CANADA VOLUME 137 S NUMBER 059 S 1st SESSION S 37th PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Thursday, May 10, 2001 Speaker: The Honourable Peter Milliken CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) All parliamentary publications are available on the ``Parliamentary Internet Parlementaire'' at the following address: http://www.parl.gc.ca 3835 HOUSE OF COMMONS Thursday, May 10, 2001 The House met at 10 a.m. In view of the fact that the minister is not in the House this morning, I wanted to give notice that I will be pursuing this _______________ question of privilege at the earliest opportunity when the minister and myself are both in the House. Prayers _____________________________________________ _______________ ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS D (1000) [Translation] [English] POINTS OF ORDER GOVERNMENT RESPONSE TO PETITIONS Mr. Derek Lee (Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the TABLING OF DOCUMENTS Government in the House of Commons, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8) I have the honour to table, in both Mr. Stéphane Bergeron (Verchères—Les-Patriotes, BQ): Mr. official languages, the government’s response to six petitions. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Sometimes, in a spirit of mutual agreement, political parties seek * * * the co-operation of other parties. Today, in fact, the government [Translation] party asked for our co-operation with respect to a request it was making. COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE In the same spirit of understanding and co-operation, I seek PUBLIC ACCOUNTS unanimous consent for the tabling of the lease linking the Auberge Grand-Mère with the Grand-Mère golf club. Mr. John Williams (St. Albert, Canadian Alliance): Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the The Speaker: Is there unanimous consent of the House for the third report of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts relating tabling of this document? to vote 20 under finance in the main estimates for the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2002. Some hon. members: Agreed. I also have the honour to table the fourth report of the Standing Some hon. members: No. Committee on Public Accounts relating to the Public Accounts of Canada, 1999-2000. D (1005) Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the Standing Committee on [English] Public Accounts requests that the government table a comprehen- sive response to this fourth report. FOREIGN AFFAIRS * * * Mr. Svend Robinson (Burnaby—Douglas, NDP): Mr. Speaker, I rise this morning to give the Speaker and the House notice of a PETITIONS question of privilege. MINING INDUSTRY I have informed the Speaker that I believe a serious question of privilege has arisen from the conduct of both the Minister of Mr. Guy St-Julien (Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik, Lib.): Foreign Affairs and his officials concerning documentation with Mr. Speaker, I am tabling a petition on behalf of residents of the respect to the activities of Talisman Energy in Sudan and the use of city of Val-d’Or and the Vallée de l’Or RCM, as well as on behalf its airfields by the government of Sudan for offensive military of all miners working in the mining industry in the Abitibi-Témis- purposes. camingue region. 3836 COMMONS DEBATES May 10, 2001 Routine Proceedings The petition states that the government should act to reinforce its [English] presence and increase its activities in mining regions that are experiencing difficulty in adapting to the new economy. The TRADE government should make the rules governing existing programs more flexible and ensure they are being used in resource regions. Mr. Svend Robinson (Burnaby—Douglas, NDP): Mr. Speaker, Therefore, the petitioners call upon parliament to set up a I have the honour to table a petition signed by residents of my financial assistance program for thin capitalization mines in Que- constituency of Burnaby—Douglas and others in British Columbia. bec’s resource regions. The petitioners point out that since 1994 the Canadian govern- [English] ment has been secretly negotiating a future free trade area of the Americas agreement with 34 countries of the Americas and the INCOME TAX business community. They are concerned about the negative impacts this agreement could have on the environment, on their Mr. Keith Martin (Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, Canadian communities, on their children and, indeed, on all the people of the Alliance): Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I submit a Americas. They do not wish to have a treaty that is inspired by the petition on behalf of Terry Jessop and other constituents in my destructive elements of the WTO, NAFTA or the MAI. They point riding of Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca. out that this has been negotiated in secret for too long and that the right to know is fundamental in a democracy. In order to help Canada’s economy and reduce our unemploy- ment, the petitioners request that parliament enact legislation to Therefore the petitioners call upon the Canadian government to permit that one vacation per year taken entirely in Canada be immediately publish the integral version of the free trade area of subject to a tax deduction for income tax purposes. the Americas negotiation text. Certainly that request is long overdue. FOREIGN AFFAIRS PESTICIDES Mr. Keith Martin (Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, Canadian Alliance): Mr. Speaker, I have another petition from constituents Mr. Scott Reid (Lanark—Carleton, Canadian Alliance): Mr. from across the country. Speaker, I am presenting a petition today on behalf of over 300 Canadians, mostly residents in my riding but also some in Nepean, The petitioners ask that the House of Commons and the Standing Kingston and elsewhere. Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade consider Mr. Hun Sen, the leader of Cambodia, to have committed war crimes, The petitioners call upon parliament to immediately place a crimes against humanity and genocide, and to implement a resolu- moratorium on the cosmetic use of chemical pesticides until such tion as soon as possible to bring this individual to trial and prevent time as there is scientific evidence demonstrating that these further tragedy. pesticides are safe. [Translation] * * * CANADA POST CORPORATION [Translation] Mr. Ghislain Lebel (Chambly, BQ): Mr. Speaker, on behalf of 39 petitioners in and around my riding, I am tabling a petition QUESTIONS ON THE ORDER PAPER asking the government to repeal section 13(5) of the Canada Post Corporation Act. Mr. Derek Lee (Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I was informed yesterday that United Parcel, the major Ameri- Questions Nos. 15 and 16 will be answered today. can courier, is suing Canada Post for unfair competition under chapter 11 of the North American free trade agreement, or NAFTA. [Text] D (1010) Question No. 15—Mr. Greg Thompson: Section 13(5) of the Canada Post legislation grants to this With respect to the recent Human Resources Development Canada, HRDC, investigations regarding shell fishermen, clam diggers and buyers in New Brunswick corporation a preference that is refused to other courier companies. Southwest: (a) how many individuals were called in for interrogation; (b) were these interrogations conducted solely by HRDC officials or in conjunction with other Moreover, rural route couriers are paid less than the minimum agencies or departments; (c) were these investigations conducted as a result of violations of employment insurance regulations by clam diggers or clam buyers; (d) wage. were the persons or principals interrogated advised by written or verbal communication identifying the specific infractions being investigated; (e) was I table this petition. supporting documentations from other government agencies and departments in May 10, 2001 COMMONS DEBATES 3837 Routine Proceedings addition to HDRC records of alleged abuse or fraud, disclosed to those individuals and (h) This investigation is not finalized. Therefore a report on the principals being interviewed; (f) what are the names and the addresses of all persons and principals interrogated; (g) what are the names of the employees who carried out investigation has not yet been completed by the investigators. the interviews and what government department or agency employs them; (h) was a report of this investigation submitted to the regional director manager, investigation and control; (i) was there an internal departmental investigation done to determine any There are many activities involved in conducting an investiga- real or potential conflict of interest in regard to departmental officials assigned to these tion including completing reports. For instance, the investigator investigations; (j) was a report immediately forwarded from the regional director manager to the director, control programs, national headquarters; and (k) at what time gathers information, verifies its accuracy by various means and date was the minister first made aware ot fhe magnitude of the investigation? including contacting employers and claimants via mail, telephone or in person interviews. Payroll records may also be inspected to Hon. Jane Stewart (Minister of the Human Resources Devel- verify employment. opment, Lib.): Human Resources Development Canada, HRDC, is mandated to carry out investigations in relation to the employment Upon completion of an investigation investigators are required insurance program. As part of the investigation HRDC officials to write a report. The steps taken, facts received and records of any conduct interviews, not interrogations, with clients. Investigators interviews are documented in the report of investigation which is adhere to a strict code of conduct that respects the rights and the HRDC departmental form used to report on an investigation. dignity of clients. The policies and guidelines on the code of The report of investigation is then referred to an HRDC insurance conduct to which investigators must adhere while conducting officer to make a decision based on the recommendations and investigations are outlined in the investigation and control manual. information gathered during the investigation. Additional reports This manual chapter has recently been updated.