House of Commons Hansard #6 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was farmers.
Liza Frulla LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage and Minister responsible for Status of Women
Mr. Speaker, the minister at that point defended Canadian culture. Why do we not see speeches defending Canadian culture on the Conservative website ever? The Conservatives never defend Canadian culture. They always criticize it.
She went, she defended it, she did her job.
Ken Boshcoff Liberal Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON
Mr. Speaker, following the welcomed announcement of the new deal for communities, it became quite apparent that the elimination of the GST saved municipalities across the country many millions of dollars this year alone.
The next phase of this is the proposed distribution of the gas tax which seems to have caused a rift between the bigger cities and the smaller communities.
Is the minister doing anything to alleviate the pressure between the big city mayors and the representatives of the smaller communities?
John Godfrey LiberalMinister of State (Infrastructure and Communities)
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question and note his long experience in municipal affairs in Ontario and in Thunder Bay where he comes from.
As he noted, we have already told municipalities large and small how equally important they are by the 100% GST rebate of this year which is worth $580 million every year.
In addition to that, the gas tax we have said will flow for sustainable infrastructure needs for communities which are large and small across the country because they both have infrastructure needs. Some are large like public transit, some are small like water projects, and are equally important for Canada.
Jim Abbott Conservative Kootenay—Columbia, BC
Mr. Speaker, on May 26, 2003 the 37th Parliament gave direction to the House to “express its support for the admission of Taiwan as an observer to the World Health Organization and call upon the government to actively urge other member states and non-governmental organizations to support this goal”.
That was an explicit direction from the House with a vote of 163 to 67, yet when the government was faced with this at the WHO, it wimped out, backed out and did not follow the direction. Why?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, for a number of decades in this country there has been a one China policy, which directed our vote at the World Health Organization last time as it has for the past many years that this vote has arisen.
We support the one China policy at the World Health Organization and elsewhere. However we appreciate very much our working and trade relationship with Taiwan. I think this reflects the view of Canadians.
Jim Abbott Conservative Kootenay—Columbia, BC
Mr. Speaker, as has been pointed out by the foreign affairs critic for the official opposition, the European states also have a one China policy but they also support this kind of involvement of Taiwan in the WHO.
With the vote seven to three in favour of the government expressing support for the inclusion of Taiwan in the WHO, why did the government do this? How are we supposed to take the Prime Minister seriously when he will not pay attention to the House?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, it is very important that Parliament express itself. The government has to take its responsibilities and govern the country. This is exactly the kind of democracy we have. Parliament expresses itself. Parliament legislates. The government has to respect its international obligations. It has to take the initiative and Parliament has the responsibility to keep it in check.
We are supporting a one China policy. The World Health Organization is an international body and this is the policy that directed our vote last time, as it has for the last 15 years.
Paule Brunelle Bloc Trois-Rivières, QC
Mr. Speaker, last week, Amnesty International released a devastating report denouncing the violence suffered by aboriginal women in Canada and the authorities' failure to take timely action to prosecute perpetrators.
Could the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, who has fiduciary responsibility for aboriginal people, tell this House what specific action he plans to take to remedy this deplorable situation denounced by Amnesty international?
Andy Scott LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians
Mr. Speaker, I have been meeting with the president of the National Association of Aboriginal Women. We are preparing a response, even as I speak.
Don Boudria Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health and it concerns Internet pharmacies.
The minister will know that two major controversies have erupted around this issue in recent days. The first is related to the fact that there were counterfeit pharmaceuticals on the market and the second is that one physician had made nearly one-quarter of a million dollars in commissions for signing Internet prescriptions.
Is the minister prepared to discuss this matter with his provincial counterparts in order to shut down or at least monitor such practices?
Ujjal Dosanjh LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, this is an important issue that has two aspects for me. One is the safety of Canadians. The other is the adequate supply of these drugs. Neither of those two is in jeopardy at this time. We are monitoring the situation.
I would be happy to talk to the ministers of health whom I will meet next weekend in Vancouver. This is not on the official agenda but it is obviously an issue of concern to all Canadians.
Robert Bouchard Bloc Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC
Mr. Speaker, in May, the Government of Quebec and the federal government signed an agreement on rebuilding highway 175 on a 50-50 cost sharing basis.
