House of Commons Hansard #106 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chair.
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, on the matter of the awarding of contracts, that is obviously a subject that the Auditor General will look into specifically.
If there is anything wrong with any donation to any political party, that needs to be rectified. The police will investigate anything that in their judgment merits their attention and then the proper consequences will follow.
Bill Casey Progressive Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS
Mr. Speaker, for over a year now the Minister for International Trade has assured Atlantic Canada its exemption in the softwood lumber export tax would be protected.
On Friday, just a few days before the WTO decision, the lead negotiator for Canada gave to the United States department of commerce a proposal that removed that exemption. There was no notice to and no consultation with Atlantic Canada.
The Department for International Trade acted as an agent for a handful of big companies to drive their agenda, even though it harmed smaller companies across the country, especially in Atlantic Canada.
Will the minister assure Atlantic Canada and her small mills that this proposal will be withdrawn immediately?
Murray Calder LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, we have long stated that any interim measure would have to recognize the special circumstances of the maritime provinces. They are, however, subject to anti-dumping duties. We have heard from the industry across the country, including the maritime producers, that they want an end to the anti-dumping measures.
We will only agree to a resolution of the lumber dispute that is in Canada's best interest. There is to be an agreement on inter-measures. It will require further consultations with the provinces and the industry.
Bill Casey Progressive Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS
Mr. Speaker, that answer is amazing, because the lead negotiator for Canada put on the table a proposal that would do away with the Atlantic Canada exemption. Now the minister is trying to walk away from that obligation as if it is not his.
Will the minister again confirm the position of the Government of Canada on this Atlantic Canada exemption for softwood lumber and assure Atlantic Canada that it will be maintained?
Murray Calder LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, as I just said to the hon. member across the way, and as I have repeatedly said to him, our strategy has been a two-track strategy. It looks like we have won on the first track, and we will consult with the industry, the producers and the provinces to cut the deal we want.
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance. According to the Liberals' new social math, poor people can rent an apartment in Toronto for $475 a month and poor people in Halifax can feed their kid for less than $4 a day. Anyone living in poverty knows how absurd that is. However, even using these unrealistic prices, one in five people in B.C. is poor.
After a decade in power, could the minister tell us why 20% of people in B.C. are poor and why the basket measure approach has not changed poverty at all?
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, I believe the hon. member is making reference to the market basket measure, a new measure to shed light on the complex issue of poverty, which was developed by the province and by the Government of Canada.
This measure was established out of consultation. Since 1998 we have been working with groups across the country to determine what would go in that market basket measure. It gives us an opportunity to look at the costs associated with living in Canada, in different regions in Canada: rural, urban, east coast or west coast. It is a very important addition to our understanding of poverty.
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
Mr. Speaker, the new measure defies any kind of logic.
I would like to now turn to the Minister of Justice about what kind of logic he is dealing with. Where is the logic in decriminalizing pot and handing out tickets, if growing and selling are still controlled by the black market? Clearly, the minister knows that prohibition has had little impact on use?
Why will the minister not face reality and bring in realistic regulations for cultivation, for selling and use. Why will he not face the reality of what prohibition has meant and deal with that?
Martin Cauchon LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, just let me be clear, we are not talking about legalizing the use of drugs, we are talking about being more effective and more efficient in terms of law enforcement and in terms of sending the message.
I believe today, when we see the way we apply the existing legislation, for the amount that we are referring to in the bill, most of the time people just get away with a verbal warning. With our system, a fine will be imposed. We have essentially two options.
With regard to marijuana grow ops, we doubled the penalties. This is being serious and tough on crime.
Howard Hilstrom Canadian Alliance Selkirk—Interlake, MB
Mr. Speaker, the prices paid for live cattle in Canada are determined by our offshore customers and what they are willing to pay. The United States is our biggest foreign customer, so reopening the border to exports is the key to getting our beef industry back on its feet.
What specific investigative steps and changes to regulations, if any, is the United States demanding before our beef exports will once again flow across the border?
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, the United States has not made any specific demands or requests. What it is asking is the same as we are asking here and what we are seeking here. It wants to see the results of the tremendous tracking and tracing system we have.
I am pleased to say that the second test on the case herd has now come back and, as the first test did, it is all negative. That means there were no animals in that ranch with BSE.
Howard Hilstrom Canadian Alliance Selkirk—Interlake, MB
Mr. Speaker, while this investigation continues, farmers, ranchers and livestock exporters are losing $11 million a day. This is hurting our farm families.
This investigation, for example, has DNA testing of the McRae family farm. That testing has been going on for about four or five days to this point. When can we expect to see that testing on that specific indexed cow so that those animals can be depopulated?
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is getting very specific. I believe he had an opportunity in standing committee to ask that question this morning.
