Debates of Feb. 3rd, 2005

Sponsorship Program

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

Mr. Speaker, once again, we have an independent commission to get to the bottom of this because that is the best way to achieve that goal, and that is the goal that Canadians want us to achieve.

Beyond that, there are important issues facing the country: health care, equalization, child care, agriculture and our agenda for Canadian cities. These are all files on which the government is working actively. I wish the opposition would do its job, and that is to engage in the public policy items that interest Canadians and that are important to the future generations of the country instead of scandalmongering all the time on the floor of the House of Commons.

[James Moore, Conservative, Port Moody—Westwood—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, we would be more than glad to deal with a huge substantive policy agenda, but unfortunately we have a Prime Minister who only knows how to dither and he is a failure as a leader of the country.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal party really defrauded the Canadian taxpayer in 1998.

Why did the Prime Minister hide this information from Canadians at the time of the 2004 election?

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

Mr. Speaker, I guess the opposition is saying that a $41 billion agreement with the Canadian provinces was a failure. I guess the opposition is saying that a new deal for Canadian communities is a failure. I guess the opposition is saying that child care does not matter in Canada and it is not important that the Government of Canada focus on providing child care across Canada and working with Canadian provinces.

The opposition is out of touch because our Prime Minister has delivered on his promises, and the government is reflecting the values and interests of all Canadians.

Ethics

[Joe Preston, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government continues to struggle with the definition of ethics. We have very sloppy rules allowing cronies to be appointed to high level and high paying jobs. First, we have minister's pals at Canada Post, then we have Transportation Safety Board buddies at the Christmas party of the Liberals.

The Prime Minister said, “Come hell or high water, I will change the way Ottawa works”. Could the Prime Minister answer which of the two is in his way?

[Lucienne Robillard, Liberal, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I answered that question yesterday by saying that anyone appointed by the governor in council is subject to the code of conduct and to the highest standard of ethics. Our behaviour must always be totally above reproach, 150% above even.

It is very clear that the ethics commissioner has been apprised of this and needs to clarify the interpretation of the code under such circumstances.

Transportation Safety Board

[John Williams, Conservative, Edmonton—St. Albert, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs confirmed in the House yesterday, and again just seconds ago, that Jim Walsh, the Prime Minister's patronage appointee, should not have been at the Liberal Christmas party or at any other political fundraiser event. Remember, Jim Walsh was told by his boss not to go to the party or any other fundraiser for that matter.

My question for the Prime Minister is quite simple. Will Jim Walsh be fired from his position for breaking the code of conduct?

[Lucienne Robillard, Liberal, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I repeat: the ethics commissioner himself has said that he intends to clarify the interpretation of the code under such circumstances, so that the rules will be clear for everyone. That is what we are waiting for.

Child Care

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government is preparing to use this year's surplus to create a start-up fund for implementing child care systems.

Even if the other provinces are not ready to implement their systems, can the federal government assure us that, as soon as the fund is set up, Quebec will receive its share without conditions, since its network is already well established?

[Ken Dryden, Liberal, Minister of Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, we have had ongoing discussions with the government of Quebec, with representatives of the government of Quebec, including some very fruitful meetings in November. We have been assured in conversations with the government of Quebec that they will be in Vancouver next week for those meetings.

As I have said repeatedly in this House, the Quebec early learning and child care system is an inspiration for this child care system that we are looking to implement across the country.

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, is the minister saying that since Quebec's child care system already works so well he is prepared to give money with no strings attached and that Quebec will receive 25% of the $5 billion announced?

[Ken Dryden, Liberal, Minister of Social Development]

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, these conversations are ongoing. They are with the government of Quebec. They have been very fruitful. They have been very helpful. The government of Quebec representatives have assisted the processes consistently. We will be talking in terms of funding at this meeting and after that.

Taxation

[Yvan Loubier, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government has reached an agreement on equalization with Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. This very generous agreement undermines the very principles of equalization and creates a totally unfair situation for Quebec.