Since we know that there will be cost overruns compared to the initial estimates, can the Minister of Transport confirm that he will respect the agreement and keep his promise to pay for 50% of the costs of highway 175?
Jean Lapierre LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate the hon. member for Chicoutimi—Le Fjord and thank him for his question.
A budget of $525 million is planned for the work in progress and, indeed, a federal-provincial agreement was concluded for 50-50 sharing of the costs. We shall continue the work. Of course, there is constant communication between the two levels of government, first, to monitor the progress of the work, and second, to monitor the costs.
Inky Mark Conservative Dauphin—Swan River, MB
moved, seconded by the member for Winnipeg North, for leave to introduce Bill C-333, an act to recognize the injustices done to Chinese immigrants by head taxes and exclusion legislation, to provide for recognition of the extraordinary contribution they made to Canada, and to provide for restitution which is to be applied to education on Chinese Canadian history and the promotion of racial harmony.
Mr. Speaker, first I want to thank the member for Winnipeg North for her support. I am honoured to table the bill on behalf of one million Canadians of Chinese descent. This is the third time I have tabled the bill, known as Bill C-333. It is long overdue. For 20 years the Chinese community in this country has been looking for justice to deal with both the head tax issue and the exclusion act.
In closing, I ask for unanimous consent to have the bill numbered Bill C-333, as it was known.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Chinese Canadian Recognition and Restitution ActRoutine Proceedings
The Speaker
Is there unanimous consent that the bill be numbered Bill C-333?
Chinese Canadian Recognition and Restitution ActRoutine Proceedings
Some hon. members
Agreed.
Inky Mark Conservative Dauphin—Swan River, MB
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-331, an act to recognize the injustice that was done to persons of Ukrainian descent and other Europeans who were interned at the time of the First World War and to provide for public commemoration and for restitution which is to be devoted to public education and the promotion of tolerance.
Mr. Speaker, first let me thank the member for Kildonan—St. Paul for her support of the bill.It is a great honour to table the bill on behalf of the one million Canadians of Ukrainian descent. This is the third time this bill has been tabled. It was formerly known as Bill C-331. It is long overdue. A number of prime ministers have come and gone over two decades, but Canadians of Ukrainian descent are still looking for justice to deal with the internment of Ukrainians. It is time that the government and Parliament dealt with this issue.
Mr. Speaker, you may well remember that when you first came to this House your motion on the very same issue was put on this floor for debate and received huge support. In closing, I ask that you seek unanimous consent to have the bill numbered Bill C-331, as it was formerly known.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Ukrainian Canadian Restitution ActRoutine Proceedings
The Speaker
Is there unanimous consent that the bill be numbered Bill C-331?
Jay Hill Conservative Prince George—Peace River, BC
Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present this afternoon. The first is a petition from residents of Mackenzie, B.C. in my riding calling upon Parliament to immediately reinstate their eligibility for the northern residents tax deduction. This deduction, which is intended to mitigate the added expense of living in Canada's northern remote areas, was taken away from Mackenzie residents over eight years ago by the government, without justification, and I believe it is time to correct this grievous error.
Jay Hill Conservative Prince George—Peace River, BC
Mr. Speaker, the second petition is from residents of Kitchener and Waterloo in Ontario, and from Hope, British Columbia, and it has to do with on-base Canadian Forces housing. The petitioners note that housing accommodations provided by the Canadian Forces Housing Agency are in many instances substandard to acceptable living conditions, and that families of Canadian Forces soldiers living in accommodations provided by the Canadian Forces Housing Agency have seen dramatic increases in their rental charges.
Therefore, the petitioners call upon Parliament to immediately suspend any future rent increases for accommodation provided by the Canadian Forces Housing Agency until such time as the Government of Canada makes substantive improvements to the living conditions of housing provided for our military families.
Gary Schellenberger Conservative Perth—Wellington, ON
Mr. Speaker, I would like to present this petition on behalf of some of my constituents. The petitioners call upon Parliament to enact an immediate moratorium on the cosmetic use of chemical pesticides as a precautionary approach until such time as their use has been scientifically proven to be safe and the long term consequences of their application are known.
Questions on the Order PaperRoutine Proceedings
October 12th, 2004 / 3:10 p.m.
Beauséjour New Brunswick
Liberal
Dominic LeBlanc LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.