House of Commons Hansard #152 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was c-19.

Topics

Statistics ActGovernment Orders

1:20 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

All those opposed will please say nay.

Statistics ActGovernment Orders

1:20 p.m.

Some hon. members

Nay.

Statistics ActGovernment Orders

1:20 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

In my opinion the yeas have it.

And more than five members having risen:

Statistics ActGovernment Orders

1:20 p.m.

The Deputy Speaker

Call in the members.

Similarly to previous vote deferrals, the vote stands deferred until the next sitting Monday.

Radiocommunication ActGovernment Orders

1:25 p.m.

Bourassa Québec

Liberal

Denis Coderre Liberalfor the Minister of Industry

moved that Bill C-52, an act to amend the Radiocommunication Act, be read a second time and referred to a committee.

Radiocommunication ActGovernment Orders

1:25 p.m.

Beauharnois—Salaberry Québec

Liberal

Serge Marcil LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Industry

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to address the House and begin debate at second reading of Bill C-52.

As we all know, this bill deals with the growing problem of piracy of direct-to-home satellite broadcast signals. Obviously, its purpose is to strengthen the measures employed to fight unauthorized decoding of direct-to-home satellite signals in Canada.

This kind of piracy is a theft of intellectual property and a growing problem in Canada. Illegal dealers make huge profits from the sale of unauthorized products capable of decoding encrypted signals sent by satellite television broadcasters.

These pirated systems function through the use of illegally altered smart cards, that enable unauthorized users to outsmart the conventional signal decoding technology used in satellite television receivers.

The viewers buy these pirated decoders from illegal dealers and then have access at no cost to satellite television.

Such actions are illegal and unethical, and pose numerous risks to the consumer.

They are illegal because they are in direct contravention of section 9 of the Radiocommunication Act, which was passed by Parliament in order to guarantee that Canadian companies can operate in a fair and equitable market without hesitating to take risks with respect to technological and programming innovations.

The broadcasting sector generates several billions of dollars in revenue and employs thousands of Canadians. I have some figures I would like to share with the House. Licensed Canadian broadcasters are described by the generic term of broadcasting distribution undertaking. These undertakings provide Canadians with broadcasting services in various formats, depending on the technology used.

Last year, private broadcasters earned $3.6 billion in revenue, employed more than 12,000 people and invested $1 billion in Canadian programming.

Cable distribution undertakings earned $1.7 billion, employed more than 9,600 people and provided services to 7 million subscribers.

The newcomer to this industry is direct-to-home or direct broadcasting by satellite, a service that has been provided in the United States for over a decade. It was not introduced in Canada until 1997 when Bell ExpressVu and Star Choice began providing their services after receiving CRTC approval.

These companies serve 2.1 million subscribers combined. Although they are not turning a profit yet, they have generated a combined revenue of $940 million. Last year, they invested $46 million in the production of Canadian programs.

To sum up, satellite broadcasters have quickly become fierce competitors for cable service providers. They cornered 20% of the entire Canadian market in 2002, while providing Canadians with a better choice of Canadian programming.

The vitality of the DBS industry is based on innovation. This industry uses new satellite technology such as Nimiq, the powerful DBS satellite developed by Telesat Canada. With this technology, satellite broadcasters are able to provide digital services to previously underserved urban and rural areas.

This is undeniably a good thing for Canada, and businesses in this industry must be able to rely on a fair and equitable market to get a good return on their investment in this type of technology.

However, the profitability of satellite broadcasters and of all broadcasting distributors, for that matter, is threatened when consumers try to have access to programming without paying for it.

When they illegally buy material that allow them to get around the technology and to get the signals free, they undermine the capacity of these businesses to get a good return on their investment.

We want to encourage innovation. We want to promote vitality and creativity in the broadcasting industry in Canada. We must implement market control rules that protect intellectual property. We must make legislation that encourages those who take risks to continue down the road to innovation. We must stop the proliferation of illegal equipment dealers.

The industry estimates that the number of unauthorized users of direct satellite broadcasting services ranges from 500,000 and 700,000 in Canada. Studies reveal that these activities lead to annual losses of $400 million on subscription revenues for this industry in Canada.

The provisions of the Radiocommunication Act clearly define the activities of illegal equipment dealers as being illegal. In fact, a decision by the Supreme Court in April 2002 says that unauthorized decoding of any encrypted subscription programming signal, no matter where it comes from, is considered illegal. But it would appear that the current provisions of the Radiocommunication Act are not enough of a deterrent.

