Ralph Goodale

[Transportation Of Mox, September 26th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, there was an extensive public review period with respect to this particular project. That review period together with all of the other procedures that applied were in complete compliance with the Canadian Nuclear Safety and Control Act, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, the requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organization.

We have the most stringent regulatory regime in the world to protect public health and safety in the environment and we intend to keep it that way.

[Grain Transportation, September 22nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, a more commercial, competitive and contractual system is emerging in the grain handling and transportation system. That is a big change. All of the players have been accustomed to decades of administration and regulation and they must now function in a much different environment. The request for mediation will be responded to appropriately, but in the meantime the parties should conduct themselves in a mature, responsible, businesslike and good faith manner. I am hopeful that will be the case.

[Gasoline Pricing, September 22nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, in terms of the long term functioning of the market, we have established under the Conference Board of Canada a detailed market analysis so that people in government both federally and provincially and the general public can have greater knowledge and understanding about how that marketplace functions and why the price trends occur the way they do. It is that kind of effort that is already being taken by the government to ensure that we do have the right long term policy in place.

[Transport Of Mox, September 22nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the public consultation process began a month and a half ago. Ample time was given for all of the necessary analysis and indeed the emergency response plan was amended specifically to address the points raised by Dr. Lyman.

[Transport Of Mox, September 22nd, 2000]

No, Mr. Speaker, I will not admit that because it is not true.

[Importation Of Plutonium, September 21st, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the rationale for the testing of MOX fuel, and it is the testing of the fuel not a commercial program, is to try to make this world safer and more secure from the nuclear threat of the plutonium stockpiles in existence in the United States and Russia.

Anything that happens in this country is fully consistent with the laws of Canada, the Environmental Protection Act, the Nuclear Safety and Control Act, the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

[Importation Of Mox, September 20th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the gentleman to whom the hon. member refers made some comments during the open public comment process. AECL took those comments into account and responded to them during the process.

It is now in the hands of the Department of Transport as the regulator to determine whether all of the circumstances are sufficient to allow the transportation to occur. I have every confidence that Transport Canada will discharge its responsibilities in the public interest.

[Grain Transportation, September 19th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, as I just indicated, the Minister of Transport, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and myself will be responding to the grain companies very shortly with an appropriate considered reply.

Let me simply say to all of the players in the grain handling and transportation system that neither the farmers nor this government will take lightly any behaviour that puts an excess burden upon farmers in these difficult times.

[Grain Transportation, September 19th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, at the end of August the grain companies indicated that in their view they thought the discussions with the Canadian Wheat Board had arrived at an impasse. Although they did not provide any detail at that time of what that impasse might consist of, the government immediately asked the grain companies to provide more detail. That detail arrived during the course of last week. Their position is being carefully examined at the present time and we intend to respond in an appropriate manner very shortly.

[Fuel Prices, September 19th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the government is very anxious to have the information that can be provided by the conference board so that all Canadians, those in government as policymakers and those in the private sector who run various industrial parts of our economy as well as individual consumers, can fully see in a transparent way the exact trends in those markets so that when, for example, there are those inexplicable price spikes before long weekends people would be in a position to act.