Debates of March 24th, 2005

Canada-U.S. Relations

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, this is a serious debate. It is one that ought to be carried on by serious people about the future of our economy and the role we are going to play in the world. I would ask the leader of the NDP to approach it in that way instead of simply pursuing straw men. I would ask that he sit down in the House or in committee or anywhere and debate the real issues. The future of Canadian generations to come will depend on just how competitive our economy is and on the kinds of programs we build in to build this country.

Public Safety

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Central Nova, NS]

Mr. Speaker, last night Quebeckers were sad because they were going to lose track of the Bougon family for several months. But today they have some consolation: Correctional Services Canada has also lost track of its Bougons and refuses to publish photos of the escapees, who nonetheless continue to receive government cheques.

When will the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness put an end to this ridiculous farce?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, I apologize to the hon. member, but I am not exactly sure what the question was about. If he is talking about the fact that there are those who are at large in a province such as Quebec and about what we do to help local police forces identify them, we do provide pictures.

I think there was an assertion somewhere in the press today that we do not provide pictures. We do in fact provide photographs of those people to the local police and then it is up to the local police to decide what they do with those pictures.

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Central Nova, NS]

Mr. Speaker, in an outrageous demonstration of Liberal values, the Correctional Service of Canada is refusing to publicize photos or information about prison escapees, including convicted murders, because that would be an invasion of their privacy.

To add insult to injury, the government's obsessive coddling of criminals has enabled other government departments to send cheques to escapees living under false names, sending taxpayers' dollars to freewheeling fugitives.

When will the government end this perverse practice of allowing prisoners' privacy rights to trump the safety of Canadians and their cash and catch the crooks and clean up this stupid system?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. This has nothing to do with privacy rights. If the hon. member is talking about the situation where we have escapees from federal prison institutions, we in fact do provide pictures. We provide pictures to local police forces. Those pictures are then displayed or not, made public or not, on the decision of local police forces involved in the question.

I can assure the hon. member that as it relates to the disclosing of the identity of these people, local police forces have the right to do that.

Sponsorship Program

[Vic Toews, Conservative, Provencher, MB]

Mr. Speaker, Lafleur Communications received millions of tax dollars in a money for nothing contract scheme under the sponsorship program. Lafleur then kicked back $97,000 of that money to the Liberal Party of Canada.

This is not a difficult issue. The money trail is clear. A lawsuit could be helpful, but why would the Prime Minister not simply pick up the phone and ask his friends in the Liberal Party to give the money back to Canadian taxpayers?

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

Mr. Speaker, first of all, we have pursued action to recover funds for the Canadian taxpayer. While we have pursued action, we do not have a verdict. Furthermore, Justice Gomery has not completed his work.

We cannot act on allegations. We act as a responsible government, based on facts, and we expect the party to do so, but let us be clear. The party has said absolutely that any funds attained inappropriately will be returned to the Canadian taxpayer. That is the right thing to do. That is a promise made. That will be a promise kept.

[Russ Hiebert, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock—Cloverdale, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Groupaction received over $34 million in money for nothing contracts from the ad scam while the Liberal Party got ads for free, money for nothing ads for free. Groupaction kicked back over $200,000 of that money to the Liberal Party. How dare the Liberal Party use taxpayers' funds to re-elect themselves?

Justice Gomery cannot recover these funds. Will the Prime Minister take immediate action right now and recover the money from the Liberal Party of Canada?

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

Mr. Speaker, this Prime Minister has demonstrated real action. He has demonstrated real leadership and courage by setting up the Gomery commission. Canadians recognize the Prime Minister's openness and his commitment to the truth.

Today's Globe and Mail in fact says that the Prime Minister “chose another option. He took the high road”. The opposition should take the example from the Prime Minister and take the high road as well and wait for Justice Gomery to complete his work.

Border Security

[Richard Marceau, Bloc, Charlesbourg, QC]

Mr. Speaker, closing RCMP detachments in Quebec is a poor decision which negates the goal of increasing security, especially in border regions. Everyone has opposed this decision.

How can the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness refuse to shoulder her responsibilities and listen to a unanimous request by the 54 Bloc MPs and, according to the hon. member for Brome—Missisquoi, the 21 Liberal members from Quebec who are asking her to review this poor decision?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said many times in the House, the number of Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers serving as part of the national police force in the province of Quebec remains identical to the number serving before the redeployment.

The reason the redeployment took place was in fact to ensure greater efficiency and effectiveness in the RCMP's national policing role in the province of Quebec. Those decisions were made in consultation with others, including the Sûreté du Québec.

[Richard Marceau, Bloc, Charlesbourg, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is back from a meeting with the presidents of the United States and Mexico, during which border security was discussed.

How can the Prime Minister imagine he has any credibility at all in talks about security when his government refuses to deploy the minimum resources necessary at the borders, closes RCMP detachments in border regions and is rapidly making the border as watertight as a sieve?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, in fact the RCMP officers have not been removed from the regions. They have been redeployed in ways that increase their effectiveness and efficiency, especially in fighting organized crime, the trafficking of illegal drugs, illegal guns and the smuggling of people, be it along the border between Quebec and the United States or elsewhere in our country.

