House of Commons Hansard #79 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was federal.
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, I think the Minister of National Defence took a very positive step in December when he addressed the bundling issue.
The purpose of the pre-qualification process, which has begun today, is to reduce the risk that equipment proposed by any of the bidders would be disqualified for technical non-compliance. The whole purpose is to make sure that the bidders know on what they are bidding.
Peter Adams Liberal Peterborough, ON
Mr. Speaker, the government is supportive of supply management, but dairy producers have expressed concern over unregulated imports of dairy products and subproducts, such as butteroil-sugar blends.
Can the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food tell the House what the report of the working group set up last summer recommended and how the ministers intend to follow up?
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, first, I want to commend the strong support that the hon. member for Peterborough has, and continues to have, with the caucus and the government for supply management.
The working group that was set up has had a number of meetings with the dairy industry. We recognize the concern regarding the importation of butteroil-sugar blends. There have been a number of recommendations that have been made to ministers in the government. We are reviewing those recommendations thoroughly at the present time so that we can work with the industry to help solve the problem.
Svend Robinson NDP Burnaby—Douglas, BC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. In the fight against atypical pneumonia or SARS the World Health Organization plays an absolutely critical role. Yet, when Taiwan asked the World Health Organization for help to assist its 23 million people, the WHO said no since Taiwan is not a member.
Will the minister now listen to MPs on all sides of the House and support Taiwan's request for observer status at the upcoming meeting of the World Health Assembly in Geneva? With the lives of Taiwanese and Canadians at stake will he stop hiding behind the one China policy and support Taiwan at the World Health Organization?
Bill Graham LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, what we will certainly do is take the practical steps which will help Taiwan in this circumstance and help all of us in this terrible fight which is important for all of us.
The hon. member knows very well that Taiwan is not eligible for membership in the World Health Organization as it is not a member of the United Nations. Its observer status would require consensus from all members, including that of China.
The government has been active in working with Taiwan and all governments to ensure that the Taiwanese government receives help through all the possible channels. We will continue that constructive policy.
Judy Wasylycia-Leis NDP Winnipeg North Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, Canadian banks have quietly closed more than a thousand profitable branches since 1998 in anticipation of future merger opportunities--mergers the government now seems prepared to accept. In so doing, they have left many communities stranded. Some like Ailsa Craig, Ontario, now have no bank at all. In Winnipeg North we have lost nine branches since 1995 and there are more to come.
My question is for the Prime Minister. What strategy does the government have in place to stop this abuse of our communities by corporate bankers who put their bottom line ahead of the public interest?
Maurizio Bevilacqua LiberalSecretary of State (International Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, I do not agree with the premise of the hon. member's question. The financial service sector is indeed a very important sector in the Canadian economy, providing valuable services for Canadians and small businesses from coast to coast to coast.
In reference to the issue of consumer protection, the hon. member should remember that one of the largest components of Bill C-8 dealt with consumer protection. There is no question about the fact that the government understands the needs of consumers and we do that quite well.
Gerald Keddy Progressive Conservative South Shore, NS
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister's rhetoric aside, he knows the United Nations cannot coordinate efforts to rebuild Iraq without a Security Council resolution that authorizes such actions.
Will he commit today to instructing Canada's diplomats to work toward the necessary international consensus that would allow the Security Council to draft and adopt that resolution?
He says he will answer if Canada's phone rings. Why will he not ensure Canada is the one making the calls?
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should know that yesterday we announced the allocation of $100 million to help the United Nations organization provide humanitarian aid in the Iraq situation. We discussed that with the ambassador on Tuesday.
Perhaps he should talk to his own chief who yesterday criticized President Bush very harshly in a speech in Winnipeg.
Bill Casey Progressive Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS
Mr. Speaker, strangely the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade is advertising to hire a senior project officer for nuclear submarines.
Considering that all seven of our current submarines are tied up in Halifax and not one of them works, why is the Minister of Foreign Affairs advertising to hire a senior project officer for nuclear submarines?
Bill Graham LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, our department is engaged in a great many activities which relate to non-proliferation. This relates to an understanding of how the world works with nuclear submarines and every other facet.
We are very actively involved in the action of trying to find a way to one of the key questions in international relations today, that is, nuclear and other forms of disarmament. We will continue that work. This is just one small part of what we are trying to achieve.
Charlie Penson Canadian Alliance Peace River, AB
Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Finance tabled its report on bank mergers today. The Canadian public and the banking industry are waiting for the finance minister's reaction and response to this report.
