If convicted, Mr. Sand, who is aboriginal, may benefit from Criminal Code provisions put in place by the government that instruct judges to pay “particular attention to the circumstances of aboriginal offenders”.

Could the justice minister verify that if convicted, Mr. Sand's aboriginal heritage could now be a factor in his receiving a more lenient sentence?

JusticeOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Outremont Québec

Liberal

Martin Cauchon LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, the answer is quite simple. I cannot comment on a specific case while it is pending before the courts.

JusticeOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Brian Pallister Canadian Alliance Portage—Lisgar, MB

Mr. Speaker, all Canadians that we know do not support inequality in the justice system. Race should never be a factor in sentencing.

Constable Dennis Strongquill was an aboriginal man. The consequences of his murder are that his wife and his children lost a husband and lost a father and Canadians lost a hero and a role model.

Justice is something we all deserve. In particular, the families of victims deserve it. Justice is supposed to be blind, so why should justice be peeking out from under a blindfold to see if someone is an aboriginal, or if someone has a--

JusticeOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. Minister of Justice.

JusticeOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Outremont Québec

Liberal

Martin Cauchon LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

I am very sorry, Mr. Speaker, but the hon. member in the first question referred directly to a very specific case. As that case is pending before the courts, we all know and Canadians know as well, that it is impossible for me to comment on a specific case when it is before the courts.

International TradeOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Bloc

Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC

Mr. Speaker, when we raised the cheese stick problem with the Minister for International Trade, he told us we were wrong. When he finally opened his eyes, he was obliged to acknowledge that what we were saying was true. The same thing is happening now with imports of butter oil-sugar blends.

The minister keeps on telling us that action will be forthcoming. But will he admit that his inaction is depriving Quebec and Canadian dairy producers of millions of dollars and a sizeable market share?

International TradeOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Papineau—Saint-Denis Québec

Liberal

Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade

Mr. Speaker, there is absolutely no connection between these two things. As far as the cheese sticks were concerned, it was a matter of ministerial import permits issued to allow imports in excess of the allowed quotas.

In the case of the butter oils, the hon. member is well aware that this matter has already gone before the courts, and that we lost.

We are working with industry to find a solution and to use the recommendations made to us to determine what would be the best way to gauge how much harm has been done to the Canadian industry. We are going to work in conjunction with that industry.

International TradeOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Bloc

Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC

Mr. Speaker, we acknowledge the difference between the two, but what is identical in both cases is the minister's attitude and approach.

Last August the Minister for International Trade promised prompt action. Eight months have passed and the dairy producers are still waiting. They find that the minister's “soon” is far too long in coming.

The minister claims to have a report and recommendations in hand. So what is he waiting for?

International TradeOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Papineau—Saint-Denis Québec

Liberal

Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister for International Trade

Mr. Speaker, we have indeed received a number of recommendations and these of course involved four ministers, since they involve four departments. We are looking at the recommendations proposed to us. There are economic and legal implications. As well, international obligations must also be taken into consideration.

I can assure you that the work we are doing has a serious impact on the future of supply management, which is something we as a government have committed to and consider very important. We are therefore taking all the major international negotiations we are involved in at the present time into consideration.

Political Party FinancingOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Ted White Canadian Alliance North Vancouver, BC

Mr. Speaker, all of the funding scandals which preceded the introduction of the political financing bill were on the government side of the House. No wonder most Canadians think they have to be donors to the Liberal Party in order to get a government contract. The Canadian Alliance would have been happy to stick with the existing rules, even though we stand to gain the most if Bill C-24 passes.

Why can the Liberals not do as we do, scrap Bill C-24 and raise the money they need from their supporters instead of fleecing the Canadian taxpayers yet again?

Political Party FinancingOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Glengarry—Prescott—Russell Ontario

Liberal

Don Boudria LiberalMinister of State and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, that is a very strange question if I have ever heard one.

The hon. member is telling us that he is against Bill C-24 that gives greater transparency in the electoral process. He is against transparency. He is against those measures by which we register constituency associations. He is against banning corporate contributions. He is against banning labour contributions.

Mr. Speaker, we are in favour of transparency and four out of the five parties in the House agree with us.

Political Party FinancingOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Ted White Canadian Alliance North Vancouver, BC

Mr. Speaker, the House leader does a great job of feigning outrage, but the fact is that every bill he has sponsored for the past 10 years has ended up costing taxpayers a fortune.

He has wasted tens of millions of dollars trying to shut down third party advertising during elections. Now he wants to force taxpayers to spend at least $30 million a year to fund political parties.

Why will he not do the right thing for the taxpayers of Canada: scrap Bill C-24 and show us that his party can raise the money it needs from the people it claims to represent?

Political Party FinancingOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Glengarry—Prescott—Russell Ontario

Liberal

Don Boudria LiberalMinister of State and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, now we really know what the question is about. The hon. member's leader was in an action in the courts in order for the National Citizens' Coalition to be able to advertise without disclosure, without transparency, and to fund campaigns without giving any information, and he has now admitted that is really the motive of his question.

