House of Commons Hansard #80 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was money.
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Mr. Speaker, offices are already available, courtesy of the Government of Quebec.
Given the ICAO's role in planning alternate air routes because of the current war, does the minister realize that his bureaucratic delays are preventing the ICAO from expanding in terms of space and personnel, which interferes with the development of international aviation safety programs?
International Civil Aviation OrganizationOral Question Period
Toronto Centre—Rosedale Ontario
Liberal
Bill Graham LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, real property issues such as this one are always more complex than we might have wanted, but I can assure the hon. member and this House that the Government of Canada is working closely with this international organization to make sure it has appropriate offices that meet its needs. We will keep working in that direction.
Philip Mayfield Canadian Alliance Cariboo—Chilcotin, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Hession report reveals that $400 million was wasted on the failed computer system of the firearms registry. The government's answer to this problem? Outsourcing. But the privacy commissioner has concerns with this outsourcing.
Given the government's slipshod record with hundreds of millions of dollars and its lack of concern for citizens' privacy, could the justice minister tell us how many external groups hold personal information databases related to the firearms program, and when was the last privacy impact assessment done?
Martin Cauchon LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, it is quite obvious that when we are talking about the money invested in the gun control program we are not talking about a waste of money. We have built a good program and we, as well as Canadian society, are starting to see the benefits of the program. When we talk about the technology is in place, we have a good tool for public safety that we are using as a government and that police forces are using in order to make sure that we will keeping building a safe society.
With regard to the question of privacy, of course there is a question involved there and it is not the first--
Ken Epp Canadian Alliance Elk Island, AB
Mr. Speaker, our daughter lives in Saskatchewan, the presumed home of medicare. She told me that two of her friends had to travel to Alberta and Manitoba to get critical health care. Her father-in-law had to wait six months for a critical heart operation and was told to be very careful while he was waiting. Our daughter was very upset about this. This is her question, and I quote, “Why does the government insist on spending billions of dollars on a useless gun registry when this money is so badly needed for health care?”
Martin Cauchon LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, let me come back to the gun control program, which is a very important part when we are talking about public safety. One more time, we are not talking about $1 billion. Second, we have never said, and the Auditor General as well has never said, that money has been wasted. We have to talk about an investment in a very good program. We are starting to see the benefits of that program, and as we have said in the past, we will keep proceeding with that fantastic public safety tool.
Carmen Provenzano Liberal Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. In light of the release of the Harbinson report, will the minister please inform the House what Canada's position is with respect to supply management?
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, the government has always been very clear in that we are strong supporters and full supporters of the supply management system in Canada for the benefit of the producers and the benefit of the consumers of dairy, egg and poultry products in Canada.
Unfortunately, the second draft of the Harbinson report was as fundamentally flawed as the first draft report. Our negotiators, along with industry representatives, are in Geneva this week and we will push in order to ensure that domestic marketing decisions for those products are made in Canada.
John Duncan Canadian Alliance Vancouver Island North, BC
Mr. Speaker, Export Development Canada is guaranteed by the Canadian taxpayer and should not be the first line of defence for companies in trouble. Contrary to market advice, EDC financed Bombardier's last quarter and taxpayer exposure is now several billion dollars.
Bombardier needs to reorganize and restructure, not rely on federal assistance. When will the minister insist that EDC stop increasing the risk to the taxpayer for Bombardier?
Export Development CanadaOral Question Period
Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey Ontario
Liberal
Murray Calder LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, our aerospace industry is now the third largest in the world. Our aerospace products are recognized internationally. They are renowned for their superior quality and cutting edge technology. In the past 10 years, Canada's aerospace sales have more than doubled. This is something that we are very proud of.
David Anderson Canadian Alliance Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK
Mr. Speaker, we know the Americans are going to require country of origin labelling for imported beef and pork products. The cost of compliance will be staggering.
We wanted to work with the Americans to have this law amended or repealed, but not only has the Liberal government done nothing to address the situation, it has made it far worse. U.S. consumers are now beginning to boycott Canadian products, while the reckless and irresponsible comments by cabinet ministers and the Prime Minister are destroying our trade relationship.
