House of Commons Hansard #158 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was farm.
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, if the Bloc has specific information, it should bring it to the attention of the public.
The Deputy Prime Minister was very clear. She said that there was no reliable information concerning any flight that would have been in violation of Canadian and international law. Now that specific flights have been brought to our attention, I am confident that she will do her job, as always.
Gilles Duceppe Bloc Laurier, QC
Mr. Speaker, we have been mentioning specific flight numbers for a few days now. We are asking whether or not there were any such flights. Each airport keeps a log. If we are told that there is no information, this means either that these particular flights were not logged, or that they never happened, that the logs were not checked—and I suspect this was the case—or that the ministers do not want to say.
We have been putting the question very clearly for the past four days. There have been newspaper and television reports. These ministers must read the paper and watch the news once in a while. Could they commit to provide on Monday an answer to our very specific questions? We have indicated the flight numbers, the registration numbers, the names of the airlines and airports involved, and the date when this happened. Could they answer on Monday? It is easy to check.
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport and the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness will certainly have an opportunity to look into this matter again and to determine whether the information from the Bloc is relevant and how it might have been useful.
Loyola Hearn Conservative St. John's South, NL
Mr. Speaker, since the Liberals came to power in 1993, federal employment in Newfoundland and Labrador has declined by 39%. Now we see another example of cutbacks.
During this season when many people are filing for EI benefits, Service Canada has a backlog of about 4,000 applications. Why is Service Canada providing neither overtime nor extra help to deal with the backlog?
Belinda Stronach LiberalMinister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister responsible for Democratic Renewal
Mr. Speaker, the aim of Service Canada is to provide better service to more Canadians in more communities. Over the next 18 months we are going to be doubling our points of service across the country from 320 points of service to over 600 points of service. This should mean better service to Canadians and more resources to better deal with those backlogs.
Loyola Hearn Conservative St. John's South, NL
Mr. Speaker, this is the peak time when people are applying for unemployment insurance benefits. It is also approaching Christmas. Instead of a four or five week wait, which is too long anyway, they are now waiting eight to ten weeks. These facts and figures are coming right from the minister's own department.
Every other province has received either overtime benefits or extra staff. Why is the government discriminating against Newfoundland and Labrador?
Belinda Stronach LiberalMinister of Human Resources and Skills Development and Minister responsible for Democratic Renewal
Mr. Speaker, let me assure the House that all available employees are assigned to the processing of claims to minimize the wait times and to ensure cheques go to those employees who have filed for EI claims.
Marc Godbout Liberal Ottawa—Orléans, ON
Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the Minister of Canadian Heritage for her excellent work in connection with cultural diversity at UNESCO. Unlike the party over the way, she does more than talk; she has acted and achieved some concrete results.
In a world context as favourable as this, our artists cannot help but flourish, and yet the minister has done still more for the cultural community.
Can she tell the House how she will be supporting our country's artists more than ever through the Canada Council for the Arts?
Liza Frulla LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage and Minister responsible for Status of Women
It is true that this was a historic week for culture. First of all, our government announced that it was doubling the budget of the Canada Council for the Arts, to $300 million. This is particularly good because of the Council's upcoming 50th anniversary in 2007. What is more, Canada has become the first country to ratify the Convention on Cultural Diversity, as promised.
We therefore have every reason to rejoice at these two announcements because this is, to quote the MAL, the Quebec movement for arts and letters, a stunning, total collective victory.
Larry Miller Conservative Grey—Bruce—Owen Sound, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister in his role as finance minister took over $25 billion out of health care. Last May the Chippewas of Nawash were told that there was no money available to grant their application for $250,000 to provide health care for their community.
In its recent mad dog spending spree, the government has announced billions in bogus promises for every group in the country. Why are the Chippewas of Nawash being left out?
Robert Thibault LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health
Mr. Speaker, members will remember that the first ministers and the Prime Minister met with the leaders of the native community and negotiated some extra funding for health care. These very same leaders are meeting at the present hour I believe. The funding is available. The Government of Canada is working with the communities, directly getting to the needs in those communities, and we will continue to work in that direction.
