Debates of May 9th, 2003

The Economy

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for New Brunswick Southwest.

[Greg Thompson, Progressive Conservative, New Brunswick Southwest, NB]

Mr. Speaker, let us go at this from a different angle. We know why the government is trying to slide out from its responsibilities on the SARS issue and its mishandling of it.

Let us go back to about 14 months ago when the finance minister himself said that we were coasting on a 60¢ dollar. Now we have the dollar rising and jobs disappearing, almost a self-fulfilling prophecy. How does the government explain that one away? It has squandered everything in terms of its ability to deal with that issue, in terms of productivity, for example. Why did we allow--

[The Speaker]

The hon. Secretary of State for International Financial Institutions.

[Maurizio Bevilacqua, Liberal, Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, what is the hon. member talking about? We have squandered absolutely nothing. We have the best economy in the G-7, as stated by the IMF and the OECD. We have created over two and a half million jobs since we formed the government. Productivity has gone up. People's incomes have gone up. Their real disposable incomes have gone up. Everything is up on this side of the House and everything is down on that side.

Foreign Affairs

[Leon Benoit, Canadian Alliance, Lakeland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Canada faces a fall deadline to make a decision on missile defence. The government has had seven years to get involved and it has not. It was three years ago when Canada's top general at Norad said we should get involved or risk losing the protection of Norad. The government keeps playing brinksmanship with Canada's national security. Could it just put aside its leadership race long enough to make a decision on national missile defence?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, if one puts all that rhetoric to one side, the fact of the matter is yes, the United States will make a decision in the fall, but the hon. member should know that it is the fall of next year, not the fall of this year. That means there is plenty of time.

As I have said several times in the House, the government side is in the process of a debate. I have described it as one generating a lot of intellectual vigour, such vigour being largely absent, it would seem, from the Canadian Alliance side of the House.

National Defence

[Cheryl Gallant, Canadian Alliance, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the decision of the government to treat Canadian Forces logistics personnel as second rate soldiers in Afghanistan contradicts military training. Soldiers in every job classification are taught to be in control of their weapons at all times when in theatre. How can the minister expect to preserve a semblance of morale when he orders soldiers to give up their weapons then go into a combat zone?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, no such order was given. The hon. member is somewhat confused. I have dealt with this subject in the House several times. I have consulted with the chief of defence staff who assures me that he has no security concerns in this matter, and that the situation is normal. We saw exactly the same situation pertaining to NATO forces. I think the hon. member should just calm down.

Employment Insurance

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Laurentides, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government has helped itself to $45 billion from unemployment insurance contributions. Instead of earmarking this money for the workers, it chose to use it all to pay down its debt. And now, when asked for programs to assist fishery workers, for example, the government tells us to wait until the fall.

If the government has run out of ideas, why not take some inspiration from the Bloc Quebecois' plan to improve accessibility to EI, provide more generous benefits and extend the benefit period?

[Diane St-Jacques, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, as I explained earlier, workers can count on the government's help. That is why we are transferring $600 million to the provinces under this agreement, in order to help workers find jobs.

What workers want is work; they do not necessarily want to rely on EI benefits.

[Monique Guay, Bloc, Laurentides, QC]

Mr. Speaker, if they want to help the workers, they should do so now. The government has the means to act. The Bloc Quebecois is offering its solutions to guide such actions.

Will the government admit that if it were to improve the employment insurance system, it would be able to expand the impact of its assistance, to include not only fishery workers, but also those in the softwood lumber sector?

[Diane St-Jacques, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, the situation is certainly not easy for people who work in the fishery, but we are trying our best to help them. That is why we are working for the good of the fishers, in conjunction with the ACOA, Economic Development Canada and the other governments in order to find solutions to this difficult situation.

National Defence

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

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of National Defence said yesterday that the 1999 statement of requirements for the Sea King replacement is his bible. Apparently he is quoting from the King Jean version.

The minister claims that he is trying to get new helicopters as quickly as possible, but the contract stipulates Canada take no deliveries for at least four to five years. He claims the 1999 requirements have not been changed, but we know the military was ordered last July to dumb down the requirements to qualify Eurocopter.

Is the minister just trying to reinforce our view that he is totally incompetent, or is he misleading the House?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I think I made it very clear yesterday, but since those members do not seem to get it, I will repeat the point.

The statement of requirements was developed in 1999 with the approval of the military leadership of this country. That statement of requirements has not changed one iota. Let me repeat, that statement of requirements is the bible on the helicopter file. It has not changed one iota. I think hon. members on the other side should begin to comprehend this point.

