House of Commons Hansard #18 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was agreements.
Serge Ménard Bloc Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC
Mr. Speaker, this is more a matter calling for a comprehensive review by elected representatives. The same mistake was made in the past with the ports of Montreal.
To prevent another mistake, does the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness not think that a moratorium would be in order, while the Standing Committee on Justice, Human Rights, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness examines this decision and assesses its various impacts?
Roy Cullen LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, I think that the decision is in the best interests of the citizens of Quebec and Canada. There will be no workforce reduction within the RCMP in Quebec. Resources will be redeployed to increase operational efficiency and meet strategic federal policing objectives, namely fighting organized crime and terrorism.
This is a consolidation of resources. It will make it more effective in the fight against organized crime and terrorism. It is supported by the stakeholders.
Gurmant Grewal Conservative Newton—North Delta, BC
Mr. Speaker, my constituent, Alan Blumenfeld, got hepatitis C in 1981 through government controlled tainted blood and he still suffers today. The Liberals misled Parliament and hugely inflated compensation estimates. The Red Cross and Health Canada had warnings about the virus but chose to do nothing.
The billion dollar government compensation fund is just sitting and earning over $100 million in interest. Will the Prime Minister show some compassion and commit now to compensating all victims who got the virus through government controlled tainted blood?
Robert Thibault LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health
Mr. Speaker, the minister has said many times in the House that he is absolutely willing to look at the fund to see if there is an actuarial surplus and it is established by the court, that the surplus be used for the best use possible. That use could very well include compensating the pre-1986 and post-1990 victims.
The member should remember that the government has done a lot for those people. It has invested $300 million with the provinces and over $500 million to help the victims of hepatitis C outside of the window.
Mark Warawa Conservative Langley, BC
Mr. Speaker, last night Fraser Valley residents and politicians travelled to a Washington state public hearing to oppose the construction of a new polluting power plant only 500 meters from the Canadian border. SE2 would become the largest new air polluter in the Fraser Valley air shed.
Every day this week I have asked the environment minister about this. That minister was not at that meeting last night. November 1 is his last chance to oppose this polluter.
Will the minister act now to oppose that polluting power plant and stick up for the Canadian environment?
Stéphane Dion LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, I have worked very closely with the hon. member. I am a bit surprised by the question he is asking because we have had full communication on this very important issue.
Mario Silva Liberal Davenport, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of State for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario.
On Monday the government announced $10 million in funding to eastern Ontario through the eastern Ontario development fund. It appears there is some confusion among members of the opposition as to how this fund works.
Could the minister of state set the record straight on this announcement and tell the House how the funding will benefit the citizens of eastern rural Ontario?
Joe Comuzzi LiberalMinister of State (Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario)
Mr. Speaker, about a year ago we met with community leaders from eastern Ontario. They were very concerned about the layoffs in the high tech industry, the absence of working capital for small economic enterprises, and the layoffs in the manufacturing sector.
After the work of many committee members, the announcement made on Monday was for a $10 million program to be dedicated exclusively to eastern Ontario.
If I can clear this up once and for all, the program will be administered by FedNor and there is no--
Economic DevelopmentOral Question Period
The Speaker
The hon. member for Saskatoon—Wanuskewin.
Maurice Vellacott Conservative Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, SK
Mr. Speaker, Canadians want their government to ensure that elderly Canadians live their lives with dignity by providing them a pension that is compassionate and fair.
An access to information request revealed that the Prime Minister considered increasing to 67 years the age at which seniors could start receiving their pensions. What hypocrisy. The Prime Minister tries to sell himself as a defender of social programs and yet he keeps his real agenda hidden.
Why does the Prime Minister hide his real agenda?
Ken Dryden LiberalMinister of Social Development
Mr. Speaker, I reject the premise of the question entirely. Furthermore, we are taking concerted steps in terms of increasing the GIS to benefit seniors in this country.
Barry Devolin Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.
Last night I had a teleconference with members of my farm council back in Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock. Even over the phone I could hear the growing desperation in many of their voices. The border is not opened. The CAIS cheques have not arrived. Farmers are losing hope they will see any assistance before it is too late.
My farmers are watching question period today. They are waiting to hear the Prime Minister's answer. What is the Prime Minister going to do to ensure that my farmers can survive at least until Christmas?
