Madam Speaker, the following question will be answered today: Question No. 25.
Won his last election, in 2019, with 50% of the vote.
Questions on the Order Paper November 19th, 2002
Madam Speaker, the following question will be answered today: Question No. 25.
Government Response to Petitions November 19th, 2002
Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 100 petitions.
Question No. 21 November 18th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to debate Bill C-17, which was formerly Bill C-55, the public safety act.
Canadians have had great concern about our security since the horrible occurrences at the World Trade Center in New York about one year ago on September 11. Of late we have had renewed interest and concern after the news came that a tape which purportedly contained the voice of Osama bin Laden was presented to the al-Jazeera network in the Middle East. If it was bin Laden on the tape, the person put forward the suggestion that other countries besides the U.S. would be targeted and included Canada on the list of targeted countries.
It is not a complete surprise to Canadians that our country might be targeted by al-Qaeda or other terrorist groups. To have our country included in the list that is mentioned has caused concern for Canadians and has brought this issue home to more people. The threat of terrorism that confronts much of the world is one that confronts us as well and one that we must deal with. At the same time Canadians are concerned and want to see us act in a forceful and firm way to do what we can to prevent, deter and respond to terrorism. They also want to ensure that we protect individual freedoms.
I said in a speech not long after September 11 of last year that the openness that makes us vulnerable is the freedom that makes us strong. That speaks to the kind of balance that we must achieve. It would have been easy a year ago to respond to the events of 9/11 by simply, out of fear, shutting down all kinds of things.
If, God forbid, there was a successful attack in Canada by terrorists there might be a greater demand for severe actions. However, we must guard against that because we must maintain our openness and freedoms. That is one of the beauties of having the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which of course will apply to this legislation.
There were a lot of concerns last year when the first draft of this bill was introduced about some of its provisions, but it is important to remind all Canadians that any of these bills that deal with public security, unless they actually say it is notwithstanding the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the charter and all its provisions and protections to personal freedoms would apply to those bills. If there are provisions in any bill which go too far, it is open to the courts to say this bill or this portion of this bill would be struck out and not apply. Therefore, it is important to understand that whatever provisions are in a bill like this, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms would still apply and our freedoms would be guaranteed and maintained.
It is clear that at the time of 9/11 the concern of most people was focused on the airline industry. Obviously we have watched with horror as those two enormous jet airplanes with so many passengers crashed into the World Trade Center twin towers. Naturally for a while our focus was clearly on airline security. It is important that we not forget to do that. There are provisions in this bill that I will talk about in a moment that go further, that ensure we are protecting our airline security as much as we can.
We have become, over the past year since that occurrence, more cognizant of the fact that there are many other things to be concerned about. In fact we had a list that was released last week, purportedly from the U.S. government, which Mr. Powell said was not from the government. We have had other reports that it was not an official document.
It was an interesting list of some 20 or so sites in Canada that might be targets for terrorism. It would not take a rocket scientist to figure out that some of those spots might be targets. However at the same time, without getting overly worried or too alarmed about this, it is valuable for us as Canadians to consider these different sites and consider the fact that they could conceivably be terrorist targets. We need to think about what things we can reasonably do in relation to these different sites to make them more secure and to provide a reasonable level of security.
That raises the question of whether we can ever provide ultimate, complete security over all sites. If we insist on having an open, democratic and free society, then we cannot live in a police state. We cannot live in a state where the police can check on us for anything it wants or enter our homes and search us whenever it wants for no reason at all. There has to be a rule of law. There has to be a basis for doing things. It is important that we maintain our freedoms otherwise the freedom that is our strength is out the window. We then become like a dictatorship and that is the last thing that we need here in Canada.
The government is trying to find a proper balance. It is trying to provide a good balance between the rights and freedoms of Canadians as well as the need to provide more security. That has been improved in a number of ways in the latest form of this bill.
Bill C-17 would enhance the government's ability to provide a secure environment for air travel. There is no question that we need to see that. We have seen concern over the past year in the airline industry. Airports, particularly in the early months after 9/11, have had a lot less traffic. There has been a lot of concern about issues like tourism and its effect on our whole economy. People were not comfortable flying or travelling. Obviously the economic impact was severe. It was therefore important for us to take steps early on, and it is still important to take steps to enhance the public's confidence in airline travel. I am pleased to see that kind of provision in the bill.
The bill would facilitate data sharing between air carriers and agencies like the RCMP and CSIS. In the case of the RCMP, information could be used for issues relating only to transportation safety. For example, in the original bill, if individuals had an outstanding warrant against them and were spotted, the RCMP could use that information to arrest those individual. In this case, unless there is a danger to transportation safety there is no basis for the RCMP to arrest such a person. It cannot use the information except when there is a risk to transportation safety.
CSIS is a little broader. It has different responsibilities obviously. One might argue that it is the lead agency responsible for confronting issues relating to terrorism in our country. CSIS would be able to use this information for either transportation safety or issues of national security. That is natural and sensible. However at the same time, it is important that it be limited in the way it could use that information. Those are important limits that would guarantee our freedoms.
The bill would provide for the issuance of interim orders in emergency situations while ensuring proper control over government action. I want to speak for a minute about the interim orders provided for in Bill C-17.
