Debates of May 16th, 2003

Foreign Affairs

[Svend Robinson, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the acting foreign affairs minister.

It concerns the desperate situation in Congo where so far 3.5 million people have died, four times as many as in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. The UN stood by then despite the pleas of many, including Canadian General Roméo Dallaire.

Now that the Security Council seems to be focusing solely on Iraq and has not taken any effective action at all regarding Congo, is Canada prepared to show the same kind of leadership it showed in the run up to the war in Iraq where our ambassador floated a discussion paper, took leadership--

[The Deputy Speaker]

The hon. Secretary of State for Asia--Pacific.

[David Kilgour, Liberal, Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific)]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for raising this very important issue.

About 3.5 million Congolese residents have died in the last five years during the civil war, most of them from disease. The problem is that the life of someone living in Congo has to be as important, as my colleague would agree, as the life of someone living anywhere else on the face of the earth. I very much hope that the Security Council will do more than issue a press release saying it regrets what is going on.

[Svend Robinson, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister's personal hopes are not good enough. Canadians expect our government to show action on this humanitarian crisis.

Right now there are eight humanitarian workers in Congo. This is a disaster. Will Canada show leadership? Will Canada join with France and other countries in a coalition of the willing, a coalition of countries that are willing to do everything they can to save the lives of the people of Congo? Where is the Canadian leadership on this important issue?

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

Mr. Speaker, we all share the concern of the member opposite. The French have been approached by the United Nations to send a force to Congo. Right now we have eight members of the United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

While we too have been approached by the United Nations, we have to study carefully the feasibility of such a request given our current commitments in Afghanistan and Bosnia, and in the war against terrorism. We are seriously considering the situation.

Fisheries

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

Mr. Speaker, the Fisheries Resource Conservation Council provides worthwhile, independent scientific information to the minister. At a recent meeting of the standing committee, the minister indicated that he might reconsider the future of the FRCC.

Will he tell the House whether he plans to eliminate the FRCC or otherwise interfere and downgrade that very worthwhile institution?

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

No, Mr. Speaker, there is no such indication, and the department does not intend, at this time, to eliminate the Fisheries Resource Conservation Council. It is doing an exceptional job.

When he met with the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, the minister indicated that he will perhaps consider how things have been done up to now and look too, with the stakeholders, at how this situation can be improved with regard to managing the resources and the role of science.

Currently, there are no plans to exclude the FRCC from consultations with the industry.

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

Mr. Speaker, what an interesting phrase at this time.

It now appears that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans will cut funding to the Canadian Responsible Fisheries Board. Briefing notes from the department indicate the impact for the ministry include: a departmental flip flop on responsible fisheries, and abandonment of the fishing communities of Canada, particularly after the impact of the cod announcement.

Can the minister confirm if his department is planning to abandon the code for responsible fishing? Has funding been cut to that program?

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

Mr. Speaker, the department is looking at how to be more efficient given our current financial resources. A number of options are on the table. Currently, it is quite premature to give the hon. member a specific answer about this fund.

Absolutely, yes, there are a number of options being considered. However, right now, no cuts to this program are planned.

Public Works

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

Mr. Speaker, in 1995 the Liberals closed CFB Chilliwack, sending over 1,000 families packing and leaving hundreds of acres of prime land and facilities empty. The City of Chilliwack and the provincial government have come up with an innovative plan to use the land for an education park with universities and technical schools lined up to make this exciting idea a reality. The one stumbling block appears to be foot dragging by the federal government, delays that have gone on far too long now.

Will the Government of Canada agree to transfer this land now so that British Columbia can start construction of a world class educational facility?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my colleague, the Minister of National Defence, I became aware of this issue just earlier today. I am advised that the minister is aware of the circumstances and he is prepared to work toward a constructive solution to this problem.

I hope it can be resolved in a way that is satisfactory to all concerned.

National Defence

[Gerry Ritz, Canadian Alliance, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, last night on the road to Halifax the member for LaSalle—Émard had an epiphany. He said his government must get new maritime helicopters “as quickly as possible and absolutely the best”. Petty politics will not let this government reorder the EH-101 as still the best value purchase. It will just not go there.

Will the member for LaSalle—Émard, as prime minister, be forced to cancel another helicopter replacement contract? Will he have to go there?

[The Deputy Speaker]

I regret that question is out of order. It is not directed to the government.

