Ralph Goodale

[Canadian Farmers, March 8th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, on this particular weekend the minister of agriculture was leaving for a trade mission to Japan. In my own case, I was in Washington on Saturday talking with Canadian embassy officials about access to U.S. grain markets for Canadian grain supplies and heading off additional trade disputes.

The organizers of the committee made it absolutely clear that the only persons who would be acceptable in terms of representing the government would be the minister of agriculture or myself. Unfortunately, in the circumstances, both of us were fighting for farmers elsewhere.

[The Environment, March 8th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the allegations in the gentleman's preamble are absolutely and plainly false.

The document that is the government's policy is the December 3 response to the Seaborn report. It lays out an extensive pattern of consultation by me, by my department, by the government and by the waste disposal agency. It is all there in a very public, open and transparent way. That is the government's policy. The gentleman and CTV News are wrong.

[The Environment, March 8th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman, in making reference to the report by CTV News, is simply and plainly wrong.

The government's policy with respect to this matter was announced on December 3 in our response to the Seaborn report. The Seaborn report was the culmination of 10 years of investigation on this question.

We have laid out our way forward which involves both immediate and long term consultations. The document is there on the Internet and it has been there since December 3.

[The Environment, March 5th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, again I point out to the hon. member that the 1998 budget added $150 million to the process. That brings this government's investment in climate change solutions on an annual basis to over $200 million per year.

In addition, there were a number of technical measures in this budget having to do with gas flaring, having to do with support to municipalities, and having to do with wind experiments in the Atlantic provinces which will continue to move the momentum along.

The government is moving on the file and we intend to meet our targets.

[The Environment, March 5th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, that work is already under way in two important respects.

First, in the budget of 1998 we introduced the climate change action fund. This is $150 million in new money to support the ongoing process with the provinces, to support the work on science, to support the work on technology transfer and on engaging the Canadian public. We have a very open and transparent process with 450 Canadian experts working together to develop a long term strategy. The process is very well along in its development.

[Commodity Prices, March 2nd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the NDP has awakened to the intensely competitive global marketplace.

In a news release today she said the only answer is for Canadians to work together to find solutions. That is exactly what we have been doing as a government since 1993. We are fighting for fair access in markets around the world.

Team Canada trade missions take advantage of that access. We have more research and development, more diversification, more value added economic growth. Canadian dependency on raw commodities has been cut from over 60% in 1980 to about 35% today.

The nation has been rid of its deficit and we already—

[Aboriginal Affairs, March 1st, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, we all know that some of the conditions facing off reserve aboriginal people are very distressing and deserve the attention of all governments in this country that have jurisdiction and responsibility.

The Government of Canada is working on its side of that responsibility as we would expect all other levels of government to do as well. We are anxious to work in partnership to find the solutions that work. And yes indeed, my door is always open to meet with any aboriginal group that wants to talk to me.

[Natural Resources, February 18th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, this initiative is about Canada's geomatics industry, one of the country's fastest growing high tech sectors with more than 1,500 companies, 20,000 employees and a global market growing at a rate of 20% a year. Canada is a big player in that market.

GeoConnexions is a unique intergovernmental, private sector, academic sector partnership to build an ultra modern information highway for the delivery of vital integrated comprehensive geographic information all across Canada. That means urban, rural, aboriginal, northern and remote areas. All Canadians will benefit.

[Justice, February 12th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada has an obligation obviously to uphold the law, not in a selective manner but broadly and even handedly across the board. That is in fact what we do.

In terms of individual prosecutions, of course the hon. gentleman will also know the appropriate role of the provincial departments of justice. The hon. gentleman refers to specific cases where he thinks there is some discrepancy in the administration of justice. Obviously all of those cases are looked at very closely to ensure that justice is even handed.

[Export Of Candu Reactors, February 11th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, obviously with respect to future transactions, no one can predict what might happen in terms of future business relationships.

On the scientific point, the hon. member does this Canadian technology a grave disservice by implying that it is somehow inherently unsafe. In fact, the Candu has the safest track record in the world.