The use of decoders is not only illegal, it is also ethically wrong. It is theft. This trade is in the hands of unscrupulous business people who, by making their services known on the black market, have shamelessly incited people to break the law.

Using illegal decoders to watch television is also a financial risk for consumers, who believe they are getting something for nothing or in exchange for a onetime payment to unscrupulous business people. In the end, however, consumers could be left empty handed.

To protect their interests and discourage satellite signal theft, direct-to-home broadcasters frequently scramble their broadcast signals. Consumers purchasing illegal decoders are at the mercy of unscrupulous corporations, which must continually provide their clients with the most recent encryption keys, allowing the uninterrupted decoding of broadcast signals.

Consequently, Canadians using illegal decoding equipment could face substantial financial losses. Their service may be terminated without notice or possible recourse, because consumer protection laws do not apply to purchases of illegal goods.

Corporations selling illegal decoding equipment are exploiting consumers who may be unaware that the technology they are buying could quickly become useless. The bill before the House today includes measures to protect consumers. However, our target is the unauthorized resellers, who earn millions of dollars from their illegal activities. This kind of crime is on the rise, and it is our intention to put a stop to such activities.

In closing, I want to add that this bill also includes measures on public safety. The use of pirated receiver cards has been found to create signal interference with licensed radiocommunication systems of emergency and police services. We must put an end to the illegal exploitation of radiocommunication signals, as this endangers the legitimate use of wireless first responder services.

Those are the problems we face. How will the bill help us to resolve these problems? It will do so by presenting three measures aimed at discouraging the unauthorized decoding of satellite signals.

First, the bill improves import controls in order to prevent unauthorized radiocommunication material from entering Canada, including illegal satellite broadcasting material. The Canada Customs and Revenue Agency has indicated that the current Radiocommunication Act is difficult to enforce.

Right now, import controls for illegal satellite broadcasting material are ineffective. We want to improve the ability of the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency to seize illegal satellite broadcasting material as soon as it gets to the border.

Second, the bill increases the penalties set out in the Radiocommunication Act so that they will be more of a deterrent for anyone tempted to steal satellite broadcasting signals or to commit certain other crimes.

Satellite piracy is an extremely lucrative business. Dealers advertise their illegal products and services in our newspapers and on the Internet.

There are penalties under sections 9 and 10 of the existing act, but they are not harsh enough to have a deterrent effect on dealers. In fact, paying the fines that are set out in the act can be considered as the price to pay to engage in these lucrative illegal activities.

Therefore, this bill proposes penalties that will send a strong message to industry stakeholders and to the courts to convince them that Parliament sees satellite piracy as a serious offence.

Third, this bill reinforces the existing right to take civil action. The Canadian broadcasting industry tried to curb the growth of pirated satellite services. However, the civil recourses that are available are both expensive and ineffective. In many cases, it is difficult and costly to prove a causal link between the illegal act and the extent of the losses incurred by the industry. With this bill, it will be possible to elect to receive statutory damages instead of having to prove the extent of the damages caused.

Satellite signal piracy causes financial losses to an important cultural industry in Canada, an industry that supports Canadian programming and that employs thousands of Canadians. The government is committed to improving the stability, integrity and general conditions of broadcasting in Canada. We wish to improve the stability of the industry in order to encourage investment and competition.

Current penalties are not tough enough to discourage satellite signal piracy. We shall make the penalties stronger, make it possible to seek statutory damages, and increase our capacity to stop illegal equipment imports.

The purpose behind these measures is not to limit the choices that are available. What we want is to prevent the slow death of broadcasting in Canada. The end result will be better programming and wider choices for Canadians, and fewer opportunities for those who are tempted to make money through illegal activities.

I invite all members of the House of Commons to join me in supporting this bill.

Radiocommunication ActGovernment Orders

1:35 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Jim Abbott Canadian Alliance Kootenay—Columbia, BC

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak against Bill C-52, an act to amend the Radiocommunication Act. According to the Liberals, we need this bill to fight the “financial and cultural damage that illegal satellite dishes and the piracy of intellectual property have caused in our country”.

It is interesting that just today the Minister of Canadian Heritage tabled the response of her department to the report that was put forward by the heritage committee, of which I am vice-chair, on the state of broadcasting in Canada.

