House of Commons Hansard #99 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was competition.
Brian Fitzpatrick Canadian Alliance Prince Albert, SK
Mr. Speaker, tax shelters, such as Barbados, allow rich privileged Canadians, such as the former finance minister, to avoid paying Canadian taxes. What a convenient way to avoid one's responsibilities as a Canadian citizen.
I ask this provisional interim government, what is it doing to close down the Barbados tax loophole?
Maurizio Bevilacqua LiberalSecretary of State (International Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, this issue goes back to some of the comments made by the Auditor General.
The hon. member is one who follows the finance file quite well and he would know that measures were taken over a number of years to improve the situation in order to safeguard our tax base. We have done that in the past and we will continue to do that in the future.
Jay Hill Canadian Alliance Prince George—Peace River, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has done more damage to the international reputation of Canada's navy than any enemy it has ever encountered.
The former finance minister, soon to be Prime Minister, signed off on cuts that slashed military spending to the bone. Now he has the audacity to suggest he believes in a strong Canadian armed forces. What hypocrisy.
Why does our navy have to wait until a pre-election budget to get the funding it so desperately needs for new supply ships and destroyers?
John McCallum LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, I remind the opposition members that while they seem to provide token support for the military these days, back in 1995 their own leader called for a $1 billion cut in the military budget. There seems to have been a little shifting going on over there.
In fact, our navy has done fantastic work in the gulf. It is leading a multi-national task force. It is doing 50% of the work in the gulf with 15% of the assets. It has been working extraordinarily hard and effectively. I think the hon. member should show a bit more appreciation.
Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral Bloc Laval Centre, QC
Mr. Speaker, the first nations governance bill has provoked an unprecedented outcry, which is increasing tensions daily between the federal government and aboriginal peoples. Most of the witnesses who appeared before the committee rejected Bill C-7, not to mention the opposition of the next Prime Minister of Canada.
Will the current Prime Minister recognize that the only sensible thing to do, given the circumstances, is to immediately withdraw Bill C-7 and leave it up to others to—
Stephen Owen LiberalSecretary of State (Western Economic Diversification) (Indian Affairs and Northern Development)
Mr. Speaker, Bill C-7 is proceeding through committee. It will come back to the House and be voted on. There will be regulations put forward and established over the next three years after the bill has been passed. There will be many opportunities for aboriginal people as well as people in the House and across the country to express their concerns about it or their support for it.
Mark Assad Liberal Gatineau, QC
Mr. Speaker, school will soon be out, and students are looking to gain experience on the labour market this summer.
Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Department of Human Resources Development tell us what the federal government is doing to promote the hiring of these qualified and, more importantly, enthusiastic, students this summer?
Diane St-Jacques LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by thanking my colleague for this question, because this year is the 35th anniversary of the “Hire a Student” program and the creation of human resource centres of Canada for students.
Last year, with the cooperation and active involvement of employers and the remarkable work done by summer employment officers, we helped Canadian employers fill more than 189,000 positions and provided employment assistance services to more than 280,000 young Canadians so that they could gain experience and ease their integration into the labour market.
John Herron Progressive Conservative Fundy Royal, NB
Mr. Speaker, during last week's leadership debate the former finance minister called for the elimination or the adjustment of the parental contribution program under the Canada student loan program itself. This restriction would deny student aid to our best and our brightest, and deny access to post-secondary education.
When the parliamentary secretary was a member of the Tory caucus she did not support this position. The chair of the Liberal PSE caucus also supports the call for the elimination of the parental contribution program. Why is she now supporting this departmental position when she knows it is the wrong thing to do?
Diane St-Jacques LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, in the latest budget, $60 million was earmarked for the Canada Student Loans Program to help provide students in difficulty with better debt reduction measures.
The support we provide to research and post-secondary education in the budget helps to ensure that Canada remains a world leader in investing in the knowledge of its citizens.
Deborah Grey Canadian Alliance Edmonton North, AB
Mr. Speaker, there are so many issues and so little competence to deal with them.
First of all, the intergovernmental affairs minister said this is only about fish. That is wrong. The natural resources minister said we have a great new comprehensive softwood lumber deal. That is wrong too. The Solicitor General just said the world has changed since 1995. His certainly has. Is it not amazing how one's principles change in order to get into cabinet?
How can the government brag so much about botching so many files?
Wayne Easter LiberalSolicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, perhaps we should talk about what the member for Yorkton—Melville asked before.
The point I raised regarding 1995, and maybe the members did not do their research properly, was concerning the problem of not having the capability to search without a warrant. Because of a debate on this side of the House that was changed. It has been a good week within the Liberal Party.
Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—Petite-Patrie, QC
Mr. Speaker, on April 7, the Cartagena protocol on biodiversity was ratified by France, followed by Oman and Tanzania, a few days later. This brings to 48 the number of countries which have ratified the protocol.
