Ron Irwin

[Indian Affairs, May 27th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I was running out of time. I am glad you asked me that.

We are working with the peacemakers in the other two First Nations to come in and give a hand. We are working with the RCMP and with the Sûreté, but mostly we are working with the people of Kanesatake. It serves no useful purpose to do these inflammatory things.

Oka served no purpose at all that helped the people. I am going to do my best and my officials will do their best, so will our negotiator and mediator, to convince the people of Kanesatake that is not the way to proceed.

If they want to help the people, the leadership there has to be more calm in the situation. We are making progress and I hope to report in the next couple of weeks.

[Indian Affairs, May 27th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question.

In the past four or five weeks, I had several meetings with Christos Sirros, the official in charge for the Province of Quebec, with people who want to sell their homes south of highway 344, with the Chief of Kanesatake and with my Cabinet colleagues.

We have been working diligently to calm the situation and I think we have. Moreover, on the property south of 344, which had been raised several times by hon. members opposite-

-a decision was made. The federal government will buy the houses south of highway 344.

I am sure he will be happy with that. We have looked at the grievances of the people in the area. We think they are legitimate. They should not be responsible for the drop in value of their houses. It was not their doing. We have authorized the federal negotiator to proceed in an orderly fashion to negotiate with them at pre-Oka prices, to negotiate with Kanesatake on most of the issues and we are hoping to bring the matter under control and calm the matter. I am sure that is what all members want, to bring the matters under control in a reasonable manner.

[Hepatitis C, May 27th, 1994]

In the absence of the Minister of Health, Mr. Speaker, I would say to the hon. member that good health is almost analogous with Liberal philosophy. If you look at the history of health legislation in the country you have to look to the Liberal Party.

The member is concerned and he is addressing his concerns legitimately in the House. The Minister of Health has been working diligently in answering questions daily about this important and serious problem. I think she is doing a heck of a job.

[Hepatitis C, May 27th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian blood supply is widely recognized as one of the safest in the world. It must be understood, however, that blood transfusions like other medical procedures cannot be entirely without risk. Hepatitis C infection is a case in point. It has long been understood to be a possible result of blood transfusions.

In spite of progress to reduce its occurrence by means of improved donor selection and the introduction of a screening test, infection happens infrequently. The testing of donors for hepatitis C beginning in 1990 has dramatically reduced the rate of transmission of this virus through blood transfusions.

The Ministry of Health encourages anyone worried about hepatitis C to discuss their concerns directly with their physician or, in the absence of their physician, directly with the Ministry of Health.

[Indian Affairs, May 26th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, in its quiet way, that is an unacceptable slur on a man of the highest integrity.

He was president of the Canadian Bar Association, a member of the International Bar Association, the American College of Trial Lawyers. Do you want more? He was a Corporation of Industrial Relations counsellor, a member of the royal commission on economic union and development prospects for Canada, the McDonald commission, an appointed member of the Privy Council and, incidentally, a member of the security intelligence review committee.

He is acceptable to us. He is acceptable to the Mohawk community and I do not accept that slur on a man of this type of integrity.

We should be glad that these types of men are prepared to come forward from Quebec to help the country.

[Indian Affairs, May 26th, 1994]

Okay. The Bloc agrees he is a very competent person with a big reputation.

As to the process, everything is on the table. There is going to be an orderly process on the cemetery, the houses north of 344, the houses south of 344, the Seigneurie of Deux-Montagnes, past housing grievances, working with the Mohawk community toward some of the catch up on the program of financial responsibility.

What I wanted was a process that would move pragmatically ahead. With the appointment of Michel Robert as our negotiator that will happen. Moreover, I have approached a member of the Quebec judiciary at the Supreme Court level. If we get permission, not only will we have Mr. Robert, but also a very eminent person from the judiciary who will act as a mediator and facilitator. I think my friend will be happy with that type of procedure.

[Indian Affairs, May 26th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, if I understand the preamble that there is a reference perhaps to the negotiator's confidence, I want to point out that the appointed negotiator was the president of the Canadian Bar Association-

[Indian Affairs, May 12th, 1994]

As a matter of fact, Mr. Speaker, the reverse is true. For the first two months that we sat here, we heard continuous Mohawk bashing from the members opposite. I see they have discontinued that, which I am thankful for.

We have tried to work with the Mohawks meeting with them at the round table. Mr. Sirros from Quebec is meeting with them regularly. Ministers from across the country will be meeting with them next week.

I will be discussing with Mr. Sirros not only the problem brought up today, but also the problem of what we are going to do south of highway 344. The Bloc has not only said that should be our concern, it has invited the federal government to go into Quebec to solve it.

[Indian Affairs, May 12th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, there are now two ways that we can get solutions. One is through litigation and one is through negotiation. There is a certain frustration among the aboriginal people. For instance, the Williams case was decided in 1983 and keeps being deferred and deferred with no solution.

To answer the question: Should they go to court? That is an option. If the aboriginal people do not feel we are addressing their concerns in a prompt and efficient manner, then perhaps the courts might be the option but they are not mutually exclusive. We have to deal with the aboriginal people to reach just solutions and if we are not just, they can always go to the courts.

[Indian Affairs, May 12th, 1994]

Well, there is always hope. He would get the benefit of hearing the entire speech in which we laid out the things that we have done from the B.C. tree process to co-management starting in Saskatchewan, to dismantling in Manitoba, to the Labrador Inuit and Nunavut, throughout the country, all in a six-month period. We also were very clear that it is difficult.

When Liberals make a promise, even if it is difficult, we keep that promise.