What is interesting is that in spite of this urgency, the minister in her response was totally silent on this issue. Let me repeat this very serious thing that they are talking about, that they have to fight the financial and cultural damage that illegal satellite dishes and the piracy of intellectual property have caused in the country.

This line of reasoning happens to come directly from a June 2003 presentation to the Liberal caucus by the Coalition Against Satellite Signal Theft. The coalition made a presentation to the Liberal caucus, but it should not be too surprising that the minister was paying particular attention because the coalition members did, after all, donate 25% of her spending limit in the 2000 election, or over $15,000 to the election campaign of the Minister of Canadian Heritage. One would have to say that it obviously got her attention.

On page 18 of the coalition's presentation, it calls for increasing fines for individuals watching unauthorized television from $5,000 to $25,000 and a year in prison. It also calls for a restriction of imports of dish network and direct television systems and the seizure of such systems at the border.

Bill C-52 implements every recommendation of the coalition. It is interesting to note that Bill C-52 was first read on October 22 this year, roughly a month before the CRTC's November 14 deadline for public submissions on how to best support Canadian television drama. Presumably those submissions could have informed the debate on Bill C-52, as we struggled with issues about grey market and black market and the most important issue of all, how to encourage more Canadians to watch more Canadian programming, stories about Canadians by Canadians and for Canadians. However, the government is more interested in doing what it is being directed to do by the people who were the major donors to the minister's last election.

Our objective is to encourage Canadian programming. Bill C-52 is a big step backward and may in fact be counterproductive. Further, I do not believe that Bill C-52 is even necessary to solve the problems identified by the Coalition Against Satellite Theft to the Liberal caucus.

In Canada at present there are two authorized satellite service companies; Bell ExpressVu and Star Choice. The first of these, Bell ExpressVu, has a serious problem with people stealing its signals. For example, on October 21, 2002, Quebecor president, Pierre-Karl Péladeau, told the CRTC of a fall 2000 Léger marketing survey showing that fully 20% of Bell ExpressVu's 1.2 million subscribers were not paying for the service. He said:

ExpressVu's system is so simple, it possesses an irresistible attraction to hackers and signal pirates.

He went on to say:

ExpressVu should be forced to improve its system to deter hackers and pirates.

The Canadian Association of Broadcasters agreed saying that ExpressVu should regularly report to the CRTC on the number of receivers it had sold and the number of active and inactive accounts.

We know that Bell ExpressVu has a much bigger problem with hackers and pirates than Star Choice, primarily because Star Choice uses Motorola's proprietary video distribution system DigiCipher II just as Canada's digital cable services do. I am unaware of a coalition to stop digital cable theft or major signal problems for Star Choice. Therefore, presumably a fairly significant part of the problem with people stealing Bell ExpressVu signals is within the company's own ability to fix it.

Bell ExpressVu and the Coalition Against Satellite Signal Theft are not just concerned about the people who steal their signals. They are also concerned about people who steal the signals of American satellite service companies like Dish Network and DirecTV.

Therefore, the Liberal government wants to crack on the people who are stealing the signals of Dish Network and DirecTV. Essentially the coalition says that if Canadians are able to get free TV channels by stealing from Dish Network and DirecTV, there is little incentive for people to subscribe to ExpressVu, or Star Choice or digital cable. Of course I agree. However before we agree to spend taxpayer money to solve the problem, we need to ask what the coalition members have done.

For example, this is really instructive. People who watch Dish Network or DirecTV need to know what is on. Many people subscribe to a magazine called Satellite Direct . It is a TV guide published “exclusively for owners of DirecTV system”. It is what one reads if one wants to find out what is on tomorrow night on HBO Showtime or ESPN. Here is the interesting thing. The magazine is published by Vogel Communications which is the same Edmonton based company that publishes Vu Magazine , the official guide for Bell ExpressVu satellite system. If one is looking for people stealing DirecTV or Dish Network signals, we might think that one of the first places to start would be the subscription list of a Canadian magazine that tells black market television watchers what is on next week. However, instead of going after Vogel, Bell ExpressVu contracts with it to publish ExpressVu's own TV guide.

I am going to repeat that because it is so astounding that Bell ExpressVu contracts with Vogel for ExpressVu's TV guide and the same publisher publishes a magazine called Satellite Direct which is the way that the black market viewers can see what is on their black market channels. Therefore, we have a situation where Bell ExpressVu is calling on the taxpayer to solve a problem that is well within the corporation's own grasp, but it does not end there.

