Questions and responses All Sessions January 17, 1994, to present

With regard to the Finance Department’s regulations on employee stock purchase plans, are individuals participating in these programs charged income on the value of the shares they purchase, and, if so, what is the rationale?

With respect to the Canada Student Loans Program, can the Department of Human Resources Development provide an explanation of the review process, specifically: (a) the date of the next review; (b) how this review will be performed; and (c) what specific items will be reviewed and will the parental contribution component be one of the items reviewed?

With respect to Canada's eco-efficiency, can the Department of the Natural Resources explain why Canada's eco-efficiency has increased at an average annual rate of 1.3 percent from 1981 to 2000, and precisely what measures the government is taking to improve Canada's eco-efficiency rate?

With respect to Canada's vote on April 22, 2002, during a meeting of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland, can the government explain why Canada voted “no” to the question about whether it should be a human right to have access to clean drinking water, and how the decision was arrived at?

With respect to Canada's eco-efficiency, can the Department of the Environment explain why Canada's eco-efficiency has increased at an average annual rate of 1.3 percent from 1981 to 2000, and precisely what measures the government is taking to improve Canada's eco-efficiency rate?

With respect to actions of the Department of Fisheries involving the Credit River in Ontario: (a) how much lampricide was used in 2002 and in what concentrations; (b) what were the reasons for the use of lampricide; (c) how did cloudy weather conditions affect the action of the lampricide, that is, did the combination cause the death of thousands of fish of non-target species in the river; and (d) what sampling, analyses, tests, measurement and monitoring occurred in the Credit River following the use of the lampricide?

With regard to the Supreme Court of Canada ruling in the Eldridge vs. British Columbia case dealing with access to publicly funded services for deaf, deafened and hard of hearing Canadians, can the government explain: (a) why it taxes deaf, deafened and hard of hearing Canadians on money they receive to hire sign language interpreters and captioners; (b) why do interpreters and captioners hired by students also pay income tax on the same money; and (c) how it intends to stop the decline in enrolment of deaf, deafened and hard of hearing Canadians in Canadian and foreign universities and colleges?

With respect to Department of Fisheries and Oceans actions taken involving the Credit River in Ontario, can the government indicate: (a) the quantity of lampricide used in the last 10 weeks and the concentrations in which it was used; (b) reasons for the use of lampricide; (c) how weather conditions relating to cloudy weather had an impact on the death of thousands of fish in the river, if it did have any impact; and (d) whether sampling, analyses, tests, measurement and monitoring occurred in the Credit River following the use of the lampricide?

With respect to the Chalillo dam project in Belize and the testimony of Mr. Brian Holland before the Supreme Court of Belize, can the government indicate: (a) how Mr. Holland’s testimony will be considered in revising the environmental impact assessment (EIA) completed by AMEC with CIDA funding; (b) the standards used by CIDA to determine what constitutes an acceptable EIA; (c) whether it considers the current Chalillo EIA acceptable; and (d) the criteria or standards used by CIDA to decide whether or not it will support studies or plans for hydro projects overseas?

Why is the definition of “disabled” used in the Canada Pension Plan disability benefit program not also used for applications for the Disability Tax Credit with Canada Customs and Revenue Agency?

With respect to the dissemination of Environment Canada’s severe weather warnings, can the government identify the specific efforts made with regard to: (a) the development of an All-Channel Alert (ACA); (b) the publicizing of the Weatheradio network; (c) the development of “Internet PUSH+ technology”; and (d) if these efforts have not yet occurred, why not?

With regard to the current round of World Trade Organization agriculture negociations: (a) does the government have a precise plan to ensure that the fundamental principles necessary for the maintenance of supply management in Canada - namely, border protection through the maintenance of over-quota tariffs at their current levels and a pricing mechanism or the right of producers to act collectively in establishing the price of their milk - are protected during this round; and (b) if so, what are the main elements of that plan?

With regard to the causes of mortality of mature wild Atlantic salmon in the Atlantic Ocean: (a) what programs does the government have in place to research these causes; (b) what is the budget for these types of programs; and (c) are these programs partnered in research and resource funding with other countries who are members of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organization?