Gerry Byrne

[Fishers Bill Of Rights, June 4th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for raising once again this issue which has a direct influence and effect on his jurisdiction.

This government clearly does understand that the reduction in greenhouse gases does not stop with our commitment at Kyoto. The issue raised here is put in the context of climate change and global warming and innovative solutions around those very significant problems.

The issue of climate change will be with us for a long time to come. However we are acting now to find a solution. Even as we reduce emissions, atmospheric concentrations will continue to rise for many decades before stabilization. This means that we will experience a continued increase in the human influence on global climate.

What is of major concern is the possible future rates of climate change. If we are to keep that rate of change within reasonable limits, we must begin to reduce emissions by applying new technologies within the next few years. We cannot wait decades before taking action.

The hon. member has raised a particular point on a particular issue. This government is always interested in innovative solutions and applying the knowledge and expertise of individuals, of academics, of other governments and as well of people throughout Canada in offering solutions to the climate.

We cannot afford at this time to pursue all options. We have to make choices and this sometimes has to be at the expense of very high risk and very long term expensive options.

We had to make difficult choices in this process. We simply do not have the resources to do everything we want to do but we will continue to work with hon. members and with the Canadian public at large to find the best, least cost, most effective options which will provide solutions in the Canadian context to climate change.

[Petitions, June 3rd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I rise to present a petition that calls upon parliament to amend the Canada Labour Code, Part I, to prevent any disruptions in essential services to the gulf ferry service as a result of strikes or lockouts and to ask Transport Canada for an increase in the federal funding available to Marine Atlantic for this essential service.

[Lieutenant Colonel William Barker, June 2nd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, in reply to my hon. colleague, the government is very concerned about the situation of low income Canadians. We are particularly sensitive to the situation faced by some of our children and youth.

In the February 1997 budget the government committed $850 million to create an enriched child tax benefit. This new investment will give much needed support to the 1.4 million Canadian families and will help more than 2.5 million Canadian children.

In the February 1998 budget the government committed another $850 million investment over the course of our current mandate fulfilling its promise made to Canadians. This will bring the total Government of Canada investment into the well-being of our children to almost $7 billion per year.

The government's commitment to provide more income support for low income families will enable our provincial and territorial partners to redirect savings into social assistance. Those savings can go into complementary programs and services with the goal of helping welfare parents become fully employed. This is the basis for the national child benefit system.

Building on this co-operation, last January the government agreed to work with the provinces and territories to develop the national children's agenda. It will be a broad comprehensive strategy to address the important needs of Canada's children, especially those in particular need facing poverty.

[Lieutenant Colonel William Barker, June 2nd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the announcements by the Royal Bank and the Bank of Montreal and subsequently by the CIBC and TD of their intentions to merge have changed the potential landscape of the financial sector in Canada, as referred to by my hon. colleague opposite.

These mergers, however, will not proceed without the approval of the Minister of Finance and not unless the government is convinced of the benefits to Canadians.

The government is concerned about the level of competition in the financial services sector. It is concerned about the impact of potential mergers on access to services by Canadians and possible implications for employment. Consumers, in particular those in rural areas, have expressed concerns about the possibility of reduced choice or higher fees as a result of these mergers. Small businesses are also concerned with the potential loss of face to face contact with their bankers if branches are closed.

The Minister of Finance will consider the advice of the director of the competition bureau, the office of the superintendent of financial institutions and of the task force on the future of financial institutions in determining whether to allow any merger in the banking sector to occur.

I assure the hon. member and all members of the House that Canadians will be involved in this very important process. Public consultations will be held to give Canadians the opportunity to express their views before any decision is made on these mergers. The hon. member has the opportunity to participate in that debate.

[Competition Act, May 27th, 1998]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Waterloo—Wellington for a very important and pertinent question. The member has raised the question on the floor of the House of Commons on several occasions. He has also met with the Minister of Natural Resources to discuss the matter in person. I think the House should show its appreciation and respect for the hon. member's very diligent interventions on this issue.

Let me be quite clear that the present practice of storing nuclear fuel waste at the reactor sites throughout Canada is done in a very safe, efficient and responsible manner. However the Government of Canada wants to be more sure that we have an appropriate long term solution for the waste that is created in our Atomic Energy of Canada Limited facilities as well as facilities throughout Canada.

We would like to develop the concept of deep geological disposal of nuclear waste in the granite rock of the Canadian Shield. This was a proposal which was investigated under a public review of this concept which was initiated in 1998 under the federal environmental assessment and review guidelines order.

