Debates of March 10th, 1998

An hon. member

It is in fact because we do respect it.

An hon. member

Hear, hear.

The Speaker

Pursuant to the order made earlier today, this terminates the debate on the question of privilege. We will now proceed to orders of the day.

Ethel Blondin-Andrew Secretary of State (Children and Youth)

Madam Speaker, as the member of Parliament for Western Arctic, I am proud to stand here today as a northerner, a Canadian and a member of this government to speak to the budget debate.

First, I want to commend the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance for their leadership which has brought our nation to this turning point. Canadians can look to the millennium with hope and anticipation of still better things to come.

Unfortunately the whole debate that preceded this casts a long dark shadow over this debate. It is quite unfortunate that some members of this House feel they have a hierarchy that is higher than the ordinary Canadian, better than most members of Parliament, that they are in a preferred category of having the ideologies that speak better to all Canadians than other members.

This is unfortunate. No one is more godly than God, more Canadian than Canadians. When we are all sent here by Canadians to work with one another to co-operate and to share a great sense of duty to do what is right for the Canadian people, we should not be appealing to the dark sides of one another. We should not be appealing and speaking to each other's weaknesses. We should do something quite unusual. We should be helping one another to promote the ideals of Canadians. It is unfortunate that we have this kind of blatant arrogance and ignorance that seems to be predominating in this House.

Unfortunately this affects our work. It affects the kind of work that can happen in committees. It affects the kind of relationships we can build to do good things for Canadians.

Maybe after 10 years I see things a little differently. My primary role is not to self-aggrandize but to try to promote what Canadians want us to do. If I look at the budget I see something that is quite relevant to my mandate. My mandate is for children and youth. What I find in this budget is that we have done what no federal government in Canadian history has done. We have followed an economic policy and undertaken the kind of specific initiatives that are more in tune with the hopes and dreams of young Canadians and their families.

Speaking of young Canadians and on the issue of young, I had the privilege of working with Doug Young, the former minister of human resources development. Mr. Young is a very accomplished Canadian. Mr. Young is the minister who allowed the department to double the funding for youth summer employment. We went under minister Doug Young's leadership from $62 million a year to $120 million because he believed that young people across the country should have that privilege. I have no doubt in my mind that the former minister will create many jobs out there in what he does. Those were his parting words, I was doing that and now I am going out there to try to help people create jobs to help people. I believe that.

Let us look at youth unemployment. Unemployment is one of the most serious problems facing young Canadians. We are moving on many fronts to help young people to prepare to find and to keep jobs. Last year we introduced our youth employment strategy with a budget of $315 million. To encourage employment for young Canadians in this budget we offer an EI premium holiday to employers to hire persons between the ages of 18 and 24 in 1999 and 2000. This measure will pick up and expand the existing new hires program. It will make it more attractive for employers to hire young people.

The budget will also help youth at risk, particularly those who have not completed high school and have difficulty finding and keeping work. This is very important. It is important that we make an investment in the education of young people. It is important that we do early intervention.

Like many of my colleagues from all sides of the House, I spent last week in my constituency and in other parts of Canada. I evaluated what we are doing as a government in terms of policy and programs and services and how they affect the lives of children, youth and communities that work in early intervention programs.

I started in Inuvik, Northwest Territories. I visited a whole round of programs and services and ended with town halls where I heard people's concerns. There are some difficulties and challenges but good things are happening as well.

In Inuvik we visited a child care program and saw infants to preschool age children. They were working with their mothers in child development in a setting that was conducive to proper nurturing. We also visited a computer lab. Students who had had difficulties in pursuing education are all gainfully occupied in learning new skills, in working together and in getting themselves into the system. It is quite marvellous and we had a chance to experience that. We shared with parents and other people in the community their concerns about the future of their young people.

Then we travelled to another isolated community, Fort Simpson. We were able to see the benefits of what is happening with prenatal nutrition. There is a lot of talk about child poverty and rightfully so. We all have that commitment and dedication.

In Fort Simpson, Northwest Territories we saw a centre that is working with young people. We talked to people who are undertaking a youth service Canada project that speaks to community service. These are young people who have essentially failed in the regular system, the institutionalized form of education. These young people went out on the land. They worked, hunted and shared their kill with the community. They did community service. They cut a lot of wood for the elders who needed it cut. These are things that are really hard to institutionalize but need to be done. This is the kind of community service young people are undertaking but which is not recognized. We only hear about the bad things about young people.

There were 12 points in Fort Simpson at which programs and services were being undertaken in early childhood development. The open door society does wonderful work there. Government cannot go in and save communities. Communities that organize themselves are the ones that are able to do it. We can best accomplish what we need to accomplish by empowering them and assisting them.

Then we went to Hay River, Northwest Territories. We met with various groups. We checked some snares with the preschool and head start children from the reserve in Hay River. These young people have had many kinds of cultural experiences that are very good for their nurturing and development.

We went to a youth service Canada project. Young people with the Metis nation were working in various communities. One set up an elders visitors centre. Another did the layout for a magazine which talked about what young people were doing. Others carried on with other projects. Some of the young people were moving on to other experiences.

We visited a group of young people in another program. They were on the verge of dropping out but are now getting quite high marks because an investment was made and an instructor was hired. They are now prepared to reintegrate into their regular high school and they are going there with special skills. They are able to take life skills. They are able to have discussions about complicated and sensitive issues. They are also able to write their own resumes. These are basic functional skills which are needed to get into the workplace. They are all things that these young people experienced.

To round out the week I met with a hard working and dedicated group of professionals. They work on the whole issue of fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effects. This is where we need to continue to work.

