Debates of Nov. 29th, 2004

Clarence Williams

[Joe Comartin, NDP, Windsor—Tecumseh, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a degree of sadness at the loss of a great social activist by the name of Clarence Williams.

Clarence was born 93 years ago in Saskatchewan and survived the dust bowls and abject poverty. That and the leadership of Tommy Douglas formed him for the rest of his life as a social activist. I can think of no one who was more dedicated either to the labour movement or to social activism in this country. Equally, he was dedicated to his family and in particular to his wife Esther, who passed away about nine years ago.

In order to understand Clarence we have to understand that at every possible opportunity he stood up with signs that he made himself to show where his position was on any given issue. And we really were not candidates for our party unless we had a sign that showed he was in favour of us.

We are extending our condolences today--

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Newton--North Delta.

Fisheries

[Gurmant Grewal, Conservative, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Fraser River sockeye salmon are in danger of being mismanaged into extinction. Fisheries department numbers show that less than 10% of sockeye reached their spawning grounds this year, likely resulting in no commercial sockeye fishery in 2008.

The department knew by early July that high water temperatures and low water levels could be lethal, but allowed the fisheries to open. It has done little to stop illegal net fisheries on the river, even returning confiscated nets to their owners.

It is time to question how the Department of Fisheries and Oceans manages this vital public resource. The fisheries committee is travelling to B.C. to deal with the issue and the minister is setting up a committee to look at policy decisions, but these are only interim measures.

My constituents want to avoid the disaster they saw in Atlantic Canada. They want solid and truthful information. They demand a full judicial inquiry into this mismanagement of the fishery by this weak Liberal government.

Michel Bourdon

[Francine Lalonde, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Michel Bourdon died today of multiple sclerosis. He leaves behind his daughter, Catherine Harel-Bourdon, her spouse, and their children, who made him so happy at the end of his life, Louise Harel, his former spouse, his brothers and sisters, and many friends and admirers, particularly in the riding of Pointe-aux-Trembles, which he represented as an MNA, from 1989 to 1996.

Michel Bourdon is no longer with us. His distinctive voice, his provocative remarks, his pugnacity as he tried to help ordinary people and defend their rights, his keen intelligence and his courage in ridding the construction industry of the illegal practices that prevailed made him a prominent figure in both the labour and political communities.

This straight shooter made some enemies as a journalist, union leader and politician, but he will be remembered as someone who was close to people, who was always willing to fight for a good cause, and who was a staunch promoter of Quebec's sovereignty.

Michel Bourdon, my friend, the Bloc Québécois pays tribute to you and offers its condolences to your family and friends. You will not be forgotten.

Canada-U.S. Relations

[Greg Thompson, Conservative, St. Croix—Belleisle, NB]

Mr. Speaker, we are old and proud neighbours, and that view is confirmed by a survey just released on the eve of U.S. President George W. Bush's first state visit to Canada. Seventy-one per cent of all Canadians consider the United States our closest friend despite lingering trade disputes.

The presidential visit is a great opportunity to reaffirm that relationship and focus on the challenges facing the world's largest trading partners. For that relationship to thrive and grow, we need open borders and a commitment from the U.S. President that open borders will prevail.

This partnership in trade has been the single largest contributor to the relative wealth and prosperity that both nations enjoy. Let that prosperity continue.

Hamilton Gallery of Distinction

[Beth Phinney, Liberal, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on November 10, six outstanding citizens of Hamilton were recognized at the annual Hamilton Gallery of Distinction awards banquet. These citizens have positively affected the lives of others through their volunteering, business and philanthropic activities and have made Hamilton a better place to live.

The 2004 inductees into the Hamilton Gallery of Distinction are: Ron Foxcroft, inventor and entrepreneur; Peter George, president and vice-chancellor of McMaster University; Ray Johnson, dedicated volunteer and member of various community boards and organizations; Ron Joyce, entrepreneur and youth advocate; Jill Rumble, former CEO of the Hamilton YWCA and the first female president of the Hamilton Rotary Club; and Arthur Weisz, businessman and community volunteer.

I ask members to please join me in congratulating the inductees.

Tibet

[Yvan Loubier, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on December 2, the suspension of the death sentence against Tenzin Delek Rinpoché, a Tibetan Buddhist lama who is well known and highly respected in his region, will come to an end and he will be in danger of execution by the Chinese authorities.

Accused of “causing explosions and inciting separatism”, he has never been found guilty in a fair trial. He has been imprisoned for two years and there are reports that he has been tortured.

This situation is unacceptable and highly reprehensible as far as human rights and the cause of the people of Tibet are concerned. We demand that the Government of Canada take action. It is imperative that the People's Republic of China review its position on Tibetan political prisoners and respect the rights and religious freedoms of this people.

We in turn must stop subordinating human rights to economic and trade imperatives. We therefore wish to see the Government of Canada bring pressure to bear on the Chinese authorities to stay the execution of Tenzin Delek Rinpoché and see that he is entitled to a new trial, this time a fair trial in compliance with international legal standards.

Natural Resources

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I feel I should begin by welcoming the Prime Minister on one of his rare state visits to Canada.

I know, as part of his trip, the Prime Minister will be going to Halifax on Wednesday. When he is in Nova Scotia, will the Prime Minister finally be able to announce to the Government of Nova Scotia and all Nova Scotians that he will finally fulfill his promise to give them 100% of the offshore without a time limit?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I am looking forward to going to Halifax where the President will be able to thank and express his gratitude to all Atlantic Canadians and all Canadians from one ocean to the other for opening their hearts to the United States.