Genetically Modified Organisms

[Bernard Bigras, Bloc, Rosemont—Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister for International Trade accused Europe of renouncing its own scientific ideals by banning the import of GMOs. Yet a study by the United Kingdom's Food Standards Agency and an independent panel of 579 scientists has shown that GMOs might constitute a risk for human health.

Will the minister acknowledge that trade and health can go hand in hand and that we can engage in one while protecting the other?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, what we want to see happen in asking the European Union to lift its moratorium is for it to enforce its own laws. We want Canadian products to be let in. Europe can take whatever measures it wants, but it must comply with its own legislation. That is the aim of our consultations.

As far as scientific issues are concerned, the UK Royal Society and the French Academy of Sciences have reached conclusions diametrically opposed to what the member for Rosemont—Petite-Patrie has just stated in this House.

[Bernard Bigras, Bloc, Rosemont—Petite-Patrie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we have to admit that this week's decision to challenge the European moratorium before the WTO sets Canada back 10 years as far as application of the precautionary principle to GMOs is concerned.

Before reaching his decision, might the minister not have been better off, as the Royal Society of Canada has suggested, to carry out independent studies in order to ensure that GMOs represent no danger to health or the environment, before ignoring science as he did yesterday?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, this could not be further from the truth. What we want is for science to be respected. Europe was responsible for bringing humankind into the modern age, some 350 years ago. With the modern age comes belief in progress, and progress is based on science. That is precisely the view of Canada. The French Academy and the UK Royal Society have taken exactly the same approach as the Canadian government.

Public Service

[Paul Forseth, Canadian Alliance, New Westminster—Coquitlam—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Treasury Board. Bill C-25 concerning public employees has now been completed at committee and will be tabled today. However the new definition of the merit principle has become a concern to the unions and many observers across the country.

What will the government do to ensure that Liberal supporters in the public service are no longer able to hire or promote just their Liberal friends and their favourites? How will the government truly defend the merit principle?

[Tony Tirabassi, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question and I thank him for his contribution at committee regarding Bill C-25.

There merit principle, which is the basis for all appointments in the public service, has never been defined in legislation. As a result, years of case law and precedent have resulted in a cumbersome process driven process that has provided an inability for the public service to recruit and to promote effectively.

Through Bill C-25 deputy head staffing authority will be delegated by the Public Service Commission in accordance with the PSC guidelines. This new approach--

[The Deputy Speaker]

The hon. member for Nanaimo—Cowichan.

Softwood Lumber

[Reed Elley, Canadian Alliance, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister for International Trade has promised that he would not allow the Americans to further harm the Canadian softwood lumber industry.

We understand that an export tax as high as 33%, a full six points higher than the present punitive duty, is being proposed by the United States. We also hear that it wants two-thirds of the $1.5 billion in duties collected to date to remain in American hands.

It is clear that these proposals will only further harm workers in my riding and across the country. Will the government stand up for Canadians and refuse to cave in to these American demands?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I totally agree with my colleague and I can say that we have absolutely no intention of going in the direction of what the American producers have proposed in the last few days. It is a no go as far as we are concerned. It is absolutely not the sort of solution that we are seeking with the Americans and that will benefit our Canadian softwood lumber producers.

Taxation

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance paid a visit to his counterpart in Quebec, Yves Séguin, who, as members know, is the author of the report on the fiscal imbalance.

The Minister of Finance claims to want to work constructively with the Government of Quebec but, at the same time, and that is odd, he denies the existence of the fiscal imbalance and refers to it as a dogma. A dogma shared by the three parties at the National Assembly and the 10 provinces of Canada ,looks much more like a certainty.

Does the Minister of Finance intend to respond favourably to the Premier of Quebec who emphasized, and he said so again just yesterday, that the fiscal imbalance remains our first priority?

[Bryon Wilfert, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance had a very productive and very useful meeting with his Quebec counterpart yesterday. It is nice to see that we can do that with the new government of Quebec.

I would point out that one of the ways the member across the way could help is to pass Bill C-28 so that needed funds to go to health care in Quebec could be passed. That member unfortunately talks on one side but does not act on the other. Let us get on with Bill C-28 to get that money to Quebec and other provinces.

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, does the Minister of Finance realize that, with his $10.4 billion surplus—the exact amount the Bloc Quebec had forecast—he can afford to help the provinces and Quebec?

Will he finally open discussions on the use that is being made of the taxpayers' money, by providing the Government of Quebec with the tax room necessary to invest in the areas of jurisdiction where the needs are, that is, health, education and social housing?