Martin Cauchon

[Regional Development, April 30th, 2001]

Mr.Speaker, this is indeed a very important question concerning regional development, particularly development of the resource regions, which are of enormous concern to us. The issue of retaining our young people in the regions is also of concern to us in order for them to be there to develop businesses.

Since 1997 moreover we have had a specific program, a youth fund, in conjunction with the community development societies. Today we have 1,516 entrepreneurs running a total of 1,244 businesses in the regions.

Over 4,500 jobs have thus been created or maintained. Since November 1997 in excess of $15 million has been invested in this fund to maintain and develop all of our regions.

[Cigarette Smuggling, April 30th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, first, I am pleased to see that opposition members recognize the excellent work done by all police forces as well as by customs officers during the summit of the Americas. I wish to congratulate all these professionals.

Obviously the Minister of Finance has taken recent action in connection with tobacco smuggling. There will be a careful follow-up by all police forces, as well as by customs, in order to ensure that we can eliminate smuggling.

I wish to point out that the spirit of co-operation that characterized the summit of the Americas still reigns with respect to the fight against smuggling.

[Privacy, April 30th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I repeat, we do not look at mail. We look at goods. As well, we work within the limits of the law and it has to be based on reasonable grounds.

Let me state something interesting. I would like to quote the member for Prince George—Peace River. He said back in 1994:

It is reported that the justice department has ordered Canada Customs to allow counterfeit documents found entering Canada through the mail, including phony Canadian passports, to be sent on to their destination. This is an outrageous use of the charter.

Will the minister explain to this House today what must be done to authorize Canada Customs to seize phony documents...?

[Privacy, April 30th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, we all know that politics is perception and the leader knows it as well in telling the population that we are having a look at mail, which is not true.

We are stopping illegal goods from coming into Canada through the postal stream. The privacy commissioner has said that we are acting in good faith.

We need to bear in mind that customs officers have a dual mandate, one of course being the question of economic development, and the other, which is important and which I stand by, being the protection of our Canadian society. We will continue to work hard for that.

[Privacy, April 30th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, first, if the member would read subsection 99(1) of the act it is quite obvious.

We are not reading the mail at all. We are looking at, on a sample basis, goods coming into Canada by way of the postal stream. The privacy commissioner has said that we are acting within the law and in good faith.

Maybe in the next question I should quote from the privacy commissioner as well.

[Privacy, April 30th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the customs legislation clearly provides that Customs Canada officials can intercept, upon their entry into Canada, and—with the upcoming legislation—also upon their departure from the country, goods shipped through mail services.

This authority is based on section 99 of the act and on the existence of reasonable grounds. Incidentally, when he looked into the matter, the privacy commissioner acknowledged that these powers were exercised within the law and in good faith by customs officials.

[Income Tax Returns, April 26th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my honourable colleague for this very important question.

As hon. members are aware, Revenue has changed from a department to an agency. With all the changes to the workings of government, we want to continue to serve the public well.

I would like to inform hon. members that there are, of course, various ways of filing income tax returns: by mail, by telephone, and by Internet as well.

I would also like to inform the House that 13.5 million returns have already been received, 5.7 million electronically.

[Organized Crime, April 6th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, first, allow me to thank the Liberal members on this side of the House. They have done a remarkable job in our caucus to enable us to set up this legislation.

Second, in reference to the remarks of my colleague, he should perhaps look at the mandate of the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency and at some of the initiatives undertaken respecting taxpayers as a whole, and, more specifically, the initiative on equity, considered a fine initiative for all taxpayers, both corporate and individual.

Third, I say what I promised. We have a special team doing audits and ensuring the law is applied to organized crime.

[Organized Crime, April 6th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, permit me to congratulate my colleagues the Minister of Justice and the Solicitor General and this government on the absolutely incredible and wonderful legislation, which, really, will enable us to go after organized crime.

Obviously, I cannot discuss specifics, but I would simply like to say that the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency has a special program pertaining to the application of the law and audits of the application of the law in the area of organized crime as a whole.

[Road Infrastructure, April 3rd, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, at last, a serious question affecting all regions.

First, I congratulate my colleague on the excellent work he is doing for all the resource regions, especially in his riding.

Obviously, we at Canada Economic Development are concerned about the situation in his riding and throughout the Abitibi region. We are currently working with the Department of Natural Resources on finding other ways of improving our assistance, because we have developed a special $8.5 million initiative.

As for the highway of interest to the McWatters mine, the infrastructure Canada program is analysing the situation—