House of Commons Hansard #29 of the 37th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was budget.
Andy Mitchell LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, this is absolute nonsense. This individual is dealing with the devolution file, which has to do with territorial, provincial and federal relationships. What better than to have a former premier do it?
This individual negotiated a framework agreement, was successful on this file and is continuing to do it. This individual is a qualified individual awarded the contract according to the rules. The comment of the hon. member over there is absolute and utter nonsense.
Government ContractsOral Question Period
West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast B.C.
Canadian Alliance
John Reynolds Canadian AllianceHouse Leader of the Official Opposition in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, this same Liberal individual went into an election 25 points ahead in the polls too and lost that election because of the same kind of nonsense that is going on right here.
The Prime Minister said that “no longer will the key to Ottawa be who do you know”. Canadians thought he was changing the lock when all he did was tinker with the key. Now it is not what one knows, it is who one knows in the PMO again. When will the Prime Minister keep his word and stop the practice and politics of cronyism?
Andy Mitchell LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is keeping his word. May I suggest that rather than the hon. opposition member worrying about political affiliation with somebody, he worry about whether somebody is competent, because that should be the measure. This individual is competent and that is why he has the job.
Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, in the budget, the government has stated its intention to go forward with the creation of a Canadian securities commission, even though Quebec and a number of provinces have denounced this encroachment on their jurisdictions.
Behind the fine speeches we can see the same old centralizing tendencies. How can the Minister of Finance announce in his budget that he intends to create this securities commission without the agreement of Quebec and the provinces?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, there was a report by a distinguished group of Canadians some months ago that recommended the process of a single securities regulator for Canada in order to bring our securities regulations in the country into the 21st century.
That is an important innovation to bring into the regulation of capital markets. I am pleased that provincial ministers responsible for this matter are discussing it and seriously at work at it.
I think the hon. gentleman would agree with me and them that it is important for us to have a 21st century system and not one in the 19th century.
Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, creating yet another federal bureaucracy is not the way to solve this kind of problem.
How does the Prime Minister reconcile the content of his Speech from the Throne with the fact that he wants to impose an equalization formula and, now, to impose the creation of a Canadian securities commission? That is a strange kind of partnership.
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, with respect to the equalization payment, as the hon. gentleman will know, this is about a $10 billion program. It will be rising by $1.5 billion over the next five years and 45% of the benefit of that program flows to the province of Quebec. Quebec is the largest single beneficiary of Canadian equalization.
With respect to securities regulation, I would correct the hon. gentleman. The wise persons' committee did not recommend a federal solution. It recommended a single Canadian solution.
Myron Thompson Canadian Alliance Wild Rose, AB
Mr. Speaker, as I have worked with the authorities on the issue of child pornography, I have viewed some of the most abhorrent pictures of young children, even babies being sexually abused. These pictures would haunt any normal person. They sicken me as they do all Canadians.
After 100 days on the job, it is obvious to me that the Prime Minister does not take this issue seriously. The best legislation he came up with to protect our children is a recycled bill that allows for the defence of public good.
Will he scrap this useless legislation and protect our children properly by eliminating all defences for the possession of child pornography?
Irwin Cotler LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, we have the strongest child protection legislation. The question is not whether we will scrap it but whether the opposition will allow us to enact the legislation.
Myron Thompson Canadian Alliance Wild Rose, AB
Mr. Speaker, John Sharpe and all pedophiles think it is great.
On October 28, 2003, the House unanimously passed a motion that our children will be protected from sexual assault and exploitation by immediately eliminating all defences for the possession of child pornography.
I know the Prime Minister is completely paralyzed defending himself over scandal but he could do one good thing this session. He could bring forward new legislation that reflects the unanimous view of the House.
When will the minister act on the motion?
Irwin Cotler LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, the legislation is exactly in accordance with that motion in the House and the definition of public good is exactly in accordance with the definition as set forth by the Supreme Court of Canada.
Janko Peric Liberal Cambridge, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transport.
Exports from Canada's technology triangle, including my riding of Cambridge, rose 20% from 2000 to 2002. The main mode of transporting the region's exports involves roads.
What is being done to support and enhance a seamless transportation system across the Canada-U.S. border to protect Canadian jobs?
Tony Valeri LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, members know that Canada depends on trade. One truck full of goods crosses our borders every three seconds.
With regard to the member's region, the recent federal-provincial investment of $300 million for the Windsor gateway is critical to the economy of Ontario, in particular, very important to the automotive sector.