At the same time, when I am in Nova Scotia, I could point out how much better our offer to Nova Scotia is than the cut in equalization that the hon. Leader of the Opposition put forth during the election campaign.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, there is another reach. I remind the Prime Minister of this. While Nova Scotians are waiting to hear from the President, they are waiting to hear from the Prime Minister as well on his election promise.

I want to ask about the immigration mess, while the Prime Minister has been gone, and his loyalty to the immigration minister. In today's paper is a letter about a doctor who has been refused entry into Canada. According to immigration officials, she would not “create or maintain significant employment benefits or opportunities for Canadians”.

When strippers are jumping the queue and doctors cannot get in, how does the Prime Minister explain to Canadians and to hundreds of thousands in the immigration line that the system is fair and is protecting their interests?

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, the system is based on a process. It is a clear process and it follows clear rules and guidelines. All hon. members in the House know exactly what the rules and guidelines are.

There is no program at Citizenship and Immigration Canada for exotic dancers. However, there is a process, where there is a shortage of workers in the country, that temporary visas are given to workers, like farm workers and others, to meet the needs on a temporary basis.

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I remind the Prime Minister, he has some serious answering to do to Canadians and to hundreds of thousands of immigrants for the functioning of the system.

When the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration was asked whether Canada needed an immigration program for exotic dancers, she replied that we need qualified dancers.

Will the Prime Minister at last put an end to the program, and to the minister's mandate?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as was said last week, there is a program, and there are soundings taken of industry to see if there is a need for workers. In the meantime, the program to which the leader of the opposition is referring is under examination; this is an exemption the department does not intend to continue.

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Edmonton—Spruce Grove, AB]

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration tried to paint herself in a more positive light by calling herself the minister of hopes and dreams. In reality, the message she is sending hard-working immigrants and refugees is, “keep dreaming because I am busy rewarding campaign workers”. The minister of immigration seems to think she is exempt from ministerial accountability.

Why is the Prime Minister refusing to hold the immigration minister to the same ethical standards as other ministers?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, one of the important changes that we brought to the House was the creation of an independent Ethics Commissioner. We did this so questions like this could be dealt with objectively and not in a partisan way.

The questions is really this. The minister herself referred this matter to the Ethics Commissioner. Why will the hon. member opposite not let the Ethics Commissioner do his job?

[Rona Ambrose, Conservative, Edmonton—Spruce Grove, AB]

Mr. Speaker, even staff in her own bureaucracy recognize that their minister's conduct is unethical. This morning the national president of the citizenship and immigration union is quoted as saying that immigration officers would risk being fired if they conducted immigration affairs the way the minister and her political staff are alleged to have done.

If it will not fly in the bureaucracy, it should not be acceptable at the cabinet table. Is it not time that the Prime Minister fired the minister?

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, as hon. members of the House know, there is a process in Citizenship and Immigration Canada for bringing in citizens, immigrants or temporary workers. There is a process by which ministers grant humanitarian and compassionate grounds on a case by case basis and based on merit. Nothing has been done against that usual process.

National Defence

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, by agreeing not to discuss the missile defence shield issue with George Bush, the Prime Minister has been derelict in his duty, because the majority of Quebeckers and Canadians oppose Canada's participation in such a project.

Will the Prime Minister break the pact of silence he and George Bush have and tell the U.S. president that the people do not want his missile shield?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the Bloc Québécois knows very well that this government is 100% against the weaponization of space.

As for the rest, it would be premature, because no decision has been made. We are in the process of discussing options. When the government is in a position to raise the question, we said there would be and there will be a debate here, in this place.

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the day before the amendment to NORAD was announced, the Prime Minister personally assured me that there was no connection between that and possible participation in the missile defence shield project. On November 14, however, the Prime Minister said that, on the issue of the proposed shield, the amendment to NORAD was, and I quote, “a crucial decision for Canada”.

How could he say it was a “crucial decision for Canada” in order to participate in the shield project when, the day before taking that decision, he had told me it had nothing to do with it? Which of the two versions is the right one?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister made it very clear. In August, we made a decision on the amendment to NORAD, a defence system that has been serving the interests of Canadians very well for nearly 50 years, that is, since it was established.

Naturally, this amendment to NORAD now gives this organization room to move and enables it to receive information which will surely be very useful for the defence of our continent in the future.

Softwood Lumber

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in the softwood lumber issue, the Americans have decided to launch an extraordinary challenge before NAFTA to try to justify once more the tariffs imposed on Canadian softwood lumber despite the fact that their challenges have been dismissed several times since the beginning of the crisis.

Does the Prime Minister intend to ask President Bush during his visit to have the extraordinary challenge dropped because the softwood lumber industry has been suffering for far too long and it would be perfectly reasonable, in this case, for the Americans to show a bit of good faith?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Yes, Mr. Speaker, that is exactly my intention.

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I will take this a little further. In light of the softwood lumber crisis, we must admit that the NAFTA and WTO dispute settlement mechanisms do not prevent disputes from multiplying and dragging out.

Does the Prime Minister intend to address this issue with President Bush and add his voice to the voices of President Fox and Jean Charest, who find that these mechanisms need to be reviewed and made much more effective?

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, obviously we have already entered into discussions with the Americans and Mexicans regarding the operation of NAFTA, and especially the chapter the hon. member mentioned.