I would also reassure the hon. member, if he is interested in reassurance, that the Minister of Finance has just provided another $433 million to the Canada Border Services Agency so it can put more men and women on the border to ensure our collective security.

Cultural Diversity

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

Mr. Speaker, discussions around the UNESCO convention on cultural diversity are continuing. Discussions will be held on May 23 to determine whether this convention will protect culture against the liberalization of trade, which is being negotiated concurrently at the WTO. Canada has not yet taken a position on this matter.

Can the minister tell us what position the government intends to defend with respect to the legal status of the UNESCO convention and the mechanisms her government deems necessary to ensure its effectiveness?

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

Mr. Speaker, as my colleague has said, we are working very hard with the provinces, Quebec included. We did so, moreover, for two weeks in late January and early February, in order to come up with a document. We then held discussions with all stakeholders, the European community included, precisely with a view to ending up with a convention with some teeth in it, which will protect culture as an element essential to the identity of each country.

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

Mr. Speaker, the UNESCO convention must protect culture from the usual trade regulations. That is the purpose of the discussions. The European Union has made what some consider a worthwhile proposal, but Canada has come up with nothing.

Why is the minister not getting her act together and playing the active role that the cultural communities expect of her?

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

Mr. Speaker, this is not a matter to be used for political points, first of all.

Second, Canada initiated the UNESCO action.

Third, what the hon. member has said is totally wrong. We have worked extremely hard to have a document that does protect culture, and excludes it from the WTO.

Fourth, we have the support of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and of the Minister of International Trade as well.

We have played a lead role—period—whether they like it or not.

Sponsorship Program

[Helena Guergis, Conservative, Simcoe—Grey, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Groupe Everest received tens of thousands of sponsorship dollars. The company's president then donated thousands back to the Liberal Party of Canada.

My question is really very simple. Will the Prime Minister take immediate action to recover this dirty money from the Liberal Party of Canada and return it to taxpayers?

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

Mr. Speaker, the fact is, I have already answered that question. The Liberal Party has been clear that any money that was gained inappropriately will be returned, but I want to make a point here. For decades good people in Quebec have done important work on behalf of the federalist cause. A lot of these people have had their integrity unfairly tarnished by what has happened here, and we have a responsibility as a government and as a party to get to the bottom of this such that we can defend the integrity of all Quebec Liberals, of all Quebec federalists.

This Prime Minister takes that responsibility very seriously and we are going to get the job done.

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake, MB]

Mr. Speaker, we know, contrary to what the minister just said, that the Liberal Party is ethically and morally bankrupt and may now be financially bankrupt.

Coffin Communications has received millions of tax dollars and money for nothing contracts from the sponsorship program. The Liberal Party of Canada enjoyed huge kickbacks from Coffin.

I have a very simple question for the Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party. Will he take immediate action to recover the dirty money and give it back to Canadians immediately, with interest?

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

Mr. Speaker, again, this Prime Minister has taken significant action and has demonstrated real leadership by appointing Justice Gomery to do his work and by putting Mr. Gauthier in a position where we as a government are going after these funds to ensure that they come back to the taxpayer.

Furthermore, the party has been clear that any funds gained inappropriately will be returned to the Canadian people.

Let us be clear. There are thousands, tens of thousands, of Quebec Liberals, good federalists who have worked for decades to try to keep this country together. I personally resent that kind of slander from individuals like that attacking good federalists in Quebec who are working hard to keep the country together.

[Guy Lauzon, Conservative, Stormont—Dundas—South Glengarry, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the “15% club” continues to keep people talking.

Recently, administrators of the World Aquatic Championships in Montreal contributed to corporations such as Via Rail and Canada Post and received commissions.

Can the Minister of Revenue claim that Serge Savard, Francis Fox or Yvon Desrochers have never received anything in this new round of sponsorships?

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

Mr. Speaker, we have fulfilled all our obligations toward Montreal 2005.

We are very proud of the world aquatic championships, which will take place in Montreal in July. These will be a great success. We are fully in step with the mayor of Montreal. Mayor Tremblay has shown great leadership in assuring that these games will go on.

The Government of Canada is the major public contributor to those games. These games will be a great success for Montreal, for Quebec and for all Canada.

[Monte Solberg, Conservative, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the minister really misses the point. We want to talk about the scandal surrounding the Montreal aquatic games. Some officials of the aquatic games in Montreal were still receiving their 15% on advertising and sponsorships.

Could the Minister of State for Sport assure the House that no government contributions to the Montreal aquatic games have resulted in commissions for Serge Savard, Yvon Desrochers or any other Liberal organizer?

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

Mr. Speaker, we can be assured that the aquatic games will be run in the most forthright and transparent way. The Government of Canada, since difficulties occurred in the fall, has demanded that the board be fully reconstituted, that there be a full review of payments to Mr. Desrochers and his companies and that there is written confirmation that all financial documents are in place. There is the adoption of a conflict of interest code. We have withheld any further federal funds until the situation is cleared up to our satisfaction.

All that needs to be done is being done to ensure the successful completion of these games in July