The Liberals at the coalition's urging are now planning to block the import of Dish Network and DirecTV systems and seize them at the border. Before we consider such a drastic step, we should ask what steps this government and the coalition will take to ensure that no Canadian dishes are sold in the U.S., which of course is zero.

Not only does Bill C-52 call for tax dollars to be spent fixing problems within the coalition's reach, it also discriminates against many minority groups.

What about the grey market? This is where Canadians use a fictitious U.S. address to subscribe to satellite channels that are not distributed by ExpressVu or Star Choice. Often these are minority cultural and religious programming for which there is not a large domestic market and subscribers are paying far more money for each channel received than either Bell ExpressVu or Star Choice would charge for a similar domestic channel.

In our view the deployment of any existing or new police resources to patrol neighbourhood for satellites rather than criminals is inappropriate and wasteful.

I watched a program last night that talked about the terrible scourge of child pornography and child pornography rings and the fact that the investigators were incapable, simply because of an overload of work, to get to this terrible scourge in our society. Yet the government is actually be thinking of deploying police resources to patrol neighbourhoods to find out what people are watching on their home television. That is disgraceful.

The Liberal government and the Coalition Against Satellite Signal Theft speak in terms of promoting Canadian culture and the potential unravelling of the Canadian broadcasting system. These are serious allegations so we need to look at both of them.

First, let us look at promoting culture. Bell ExpressVu's website prominently features the logos of ABC, Citytv, CBS, Fox, NBC and A&E, but only one of these is Canadian. The mailouts that Bell ExpressVu sends to subscribers highlights U.S. movies like Bringing Down the House, Chicago and Daredevil. The movie network is owned by Astral Media, whose chairman of the board, Andre Bureau, gave $5,000 to the 2000 election campaign of the Minister of Canadian Heritage. The network bills itself as a “Canadian premier pay-tv channel” and has written promotional materials that state that the movie network offers the “Best of HBO and Showtime”.

With all due respect to the government, the Coalition Against Satellite Theft, Bell ExpressVu and Astral Media, I do not consider The Sopranos, Six Feet Under or Curb your Enthusiasm to be very reflective of Canadian culture.

The fact is that the average English speaking Canadian can easily spend an entire evening watching TV without seeing a single minute of Canadian programming.

Quite simply, the past practices of giving Canadian satellite companies and broadcasters special TV channels exclusive rights to broadcast foreign, mostly U.S., programs in Canada in exchange for a promise to produce quality Canadian drama is not working. The two things are not related.

If we were to say to the U.S. that we would let its satellite companies distribute U.S. content in Canada if it distributes Canadian programming in the U.S. and around the world, we would face two problems. There would be huge opposition from Canadian companies that make big profits from distributing U.S. programming in Canada, and we would find out that we are really short on good quality content. That is why the CRTC is looking at supporting Canadian television drama.

In the study that our committee did, it was clearly demonstrated that the volume of Canadian drama has actually increased but that viewership has decreased. It is an issue of quality, not quantity.

Now let us consider the potential unravelling of the Canadian Broadcasting System. When we buy a Star Choice or ExpressVu system we can time-shift. In theory we could watch the same program five times in a single evening. In practice it means we can watch Law and Order at 10 p.m. eastern time on Wednesday night on any one of seven CTV stations. At the same time, viewers in Lloydminister, Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Kitchener and Ottawa cannot find their local CTV station, even though Bell owns CTV.

Local news is a big part of Canadian content and it is being ignored by Canada's satellite companies. In the U.S., the satellite home viewer improvement act of 1999 prevents satellite companies from transmitting a national network signal into a home if that transmission would compete with a local affiliate.

No one needs seven stations carrying Law and Order but all Canadians have a real interest in local news from their community. Local news is part of what defines local communities and keeps them together.

Bill C-52 would focus taxpayer dollars on problems that Bell ExpressVu can solve by itself. It hurts ethnic and religious groups and does not offer an additional minute of Canadian quality drama. Finally, it ignores the erosion of local news.

We in the Canadian Alliance believe that the legal reception of Canadian satellite signal in the U.S. would open up a market 10 times the size of the Canadian market and expose Canadian content if we were to enter into a reciprocal agreement with the U.S. that the legal reception of American satellite signal could be received in Canada legally.

