David Dingwall

[Tobacco Legislation, November 29th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for the question. Let us be clear. The first objective of the legislation and the proposals we outlined yesterday is health. When 11,000 Quebecers are dying each and every year as a result of tobacco consumption it behoves the government to take action.

There is no need for a replacement fund because we have not banned sponsorship across the country. It will be a corporate decision of those individual companies concerning what they do and the amount of money they provide to various sponsorships across the country.

[Canadian Airlines, November 29th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, on the substance of the hon. member's questions I concur wholeheartedly. Union members should have that right in terms of the package before them.

But in view of the restrictions we have within the law, it is incumbent on the leadership to provide that right to their members. That is an internal thing they will have to deal with in the weeks and the months ahead.

[Canadian Airlines, November 29th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I am not aware of the context of the words which the hon. member makes reference to, but I do not think there is a member on either side of this House who does not want the members of the CAW to exercise their right to vote on a particular package.

What the hon. member must understand is that we have the Canadian Labour Code which outlines the procedures that employers as well as workers must follow.

I would encourage the hon. member as well as his party to continue to put pressure on the various unions which are involved here in order that that right may be exercised.

[Canadian Airlines, November 29th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, in response to the hon. member's question, I am certain that he is aware of section 108 of the Canadian Labour Code. It precludes the Minister of Labour from ordering a vote in circumstances such as he has referred to.

The hon. member knows full well that the best way to ensure that workers at Canadian Airlines have the right to vote is that we continue to put public pressure on the union leadership.

However, if the hon. member is suggesting that the Government of Canada intervene in terms of legislation in order to effectuate a settlement there, he is away out of line in terms of what the collective bargaining process is all about.

[Tobacco Legislation, November 29th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, 11,000 Quebecers die each and every year as a result of tobacco consumption. As the ministry of health, we have had to show some leadership on this particular file. There is leadership but it has consequences. The consequences are that there are restrictions on sponsorship promotion. It will be regulated. We will consult with

the industry. We will consult with the various cultural groups to make sure there are workable solutions.

Make no mistake about it, there are restrictions and there are restrictions on sponsorship promotion.

[Tobacco Legislation, November 29th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday we outlined the strategy of the Government of Canada to deal with tobacco consumption in the country. Seven major elements were outlined to the public in terms of what action we will be taking.

We have put in place some restrictions with regard to sponsorship promotion that companies will have to abide by. However, I want to indicate to my colleague opposite that we are not banning sponsorship in this country. Not at all. We have restrictions on that promotion. The details will be contained in the bill. I hope to give notice later this afternoon, with the tabling of the bill on Monday.

[Tobacco Industry, November 28th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question. He has long been an advocate of new tobacco legislation.

As I said earlier in question period, later this day we will be providing the details of our tobacco strategy with the provision of notice for the purpose of tabling the bill. We hope to be able to table the bill early next week.

[Tobacco Legislation, November 28th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member and Reform members for giving their support to the government to fast track legislation as it relates to tobacco.

As I said in my first answer, later today I will be able to provide details of the contents of our strategy.

[Tobacco Legislation, November 28th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I am tempted to say very soon. Later this day I will be able to provide details in terms of the tobacco strategy of the Government of Canada.

[Drug Patents, November 26th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the member will be aware that the Patent Act comes under the jurisdiction of the Minister of Industry.

The hon. member should be aware that under the provisions of the Patent Act and particularly the Patented Medicines Review Board the companies which are responsible thereto have lived up to their commitments in terms of keeping the price below the CPI. They have also lived up to their commitments with regard to the moneys they had earmarked for the purposes of research in this country. So on those two points they have lived up to their commitments.

However, the hon. member is correct that drug pricing in this country is all too high in many jurisdictions and I hope that we can co-operate with the provinces, including the province of Saskatchewan, where they might delegate the powers to the Patented Medicines Review Board so that we might have a full study of pricing both for generic and brand names in this country.