House of Commons Hansard #66 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was budget.

Topics

CitizenshipOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh!

CitizenshipOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

The Speaker

Order, please. All hon. members have considerable compassion for the member for Edmonton--Leduc who asked the question. He has to be able to hear the answer. The hon. Minister of Citizenship and Immigration has the floor. The member has to be able to hear him. I am having trouble. The hon. Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.

CitizenshipOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Liberal

Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON

I guess it was a bit of a soft and tender skin that I touched, Mr. Speaker.

The member opposite has acknowledged that what we do accomplish is the appropriate processing of all those who meet the qualifications, even if there are those who are in a volunteer capacity to do the swearing in. May I compliment all those Canadians.

Employment InsuranceOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Liberal

Jean-Claude D'Amours Liberal Madawaska—Restigouche, NB

Mr. Speaker, last year, the Liberal caucus and I were vigorously involved with the EI issue. Many caucus members consulted Canadians extensively and listened to the needs of seasonal workers in order to advise the government on the best way to help them.

Could the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development tell the House how many workers the reforms announced following these consultations will benefit?

Employment InsuranceOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Westmount—Ville-Marie Québec

Liberal

Lucienne Robillard LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada

Mr. Speaker, I salute the work that has been accomplished by the Liberal caucus in the area of employment insurance. I am well aware of the very keen interest the hon. member for Madawaska—Restigouche takes in the people of his region.

We have announced five specific measures to support those with more limited incomes in EI terms, and seasonal workers in particular. I am pleased to say that more than 220,000 individuals across the country will benefit from these measures.

HealthOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

NDP

Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC

Mr. Speaker, we used to worry about the creeping privatization of health care, but under the Liberal minister private health care is taking off at a gallop.

Every day we hear another story of Canadians' emptying their wallets to pay for health services that should be covered by medicare. Every week there is another report of a private clinic opening in Canada. It does not take $41 billion to enforce the Canada Health Act. All it takes is a phone call from the minister to stop privatization.

When will the minister make that phone call?

HealthOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Vancouver South B.C.

Liberal

Ujjal Dosanjh LiberalMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, instead of a phone call, many letters have been written to all the provinces where potential violations exist with respect to the Canada Health Act. That dialogue was resumed with them in late fall of last year, and it continues. We will be enforcing the Canada Health Act by going through the dispute avoidance resolution process.

HealthOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

NDP

Jean Crowder NDP Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC

Mr. Speaker, it is fine to talk about throwing around money and throwing around letters, but let us talk about promises to stop privatization.

During the Liberal convention the minister called the Canada Health Act medicare's charter and promised to enforce the act. I have already asked when the minister would stop the privatization of our health care system other than letters. He previously said “Just watch me”.

Canadians are watching and waiting for the Minister of Health to actually enforce the Canada Health Act across the country, with no exceptions. When will the minister actually keep this promise?

HealthOral Question Period

2:45 p.m.

Vancouver South B.C.

Liberal

Ujjal Dosanjh LiberalMinister of Health

Mr. Speaker, I repeat essentially what I said earlier. I reaffirm it. Obviously, a dialogue takes some time and a process takes some time. We shall get there.

Natural ResourcesOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Conservative

Bill Casey Conservative North Nova, NS

Mr. Speaker, speaking of promises, nine months ago the Prime Minister promised the people in Nova Scotia 100% of the offshore gas and oil revenues. This is another promise made but not kept. Not one red cent has flowed to the province of Nova Scotia, and there is not even legislation tabled to start it.

With only nine days left in the fiscal year, when will the Prime Minister table legislation to make the offshore deal work so Nova Scotia can finally get 100% of the gas and oil revenues?

Natural ResourcesOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, the government negotiated in good faith with Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador and achieved a very important agreement for both provinces, keeping faith with the commitments that were made by the Prime Minister in the summer of last year.

The appropriate legislation will be presented to the House as part of the budget implementation process.

Natural ResourcesOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Conservative

Loyola Hearn Conservative St. John's South, NL

Mr. Speaker, after months of dithering the government made the same commitment to the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Prime Minister said, “Legislation will be brought in as quickly as possible”.

Would the minister clarify for the House what does it mean when the Prime Minister says “as quickly as possible”?

Natural ResourcesOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. gentleman would know, the legislation involves some very significant complexity. It is being drafted at the present moment. It will be presented to the House as quickly as it possibly can be.

Natural ResourcesOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Conservative

Dave Batters Conservative Palliser, SK

Mr. Speaker, the new Atlantic accord now allows two provinces to grow their economies by retaining revenues derived from their non-renewable natural resources.

We in Saskatchewan want nothing more and demand nothing less. We do not want our have or have not status to be dependent on fluctuations in the price of oil.

