Christine Stewart

[Endangered Species, September 30th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I believe that the federal government has an important leadership role to play in our country with regard to protecting endangered species. However, we cannot do this alone. I have to work collaboratively with my provincial colleagues and with representatives of other sectors across our country. I have been listening to them and will continue to do so. Hopefully the meeting tomorrow with my provincial colleagues will help us to iron out some of the difficulties around protecting endangered species.

[Endangered Species, September 30th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague refers to our government's endangered species protection legislation. We have a commitment to reintroduce that legislation into the House. Our government has a strong commitment to endangered species and is in fact making progress. At my meeting tomorrow with my provincial counterparts, hopefully we will bring this agenda forward. I hope my hon. colleague will help us when that legislation is reintroduced into the House.

[Mining, September 29th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, the recommendations of the panel are being very carefully reviewed by the federal government in preparing its response to the proponent.

We are very conscious of the environmental concerns and environmental impacts in this area. We are doing everything to make sure those concerns are addressed.

[Mining, September 29th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, the proposal to put in place the Cheviot mine project in Alberta has been reviewed by a joint panel under the Environmental Assessment Agency which brought together federal representatives with provincial representatives.

Evidence was put forward by three federal government departments and many others from across the country who are concerned about this project. We have received a report from the panel and are reviewing its recommendations.

Our concern is to protect the environment to the highest standards and also allow—

[Environment, September 29th, 1997]

No, Mr. Speaker, I will not be committing to that today in the House.

The government has a commitment to work with our partners in Canada and with the international community to meet realistic targets.

[Environment, September 29th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is very concerned about meeting realistic, legally binding targets at the meeting we are to have in Kyoto, Japan, in December.

We made commitments at Rio in 1992 to try to achieve reductions by the year 2000. We have admitted that we are not able to achieve those targets, but we are trying to work with all our partners in Canada and abroad to make sure that we achieve realistic targets for the future.

[Environment, September 26th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague and those other colleagues in the Windsor, Essex and Sarnia areas for the work they have done with the communities in their areas. It is of concern to my department that citizens in those areas that are prone to severe weather events have timely and accurate weather forecasting information.

My department, besides having improved phone access and having worked with the media, will be launching a public participation process to help the communities get the kind of information they require. We are also having an independent consultant work with that public participation group to this end.

[Income Tax Budget Amendments Act, 1996, April 10th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I move:

That Bill C-92, an act to amend the Income Tax Act, the Income Tax Application Rules and another act related to the Income Tax Act be referred forthwith to the Standing Committee on Finance.

[Zaire, April 9th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is not asking the president to leave the country at this time.

Canada believes that Africans have to resolve their problems. Obviously western imposed solutions in this area of the world have not succeeded in the past. We are trying to urge not just the Zaireans to resolve the problem but with the help of regional Africans to resolve this very serious problem.

[Zaire, April 9th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is very concerned about the situation in Zaire today, as it has been in the past months and years. The situation has deteriorated even further today.

Canada believes that there has to be a peaceful resolution to the chaos which exists in Zaire at this time, a situation which puts in jeopardy the security of so many Zaireans and others.

We are asking for all parties to sit down and discuss a peacefully negotiated resolution to this. We believe that the Africans themselves must find a solution to this problem.