Jean Chrétien

[Fisheries, May 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, for as long as I have been a member of Parliament—which is a few years now—every year the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans must re-evaluate quotas because there are natural fluctuations in catch and reproduction.

Experts advise the minister. Every year, the quotas change. Some years, they are raised; other years, they are lowered. As a rule, when quotas are raised, there are not many problems. However, unfortunately, when quotas are lowered, it is trickier. We know that this will be the case. However, the most important thing is to ensure that we keep the resource in good shape for the years to come.

[Canada-U.S. Relations, May 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian position has been very clear for a year. We had to have a resolution of the Security Council in order to participate in the war. I said that to the President of the United States a year ago. He knew that I was serious. He knew that I would probably deliver on what I said and that is exactly what I have done with the great support of the Canadian people.

[Canada-U.S. Relations, May 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the policies of the government are always initiated by the Prime Minister. At this time there is a debate. That was discussed many months before among members of Parliament and ministers and so on.

There has been an evolution in this file over the last six months. For example, there was extremely strong opposition by the Russians, which has diminished since that time, the same with the Chinese. We are looking at the files.

Of course my ministers do not agree all the time among themselves. I would be disappointed if they were to agree all the time, but at the end of the day the decision is made and they respect that decision.

[Canada-U.S. Relations, May 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, if the member were to go and check the list of the problems we inherited when we took over the government in 1993, he would see that it was far longer then. There were problems with the fisheries, vessels defying the government of the day by entering northern waters. I could go on. The softwood lumber problem was even around at that time.

When you have trade relations as significant as those between Canada and the United States, that is in the order of $1.2 billion daily, it is normal for there to be some problems. Generally we manage to settle them. This is why the Canadian economy is working very well.

[Canada-U.S. Relations, May 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, we are working very well at this moment with the government of the United States. Last week we made a decision, in agreement with them, to help with using planes and personnel for the reconstruction and the humanitarian help for the reconstruction of Iraq. It was agreed some months ago that we were to send quite a good number of troops into Afghanistan for the war against terrorism. So there is no need for a special meeting, because we will have an occasion to meet at the end of the month.

[Canada-U.S. Relations, May 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, it was agreed that the president wanted to visit Canada. He said he wanted to postpone it to the fall. We are in discussion about some dates. I was disappointed that he did not come, but he said that he will be coming.

I have said in the past that every president who has managed to come to Canada in his first mandate has managed to be re-elected, so he has an incentive to come.

[Health, April 30th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Brundtland wears skirts. I talked to her last week and she called me yesterday. She acted very diligently. I told her that we appreciated that. Last week the Minister of Health called her very rapidly the morning after I called the former prime minister of Norway. She acted very well and very responsibly. We are grateful for that.

[Foreign Affairs, April 30th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I never thought that this gentleman would go so low as to attack one of the best bureaucrats we have had in years in the Department of Foreign Affairs because he is my nephew.

I hope he will repeat the attack against the people who have invested money in something outside and he will face the consequences.

[Foreign Affairs, April 30th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the decision about the non-participation in the war in Iraq was announced to the American government a year before, when I discussed that with President Bush. So it was not under the influence of anybody. We said that to participate in a war we needed the support of the Security Council. That was known for more than a year.

We are a member of NATO. We are participating in NATO. We think that NATO is a good organization. I am sure that NATO will survive many such meetings.

[Health, April 30th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I never had a communication. She never wrote me a letter, never called me. There was communication with the Department of Health, with the World Health Organization and communication between the ministers of health of the provincial and federal governments. Mr. Clement congratulated the federal minister for the good work that she was doing.