Debates of Feb. 17th, 2005

Health

[Merv Tweed, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, it was reported this week that for profit health care is thriving in this country, not out west but in the Prime Minister's home province of Quebec, in fact within driving distance of his own riding. It is understandable that the Prime Minister would not know this, as he said he did not know anything about the millions of dollars being taken through the sponsorship scandal either.

While Alberta and B.C. are penalized for offering some private services, Quebec gets away with it right under the Prime Minister's nose. Is the Prime Minister really committed to eliminating for profit health care in this country or just scoring some political points by bashing the west?

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, this Prime Minister provided $41 billion over the next 10 years, just last year, to all the provinces. I have said very clearly that the Canada Health Act is an important instrument for the federal government to ensure that there are certain practices that are followed across the country and certain principles that are observed. We shall be applying the Canada Health Act and enforcing it evenly right across the country.

Broadcasting

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

Mr. Speaker, this morning, the union of CKAC employees decided to appeal the CRTC decision announced on January 21, which gave CKAC the go-ahead for its sale to Corus. Through this appeal, the union plans to ask the government to review the CRTC decision.

Now that the union has made an official request, does the Minister of Canadian Heritage plan to act on it?

[Sarmite Bulte, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Yes, Mr. Speaker, I can inform the House that today the parties have indicated that they will be appealing. However, no official documentation has yet been filed. They have until March 7 to file. At that time a decision will be made.

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

Mr. Speaker, the quality and diversity of news sources in the Montreal region are at stake here. The CRTC ruling will result in there being more English language newsrooms in Montreal than French ones. The minister has the power to intervene.

Will she then promise to act on the request by the CKAC employees' union and call on the CRTC to review its decision?

[Sarmite Bulte, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to repeat for the House that we have received an indication an appeal will be filed. When that appeal is filed, the governor in council will review both parties' positions.

Information Security

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Speaker, doing business with the Government of Canada electronically may be hazardous to your health, your finances and your identity. The Auditor General is alarmed by the federal government's computer security, describing it as “a serious problem that needs to be fixed”. She said, “I'm disappointed that the government still does not meet its own minimum standards for IT security...”.

Why has the government failed to protect Canadians from this very real threat to their privacy?

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

Mr. Speaker, once again the member mischaracterizes what the Auditor General said. It is true that we are under increasing attack all the time. If we note the graphs in her reports, she identifies the attacks the government is under. Thus far, we are successfully defending ourselves against them.

We have put in place the strongest secure facility on the Internet that exists; we built the gold standard and we are deploying it right now to all departments. This government takes the security of personal information very, very seriously.

Government Appointments

[Steven Fletcher, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James, MB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister appointed his friend and defeated Liberal candidate Glen Murray chair of the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy. Less than a year ago this same Prime Minister promised that he “would put an end to cronyism”. Yet again the PM proves that, like his predecessor, he is firmly committed to Liberal Party cronyism.

When will the Prime Minister stop appointing people because of their close ties to the Liberal Party and start appointing people because of their ability?

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development will have the opportunity to review the certificate of nomination of Mr. Murray. I think we would be very pleased to see just what part of his vitae the hon. member does not like. Is it because he has been mayor of one of the greatest cities of Canada? Is it because his background is in the Centre for Urban and Community Studies as a visiting scholar and urban policy coordinator at the University of Toronto? Is it because of his experience in urban planning and development and the environment, in both the private and the public sectors? The list goes on.

Health

[Mario Silva, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it has been two years since the SARS tragedy hit the city of Toronto. One of the criticisms made centred on the lack of coordination and communication with the World Health Organization, possibly exacerbating an already difficult situation.

In light of these concerns, what is the Government of Canada doing to remedy this?

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, Minister of State (Public Health)]

Mr. Speaker, the Public Health Agency of Canada continues to be actively involved with respect to public health threats. Its activities include emergency planning within the agency itself, and collaborative efforts with its various national and international partners, WHO among them.

Today the Public Health Agency is conducting a pandemic influenza table top exercise, Constant Vigil II. Tomorrow we will demonstrate our enhanced communication and interoperability with the two pillars of the agency, Ottawa and Winnipeg, the WHO, CDC Atlanta, BCCDC and l'Institut national du santé publique.

Taxation

[Gary Lunn, Conservative, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I also want to talk about something the Prime Minister said during the election. He said, “I believe it is very important for political leaders to keep their promises and whatever you say you are going to do, do”.

JDS employee Tracy Mills has gone deep into debt just to pay taxes on a phantom income she never earned. The Prime Minister looked her in the eye and said that he would fix the problem. As far as the Minister of National Revenue is concerned, too bad, the file is closed, she gets nothing.

Is the Prime Minister going to fix the problem for Tracy as he promised? Is the Prime Minister going to do what he promised to do?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, this is a very important case and I am determined to treat it with maximum fairness and flexibility within the law. That is why I am receiving daily reports on the matter. That is why we have a team dedicated to this matter.

In particular, I would like to express my gratitude to the member for Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca who has provided me with excellent information and insight into the importance of this matter.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Jeremy Harrison, Conservative, Churchill River, SK]

Mr. Speaker, an audit of the band council of the Labrador community of Natuashish has revealed that $3 million of public money has gone missing.

