Bev Desjarlais

[Cross-Border Drug Sales, November 1st, 2005]

Mr. Chair, to emphasize again the comments relating to Internet pharmacies and physicians from one country to the other, my understanding is that Canada recognizes American trained physicians and American trained pharmacists. They might have to do a bit of licensing here and there, but we recognize their credibility. The statements coming out of the mouths of politicians here in Canada that somehow one would not be as credible I would put along the same lines as statements by George Bush suggesting that drugs coming from Canada are not safe.

I would like the member's comments on that.

[Cross-Border Drug Sales, November 1st, 2005]

Mr. Chair, I have listened to the debate for some time this evening. My colleague from Quebec mentioned the huge shortage of medications that we would have in Canada. Would it not be reasonable to assume that if there were going to be an increased use of a drug, that the companies might want to hire more people and produce more of the drug? I am surprised that people would automatically think we are going to run out.

I am also a bit surprised that we would accept the fact, and I could have heard the member wrong in her comments, that if every person in the U.S. had their prescription filled we would run out in 38 days. I think the chance of that happening is pretty slim.

[Aboriginal Affairs, November 1st, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, Justice Gomery today spoke about a culture of entitlement in the Liberal government. From information I have obtained, it is clear that this sense of entitlement extends to Liberal candidates as well.

In 2001, capital funding for first nations in the Churchill riding was cut by $15 million from the previous year. For the next three years, the Liberal candidate's community received $53 million. His community, which already had a school, got a new school, while another community that has 700 children living in portables is still waiting.

Why is this government's capital funding for first nations based on photo ops and rewarding cronies rather than dealing with those communities most in need?

[Criminal Code, October 25th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I will be voting yes.

[Taxation, October 25th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister was the finance minister the northern allowance tax credit for most of northern Manitoba was cut in half in an arbitrary decision that made no sense. The allowance for Grand Rapids was cut completely. Communities in Quebec as far south as Winnipeg receive a full northern allowance.

At a time when increased fuel costs are having grave impacts for all Canadians, those in remote and northern areas are hit even harder.

Will the government now move to right a wrongful decision and implement the full tax credit?

[Aboriginal Affairs, October 20th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, education is critical to improving the social and economic strength of first nations people. The community of St.Theresa Point has over 700 nursery to grade eight students attending school in trailers and satellite rooms that were supposed to be temporary. They have no gym, no library and no playground. Indian Affairs says it will start design planning in 2009 for a new school. In the next five years 500 more children will reach school age.

Would the minister and the Liberal government accept their children receiving their education under these conditions?

[Canada Elections Act, October 18th, 2005]

I vote yes, Mr. Speaker.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division:)

[Question No. 172, September 26th, 2005]

With regard to corporate taxation: ( a ) what is the estimate by Revenue Canada of the amount of international transactions that were not reported by Canadian corporations for each year since 1991; ( b ) has the government given any loans or tax exempt status to any of the following companies over the last 25 years: General Motors, Bombardier, Noranda, Canadian Pacific, Domtar, Chrysler Canada, Baie-Comeau Co., Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting, Bank of Montreal and Coopers and Lybrand Consulting Group; ( c ) if any loans or tax exempt status has been given to these companies how much money is outstanding; ( d ) what is the cap on the amount of family trust assets that can be transferred out of the country by Canadians; ( e ) what is the level of family trust assets that can be transferred out of the country by an individual without taxation; ( f ) what is the proportion of taxes collected by the government that comes from individuals, compared to the amount raised by corporate taxes; ( g ) how has this proportion changed over the past two decades; ( h ) if there has been a shift in the proportion collected from corporate tax vs. personal tax, has this been a result of any government policy; and ( i ) how does the government expect the proportion of taxation coming from corporate tax vs. personal tax to change over the next 10 years?

(Return tabled)

[Question No. 162, September 26th, 2005]

With regards to Canada's annual reporting on and contribution to the Bretton Woods institutions: ( a ) how has Canada's participation in the institutions met Canada's established foreign policy goals and objectives, with reference to specific targets and measurable results; ( b ) what are the results-based indicators used by the government to measure the efficacy of the Bretton Woods institutions and why is their use not reflected in the annual report to Parliament; ( c ) how did Canada position itself on contentious issues under debate during the last year at the Bretton Woods institutions, particularly the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) independent Evaluation Office's Argentinian crisis evaluation, the IMF and the World Bank's evaluation departments separate evaluations on Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers, the Extractive Industries Review and Bretton Woods governance issues as related to the “voice and vote” debate; ( d ) how would the government characterize and compare the year-to-year changes in policies and priorities taken by Canada at these institutions; ( e ) what is the government's analysis of the financial performance of these institutions; ( f ) what role do Canada's contributions and participation in these institutions play within Canada's Official Development Assistance strategy; ( g ) what are the amounts contributed to IMF special funds or World Bank-administered trust funds particularly the African Regional Technical Assistance Center (AFRITAC) and the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC), the IMF's Technical Subaccount for Iraq, the World Bank's Global Environment Facility, the Global Funds for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the African Capacity Building Initiative, the Consultant Trust Fund, Education in Africa and the World Bank Institute and Integrated Framework for Trade Related Technical Assistance; ( h ) what is the strategic economic benefit of Canada's participation in the Bretton Woods institutions, beyond private sector procurement opportunities; ( i ) what are the details of the 2004 US $71 million in procurement opportunities to Canadian companies and individuals and how was this information acquired; ( j ) is this total significantly down from 2003 and if so, why; ( k ) what is the comparative financial information with variances explained for each of the last five years with regard to Canadian procurement, environmentally sustainable development, health, water and education; ( l ) what do these trends indicate about the priorities of the Bretton Woods institutions and their consistency with Canadian foreign and development policy; and ( m ) could the government clarify how the objectives of finance and development are reconciled between federal departments and between donor and recipient members of Canada's constituency at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund?

(Return tabled)

[Question No. 158, September 26th, 2005]

With regard to the governance of Crown Corporations: ( a ) is there any document dated March 15, 2004, or before, that shows that the appointment process for the heads of Crown Corporations announced on March 15, 2004, by the President of the Treasury Board and the Prime Minister’s Office was intended to be an “interim” process that applied only to the CEOs of Crown Corporations as stated in sessional paper 8555-381-129; ( b ) what is the selection criteria for each head of each Crown Corporation provided to the government in response to the letter from the President of the Treasury Board dated April 23, 2004, which required a response by May 28, 2004; ( c ) what are the names of the members of the nominating committees for each head of each Crown Corporation provided to the government in response to the letter from the President of the Treasury Board dated April 23, 2004, which required a response by May 28, 2004; ( d ) which Crown Corporations did not respond to the letter of April 23, 2004, and has further communication been made; ( e ) what are the names of the professional recruiting firms hired by Crown Corporations in the new recruiting process; and ( f ) how many times was Renaud Foster used as a recruiting firm apart from the appointment of General Maurice Baril as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority?

(Return tabled)