Does the minister realize that the protocol could become operational very soon, with the required 50 signatories, and actually hold its first meeting without Canada sitting at the table?
Herb Dhaliwal LiberalMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, as the environment minister has said in the House before, we are working with the stakeholders to ensure that Canadian interests are carried through. I would think the hon. member would want to ensure that we consult with farmers and with all stakeholders before we move forward. We support the principle, but we must ensure that we protect all Canadians and stakeholders across the country and do it with consultation.
Is the hon. member against consultation? Is the hon. member against ensuring that we take care of Canadian interests? Yes, we support the principle, but we want to make--
Dick Proctor NDP Palliser, SK
Mr. Speaker, students need summer jobs because the amount of money they receive from financial aid programs is not enough for many of them to cover the increased costs of post-secondary education. That is not a comment from the students. It is the Millennium Scholarship Foundation that is making that report.
Its study finds that just 3% of parents are able to assist their children to come up with the level of support built into the loan formula. The report concludes that the unmet needs could result in higher dropout rates for low income students.
I invite the government to tell Canadians when post-secondary students will begin to receive the kind of educational assistance and support they require?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, as we made clear, we are at work to improve the programs and we will continue to do that.
The hon. member should know that the government has done more for post-secondary education than any in memory. Since 1997 over $11 billion has been invested in post-secondary education; the increasing of the granting councils' budgets; the creation of chairs of excellence; the graduate students' programs we announced in February; the Canadian Foundation for Innovation; $11 billion and we will continue. We have committed to double that by 2010.
The member should wake up and recognize what we have done for the students of this country.
Leon Benoit Canadian Alliance Lakeland, AB
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order arising from question period.
During question period a question was asked by the opposition as to why the government is not taking action on national missile defence. The minister in his response said that in fact the government is having discussions in cabinet and in caucus. It would seem to me that it would be appropriate if the minister would table the documents that they are basing these discussions on so that we can all be involved in the discussions.
Points of OrderOral Question Period
The Speaker
I am sure it would be very nice if there were documents to table and all that sort of thing, but that is the point. It would be nice, but it is a dream. Unfortunately, it is not a point of order. The minister did not refer to a document which would require him to table it, if he had read from one, but he did not. I am afraid we are stuck.
Garry Breitkreuz Canadian Alliance Yorkton—Melville, SK
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The Solicitor General's last answer was a misleading of the House because he said that search without a warrant was removed from Bill C-68. That is not true.
Points of OrderOral Question Period
The Speaker
I am afraid that is obviously a matter for debate and not a point of order.
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege because of the comments that were made yesterday in the House by the member for Saint John during the debate on the opposition day motion.
There were some fairly contentious issues in the debate that took place yesterday. In looking at the comments that were made by the member for Saint John in her reference to gays and lesbians in this country, I found that her comments were very disrespectful. They were offensive, they were hurtful and frankly, I think they were very homophobic. Her comments were offensive to me personally and offensive to other members of the House. Is she saying to the member for Burnaby--Douglas and the member--
PrivilegeOral Question Period
The Speaker
Order. The member has indicated her disagreement with what the hon. member for Saint John said, but she has not said anything to indicate that any member's privileges have been breached. In fact, members do have a privilege in this House, that of freedom of speech. I recognize that members sometimes say things that are hurtful to others or perhaps inappropriate, but we do have freedom of speech in the House.
If I had heard the hon. member say that in some way her privileges as an MP had been breached, I would be inclined to hear this, but I have not heard that at all. I heard a list of adjectives referring to the words as unacceptable. That is not a question of privilege. If the hon. member has a genuine point of privilege, I want to hear that, not a debate on what the hon. member for Saint John said.
I am aware that the matter was discussed yesterday in the House, but I do not think there is a question of privilege here since members do enjoy freedom of speech in the House. The hon. member for Vancouver East will want to frame her question of privilege, if there is one, on those terms.
Libby Davies NDP Vancouver East, BC
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate your comments.
The comments that were made by the member for Saint John where she suggested that people should shut up and go hide themselves are something I take personally in terms of my ability to speak in this House. That is why I believe that my privileges have been violated and abused by the member in the comments that she made. They impact upon my ability and the ability of other members of the House to speak out in a way that we know will be respected such as we expect to see in the House. I think it is a question of privilege, Mr. Speaker, and I would ask you to consider it from the point of view that we do expect a certain level of respect among members.
I have basically been told to shut up and go hide myself, as well as other members, such as the member for Burnaby--Douglas or the member for Kings--Hants or the member for Hochelaga--Maisonneuve. Is this what we are being told by a member of the House? I find it completely unacceptable. I find it is infringing on my rights as a member in the House to speak freely about same sex marriage and about my situation. I find it intolerable.
I would ask you, Mr. Speaker, to consider it on that basis.