An eight member Canadian environmental assessment panel chaired by Mr. Blair Seaborn held public hearings in five provinces which have a nuclear interest. On March 13, 1998 the Seaborn panel released its recommendations to the government regarding the safety and acceptability of the AECL concept.

The Seaborn panel report found that from a technical perspective, safety of the geological disposal concept had been adequately demonstrated from the conceptual stage of development. However the disposal concept in its current form did not enjoy broad public support.

The panel recommended that a nuclear waste management agency be established quickly. The panel also recommended that the first steps for such an agency would be to deal with the stated lack of broad public support necessary to ensure the acceptability—

[Competition Act, May 27th, 1998]

Madam Speaker, in reply to my hon. colleague I would simply like to repeat what was told to him a short time ago. It is something which I think the hon. member understands very well.

Since March 1997 social assistance caseloads have declined in the provinces throughout Canada. The most recent figures from the Government of Quebec show that 436,200 households were on social assistance, which is the lowest number of cases since January 1993.

Some EI recipients eventually turn to social assistance, but a proportion of social assistance recipients have always been persons who either did not qualify for EI under the old rules or have exhausted their EI benefits. The vast majority of EI claimants, however, do not exhaust their benefits. They find other employment within 40 weeks of becoming unemployed.

As was told to the hon. member just on Monday, the government's employment insurance reform included bold new measures to help modernize the system and to better help Canadians to find and keep a job.

First, we chose to invest more funds in active measures such as wage subsidies or self-employment assistance to help Canadians return to work as quickly as possible. These measures have a proven track record in helping people find jobs and get back to work.

Second, we have broadened the eligibility for these measures so that all Canadians who received EI or UI in the last three years can now benefit from these active measures as can people who collect maternity or paternal benefits during the last five years and then withdrew from the labour force to care for their child.

These are very important measures that I am sure the hon. member will appreciate. We have actively engaged the problem of unemployment, especially youth employment, and we are succeeding in the battle.

[Holidays Act, May 6th, 1998]

Madam Speaker, in response to the hon. member's comments regarding the hepatitis C package and his interpretation of the federal-provincial process involved in these particularly difficult negotiations, I simply would like to point out that if there has been any twisting of words it has been by the hon. member.

What this House understands and what the people of Canada understand extremely well and very thoroughly is that it was the Government of Canada and this health minister that provided an opportunity for health ministers and premiers from across the country to come to the conclusion that where there was fault there should be compensation.

Let me make this very clear. While the hon. member from the Conservative Party holds up a letter from the Conservative premier of Ontario stating that now he has seen the light and is prepared to initiate an action, I would like the hon. member to stand and say specifically where the hon. premier was in the last 12 months.

While no other premier, no other health minister in this country was willing to stand to support a compensation package to bring the parties to the table, this health minister was. This health minister, despite the objections of some, brought the parties together and came up with a deal.

That deal was signed and put in place by premiers and by health ministers from across the country, representing not just Liberals, not just Conservatives, but New Democrats, separatists—members from all parties and all walks of life.

Now we have a change of heart. We have members who are now suggesting they have seen the light and they want to twist the words of their colleague, the premier of Ontario. We have nothing to learn from Mr. Harris or from the hon. members opposite.

[Holidays Act, May 6th, 1998]

Madam Speaker, I rise in response to my colleague's intervention regarding the seniors benefit and the Canadian pension system at large.

The government has actually stabilized the nation's pension system in terms of the Canada pension plan. As well we are moving forward in terms of the seniors benefit and providing security and access to income for seniors. This is very responsible.

While the hon. member continued to discuss issues of partisan politics, I point out that the government actually stabilized the system after years of neglect under a previous administration by another prime minister.

The government is committed to developing the best policy for the public pension system and the whole retirement income system in Canada. That is why we took time last fall to consult extensively with seniors groups, social groups and pension industry experts on the proposed seniors benefit.

Meetings were held from coast to coast. We listened carefully to the issues that were raised and to the concerns that were expressed. We took time to consult with Canadians because it is important that the government be fully aware of the concerns and views of seniors. The pension industry and other interested parties also have points of view that we took into consideration.

We have done that and now we are reviewing the proposal based on what we heard from Canadians. That is the reason an announcement has been delayed on the seniors benefit issue. We are making every effort to ensure that the concerns of Canadians are reflected in our proposed policy for the retirement income system.

Members on these benches are listening intently to different ideas and to different positions on the pension system and the seniors benefit. I mention, for example, the member for Hillsborough who has done an admirable job working directly with the Minister of Finance on the issue as recently as today.

