I said that we have to, as a government, abide by our trade rules which means that we have to respect the principle of national treatment, and as such buy items that we purchase on behalf of Canadians and on behalf of parliamentarians within those trade rules. There is an exemption for parliamentary purchases, and as such we will purchase those pins used for parliamentary purchases from manufacturers in Canada.

Public Works and Government ServicesOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Conservative

Monte Solberg Conservative Medicine Hat, AB

Mr. Speaker, all of the minister's claims about what he can and cannot do have come into question. He has claimed for some time that his views on the sponsorship scandal are of such importance that if he commented he would prejudice the entire inquiry. A little humility, please.

Is it not true that this is just one more shoddily manufactured position from the minister responsible for lapel pins?

Public Works and Government ServicesOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Kings—Hants Nova Scotia

Liberal

Scott Brison LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services

Mr. Speaker, once again we will operate as a government within the confines of our trade agreements. At the same time, we will seek within those trade agreements any exemptions whereby we can purchase from Canadian manufacturers. It is important to know that the company involved was a Canadian company that sourced the pins from a Chinese manufacturer.

Further, I am shocked that it seems now that party, the Conservative Party, is now opposed to abiding by our trade agreements. As I said the other day, I knew it was not progressive any more. Now I know it is not even conservative.

The SenateOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Conservative

Ken Epp Conservative Edmonton—Sherwood Park, AB

Mr. Speaker, I am sick and tired of the Prime Minister saying that he supports Senate reform, but keeps hiding behind not on a piecemeal basis.

Albertans are asking for no change at all: continue to name senators from a list of candidates. All they ask is that the list he uses is the one they have given him by a democratic vote. They do not accept this arrogant, top down attitude of the Prime Minister knowing better than Albertans who they want to represent them in the Senate.

Why does the Prime Minister not stop being so chicken and simply fill the Alberta vacancies from the people's list?

The SenateOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Ottawa—Vanier Ontario

Liberal

Mauril Bélanger LiberalDeputy Leader of the Government in the House of Commons

Mr. Speaker, I have a bit of a problem with the premise that Alberta is asking for no change at all. It is asking for change.

However, Alberta is part of the Council of the Federation, a group created by the provinces. Two premiers have received the mandate from the Council of the Federation to look at the matter of the Senate. They are currently looking at it. They have not yet reported. Let us wait to see if there is a consensus that can emerge from the Council of the Federation about the Senate, at which point we will advise.

Public Works and Government ServicesOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Conservative

Monte Solberg Conservative Medicine Hat, AB

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Public Works and Government Services likes to make sweeping claims about his international business experience, but it really looks like his base experience began and ended with selling beer fridges to university students. I guess the fridge magnet term really applies.

Is it not true that the minister responsible for lapel pins really has no idea about what the policy is regarding parliamentary purchases?

Public Works and Government ServicesOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Kings—Hants Nova Scotia

Liberal

Scott Brison LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services

Mr. Speaker, it would be more fair to say that the hon. member has no idea what is involved in our trade agreements or in parliamentary purchases.

As stated from the beginning, we will endeavour as a government to abide by our trade agreements. We will respect the principle of national treatment because our trade agreements are there to protect Canadian manufacturers as they compete anywhere in the world and to protect Canadian jobs.

Even Ken Georgetti now supports free trade. I am shocked that the hon. member does not. Free trade created 1.8 million new Canadian jobs in the six years after NAFTA. This reversal is shocking from the Conservative Party that is no longer opposed to progressive--

Public Works and Government ServicesOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. member for Louis-Saint-Laurent.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Bloc

Bernard Cleary Bloc Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, February 7 is the third anniversary of the signing of the peace of the braves between Quebec and the Cree nation. This agreement precludes any legal proceedings, and the Cree, who were looking to enter into a similar agreement with Ottawa, are noticing that the federal negotiator is still without a mandate, which might derail the whole process.

What is the federal government waiting for to show its good will and give its negotiator a clear mandate?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Western Arctic Northwest Territories

Liberal

Ethel Blondin-Andrew LiberalMinister of State (Northern Development)

Mr. Speaker, a lot of work has been undertaken over the years to deal with the agreements signed between the Crees and the federal government. We will continue with that work. We will take any submissions that the member has under advisement and continue to work on it.