Copyright Act

[Scott Reid, Canadian Alliance, Lanark—Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government imposes a levy on all blank recording media regardless of end use apparently on the assumption that all users are potential copyright thieves and that the guilty and the innocent should be punished equally.

What this does is punish those who use large quantities of recording media for perfectly legal purposes, such as a small business in my riding that distributes computer training manuals for CD-ROMs. The tax currently costs 21¢ for each CD-ROM the company sells, and this could soon rise to 59¢.

When will the government amend this law to eliminate its penalty on small business owners who use large quantities of recording media?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, the member well knows that the whole idea behind the measure was to try to ensure that the copyright of owners, people who created the art, was respected. It was put in place to ensure that when people created something of value and put it in the marketplace, that they would get the protection they deserved and that the law could afford.

It is a balance on every case, and the copyright tribunal has tried to establish that balance. It is always under review to ensure we get it right, and we will continue to do that.

Softwood Lumber

[Jocelyne Girard-Bujold, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the largest forestry cooperative in Quebec, located in Laterrière in my riding, is no longer able to pay its creditors. Its president says that the softwood lumber crisis is largely responsible for this situation.

Does the Minister for International Trade finally understand that the possible closing of this sawmill would provide yet more evidence that his assistance plan of last fall does not meet the needs of the current situation and that he must proceed to the next phase as soon as possible?

[Herb Dhaliwal, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, the government provided a comprehensive package to deal with softwood lumber, including community adjustment, research and development and looking for new markets for Canadian wood products.

The hon. member has not stated with which part of that comprehensive package that she disagrees. This is something that has been supported by Canadians across the country and she should work with us to support that because I think it is the right way to go.

The hon. member should stand up and say how good this package is and how well it is working to ensure we protect and support Canadians across the country.

[Jocelyne Girard-Bujold, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the minister is talking about the past; I am asking him about the present. The 450 members of the Laterrière cooperative have $13 million in shares in this company and now want to save their pension fund.

What does the minister plan to tell these workers, whose jobs are threatened, because the government is dragging its feet on introducing a new assistance plan?

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

Mr. Speaker, I want to say that we have implemented measures to the tune of $361 million. Of the $110 million for communities, $22 million is available now. Of this, the Saguenay—Lac-Saint-Jean region is to get $3.5 million, and another $2 million will go to the Consortium de recherche sur la forêt boréale for research on the black spruce.

These are concrete measures. This is phase one, and we will continue to support the workers in the regions.

Firearms Registry

[Garry Breitkreuz, Canadian Alliance, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Malpeque was once opposed to Bill C-68 because of its search without a warrant provisions.

In 1995 the same MP questioned justice officials about ways to enforce gun registration without turning innocent people into criminals. Why has the MP suddenly become Bill C-68's greatest promoter? Is it perhaps because he is now the Solicitor General?

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, my golly, the member for Yorkton—Melville obviously does not realize the world has changed since 1995. I know he is back in that time and age, that is for sure.

If we look at the record, we will see exactly where I stood. Look at the voting record, not statements that were made, as the Minister of National Defence talked about earlier. We debate issues on this side of the House. We are not afraid of having differences of opinion. We do not always vote the party line as they do over there.

The fact of the matter is the world has moved on. These are different times.

Government Appointments

[John Williams, Canadian Alliance, St. Albert, AB]

Mr. Speaker, talk about a legacy. The Prime Minister is on his way out but some well connected Liberals are on their way in.

We have found that election defeat for former Liberal MPs parachutes them right on to the gravy train. David Dingwall now has a five-year term at the Royal Canadian Mint that will cost us $1.2 million.

Pierrette Ringuette-Maltais can look forward to 27 years in the plush red chamber, at an anticipated cost of over $3 million.

Could the Prime Minister tell us what the real cost of his pathetic legacy will really be?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, I am astonished that it is not as evident to that member as it is to the rest of the country that appointments are made on the basis of merit, whether it is to the Senate or any other place.

The Prime Minister and the government have appointed people of talent, skill and commitment to do an outstanding job for Canadians and the country, and we are proud of every one of them.

Information Management

[Paddy Torsney, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, when the Information Commissioner last appeared at the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, he said that the government needed to improve the management of information throughout its lifecycle.

In fact, he said that there was a pressing need to update the management of government information policy. My question is for the Parliamentary Secretary to the President of the Treasury Board.

What has the government done to address the commissioner's concerns and the concerns of all Canadians?