[Canada Lands Surveyors Act, May 6th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to open debate on Bill C-31, an important piece of legislation that will transfer to the Association of Canada Lands Surveyors specific responsibilities related to professional standards of conduct, continuing education and skills development of Canada lands surveyors. I acknowledge the support of members and parties of this House as we proceed through this legislation.

Anyone who has ever purchased a house or a piece of property is familiar with the important work of land surveyors. Their job is to provide a detailed and accurate survey of the boundaries of the property for legal registration and for transfer of ownership. The Canada lands surveyor is specially qualified and commissioned to conduct legal surveys on Canada lands, lands which the federal government holds and manages in trust for the people of Canada.

Canada lands include the Yukon and Northwest Territories, Indian reserves, offshore areas of Canada and the national parks system. Anyone who requires a survey of a boundary of Canada lands must have the survey made by a qualified Canada lands surveyor.

I pay tribute to the tremendous contribution made by government surveyors both past and present. Dominion land surveyors, as they were known until 1979, literally opened up this country. Their stories are a part of our history. In 1874 Great Britain transferred Rupert's Land and the Northwestern Territory to the Dominion of Canada. The federal government needed land surveyors at that time to survey and subdivide the land for settlers.

We just have to fly over western Canada to be familiar with the results of the incredible work accomplished in the 1880s when dominion land surveyors conducted what was probably the largest survey effort in history. Their work made it possible for immigrants and settlers to obtain lands in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. We see the results of their labour in the straight as an arrow property lines. When hopeful miners flooded the Yukon territories during the gold rush in 1898, they found a dominion lands survey office already in business in Dawson where they could legally register their claims.

More recently, members of the House have seen the work of the Canada lands surveyors in some of the legislation we have considered in the House: the boundaries of the new national parks such as Vuntut National Park in the Yukon in 1994; the descriptions of the boundaries of land transfers affecting Indian reserves which appear as orders in council; even the boundaries of federal electoral districts. These are accomplished by the Canada lands surveyors through the office of the Surveyor General of Canada Lands.

On behalf of the federal government, Canada lands surveyors are currently making massive and critically important surveys in the Yukon and Northwest Territories. Several thousand parcels of land, some small and some large, involved in aboriginal land interests and land claims must be legally surveyed and recorded. This survey effort will help to define and shape the legal boundaries of the Canadian north. It involves millions and millions of dollars and directly affects the lives of residents of these territories.

I have explained the historical and the present day role of Canada lands surveyors in order to demonstrate to this House the scope and importance of their contribution to the country. These professionals are experts in property rights, land management, land registration and the survey system used in Canada lands. Their expertise is acquired through university education, continuing education through their professional associations, and through hands on experience in the field.

To be granted a commission as a Canada lands surveyor, a candidate must first successfully complete a rigorous set of formal examinations and meet other requirements including basic work experience of at least two years. Surveying is a knowledge based activity and as such demands a great deal of the people who seek the right to use the designation of Canada lands surveyor.

Since 1872 the Surveyor General of the Dominion, now Canada Lands, has had the responsibility for the board of examiners. This body establishes professional qualifications and standards, sets the examinations and grants commissions as Canada lands surveyors. Under the present legislation the board also oversees the professional conduct of the Canada lands surveyors but has limited disciplinary powers.

Bill C-31 will transfer responsibility for the board of examiners from the surveyor general to the Association of Canada Lands Surveyors. The provisions proposed in the legislation are both efficient and appropriate.

For a number of years now at the provincial level, self-governing professional associations have been managing the responsibilities which we are now proposing at the federal level be transferred to the Association of Canada Lands Surveyors. Self-governing associations relieve government of the day to day work of ensuring that the members of the profession achieve and maintain professional standards of practice.

The government of which I am a representative does not hand over such important authorities lightly or arbitrarily. The legislation which we are now considering today touches the day to day lives of hundreds of thousands of people and concerns approximately one-half of the Canada land mass. Thus for some seven to eight years the federal government has undertaken detailed study, consultation and dialogue with the Association of Canada Lands Surveyors, with various other associations and with other federal government departments who rely on the services of Canada lands surveyors. This includes Parks Canada and Indian and northern affairs for instance. Our intent is to accomplish the transfer in an orderly and responsible fashion.

The Association of Canada Lands Surveyors has been actively involved in preparing for this important role since 1990. Formerly established in 1985 as an independent multidisciplinary association, the association is the successor to the Canada lands surveyors professional affairs committee of the Canadian institute of surveying.