Before the Minister of Finance gets too wrapped up in his Liberal leadership campaign, will he commit to an early response to the committee's recommendations?
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, we received the report a few hours ago. We will read it first and then we will study it. The Minister of Finance and the Secretary of State for International Financial Institutions will look at the document and make some recommendations in response to the document as soon as possible.
Charlie Penson Canadian Alliance Peace River, AB
Mr. Speaker, unlike other industries, banks have been denied a proper road map or rule book on the merger issue. The bank merger issue has been on the table for five years, since 1998. Both the Senate bank committee and the Commons finance committee have now given the minister their views.
When can Canadians expect his?
Pauline Picard Bloc Drummond, QC
Mr. Speaker, despite numerous objections from farmers, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food has been saying for a long time now that he intends to impose his policy framework. His plan is creating anger and panic among farmers, who have a hard time understanding what the rush is.
Will the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food get it into his head that what farmers are demanding is a one-year delay and nothing less?
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, I will repeat again, as I did several times yesterday and already today. Since the first of January of this year there has not been a disaster program for Canadian primary producers. The funding was put in place last June.
We have been working on that since last June with the provinces and the industry. We still have time to develop that because the producers deserve it and there will be a program for farmers this year.
Michel Guimond Bloc Beauport—Montmorency—Côte-De- Beaupré—Île-D'Orléans, QC
Mr. Speaker, farmers in Quebec and Canada are concerned about supply management. Tensions mounted again last month when the chair of the negotiating committee at the WTO, Stuart Harbinson, tabled a preliminary report proposing to reduce the tariff quota by half and increase access to markets.
Does the minister realize that if the Harbinson proposal were accepted, there would not be a single quotaed farmer in Canada who would be able to farm, and does he consequently intend to unequivocally reject said proposal?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, I had the opportunity to speak with Mr. Harbinson last week. I was very clear that the document as it stands does not reflect a negotiating framework satisfactory to Canada. We are pleased with some of the progress made in eliminating export subsidies, which meets Canadian objectives, but in terms of access to markets and farmer subsidies, we did not agree with this document.
I would like to reassure the House and Canadians that this document is also not supported by the European Union or the United States. I think that for now, these terms are far from being approved for agriculture negotiations at the WTO.
Kevin Sorenson Canadian Alliance Crowfoot, AB
Mr. Speaker, a couple of weeks ago the Federation of Canadian Municipalities joined the Canadian Police Association, the National Association of Police Professionals, the Police Association of Ontario, the city of greater Sudbury, the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities and the Ontario government, demanding an external review of Correctional Service Canada because club fed prisons are threatening the safety of Canadians.
Will the Solicitor General finally admit that club fed prisons not only exist, but that he supports them?
Wayne Easter LiberalSolicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I answered this question quite clearly yesterday. In terms of the proposal that the member talks about, he should recall that there were parliamentary committee hearings into the Corrections and Conditional Release Act. The recommendations of that act were acted upon. The bottom line is that the system has been improved and there are no club feds in the federal penitentiary system.
Kevin Sorenson Canadian Alliance Crowfoot, AB
Mr. Speaker, why does the Solicitor General refuse to take the advice of the Canadian Police Association regarding potentially dangerous prisons, resort-style prisons, club fed prisons? Is the Solicitor General so confident that club feds do not exist? Will he immediately call for an independent review of our prison system to prove that he is right?
Wayne Easter LiberalSolicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned yesterday, one of the greatest difficulties that the Canadian Police Association had when it was in town lobbying members of Parliament was trying to convince members of Parliament on that side that the gun control system that we are putting in place in this country is important. Members opposite do not want to support it.
What we tried to do through the CSC is encourage inmates to be responsible for their daily living activities. That means working with them within facilities so that they have greater responsibility when they go back out into the community later in life. That is using the system so that more Canadians can exercise their human potential to the fullest ability.
Larry Bagnell Liberal Yukon, YT
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister just said that the government will soon be responding to the report on bank mergers. In the meantime, could the Secretary of State for International Financial Institutions let the House know if he expects some proposals from banks in the near future regarding mergers?
Maurizio Bevilacqua LiberalSecretary of State (International Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank both the Senate committee and the House finance committee for their work as well as individuals who participated in those hearings.
Given the fact that parliamentarians and Canadians have spent a lot of time on this important issue, it would be premature for anyone to bring forward a merger proposal until the government has dealt with the issues raised in the committee's reports and hearings. We have just received the report and everyone needs time to review the recommendations and deliberations of the committee.