Debates of May 28th, 2003

Softwood Lumber

[Sébastien Gagnon, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean—Saguenay, QC]

Mr. Speaker, for months now we have been asking the Minister of Natural Resources questions about the softwood lumber crisis, and all we hear is that things are fine. The Tembec sawmill in Béarn, Témiscamingue, will be closing for five weeks, thereby putting 300 people out of work. Yet the government continues to think things are fine.

How can the government explain its great optimism, when 450 jobs have been affected at the Laterrière forestry cooperative, another 450 at Chibougamau and then this temporary loss of 300 more at Béarn in Témiscamingue? What will it take to wake the minister up?

[Claude Drouin, Liberal, Secretary of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec)]

Mr. Speaker, to repeat: we have $110 million from Industry Canada for measures to support the regions.

The hon. member should be working with his community to find alternatives for diversification. In his region, 80 projects were proposed and 17 accepted, for a total of $1.2 million. This will generate revenues of $5 million. These are concrete measures, and we will continue with them.

[Sébastien Gagnon, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean—Saguenay, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we would like to be able to continue to earn our living from softwood lumber. In Toronto, they did away with the two week waiting period for employment insurance in order to help with the impact of SARS, and we agree with that.

If the Minister of Human Resources was able to change the eligibility conditions for Toronto, why does she not do the same for the people of Laterrière, Chibougamau or Béarn?

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, I will explain again that the waiving of the two week waiting period is strictly for those who are under quarantine and cannot get out to work.

With specific reference to the softwood lumber industry, I want to point out that the employment insurance system is there and will cover the vast majority of those individuals to whom the hon. member makes reference.

In addition, we have made changes to the work sharing agreement and that specifically says that we believe in this industry. We want to ensure that individuals who work in the softwood industry have the opportunity to remain connected to it and get additional training to upgrade their skills in that industry. We believe there is a future--

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Langley--Abbotsford.

Justice

[Randy White, Canadian Alliance, Langley—Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the real problem here is there is no national drug strategy in Canada. In fact the current impaired driving laws are not effective for marijuana.

The Ontario police are testing the potalyzer which assesses marijuana use but it is not ready yet. If it is not ready yet, why does the government implement a marijuana decriminalization plan when the assessment measures are not available for roadside assessment of driving while under the influence of drugs? Why is that?

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

Mr. Speaker, the member knows very well that drug impaired driving was a criminal offence, is a criminal offence and will remain a criminal offence. That does not change the situation with regard to the Criminal Code.

There is no test but the government is working in cooperation with police forces across Canada and we will come up with reform on that side as soon as we can. We want to ensure that we develop a test that will be accepted by the courts in order to implement the existing legislation within the Criminal Code.

[Randy White, Canadian Alliance, Langley—Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, we have heard it all. The government has penalties in place but no way to assess the reason why it gives the penalties. That is brilliant.

Yesterday the justice minister would not explain why young people pay a smaller fine for the possession of marijuana than others. Again, what message does he think he is giving to Canadians when he is assessing young people a smaller fine than other people for the possession of drugs? What is the message he thinks he is sending?

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

Mr. Speaker, the message that he is trying to send is pretty irresponsible. If we look at what is taking place in the field, it has no connection with Canadian realities. Look at what is taking place today.

People for the same amount, regarding the legislation we tabled yesterday, will basically get a verbal warning. At the end of the day there is a high disregard for the justice system. We want to develop a tool that we will enforce to send a strong message that in Canada the use of marijuana is strictly illegal. We are responsible on this side of the House.

Canada Labour Code

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Laurentides, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after the endless strikes at Cargill and Vidéotron, now it is the turn of employees of Radio-Nord to experience the treatment reserved for striking workers under the Canada Labour Code.

It is time for the Minister of Labour to acknowledge that not only does the Canada Labour Code, in its current form, not promote timely settlements of labour disputes, but in fact it contributes to dragging them out. What is stopping the minister from introducing legislation to put an end, once and for all, to the use of scab labour?

[Claudette Bradshaw, Liberal, Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, because it was created by employees and employers, the Canada Labour Code works very well. As a result, 90% of labour disputes last year were settled without strikes or lockouts. The labour code works very well.

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Laurentides, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the member for LaSalle—Émard stated that he hoped for a debate on the need for strikebreaking legislation.

Are we to believe from the Minister of Labour's response that she is indifferent to the comments made by her colleague, the member for LaSalle—Émard, who was passing through Témiscamingue yesterday, and that his comments were nothing more than smoke and mirrors and empty words?

[Claudette Bradshaw, Liberal, Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, what is important to understand is that the Canada Labour Code was made by employees and employers. Politics were not involved, nor were any games played. The Canada Labour Code belongs to them. It is what they wanted and it is what they got.