It is clear to me that members on this side of the House and certainly members in that corner are very much committed to ensuring that uninterrupted trade flows continue to come across our borders to ensure that we can continue to trade with our neighbour to the south.
James Moore Canadian Alliance Port Moody—Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
Mr. Speaker, I have a very simple question. Did the President of the Privy Council meet with Pierre Tremblay, the leader of the sponsorship program, yes or no?
Stephen Owen LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, I think relevant to this question and to the earlier question is the misquoting by hon. member's opposite of Ms. Tremblay's evidence before the public accounts committee.
If I can repeat. This morning Ms. Tremblay said “I do not know because it was not me who they were calling. Therefore if they said to me that it was the Office of the President of the Privy Council calling it would not mean that it was him. It could mean that it was someone else. I can't tell you”.
That was her evidence. It should not be misrepresented by that side of the House.
James Moore Canadian Alliance Port Moody—Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC
Mr. Speaker, we know his legs are not broken because he was standing and speaking before, so I am going to ask the question very simply and perhaps the minister can get up and defend himself rather than having the minister from British Columbia do it.
Did the President of the Privy Council meet with Mr. Tremblay and talk about the sponsorship program, yes or no? It is his obligation to answer. Did he talk to him, yes or no?
Stephen Owen LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has answered no.
Serge Cardin Bloc Sherbrooke, QC
Mr. Speaker, the government is preparing to sell all its shares in Petro-Canada and hopes to pocket at least $2 billion in the process. This money must not go to help the oil and gas industry, but rather to meet the Kyoto objectives.
I am asking the government if it is prepared to take advantage of this opportunity to make a significant gesture in favour of Kyoto and to commit to allocating its profits from this sale to projects to encourage wind power?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, the proceeds from the sale of Petro-Canada will, first, help to re-establish the principles of fiscal prudence, and second, $200 million will go toward the sustainable development technology fund which is directed toward environmental purposes.
We have made the commitment that over the next seven years we will invest at least $1 billion in those environmental technologies of the future.
Sarmite Bulte Liberal Parkdale—High Park, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of State, Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario.
The task force on women entrepreneurs released its report in October 2003. The task force report found that one of the greatest challenges facing women entrepreneurs still today is access to capital. However this challenge is magnified in rural areas throughout Canada.
Could the minister advise us how the budget will help women entrepreneurs in northern and rural Ontario address this challenge?
Federal Economic DevelopmentOral Question Period
Thunder Bay—Superior North Ontario
Liberal
Joe Comuzzi LiberalMinister of State (Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario)
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for that question because it concerns women entrepreneurs and their ability to enter our economy in greater force than they have been able to do up to this point in time.
The Minister of Finance stated in his budget that he was looking for innovative and different ways to enhance this program. We intend to do it. We intend to offer women in our country more opportunity for business guidance, and more important, access to the capital that is necessary for every entrepreneur.
Joe Clark Progressive Conservative Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister has spoken of an operating reserve used by the Mulroney government in fiscal 1992-93. He will know that reserve was used to establish the new cabinet committee on constitutional affairs, the new public service secretariat, the six national citizens consultative conferences, the joint parliamentary committee and other initiatives related to the Charlottetown accord.
Is he honestly pretending that those very public initiatives are comparable to the scandals revealed in the sponsorship program?
Paul Martin LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, it is a common practice in governments, federal and provincial, to have reserves for contingencies, unexpected or otherwise. The fact is that the reserve in this particular case was used for exactly the reasons that the hon. member has just said or equally laudable objectives, such as the Terry Fox Centre.
The fact is that these are public moneys spent publicly. They are fully registered in the estimates in the books of account.
Paul Crête Bloc Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC
Mr. Speaker, with the sale of its Petro-Canada shares, the federal government will be losing its inside view of the oil and gas industry. This makes it all the more appropriate to act on the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology to create a petroleum monitoring agency.
Does the Minister of Industry not see this as one more reason to act on the committee's recommendation and to create this watchdog agency, which would finally make it possible to regulate the oil and gas industry? Are we going to find out the government's position on this before an election is called?
Gasoline PricesOral Question Period
Bonavista—Trinity—Conception Newfoundland & Labrador
Liberal
R. John Efford LiberalMinister of Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, I answered that question in the House yesterday. The hon. member knows quite well our position on the question he is asking. We have stated very clearly before that free enterprise takes care of itself, that the provinces themselves, in two cases in eastern Canada, try to regulate the gasoline industry. We are considering it and we will announce our decision at the right time in the future.