Canadian International Development AgencyOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Liberal

Walt Lastewka Liberal St. Catharines, ON

Mr. Speaker, it is a well-known fact that the country of Ukraine requires assistance to strengthen the country's agricultural infrastructure. Could the Minister for International Cooperation give us an update on CIDA's agricultural technical assistance with the Ukraine?

Canadian International Development AgencyOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Essex Ontario

Liberal

Susan Whelan LiberalMinister for International Cooperation

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian International Development Agency will be contributing $6 million over five years to a Saskatchewan-Manitoba-Alberta government partnership to help provide technical assistance in agriculture for the Ukraine. One of the common themes that came out of our new policy on agriculture, released last week, is that we need to harness Canadian expertise. It is a good example of how Canadian expertise in agriculture will help another country like Ukraine move forward.

I want to thank the member for St. Catharines for his diligent hard work in working with the people from Ukraine.

Citizenship and ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Bob Mills Canadian Alliance Red Deer, AB

Mr. Speaker, John Schneeberger continues to terrorize Lisa Dillman and her two little girls.

For seven years he deceived police DNA tests by implanting another man's blood in his arm. That is how he fraudulently got Canadian citizenship. Why does the immigration minister find this so difficult to understand? Will the immigration minister fight to keep John Schneeberger in prison until his term is up and then deport him?

Citizenship and ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Bourassa Québec

Liberal

Denis Coderre LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, I will not comment on that specific case, but I will say this. We believe in the rule of law, there is a process, and when the process is over, then I can act.

Citizenship and ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Bob Mills Canadian Alliance Red Deer, AB

Mr. Speaker, this is not before any court. On March 31, I wrote the minister a letter about Schneeberger. I talked to him last year about it. I have talked to him in the House many times about it. I called his office on Monday and got no return call. Immigration has been investigating it for two years.

Schneeberger has a parole hearing next Friday. He is demanding that those girls come to that prison on April 27. Why will the minister not do something and stop this injustice?

Citizenship and ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Bourassa Québec

Liberal

Denis Coderre LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, the member of Parliament told me that I was doing a good job, that I was open and that he had great communication with my staff. So I say keep your powder dry: I am not going to comment on the specifics. There is a process that we have to respect. On this side of the House we believe in the rule of law and in the process.

Tobacco FarmersOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Bloc

Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC

Mr. Speaker, as a result of the decision by Rothmans, Benson & Hedges to stop purchasing tobacco grown in Quebec, suddenly more than $2 million worth of sales for flue-cured tobacco farmers has disappeared. Almost all of these farmers are located in the Lanaudière region.

Unlike the federal government, which has yet to make any announcements, Quebec has already set up a task force to come up with solutions.

If it turns out that no existing federal program allows for the conversion of tobacco farms, will the minister make a commitment to create such a program to switch production from flue-cured tobacco?

Tobacco FarmersOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Prince Edward—Hastings Ontario

Liberal

Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, the tobacco industry has approached the federal government to discuss this with them and to talk about how we might be able to assist the tobacco growers in transitioning out of the production of tobacco. We are working on that. There is an interdepartmental government group that will be looking at it to see whether there is any way in which we can assist.

Foreign AffairsOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Bloc

Benoît Sauvageau Bloc Repentigny, QC

Mr. Speaker, Cuban dissidents have been taken before the courts and sentenced to lengthy prison terms following trials that some people have described as a farce. We know that the Minister of Foreign Affairs has already expressed Canada's great concern regarding this to the Cuban ambassador.

Will the minister tell us what he intends to do to follow up on this troubling situation?

Foreign AffairsOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Toronto Centre—Rosedale Ontario

Liberal

Bill Graham LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, I asked the Cuban ambassador to meet with me. I also sent a letter to my Cuban counterpart expressing Canada's disappointment as well as our complete disapproval of the policies that led to these unreasonable and unacceptable sentences for journalists and others who work for freedom in Cuba. We will continue to remonstrate with the Cuban government in order to have this practice abolished.

TransportOral Question Period

April 9th, 2003 / 3 p.m.

NDP

Wendy Lill NDP Dartmouth, NS

Mr. Speaker, on Monday the transport minister met with his advisory committee on accessibility and they talked trains. They talked about how he broke his promise to this group by allowing VIA Rail to purchase and put on the tracks used rail cars that are not accessible to people in wheelchairs.

Even more surprising is the fact that the minister admitted that these rail cars fail to meet Transport Canada's own safety standards for new rail cars and that he has known that since last October.

Why has the minister allowed rail cars into service that he knows are unsafe for Canadians with disabilities, for railway workers and for all Canadians?

TransportOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Don Valley East Ontario

Liberal

David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, this is a matter that is currently before the Canadian Transportation Agency. It could be the subject of appeal. Certain recommendations have been made by the agency, and VIA has been asked to respond to the particular questions at hand. The assurance I gave is that these cars certainly would comply with our accessibility standards and I maintain that position.