What we would give for the ability of Canadians and Canadian content to have 10 times the exposure is the issue here. What we should be doing is entering into an understanding that there is no conceivable way that this law or any other law will enable the government, the regulators, to stop Canadians from accessing the programs that they want.

We propose that the government negotiate with the U.S. to allow signal reception on both sides of the border. We are aware there are program ownership issues and copyright issues but we are also aware that there is technology that would permit control of reception of signal. We want Canadians to have choice. We want the market to decide. Technology continues to evolve that will not permit the control of signal. Canadians want choice.

The bill is an ill-thought bill. The bill completely ignores technological reality. The bill is unenforceable unless we are prepared to deploy many hundreds of millions of dollars to a police force to go up and down our streets to find out what people are watching in their own homes.

The argument that the government will propose, of course, is that it will stop the equipment from coming in across the border. What happened with cigarettes? When the government increased the taxes and said that it would be creating more of a barrier to cigarettes, although they are very small they come in very large cartons, those cartons continued to come into Canada.

If we are in the business of creating law in Canada, we must create law that is actually enforceable. We must create law that has the support of Canadians, otherwise we simply encourage anarchy.

I say again that what will happen is that technology will overtake the ability to regulate the theft of satellite signal.

The bill, as I stated, is an ill-thought bill. The bill is one that is simply reflective of going after the end user. The bill is simply reflective of where the government wants to go in some kind of a world that really in fact does not exist.

We want there to be a proper control and proper regulation within the marketplace and Bill C-52 does not cut it.

Radiocommunication ActGovernment Orders

1:55 p.m.

Bloc

Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC

Mr. Speaker, the studies on the viewing habits of Canadians and their appreciation of Canadian programming, whether it is movies or television series, always make me smile. According to these studies, Canadians do not watch television series because of their poor quality, supposedly.

That is a very Canadian vision that does not reflect the reality in Quebec. Of all the television programs watched in Quebec, 77% are made in Quebec, while 85% of the shows watched in English Canada are made in the U.S.

I would like my hon. colleague, with whom I sit on the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage, to comment on that difference. It gets to be a bit annoying to hear about those Canadian statistics that do not reflect what is going on in Quebec. Quebecers love Canadian programming, whether it is from Radio-Canada or private stations.

Those studies do not reflect reality. I would like the hon. member to explain this difference.

Radiocommunication ActGovernment Orders

1:55 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Jim Abbott Canadian Alliance Kootenay—Columbia, BC

Mr. Speaker, of course I agree with my colleague from the committee. The fact is that the people in Quebec are making a choice. The market is deciding. The viewers are deciding what they want and do not want to watch. In Canada they are making the same decisions.

What I find very frustrating is that this summer the CBC, which is supposed to be the epitome of Canadian broadcasting, in English Canada went to U.S. blockbuster shows just to maintain their viewership.

I agree with the member that there is a difference between the English market and the French market.

National 4-H WeekStatements By Members

1:55 p.m.

Liberal

Rose-Marie Ur Liberal Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON

Mr. Speaker, this week is National 4-H Week. This year the organization is celebrating its 90th anniversary.

The Canadian 4-H program had its beginnings in Roland, Manitoba, and currently has approximately 33,000 members across the country.

This historical roots of the Canadian 4-H program are solidly grounded in rural Canada. The program originated for the purpose of improving agriculture, increasing and bettering production, and enriching rural life.

Its beginnings were inspired by energetic and idealistic agricultural officials, dedicated school teachers and others committed to ensuring young rural Canadians learned the important skills required to succeed on and off the farm.

Today's programs continue to serve primarily rural communities but one does not need to live on a farm to join. Open to male and female youth between the ages of 8 and 21, 4-H focuses on developing well rounded, responsible and independent citizens. Members participate in technical skills development, club projects, as well as other fun club activities like camping, public speaking, travel, conferences and much more.

I would like to congratulate the 4-H organizations and members throughout Canada for all their work.

Child PornographyStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Myron Thompson Canadian Alliance Wild Rose, AB

Mr. Speaker, on the eve of the Prime Minister's retirement I would like to suggest a wonderful legacy that he could leave to the Canadian people. They would never forget him and eternally thank him.

