Debates of Feb. 10th, 2005

Sponsorship Program

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, this sanctimony is unbelievable from the crowd whose own senior PMO source says “it remains to be seen if we can actually dump Gomery but we are working on it”, the same crowd whose caucus chair yesterday applauded Jean Chrétien for opening up a “can of whup-ass” on Judge Gomery.

How do the Liberals expect Canadians to take their commitment to getting to the bottom of Liberal corruption seriously when they cheered on that ridiculous scene of contempt brought to the commission by Prime Minister Chrétien?

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should know that it is not appropriate to discuss what goes on within the sanctity of a caucus room. The only way to know absolutely what goes on within the Liberal caucus is to be a member of the Liberal caucus.

I can tell the House that if there were any centrist, moderate, progressive members over there they would be welcome in the Liberal caucus, in fact more welcome than they are there and they would feel very comfortable in a modern progressive party like the Liberal Party of Canada. The way they can learn what goes on in the Liberal caucus is by joining the Liberal caucus and building a better Canada.

Sport Canada

[John Cannis, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the ancient Greeks had a saying that goes like this: A healthy body is a healthy mind.

My question is for the Minister of State for Sport. What is the Government of Canada doing to encourage and promote physical activity among Canadian children and youth?

[Stephen Owen, Liberal, Minister of Western Economic Diversification and Minister of State (Sport)]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the member for Scarborough Centre as someone who exemplifies those two fine Greek qualities.

I was very pleased earlier this week with my colleague, the minister responsible for public health, who made an announcement in Toronto on Tuesday, in partnership with the Canadian Tire Foundation, to provide for up to 20,000 children to take part in community sports events over the next year. These are children who, through poverty, disability or other barriers, were unable to take part. This will rise to 50,000 children over the next three years.

Social Development

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, after 12 years of broken Liberal promises, parents are desperate for child care solutions. Canadian families do not want vague promises. They want a sustainable, legislated not for profit program; a safe place for their kids.

The Minister of Social Development might be famous for the number of pucks that he stopped but on this one he is leaving the net wide open to big buck operators. It is sort of a business opportunity on kids.

Why has he failed to deliver even the basic elements of a national child care program and why is he leaving it wide open for the for profits to move in and take it away?

[Ken Dryden, Liberal, Minister of Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, what we are trying to do in the area of early learning and child care is to make a breakthrough that has not happened for the last 20 years or more, and that is to move something from fragments, from very good individual parts, but to something that really represents a system with the ambitions of a system and the expectations of a system so that children in this country can have the kind of early learning and child care development that can come from that sort of assistance.

[Libby Davies, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it begs the question: Exactly what is the government trying to do? What kind of breakthrough are we are talking about? None of the basic elements are there in terms of the money, not for profit, enshrined in legislation, accessibility, affordability. Just what is the breakthrough that we are talking about?

The minister is creating a system that will allow big buck operators to move in on our kids. Is that what the government calls a breakthrough?

[Ken Dryden, Liberal, Minister of Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, our intention is to create a system that has quality across the country.

Our focus is on quality, delivering quality for parents and for young kids in their early development; working with the people across the country in small towns and in bigger places; work with what we are, improve what we are and to create this system.

National Revenue

[Jeremy Harrison, Conservative, Churchill River, SK]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of National Revenue denigrated my home province by referring to Saskatchewan as having been “mired in the world of have not, clamouring for subsidies”.

If the people of Saskatchewan have managed to pull themselves forward it has been in spite of this government, not because of it.

Why will the Liberal government not treat Saskatchewan with respect? Is it ignorance or is it arrogance?

[Reg Alcock, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question because now I can stand up in the House and say exactly what the Minister of National Revenue did.

He was celebrating the enormous success of Saskatchewan. He was celebrating the fact that, thanks to the good leadership of the Minister of Finance, we have been able to arrive at a situation where Saskatchewan no longer requires equalization, so there is more for those provinces that do.

Frankly, as a Manitoban I look forward to the day when we no longer require equalization.

[Gerry Ritz, Conservative, Battlefords—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the revenue minister celebrates Saskatchewan by taking a $1.08 back for every dollar we gain from oil and gas revenue. Yesterday he proved to the people of Saskatchewan that his arrogance is only surpassed by his ignorance. He does not understand that his government's carrot and stick equalization formula puts Saskatchewan's future in jeopardy.