How does the Minister of Finance explain that, in the case of the Maritimes, he can exclude offshore oil revenues from the calculations pertaining to equalization, while including Quebec's hydro-electricity revenues?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, over the years a number of provinces have raised questions about the calculations pertaining to equalization. Different provinces have different perspectives about what should be included, what should not be included and at what rate of inclusion and so forth.

Because of that, the Government of Canada has done two things. First of all, we have established a pool for equalization at an all time record high and it will escalate year by year at the rate of 3.5%. Second, we have established an independent expert panel to take issues like this very good one raised by the member of the Bloc Québécois into consideration to determine how to shape equalization for the future.

[Yvan Loubier, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it may be an excellent question, but I would also have liked to get an excellent answer. I have a supplementary for the minister.

How can the Minister of Finance justify the fact that he erased the $590 million equalization debt of his native province of Saskatchewan, that he agreed to give $2.6 billion to Newfoundland and more than $1 billion to Nova Scotia, while Quebec must still repay $2.4 billion under the same program?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, following the recent federal initiatives regarding health and equalization, this year Quebec will receive close to $1 billion more from the Government of Canada. Next year, it will receive more than $1.8 billion. As for previous years, we have shown great flexibility. For 2004 alone, we erased an amount of close to $1 billion that was owed by Quebec to the Government of Canada, and we also postponed the repayment of another $2.4 billion.

Natural Resources

[Brian Fitzpatrick, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, through the Atlantic accord the federal government has effectively eliminated the equalization clawback on oil and gas revenues for the provinces of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. This move was long overdue.

Will the Minister of Finance inform the House of his timetable to eliminate equalization clawbacks on oil and gas for other provinces, including the province of Saskatchewan?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Indeed, Mr. Speaker, last year we instituted a new floor under the equalization system that effectively eliminated the equalization clawback for Saskatchewan last year.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

Mr. Speaker, regardless of how the Minister of Finance tries to spin this, the reality is that over 90% of oil and gas revenues in Saskatchewan are clawed back by the federal government, and that is not the same deal as was given to Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia.

Newfoundland and Labrador got a fair deal. Nova Scotia got a fair deal. Saskatchewan residents deserve the same deal. Will the minister commit today to providing Saskatchewan the same deal for equalization as provided to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador, yes or no?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to say that we made great progress last year in dealing with the concerns of Saskatchewan, with $120 million to deal with previous errors in the equalization system, $590 million with the new floor price system that I mentioned just a moment ago, plus an expert panel to shape the rules on equalization for the future, but the really good news for Saskatchewan is that this province has now graduated from the equalization system. It is in the category of the have provinces, not the have not provinces, within Confederation. It has a debt at 25%, not 65%. It has low unemployment and--

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Calgary Centre.

Industry

[Lee Richardson, Conservative, Calgary South Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Industry guaranteed Canadians there will not be jobs lost in the automotive sector due to Kyoto.

Resource workers in Alberta would welcome a similar assurance. Will the minister extend his guarantee to workers in every sector affected by Kyoto?

[David Emerson, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, this government has said right from the beginning, I have said from the beginning and my colleague the Minister of the Environment has said from the beginning that we can achieve Kyoto and we can do it while the Canadian economy is made more and more competitive and that means jobs.

[Lee Richardson, Conservative, Calgary South Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the minister's answers are just simply not credible. The Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters Association has forecast that meeting our Kyoto requirements will cost up to 450,000 permanent jobs. Who is going to pay the cost? Where are the jobs going to be lost?

[David Emerson, Liberal, Minister of Industry]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian economy's competitiveness is critical to job creation and job protection in Canada. Our competitiveness is not going to come, as the hon. member across might believe, from becoming a low wage economy. It is going to come from the application of technology. Programs like Technology Partnerships Canada and other programs are going to ensure that technology drives the competitiveness of our economy.

Social Development

[Marlene Catterall, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Social Development. Early childhood is an essential time for children to develop confidence and a strong sense of identity.

Access to quality daycare services in French is critical for children of minority francophone families.

In the discussions that he will soon be having with the provinces on a national daycare program, will the minister ensure that any agreement takes into consideration the need to provide services in both official languages?