The Prime Minister could require that Bill C-20 be amended to reflect the will and concern of the people. He could eliminate all defences for the possession of child pornography that allow for the exploitation of children. He could raise the age of sexual consent to 16 instead of 14.

Children are the world's most valuable asset. We in the first world are not doing very well in our pathetic efforts to take care of them. They are being tortured, raped, assaulted, murdered and made to perform despicable acts for the gratification of perverted minds.

As a wealthy nation we have the money and the technology to protect our children, yet we are taking a backseat to the rest of the G-8 countries in fighting this horrific crime.

I ask the Prime Minister to please find the courage to step forward and erase all the legal loopholes in Bill C-20.

National 4-H WeekStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Liberal

Murray Calder Liberal Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey, ON

Mr. Speaker, November 3 to 9 is National 4-H Week. This year the club is celebrating its 90th anniversary.

The Canadian 4-H program had its beginning in Roland, Manitoba in 1913. It now has over 33,000 members across the country between the ages of 8 and 21 and more than seven million members in over 80 countries worldwide. In my riding of Dufferin—Peel—Wellington—Grey there are four 4-H Clubs.

The 4-H Club was originally founded to improve farming methods and increase production. It was one way to enrich the lives of young people in rural communities. Today, while the club is still at work in the countryside, there is no need to live on a farm to be a member. In fact, nothing more than a concern for the environment is needed. Members also take an interest in computers, crafts, theatre, carpentry, among other things.

The club's motto is to “Learn by doing”. I ask everyone to please join me in congratulating the Canadian 4-H Club on 90 years of loyalty and service to their club, their community and their country.

Gunter Plaut Humanitarian AwardStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Liberal

Anita Neville Liberal Winnipeg South Centre, MB

Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, October 30, one of our own was recognized by his community for his distinguished contribution to both Canada and to the world.

The member of Parliament for Mount Royal was the recipient of the Gunter Plaut Humanitarian Award at the Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto. The award is dedicated to honour one who has shown a high commitment to community leadership, to social justice and to Jewish and universal human rights.

Throughout his career, our colleague has distinguished himself through an uncompromising dedication to the advocacy for the rights of others, be they the freedom of expression, freedom of religion, minority rights, war crimes, women's rights or peace law.

Our colleague's work is rooted in a firm grounding as a Jew, his pride in his heritage, his love for Canada and for the state of Israel, and very important, in the profound moral imperative of his tradition.

I offer my congratulations to a distinguished colleague.

Remembrance DayStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Liberal

Andrew Telegdi Liberal Kitchener—Waterloo, ON

Mr. Speaker, November 11 is Remembrance Day. On Remembrance Day we express our greatest respect and gratitude to those Canadians who over the years served so that we could live in a free and democratic country.

Many thousands of those heroic men and women sustained life-altering wounds or made the ultimate sacrifice to secure the rights and freedoms we enjoy today.

The most profound testament to their sacrifices is the civil liberties and fundamental freedoms all Canadians enjoy and which are now secured in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The charter, which provides all Canadians with the same rights, is the greatest legacy of our veterans. Let us honour them by ensuring all our laws reflect not just the word but also the spirit of the charter.

Member for Edmonton NorthStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Deborah Grey Canadian Alliance Edmonton North, AB

Mr. Speaker, Elwin Hermanson and the Saskatchewan Party team came up a bit short in last night's provincial election, but they gained two seats and elected three MLAs in Saskatoon, not bad for a party that is barely six years old.

Elwin and I are longtime friends. We bought our Reform Party memberships the same night in Lloydminster, Alberta, on September 28, 1988.

I look back on the last 15 years of my life and the paths which Elwin and I have followed. After my first term as the initial Reformer in Parliament, Elwin and 50 others joined me here in October 1993. After the 1997 election, Elwin went on to lead the Saskatchewan Party and his province has been the better for it.

As I wind down my 15 years here in Parliament, I thank the Lord for giving me lifelong friendships with Elwin and Gail Hermanson and so many others in this place. God bless them all.

Remembrance DayStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Julian Reed Liberal Halton, ON

Mr. Speaker, Remembrance Day is next week, and so we think of the heroes who have willingly put their lives on the line in order to protect the values of this great country of ours.

From World War I, World War II and Korea, through peacekeeping missions, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Afghanistan, our soldiers, sailors and air crew have exemplified the best of what is Canadian.

