Debates of March 11th, 2004

Veterans Affairs

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, despite countless desperate pleas for help, Veterans Affairs refuses to change its policy on the veterans independence program, VIP. Because of a simple administrative decision, veterans' widows whose husbands died before September 1990 are excluded from this vital program.

That double standard creates two classes of widows: one group of widows that receives the full benefit of the VIP and another that is left with nothing. Worse still, this decision creates two classes of veterans: those whose families are cared for and those whose families are forgotten.

These brave women were the backbone of the war effort here at home. Many took care of their ailing husbands for 30 years or more. When these widows are denied the benefits they rightly deserve, the government dishonours the memory of their hero husbands.

When the government ties benefits to something as cruel as the date on which a loved one dies, it betrays the values for which those veterans fought. When the government stands to defend this kind of brutal injustice, it is a disgrace--

[The Deputy Speaker]

The hon. member for Nunavut.

Nunavut Snow Challenge

[Nancy Karetak-Lindell, Liberal, Nunavut, NU]

Mr. Speaker, the Nunavut Snow Challenge will take place on March 27. The round trip Iqaluit to Kimmirut snowmobile race is a gruelling 320 kilometre race which attracts some of the most experienced northern snowmobile racers in Nunavut and from other parts of Canada.

Racing across the sea ice on Frobisher Bay, the participants then brave the mountain passes of Katannilik Park and the riverbeds of Soper River.

Promoting the City of Iqaluit, the Hamlet of Kimmirut and the Katannilik Territorial Park, the Nunavut Snow Challenge has seen a 300% sponsorship increase in the past three years.

During the national broadcast on TSN and OLN, tourism in Nunavut will be promoted, which will have an important economic impact on local communities. A concert with Canada's “The Northern Pikes” will take place the night prior to the event.

I ask members to watch for the Nunavut Snow Challenge, produced by Nunavut Productions, airing on TSN and OLN April 17 and 18.

Community Organizations

[Benoît Sauvageau, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since the Prime Minister axed the sponsorship program, many community organizations have been crying foul, because their financial survival is in jeopardy in the aftermath of the Liberal government's scams.

Many organizations in our ridings need financial support to pursue various important initiatives that are critical to the development of Quebec's regions.

The sponsorship scandal is strictly a Liberal scandal created by Liberal ministers to accommodate friends of the Liberals. Once again, while the Liberals are trying to take cover, it is the innocent victims of these profiteers who are now paying the price.

Let us not forget that this same Liberal government voted against a motion proposing the establishment of a support fund for community initiatives. Now, we must find an honest way to support the efforts of event organizers in our regions, because they are currently being left to fend for themselves by a panicking Liberal government.

Crime Prevention

[Sarmite Bulte, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on Thursday, March 4, 2004, the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, on behalf of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, announced $7.9 million in funding in support of 162 community based crime prevention initiatives in Ontario.

The announcement was made in my riding of Parkdale--High Park at the Ground Level Café, which was also a recipient of $50,000. The Ground Level Café is operated by Ground Level Youth Ventures who provide job training, life skills and job search workshops to at-risk youth.

The funding will enable Ground Level Youth Ventures to expand their operations by re-opening a food bank at the Masaryk-Cowan Community Centre, by recruiting more prospective employers for mentoring, and by partnering with the Parkdale-Liberty Economic Development Corporation in the new Parkdale community market.

The funding which was announced comes from the federal government's national crime prevention strategy which is designed to support community based initiatives on combating the underlying causes of crime. The national crime prevention strategy was launched in 1998 and has funded over 4,000 projects nationally.

Terrorism

[Stockwell Day, Canadian Alliance, Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are in shock at the horrifying news of the tragic and inhuman attacks on the good people of Spain today.

All the adjectives of horror and revulsion which come to mind can never adequately express the sentiments of decent people everywhere as our hearts and prayers go out to the loved ones of those murdered and maimed in Madrid.

No cause on earth, political or otherwise, can even pretend to justify the mass terrorist murdering of innocent men, women and children. We must all unequivocally raise our voices and our collective resolve not to just utterly reject the use of terrorism, but also to work together unceasingly to see the perpetrators and supporters of terror stopped cold in their evil pursuits.

May the good people of Spain, and their friends and families in Canada know that we grieve with them today.

Research and Development

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to extend my congratulations, and that of my colleagues, to Research in Motion on its 20th anniversary.

RIM is internationally recognized for its hand-held e-mail device, the BlackBerry, and is one of Waterloo region's and Canada's flagship high tech companies.

With a highly energized workforce of over 2,000 people, it looks as though RIM's success story is just beginning. Everyone uses the BlackBerry now, prime ministers, presidents, members of Parliament from all parties, senators, congressmen, businesspeople, academics and movie stars.

