Debates of Feb. 4th, 2003

Child Pornography

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, we have among the toughest child pornography laws in the world, as a matter of fact. Over the last nine years the government has moved on this issue and has brought in tougher penalties. It has increased the money for policing on this issue. Last week, as the member indicated, I announced a national steering committee to develop a more improved national strategy for this issue, and we will move on it.

[Myron Thompson, Canadian Alliance, Wild Rose, AB]

Mr. Speaker, 98% of the people in Canada know about our tough laws. They are not tough.

The government is known for putting billions of dollars toward a useless gun registry but not a single penny toward protecting our children from exploitation. Will the government divert the money that is used for the gun registry and put it toward fighting child pornography?

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, it is that party that is blocking the bill we are trying to get through the House right now, which would in fact more effectively deal with this issue.

The fact of the matter is that this is a very serious crime and we take it very seriously. We will do everything within our power to protect our children, but let us look at what we have done.

We have strengthened the child pornography provisions. We created a new category for sexual exploitation. We have increased maximum sentences. We have facilitated the testimony of child victims and witnesses, and we are introducing new offences for voyeurism.

Canada Labour Code

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Laurentides, QC]

Mr. Speaker, strikes are dragging on in industries regulated by the Canada Labour Code. Along with employees at Cargill and Vidéotron, Radio-Nord workers on strike now have to cope with the presence of scabs.

The Quebec Labour Code prohibits the use of scabs so that disputes do not drag on.

What is the government waiting for? When will it enter the modern age and change the Labour Code to prohibit the use of scabs in labour disputes?

[Claudette Bradshaw, Liberal, Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, as you know, Part I of the Labour Code was prepared and reviewed by employees and employers.

As for replacement workers in the event of a strike, they told us clearly what they wanted and that is what is found in the Labour Code. The Labour Code is the responsibility of employees and employers. What they see is what they asked for.

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Laurentides, QC]

Mr. Speaker, can we have clear and accurate answers? When they were in opposition, the Liberals supported an anti-scab bill introduced by the Bloc Quebecois. I myself introduced a similar bill recently.

Does the government intend to come back to the only defensible position and vote in favour of legislation that would ban the use of scabs?

[Claudette Bradshaw, Liberal, Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, one thing is clear, very clear. We on this side of the House wanted to ensure that the Canada Labour Code belonged to employees and employers. The provisions in the Canada Labour Code with regard to the use of replacement workers were recommended by workers and employers.

Veterans Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Veterans Affairs.

Returning personnel who served in World War I and World War II who were in need of long term hospital care received appropriate attention. Today's military personnel who are also in need of long term hospital care are finding it difficult, if not impossible, to receive the same level of care as those who came home from World War II. Why is today's military personnel not treated the same as World War II vets?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to say that the veterans affairs department has been committed to providing excellent quality care, including home care for our veterans. In fact just a year ago we announced the 10 outcome quality care standards that most people and the major veterans organizations in the country are with us on. This is an excellent approach to ensuring quality care for our veterans.

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

Mr. Speaker, there are hundreds of vets out there who are looking for care.

In a class action suit, two previous decisions ruled that the Government of Canada illegally withheld money owed to those veterans who were wards of the government. Why is the government waiting for the Supreme Court to make a final ruling on an issue which has twice been declared illegal?

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

Mr. Speaker, the member knows full well that the case is before the courts of Canada and it would be inappropriate for us to comment. It would be against parliamentary tradition.

Energy

[Charles Caccia, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, according to media reports, steps are being taken by the Department of Foreign Affairs to establish a continental energy policy which could considerably erode Canada's sovereignty. Will our distinguished Minister of Foreign Affairs inform the House as to the status of a proposed continental energy policy initiative?

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, clearly Canadian energy and American energy infrastructures are highly integrated. Our energy markets are quite interdependent. This is driven by markets. There is no, I repeat no, intention or plans at this time to engage the United States in discussions concerning the development of a continental energy policy.

National Defence

[Leon Benoit, Canadian Alliance, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the defence minister has announced his advisory committee on administrative efficiency. The chair of the committee is Harold Stephen who, in his bio, is noted to have experience in successfully restructuring bankrupt corporations. Why does the government allow its military to deteriorate so badly that it needs a bankruptcy expert to fix it?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, one of the tasks of large government departments as well as private sector corporations is to spend their money efficiently and wisely and to transform themselves with changing market conditions and a changing security environment.

In order to get maximum value for the taxpayers' money, I have enlisted the services of a couple of people in the private sector who have expertise in restructuring. I am sure they will come up with some excellent ideas which will be good for the taxpayers and the Canadian Forces.

[Leon Benoit, Canadian Alliance, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the committee has an important job to do, to weed out inefficiencies in the Canadian military. Canadians will want to know what the committee finds so that the government can finally get on with the job of fixing the problems that it identifies.

Will the minister commit to making this report public?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I will be meeting the four individuals soon. There will be a secretariat of departmental up and coming, younger officials to help them along the way. We will look at the procurement process which I think could be improved. They will have a mandate to search where they can to improve the efficiency of the department in every aspect. They will report back to me in six months, at which time I will study their recommendations.

Iraq

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today in oral question period, the government House leader twice made reference to opposition days in his refusal to allow a vote on our taking part in the war on Iraq. He is the one who allots opposition days, and we have had none since we came back and the session resumed.

I will issue him a challenge. Is he prepared to allocate an opposition day this week to the Bloc Quebecois as he has the power to do? I guarantee there will be a vote on our participation in a war on Iraq.

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

Mr. Speaker, once again the hon. member is being very selective. Yes, I can confirm there will be an opposition day this week. I announced it last Thursday. This is not even news, because it is already Tuesday.

As to which party has which opposition day, it is not up to the House leader to allocate that. It is done among the parties in the opposition.

If I am right about the convention, it is generally the official opposition that gets the first day.

International Network on Cultural Policy

[Gérard Binet, Liberal, Frontenac—Mégantic, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the international network on cultural policy was created in Ottawa in 1998 as an initiative by the Minister of Canadian Heritage and the Government of Canada.

This network currently counts 53 member countries from every major region around the world. The purpose is to promote dialogue on issues that affect cultural diversity in the context of globalization, and to come up with ways to promote this initiative.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage inform the House what the Government of Canada is doing to promote cultural diversity internationally?

[Carole-Marie Allard, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House that the Minister of Canadian Heritage is in Paris right now to bring together as many countries as possible in support of a legal instrument, which, once adopted and ratified, would help protect culture when trade agreements are concluded.

The minister is speaking in a variety of fora, including the Canada-France Chamber of Commerce and UNESCO. I would like to congratulate my government and the Minister of Canadian Heritage for their leadership in the area of cultural protection.

Presence in Gallery

[The Speaker]

I draw the attention of hon. members to the presence in the gallery of the Hon. Ernest Fage, Minister of Energy of the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

The House resumed from January 30 consideration of the motion that Bill C-19, an act to provide for real property taxation powers of first nations, to create a First Nations Tax Commission, First Nations Financial Management Board, First Nations Finance Authority and First Nations Statistical Institute and to make consequential amendments to other Act be now read a second time and referred to a committee, and of the amendment and of the amendment to the amendment.

First Nations Fiscal and Statistical Management Act

[The Speaker]

It being 3 p.m., the House will now proceed to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the amendment to the amendment of the motion for second reading of Bill C-19.

Call in the members.

(The House divided on the amendment to the amendment, which was negatived on the following division)