Every November 11, we remember and honour those who have served in the name of freedom by wearing a poppy, attending ceremonies and laying wreaths in the communities we are privileged to represent.

As we honour our veterans, let us also remember our soldiers who are currently serving in operations overseas, the risks they face, their families' hardships and their contribution to the well-being of Canada.

Member for Rimouski-Neigette-et-la MitisStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Bloc

Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to pay tribute to my colleague, the hon. member for Rimouski-Neigette-et-la Mitis, who will be presented with the Monique Vaillancourt-Antippa award on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Association d'éducation préscolaire du Québec, which she founded. The presentation will take place at the 24th convention of the association.

During her career in early childhood education, my colleague showed the same dynamism and enthusiasm that she has brought to serving her fellow citizens over the past ten years. Throughout her time as a member, she has vigorously defended all those in need of the support of parliamentarians and of society as a whole.

The Monique Vaillancourt-Antippa award pays tribute to a woman whose work on behalf of young children merits consideration and recognition. This is a cause that has always been very close to my colleague's heart.

On behalf of the Bloc Quebecois, I extend heartiest congratulations to this woman, friend, and above all member of Parliament, who has always acted on her convictions.

Bravo, dear colleague, we are proud of you.

Remembrance DayStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Yvon Charbonneau Liberal Anjou—Rivière-Des-Prairies, QC

Mr. Speaker, in a few days we will be marking Remembrance Day and will be paying tribute to the thousands of men and women who served our country and defended the cause of world peace and freedom in both times of war and times of peace.

Veterans all like to talk about their memories of service in Europe, Korea or elsewhere. Those I have met this week are no exception.

One in particular, Sergeant Fernand Trépanier, remembers the landings in Sicily, which took place 60 years ago—an operation that lasted 32 days and cost 560 lives—the landings at Reggio di Calabria in mainland Italy, the battle of Casa Berardi, and the battle of Ortona, which, despite the Allied victory, remains one of the deadliest battles of the World War II.

These oft-ignored engagements by the Royal 22nd Regiment contributed as early as 1943 to wearing down the enemy and preparing for the Normandy landings a few months later.

To all these brave veterans, thank you and long may you live.

Grande CacheStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Canadian Alliance

Rob Merrifield Canadian Alliance Yellowhead, AB

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals may be excited about breaking for Christmas in the first week in November, but there is one thing I want every Liberal to think about as they scurry away to their winter hideouts.

This week, the community of Grande Cache, located in my riding, found out unexpectedly that its sawmill will be permanently closing its doors, putting 156 people out of work. This is the largest private employer left in Grande Cache after the closure of a coal mine two years ago.

It did not have to be this way. I put the blame squarely on the shoulders of Liberal incompetence and the mishandling of the softwood lumber file and the economy.

Grande Cache has faced economic challenges before and it will again. Its community spirit and determination have already made it a first class retirement community and tourist recreation area.

While it may be too late to save the mill jobs, I hope the human resources minister does whatever she can to help the highly skilled, highly motivated residents of Yellowhead get back to work.

It is unfortunately the least this Liberal government can do.

Chinatown MemorialStatements By Members

November 6th, 2003 / 2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Hedy Fry Liberal Vancouver Centre, BC

Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, November 2, I had the honour to unveil the Chinatown Memorial Square place marker in Vancouver. Sculpted by Arthur Shu-Ren Cheng and funded by the federal government and the Chinatown Business Association through the Vancouver agreement, the monument depicts a Chinese soldier and a railway worker, with a column between them representing the Chinese character for “centre”.

It is part of the revitalization of historic Chinatown in the downtown east side, while paying tribute to the Chinese indentured labourers who faced hazardous working conditions and often death to build a nation, connecting it from sea to sea via the Canadian Pacific Railway.

It also honours the same Chinese immigrants who gave their lives in the war to protect a country that at the same time denied them citizenship and the right to unite with their families.

Today, as the children of those immigrants play a full and equal role in the economic, political and social life of Canada, this monument reminds them of the bitter history of their ancestors and of their loyalty and courage in the face of discrimination and hardship.

Lest we all forget.

Remembrance DayStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Rick Borotsik Progressive Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB

Mr. Speaker, when I look around the House today, I see my colleagues proudly wearing and displaying their poppies.

What I see is much more than just a bit of red and black. What I see are the freedoms that we as Canadians hold so close and dear to our hearts.

What I see are the freedoms that were fought for and won during the two world wars and in Korea.