This local dream is a global success story and it is a testament to the partnership of Dr. Mike Lazaridis and James Balsillie, the University of Waterloo, Technology Partnerships Canada and, without a doubt, the employees of Research in Motion.

Congratulations to BlackBerry.

Terrorism

[Lorne Nystrom, NDP, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today, on behalf of the NDP, to express my deep sympathy and sorrow at the horrible slaughter of innocent people in the heart of Madrid. This is yet again another cowardly and malicious act against humanity.

Terror is beyond discussion and rationality because the perpetrators have rejected humanity and the values that we all share. Whatever the country which they strike or the cause to which they claim allegiance, organized terrorists share the common goal of weakening freedom and destroying democracy, which was so costly to build.

Our challenge today, amidst the horror and grief, is to fight terror with resolve while refraining from falling into the malicious intent of terror, which is to divide, spread hatred and destroy.

No religion, race or people should be held responsible for these terrible acts. These crimes should be recognized for what they are: acts revealing the absolute madness of terrorist groups who only have the cause of death, chaos and blood to hope for.

We would like today to extend our deepest sympathy to the families of the people involved and the people of Spain.

[Francine Lalonde, Bloc, Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the reaction to the horror of this morning's deadly attacks in Spain is outrage. More than 180 people are dead and one thousand injured. It is unbearable to see beautiful downtown Madrid rocked by a series of explosions.

Described as monstrous by the United Nations, the “worst act of terror in memory in any EU state” by the European Parliament, and barbaric by the Council of Europe, this morning's attacks in Madrid on the eve of an election have shocked the world.

The Bloc Quebecois wants to express its sorrow and solidarity with the people of Spain and the families struggling with the tragic impact of this criminal act.

The Réseau Award

[Raymond Simard, Liberal, Saint Boniface, MB]

Madam Speaker, every year, on International Women's Day, the organization Réseau action femmes gives the Réseau award to Franco-Manitoban women who have distinguished themselves by making an outstanding contribution to improving the status of women.

This organization educates the public about the realities faced by women and promotes social change to achieve equality and equity, access to education, economic independence and services in French.

We are surrounded by exceptional women who deserve our wholehearted recognition. The winners of this year's awards are Lynne Robert, for economics; Cécile Lesage, for health; Nathalie Bernardin, for young people; and Lucienne Boucher, for politics.

Driven by justice and the desire to help others, these women were selected for this award due to their active involvement in improving the lives of the women in their community. Congratulations to them all.

Member for Macleod

[Bill Casey, Progressive Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, no one can dispute that the merger of the Progressive Conservative Party and the Canadian Alliance Party has exceeded all expectations, as evidenced by the rise in the polls of the new Conservative Party, and in our ability to hold the Liberal government to account in a much more effective way.

A great deal of the credit goes to our interim leader, the very distinguished member for Macleod, who has steered this ship through the fog and provided great leadership for every member of the caucus as we brought the two teams together.

His mild manner hides the determination with which he attacks the job. On many occasions in this House, he surprised the Liberal ministers across the way when that mild manner transformed into a very aggressive and focused attack. I can think of no one who could have performed this very important role any better for our team.

Every member of the new Conservative caucus congratulates him on a great job well done and is very grateful for his dedication, his skill, his leadership and his friendship.

International Women's Week

[Serge Marcil, Liberal, Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC]

Mr. Speaker, speaking to the theme of International Women's Week, “She's on a Role”, I would like to pay tribute to women.

Women are present in their family, social and economic environments, and are the pioneers behind great social changes. While many receive the honour they deserve, many others work in the background of their communities.

Women participate fully in all social movements. They inspire those around them with their courage, their determination and their sense of duty.

Every day, they add a fresh breath of optimism to everything. They are examples and trailblazers for future generations.

I wish to thank all women for their devotion.

Employment Insurance

[Brian Pallister, Canadian Alliance, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, lost in the fury of the $100 million ad scandal is a much bigger scandal: the $45 billion Liberal EI overcharge.

While the Prime Minister claims to be ignorant of the first, he is in fact the architect of the second larger scandal. As finance minister, he deliberately kept the rates artificially high and changed EI into his own personal piggy bank

Because EI contributions stop on income above $39,000 a year, this practice is most punitive to low income Canadians. While the Prime Minister uses offshore tax havens, he is taking $6,000 extra unnecessarily from working Canadian households in EI premiums. Employers and employees are getting fleeced and Liberals continue to play a shell game.