There are four principal areas of responsibility involved in this proposed legislation: examination, admission, qualifications and discipline. I have already spoken to some extent about the examination and admission processes which are under the auspices of the board of examiners.

Under the proposed legislation the board of examiners under the management of the Association of Canada Lands Surveyors will continue to set rigorous technical and scientific examinations and issue commissions to successful candidates. What will change in this area however is the day to day management of the examination and accreditation process of the board of examiners which will be assumed by the association rather than by the Office of the Surveyor General of Canada Lands.

This is an important recognition of the stature of the profession and gives the Association of Canada Lands Surveyors authorities similar to those practised by provincial associations. Moreover the move is consistent with the government's commitment to improve the way government works by turning over to the private sector responsibilities in areas of activity that can be efficiently and effectively managed by the private sector.

I spoke earlier of the fact that surveying is a knowledge based discipline. As the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources, which is of course a scientific and knowledge based department, I am very particularly interested in the enhanced role the association will be playing in the skills development, training and continued education of the Canada lands surveyors.

The demanding examination process ensures that Canada lands surveyors are well qualified at the time of receiving their commission and provide professional standards of service, but it is no guarantee that those standards are maintained over time. Under the proposed Canada lands surveyors act the association will have both the authority and the means to ensure that its members maintain their professional standards.

One of the key commitments made by the association in preparation for this legislation is to provide continuing education programs for its members. Given the critical importance of lifelong learning and skills development in the knowledge based society and the new economy, this commitment by the association is particularly significant.

The association has also committed to promoting the profession of Canada lands surveyor in order to ensure that there continues to be a pool of qualified Canada lands surveyors available across Canada. There must be a sufficient number of these people working in the Yukon and Northwest Territories and near Canada lands across the country to provide quick efficient services at a reasonable cost.

The association has already demonstrated its leadership in this area since 1990 by preparing videos and holding seminars across Canada explaining the survey legislation and the Canada lands surveyors examination process.

The fourth key area addressed by Bill C-31 involves discipline and complaints procedures and provisions which will be implemented by the association. These new provisions and procedures significantly improve the current system and better protect members of the profession and the public and clients who call upon the services of Canada lands surveyors.

Ninety-nine per cent of the people actively working in the field carry out their duties with full professionalism and respect for quality, standards and service. Common to self-regulating professions is the ability to investigate complaints concerning performance and standards. As a result of Bill C-31 the association will be able to investigate complaints and to impose a range of penalties appropriate to the situation should fault occur. This will both protect the public interest and safeguard the reputation and integrity of Canada lands surveyors.

Once this legislation comes into effect all Canada lands surveyors who want to conduct legal surveys on Canada lands will have to be members of the association and will be required to carry liability insurance. This will ensure that the association is in a position to monitor, govern and self police the professional standards and conduct of Canada lands surveyors.

The proposed legislation is carefully designed to preserve and maintain the integrity of the Canada lands survey system. The Surveyor General of Canada Lands will continue to be responsible for the standards of property or legal surveys of Canada lands. Likewise the surveyor general will continue to be responsible for the standards of survey documentation submitted to the Canada lands survey records. Boundary commissions, descriptions of federal electoral districts, and surveys required by native land claims also remain under the jurisdiction of the surveyor general.

The benefits of the profession to the clients and to the Government of Canada are clear. With the provisions of Bill C-31 in place, the standards of conduct required of Canada lands surveyors will be enhanced to the level already in place provincially. Members of the profession will be assured that their fellow Canada lands surveyors have all met and continue to meet the high professional standards and requirements of the commission they bear so proudly.

The Canadian public will have the assurance and protection of a self-governing professional association to whom they can turn with complaints and concerns about the professional competence or conduct of Canada lands surveyors whenever that may be necessary. The promotion of the profession by the association will encourage new recruits to join the ranks of the Canada lands surveyors ensuring that qualified people are available across the country to carry out these important surveys. The government will have at its service a pool of professionals whose skills are continuously updated and current as we continue to shape and define the boundaries of lands we hold and manage in trust for the people of Canada.

In conclusion, I would like to thank hon. members for providing me with this opportunity to speak to this important bill, Bill C-31. I also appreciate the level of co-operation which I understand exists in the House today in terms of the furtherance of this bill.

[Petitions, May 6th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am pleased to present to the House of Commons a petition regarding the Newfoundland bulk ferry service.

The petitioners ask parliament to consider providing proper assistance to this essential service and to deem it so under the Canada Labour Code, part I.