House of Commons Hansard #81 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was offenders.
Anne McLellan LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, to date let me reassure everyone that anyone identified with SARS-like symptoms entering the country has submitted to voluntary isolation. If that were not to be the case and if necessary, we would most certainly invoke the quarantine act to protect the health of Canadians.
Odina Desrochers Bloc Lotbinière—L'Érable, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Commissioner of Official Languages has recommended that unilingual public employees no longer be hired to fill bilingual positions. The last deadline that was set for senior public officials to become bilingual expires today. There are apparently at least one hundred or so who remain unilingual.
I would like the Treasury Board President to tell me the following: given that the deadline expires today, what is going to happen?
Lucienne Robillard LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, the member is referring to managers in bilingual positions in bilingual regions of the country. It is not all managers in the public service who have a deadline to reach a certain level of bilingualism. We should have the results soon.
For managers who do not meet the standards, we will have to consider with them training options, as well as horizontal transfers and transition measures to ensure that all public employees are able to work in the language of their choice.
Odina Desrochers Bloc Lotbinière—L'Érable, QC
Mr. Speaker, the deadline has been pushed back several times, and we know what the consequences are. Not only are there some one hundred officials who do not meet the requirements for their positions, but the problem is being perpetuated because unilingual anglophones are still being hired.
Can the President of the Treasury Board assure us that this time is last time and that from now on only bilingual persons will be hired for bilingual positions?
Lucienne Robillard LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, let me make one thing clear. The deadline has not been pushed back. The deadline is today, March 31. Therefore, as of tomorrow, measures will apply for those who have not met the standards required for bilingual positions in bilingual regions.
That said, we want Canada's public service to be accessible to all Canadians. That is why we are maintaining some flexibility to allow public employees to learn the second official language if needed.
Scott Reid Canadian Alliance Lanark—Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, the President of the Treasury Board is saying that she does not know how many people meet and do not meet the language requirements. She has had lots of time to prepare for this.
She is saying that she does not know what measures they will take to deal with people who are not meeting the language requirements of their posts.
I think it is reasonable to ask that the minister stand and answer these questions. Will they be fired? Will they be demoted? Will they be transferred to different shops? What are the punishments the government has in mind? It had a lot of time to prepare them, why does it not share them with us now?
Lucienne Robillard LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, I have said the deadline is today. First of all, I feel it is only right for me to have until the end of the day to produce the figures.
Second, I have been saying for some time, and it still holds true today, that for those who do not meet the bilingualism criteria we will have to contemplate a penalty relating to the performance bonus, or a horizontal transfer.
What is very clear is that we must allow all employees in bilingual regions of the country to be able to use the official language of their choice in—
Scott Reid Canadian Alliance Lanark—Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Commissioner of Official Languages proposed ending the 20 year policy under which unilingual Canadians could become bilingual on the job for bilingual posts. Ending this policy would amount to adopting a policy of systemic discrimination against the 24 million Canadians who do not speak both official languages and who cannot apply for any of the 56,000 public service jobs, including all management positions.
Will the minister today state--and this is an easy one--that she firmly, absolutely, and resolutely rejects that kind of systemic discrimination?
Lucienne Robillard LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, there is no discrimination whatsoever at the present time.
The fact is that, within the Public Service of Canada, 38% of positions are considered bilingual. Another fact is that we provide access to language training for those wishing future promotions.
It is very clear that the government's priority is to have linguistic duality as a value integrated into the Public Service of Canada, so that it has the capacity to serve the public in both official languages. We will continue to implement our action plan.
Derek Lee Liberal Scarborough—Rouge River, ON
Mr. Speaker, between March 18 and 21 the sixth session of peace talks between the government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were held in Hakone, Japan.
Would the Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific update the House on the results of those most recent discussions and negotiations, and indicate how Canada is helping to bring peace to that region?
David Kilgour LiberalSecretary of State (Asia-Pacific)
Mr. Speaker, regarding the ceasefire, the two parties have reaffirmed their commitment to peace by strengthening the mandate and capacity of the Sri Lankan monitoring authority.
While progress made to date has been impressive there remains a long way to go before a lasting peace can be achieved. Canada continues to support the process through ongoing humanitarian aid, and support to the Forum of the Federations is being made available to both sides in order to find models of federalism that work practically around the world.
James Moore Canadian Alliance Port Moody—Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
Mr. Speaker, the transport minister has not denied that the government, and he himself, is considering giving tens of millions and maybe even hundreds of millions of dollars to Air Canada. Robert Milton, CEO of Air Canada stated in Wings magazine that: “I want to be clear we are not asking for a bail-out or rescue package”.
