Debates of Dec. 9th, 2004

Aerospace Industry

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in the automotive sector, Ottawa openly favours concentration in Ontario. Investing to save the GM plant in Quebec would have been “irresponsible”, according to the federal government at the time. But Ontario's automotive industry had to be given $500 million right in the middle of an election. Strangely, when it comes to aerospace, Ottawa no longer wants to concentrate. It wants to disperse and scatter.

Will the Minister of Transport admit that he, a minister from Quebec, was given the task of selling this in Quebec?

[David Emerson, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, our strategy continues to be to build a strong automotive industry for all of Canada. Yes, a lot of it is concentrated in Ontario. We intend to build a strong aerospace industry for all of Canada. Yes, a lot of it is concentrated in the province of Quebec, but we will have a strong industry for all of Canada.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Rivière-Du-Loup—Montmagny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Quebec industry minister considers that the Bombardier project will only come to fruition if the federal government and the Quebec government have the same commitment.

In this context, how can we be sure that, in his statement about sharing the economic spinoffs from the Bombardier project, the Minister of Transport is not softening up public opinion to having these spinoffs scattered all over Canada, rather than concentrated in Quebec, as would be natural and desirable?

[David Emerson, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, I do not think anybody has shown more will and more drive to ensure we have a strong aerospace industry in Canada than the government has shown. We will continue to ensure that we have a strong aerospace industry, but it will be based on where the economic strengths are in this country. Undoubtedly, Quebec will get a large portion of that industry, but other parts of Canada will benefit as well because that is where efficiency is.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Rivière-Du-Loup—Montmagny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, how can the Minister of Industry justify all the time the federal government has spent on developing an aerospace policy, which has yet to appear? It has taken a huge amount of time to finalize an offer for Bombardier, an offer which has to appear, but no time at all to put $500 million on the table for Ontario's automotive sector, even though the plans were not yet ready.

[David Emerson, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, we are as ready for Bombardier as Bombardier is ready for us. The reality is it is a moving target. We are having discussions. The details are not fully known but we are working closely with the industry. We will continue to do so. We will not miss any deadlines. We will be there to support those in the aerospace industry when they need it, as they need it, and we will do it in the interests of all Canadian taxpayers.

Marriage

[Jack Layton, NDP, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today the Supreme Court has clearly said that same sex couples in Canada should have the right to marry. It is a historic day.

On the three questions asked by the former prime minister, Jean Chrétien, the answers are clear, but on the questions submitted by the current Prime Minister, ones seen widely as a step to avoid making a decision because he could not make up his mind on how he believed and put the issue beyond the election, the Supreme Court has refused to rule.

My question is simply, will the Prime Minister now apologize for delaying equality for Canadians throughout these last months?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the government has made it very clear that we are dealing with an issue of fundamental rights, that the charter is a pillar of our democracy. We will be introducing legislation as soon as possible in the new year.

Citizenship and Immigration

[Jack Layton, NDP, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has delayed equality and now it looks as though he wants to delay the introduction and establishment of professional credentials for doctors, as well as other professionals in Canada.

We heard a lot about the urgency of ensuring that something would be done about professionally trained doctors who were in Canada but were unable to use their skills. Yet now we hear that for the seventh time the program that was much ballyhooed and promised in the election is being delayed.

My question is simply, when are we going to see some sense of urgency around this issue?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we are working with the provinces. We are working with the professional associations. We are working with all the bodies across this country so that we can bring in the needed measures to ensure that when new Canadians come to this country with skills, they can put those skills to work.

The leader of the NDP should be under no doubt that we are breaking new ground. It is not the NDP, not the Bloc, not the reform. It is the Liberal Party, the Liberal government, and we are going to do it.

[Diane Ablonczy, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's election laws prohibit anyone from making an indirect campaign donation. Yet the immigration minister accepted a $5,000 cheque and written right on the cheque was “donation on behalf of” someone different from the person who signed the cheque. Still the minister and her official agent, a lawyer, went ahead and used the money to help her get re-elected.

I ask the Solicitor General, are the police investigating this clear illegality by the minister?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, I know that the hon. member knows that I do not comment on whether or not any matter is under investigation by any police force in this country. I am a bit surprised that the hon. member, herself a lawyer, would ask that question.

