
The army itself told me it did not want tanks in Afghanistan. The army itself said that it would be fantastic if it could have the Stryker. It is clear from the army that we are definitely on the right track.
Paul Crête Bloc Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister, who is surprised that his laissez-faire attitude toward the behaviour of his ministers while vacationing at a fishing lodge is a cause for concern, was told by the World Economic Forum that Canada's ranking for competitiveness has dropped from 9th to 16th place in the world because of patronage in government decision making, which undermines investor confidence.
Will the Prime Minister review his position and take appropriate steps to discipline his ministers and earn his salary?
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the separatists are a little touchy right now. It is true that they are in trouble in Quebec. But coming back to the question, this gives me the opportunity, in connection with the article in the papers this morning about productivity, to seek the consent of the House to table a letter from the chief executive officer of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, Thomas d'Aquino.
He wrote Klaus Schwab protesting very strongly about this absolutely unacceptable statement made based on very little fundamental information.
Paul Crête Bloc Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Mr. Speaker, it does not sit well with the Prime Minister that the international economic community is criticizing Canada because of his lax attitude as Prime Minister.
Should he not realize that his attitude is affecting the perception of Canada's economic health? Has the time not come for him to discipline those ministers who do not abide by the ethics rules?
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I just said that very reputable international organizations have called Canada the best place to invest, that Canada ranks third in the world for competitiveness and that Canadian business people have dismissed as not serious the survey released today.
It was not a politician who said so, but Thomas d'Aquino in a statement made on behalf of business people.
Atlantic Canada Opportunities AgencyOral Question Period
October 30th, 2003 / 2:40 p.m.
Canadian Alliance
Brian Fitzpatrick Canadian Alliance Prince Albert, SK
Mr. Speaker, the industry minister's conflict of interest problems continue. One of the supposed purposes of the Atlantic innovation fund was to assist small and medium sized businesses with research and development.
In July 2002 the government announced its very first commercial recipient: a $700,000 contribution to J.D. Irving Ltd.
Does the Minister of Industry consider this company to be a small business or is it just a payback for a fishing trip?
Atlantic Canada Opportunities AgencyOral Question Period
Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte Newfoundland & Labrador
Liberal
Gerry Byrne LiberalMinister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)
Mr. Speaker, had the member done a little more research, he would have discovered that an independent advisory body, which provided me with recommendations, reviewed all applications. Over 154 applications were received. Funding was provided based on merit, based on the ability of the commercial entity to develop and commercialize technology that was of benefit to all businesses.
That is how the process was done, and that included this company.
Brian Fitzpatrick Canadian Alliance Prince Albert, SK
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals wax eloquently when they talk about helping small businesses. The reality is that the Liberals take care of their rich friends first.
Why is the Atlantic innovation fund making contributions to a very large and wealthy corporation when the money was intended for small and medium sized businesses?
Atlantic Canada Opportunities AgencyOral Question Period
Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte Newfoundland & Labrador
Liberal
Gerry Byrne LiberalMinister of State (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency)
Mr. Speaker, perhaps he did not understand the answer to the first question.
This is an entity that provides benefits throughout the entire region. The forestry sector is extremely important to all Atlantic Canadians. The fact of the matter is that this was a joint research and development and commercialization initiative that went beyond the boundaries of just J.D. Irving and sons. It went to other entities, other research institutions. The benefits are very, very real for all Atlantic Canadians.
Mark Eyking Liberal Sydney—Victoria, NS
Mr. Speaker, now that the recommendations for the cleanup of the Sydney tar ponds have been received by governments from the joint action group, will the Minister of the Environment please tell the House what the next steps will be leading to the final cleanup of this hazardous site which is right in the middle of my riding?
David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, we are reviewing with the province of Nova Scotia, the government which has the lead on the cleanup plan, what has to be done. We are looking at environmental considerations, health considerations, risks and benefits, the length of time it will take to deal with the problem to clean up. Also the issues of future site use are being taken into account. We are looking at the issues of acceptability to the public and of course costs.