The Indian affairs minister was informed months ago of alleged financial abuses of band money, yet the minister continues to do nothing.

We know that the government is incompetent but this is worse. This is wilful blindness to the theft of public money from the very people it is intended to help. When will the minister take some responsibility and have this matter investigated?

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to clear the air on this issue.

I think it is very important not to use the kind of language that the hon. member is using. All federal funds, $10 million last year, that went to Natuashish are accounted for. These funds are strictly controlled by KPMG, the third party manager, and that was supported by the audit by Gardner & Coombs of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.

Mirabel Airport

[Mario Laframboise, Bloc, Argenteuil—Mirabel, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after expropriating Mirabel farmers' land, after doing all it could to close down Mirabel airport, now the federal government has made a unilateral decision to halve the taxes it pays to that municipality. The federal government has penalized the people of Mirabel enough. This arbitrary behaviour is unacceptable.

Does the federal government agree that the only right thing to do would be to return the property taxes to their previous level until the municipality's property assessment of the Mirabel facilities has been completed?

[Walt Lastewka, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, the government has been working with Mirabel and the people in the area and will continue to do so.

These items need investigation and it needs to be done carefully and not rush into decisions. Therefore we will continue to work with Mirabel and the surrounding areas.

Health

[Wajid Khan, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, experts believe that the deadly Asian bird flu is poised to trigger a global influenza pandemic. The World Health Organization is urging governments to start manufacturing and stockpiling vaccines to respond to this threat.

Will the Minister of Health tell the House what his department plans to do to answer the WHO's request?

[Ujjal Dosanjh, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House that we are actually ahead of the pack on this very issue. Already we have purchased 16 million doses of the anti-viral that is required for this kind of pandemic.

The World Health Organization in fact has called Canada's pandemic flu plan a model for other countries and has said, “Canada is more prepared by far than any other country in the world for pandemic influenza”.

[The Speaker]

I know that the hon. member for Regina—Qu'Appelle was anxious to ask his question today. I know he missed yesterday too and I feel badly, but the time has expired. If we had less yelling and applause during question period, we would get more in.

Points of Order

[Jason Kenney, Conservative, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have a point of order arising from question period. The hon. member for Pickering—Ajax—Uxbridge asked a question of the Minister of Justice, which I believe was out of order, which had precisely nothing whatsoever to do, even ostensibly, with the administrative purview of the government.

I would draw your honour's attention to chapter 11, page 426 of House of Commons Procedure and Practice, which states:

In summary, when recognized in Question Period, a Member should...seek information; ask a question that is within the administrative responsibility of the government or the individual Minister addressed.

Furthermore, a question should not be a statement, representation, argument or an expression of opinion--

I would submit to you, Mr. Speaker, that both today and on previous days in this sitting, that hon. member has posed questions seeking the opinion of members of the cabinet with respect to the statements of members of the opposition, which do not even pretend to constitute a question which would properly be put in order according to House of Commons Procedure and Practice .

I would ask that your honour consider this matter, review the blues and perhaps be more judicious in permitting questions which clearly are out of order coming from government members.

[Tony Valeri, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to comment. I sense a little sensitivity across the way. I am just wondering whether the hon. member took the time to make his point, which was I think rather a point of debate. In any event, when hon. members in the House ask questions of ministers, they often do so in contrasting what is being said in the House and at the same time ensuring that their questions are reflective of the administrative duties of ministers.

Mr. Speaker, I certainly expect that while you are reviewing this you will do so in a way that reflects your great judgment, as in the past.

[The Speaker]

I appreciate this merciless buttering up on the part of the government House leader, but I do not mind saying that I did listen to the question. It seems to me that the Minister of Justice does have administrative responsibility for the bill that is currently before the House dealing with the issue that he was asked about.

I know that the member for Calgary Southeast probably did not like the fact that the question was phrased in such a way as to ask the minister to comment specifically on arguments advanced by the Leader of the Opposition, and he, of course, was keen to answer the question himself, but it was not directed to him. As I said at the time, I could understand his enthusiasm.

However, the question was asked of the Minister of Justice and it seems to me that it is within the administrative competence of the government to answer questions about legal matters concerning bills in Parliament, particularly the Minister of Justice.

I am having trouble finding anything on which I could hang a hat to support the argument of the member for Calgary Southeast that this question was out of order. I did consider the matter because there was a lot of yelling at the time suggesting that perhaps the question was out of order.

While it may have been unpopular, I am not sure that it is improper to ask the Minister of Justice about legal arguments concerning a bill before the House of Commons. For that reason, I allowed the question to proceed and the minister to give his answer, despite the enthusiasm of the Leader of the Opposition for answering the question.

I appreciate the good advice from the hon. member for Calgary Southeast as always, and of course I will bear his comments in mind in future. However, I think in this case the question was in order, but of course I am always glad to hear his argument.

Business of the House

[Jay Hill, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to say at the outset that I am sure you will take the opportunity, as my colleague requested, to review the blues and see specifically where the mention of Bill C-38 was in that question.

Would the government House leader care to indulge the members of the House of Commons and the general public and reveal what the government's agenda will be, the legislation before the House for the remainder of this week and into next week?

In addition, last week I asked him about the judges' remuneration bill, changes to the Judges Act, and he said that it would be forthcoming in due course. I just wonder if he has any further opinion on when due course will actually occur.