[Diane Ablonczy, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the cover-up continues.

Here is another troubling example where the minister's story does not square with the facts. Yesterday she denied that any of her present or past staff were under investigation. Today we learned that security officials have confirmed, unlike the Solicitor General, that one of the minister's former staff is being probed for allegations relating to national security.

Why did the minister tell the House just the opposite?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said before, it is unacceptable for me as Minister of Public Safety, responsible for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, to comment on any investigation. It is equally unacceptable for any minister in this House to comment upon the activities in an operational sense of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the immigration minister repeatedly claims she cannot answer our questions while the Ethics Commissioner is reviewing the situation. Yet according to the testimony of the Ethics Commissioner yesterday, there is “nothing preventing the minister from commenting while under investigation”.

Now that the minister's flimsy excuse for avoiding full disclosure has been demolished, will the minister finally inform this House how many ministerial permits she issued in total during the last election, and how many she issued to individuals affecting her own riding?

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I referred the issue in question to the Ethics Commissioner.

I would like to ask why did we bother to spend the amount of time and effort to hire an Ethics Commissioner and put a whole department in place if we have no intentions of waiting for him to respond?

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

Mr. Speaker, let us be very clear that the only thing the minister asked of the Ethics Commissioner was for confidential advice. The only investigation going on is by the Conservative Party of Canada.

Additional concerns have arisen since she raised this issue with the Ethics Commissioner. The Ethics Commissioner informed this House that he has had no contact with the minister since her initial request.

The minister pretends that all of her conduct is under investigation when it is not. Why is the minister misleading Parliament and hiding behind the Ethics Commissioner?

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I have stood in this House for, I think, three weeks now answering questions to the extent that I am able to answer them. I have asked the Ethics Commissioner to do his work, and I will await his response. I have also indicated in the House that I will share that report when I receive it.

Textile and Clothing Industry

[Pierre Paquette, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, import quotas for the textile and clothing industry are set to expire on December 31, threatening thousands of jobs in Quebec and Canada.

How can the federal government behave so irresponsibly, and not use the transitional measures available, which would help better prepare the industry and preserve thousands of jobs?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman is jumping the gun. I have had the privilege of consulting with many representatives of the textile industry and a great many members in the Liberal caucus who have been forthright and vigorous in putting this case before the government. They have made the point that a decision needs to be taken before the end of this year, and I say to the Liberal caucus, it will be.

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, 65,000 jobs in Quebec's textile and clothing industry, including several thousand in my riding, are at risk because the government is twiddling its thumbs while the December 31 deadline approaches. Chinese imports are the greatest trade threat in this sector.

How does the government explain the fact that it has not shown any interest in availing itself of the transitional measures allowed under the protocol of accession for China's membership in the WTO? These measures exist; the government does not want to use them. Why not?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I am intrigued by these last minute and deathbed repentances from the Bloc. This issue has been before the government for the last number of months. It has been raised squarely by members of the Liberal caucus. We will respond to those representations, and we will deliver a very good program to the textile industry before December 31.

[Marc Boulianne, Bloc, Mégantic—L'Érable, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Finance has considered the difficult situation facing the textile and clothing industry. Its unanimous report makes the following recommendations. First, to maintain the duty remission orders for major clothing manufacturers; second, to eliminate duties on apparel fabrics manufactured outside Canada.

Why, instead of taking an insensitive and passive approach, does the federal government not implement the measures suggested by the committee? It would at least be doing something.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the standing committee studied this issue, going back over a year now. It has been very creative in its ideas.

I am pleased to say that members of Parliament, including particularly the member for Ahuntsic and a number of others, have been very aggressive in saying the industry committee's report is good and useful, but we can build on that to do even better.

[Alain Boire, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the extent of the federal government's indifference to the situation facing the textile and clothing industry is unacceptable and unbelievable.

How can the Minister of Industry explain to people throughout Quebec, particularly those in Valleyfield, in my riding, who are losing their jobs, that he has no suggestions and, furthermore, is taking none of the measures currently available to him to help them? The people in my riding are calling for help and they need it now.