I see the contributions and sacrifices made by those brave men and women, some of whom made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.

What I see are the dedicated men and women of today's Canadian military, serving with pride and professionalism here and abroad.

This poppy is a symbol of that and so much more. I would like to thank the thousands of veterans and Legion volunteers who keep the poppy campaign alive.

My message to all Canadians is to wear a poppy, to thank a veteran, but above all, on Tuesday, November 11, Remembrance Day, to take time to appreciate our country and reflect on our freedoms that we so often take for granted.

And when Canadians take off their poppies, I ask them not to put them in a box, but to put them out where they can be seen so that we can always remember.

Lest we forget.

Bill SampsonStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Bloc

Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC

Mr. Speaker, we have among us today Mr. Bill Sampson, who was here to appear before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade about his more than two years of detention in hellish Saudi jails. This is his first visit to Canada since his release, in August. This is also the first opportunity I have had to see him since I visited him during his imprisonment, in March of 2002. Today's events understandably bring back strong emotions in me.

He survived during all that time because of his uncommon courage and strength. In his cell, thousands of kilometres away from home, he was isolated, tortured and awaited death by beheading. I want to pay tribute to him for being an example of courage and tenacity to us all. I also want, on his behalf, to thank the people of Canada and Quebec for their unrelenting support.

The evidence he gave this morning was extremely unsettling, especially with respect to the attitude of members of the Canadian foreign service, who apparently presumed he was guilty rather than innocent. Canadian citizens must be able to rely on their government to protect them against this kind of abuse abroad. This evidence makes an independent public inquiry into this matter all the more necessary.

Maher ArarStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Irwin Cotler Liberal Mount Royal, QC

Mr. Speaker, the compelling testimony of Maher Arar has reinforced the argument for an independent public inquiry to address the following unresolved issues.

First is the precipitous role of the United States, which breached international law and its own domestic law in deporting Maher Arar to a country where the U.S. acknowledges that a detainee cannot get a fair trial, and is routinely tortured.

Second is the role, if any, of Canadian security and intelligence agencies in facilitating Maher Arar's deportation.

Third is the review of the character and efficacy of Canadian public policy respecting both the U.S. and Syria, particularly during the period of Maher Arar's detention and torture in Syria.

Fourth is the clearing of Maher Arar's name from false and prejudicial allegations, such as that he was a member of al-Qaeda or had visited Afghanistan.

Fifth is the Jordanian transit connection.

Such an independent public inquiry is not mutually exclusive from the pursuit of other remedies, such as the RCMP Public Complaints Commission and Security Intelligence Review Committee oversight.

Justice delayed is justice compromised or denied.

Government of SaskatchewanStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

NDP

Dick Proctor NDP Palliser, SK

Mr. Speaker, all members will want to congratulate the NDP and Premier Lorne Calvert on winning a fourth consecutive mandate yesterday in Saskatchewan.

Scared by skyrocketing auto insurance in other provinces and a significant power failure in Ontario, Saskatchewan voters made sure that their phone, power and auto insurance are not going be privatized but will remain in the hands of the government and the party that created them. Yesterday's victory was strongly assisted by workers and their representatives who campaigned vigorously on a progressive platform of keeping these crown matters in public hands.

The NDP and its forerunner have now governed Saskatchewan for 45 of the past 60 years.

The Saskatchewan Party, a facsimile of what the new federal entity will resemble once the Alliance has finished digesting the Progressive Conservatives, campaigned on “time for a change”, and they were right. It is time for the party to change its leader and replace Elwin Hermanson, whom the electorate has concluded is clearly not up to the task.

As for the Liberal results, there is absolutely nothing to say.

Remembrance DayStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Karen Redman Liberal Kitchener Centre, ON

Mr. Speaker, next week Canadians will pause for a moment to remember all those who gave their lives in defence of their country.

Canada is a champion for peace and justice around the globe and we have committed our best and our brightest to this noble goal. From the world wars to Korea and Afghanistan, we have paid the price in blood for that peace.

I grew up in a free country because my father fought in the RCAF and many other young people from Kitchener fought to guarantee my future. My children live in a free country because a new generation continues to make the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that peace.

My father and my grandfather came back from two world wars, but many thousands did not. I would like to pay tribute to the 1,500 veterans who reside in Kitchener.

Let us never forget their sacrifice.