Ted McWhinney

[Child Labour, June 1st, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question. It is a top priority of this government to act on child labour. We will seek the co-operation of the opposition parties, as we did with the land mines convention. We would like to have it.

We have already established the child labour challenge fund. We have held consultations with other governments on child labour. We adopted legislation on sex tourism. We participated in the Oslo child labour conference. It is our agenda that was adopted.

HRDC has hosted a conference with NAFTA partners. CIDA has adopted a strategy for children. Health has undertaken a study on child labour here.

[Foreign Affairs, June 1st, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, as already explained, there were no diplomatic free bed premises available at the time he arrived.

It seems a not unreasonable administrative decision by the people in charge of the conference, the embassy, to put him in the hotel where he would be arranging it. He was in charge of the administrative arrangements. He was working 24 hours a day, around the clock.

[Foreign Affairs, June 1st, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, as parliamentary secretary and not in another title I must say that the figures quoted are slightly exaggerated, by one-third.

Now let us come to the substance of the issue. The gentleman concerned had been posted to Rome on his first posting. He did not yet have diplomatic quarters. His assignment was to prepare the diplomatic conference.

The decision was made by the embassy which was in charge, not by the PMO or by the foreign ministry, to have him work in the hotel where the delegation and conference would be and to work on a 24 hour a day basis—

[Calgary Declaration, June 1st, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the British Columbia legislature has ratified by unanimous vote the nine premiers' Calgary declaration on Quebec's status as a unique society within the Canadian federal system.

The B.C. legislature, to secure unanimity, also cited several areas of prime concern in B.C.-Ottawa co-operation. These additions do not legally derogate from the ratification of the Calgary declaration.

While not a formal amendment of the Constitution, the Calgary declaration when ratified by the nine provincial legislatures will acquire its own constitutional legal quality of which judicial notice may be taken.

[Middle East, May 14th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, we are aware that the process of negotiation is delicate, that it is ongoing and at this stage we best proceed by quiet diplomacy. We do wish to ensure that all members of the United Nations respect and obey security council resolutions.

[Nuclear Testing, May 13th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, we have already said that our policy is to get people to sign the non-proliferation treaty and the comprehensive test ban treaty.

We have had before the standing committee on foreign affairs a project for the study of nuclear and general disarmament in light of the world court's recent ruling. Give us a strong report and we can act on it. You are a member of the committee.

[Nuclear Testing, May 13th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, it has been our constant policy with the Indian government and others in the region to urge them to sign the non-proliferation treaty and the comprehensive test ban treaty.

I could add to what the acting prime minister has said, that we have cancelled talks in Delhi for May 22 on CIDA aid to India. We have cancelled in Delhi for May 22 trade policy bilateral talks. We have cancelled a pending joint ministerial committee. We are doing all this in conjunction with any action within G-8.

[Nuclear Testing, May 13th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, we have a clear policy of not exporting Candu reactors to any country that has not signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty or the comprehensive test ban treaty.

We do find it passing strange, though, that the member's party opposite opposed in the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade an Asian regional security study launched by the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

[Nuclear Testing, May 13th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, as the acting prime minister has indicated, this matter will be before the G-8 countries. It is at that stage that measures, including candidacy for seats for the security council, can be discussed.

I might remind the hon. member that the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade of the House has been engaged in a useful study on nuclear and general disarmament and we await anxiously the report of that committee.

[Canada Labour Code, May 7th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the last point of order was frivolous and therefore non-receivable.