Why will the Minister of Transport give tens of millions and maybe even hundreds of millions of dollars in corporate welfare when the corporation receiving it does not want it?
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, who said that was the truth? I would draw his attention to my earlier answer and he would learn the true position on this matter.
James Moore Canadian Alliance Port Moody—Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
Mr. Speaker, here is the opportunity for the transport minister.
Eight air carriers have died on this transport minister's watch in the past six years. I want him to stand up and unequivocally say that he will reject any corporate welfare for Air Canada, and that he will say the buck stops with him. Will he say no to corporate welfare for Air Canada when it comes and that it will not get any money at all from the government.
Will he say that Air Canada will not get a dime from the government?
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, in the answer I gave earlier, the fact is that the government is not interested in a cash bailout of Air Canada. We have said that we would be prepared to help in the restructuring process, if necessary.
Michel Guimond Bloc Beauport—Montmorency—Côte-De- Beaupré—Île-D'Orléans, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Commissioner of Official Languages says that all bilingual positions must be filled by people who are bilingual, rather than by unilingual anglophones who promise to learn the other language within two years of being hired.
Does the President of the Treasury Board intend to adopt the Official Language Commissioner's recommendation, and does she intend to recruit only individuals who are already bilingual at the time of hiring, instead of asking unilingual anglophone public servants to become bilingual within two years? This would be much easier.
Lucienne Robillard LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board
Mr. Speaker, the Official Languages Commissioner also said that, to implement such a policy, the government must be able to provide all public servants with access to fair, very open and very transparent language training, which is not currently the case.
So, a much more gradual approach will be considered. Our preference will be for public servants to be able to learn a second official language early in their career and for this to be included in their career plan, instead of deferring training until they are appointed to a bilingual position.
John Harvard Liberal Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, MB
Mr. Speaker, since March 18, in other words in the last two weeks, the Cuban government has arrested approximately 72 Cuban dissidents in almost every province in that country.
Can the Secretary of State for Latin America, Africa and Francophonie, explain to the House what is Canada's position on those arrests?
Denis Paradis LiberalSecretary of State (Latin America and Africa) (Francophonie)
Mr. Speaker, Canada is raising serious concerns with the Cuban authorities regarding the recent crackdown on several dissidents.
We believe that engagement is the real way to promote Canadian values and share our perspective on economic, social and political issues with Cuba. Canada has and will continue to have frank and honest discussions with Cuba regarding human rights concerns.
Garry Breitkreuz Canadian Alliance Yorkton—Melville, SK
Mr. Speaker, last Tuesday the justice minister tried to keep Parliament in the dark again when he told the House that the firearms program would cost $113 million next year.
On Thursday, the justice minister's report on plans and priorities tabled in the House said the expenditures for the next fiscal year could actually be as high as $128 million.
Why did the minister give the House the lower number? Did he not know what was in his own report?
Wayne Easter LiberalSolicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows full well that the $15 million that is talked about over and above the $113 million that is outlined in the main estimates is a contingent liability flagged in the report on plans and priorities that is due to the alternate service delivery contractor. He has indicated that is the scope of the work necessary to complete the first phase of the contract that could exceed the budget provisions.
Louis Plamondon Bloc Bas-Richelieu—Nicolet—Bécancour, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Agriculture.
The minister stubbornly insists on implementing his net income stabilization program, which is angering farmers throughout Canada and Quebec.
With less than 24 hours before the federal-provincial agricultural safety net programs expire, will the minister show good faith and indicate his understanding of the agricultural situation by delaying implementation of the strategic framework he is currently proposing?
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, the agriculture policy framework is the result of concerns raised by opposition members in the House, the government and the industry that the government needed to have a long term program for Canadian farmers for the production of food. Farmers can now plan rather than, on an ad hoc basis each year, not know whether the money would come or what the amount would be if it did come.
The government put that in place last June. We have been working with the industry and the provinces. We will continue to do so because farmers deserve it and the money will be there for them.
Chief Electoral OfficerOral Question Period
The Speaker
I have the honour to lay upon the table the report of the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada on the administration of the Bonavista--Trinity--Conception, Calgary Southwest, Gander--Grand Falls, Saint Boniface, Saint-Léonard--Saint-Michel, Verdun—Saint-Henri—Saint-Paul—Pointe Saint-Charles, and Windsor West by-elections held on May 13, 2002, and Berthier--Montcalm and Lac-Saint-Jean--Saguenay by elections held on December 9, 2002.
This report is deemed to have been permanently referred to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.