House of Commons Hansard #22 of the 37th Parliament, 3rd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was pornography.
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, we were very proud as a country to be the first Parliament to follow up on the great WTO decision in August 2003. Canada was a leading country in this area. We were thanked by Secretary-General Kofi Annan this morning in this very House.
The WTO waiver does not waive all of our international obligations. We will respect our other international obligations. Where we can help, such as on AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, we will be there.
Brian Masse NDP Windsor West, ON
Mr. Speaker, that is not what we have heard from many delegations and testimonials, and many experts at the industry committee. The Prime Minister is asking the House to pass this bill and he is passing the buck.
My question is for the Prime Minister. If a nation needs the drugs, it should be able to access the drugs. The bottom line is that many developing countries will not have access to the medications they desperately need. The Prime Minister praised Kofi Annan this morning for his work in East Timor. However, the ultimate irony is that, under this government proposed program, East Timor will not have access.
Will the Prime Minister explain this to the UN Secretary-General? Has he no shame?
Lucienne Robillard LiberalMinister of Industry and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we are very proud of having introduced this bill.
At present, I know that my fellow parliamentarians are working to improve this bill and improve access to medication for the least developed countries of the world. That is Canada's goal on the international scene. We want to lead the way for other countries.
I hope that all parliamentarians will help us improve this bill and that it will be passed as quickly as possible.
Monte Solberg Canadian Alliance Medicine Hat, AB
Mr. Speaker, I want to quote the Prime Minister from February 18 in Hansard . He said:
Mr. Speaker, earlier in question period I was asked by the Leader of the Opposition if the pertinent cabinet documents could be made available. I said yes. He then followed up with a request that the pertinent Treasury Board documents, and I believe the communications committee documents, be made available.
I am glad to confirm that they will.
If the Prime Minister is a man of his word, will he follow through with his commitment in the House and produce those documents as he said he would?
Paul Martin LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member may not understand the importance of due process. Due process is that the committee will make a motion. If the committee would like to make a motion and ask for that documentation, as long as it is in conformity with the Auditor General's report, then for heaven's sake, the documents will be provided.
Monte Solberg Canadian Alliance Medicine Hat, AB
Mr. Speaker, what about the Prime Minister's word? Does that not mean anything? We would like to know if the Prime Minister's word means anything when he makes a commitment in the House.
Obviously, when he stands up and tells everybody that he wants to be transparent, that he wants to be open, that he wants to hide nothing, we fully expect when he makes a commitment to produce documents he will do it. Where are they?
Paul Martin LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, what is it the hon. member does not understand about yes?
Jason Kenney Canadian Alliance Calgary Southeast, AB
Mr. Speaker, what we do not understand is that he said yes three weeks ago and that yes turned out to be a no.
Why did the Prime Minister give his word and then break it? Why did he say that the documents would be made available and “I am glad to confirm that they will”, when they have not been made available? How can we trust the Prime Minister?
Reg Alcock LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister, in response to this issue, has created not only the most open process ever seen in the House, but he has released an unprecedented number of documents in response to specific requests from the committee. He has done it. He has said he will do it again. All the committee has to do is ask.
Jason Kenney Canadian Alliance Calgary Southeast, AB
Mr. Speaker, we want a response from the captain of the ship, not the cabin boy.
These are the ministers who were at the cabinet communications meeting--
Sponsorship ProgramOral Question Period
The Speaker
Order, please. Regardless of who we are getting, we are going to get a question, but we cannot unless we have a little order. The hon. member for Calgary Southeast might perhaps want to proceed a little more directly to his question without the stuff that causes the disorder.
Jason Kenney Canadian Alliance Calgary Southeast, AB
Mr. Speaker, there were four ministers of the current cabinet who attended meetings of the cabinet communications committee: the Deputy Prime Minister, the finance minister, the environment minister, and the infrastructure minister. They were all part of that committee chaired by Alfonso Gagliano, who is at the centre of the scandal.
