Debates of April 11th, 2003

Airline Industry

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

Mr. Speaker, we debated this to some extent yesterday in question period. I think it is important to recognize that the industry is not only in difficulty in Canada. In fact, we have had a number of other factors arise recently that have impacted the use of air services. Certainly it is causing difficulties for the industry.

The Minister of Transport is monitoring that situation very closely and developing alternatives. We will consider those alternatives as they come forward.

I give my assurance to the member that we will indeed respond in an appropriate way.

[Chuck Strahl, Canadian Alliance, Fraser Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport is monitoring this industry into the ground. There have been eight airlines that have gone broke since he has supposedly looked after this portfolio.

The key word here is eliminate with a capital E, do away with the tax, take a pen and write a zero and make sure there is nothing there. Eliminate the taxes so that the industry can get back into the air again and become a healthy industry for the sake of all Canadians.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport is not responsible when U.S. airlines go bankrupt, but that is what in fact has been happening. There is a problem in the industry, which they do not perhaps recognize.

We have disagreed with the Alliance on this for quite some time. We believe that the users of the industry ought to bear the burden of the cost. They think that the ordinary taxpayer, who perhaps never takes the occasion to use the airline industry, should bear the cost of measures that are used by others who are in fact using the service.

Taxation

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the former Minister of Finance created the fiscal imbalance by cutting off funding to Quebec and the provinces. Now the Deputy Prime Minister is denying the existence of the fiscal imbalance, but wants to use the surpluses he has available to encroach freely on Quebec's jurisdiction over education.

Is that where the Deputy Prime Minister is leading us?

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

Mr. Speaker, our position on the alleged fiscal imbalance which the Bloc raises every day is still the same and it has not changed; it is well known.

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Deputy Prime Minister said yesterday, in his leadership campaign, that Canadians have the right to know what their leaders think. Thus, I am asking him the question.

Is there a fiscal imbalance or not?

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

Mr. Speaker, there have been frequent discussions here in the House and in committee about the alleged fiscal imbalance the Bloc talks about. And our position is always the same.

Iraq

[Brian Pallister, Canadian Alliance, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the reconstruction of Iraq must include rebuilding not just buildings but also institutions, including the justice system.

Given the longstanding discrimination against ethnic minorities especially in Iraq, and given the Deputy Prime Minister's commitment to clarity in his answers, I would like to ask him, will he support the establishment of a justice system in Iraq which ensures equality to all of its citizens?

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

Mr. Speaker, I hope that my hon. colleague understands that Iraq is a country at war. Therefore, we must answer the most urgent requests for vital needs such as food, medical care, and the like.

Canada has shown leadership in this matter by participating right from the start, even before hostilities began, investing $6 million in international aid planning, and we will continue to make a contribution.

Justice

[Brian Pallister, Canadian Alliance, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, what Iraqis do not have, Canada does not have either and that is a justice system that treats all its citizens equally.

The Liberal Criminal Code now instructs judges to provide more lenient sentences to aboriginal offenders specifically. Given that the majority of the victims of those crimes are aboriginal people themselves, how could that possibly be fair to the victims of those crimes?

The Deputy Prime Minister yesterday attacked his rival for being ambiguous and vague and he has the chance to quit doing the seven veils dance here and answer a clear question. Does he support a justice system that is blind to race?

[Martin Cauchon, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, essentially the hon. member is referring to the Criminal Code. To be more precise, he is referring to a principle about sentencing. We find those principles about sentencing in a section of the Criminal Code. I would just like to say that that does not apply when it is a mandatory minimum penalty.

As well, I would like to invite the member to read the Supreme Court case of Regina v. Gladue. In that case there is a good explanation of that section of the Criminal Code and the reason we are using such criteria in the question of sentencing.

Taxation

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Laurentides, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as the Bloc Quebecois had expected, the federal government has once again underestimated the surplus, which is now $14.8 billion this year, although last October the Minister of Finance had forecast a surplus of only $4 billion, a difference of $10 billion.

