Debates of April 11th, 2003

Foreign Affairs

[Joe Comartin, NDP, Windsor—St. Clair, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Deputy Prime Minister can stay on his feet because my question is for him.

As he is aware, the Japanese foreign minister is in Europe today seeking support for a UN resolution on reconstruction. The resolution could put reconstruction under UN auspices, which is where it should be.

Does the government have a position on the Japanese resolution, and will Canada take a clear stand that reconstruction must be done under the UN, not under George Bush?

[Aileen Carroll, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I do not have a direct response on the Japanese initiative but I certainly can repeat what my minister has said, which is that we strongly support a role for the United Nations in reconstruction. We have been consistent from day one on that.

As others have asked today, we also are talking to the coalition partners, the U.K. and the United States, in planning for the rebuilding of that country which is in difficult times.

We are completely in support of a global, multilateral approach to reconstruction in Iraq.

Iraq

[Loyola Hearn, Progressive Conservative, St. John's West, NL]

Mr. Speaker, one of the greatest needs in Iraq today is hospitals and hospital services.

Is it not time that the government inserted itself into the picture and provided a field hospital and the associated services that the people so badly need?

[André Harvey, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation]

Mr. Speaker, that is precisely what we are working on right now. We just freed up $20 million to help UN organizations with direct intervention on the ground in terms of food, the World Food Programme, UNICEF and Care Canada.

All in all, it is clear that we want our actions to be as productive as possible. We have to keep in mind that the country is in the middle of a war right now. Despite this, volunteers on there to ensure that our work is as effective as possible.

Veterans Affairs

[Gerald Keddy, Progressive Conservative, South Shore, NS]

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

On behalf of Canadians veterans of the Korean war, I ask the minister to use his influence with the honours Chancellery of the Governor General to allow Canadian veterans of the Korean war to wear the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.

This medal, presented in 1951, has been recognized by Britain, Australia, New Zealand and the United States, and yet the Canadian government still refuses the veterans of the Korean war the right to wear that medal.

Will the Minister of Veterans Affairs work on behalf of Canadian veterans and help them to acquire the right--

[The Deputy Speaker]

The hon. Minister of Veterans Affairs.

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

Mr. Speaker, I will be participating in a series of events commemorating the armistice of the Korean war. I have the greatest support for all Korean veterans. In fact, the Government of Canada has issued its own Korean medal.

The commitment of the government to the Korean war veterans is unwaivering and will be there forever.

Agriculture

[David Anderson, Canadian Alliance, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Speaker, it has taken the agriculture minister two years to come up with a risk management program which so far is a complete disaster for producers. Canadians farmers were hopeful they would finally have long term stability in their safety net programs.

Could the Minister of Agriculture explain why he waited until the implementation date to hire private consultants to then assess the already beleaguered APF program? Just how incompetent is the minister and his department?

[Claude Duplain, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, just recently the Canadian Federation of Agriculture came up with examples. The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, showing that he has an open mind, wanted to demonstrate again the benefits of the new agricultural policy framework and agreed to prove, with this private firm, that the APF is a very good program.

[David Anderson, Canadian Alliance, Cypress Hills—Grasslands, SK]

Mr. Speaker, those presentations were made back in February. This agriculture situation makes absolutely no sense. It has taken a $5 billion department two years to create a program that now needs to be assessed by a private consultant. If this is not incompetence, then this abysmal failure must have been by design.

Why has the government left farmers standing alone just as they are going back into their fields? What is the real agenda here?

[Claude Duplain, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, it has not been an abysmal failure. As the member just pointed out, we have spent two years developing a new policy framework. Everyone was consulted, including the federation. The federation recently came up with new examples to show that the APF is not good. Our response is that their numbers are wrong. The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, once again, has agreed to examine them with a private consultant to prove to the federation that the APF is indeed a good program.

Aboriginal Peoples

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

Mr. Speaker, the latest auditor general's report raised a serious problem of unhealthy and mould-contaminated homes on aboriginal reserves. Mould leads to acute health problems.

