House of Commons Hansard #89 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was sex.
Natural ResourcesOral Question Period
The Speaker
Order. The hon. member for St. John's East asked a question and I know he is trying to get his colleagues to be quiet so he can hear the answer. The Minister of Finance has the floor and we will want to hear the minister.
Ralph Goodale Liberal Wascana, SK
Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman's party has indicated that they support the tax agenda that the government has laid out. They have indicated that they support the government on the cities agenda and on the child care agenda. They obviously support the government on the provisions with respect to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.
The simple remedy for all of this is for members of the official opposition to do what they said they would do initially on February 23 and that is to support the budget.
Loyola Hearn Conservative St. John's South, NL
Mr. Speaker, last year in St. John's the Prime Minister promised to deal with foreign overfishing and give Atlantic Canadians improved offshore royalties. Yesterday he made the same promise, but the foreigners continue to steal our fish and the Atlantic provinces are still waiting for their money.
If the Prime Minister can make a deal with members of the NDP, and I hope they have it in writing, why can he not make a deal with the NAP, the neglected Atlantic provinces, and bring forth stand-alone legislation which they request?
Shawn Murphy LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans
Mr. Speaker, as we speak, Canada is hosting a global convention on overfishing. It opened yesterday in St. John's. I was there, as was the Prime Minister, as was Premier Williams, as was Newfoundland fisheries minister Trevor Taylor, as was our Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. We heard the commitment from all these speakers. I am looking forward to the ministerial declaration.
What disappointed me, what appalled me and what shocked me was that the learned member for St. John's South--Mount Pearl and the learned member for St. John's East were not there for the opening day of this convention.
Stockwell Day Conservative Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC
Mr. Speaker, Maurice Strong is the Prime Minister's mentor, long-time intimate friend, long-time business associate at Power Corporation, and special adviser. Cordex Petroleum is now being investigated under the Iraq oil for food scandal for a $1 million injection from two agents of none other than the former dictator of Iraq, Saddam Hussein. Mr. Strong has stepped aside while this investigation is going on.
I would like to ask the Prime Minister, as Mr. Strong is his special adviser, has he ever discussed with him the possibility of any Canadian implications in the oil for food program?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, there is an investigation that is being done on the whole oil for food program at the United Nations. I can say that Mr. Strong has absolutely denied these allegations. This country should be very proud of the role Mr. Maurice Strong has played over the years in his work in systematically making progress at the United Nations institutions. We should certainly respect Mr. Strong, who has absolutely denied these allegations and not resonate them across this country.
Stockwell Day Conservative Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC
Mr. Speaker, just this weekend it has come out that Mr. Strong has failed to comply with the United Nations hiring guidelines. It has also come out that Paribas Bank, affiliated with Power Corporation, has made over 400 payments under the oil for food program to companies that are not on the United Nations approved list, including Canadian recipients.
Will the Prime Minister, to clear Canada's name and to fix Canada's international reputation which is being hurt by the sponsorship scandal, ask for an investigation of any Canadian implication in the oil for food program?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, Mr. Strong has been absolutely clear. He has denied these allegations. We in this Parliament should respect an eminent Canadian who has worked very hard and very well at the United Nations.
There, as in the sponsorship inquiry since the member raised it, we should take allegations for what they are, and that is, allegations which are not proven. Let the people at the United Nations do their investigation, as we are saying that Gomery should be doing his report on allegations here. Let us bring back some sense in this House.
Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Mr. Speaker, after 11 months, we learn that the surplus for last fiscal year totaled $11 billion, once incurred expenditures were deducted. Even the premier of Quebec has reacted and is calling for lasting solutions to the fiscal imbalance.
Having refused the Bloc subamendment which called upon the government to address the fiscal imbalance, does the Prime Minister intend to change his tactics and address this problem, which is recognized by everyone except the federal Liberals?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman is obviously quoting incomplete figures for the past fiscal year. We will have to wait until the end of the fiscal year to see what the final arithmetic is, but all indications are that the numbers are on track with those which I forecast in the budget.
I would point out that in the course of the last number of years, our major transfers to Quebec have been increasing: in 2002-03, $11.8 billion; 2003-04, $12.4 billion; 2004-05, $13.8 billion; 2005-06, $15.5 billion. We are moving in the right direction.
Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Mr. Speaker, how can the Prime Minister justify his refusal to discuss the Bloc Québécois amendment denouncing the fiscal imbalance, something that is far from being an intellectual conceit, since once again this year the announced surplus will far exceed the Minister of Finance's forecast?
Ralph Goodale LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, that assertion is obviously the hon. gentleman's speculation. As I said in my previous answer, the arithmetic so far would indicate that we are on track with the forecast. What the hon. gentleman is not taking into account are the commitments we made on health care, the commitments we made on equalization, the commitments we made on a whole range of other transfers to the provinces which are not yet booked and come out of the arithmetic that he has referred to.
