Question Period- Hansard excerpts- June 17/05

National Security

Mr. Peter MacKay (Central Nova, CPC): Mr. Speaker, documents provided by Hao Fengjun, the former Chinese policeman and defector, show Chinese spies in Canada were targeting Jillian Ye, a Falun Gong practitioner and database consultant from Scarborough.

There is growing and concrete evidence of a massive Chinese network actively spying and reporting on the activities of Canadian citizens and engaging in economic cold war activity.

Has the foreign affairs minister called the Chinese ambassador to express our government's objection to these deplorable actions? What specific measures have been taken to address this serious sovereignty and security breach?

Hon. Anne McLellan (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, as I have said before in the House, the government takes the collective security of Canadians and their individual safety and security very seriously.

In relation to the alleged harassment of any individual, that is a very serious matter and is one that has to be taken up by law enforcement officials.

As I have said before in the House, CSIS is very much aware of the allegations that have been made in relation to certain alleged activities regarding China. I can reassure everyone in the House, without discussing operational details, that CSIS does everything necessary to protect--

The Deputy Speaker: The hon. member for Central Nova.

Mr. Peter MacKay (Central Nova, CPC): Mr. Speaker, the foreign affairs minister said that Chinese visitors are meant to respect Canadian laws and that when he learns otherwise he refers them to the appropriate authorities of our country and yet nothing is done.

Reports show that the Chinese spies were and are taping phones and waging campaigns of threats and harassment, all actions that contravene Canadian laws. China has a huge interest in owning our natural resources and dominating our economy. Our country is losing billions through economic espionage while the government practises wimp diplomacy.

Why is the Prime Minister so weak on matters of defence of our foreign and domestic interests and so gutless on Canadian sovereignty?

Hon. Anne McLellan (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. As was indicated yesterday, the Prime Minister did discuss issues of sovereignty and other issues when he was in China some months ago.

However, to focus on what is allegedly happening here in Canada, let me go back to some very simple facts about this situation. For example, if any individual believes he or she is being harassed, that is something that should be taken up by law enforcement officials.

Again, let me say that CSIS is aware of the allegation--

The Deputy Speaker: The hon. member for Central Nova.

Mr. Peter MacKay (Central Nova, CPC): Mr. Speaker, again, no action, no answers.

[Translation]

A thousand Chinese spies have infiltrated Canada and are targeting sensitive industries. Industrial espionage costs our economy $1 billion per month.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs says he takes these allegations very seriously. Can he tell us, then, what specific actions he has taken with the Chinese government in order to resolve this situation?

Á (1120)

[English]

Hon. Anne McLellan (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, our relationship with China is a complex one. We are all aware of that and, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs has said, when issues of concern arise, we sit down and talk about those matters as a matter of mutual concern.

We would expect, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs has said, to resolve most of the issues that exist between our two countries through dialogue.

However, as I have said before, we are fully aware of the allegations that have been made in relation to the presence of some in this country who may be carrying on certain activities that are unacceptable.

CSIS, the RCMP and regular law enforcement in this country are well aware--

The Deputy Speaker: The hon. member for Niagara Falls.

Hon. Rob Nicholson (Niagara Falls, CPC): Mr. Speaker, we have known for many years that China clamps down on the religious freedom and expression of people within its own borders. Now we have evidence that it is trying to do the same thing here in Canada.

CSIS has known about this for quite some time. Canadians of Chinese descent have known about this for some time. Why is it that the Liberal government is always the last one to figure out there is a problem and to do something about it?

Hon. Anne McLellan (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, far from being the last ones to know, as I have said before, without divulging operational details, CSIS is well aware of the allegations that have been made. CSIS is doing everything that is necessary to ensure the collective security of Canadians.

I would suggest to the hon. member that if he has evidence of harassment of any individual of whatever origin, he has a responsibility to provide that information to regular law enforcement authorities.

Hon. Rob Nicholson (Niagara Falls, CPC): Mr. Speaker, this is very typical of the government. With all the threats to the freedom of Canadians, the Liberals always give us the same answer, some variation that they have concern.

Let me suggest to the government that it move beyond concern and start putting the time, effort and money into cleaning up this problem.

If the government does not have any money because it gave it all to the NDP, why does it not suspend trade with and foreign aid to China and do something with those resources to expel all these communist spies in our country?