Agriculture

[Rick Casson, Canadian Alliance, Lethbridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it has been nine days since our borders were closed to exports of beef and beef products. Canada's multi-billion dollar beef industry is in peril of disappearing. With every hour that goes by, the industry gets closer to economic collapse.

Could the minister tell us what demands are being made by our trading partners to assure them what we already know that our beef is safe, and when will our borders be reopened?

[Lyle Vanclief, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I had another conversation yesterday right after question period with Secretary Ann Veneman, of the United States. I asked her that question specifically. She said that they, like us, need more science.

The depopulation of herds is continuing so we can demonstrate not only to our trading partners but to the International Office of Epizootics that the system we have and the science we are using is the proper way. Hopefully we can demonstrate that it is only one cow because that is what our system has found.

[Rick Casson, Canadian Alliance, Lethbridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, every day that goes by sees more and more of these cattle reach maturity. This situation is not like the softwood lumber dispute where the government can sit back and wait months and years to reach a decision. These are live animals. They reach maturity very quickly and must be fed and maintained on a daily basis.

With our borders closed, what is the government prepared to do with the 60% of these mature animals that have no market?

[Lyle Vanclief, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, I spent two hours with the Beef Roundtable this morning, which has representatives from all the value chain and the beef industry. They have agreed that the primary concern and the primary goal at this time is to get the border open and the markets open around the world. Those are the efforts we are taking at this time. We will continue, and hopefully we will be successful in the near future.

Justice

[Joe Fontana, Liberal, London North Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I have a supplementary question for the Minister of Justice.

Drug-impaired driving is a serious concern to Canadians and to many of us in the House. I hope the legislation introduced yesterday by the Minister of Justice will not encourage marijuana users to toke and drive.

What does the Minister of Justice intend to do about the problem and what assurances can he give the House today that he will protect the Canadian public?

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

Mr. Speaker, the question is a very important one because all Canadians know that the question of drug-impaired driving in Canada is indeed a serious crime. It is an offence based on the Criminal Code.

At this point in time we are working with police forces from across Canada to develop a piece of equipment to measure that, and to ensure that the court will accept the new test. As well I am working in cooperation with my colleagues, and I intend to come forward with some amendments to the legislation pretty soon.

Agriculture

[Rick Borotsik, Progressive Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, every day the U.S. border is shut to Canadian beef, the situation becomes more desperate for producers, feedlot operators, auction marts, packing plants and truckers. Today the Prime Minister once again poked the U.S. President in the eye with his nonsensical ramblings. It is obvious the Prime Minister does not realize our economy is strong because of our dependence on U.S. markets.

My question is for the Minister of Agriculture. Why did the Prime Minister blind side him like this? Why is the Prime Minister going out of his way to make it so difficult to open this border?

[Lyle Vanclief, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, we are making every effort to get the border open. I want to quote from Mr. Wythe Willey who is the president of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association in the United States and a trade policy adviser to President George Bush. He has said that the word of the Canadian beef system being safe should be enough and be sufficient for Washington to resume the north-south trade in cattle.

That is the type of support we have in the United States. That is the type of support with which we will work. I am confident that when the science is there and we complete the science in the near future the Prime Minister will again demonstrate that to the President.

National Defence

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, this week we learned that the cabinet secretly authorized an 11 year life expansion project for our fleet of Sea King helicopters at a cost of $308 million. It will ensure that the Sea Kings will be around until the year 2014, more than 50 years after they came into service.

Will the Minister of National Defence explain why his government is prepared to put a whole new generation of pilots' lives at risk, when the whole fleet can still be replaced by the year 2008, and should have been replaced by 1993?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, the helicopters will be replaced far faster than the hon. member suggests. Indeed, I have said repeatedly and my colleague, the Minister of Public Works, has said the same thing, that it is a very high priority for us to get that new helicopter as fast as possible. That is one of the main reasons we rebundled the contracts, to get that helicopter faster. We are working with industry and my department to ensure that helicopter comes with the very least delay possible.

Health

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

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health.

The minister knows that the tobacco epidemic costs 45,000 lives every year. Her predecessor, the former minister, promised to ban the labelling of cigarettes described as light or mild, as the new WHO tobacco treaty requires. Why has the minister betrayed that promise?

How many more kids will start to smoke and how many more smokers will die before the minister finally takes on the big tobacco companies and bans this dishonest labelling of cigarettes as light and mild?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I do not think what the government has done over the past number of years in terms of implementing an aggressive tobacco control strategy can be matched by any other country in the world.

In fact, I am very proud to say that Health Canada officials were instrumental in the drafting of the new framework for tobacco control which represents the first global effort to put in place a tobacco control strategy. The hon. member knows full well that we continue to research the issue of light and mild and in fact--