The Liberals use their outdated formula as a self-serving political program picking the winners and losers. Why will the finance minister not fix the formula so provinces like Saskatchewan do not have to fight with Ottawa to get their own money back?

[Reg Alcock, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, it is really hard to understand what the members opposite do not understand about success.

Thanks to the hard work of the finance minister, who is from the province of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan is doing exceptionally well, and we should all be proud of that. It is a big accomplishment. It is finally in a position where it is able to manage its own affairs completely. It is a wonderful success story for Saskatchewan.

Foreign Affairs

[Betty Hinton, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson, BC]

Mr. Speaker, in June 2003 a Canadian, Zahra Kazemi, was assassinated while in the custody of the Iranian government. That rogue state felt immune to repercussions from our impotent government.

Why did the Canadian government not intervene after her arrest and before her death?

[Dan McTeague, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I made it very clear to all, and the hon. member would certainly know, that our Canadian ambassador to Iran has taken up the case of Ms. Kazemi, which reflects very clearly on the fact that Canada has renewed its desire to have a trial that is both transparent and fair and which brings those perpetrators of that brutal murder to justice as soon as possible.

We cannot in the House of Commons afford to play political games because the House must speak with a universal voice of condemnation, and that is exactly what I expect the member to do.

[Betty Hinton, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson, BC]

I have been condemning for a long time, Mr. Minister.

The Iranian ambassador to Great Britain--

[The Speaker]

I think the hon. member meant, Mr. Speaker, perhaps.

[Betty Hinton, Conservative, Kamloops—Thompson, BC]

I did mean, Mr. Speaker. My apologies.

The Iranian ambassador to Great Britain attributed Ms. Kazemi's death to “shrewd security forces,” and added, “We're sorry for it”. Not sorry enough to return her body to her family and not sorry enough to find her assassins.

It is time the government showed Iran that these human rights violations will not be tolerated by Canada any longer. What is the government going to do to rectify this situation?

[Dan McTeague, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will know that a couple of months ago we in fact withdrew our ambassador as a most important sign of our condemnation of this act.

I am glad the hon. member has raised this question because it is a serious one. The comments of the Iranian ambassador to Britain are the latest in a line of comments from Iranian high officials, including the president himself, that reflect serious concerns about the circumstances of Ms. Kazemi's death.

We renew our call to ask for a transparent and fair trial that will bring forth the actions that will bring those perpetrators to justice.

Broadcasting

[Maka Kotto, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the CRTC approved the sale of the Radiomédia stations, including CKAC, to the Corus group. This CRTC decision will result in the closure of CKAC's newsroom and in the loss of some 20 jobs, and this will adversely affect Montreal's francophone information sector.

In the name of the right of Montreal's francophones to information, will the minister ask the CRTC to reconsider its decision to avoid the paradox of Montreal's having fewer French newsrooms than English ones?

[Liza Frulla, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister responsible for Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, we are well aware that the CRTC makes its decisions totally at arm's length. Let us also not forget that this transaction has the positive effect of increasing regional coverage by regional radio stations.

The case of CKAC is unique. If an application is made, we will then review the whole decision. However, until such time, this is a decision that was made by the CRTC in a context where there are problems regarding AM radio—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Saint-Lambert.

[Maka Kotto, Bloc, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we know that the government has the power to ask the CRTC to reconsider its decision. Therefore, I will repeat my question.

Can the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell us whether or not she intends to use that power, that privilege, and ask the CRTC to reconsider its decision?

[Liza Frulla, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister responsible for Status of Women]

Mr. Speaker, first, we have not received any request. Second, if a request is made, we will have to look at the whole situation, not just in Montreal, but also in the regions. We will have to take into consideration the viability of AM radio stations and the jobs retained, both in Montreal and in the regions.

Justice

[Dave Batters, Conservative, Palliser, SK]

Mr. Speaker, crystal meth is a highly addictive, dangerous and potentially deadly drug that is destroying individuals and communities in Saskatchewan and throughout this great country. It is time to get tough on criminals who traffic this menace.

Crystal meth needs to be reclassified as a schedule 1 drug under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. This will allow judges to impose penalties on par with those imposed for trafficking in cocaine and heroin.

Will the justice minister do the right thing and reclassify crystal meth?

[Irwin Cotler, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, this issue was discussed at the recent federal, provincial and territorial meetings of Ministers of Justice. We have referred that to our working group to come back with a recommendation for us by this June so that we can proceed on this matter.