The Conservative Party believes that working Canadians deserve more money in their pockets and fewer Liberal hands.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

[Paddy Torsney, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I wonder if members of the House know what Michelle Wright, Murray McLauchlan, Ian Thomas, La Bottine Souriante, Michel Rivard, Nanette Workman, Marc Jordan and Cindy Church have in common.

What they have in common is that on April 1 they are coming to Ottawa to do an amazing concert for Elizabeth Grandbois. “Elizabeth's Concert of Hope” is part of an effort to raise money for ALS.

I invite all members of the House and everyone watching to come to the NAC, give their support to ALS, and recognize an amazing Canadian. Since 1997, after being diagnosed with ALS, Elizabeth has gone the distance and raised over $1 million for research into ALS and support for people who are suffering from ALS.

In Ottawa the concert is in honour of Tim Noel, the former deputy governor of the Bank of Canada. I encourage everyone to please come out on April 1.

Sponsorship Program

[Grant Hill, Canadian Alliance, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, back in 1994 this Prime Minister's right hand staffer, Terrie O'Leary, pushed to have Groupe Everest added to the list of approved companies for ad contracts, all done on behalf of this Prime Minister. Groupe Everest was knee deep in the Liberal ad scam.

Today brave testimony by Allan Cutler shines new light on the cozy relationship between Groupe Everest and this Prime Minister.

Will the Prime Minister finally admit that he knew about the genesis of the sponsorship scandal?

[Stephen Owen, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the government have been very clear that there was no knowledge at that time of anything having been done incorrectly, at the time of which we are speaking. The Prime Minister has been very clear that he is willing to go before the public accounts committee, the public inquiry or answer any other questions relevant to this matter.

[Grant Hill, Canadian Alliance, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the noose is tightening. Not surprisingly, Groupe Everest was awarded a contract for the finance department. That contract was later boosted by $1 million. Guess what work it did for it? It did zip. It received $170,000 to do no work.

This scam was a precursor to the sponsorship scandal, and it was going on in this Prime Minister's Office. Why was he so willingly complicit in this?

[Stephen Owen, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is making accusations which are best put before the public accounts committee or the public inquiry.

The Prime Minister and everyone else on this side have been very clear that they are willing to come forward and deal with any allegations or any issues put forward. I do not think we can be much more open than that.

[Grant Hill, Canadian Alliance, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, these issues are being put before the Canadian public.

Allan Cutler today produced a memo written to Karl Littler, and this was the Prime Minister's left hand in the finance department. The memo spelled out how the contract to Groupe Everest was inflated. The memo also stated that the minister had been informed. Karl Littler is one of the Prime Minister's closest advisers to this day. He is probably on the road with him right now.

How can the Prime Minister claim to have no knowledge of this scandal when both his right hand and his left hand are up to their elbows in it?

[Stephen Owen, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, the document that the hon. member is referring to simply relates to the business of the finance department in the normal course, and does not specify any particular agency or any particular value amount. It does refer to, in due course, providing information that is relevant to the Canadian public about issues dealing with finance and taxation. How could we possibly have a ministry of finance and a budget without giving information to the Canadian public?

[Diane Ablonczy, Canadian Alliance, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, we have a confidential 1994 memo by the Prime Minister's assistant, Terrie O'Leary, that Groupe Everest should do the ads for Canada savings bonds. That comes from, “myself and the minister”. Today another memo to another assistant, Karl Littler, again about Everest doing CSB ads. It says, “We have discussed this initiative with the minister”. The Everest contract broke the rules. It was retroactive. It paid commission for no work.

How can the Prime Minister plead innocence when his own senior staff say he was directly involved?

[Stephen Owen, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is speaking of issues that took place in 1994 and 1995 having to do with Canada savings bonds. Of course the minister of finance and the ministry of finance would want to provide information to Canadians about Canada savings bonds. What could be more natural?

[Diane Ablonczy, Canadian Alliance, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, we are talking about improper contracts for that work that Mr. Cutler refused to sign because they were wrong.

The role of the minister's staff is to do his legwork. We have two memos where two of his senior assistants said that the Prime Minister was directly involved in contracts to Everest, contracts which broke the rules.

The Prime Minister's story is that he was out of the loop, and it is getting harder to believe all the time. What else is the Prime Minister hiding over there?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness]

Mr. Speaker, in some respects it is a little hard to follow the opposition in its rather loose reference to various documents.

I have one document in my possession, which was not from Mr. Littler to anyone, but was from a department official in finance to Mr. Littler. It has nothing to do with sponsorship. In fact, as the hon. Minister of Public Works has pointed out, this memo deals with a routine advertising campaign in relation to Canada savings bonds. This is an annual campaign that we know takes place every--

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Laurier--Sainte-Marie.