Does the Minister of Agriculture understand the negative consequences for agriculture brought about by foolish, asinine comments such as the one by the member who sits beside him, the Minister of Natural Resources?
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, we are all very concerned about the country of origin labelling requirement in the United States, but the hon. member needs to recognize that the first two years of that is voluntary. He needs to recognize, and he knows, that we are working with the industry in the United States. We are working through our embassy in the United States.
There is a growing feeling in the United States as well that the law is flawed. It is hoped by all of us that if the law does not get struck down or changed by the United States, it will at least just keep it to the voluntary system which is not working now and will not work for anybody's benefit, U.S. or--
Marcel Gagnon Bloc Champlain, QC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food said that April 1 was no longer the deadline, as he had suggested previously.
Will the minister confirm that this statement applies to the entire agricultural policy framework, which includes the net income stabilization account program, the new risk management program and the agriculture income disaster assistance program?
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, I said right from the start that there was not a strict deadline of April 1. The hon. member has heard me say that a number of times. We have time to continue to develop the business risk management aspect of the agricultural policy framework. As the ministers agreed in the last federal-provincial ministers meeting, when that is completed, any federal-provincial agreement that needs to be signed, because they do cease on March 31 of this year, will be retroactive to April 1 of 2003.
Mac Harb Liberal Ottawa Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, every three minutes a car is being stolen in Canada. In fact, in my own community here in Ottawa, in one year alone over 4,000 cars were stolen.
What is the minister doing to ensure that these cars will not continue to be stolen from Canadians?
Marlene Jennings LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Solicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, auto car theft is a serious public safety issue that costs Canadians between $1 billion and $2 billion a year in property losses, damages, injury and even death. Particularly alarming is the involvement of our youth in auto theft.
Therefore the government, working with its stakeholders, has acted. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, in collaboration with the national crime prevention strategy, has developed a CD-ROM and website on youth and joy-riding which was launched on March 24, 2003.
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, in spite of an era of massive climate changes and unprecedented instability in global weather patterns, Canada's weather forecasting system has been slashed from 14 centres to 5. Our Winnipeg office narrowly avoided complete closure.
Will the Minister of the Environment explain by what logic he chose to slash this critically important service? What assurances will he give to the Winnipeg office that this critical service will remain open for our prairie region and northern region?
David Anderson LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, I have, on a number of occasions, answered questions in the House about the improvements to the Meteorological Service of Canada that is taking place with the reorganizations which I outlined some two weeks ago.
Obviously, with new technology, satellites, more powerful computers, Doppler radars and very high levels of technical skills by our personnel, we intend to continue to have the very best service for Canadians from coast to coast.
I would point out to the member from Manitoba, which has a major agricultural sector, that the Canadian Federation of Agriculture has endorsed what we are doing.
Loyola Hearn Progressive Conservative St. John's West, NL
Mr. Speaker, in the bureaucratic mess of downsizing the fishery many people who have fished for a lifetime are being told that they are not core fishermen.
Will the minister agree to revisit this issue provided that proper documentation can be brought along to back up their claims?
Robert Thibault LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, when the policy on core fishermen was adopted there was an appeal opportunity for all those who felt their case might not have been properly dealt with.
I have agreed that if some of them have new evidence or new information to bring forward to show that their case was not properly dealt with or that there was an error in the appeal process, I would review it.
Business of the HouseOral Question Period
The Deputy Speaker
I wish to inform the House that, under the provisions of Standing Order 30, I am designating Tuesday, April 1, 2003 as the day for the consideration of private members' Bill C-280 standing in the name of the hon. member for South Surrey—White Rock—Langley, and Thursday, April 3, 2003 as the day for the consideration of private members' Bill C-235 standing in the name of the hon. member for Lac-Saint-Louis.
These additional private members' business hours will take place from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. after which the House will proceed to adjournment proceedings pursuant to Standing Order 38.
Federal Electoral Boundaries CommissionRoutine Proceedings
The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)
It is my duty, pursuant to section 21 of the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act, to lay upon the table a certified copy of the report of the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Quebec.
This report is deemed referred to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.