House of Commons Hansard #29 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was victims.

Topics

Citizenship and ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Conservative

Helena Guergis Conservative Simcoe—Grey, ON

Mr. Speaker, perhaps the minister can tell us exactly which Treasury Board guidelines say government staffers can bill taxpayers for their campaign expenses.

When one of her staff takes leave during the campaign but then continues to direct the ministry, that is wrong. When her director of parliamentary affairs submits claims for $5,900 for working on her campaign, that is wrong.

In light of her ethical lapses, will the minister step aside?

Citizenship and ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

Citizenship and ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

The Speaker

It is evident that the President of the Treasury Board is very popular, but he is rising to give an answer, not to receive the applause and accolades of the people.

The hon. President of the Treasury Board has the floor.

Citizenship and ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Winnipeg South Manitoba

Liberal

Reg Alcock LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board

Mr. Speaker, it is important to note that Treasury Board guidelines do not allow people to be paid expenses for working on campaigns.

However, under Treasury Board guidelines each minister is recognized as having to take on responsibilities to serve the government while an election is on and each minister is allowed to take one staff person to handle their ministerial responsibilities during a campaign. It is very straightforward and the minister has complied.

Citizenship and ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Conservative

Scott Reid Conservative Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON

Mr. Speaker, whenever she is asked about her selective use of ministerial permits, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration spouts sanctimonious nonsense about her passion for human rights. Her words are belied by the fact that she is blocking genuine humanitarian cases from entering this country.

Thanks to this minister, Mingli Lin, a former prisoner of conscience, continues to languish in China two years after this House voted unanimously to permit him to rejoin his family in Canada.

Why does the minister continue to oppose his entry into Canada, when she herself voted for it two years ago?

Citizenship and ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

York West Ontario

Liberal

Judy Sgro LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, Canada's immigration policies are very clear. There is a process for people to follow that want to immigrate to Canada.

Citizenship and ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Conservative

Scott Reid Conservative Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON

Mr. Speaker, on April 21 I hand delivered a letter to the minister requesting that she intervene personally in this case. The minister wrote back that she would not issue a ministerial permit, but that Mingli Lin could apply for refugee status if he first performed the impossible task of going to a third country.

Will the minister stop obstructing the unanimous will of this House of Commons, and allow this man to enter this country and rejoin his family as we all voted to allow him to do?

Citizenship and ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

Citizenship and ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

The Speaker

Order. The minister has the floor. I am sure she appreciates the help with the answer. She seemed ready to give her own answer and we will want to hear it. The minister has the floor.

Citizenship and ImmigrationOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

York West Ontario

Liberal

Judy Sgro LiberalMinister of Citizenship and Immigration

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, Canada's immigration policies are clearly there. There was advice given and I suggest that is the advice that should be followed.

HealthOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Liberal

Mario Silva Liberal Davenport, ON

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

I know that he made an announcement about hepatitis C today that would be of great interest to members of the House. Could the minister please inform the members here as to the government's intention with respect to Canadians infected with hepatitis C through the blood system?

HealthOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Vancouver South B.C.

Liberal

Ujjal Dosanjh LiberalMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign the Prime Minister said that we were open to looking at options as to how to provide financial compensation to people infected with hepatitis C pre-1986 and post-1990. The caucus, the government and cabinet have considered that difficult issue.

The representatives of the pre-1986 and post-1990 class action have asked us to look at this issue. We have looked at the changed circumstances. We have given the mandate to the lawyers to discuss compensation and all available options to deal with this issue.

Natural ResourcesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

Mr. Speaker, truly an NDP move, but at the pace of a Liberal.

Today Newfoundland is suffering from its worst oil spill in history. Later this week provincial ministers from B.C. will be in Ottawa lobbying the Minister of Natural Resources to lift the moratorium in the Hecate Strait and put the west coast in the same jeopardy.

According to the government's own reports, 75% of British Columbians do not want oil drilling off the west coast and 100% of first nations said they do not want it. Very simply, will the minister say yes to the people of B.C. and protect the environment or say yes to Gordon Campbell's dangerous pipe dream?

Natural ResourcesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Avalon Newfoundland & Labrador

Liberal

R. John Efford LiberalMinister of Natural Resources

Mr. Speaker, at this point in time we will not say yes or no. We received the third report of the Royal Society, the Priddle report, and the Cheryl Brooks report on the first nations consultation. We will review those reports. I will consult with my colleagues from British Columbia and the Government of British Columbia. Then we will make recommendations, but not until we have done a complete review and everybody understands the reports very clearly.

Natural ResourcesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

NDP

Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC

Mr. Speaker, let me remind the minister of the report's findings: 75% of British Columbians said no and 100% of first nations said no. That answer is absolutely pathetic.

