Debates of Oct. 22nd, 2007

Drugs and Pharmaceuticals

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Minister of Health and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, on this particular topic, the hon. member is quite correct that Canadians should not be paying more than they need to pay. It goes to reason this is why this government has increased its transfer payments to the provinces and territories to the tune of $2 billion last year alone. We are working with the provinces and territories on a national pharmaceutical strategy.

I know the hon. member's party has a policy platform in this area. That is fine, but the NDP has not told us how it would pay for all of this. From our perspective, we are working with the traditional deliverers of this service to ensure that Canadians are covered better.

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, it seems we get a lot of tough talk and no action. Perhaps that minister is sitting too close to the finance minister.

I have a suggestion for him. Here is an easy way to solve this problem. When a generic version of a drug is ready for the market, just tell the doctors. Let them compare the costs. Get the information into the hands of physicians. That way doctors will be able to check the drug prices before they prescribe.

Will the minister do that? Why will the government not act on something so sensible, such a cost effective solution that would make drugs more affordable and help Canadians become more healthy for all--

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The hon. Minister of Health.

[Tony Clement, Conservative, Minister of Health and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario]

Mr. Speaker, not only have we increased transfer payments, but we are in fact working with the provinces and territories to establish best practices in areas including how to deliver better information to patients.

May I say to the hon. member, one can never be too close to the finance minister.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Cardigan, PE]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries is dead wrong to authorize a vessel 125 feet long, with 5,000 horsepower, towing a net five football fields wide and a quarter of a mile long. The minister knows full well the devastation caused by these trawlers, which destroy everything in their path. In fact, the minister has authorized a killing machine.

Again, I ask the minister, will he do the right thing here in the House for the gulf region and bring an end to this killing machine in the gulf region?

[Loyola Hearn, Conservative, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, let me assure the member that this boat and any other seiners who are fishing in the area are fishing their own quotas and not one herring above their quotas. They have a certain amount to catch.

It is prime product that will provide many hundreds of jobs in the New Brunswick area, an area that has been devastated because of the policies of the members opposite.

If they only have a certain amount to catch, whether they catch it in a dory or in the Queen Mary, it does not make any difference.

Retail Industry

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians work hard to support themselves and their families. When they purchase goods, they deserve to pay a fair price.

While a number of retailers are reducing their prices, recent reports indicate Canadian prices for some goods are considerably higher compared to U.S. prices.

While the Liberals, the NDP and the Bloc have been virtually silent on this issue, the finance minister is standing up for consumers.

I understand the minister will be meeting with the retail industry representatives tomorrow. Can he inform the House as to what he is hoping to achieve?

[Jim Flaherty, Conservative, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Burlington for the very timely question.

There is clearly room to reduce prices in Canada, given the increased purchasing power of the Canadian dollar. This is important, not only for Canadian consumers, but it is also important for Canadian retailers so that they can maintain their sales volume.

I have encouraged retailers to reduce their prices as soon as possible. Many already have. More are doing so. This is valuable for Canadian consumers. I encourage Canadian consumers to shop around so that the market will work well.

Presence in Gallery

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

I would like to draw to the attention of hon. members the presence in the gallery of Mr. Daniel Igali, gold medal winner in men's freestyle wrestling at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

Oral Questions

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I do believe you erred in not allowing the question. The question went directly to the issue of ensuring that Canadian laws are abided by and I believe there is no more important law than having prime ministerial assurances that the very spending requirements in an election are in fact met.

Over the past number of days there have been questions by many members in this House about the in and out scheme of the Conservative Party. We have not had a response from the Prime Minister to that question. It goes right to the heart of democracy itself. I believe you should have allowed the question.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

I am more than happy to review the question that was asked, but from what the hon. member just said, it sounded to me very questionable whether the question was in order if it dealt with the election expenditures of a party. It has to deal with the administrative responsibility of the government. The government is not responsible for administering the rules relating to election expenses; Elections Canada is. It is an independent agency that does not report to the House through the government. It reports to the House through the Speaker.

It is difficult for the hon. member to ask questions about Elections Canada to the government, unless it is government policy as coming up in a change in the law respecting Elections Canada. His question appeared to have nothing to do with it.

As I said, I could not hear the first part of the question because of the tumult in the House. Maybe there was something in there that rendered it in order, but the part I heard in my view was out of order.

I will review the hon. member's question again. If I find it in order I will advise him accordingly and he will be able to ask it another day.

Are there any other points of order or are we finished with that?

Immigration and Refugee Protection Act

[Stockwell Day, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-3, An Act to amend the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (certificate and special advocate) and to make a consequential amendment to another Act.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Phosphorus Control Act

[Francis Scarpaleggia, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-464, An Act to limit the use of phosphorus in dishwasher detergent.

Mr. Speaker, as members may know from reading the newspapers this summer, there is a significant blue-green algae problem in the province of Quebec. While this problem is not caused solely by phosphates in detergents and especially dishwasher detergents, it is time that we moved on this to bring the level down to 0.5% by weight.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

International Aid

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present two petitions. My first petition is on behalf of constituents in my riding. The petitioners strongly support the government's decision to ban Hamas and to cut it off from foreign aid from this government.

The petitioners call on the government to stand strong behind the decision to cut off Hamas, a terrorist group in Gaza, from Canadian tax dollars.

Religious Freedom

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my second petition is from some of my constituents and calls on the government to be a strong voice in defence of the civil rights and liberties of the Coptic Christians in Egypt who have come under increasing persecution from radical elements in that country.

We stand four-square behind the Coptic Christians and their desire to have freedom of religion.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

It appears the Speaker went too quickly and missed the hon. House leader for the official opposition when he rose on motions. I am therefore going back to motions to permit the hon. member for Wascana to propose a motion.

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I do not think this should take long.

In order for the House to make at least some progress on anti-crime legislation today in a responsible way, I wonder if you could see if there is unanimous consent in the House for the following motion, that Bill C-2, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, be deemed to have been read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Does the hon. member for Wascana have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

No.

[Peter Van Loan, Conservative, York—Simcoe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

I would ask at this time that you seek unanimous consent for this House to adopt a motion to approve Bill C-2, the tackling violent crime act, at all stages so it may move forward to the Senate.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Does the hon. the government House leader have the unanimous consent of the House to propose this motion?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

No.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Maybe there could be more consultation between the House leaders in advance and we would be able to settle this in the usual way rather than by moving these motions on the floor, if I could make a humble suggestion.

Summer Jobs Program

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I have several petitions to present.

The first concerns the summer jobs program. This program is not good for rural regions, tourism or any association or employer that depends on hiring students in the summer to keep running smoothly and ensure its activities are consistent with previous years.

Consequently, the petitioners request that Parliament restore eligibility criteria similar to those of the summer career placement program so that more employers are eligible for more funding to hire students in the summer.