I am not a scientist, but it is my understanding that DNA testing does take a few days. That is the tracking and tracing system we have so we can see if we can find other animals that are genetically related to the cow found to have BSE, which was taken out of the food chain. If there are other herd mates of that, we can test those animals as well. We have that system in Canada. Most countries do not have that.
Michel Guimond Bloc Beauport—Montmorency—Côte-De- Beaupré—Île-D'Orléans, QC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Public Works and Government Services said he will not defend the indefensible in connection with the advertising and sponsorship issue. However, when we have Alain Renaud confirming that important people asked him to make political contributions of more than $63,000 to the Liberal Party of Canada, it becomes indefensible.
If he wants to protect the integrity of those government members who are not implicated, the minister has to disclose the identity of those who are. On behalf of our fellow citizens, will he tell us who in government is implicated in this affair?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, I said in response to a previous question, and let me repeat again very clearly, if there is indeed anything wrong with any donation to any political party that needs to be rectified. The police will investigate anything that in their judgment merits their attention, then the proper consequences will follow.
Michel Guimond Bloc Beauport—Montmorency—Côte-De- Beaupré—Île-D'Orléans, QC
Mr. Speaker, the police have a saying, “First find out who benefits from the crime”. In this instance, the $63,000 directly benefited the Liberal Party of Canada.
Since this is the governing party, would the minister not say that he is defending the indefensible, and tarnishing the reputation of those of his colleagues who are not implicated by hiding behind an RCMP investigation that we will never hear anything more about?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Absolutely not, Mr. Speaker. The police authorities in this country are the proper ones to conduct a criminal investigation and I suggest that all members of Parliament should be supportive of the RCMP.
John Duncan Canadian Alliance Vancouver Island North, BC
Mr. Speaker, today Canada won the arguments before the WTO on Canadian lumber exports to the U.S., but yesterday the main U.S. lumber lobbyist said that the U.S. would appeal and drag this dispute out as long as possible, win or lose. Delay is essentially the only negotiating leverage the U.S. has left.
When will the minister reverse the rhetoric and demand the return of the billion dollars collected unfairly by the U.S. on Canadian lumber exports?
Murray Calder LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, as I have said before, our approach as a government has always been a two track system. It appears today that we have won on the first track. On the answer to the second track which the member brings forward right now, we will do in consultation with the industry, the provinces and the producers.
John Duncan Canadian Alliance Vancouver Island North, BC
Mr. Speaker, it is more of the same. One thing the U.S. Department of Commerce always does is it strongly defends its lumber producers. Now that the U.S. has no high ground left in this lumber dispute, we need strong action from the minister, no more mister nice guy.
When will the minister defend our industry just as strongly as the U.S. defends its industry? When will the minister demand our money back? When?
Murray Calder LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Trade
Mr. Speaker, as the member across the way has just said, of course the minister has been defending very vigorously the industry and look at what has happened. We are winning. For the rest of his question, we will negotiate as to how the rest of it comes out.
Michel Gauthier Bloc Roberval, QC
Mr. Speaker, the softwood lumber crisis is hitting hard. The regions that depend on the forest industry are suffering, and today in the riding of Roberval, the Chibougamau lumber yard announced layoffs of up to 450 people for two and a half months, and in Dolbeau-Mistassini, 50 jobs are gone at Bowater.
My question is for the Minister of Natural Resources. How can the Minister of Natural Resources have told us last October that he intended to introduce an assistance package to help businesses and workers, and then repeat the same thing yesterday, when still nothing has been done?
Herb Dhaliwal LiberalMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, we recognized that the industry would go through hardships. That is why way back in October of last year we introduced $350 million to deal with it. We are monitoring it.
Today's decision again shows that Canada is right and the Americans should remove the duty, return the duties that have been collected to Canadian companies and make sure that we have free trade in lumber as in the free trade agreement.
We will defend our industry and we will defend our workers. That is what we have done with the first package. We will monitor it to make sure that if there is more we can do, we will do that.
Michel Gauthier Bloc Roberval, QC
Mr. Speaker, everyone knows that the Americans can still use appeals to delay and can drag the dispute out for many more months. Meanwhile, businesses and families are suffering the effects of the softwood lumber crisis.
I am not asking the minister whether or not he has defended the industry vigorously. I am asking him this: What is he going to do to support businesses and families that are living in misery now, in the riding of Roberval that I represent, as they are all over Quebec?
Herb Dhaliwal LiberalMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, the package we came up with involved the Minister of Human Resources Development. It involved the Minister for International Trade. It involved the Minister of Industry. It was all those ministries coming together to have a comprehensive package to make sure that we have both long term and short term programs in place to help the very people the member is talking about, the workers, the communities. That is why we have a community adjustment program; $110 million to help communities. We are accepting proposals right now. He should talk about those programs and the good they are doing for the community.