Previously the Stan Wilbee report was done in a standing committee of the House of Commons. We need to revisit some of the goals and recommendations in that report. Perhaps it might be advisable that we do a national survey of best practices of what is happening.

The group is guided by the leadership of Dr. Geoff Robinson. He is one of the foremost experts on FAS and FAE and works with other professionals in B.C. They do very good work. This has to be promoted.

Perhaps what is needed is a national committee or working group to dedicate itself to some broader issues related to FAS and FAE. We also need to work into the national children's agenda and the centres of excellence a cornerstone piece of research on FAS and FAE.

If people are wondering how fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effects relate to their particular area of concern, look at the young offenders who are filling the juvenile delinquent centres. Many of them suffer from FAS and FAE. There is a direct correlation. It is very relevant to what we are trying to do in other areas.

We need to seriously look at an approach that is going to promote the work that is happening on this particular issue.

To end the week on Sunday, I joined Senator Landon Pearson and a young lady by the name of Cherry Kingsley at an international conference on the sexual exploitation of children.

Under the tutelage of Senator Landon Pearson and others, Miss Cherry Kingsley, who is a young aboriginal person originally from Alkali Lake has taken the leadership. She has taken charge of how to change the world into a safer place for her and her colleagues and to perhaps find a different path and if not, to at least have security for those persons who are affected by all of these things.

This was an international conference. There were people from Bolivia, Guatemala and representatives from the UN.

It is a very serious issue which all members should consider.

All this is to say, yes, there are many challenges we face but I also know there is much happening.

Most of what I have just said refers to youth at risk. This is a very important issue. In 1995 more than 160,000 Canadians between 22 and 24 years of age had not completed high school. They are at risk of repeated unemployment because the workplace continues to demand ever higher levels of education and skills they do not have.

There are many such programs. We have doubled money for the youth at risk program because we have experienced an 85% success rate with youth service Canada. Most participants have either found permanent employment or have gone back to school full time or part time. It is the reintegration of young people who were totally socially marginalized because they were not in the education loop or any other social milieu that would help them advance in society.

Everyone knows about the Canada millennium scholarships. There has been much talk about that. There are 100,000 students per year with scholarships averaging $3,000 a year. This will provide relief to graduates who are having trouble managing their student debt load. There are other measures which will make it easier for students and their families to finance higher education.

In the budget there is the opportunities strategy which equalizes access in another way. There is increased funding for SchoolNet and the community access program. There is also $205 million of increased funding to connect Canadians which will help young people, especially those in rural communities.

We talked about child poverty. One of the ways we thought we could augment our efforts was to invest $850 million in the national child tax benefit. That will happen in July. Furthermore we will invest another $425 million in July 1999 and another $425 million in July 2000.

These measures will mean cost savings in social assistance. Our big battle is how to reinvest that money with our provincial partners in youth programs.

Perhaps the whole area of FAS and FAE, fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol effects, is one of special need. Other special needs children are falling between the cracks in regular learning institutions. We need to give further consideration to that issue. Perhaps this would be an opportunity for us to integrate it into the national children's agenda which is currently being undertaken.

I would like to talk about the north a bit. I deal very much with child and youth issues and I would like to give some consideration to the area I come from. I would like to point out how the opportunities in the budget will affect northern Canadians.

At page 61 of the budget the government commits to working with territorial governments and other partners to develop a modern economic development strategy which will recognize the dynamics of the north and the need to establish more diversified economies. The government recognizes that the economies of Canada's territories are undergoing significant change.

Everyone knows that in April 1999 we will face the division of the territories into the western part and Nunavut. Northern governments must embrace diversification by pursuing all forms of sustainable development from traditional economic activities such as hunting, trapping, arts and crafts, and the development of other art forms to the new knowledge based industries and to Canada's first diamond industry.

As many know, the Northwest Territories are on the verge of becoming a major source of diamonds with the first production expected this October. Northerners are now exploring how to maximize northern participation in all aspects of the diamond industry. A secondary or a value added industry is very much on the minds of many northerners and very much the debate of the day in the north. Throughout the north, diversification, full participation and sustainable development are watch words for economic strategies which will bring us into the new century.

I look forward to working with my colleagues in cabinet and my colleagues in the north to make this commitment a reality which will have a real impact on northerners. Canada has an opportunity to map a blueprint for a more secure future for northerners from which all of Canada can benefit.

There are other measures in this budget which northerners will find beneficial, such as increases in funding for First Nations and Inuit health services. These are necessary to keep pace with population increases. We have committed to similar increases in transfer programs which will be administered by the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

I must point out that the north has a very young and growing population compared with the rest of the country. These increases are absolutely essential in maintaining the progress we have made in the health of northern peoples.

All of the budget commitments demonstrate a balanced and compassionate approach by this government to our young people, to health care, to social services and to the economic well-being of Canadians from all regions while maintaining the kind of fiscal responsibility Canadians expect.

We could not have done it without Canadians. Canadians helped us carve this path and make the commitments we have made to children and youth. As the Secretary of State for Children and Youth, I feel we are on a very good path with our young people. We are fixated on early intervention, childhood development and parenting skills. These are the essentials for building healthy citizens in our society.

In terms of the Northwest Territories, we are undergoing a huge change. As of October we are essentially going to become the largest diamond producing centre in the western hemisphere but we need the resources and the infrastructure to help businesses take advantage of the opportunities there.

From our visits across the Northwest Territories, we know that the highest form of building on capacity is to empower people. We cannot do for people what people can do for themselves. Governments are facilitators and catalysts, not doers. It is the people in the community at the grassroots who will make the difference for themselves and their sense of self-determination.