Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Minister. Is the Government and the Minister willing to reduce to 10 parts per billion the

quantity of lead allowed in water, as other Western countries have done?

Hon. Jake Epp (Minister of National Health and Welfare):

Mr. Speaker, that is under active consideration. As well, as I think the Hon. Member will be aware, we are working on legislation in respect of water standards.

While the Hon. Member's question relates to our water supply, the Hon. Member should be made aware that there is another source of lead poisoning that my Department is looking at, along with other relevant Departments, that being the use of lead solder in canned food containers, and particularly in respect of such containers containing food for infants.

Mr. Dan Heap (Trinity-Spadina):

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Employment and Immigration.

As the Minister is aware, the backlog of 70,000 to 80,000 refugee claimants in Canada includes many thousands who would suffer undue violence or hardship were they forced to return to a situation of racial strife, civil war, or persecution, as well as many thousands who are becoming established here, often with the help of their families, and who could become contributing citizens were they allowed to work.

Will she, on humanitarian grounds, institute an administrative review to select, under relaxed criteria, those in the backlog who are either capable of establishing themselves in Canada or who would run serious risk of physical harm were they forced to return to their country of origin?

Hon. Barbara McDougall (Minister of Employment and Immigration):

Mr. Speaker, as I have said in the House on previous occasions, we are considering several options in terms of dealing with the backlog, and once we have reached a decision on which option or options to pursue, I shall be pleased to report our solution to this very important human problem to the House.

December 15, 1988

In this century?

Mrs. McDougall:

Let me say, as well, Mr. Speaker, that one of the things I have said repeatedly from the very beginning is that, whatever method we choose to resolve the problem of the backlog, we will ensure that no genuine refugee will be asked to leave Canada; that no one who would be in fear of persecution will be asked to leave Canada.

Mr. Dan Heap (Trinity-Spadina):

Mr. Speaker, the question of only genuine refugees, as the Minister knows, is a very limited approach to Canada's humanitarian obligations. If the Minister refuses to act on humanitarian grounds, I would ask her to act so as to relieve the considerable log-jam that is now in place, especially in the Toronto region-a log-jam that is breaking down even the regular immigration processes there.

I would also ask her to act to avoid the huge expense, legal hassle and further delay that would be caused were she to try to deport many thousands of people, particularly in view of the fact that the present and future laws have been found to be wanting by those experienced in constitutional law.

Question.

Mr. Speaker:

I would ask the Hon. Minister to respond.

Hon. Barbara McDougall (Minister of Employment and Immigration):

Mr. Speaker, we will be dealing with those in the refugee backlog in a humanitarian way. Whatever method we choose, we will take into account the sensitive situations with which we are confronted. That is a point I have made previously. It is not new.

Of course there are problems in the transition from an old system to a new system. Had we been in a position to have our legislation in operation much sooner, as opposed to the lengthy delays we experienced in getting that legislation through the House, this problem would have been solved a long time ago.

Oral Questions

Mr. John Harvard (Winnipeg-St. James):

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.

We are all familiar with the CBC radio program Cross Country Check-up.

As some Hon. Members may know, the program host, Dale Goldhawk, agreed to remove himself from the program during the last election campaign.

Mr. Goldhawk came under pressure from the CBC after it was revealed that he had written an article against the trade agreement in his capacity as President of ACTRA, the radio and television performers union.

After the election, the CBC gave Mr. Goldhawk an ultimatum: quit the presidency of ACTRA, or lose his job-

Question.

Another after-dinner speech!

Mr. Harvard:

Mr. Goldhawk chose to quit his job.

Question.

Mr. Harvard:

Mr. Speaker, former colleagues of mine at the CBC are wondering whether this is the beginning of a witch-hunt-