Thousands of people are contacting me saying they do not want oil and gas drilling polluting B.C. because they know renewable energy is the future for real jobs for real people, not pie in the sky projects. For 11 years now the Liberals have increased pollution. Canada now has the worst environmental record in the entire industrialized world. Canadians do not want to pollute any more.

Will the minister agree with all of these people and his own report, and just say no to offshore drilling in B.C.?

Natural ResourcesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Avalon Newfoundland & Labrador

Liberal

R. John Efford LiberalMinister of Natural Resources

Mr. Speaker, from 1985 to 1989 I was in the opposition in Newfoundland and Labrador. I never ever asked a question that I did not know the answer to or have factual information. I would suggest the same to the member opposite.

National DefenceOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Conservative

Gordon O'Connor Conservative Carleton—Lanark, ON

Mr. Speaker, our navy is forced to rent U.S. civilian helicopters to support our vessels at sea rather than use the 41-year-old Sea Kings. It has been 10 years since the Liberal government arbitrarily cancelled the replacement of the Sea King helicopters. Liberal Party electioneering put the safety of our air crews at risk and allowed the performance of our helicopters to decay.

Will the minister confirm that the Liberal government decision to cancel the Sea King replacement was high risk, irresponsible and expensive?

National DefenceOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Toronto Centre Ontario

Liberal

Bill Graham LiberalMinister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud of the fact that we have ordered the replacement of the Sea Kings.

I can also inform the House, and there was a news report about it this morning, that the use of civilian helicopters to bring mail and other supplies to our ships makes great common sense. The U.S. navy did the same thing on the same exercise and it has thousands of helicopters. We use our helicopters for military purposes and we let civilian helicopters do theirs.

National DefenceOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Conservative

Gordon O'Connor Conservative Carleton—Lanark, ON

Mr. Speaker, Canadian taxpayers have paid a helicopter cancellation fee, a search and rescue replacement fee, and extraordinary costs for maintaining the Sea King helicopter fleet. These huge expenditures still have not provided us with a reliable maritime helicopter. Due to political and bureaucratic interference, the projected helicopter delivery dates keep slipping.

When will the contract be signed and will the Canadian Forces continue to contract out services?

National DefenceOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Toronto Centre Ontario

Liberal

Bill Graham LiberalMinister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, we will sign the contract as soon as the paperwork is done. We are going to sign it as quickly as we can. The House and everyone knows that the contract provides for delivery within four years. This will be policed by contract rules which have penalties and encouragement. I am confident we have purchased the right helicopter at the best price. This is the helicopter the navy wanted. It is going to perform a great service for us.

I am very pleased that this is happening now. We can now turn our attention to other equipment issues in the armed services. I will work with the member and members of the committee to ensure that our armed forces personnel have the best equipment so they can do the job that we ask them to do.

HealthOral Question Period

November 22nd, 2004 / 2:50 p.m.

Conservative

Steven Fletcher Conservative Charleswood—St. James, MB

Mr. Speaker, six years ago the Liberal government voted against an opposition motion to compensate all the victims of hepatitis C. For six years these victims were left to fend for themselves while the government racked up huge profits from the interest on the hepatitis C compensation fund.

Finally it appears that the government is preparing to cave in and do the right thing.

Why did it take so long? Why have the Liberals opposed fairness and compensation for the hepatitis C victims for so long?

HealthOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Vancouver South B.C.

Liberal

Ujjal Dosanjh LiberalMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, as I said, the Prime Minister indicated during the election campaign that we were open to this issue. I said that several weeks ago. We had two debates in the House. The Standing Committee on Health unanimously said that we should do it.

I would urge the member opposite to be a little more compassionate and humane and not politicize the issue.

HealthOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Conservative

Steven Fletcher Conservative Charleswood—St. James, MB

Mr. Speaker, that is an astounding response after the government has, time and time again, delayed and filibustered compensation.

The government has denied hepatitis C victims for six years. Hundreds of people have died and many families have been destroyed.

Will the government apologize for six years of unfairness to hepatitis C victims?

HealthOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Vancouver South B.C.

Liberal

Ujjal Dosanjh LiberalMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier in the House and as I have said outside the House, the circumstances have changed.

The representatives of the pre-1986, post-1990 class asked us whether or not there was an option to look at these issues and all the options available. We said yes. The Prime Minister said yes. The government said yes. We are prepared to do the right and responsible thing.

World Police and Firefighters GamesOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Bloc

Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC

Mr. Speaker, on June 26, 2005, Quebec City will be hosting the World Police and Firefighters Games. It will be opening its doors to 10,000 participants, as well as an equivalent number of visitors, from 60 different countries.

Can the minister responsible for Quebec confirm today that the federal government will be injecting $2.2 million into this, to complete its financial contribution and thereby ensure the total success of this international event?