Did any of these ministers attend any of the critical meetings that led to the cover-up of the sponsorship file?
Reg Alcock LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, just two quick points.
Mr. Gagliano is appearing before the committee next week. The member will be able to ask him any question he wants.
As for being the cabin boy, it is an honour to be a cabin boy on a ship captained by the Prime Minister.
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC
Mr. Speaker, today the Prime Minister is welcoming the Secretary General of the United Nations. It is interesting to note—
International AidOral Question Period
The Speaker
Order, please. The hon. member for Verchères—Les-Patriotes has the floor, and we must be able to hear his question. He may start his question over.
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC
Mr. Speaker, today the Prime Minister is welcoming the Secretary General of the United Nations. It is interesting to note that the amount Canada devotes to international aid keeps dropping year after year. Lester B. Pearson set the objective for international aid at .7 % of GDP. In the time of the Conservatives, the percentage was around .45% of GDP. Since the Liberals took office, the percentage has been almost halved.
How can the Prime Minister explain that, during his watch as finance minister, Canada's international aid spending was reduced by half?
Bill Graham LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that our aid spending has done nothing but increase over the past two years. The Prime Minister has already said so. It has increased since the conference in Monterrey and will double over the next five years.
This Prime Minister has promised the House and the people of Canada that this government will be more active on the international scene. This will include adopting a smart approach and targeting aid to those countries that need Canada's help. We are there for them and we will do even more for them in the future.
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC
Mr. Speaker, when an amount is cut in half, and then a bit is added to it, that is insignificant. Moreover, the $25 million announced today by the Prime Minister represents a mere three one-thousandths of 1% of the objective. The target is .7%. Now, thanks to the Prime Minister's efforts, the reality is that we are still only halfway there.
How can the Prime Minister strut about before the international community with all his talk about concern for foreign aid when, during his 10 years as Minister of Finance, he merrily cut back the resources earmarked for international aid?
Bill Graham LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, there is a Canadian presence in Afghanistan. Canada is prepared to help rebuild Iraq. Canada is helping Haiti through these troubled times. Canada helped deliver aid to Africa.
Canada continues to be active throughout the world. As far as the environment, health, welfare and good governance are concerned, we have an excellent record, in my opinion, but we are going to improve that record in the future.
Bill Casey Progressive Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS
Mr. Speaker, it might have been great to be a cabin boy on that ship, but I will say one thing, it is not great to be a cabin boy on the HMCS Victoria , the submarine that went from Halifax to British Columbia, because access to information reports say that the temperatures went up to 150°. The captain was scared the shells were going to self-ignite; they were moving them from one compartment to another.
We bought these boats six years ago and not one of them works. Two are tied up; two are in dry dock. When will the minister stop wasting time, money and the reputation of the Canadian navy and do what it takes to get these boats working?
David Pratt LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, it is important for the hon. member to keep in mind that the submarines that were purchased from the British by the Canadian navy were purchased at a cost of approximately a quarter of their value, with 80% of the operational life of the submarine.
As well, I would like to advise the hon. member that temperatures in engine rooms do get very hot, whether it is in submarines or in surface ships. However, they are fully automated and there is no need for any crew member to spend a prolonged period of time in those particular engine rooms.
Bill Casey Progressive Conservative Cumberland—Colchester, NS
Mr. Speaker, the minister should go to the Halifax shipyard and talk to the people who were on the boat. They had to run into the engine room, do the work and run back out again before they got burned.
Not only that, we have had these boats for six years. We have four submarine crews that have not had a place to go to work for six years. It is a waste of money. When is the government going to give the taxpayers value for their money and get these boats working?
David Pratt LiberalMinister of National Defence
Mr. Speaker, the taxpayers are getting incredible value for their dollar with these submarines.
The hon. member has to keep in mind as well that the prolonged period for which there has been no service from these submarines was a result of the reactivation period which took place in the United Kingdom. The Canadianization of these submarines is proceeding quite nicely. We expect to have the first submarine operational in the fall of 2004 with the rest to follow shortly after.