House of Commons Hansard #23 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was community.

Topics

AgricultureOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

The Speaker

The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

AgricultureOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Malpeque P.E.I.

Liberal

Wayne Easter LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food (Rural Development)

Mr. Speaker, I think the member should go back to the record and look at the minister's previous answers on the cash deposit and he will recognize where that one is at.

In terms of producers, who we recognize are facing financial difficulty, we have made the announcement of September 10, which was to increase our slaughter capacity, and we brought into place a fed cattle and a feeder cattle program so that producers can get better prices out of the marketplace. We have introduced other programs, the cull cow program--

AgricultureOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock.

AgricultureOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Conservative

Barry Devolin Conservative Haliburton—Kawartha Lakes—Brock, ON

Mr. Speaker, CAIS was never intended as disaster relief. It was meant to even out cashflow in a business as usual environment. As it turns out, CAIS is actually failing two groups of farmers: first, the farmers who took money out of their own pockets to sign up for CAIS and still have not received any assistance; and second, farmers who could not afford the deposit in the first place and are now ineligible for the program.

BSE is not business as usual. It is a national disaster. We would not demand that flood victims put up their own money in order to be eligible for flood relief. Why does the government continue to rely on this failed program?

AgricultureOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Malpeque P.E.I.

Liberal

Wayne Easter LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food (Rural Development)

Mr. Speaker, I would think adding with the provinces over $2 billion over and above CAIS is really not relying on that program in its entirety. We recognized that there had to be ad hoc programming and we went out there and did it. As I said, we are trying to manoeuvre the market price so that producers can get prices out of the marketplace. We are trying to increase the slaughter capacity so we can have a made in Canada solution. We are working with the United States and with Japan and others to find other markets for our beef. We are there for producers--

AgricultureOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Cambridge.

Textile and Clothing IndustryOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Conservative

Gary Goodyear Conservative Cambridge, ON

Mr. Speaker, last week when I asked the Minister of Finance when he would implement the recommendations of an all-party committee for the apparel industry, all he could do was admit that it has been sitting on his desk for two months. Those recommendations also expire in December.

The minister has had enough time to implement the democracy of that committee. When I meet with the workers in my riding of Cambridge next week, can I tell them that their jobs are safe, yes or no?

Textile and Clothing IndustryOral Question Period

11:45 a.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, the government is indeed working very hard on this file: my department with the Department of Industry and with many members in our caucus who are very concerned about the future impacts. We are looking for the appropriate way to make sure that the textile and apparel industry in Canada is properly supported.

In the meantime, I am pleased to report to the House that as of this morning employment increased in Canada in the month of October by another 34,000 jobs, following 43,000 jobs in September, for a total of 190,000 new positions this year.

National DefenceOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Conservative

Daryl Kramp Conservative Prince Edward—Hastings, ON

Mr. Speaker, earlier this week this government raised the rental prices on military housing by up to $100 a month. Often these housing units are substandard.

While spending $100 million for luxury jets for ministers, this government is forcing our military to rely on programs such as the one at CFB Trenton, where the Christmastime adopt a family program provides a few holiday offerings for those struggling to make ends meet. Why is the Minister of National Defence playing Scrooge by raising the rent for our hard-working military personnel at what should be such a joyous time of year?

National DefenceOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca B.C.

Liberal

Keith Martin LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence

Mr. Speaker, this is an issue that has been going on for some time. The Minister of National Defence is working with the President of the Treasury Board to deal with the situation. We are looking into it right now.

Textile and Clothing IndustryOral Question Period

November 5th, 2004 / 11:50 a.m.

Bloc

Pauline Picard Bloc Drummond, QC

Mr. Speaker, for months now, the representatives of the textile industry have been denouncing the federal government's wait and see attitude and asking for strong intervention to help the industry get through this crisis. The affected jobs in this sector number in the thousands, and that has an impact on the economy of several regions of Quebec.

What is the government waiting for to introduce the safeguards proposed by the Bloc Québécois among others?

Textile and Clothing IndustryOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will know that the issues affecting the textile industry and the apparel industry in Canada are complex and interconnected. Some benefit from tariffs, some do not. Some benefit from tariff relief, some do not.