The important thing to note is that under the bill a minister would have the authority to issue orders. This would be in a case where there is an immediate or direct threat. It would have to be an urgent situation where it would be impossible to have a full meeting of cabinet to pass orders in council. It would involve something happening on the ground and the government having to respond immediately. That is what we are talking about here.
The bill would provide for a minister to issue an interim order under certain requirements but there would be a number of important controls on that order. This would cover matters for which regulations would normally have been made but, of course, regulations cannot be made in five minutes. It would have to be dealt with quickly and in a situation where there is an immediate threat.
These are things that would normally fall within the mandate of the Ministers of the Environment, Health, Fisheries and Oceans and Transport, like the following acts; the Aeronautics Act; the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999; the Department of Health Act; the Food and Drugs Act; the Hazardous Products Act; and many more.
The important thing is that the minister would then have to get approval from the governor in council within 14 days after the day the interim order is made. A copy of the order must be tabled in each House of Parliament within 15 days from the time it is issued. Those are important controls on that interim order. That is a reduction from 45 days to 15 days.
There are many other provisions in the bill that are of interest to members. I am sure they will be fully discussed. However, I wanted to focus on those matters.
Question No. 21 November 18th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, I ask that all remaining questions be allowed to stand.
Questions Passed as Orders for Returns November 18th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, if Questions Nos. 6, 8, 11, 14, 15 and 21 could be made orders for returns, these returns would be tabled immediately.
Question No. 16 November 18th, 2002
I am informed as follows: Canadian International Development Agency, CIDA: CIDA has not funded the Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas, FIPA, directly but has provided a $400,000 grant to the Organization of American States, OAS, in August 1999 which was used by the OAS to support the development of FIPA. CIDA made a further contribution of $70,000 in March 2002 to support costs of the OAS to be incurred in their capacity as a technical adviser to FIPA.
Foreign Affairs and International Trade:
Canada encourages inter-parliamentary relations in the hemisphere, and in particular the work of the Inter-Parliamentary Forum of the Americas, FIPA. The participation of parliamentarians is key in the success of the implementation of the plan of action of the summit of the Americas. Since 2000, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade has contributed a total amount of $150,000 Canadian, through the Canadian Parliamentary Centre, in order to support the Canadian presidency of FIPA.
Question No. 10 November 18th, 2002
I am informed as follows:
Canada Customs and Revenue Agency:
The following is the amount spent by the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency on the 2002 G-8 summit:
Fiscal year 2001-02: $79,000
Fiscal year 2002-03: $907,000
Canadian Food Inspection Agency:
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s share of the total cost for the June 2002 G-8 summit is estimated at $500,000.
Foreign Affairs and International Trade:
As summit security was the responsibility of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, RCMP, any questions concerning security costs should be directed to the RCMP. This would include G-8 related activities in Calgary by the RCMP and City of Calgary as Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, DFAIT, is not privy to arrangements entered into between the city and the RCMP. Department of National Defence, DND, will be reporting on its own costs.
Non-security costs for the summit are still being tallied. The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade is not able to provide summit cost figures for other departments, however summit costs for the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade for fiscal year 2001-02 amounted to $12,400,000. In addition, from April 1 to September 30, 2002, the department expended $23,116,000 with another $15,230,000 in commitments which may or may not be expended in full. A full reconciliation will be made available once all the invoices are submitted, reviewed, settled and accounted for.
Health Canada: The costs related to the G-8 summit are approximately $131,000.
Industry Canada: Approximately $498,000.
Justice Canada: Justice Canada costs related to the June 2002 G-8 summit are $232,840, provision of legal advice and services related to the G-8.
National Defence: (a)(ii) As of September 30, 2002, the total estimated incremental cost for fiscal year 2002-03 to the Department of National Defence for the planning, preparation and execution of the security tasks in support of the G-8 summit was approximately $43 million. The incremental cost is that which is over and above the amount that would have been spent for personnel and equipment if they had not deployed on this task.
Public Works and Government Services, PWGSC:
Fiscal year 2001-02: $ 9,292,500.00
Fiscal year 2002-03: $ 6,070,005.00
Total cost: $15,362,505.00
The amounts identified are to cover such activities as accommodation, interpretation services and procurement and contract management for which PWGSC received appropriated funds. Activities, such as the management of the executing agency, are funded by other government departments and should be calculated in their total cost.
Please note that the amount for 2002-03 was calculated on cost to date plus any known outstanding commitments.
Solicitor General of Canada: With regard to the cost of the June 2002 G-8 summit, the department is not in a position at this time to determine its total cost for security for the G-8.
Canadian Security Intelligence Service: It is the policy of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service not to comment on operational activities nor release specific details of its budget and expenditures for reasons of national security.
Correctional Service of Canada, CSC: The CSC spent a total of $1,600,000 associated with the G-8 summit.
These costs were a result of CSC housing provincial offenders in its federal institutions during the G-8 summit. This allowed the province to have the space available at their provincial jails should it be required.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police: With regard to the cost of the June 2002 G-8 summit, the RCMP is not in a position at this time to determine its total cost for its portion of the security for the G-8.
Questions on the Order Paper November 18th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, the following questions will be answered today: Nos. 4, 7, 10, 12, 13, 16, 22 and 23.
Government Response to Petitions November 18th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 114 petitions.
Order in Council Appointments November 18th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table, in both official languages, a number of order in council appointments made recently by the government.