Is the Minister of Finance not using this difference as a reason to deny the existence of a fiscal imbalance and an excuse to infringe upon areas of Quebec's jurisdiction, particularly education, as he stated yesterday evening?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is clear, in considering the monthly fiscal balance, that the government typically reports a considerable deficit in March. As of today, I can say, based on figures available to date and on the fact that the budget announcements have not yet been included in the public accounts, that this year's surplus will be very similar to our budget forecast.

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Laurentides, QC]

Mr. Speaker, if the Minister of Finance truly wants to set himself apart from his predecessor and be clear and transparent, he must acknowledge the existence of a fiscal imbalance. Should he refuse to do so, we will be forced to conclude that he is just like his predecessor and that he is prepared to feed us the same lines, hide the surplus, ignore Quebec's needs and interfere yet again in areas of jurisdiction belonging to Quebec.

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

Mr. Speaker, I will also say that this very week, the International Monetary Fund revised its projections for world economic output, including Canada. Canada's growth rate fell from 3.4% to 2.8%.

I think that our prudent approach to the budget will stand us in good stead if the economy is slower than anticipated.

Organized Crime

[Kevin Sorenson, Canadian Alliance, Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, each year millions of dollars worth of property and assets are seized under the proceeds of crime legislation. As there is no requirement within the law for the reporting of seizures, the system is therefore open to serious abuse.

Will the Minister of Justice introduce legislation to ensure the sale of property seized from criminals is recorded and sold through an open system that ensures public officials do not improperly benefit from such a sale?

[Martin Cauchon, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, the member knows very well that he is referring to a specific case, so I will not talk about that specific case.

However, on a general basis, on the notion to which he is referring, many departments are involved. The Solicitor General's department is involved as are the Department of Public Works and Justice Canada. The three departments are working together. I would also like to tell the member that the existing legislation is under review.

[Kevin Sorenson, Canadian Alliance, Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I will refer to the case. Allegations have been made that an Ontario Provincial Police officer received a great deal on a house seized from a drug dealer: two riverside lots with a home on them. This has brought the whole justice system into disrepute.

Will the justice minister restore citizens' faith in the justice system by introducing full public disclosure under the proceeds of crime legislation?

[Martin Cauchon, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, as the House and all Canadians know I cannot comment on a specific case.

However, if we look at the legislation to which the member is referring, it involves many departments. It involves the Department of Public Works, the Solicitor General's department and Justice Canada. The three departments are working together. As I have already said, the legislation is under review at the present time.

Housing

[John O'Reilly, Liberal, Haliburton—Victoria—Brock, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure every member of the House joins me in congratulating the brand new minted Secretary of State for Selected Crown Corporations.

In his new capacity, I would like to ask him to update the House on the national affordable housing plan. Could he please provide us with the progress that has been made with the selected provinces?

[The Deputy Speaker]

The hon. Secretary of State for Selected Crown Corporations.

[Steve Mahoney, Liberal, Secretary of State (Selected Crown Corporations)]

Mr. Speaker, as people know, we announced a $680 million affordable housing agreement in partnership with the provinces. We have signed agreements with seven of them and three territories. Newfoundland, P.E.I. and New Brunswick will sign in the next few weeks.

It is clearly my intention to work with our provincial counterparts, who I will be meeting in Winnipeg next week, to talk about how we can see affordable housing on the ground and get this money spent so we can help the people who need that help.

Persons with Disabilities

[Wendy Lill, NDP, Dartmouth, NS]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the finance minister announced that his Liberal leadership campaign will focus on social issues, yet his record shows that he is a long way from understanding the needs of poor Canadians.

Instead of respecting a recent all party vote in the House of Commons calling for humane treatment of persons with disabilities, his recent budget brought in new restrictions on the disability tax credit and only a fraction of what is needed for child care and low cost housing.

Why does the Minister of Finance have to wait until he is prime minister to show his humane and compassionate side?

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

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question because it gives me the opportunity to point out that in addition to the $80 million of additional support for the disability tax credit that we included in the budget, we created something for which the disabled community has been asking for a long time, which is a committee to advise both the Minister of Finance and the Minister of National Revenue on issues related to disability issues.

We again funded important programs to help members of the disabled community to have access to employment. We created a new credit for disabled children--

[The Deputy Speaker]

The hon. member for Windsor—St. Clair.