House of Commons Hansard #91 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was airports.

Topics

Health and SafetyOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Markham Ontario

Liberal

John McCallum LiberalMinister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, the government certainly supports this initiative. As to the proposal the hon. member is putting forward, I will have to report back to him.

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

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

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans closed the cod fishery in the gulf and in 2J3KL, putting hundreds out of work. The Minister of ACOA chipped in with a handful of job creation programs. This approach is the direct opposite of that recommended by all directly and indirectly involved with the industry, including the minister's own committees.

Will the minister now admit his mistake, change his mind and discuss a more satisfactory approach to this issue?

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

West Nova Nova Scotia

Liberal

Robert Thibault LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, the member will recognize that my job as Minister of Fisheries and Oceans first and foremost in respect to those communities is to ensure a proper protection and conservation of those stocks, so there can be a fishery in the future for this generation and for others. That means taking responsible measures now. Sometimes that means short term sacrifice.

This was a very difficult decision, which will have dire impacts on those communities. I am proud of the work of my colleague with ACOA and my colleague with DEC who will work effectively with the communities to respond to those needs.

National DefenceOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Bill Casey Progressive Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of National Defence said that NATO was not going to do any heavy lifting for our forces in Afghanistan but indicated that Germany might.

Is the government now asking the Germans or other allies to transport our forces and supplies to Afghanistan?

National DefenceOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Markham Ontario

Liberal

John McCallum LiberalMinister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, I have to inform the hon. member that neither Germany nor NATO is going to do any lift, heavy or otherwise, of our troops. NATO, and we are very pleased with this decision, is taking a major role in Afghanistan which will ensure the continuity of the missions of a number of western countries and provide security to that country.

Germany, on the other hand, is now the lead nation. I will be meeting with my German counterpart in the next few days and we will be working with the Germans in the security mission in Afghanistan.

However neither of those two entities has anything to do with lift.

Public Works and Government ServicesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Vic Toews Canadian Alliance Provencher, MB

Mr. Speaker, under Canada's proceeds of crime law, police seize millions of dollars worth of houses, cars and other property bought with the profits of crime. Over the last 10 years, the value of the property has grown steadily but public accountability has not.

The system is ripe for abuse. Why has the federal government failed to establish a clear public process as to how these assets are disposed?

Public Works and Government ServicesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Public Works has a role to play in terms of the disposition of assets of this kind. I would point out that the act itself is up for review to determine its adequacy in the circumstances of our modern society.

My department takes the step of reporting annually on how these matters are handled. We are certainly aware of the concerns that have been raised and are anxious to make sure that our law and our procedures are adequate to cope with modern circumstances.

Public Works and Government ServicesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Vic Toews Canadian Alliance Provencher, MB

Mr. Speaker, 10 years have passed and there is no legislated requirement for any public reporting of how assets are seized and how they are disposed. In this secretive, unchecked environment, an Ontario police officer was able to purchase, at a bargain price, a house seized from a drug dealer.

Why has the government failed over 10 years to take the necessary steps to ensure that this law does not promote the corruption of our justice system?

Public Works and Government ServicesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services

Mr. Speaker, with respect to the specific circumstance to which the hon. gentleman refers, I am advised that matter is in fact under investigation by the Ontario Provincial Police. They will of course do their job.

In terms of the broader issue, public works does report on seized property activities annually. That is done in the normal course to the public accounts.

I hear the hon. gentleman express a serious concern about transparency in terms of the administration of justice and in the administration of assets that come within public ownership. I take his point seriously. I think it needs--

Public Works and Government ServicesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques.

Gasoline PricesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Bloc

Paul Crête Bloc Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC

Mr. Speaker, normally when the price of a raw material rises, profit margins for corporations in that sector shrink, because competition plays a significant role in keeping consumer costs down. However, in the oil and gas sector, the opposite has occurred.

How can the Minister of Industry refuse to admit that the matter needs to be investigated by the Competition Bureau when oil and gas companies' profits have tripled at the same time, especially based on their refinery margins, at a time when the price of gas at the pump has risen dramatically?

Gasoline PricesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Etobicoke Centre Ontario

Liberal

Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Industry

Mr. Speaker, regulating retail gas prices is the jurisdiction of the provinces. In fact, Quebec has already created the Régie de l'énergie to monitor the situation. We must let the provinces look after their own jurisdiction and not interfere in this area.

Gasoline PricesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Bloc

Paul Crête Bloc Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC

Mr. Speaker, oil and gas companies have used a significant increase in the price of crude oil as an excuse to inflate their profit margins for refining and hide it all behind increases in the price per litre at the pump that have all happened at the same time, in the same place and to the same degree.

Does this series of great coincidences not suggest to the minister that there is cause to doubt the competition that is supposed to exist between these corporations, when they have all at the same time tripled their profits over last year?

