Nuclear Technology  Mr. Speaker, there are a variety of safeguards in place with respect to current or future nuclear trade including the requirement of a bilateral nuclear co-operation agreement between Canada and the recipient country and including the imposition of the terms of multilateral agreements such as the non-proliferation treaty which involves complete inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency and all international safeguards that apply under the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Foreign Affairs  Mr. Speaker, the hon. gentleman is comparing two different points in time, 24 years apart, and two quite different sets of rules. Based in part upon the experience in the 1970s, Canada substantially toughened its nuclear non-proliferation requirements. Bilateral arrangements are required with any recipient countries.

Income Tax Conventions Implementation Act, 1998  moved for leave to introduce Bill S-16, an act to implement an agreement between Canada and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, an agreement between Canada and the Republic of Croatia and a convention between Canada and the Republic of Chile for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income, be read the first time.

The Environment  Mr. Speaker, the commissioner's comments relate to that period before Kyoto. Since Kyoto and consistent with the commissioner's advice, Canada's first ministers have all agreed on a collaborative approach. All energy and environment ministers are now assembling the national implementation strategy.

Agriculture  Mr. Speaker, I commend the members of the other place for the work they have done on Bill C-4. They have proposed a number of changes in the legislation which by and large enhance and improve the legislation. They have made some technical recommendations with respect to a particular role for the auditor general at that moment in time when the corporation ceases to be a crown corporation and becomes a mixed enterprise, while it is going through that rather delicate transition.

Nuclear Testing  Mr. Speaker, it really is remarkable the depths to which the opposition will stoop to try to score what appears in their eyes to be a point. When Canada discovered in 1974 that India had made a nuclear test, we immediately suspended all our nuclear activity with them. We toughened and strengthened the safeguards.

Natural Resources  Mr. Speaker, we are very interested in the potential of district energy systems and have in fact been instrumental in the founding of the District Energy Association of Canada. We have worked on such projects as the Oujé-Bougoumou project in an aboriginal community in northern Quebec.

Nuclear Testing  Mr. Speaker, I want to make this very clear. After the first deplorable test by India back in 1974, Canada suspended all nuclear trade with India. We then developed a much more stringent non-proliferation policy in the mid-1970s. In 1976 Canada terminated all nuclear trade with India after it became clear India would not comply with our non-proliferation policy.

Varennes Tokamak  Mr. Speaker, in the course of the government's program review process some very difficult decisions had to be made about priorities. It was determined in that process that fusion research which has a payback that is at least 30 to 40 years in the future could not at this time be a priority.

India  Mr. Speaker, the Candu technology sold to India in the 1960s and 1970s was in fact not used by India for the production of its first nuclear weapon back in 1974. After that Indian weapon test in 1974, Canada suspended all nuclear trade with India. Thereafter the non-proliferation standards were also strengthened and total trade was terminated.

National Forest Strategy  Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has repeatedly explained the impact of the current tax rules to the hon. gentleman. Recently federal and provincial ministers and a variety of others interested in the forest sector have worked very hard on developing a new forest strategy for Canada for the next five year period.

Varennes Tokamak Project  Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada has contributed some $90 million to this project in Quebec since 1981. In 1996 when the decision was taken not to proceed with fusion work the government undertook a lump sum payment of $19 million to discharge its further obligations with respect to the project.

Tokamak Project  Mr. Speaker, the scientific activity the hon. gentleman refers to is scientific activity that is perfectly legitimate and valid but has a return period that is some 20, 30 or 40 years into the future. In terms of dealing with the climate change issues we must deal with in the next 5 to 10 years, obviously the timing horizon of 30 or 40 years into the future is not particularly helpful.

Tokamak Project  Mr. Speaker, Canada is very fortunate to have a very broad mix of energy sources and it is important that we use all of those sources prudently and wisely. Some of those sources are still in the realm of scientific development. The one the hon. gentleman refers to is one of those.

Atomic Energy Of Canada Limited  Mr. Speaker, it was less than a week ago that this very member asked me in this House to ensure that the workers who would be laid off at Pinawa would be protected under the government's early retirement incentive program. In order to make sure those workers were protected under that program it was a legal requirement that they be notified with respect to their layoff status no later than March 31.