Why is the finance minister the only elected politician in Saskatchewan, federal or provincial, who does not want to secure our future, grow our economy and give us equal treatment? Why will he not give Saskatchewan the same deal?

Natural ResourcesOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud indeed to be the only elected politician in Saskatchewan, federal or provincial, who has delivered $710 million for my province in the last fiscal year under the current equalization system to correct past errors, to put a floor under the system, to stop the clawback and to ensure that Saskatchewan can enjoy its have status

Equalization ProgramOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Conservative

Lynne Yelich Conservative Blackstrap, SK

Mr. Speaker, today the finance minister's provincial counterpart and the opposition finance critic from Saskatchewan are in Ottawa to speak before the Senate finance committee and demand equal treatment for their province.

The government's approach to equalization has to be consistent and has to be based on a sound, fair formula. This inequity is unacceptable for the future of Saskatchewan and for all Canadian provinces.

There is a united voice in Ottawa today. Saskatchewan continues to make its case. Will the federal cabinet minister listen to what his own province is saying and will he take action?

Equalization ProgramOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, I have already indicated a number of the steps that have been taken by the government to address the concerns of Saskatchewan. I acknowledge that those concerns are very real and very deep because the Conservative Party saddled Saskatchewan with an $11 billion debt. That is what is dragging the province down.

The government is trying to lift that province up by improving equalization and ensuring that it is there for Saskatchewan when Saskatchewan needs it.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Bloc

Denise Poirier-Rivard Bloc Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC

Mr. Speaker, the American market was supposed to reopen to cattle from Canada and Quebec today, but the temporary injunction obtained last week by some American cattle producers is further delaying the partial reopening of the American border.

What does the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food intend to do about this injunction, to ensure that the interests of cattle and dairy producers in Quebec and Canada are properly defended?

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Parry Sound—Muskoka Ontario

Liberal

Andy Mitchell LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, I mentioned a number of things earlier. We will continue to vigorously work with the Americans to deal with the issue that is immediately before us, but as important, put in place the repositioning strategy to ensure that our producers, regardless of where they are in Canada, can restructure or reposition their industry in a way that they are profitable with or without a border opening.

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:50 p.m.

Bloc

Denise Poirier-Rivard Bloc Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC

Mr. Speaker, given that this new tactic on the part of American producers is likely to further delay the partial reopening of the border, has the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food planned to implement an aid package that takes into account not only cattle producers, but also the dairy producers affected by the slump in prices, and cull prices in particular?

AgricultureOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Parry Sound—Muskoka Ontario

Liberal

Andy Mitchell LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Mr. Speaker, specifically on that issue, as all colleagues in the House know, the Canadian Dairy Commission, in setting the price of milk last December, included in the price increase a specific amount to deal with cull animals for the dairy industry, and that has been of significant help and importance to it.

In addition to that, I met as recently as last week with my counterpart in Quebec, the new minister, and we continue to have discussions to see what we can do to supplement that initiative.

Aéroports de MontréalOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Conservative

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

Mr. Speaker, the Aéroports de Montréal ended 2004 with a net loss of $10.3 million. Its revenues increased 15% between 2003 and 2004, but the rent that Aéroports de Montréal has to pay Ottawa increased by 306% over the same period. The incredible increase in rent is threatening the future of the airport closest to where the Minister of Transport lives.

My question is for the Minister of Transport: will he, yes or no, lower these unjustifiable rents?

Aéroports de MontréalOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Wascana Saskatchewan

Liberal

Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, the subject of airport rents is under very active consideration at the present time. The formula is one that I think everybody recognizes needs correcting. It is one that is not consistently applied among airports across the country.

The next scheduled rate increases are on January 1, 2006, and the government will act expeditiously to resolve this matter well in advance of that date.

TransportationOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Conservative

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

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister may want to convince the transport minister, who said he was “very disappointed by the budget” on this very file.

The Liberal government has unilaterally decided to cut back and put at risk the last remaining ferry service between P.E.I. and Nova Scotia. Last year, over 20,000 commercial trucks, 176,000 passenger vehicles and 475,000 passengers depended on this service.

Why has the government irresponsibly decided to put at risk this crucial link between P.E.I. and Nova Scotia?

TransportationOral Question Period

2:55 p.m.

Outremont Québec

Liberal

Jean Lapierre LiberalMinister of Transport

Mr. Speaker, I cannot believe the member would say something like that when the operator of the ferry will be in my department tomorrow negotiating a five year deal. We are now about to negotiate and sign a five year deal for that ferry. We will ensure that we have a fair deal and we will not negotiate in public. However, we have a commitment for five years for the ferry and we will deliver.