Andy Mitchell LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, certainly in the short term to ensure that there is liquidity, there are a number of sources of revenue that are going to beef producers. First of all, the CAIS payments in respect to 2003 are being made. Advances for 2004 are being made. The last of the payments under the TISP have been made in the last couple of weeks and a special cash advance for beef producers is being put in place.
To date, under CAIS, some $275 million has been disbursed this year and additional moneys will be disbursed. In addition to that, as I mentioned earlier, the September 10 announcement dealing with the long term stability and profitability of the industry is putting in--
Roger Clavet Bloc Louis-Hébert, QC
Mr. Speaker, Soraida Sabbah, who is a Palestinian citizen, has been invited to attend the Arab World Festival for a presentation of the documentary film in which she is not just an extra, but the main character. The event will be held in Montreal on the weekend. However, the Canadian Embassy in Tel Aviv still has not issued her a visitor's visa.
Since there is only one day left before the event to which Ms. Sabbah was invited, is the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration planning to take the necessary measures to issue the visa as quickly as possible?
Hedy Fry LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
Mr. Speaker, we cannot comment on individual cases. I know that the minister has always intervened to ensure that those who should be coming to Canada in order to do important work like this will be able to do so. However, we cannot comment on this particular case.
Françoise Boivin Liberal Gatineau, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Speech from the Throne challenges the government's environmental performance and commits it to systematically integrating sustainable development into the government decision making process. The Speech from the Throne also commits the federal government to inform the Canadian public better.
Can the Minister of the Environment explain how he intends to meet these commitments?
Stéphane Dion LiberalMinister of the Environment
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is absolutely right to mention how the Speech from the Throne commits the government to keep the environment central to its decisions.
Allow me to read out the long list of measures. Stop me when I run out of time. The list is so long I will not have enough time.
The government is committed to using a significant amount of the money it received from the sale of PetroCanada to market environmental technologies. The government will consolidate its environmental assessments to make them more efficient. It will make its procurement policy much greener. It will defend the ecological integrity of its parks. The government—
Christian Simard Bloc Beauport, QC
Mr. Speaker, it has been 18 months since the announcement of a France-Quebec economic mission to Mexico. Quebec entrepreneurs have already bought the 100 seats available. This event is less than three weeks away, but Ottawa has yet to give its agreement so that Jean Charest can meet with Vicente Fox.
Considering that the government was very quick to authorize a meeting between Ralph Klein and President Fox, two years ago, how does the Minister of Foreign Affairs explain that, when it comes to Quebec, things get extremely complicated?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I am sorry that a brand new member of this House is already playing this complex victimization game that is so typical of his political party.
I can assure the House that we were very pleased to facilitate things for Premier Charest's request to meet with the President of Mexico. Everything was done in a totally regular fashion. We are waiting for the reply of the Mexican presidency and we will transmit that reply to Mr. Charest as soon as we receive it.
David Christopherson NDP Hamilton Centre, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister of labour.
Will the minister acknowledge that he is aware of the lobbying efforts on behalf of the United Steelworkers of America who are here fighting for their members' pension rights in the cases of bankruptcy? The minister would also know that his House leader made serious commitments with regard to making these changes during the election campaign.
My colleague from Winnipeg Centre will be introducing legislation supported by the Bloc that would make the changes that would help protect workers' pensions.
Will you commit to send at least--
BankruptciesOral Question Period
The Speaker
I am sure the hon. member is addressing himself to the minister.
David Emerson LiberalMinister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, the member will know that CCAA and Canadian insolvency and bankruptcy legislation comes under the Minister of Industry. We are focusing right now on a review of that legislation. It does form a very important part of our approach to transforming the economy going forward.
I am fully aware of the United Steelworkers' position paper. I have read it. It is very interesting. It puts a strong focus on workers' rights. We have to balance those rights against the rights of other creditors.
Greg Thompson Conservative St. Croix—Belleisle, NB
Mr. Speaker, about 30 years ago the Canadian government said no to the passage of U.S. oil tankers through Head Harbour Passage to a proposed oil refinery in Eastport, Maine. Now 30 years later there is a proposal on the table in the U.S. for a liquefied natural gas terminal.
The passage is still dangerous. Has the Government of Canada taken a firm position on that?