These comments are direct quotations from the Hansard
documents.
War of Insults
Mr. Stephen Harper
(Leader of the Opposition, Canadian Alliance): Mr. Speaker, instead of
representing Canadians' interests abroad, the Prime Minister, the petty
little guy from Shawinigan, once again seems to be engaging in a war of
insults with President Bush.
There are the duties on softwood lumber and wheat. There are the travel
advisories over the SARS outbreak. There is the ban on the importation of
Canadian beef. On the issue of mad cow disease, which the Prime Minister
forgot whether he even discussed it with the President, can the government
report whether the President and the Prime Minister have had any useful
discussions that might result in the lifting of the ban on the importation
of Canadian beef?
Hon. John Manley (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, I am sure the hon. member knows that there is additional work
being carried on by the authorities at both the federal and provincial
levels. Once the appropriate information is available, then of course we
will immediately urge that the ban on imports to the United States be
lifted. That will be done at all appropriate levels.
Mr. Stephen Harper (Leader of the Opposition, Canadian Alliance):
Mr. Speaker, the Deputy Prime Minister can have this laid-back tone, but
this is costing the industry millions every day that it is in effect.
The government waived the EI waiting period for workers directly affected
by SARS in Toronto. On Monday I asked the Prime Minister in the House if
he would do the same thing for beef industry workers. He appeared to say
yes. A day later the human resources minister appeared to have said no.
When will the government be fair to beef industry workers and eliminate
the EI waiting period?
Hon. Jane Stewart (Minister of Human Resources Development, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, I first want to say how much we appreciate the difficulties
that may be associated to those who are working in the meat processing
industry.
Let us be clear that the waiving of the two week waiting period in Toronto
was for those who are directly affected by quarantine. We waived that two
week period to support the quarantine for individuals who had no choice of
going out to work, and could stay at home and have income for their
families.
By working with the employers and the employees as we are doing every
single day, we want to make sure that employment insurance work sharing
opportunities and all the aspects of the employment insurance program are
there for those who need it.
Mr. Stephen Harper (Leader of the Opposition, Canadian Alliance):
Mr. Speaker, that kind of hair splitting is not acceptable. Workers in the
industry are being directly affected because of the outbreak of mad cow
disease. When EI waiting times were eliminated because of the Toronto SARS
crisis, they were eliminated for those who were “prevented from working
because of an outbreak”. Beef industry workers are also prevented from
working because of an outbreak.
How can the government explain this double standard toward the working
conditions of rural Canadians?
Hon. Jane Stewart (Minister of Human Resources Development, Lib.): Mr.
Speaker, there is no double standard. I would implore the hon. member to
understand the circumstances around which waiving the two week waiting
period was undertaken. It is precisely for those who are quarantined, who
cannot leave their homes, who cannot go to work and who have to have the
opportunity to have income support for their families.
There are other aspects of the employment insurance system that are there.
They are working and working well. My officials are working with employers
and employees to ensure they understand all aspects of the program and
have the full benefit of those programs.
Mr. Rick Casson (Lethbridge, Canadian Alliance): Mr. Speaker, it
has been nine days since our borders were closed to exports of beef and
beef products. Canada's multi-billion dollar beef industry is in peril of
disappearing. With every hour that goes by, the industry gets closer to
economic collapse.
Could the minister tell us what demands are being made by our trading
partners to assure them what we already know that our beef is safe, and
when will our borders be reopened?
Hon. Lyle Vanclief (Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, I had another conversation yesterday right after question
period with Secretary Ann Veneman, of the United States. I asked her that
question specifically. She said that they, like us, need more science.
The depopulation of herds is continuing so we can demonstrate not only to
our trading partners but to the International Office of Epizootics that
the system we have and the science we are using is the proper way.
Hopefully we can demonstrate that it is only one cow because that is what
our system has found.
Mr. Rick Casson (Lethbridge, Canadian Alliance): Mr. Speaker, every
day that goes by sees more and more of these cattle reach maturity. This
situation is not like the softwood lumber dispute where the government can
sit back and wait months and years to reach a decision. These are live
animals. They reach maturity very quickly and must be fed and maintained
on a daily basis.
With our borders closed, what is the government prepared to do with the
60% of these mature animals that have no market?
Hon. Lyle Vanclief (Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.): Mr.
Speaker, I spent two hours with the Beef Roundtable this morning, which
has representatives from all the value chain and the beef industry. They
have agreed that the primary concern and the primary goal at this time is
to get the border open and the markets open around the world. Those are
the efforts we are taking at this time. We will continue, and hopefully we
will be successful in the near future.
Mr. Rick Borotsik (Brandon—Souris, PC): Mr. Speaker, every day
the U.S. border is shut to Canadian beef, the situation becomes more
desperate for producers, feedlot operators, auction marts, packing plants
and truckers. Today the Prime Minister once again poked the U.S. President
in the eye with his nonsensical ramblings. It is obvious the Prime
Minister does not realize our economy is strong because of our dependence
on U.S. markets.
My question is for the Minister of Agriculture. Why did the Prime Minister
blind side him like this? Why is the Prime Minister going out of his way
to make it so difficult to open this border?
Hon. Lyle Vanclief (Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, we are making every effort to get the border open. I want to
quote from Mr. Wythe Willey who is the president of the National
Cattlemen's Beef Association in the United States and a trade policy
adviser to President George Bush. He has said that the word of the
Canadian beef system being safe should be enough and be sufficient for
Washington to resume the north-south trade in cattle.
That is the type of support we have in the United States. That is the type
of support with which we will work. I am confident that when the science
is there and we complete the science in the near future the Prime Minister
will again demonstrate that to the President.
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