Gasoline PricesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Etobicoke Centre Ontario

Liberal

Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Industry

Mr. Speaker, the Competition Bureau has monitored the situation and is constantly following the markets. However, the hon. member's fears concern retail pricing. Again, this is a provincial jurisdiction. I emphasize that we must respect provincial jurisdictions. This is fundamental for us.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Howard Hilstrom Canadian Alliance Selkirk—Interlake, MB

Mr. Speaker, the minister's agricultural policy framework will eliminate the provincial companion programs.

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture is opposed to Ontario signing the implementation agreement because the new programs are less effective. A recent report from the George Morris Centre, paid for by the agriculture minister, will not change the fact that the proposed programs are unacceptable to farmers.

Why would the minister try to impose programs on the provinces that are against the best interests of farmers?

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member was been briefed and was at the standing committee when I explained that the companion programs that the provinces had at the present time, if they had requested them and they all had, could continue for a transition period of over three years. After that, if the provinces wish to continue them on their own, if they are interested, they can.

Also, I think the hon. member needs to read the last part of the sentence in the report to which he is referring. It states:

--it is clear to us that the proposed new programs better achieve the six objectives of business risk management as agreed to by the Federal and Provincial Ministers in Whitehorse.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Howard Hilstrom Canadian Alliance Selkirk—Interlake, MB

Mr. Speaker, that does not change the fact if the farmers do not accept the programs.

Let us talk about the dairy industry for a moment. In 1995 the government signed the WTO agreement that failed to protect Canada from imports of dairy substitutes. The import of butteroil/sugar blends has reduced the market share for Canadian dairy farmers, resulting in lost income.

Why is the government doing nothing to correct its incompetence at the international negotiating table?

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, there has been a working group in process, involving four ministries of the government and the industry, looking at how we can try to address this concern that the dairy industry and we have.

As everyone in the House has been told a number of times, the report of that working group will soon be coming forward to the industry and to the House.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Liberal

Paul Steckle Liberal Huron—Bruce, ON

Mr. Speaker, as the House knows, an independent study has been concluded on the business risk management component of the APF.

Can the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food tell the House if a report has been released and if so, does the report give credence to farmers' concerns or does it portray a positive program for farmers as we move into the future?

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to say that the third party review did determine that the new program design would be a major improvement over the status quo. It concluded that the new program would better stabilize producers' incomes across commodities, better direct funds to areas of need, treat producers more equitably across the country and across commodities, be simpler for both producers and administrators, and help producers in their long term planning.

This review should certainly give the producers a high level of comfort so that they realize that under the agriculture policy they will have access to more effective programs to increase their profitability.

Food LabellingOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Ted White Canadian Alliance North Vancouver, BC

Mr. Speaker, last Friday the first cruise ship from Alaska arrived in Vancouver, but instead of working to help develop this critical west coast industry the Liberal government has created a complicated new set of regulations which is causing major problems for suppliers and the cruise lines themselves.

Why is the government insisting on completely illogical labelling requirements for food shipments on their way from the United States to cruise ships when there is absolutely no evidence of past, present or future problems?

Food LabellingOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, there have been regulations in place all the time. We certainly know that the situation at the border for food products and other products crossing the border in both directions is under further scrutiny now because of the realities of today.

We will ensure that those regulations are in force so that we can ensure to the consumers of those products on the cruise ships that the products are properly supplied, and properly meeting safety regulations and labelling standards that are required.

Food LabellingOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Ted White Canadian Alliance North Vancouver, BC

Mr. Speaker, the minister knows very well that this whole situation is nothing more than a very creative and entirely unnecessary application of regulations that were never designed for the cruise ship industry. As a result, some cruise lines are already bypassing Vancouver to re-provision at ports in Alaska.

The minister will be responsible for a lot of lost jobs in Vancouver this year, so why will the minister not just pick up his pen today and rescind these regulations which have no business interfering with our cruise line travel?

Food LabellingOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, I am not about to ask the government or suggest to the government or anyone that we rescind regulations that are in place to ensure that food products are labelled properly so that we can ensure that they are safe for the consumers of those products.

There is a responsibility for all of us to do that. I cannot believe that the hon. member over there does not think that is important because on this side of the House we think safety of food and safety overall is important.

The EnvironmentOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Bloc

Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—Petite-Patrie, QC

Mr. Speaker, this week we had confirmation that the TCE contamination at Valcartier military base has reached the Jacques Cartier river in the Quebec City area.

In response to a Bloc Quebecois question on May 28, 2001, the Minister of National Defence assured us that decontamination would be carried out.

Is the minister prepared to admit that the measures taken by his government have proven ineffective, and will he tell us what he intends to do to decontaminate the military base and the Jacques Cartier river, which his own department contaminated?