Hon. Anne McLellan (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, every day there are remarkable and unbelievable statements made on the floor of this House by the official opposition and I think we just heard another one.

Did I actually hear that person suggest that we should suspend trade with China? If one wants any further evidence as to why those people are not ready to govern, we just saw it.........

Natural Resources

Mr. James Bezan (Selkirk—Interlake, CPC): Mr. Speaker, news reports confirm today what I stated yesterday. The only reason the governor of North Dakota is delaying the opening of the Devils Lake diversion is wet weather and the high level of the Red River. When things dry up, he fully intends to open up the diversion.

The three amigos, the environment minister, the foreign affairs minister and the Treasury Board president, stated that an agreement for delay had been reached. It is just like the Liberals to take credit for the weather.

Who is telling the truth, the ministers or the Governor of North Dakota?

Hon. Stéphane Dion (Minister of the Environment, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, since the member repeated the same question, I will repeat the same answer.

It is that we have received assurances that as long as the intense negotiations we are having with the Americans are going on, the outlet will not be opened.

If the governor said it is because of the weather, that is fine with us, as long as we have time to find a good solution for the Red River, the Sheyenne River, Lake Winnipeg and the quality of the environment and good water quality.

Mrs. Joy Smith (Kildonan—St. Paul, CPC): Mr. Speaker, that just plain is not true. Manitoba has been working on this issue for eight years. Three years ago the U.S. requested an IJC referral. The government refused. Yesterday in the House the government took full credit for something it did not do.

The governor of North Dakota said that the only reason the diversion would not be opened July 1 is the weather, not because the Prime Minister called.

When will the government quit misleading Canadians and embarrassing us with its Liberal spin and actually find a solution to this problem?

Á (1135)

Hon. Stéphane Dion (Minister of the Environment, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, the first way to find a good solution is not to buy the bad arguments that are being made. The member is not helping the cause when she says those things.

It is not true that the Government of Canada rejected the IJC referral three years ago. It is not what happened, not at all. The member has bad information. We never rejected an IJC referral. She is accepting a spin that is not helping the cause of Canada. She has wrong information. She is not helping the cause at all.

* * *

[Translation]
Sponsorship Program

Ms. Pauline Picard (Drummond, BQ): Mr. Speaker, yesterday, during final arguments, Jean Chrétien's lawyer asked Justice Gomery to formally exonerate the former PM in his report and told journalists that he had been assured by the government that a new challenge of Justice Gomery's bias could be filed.

Is that not proof that the exchange of letters between the government's lawyer and Jean Chrétien's lawyer gave the former PM enough assurance to continue to hold his threat over Justice Gomery's head?

Hon. Irwin Cotler (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, there was no secret agreement. As the leader of the Bloc Québécois said himself, it was merely a legal statement of the facts.

Ms. Pauline Picard (Drummond, BQ): Mr. Speaker, Jean Chrétien's lawyer told the press on Monday that this guarantee had reassured him about what to do next.

Does the Prime Minister realize that this guarantee gives Jean Chrétien's lawyer exactly what he needs to maintain pressure on Justice Gomery, just as the latter is about to start drafting his report?

Hon. Irwin Cotler (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, ultimately, in terms of principles, we have supported the Gomery inquiry in the past and will continue to do so in the future..........

Finance

Mr. Charlie Penson (Peace River, CPC): Mr. Speaker, in his 2004 budget, the Minister of Finance set the surplus at $1.9 billion, only to admit a few months after the last election that it was really $9.1 billion. This was a continuation of the previous finance minister's sorry record of consistently lowballing the surplus.

The minister finally decided to buy some time by appointing Tim O'Neill to do a comprehensive, independent review of the government's economic and fiscal forecasting. The press release announcing the appointment stated that the review was to be completed by early 2005. I would remind the minister that it is June 17, 2005. Where is the report?

Á (1150)

Hon. Ralph Goodale (Minister of Finance, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, Dr. O'Neill has worked very hard on his assignment. I would expect that he will be able to put his report in the public domain, and then it would be referred to the finance committee of the House of Commons, perhaps as early as next week.

Mr. Charlie Penson (Peace River, CPC): Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister and his Minister of Finance were caught lowballing the surplus again last fall, they were sufficiently embarrassed and concerned about their lack of credibility that they appointed Tim O'Neill to study the situation.

