Jean Chrétien

[First Nations, May 6th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, everyone knows that a change of government enables Parliament to change all of the legislation the previous Parliament has enacted.

The Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development has submitted a bill to the House of Commons. It has gone to the committee after first reading, which gives everyone the opportunity to make suggestions before the bill comes back for second reading. This is an unusual process, and one that allows everyone more input.

It is quite possible that future governments may change the legislation that is in place today, as we have done with that of previous governments.

[Foreign Affairs, May 6th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, it is amazing that we never have a question from the opposition until we discuss the problem ourselves. We have been debating this matter for a long time.

The opposition is supposed to be very preoccupied about defence. Members opposite have to realize that there was debate within the Liberal Party in order for the government to make the right decision.

[Foreign Affairs, May 6th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, concerning Iraq, we were the first ones to say a year ago that the precondition was an agreement with the Security Council.

We have debated the possibility of the deployment of armaments around the globe and in the air. It is not the same thing as protecting the continent from missiles that could come from abroad.

It is a different concept from the star wars of President Reagan. It is why we are looking at a Canadian position when the time comes for us to look into that.

[Foreign Affairs, May 6th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I will explain to the hon. Leader of the Opposition today, as I did yesterday, that it is an ongoing debate. There were changes when the Americans and the Russians decided to debate it and the abrogation of the ABM treaty by the Americans was a prelude to that possibility.

We were discussing that in the government ministries in February. We decided to postpone the cabinet decision to this time of the year. We had a first discussion this morning and there will be others.

The government faces every problem that it is obliged to face. This one concerns the defence of this country.

[First Nations, May 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the committee members have a mandate to examine proposals. What the hon. member has just said is that there is a real debate going on, with some changes accepted and others rejected. Knowing the hon. member, I am not surprised that we may be forced to reject some of his suggestions, because they are not very practical.

[First Nations, May 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the minister has just given a very good explanation. The bill is with the House of Commons committee prior to second reading, which gives maximum flexibility to all members of the five parties in the House of Commons to make the necessary suggestions. There is a very broad consensus in Canada that changes must be made to an act that is 127 years old.

[National Defence, May 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, if everybody seems to be changing their views, it is because the system is changing. At the time the star wars program was initiated under President Reagan. It is not the same any more. It is much more limited. We are looking at what position Canada should take within Norad and other organizations because they are our neighbours. Defence sometimes, especially in the air, in the past has been in common.

We have not made any decisions. We are looking at whether we have to make a decision and getting information about the changes that have come about since two years ago.

[Foreign Affairs, May 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I understand that there is no debate on anything in the NDP because it is still living in the thirties and we are living in a new century.

It is normal that we have a debate on this issue. I explained a minute ago that the situation is changing. A year ago the Russians and the Chinese were very strongly opposed. Now there is some change because the system is changing, and we are looking at different alternatives. In my party there is a debate--

[Aboriginal Affairs, May 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the problem concerning the management of native reserves and native affairs is an extremely important problem that has been debated for a long time. The renewal of the Indian Act is something that has been discussed. I was discussing it when I was Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs. The problem is that a lot of people do not want to change things, like the NDP. Those members are always for the status quo while we in the Liberal Party want to find new ways to manage the problems of the nation, including the native problem.

[Fisheries, May 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, if the member were better informed, he would know that climate change has considerably affected fish stocks all over the world.

While the Grand Banks off Newfoundland constituted the richest cod fishing grounds for hundreds of years, in recent years, the numbers have dropped considerably. There are factors such as temperature, too many seals and other similar problems that we are managing to the best of our ability. However, in other sectors of the fishery, things are much better.