We are trying to work our way through this complex collection of issues and existing support measures to ensure that we provide the right kind of support to our industry, support that gives real hope and opportunity to Canadian workers, including workers in Quebec.

Textile and Clothing IndustryOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Bloc

Pauline Picard Bloc Drummond, QC

Mr. Speaker, the American owners of textile companies operating in Canada have been roundly criticizing the finance minister's behaviour. In May, John Heldrich of Swift Denim wrote to him, saying that the lifting of tariff barriers would have an impact on the market and a direct negative impact on the factory in Drummondville. Six hundred jobs have already been lost there. Sixty more people were let go last week.

How does the minister respond to John Heldrich? What does he have to say to the workers at Swift Denim?

Textile and Clothing IndustryOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, first of all I would be very happy to receive that representation. I have not had the opportunity to see it personally yet, but I am sure it is on the way to me. In the meantime I would say to the member and others in the House, including many on the government side, that we are very anxious to ensure a secure and prosperous future for the textile and apparel industry.

The issues are not simple ones. They require a thoughtful approach. We are applying that approach and we expect to achieve success.

TaxationOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Conservative

Brian Fitzpatrick Conservative Prince Albert, SK

Mr. Speaker, for the past two years federal tax collectors have been trying to kill junior hockey in Saskatchewan. The Minister of Finance has not lifted a single finger to bring relief to this disgraceful condition. I would ask the self-proclaimed champion of Saskatchewan, the Minister of Finance, why he has not done a single thing to rectify this appalling situation.

TaxationOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. gentleman will know, the administration of tax rules falls to the Minister of National Revenue, not the Minister of Finance. It would be helpful if he understood the machinery of government.

In the last number of months I have had the opportunity to make representations to the Minister of National Revenue on behalf of Saskatchewan sports organizations. I am also pleased to say that the government is making very sure that the rules apply in an equitable and fair-minded fashion, evenly and fairly to all Canadians with no discriminatory impact in Saskatchewan or anywhere.

TaxationOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

Conservative

Brian Fitzpatrick Conservative Prince Albert, SK

Mr. Speaker, I want to make something perfectly clear to the minister. The only junior A teams in Canada that for the last two years have been targeted by the tax collectors are Saskatchewan teams. The tax collectors are literally sending Saskatchewan junior hockey teams into bankruptcy.

The Liberal government should be ashamed of itself. Again I ask the Minister of Finance, the only government member from Saskatchewan, why he has been--

TaxationOral Question Period

11:50 a.m.

The Speaker

I remind hon. members that questions to regional ministers or ministers from a region are not relevant. Questions are supposed to go to their departmental responsibilities. The Minister of Finance may wish to answer this question because it does appear to deal with taxation, but as he has indicated, this might be one of enforcement which might be under national revenue. However the Minister of Finance is rising and I will allow him to answer.

TaxationOral Question Period

11:55 a.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member makes a representation. Some others in Saskatchewan have made the same representation. Some have made the opposite representation actually. I am anxious to ensure on behalf of the Government of Canada that all tax rules and regulations are applied properly and fairly.

Quite frankly at the end of the day when we stack up political records, one against the other, I will match the hon. gentleman any day and I will beat him five times to Sunday.

TaxationOral Question Period

11:55 a.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

TaxationOral Question Period

11:55 a.m.

The Speaker

Order. We are moving on to the next question. That one is finished. The hon. member for Pontiac has the floor now.

Canadian HeritageOral Question Period

11:55 a.m.

Liberal

David Smith Liberal Pontiac, QC

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister of Canadian Heritage—

Canadian HeritageOral Question Period

11:55 a.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

Canadian HeritageOral Question Period

11:55 a.m.

The Speaker

Order. I would encourage the members who wish to discuss this issue to do so perhaps in the foyer. There are some television cameras out there and members might enjoy an appearance there. However in the House the hon. member for Pontiac has the floor and he would like to ask a question without being interrupted.

Canadian HeritageOral Question Period

11:55 a.m.

Liberal

David Smith Liberal Pontiac, QC

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell this House about the public's worries regarding the Bloc Québécois's refusal to distribute flags to veterans who wish to honour the memory of their brothers in arms who gave their lives for our freedom?