Jim Prentice Conservative Calgary North Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, the Deputy Prime Minister can now add the Mackenzie Valley pipeline to her growing list of mismanaged files. Late last week the proponents of this pipeline, the largest energy project in Canadian history, announced they were putting down their tools because of the confusion surrounding the government's approval process. Everyone wants this pipeline, the producers, the aboriginal Canadians who live there, the market, the first nations who are part of the group, everyone except the Deputy Prime Minister and her bungling colleagues who have ensnared everyone in red tape.
Will the Deputy Prime Minister resign her position as the chair of the--
Anne McLellan LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, let me reassure the hon. member that we are working very closely with all interested parties, the Government of the Northwest Territories, the communities along the Mackenzie Delta and the producers.
I had the opportunity to meet with the producers a week or 10 days ago. We are working together in a collaborative fashion. No one denies that north of 60 and the Northwest Territories is a complex regulatory environment, but what we are all working to do, unlike those people, is actually to solve the problem on behalf of all Canadians.
John Duncan Conservative Vancouver Island North, BC
Mr. Speaker, the pipeline plan to transport natural gas from the Mackenzie Valley is mired in paralysis by the government. The government has made commitments to regulatory timelines that it has failed to live up to. The Deputy Prime Minister chairs the cabinet committee that was to clear away the red tape and she has failed.
When will the Deputy Prime Minister appoint someone else to save this project from her bungling?
Anne McLellan LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness
Mr. Speaker, I think that is the same question as we heard before, but let me reiterate in case they did not hear it the first time that the federal government is working with the Government of the Northwest Territories, working with the communities along the delta and working with the producers to ensure that this complex regulatory environment is one that works for everybody, is one that is fair to everybody, is one that is transparent for everybody. That is why we are all working together to reach that shared result of Mackenzie gas flowing south.
Charles Hubbard Liberal Miramichi, NB
Mr. Speaker, one of the most demanding jobs within our public service is that of correctional officer in our 50 federal penitentiaries. These people meet with some of the most challenging people within our society on a daily basis. These nearly 6,000 workers have not had a collective agreement for some three years.
Could the President of the Treasury Board please inform the House on the status of the problem in dealing with that collective agreement?
Reg Alcock LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question. It is nice to have somebody in the House who is concerned about the employees of the government.
We have been bargaining with the new representatives of the correctional officers for some time now. There are a couple of issues that are outside the normal bargaining process. We are working hard. I would like to see this resolved, but we have a few issues yet to come to terms on.
Ted Menzies Conservative Macleod, AB
Mr. Speaker, while the health minister was playing political games over the weekend, 10-year-old Mackenzie Olsen, a first nations child from my riding, grew weaker by the day. The health minister refuses to pay for treatment for this child. He would rather see the family pay.
The hypocrisy of the minister who tries to sell himself as the grand defender of health care is appalling. Could he explain why he expects this family to pay the cost for their son's treatment?
Ujjal Dosanjh LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, of course this is a very serious situation. All governments are struggling with the issue of orphan drugs. I have been dealing with this issue for some time.
The member opposite in fact became aware of this issue just a couple of days ago. That is a matter of shame. This issue is in his riding. I have been struggling with this issue.
I am going to speak to Alberta's minister. I want to make sure that this issue is dealt with. I want to make sure that the young man does not go without medication when he needs it.
Steven Fletcher Conservative Charleswood—St. James, MB
Mr. Speaker, what is shameful is how the Liberals have dealt with this issue.
This issue highlights the twin disasters which are the Liberal health and first nations policies. In both it is always the same. The Liberals only act when they are shamed into doing so.
The government has known for months that Mackenzie Olsen's treatment would end, yet it shirked responsibility until the media finally forced it to notice.
Why did the health minister refuse for so long to help this boy?
Ujjal Dosanjh LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, this is an issue of a drug that is administered in a hospital which is the responsibility of the provincial jurisdiction.
However, I have made it very clear this matter is also before the court and will be heard tomorrow. Regardless of what the results are in the court, we will make sure that a solution is found to the predicament this child finds himself in. He will get the medication that he needs.
Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, on April 29, Quebec dairy producers gave each Quebec MP 25 kg of powdered milk to express their dissatisfaction at the Canadian government's inaction with respect to the import of modified milk ingredients and butter oils.
Why does the Minister of International Trade not invoke article XXVIII of the GATT in order to establish new tariff quotas and prove once and for all his intention to assist dairy producers and truly protect supply management?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, the questions raised by the hon. member for Joliette are very important. We are very interested in the supply management issue.
I know that my colleague, the Minister of International Trade, is currently examining the situation, specific cases cited by dairy producers, and it is his intention to discuss with them in the near future the strategy to be followed in the coming days and weeks.