Can the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs tell us what he intends to do to solve this problem?

[Charles Hubbard, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member is well aware that this year our government has committed some $137 million toward this program. Over the last few years, in fact since 1996, we have built nearly 2,600 new houses annually and have repaired some 3,300 on an annual basis.

We have made a strong effort to work with first nations.

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

Mr. Speaker, I think the Secretary of State has not understood me. The auditor general has put her finger on an acute problem that must be settled without delay: the problem of mould in houses currently occupied by aboriginal people. She has said that $100 million is needed promptly to solve this problem.

Can the government commit to freeing up this $100 million in order to provide aboriginal people with a healthy environment, as well as a safe and secure one?

[Charles Hubbard, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development]

Mr. Speaker, I speak a different language and I hope the translators have done well. However I have pointed out to the House that we have committed $137 million this year toward first nations housing.

I think that is quite adequate for now, but we certainly need more. Our government is working closely with first nations to improve the situation.

Financial Institutions

[Dick Harris, Canadian Alliance, Prince George—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's banking community is anxiously waiting for a response from the Minister of Finance to the bank merger report.

The banks do not have the luxury of time, as the minister does, to simply wait around while the minister fights his leadership race or his party plans for the next leadership convention.

Will the Minister of Finance realize the urgency of this situation and fast track his response to the finance committee's bank merger report? Will he do that?

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

Mr. Speaker, the committee has already asked for a more rapid response than the rules of the House provide. We will endeavour to respond within the timeframe for which the committee asked.

[Dick Harris, Canadian Alliance, Prince George—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister, obviously, does not understand that the banks have already been waiting about five years for some definitive response from the Minister of Finance.

It is now crucial that a response is forthcoming immediately. The minister knows that a huge amount of investment capital is at risk of leaving the country and a huge amount of investment capital is being held up by the tier two banks.

Will the Minister of Finance recognize the urgency? Will he recognize it truly and respond to the bank merger report before the--

[The Deputy Speaker]

The hon. Minister of Finance.

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

Mr. Speaker, first, I have said that we will respond within the timeframe for which the committee asked, which is more rapid than the House rules provide.

Second, I do not know what his concern is about the last five years. Bill C-8 was introduced, was adopted by the House and provides a clear set of rules to deal with mergers.

We have asked the committee to provide greater clarity about one aspect of the elements required for a bank merger to be considered.

Research and Development

[Larry Bagnell, Liberal, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Parliamentary Secretary for the Minister of Industry.

Could the parliamentary secretary please tell us what the government is doing to assist the commercialization of university research across Canada?

[Serge Marcil, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, we know that the government intends to make Canada the most innovative country in the world. The universities have a very important role to play insofar as research is concerned. For example, university-based research generated royalties of $44 million as well as 680 derivative companies in 2001. This represents a 57% increase in royalties and a 30% increase in derivative companies, and is clear evidence that government action around innovation will ensure that Canada becomes one of the most innovative countries in the world.

Fisheries

[Andy Burton, Canadian Alliance, Skeena, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

There is interest in the Queen Charlotte Islands and coastal B.C., particularly my riding of Skeena, in initiating a commercial seal hunt based on financial viability and seal population stability. Is the minister willing to take the necessary steps to initiate such a harvest, yes or no?

[Georges Farrah, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, I think that my colleague is raising a very important point concerning the seal hunt on the west coast.

As hon. members know, before making a final decision in this matter, naturally we must examine all the advice both about the biology and from the stakeholders. This could certainly be an interesting option, and I am convinced that the minister will consider it favourably.

[Andy Burton, Canadian Alliance, Skeena, BC]

Mr. Speaker, if the fishery had been managed properly, that information would be available now, so I think it is time to move.

Ministers in the Liberal government are actively working against any reasonable developments for B.C. It is okay for the east coast to develop its offshore oil and gas reserves. What about the west coast? It is okay for the east coast to continue its seal hunt. What about the west coast?

Why will the minister not stand and make a decision for fishing and native interests on both coasts, and agree to developing a west coast seal hunt today?