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Bloc

Bernard Cleary Bloc Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC

Mr. Speaker, I have a supplementary. Any delay could delay the implementation of certain parts of the agreement between Quebec and the Cree nation. Unless significant progress is made between now and March 31, the Cree could go back before the courts with their claims.

What is the federal government waiting for to take Quebec's lead and sign a nation-to-nation agreement with the Cree?

Aboriginal AffairsOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Western Arctic Northwest Territories

Liberal

Ethel Blondin-Andrew LiberalMinister of State (Northern Development)

Mr. Speaker, the federal government has undertaken work with the Cree on an ongoing basis. We have signed agreements with the Cree before. We have an implementation process. A Cree table was set up years ago, and much work and many resources have been expended to that end. We will continue that work. Litigation is not the answer. We will continue to work toward finding a resolution to the issues brought forward by the Cree.

Canadian ForcesOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Conservative

Cheryl Gallant Conservative Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON

Mr. Speaker, with the increased cost of rations, rent and the illegal Ontario health premium tax, soldiers need the pay increase they were promised last year. Now they are being told to wait longer because there is no money. Soldiers have actually seen a decrease in their take home pay.

Why does the minister refuse to stand up for the soldiers and demand a refund of the Ontario Liberal's illegal health premium tax?

Canadian ForcesOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Winnipeg South Manitoba

Liberal

Reg Alcock LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board

Mr. Speaker, the minister has been standing up for the troops and arguing very hard for a pay raise. Information will be forthcoming shortly.

Equalization ProgramOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Conservative

Brian Fitzpatrick Conservative Prince Albert, SK

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal equalization formula is grossly unfair toward Saskatchewan. For example, Manitoba has a population roughly equal to Saskatchewan and has a $1,500 higher per capita income.

What is Manitoba currently receiving under the equalization formula? It is receiving in excess of $1.4 billion. What is Saskatchewan's share? It is a paltry $77 million. That is insulting.

Why does the Minister of Finance refuse to give Saskatchewan the same equalization deal he recently gave to Newfoundland and Labrador?

Equalization ProgramOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party's newly found interest in equalization is really chokingly unbelievable. That was the party not many years ago that proposed the abolition of the entire equalization program. It did not care then. Now it has a sudden new-found interest in the subject.

Saskatchewan's biggest problem is not equalization. For the last 15 years, Saskatchewan has been carrying the burden of debt imposed upon it by Grant Devine's Conservative government. That is what drove Saskatchewan into the ground. That is the burden of which we are trying to get rid. That party has more gall than a brass monkey.

Official LanguagesOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Liberal

Don Boudria Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON

Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services.

On January 20 last, the Commissioner of Official Languages—

Official LanguagesOral Question Period

February 7th, 2005 / 2:55 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

Official LanguagesOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Liberal

Don Boudria Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON

I do not think that official languages interest the members opposite.

Official LanguagesOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

The Speaker

Order, please. The hon. member for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell.

Official LanguagesOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Liberal

Don Boudria Liberal Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON

On Friday, January 20 last, the Commissioner of Official Languages condemned the government's slow rate of progress in putting in place policies to ensure that there is government advertising in the language of the minority.

Why did the government implement only five of the Commissioner of Official Languages' eighteen recommendations, and when will the remaining thirteen be adopted?

Official LanguagesOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Kings—Hants Nova Scotia

Liberal

Scott Brison LiberalMinister of Public Works and Government Services

Mr. Speaker, my department has pledged to accept the commissioner's recommendations that apply to Public Works Canada. Three of these recommendations have already been acted on, and the others should be in March.

Public Works Canada remains totally committed to promoting official languages in minority communities.

Pharmaceutical IndustryOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Conservative

Steven Fletcher Conservative Charleswood—St. James, MB

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health must know he needs to rethink his plan to kill the online pharmacy industry when a senior member of his own party has asked him to stop acting irrationally. The Treasury Board president expressed his hope that the health minister would not destroy an industry that provides thousands of jobs to Canadians.

Why is the President of the Treasury Board speaking on health matters when there is supposedly a Minister of Health in charge? Who is calling the shots over there?

Pharmaceutical IndustryOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Vancouver South B.C.

Liberal

Ujjal Dosanjh LiberalMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, the fact is I have been speaking up on this issue for some time. The President of the Treasury Board and I are of one mind. What we have said--

Pharmaceutical IndustryOral Question Period

3 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!