Pierre Pettigrew

[Canada-U.S. Relations, March 10th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I think it is very important to realize that the government is working very well with the United States. We intend to continue to enjoy and we have built with the Americans the best continent on the planet in terms of prosperity, quality of life and the level of justice.

We are now working closely with Mexico as well. We will, at the end of this month in Waco, Texas, continue to build on the relationship. We will do this because we like working with the Americans and we know that this is the right thing to do for the future of Canadian prosperity and the quality of justice on our continent.

[Canada-U.S. Relations, March 10th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the opposition makes it a common habit to try to focus on little comments here and there and never tries to help build a strong relationship with the United States, as this government is trying to do.

We want to work well with the United States. The Prime Minister will be going to Waco and Crawford in Texas on March 23. He will be working with President Fox and the President of the United States on a new North American partnership. This is what counts.

We focus on the positive. The opposition should join us in trying to build a strong relationship with the United States.

[Canadian Landmine Fund, March 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report on the Canadian Landmine Fund on completing the task.

[Canadian Space Program, March 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, we have a very strong defence procurement arrangement with the United States which has been working for many years. I am sure that with the very strong Canadian technology that exists in this country that the Americans will always go and get the best possible technology that is available, some of it being in Canada.

We are confident that with the defence procurement arrangement that has served our industry and the defence realities in North America very well over the last few years, we will be there.

[Foreign Affairs, March 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I do not know what my colleague refers to when he talks about the silence. We have never lost an opportunity of engaging with the Chinese leadership. The Prime Minister was just in China and raised the issue of the human rights situation.

The government has been committed to the promotion of democracy and human rights around the world. We are a country that believes in the rule of law. We are a country that supports democracy everywhere. We never shy away from our responsibilities, engaging the actual leaders in it.

I did exactly the same thing when I was in Syria last week, and in Lebanon at the same time. We always do it.

[Foreign Affairs, March 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his interest in this very important issue. Yes, I have seen the solidarity of all parties calling to the attention of all of us the situation in Darfur.

We have been very active since October 2003. We have invested $26 million for humanitarian aid, protection and peace building measures. We have given $70 million since 2000 for humanitarian aid in Sudan. We have invested $20 million to help the African Union to do a better job.

Next week I will call on our envoy, Mobina Jaffer, the senator--

[Reproductive Technologies, March 8th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, this is absolutely not the case. We could not support the declaration because of the new provisions that were added to the text and expanded its scope beyond cloning. These new provisions were so vague they were raising concerns that they could affect other areas of reproductive health that are quite important for many Canadian families in this country.

[Reproductive Technologies, March 8th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I think it is very important that we read the resolution as it stands. While important elements of the UN declaration are consistent with Canada's domestic legislation on the prohibition of cloning, the government is unable to support it due to its imprecise drafting, unfortunately. I am glad that the Deputy Prime Minister agrees with this as well. This is the situation. We are loyal to our principles reflected in our own legislation.

[National Defence, March 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Leader of the Opposition does not understand how government works. Cabinet decisions are being made at the cabinet table.

When I met with Secretary of State Rice, I informed her of our intentions as a government but the decision was not made. It was made at the cabinet table.

[Health, February 24th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the government's position on human cloning is clear. All forms of human cloning for whatever purpose and using whatever techniques are banned in Canada under the Assisted Human Reproduction Act. That is the reality.

While important elements of the United Nations declaration are consistent with Canada's domestic legislation on the prohibition of cloning, the government was unable to support it due to some imprecise drafting. The language presented raised difficulties.