Meanwhile, the finance committee has also considered the merits of having an independent fiscal forecasting office and is ready to report back to Parliament. The problem is that we still have not heard from Mr. O'Neill. The minister has the report, we understand, but will not release it. Is that because it is telling him something he does not want to hear?

Hon. Ralph Goodale (Minister of Finance, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that the report is being translated and it will be available very shortly for members of Parliament. I made the commitment that it would go to the finance committee, and whatever Dr. O'Neill has to say about the forecasting requests of the finance committee will be very shortly in the public domain.

In the meantime, we continue to have the best fiscal record in all of the G-7 countries.

* * *

[Translation]
Border Crossings

Ms. France Bonsant (Compton—Stanstead, BQ): Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Industry, Natural Resources, Science and Technology yesterday passed a resolution inviting the ministers of international trade and of public security and emergency preparedness to explain Canada's choice to not be part of the work to improve the Lacolle border facilities, as the Americans are doing on their side.

Is the government aware that, if the work is not done, the Lacolle border crossing, Canada's fourth largest, could become an impenetrable wall?

[English]

Hon. Anne McLellan (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, we regularly assess our needs at all major border crossings, both the infrastructure needs and the human resource needs. I am very well aware of the importance of the Lacolle crossing.

The Canada Border Services Agency will ensure that whatever infrastructure is required to facilitate the movement of low risk goods and people across that border crossing is in place. I can reassure the hon. member of that fact.

[Translation]

Ms. France Bonsant (Compton—Stanstead, BQ): Mr. Speaker, it is all very well for the government to contend it has spent significant amounts to improve Canada's border crossings, but witnesses tell me in committee that this does not apply to the Lacolle crossing.

Why is the government not investing the funds needed to make Lacolle as efficient a border crossing as the one on the American side?

[English]

Hon. Anne McLellan (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, as I say, we regularly assess the infrastructure and human resource requirements of our major border crossings. We do this on a regular basis and we make the investments necessary to ensure that low risk goods and people cross our border in a timely fashion.

I can again reassure the hon. member that the CBSA is very much aware of the situation on the ground in Lacolle. We are very much aware of what is happening on the U.S. side of the border. The CBSA will do everything that is necessary to ensure that our side of the border facilitates the movement of goods and people.

* * *
Tsunami Relief

Mrs. Nina Grewal (Fleetwood—Port Kells, CPC): Mr. Speaker, both Norway and France have delivered on over 80% of their tsunami aid pledges. Canada has not delivered half that amount. The Prime Minister promised to “verify that Canadian aid is getting through to parts of Sri Lanka controlled by Tamil rebels”. He said, “This is something we are going to monitor and we'll insist it be monitored on a continuous basis”.

Why has the government not fulfilled its promise that Canadian aid dollars would reach those in need?

Hon. Aileen Carroll (Minister of International Cooperation, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, let me assure the House that the Prime Minister's commitment is being undertaken very faithfully by me. I am in regular communication with my counterpart in Sri Lanka, as well as Indonesia and other tsunami impacted countries.

We have disbursed a very large amount of the moneys to go toward the reconstruction and the plans we have for those areas of Sri Lanka. Sixty per cent of that area is in the northeast and our communications and our rollout are exceptional.

Á (1155)

Mrs. Nina Grewal (Fleetwood—Port Kells, CPC): Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Sri Lankan government's main ally quit the ruling coalition. His move was over plans to share tsunami aid with survivors in the Tamil controlled northern regions. The Sri Lankan government has now been reduced to a hamstrung minority.

With the Sri Lankan government in chaos, how can the minister ensure the equitable distribution of Canadian aid money?

Hon. Aileen Carroll (Minister of International Cooperation, Lib.): Indeed, Mr. Speaker, there has been some concern expressed by members of the coalition--

An hon. member: Answer the question.

Hon. Aileen Carroll: I am attempting to do that, Mr. Speaker. We are in constant communication with our authorities on the ground with regard to recent events and the joint mechanism withdrawal of some parts of the Sri Lankan government.

I do not require the kind of apparatus that is being suggested by the member. We are working through the United Nations. We are working with NGOs. Our aid is being disbursed. My CIDA people are on the ground. I can assure the House and Canada of a very effective reconstruction program in that area of Sri Lanka.

* * *