Debates of Nov. 3rd, 2003

Veterans Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, we have been seized with this issue. In fact, as recently as last May, when we had $135 million, we decided to take half of that for other priorities of veterans and the other half for widows in the country. We started a new program, and we pledged that we would continue to work harder for others. The sensitivity of this government remains very high.

[Roy H. Bailey, Canadian Alliance, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Mr. Speaker, we have already had unanimous consent from the Veterans Affairs committee. We have had unanimous consent from this House, but still the government delays. To continue to deny these 23,000 widows is hypocrisy higher than the ceiling of this building.

Will this government commit to extending the VIP benefits to those widows and ensure that it is done before November 11, 2003?

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

Mr. Speaker, last May, when we had the situation, I consulted with the leadership of the veterans organizations and I asked them if we should proceed with what we had or should we wait. They advised me to proceed with what we had, and we pledged to continue to work harder for the others.

Minister of Finance

[Yvan Loubier, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Finance stated that he had paid for his trip to the Caribbean and his holiday aboard a sailboat with Sandy Morrison of the Brewers Association of Canada, whose counsel he had just followed in his budget at the expense of the microbreweries. The minister told the House that he had paid for his plane tickets.

Can the Minister of Finance tell the House how much it cost for him and his family to stay on this luxury boat, and in what amount the cheque in repayment was made out for?

[John Manley, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, that is none of his business. I can go on vacation with whomever I like, wherever I want, at my own expense. He has no right to ask such questions.

[Yvan Loubier, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, does the Minister of Finance not find it odd that, in March, he was in the Caribbean aboard the same boat as a member of the Brewers Association of Canada, when just one week earlier, his budget supported its recommendation at the expense of the microbreweries?

All we are asking the minister is to tell us how much it cost for him and his family to stay on the boat, and to produce all the receipts.

[The Speaker]

Once again, this question does not concern government business.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

Order, please. The hon. member for Peace River.

Gasoline Taxes

[Charlie Penson, Canadian Alliance, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, last month members of this House passed a Canadian Alliance motion onthe federal gas tax. It called on the government to initiate immediate discussions with the provinces and to provide the municipalities with a portion to the gas tax.

Could the Minister of Finance tell us today when the federal government will start these negotiations with the provinces?

[John Manley, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the motion did not call for negotiations. I can tell him that the discussions commenced on October 10 when I met with the finance ministers from the provinces.

[Charlie Penson, Canadian Alliance, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it called for discussions that would hopefully lead to negotiations.

When he was the finance minister, the new Liberal leader had eight years to make this a priority and failed to do so. Given his track record, Canadians cannot count on him to follow through.

When will the present Minister of Finance correct this foot dragging and start these discussions with the provinces?

[John Manley, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

As I said, Mr. Speaker, we already discussed it. Certainly I did with several of the ministers when we met. I think the ability to put a formal arrangement together will require a great deal of work.

In the meantime, I remind the hon. member of the $3 billion of additional funding that was made available for infrastructure in the February budget. Much of this is flowing to Canada's municipalities to take care of important needs.

Justice

[Randy White, Canadian Alliance, Langley—Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Shawn Mackinaw killed his daughter Chassidy then buried her. He claimed he was drunk so the lawyers plea bargained the murder. They are saying that community service and an aboriginal sentencing circle should be adequate punishment.

Why does the justice minister not put limitations on plea bargaining so that such murderers cannot get away with just simply house arrest?

[Martin Cauchon, Liberal, Minister of Justice]

Mr. Speaker, the member refers to indeed a tragic event. He raises in his question many questions.

The first item that I would like to talk to is the sentencing circle. That has taken place in some provinces in western Canada and I would just like to say that so far what I have seen within the justice system it has proven to work properly, based on their culture.

Second, we know there is discretion existing in the criminal justice system. For example, they have raised the point of conditional sentencing, which is under review by the justice committee.

[Randy White, Canadian Alliance, Langley—Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this is exactly why the justice minister does not understand such situations, because the Sto:Lo nation does not have sentencing circles, yet it was plea bargained in. Chassidy's grandfather and other family members were never told this terrible crime was being plea bargained away.

Why has this government devalued the justice system to the point where the victim is a non-entity and children can be murdered without serious consequences?

[Martin Cauchon, Liberal, Minister of Justice]

Mr. Speaker, he has been to a sentencing circle himself. That is why I raised the point.

The second point, if the member would know exactly what is taking place at Justice Canada and in the justice system, he would know that at this very moment there is a national conference on victims taking place Ottawa. It is the very first one of its kind, sponsored by Justice Canada. I was there this morning to meet with those people, who will provide the justice department and our country with valuable comments that we will be using in our future legislation.

The Environment

[Jean-Yves Roy, Bloc, Matapédia—Matane, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when questioned about Belledune, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans twists our words by saying that we are asking him to intervene in provincial jurisdictions, which is completely untrue and he knows it.

I will read the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, section 35 of the act that he is in charge of administering:

No person shall carry on any work or undertaking that results in the harmful alteration, disruption or destruction of fish habitat.

If the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans refuses to use this section in Belledune, can he tell us when he does use it?

[Robert Thibault, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, we use this section when a project request is submitted and there is evidence that destruction could occur.

We are not going to use it for zoning at the provinces' expense for projects that we may or may not approve of.

Foreign Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Last year a young Chinese student living in Burnaby, Amanda Zhao, was brutally murdered. Her boyfriend, Ang Li, fled to China and was charged in May of this year with her murder.

With no extradiction treaty in force with China, what action is the government taking to seek the return of Ang Li to stand trial in Canada for this terrible crime? The RCMP has done its job. When will the minister do his?

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, the member knows that this is an operational matter of the RCMP. The investigation is in fact ongoing. The RCMP is continuing to work with the Department of Justice and with Department of Foreign Affairs on the matter to see what can be done.

The Environment

[Chuck Cadman, Canadian Alliance, Surrey North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Greater Vancouver Regional District and other municipalities have expressed concerns about the government's proposed management plans for dissolved ammonia, among other substances, for the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. One primary concern is the potential for duplication.

Will the environment minister commit to harmonizing his proposals with provincial regulations, to ensure that municipalities have a so-called one window approach to waste water management?

[David Anderson, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, I can certainly assure the member that our objective is always to harmonize our environmental regulations with the provincial regulations and also, where applicable, municipal. We will be looking at every opportunity to doing that.

That said, there is clearly an issue here that is being addressed on a nation-wide basis. There will be times when the nation-wide interests will supercede the municipal or provincial.

Cinar

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

Mr. Speaker, in the CINAR affair, we know that the RCMP conducted an investigation and that a report may have been submitted to federal prosecutors or to the attorney general for Quebec, so that they could lay charges.

Since the RCMP report did not result in any legal action against CINAR, will the Solicitor General tell us if it was the federal prosecutors who received the RCMP report and decided not to prosecute CINAR?

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I cannot comment on this matter. I will take it under advisement and get back to the member.