Helena Guergis Conservative Simcoe—Grey, ON
Mr. Speaker, yesterday a Make Poverty History witness stated at committee that the democratic deficit of the government goes much deeper than anyone had thought. Just two days after the Auditor General reported how the government took $69 million in matching funds money and spent it on non-tsunami programs. The Auditor General also stated that $30 million for debt relief in tsunami countries never retired one dime of debt.
What did the Liberals spend the money on, and when are they going to report to Parliament and repay this money like the Auditor General has recommended?
Aileen Carroll LiberalMinister of International Cooperation
Mr. Speaker, I have to share with the House how proud CIDA was to read chapter 8 of the Auditor General's report, to have her tell Canadians how accountable we were in our response to tsunami, and how flexible we were under the pressure of that incredible horror.
I would also share with the hon. member that the $69 million is merely a marginal transfer from one fiscal year to another. The $69 million will be spent on the reconstruction of tsunami affected--
International CooperationOral Questions
The Deputy Speaker
The hon. member for Châteauguay—Saint-Constant.
Denise Poirier-Rivard Bloc Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC
Mr. Speaker, Salvia divinorum is a hallucinogenic plant sold legally across the country. This substance, banned in Australia, Italy, Finland and Denmark, causes hallucinations and may cause mental health problems in those who use it.
Can the Minister of Health tell us why this hallucinogenic substance is still not controlled in Canada and is freely sold and readily available in ordinary stores?
Robert Thibault LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health
Mr. Speaker, I am sorry, but with so much muttering and yelling from the members opposite I did not hear the first part of the question. Nonetheless, I have noted this question and the Minister of Health will be pleased to give the hon. member a complete response.
Don Boudria Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The people of Haiti are still suffering despite the help of several countries including ours. Has the minister recently announced additional help or will he do so in order to provide the Haitian population with all the help Canada can offer to the poorest country in our hemisphere?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, this morning, together with my colleagues responsible for international cooperation, and the Francophonie, and with our special advisor to Haiti, we have announced a new contribution of $33 million for Haiti. This contribution will be used essentially to support projects aimed at security sector reform, social and economic reconstruction, reconciliation and the resumption of the democratic process.
We are also proud to work with the many organizations in Canada and with the Haitian diaspora that will see these projects through.
Canada will support Haitians as long as it takes.
Tony Martin NDP Sault Ste. Marie, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister responsible for FedNor. Yesterday he was in Sault Ste. Marie and made the very important announcement of a new $7 million waterfront research facility for fisheries and oceans. It was a much anticipated announcement and I wish I could have been there to celebrate with him.
The announcement yesterday missed one key piece: a new invasive species management centre to coordinate national efforts to combat invasive alien species threats and make Canada a world leader in invasive alien species management issues. Species such as the Asian longhorned beetle and emerald ash borer threaten domestic biosecurity. Projected annual losses of $13 billion to $34.5 billion--
FedNorOral Questions
The Deputy Speaker
The hon. Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.
Joe McGuire LiberalMinister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Mr. Speaker, I will take that question under advisement. I am not familiar with the total package that was announced yesterday, but we will get the answer for the hon. member today and get back to him.
Jason Kenney Conservative Calgary Southeast, AB
Mr. Speaker, in recent weeks members of the government have made reference to a payment of $1.14 million that was made from the Liberal Party to the Government of Canada in partial repayment of illicit moneys received as a result of the sponsorship program.
I would like to ask if the government could please table a copy of the cancelled cheque, both sides of it, so we can indeed ensure that this money was received by the Government of Canada.
Walt Lastewka LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services
Mr. Speaker, we have answered questions from that member a number of times in the House, but let me repeat what the deputy leader of the Conservative Party said just a few weeks ago: “We know that every recommendation that will come out of the second Gomery report will already have been adopted and acted upon and all the transparency and accountability mechanisms already in place”. That came from the deputy leader of the opposition. I thank him very much for having confidence in Justice Gomery.
Justice Gomery did his work in his first report and he will do his work in his second report--
Roger Clavet Bloc Louis-Hébert, QC
Mr. Speaker, no doubt during his last visit to Quebec City, the Minister of Transport saw the terrible and rusty condition of the Quebec Bridge. Renovating this bridge is a regional priority.
Instead of boasting about having read CN the riot act, why does the minister not get his department to immediately make the repairs, and then demand repayment from CN? It would go much faster, unless the minister is as rusty as the Quebec Bridge.