House of Commons Hansard #111 of the 38th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was young.

Topics

Delegated LegislationOrders of the Day

1:55 p.m.

The Speaker

In my opinion the yeas have it.

And more than five members having risen:

Delegated LegislationOrders of the Day

1:55 p.m.

The Speaker

Pursuant to Standing Order 126, the division stands deferred until later this day at the expiry of the time provided for the consideration of government orders.

Brampton Sports Hall of FameStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Liberal

Gurbax Malhi Liberal Bramalea—Gore—Malton, ON

Mr. Speaker, the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame will add six new members this evening at its annual induction ceremonies at the Pearson Convention Centre.

In the builders category, Scott Abbott, for hockey, Bob Bartlett, for lacrosse, and Jim Miller will be inducted. In the athletes category, Patrick Husbands, for horse racing, Bill Swartz, for golf, and Gary Walker, for lacrosse, will have their pictures included on the Wall of Fame at the Brampton Centre for Sports and Entertainment.

Abbott is the founder-owner of the Brampton Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League. Bartlett has served as an executive member of the Excelsiors, while Miller was a founder of the Chinguacousy soccer club, now Brampton East.

Husbands, a jockey, has won the Queen's Plate, while Swartz captured the Canadian amateur golf crown in 1998. Walker has two Mann Cup championships.

My heartfelt congratulations go out to the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame's six new members.

AgricultureStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Conservative

Dale Johnston Conservative Wetaskiwin, AB

Mr. Speaker, entering year three of the beef ban, Canadian cattle producers are struggling to survive. Consumers continue to support the beleaguered cattle industry, but its future rests with United States judges. Why? Because the Canadian government has not stepped up to open the key U.S. border or even stood up for our producers in the court proceedings.

The Conservative Party is standing up for Canadian cattle producers. Sixty-nine Conservative MPs and senators have applied for intervener status in the R-CALF and USDA court dispute. If R-CALF is successful in expanding its injunction to include boxed beef and other ruminant products in addition to live cattle under 30 months of age, the possibility of a complete collapse of our cattle industry becomes a reality.

Farmers and cattle producers are a resilient lot, but when they are in dire straits, they and all the communities that rely on their success should be able to count on their government to help them fight for their livelihoods.

Landscape ArchitectureStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Liberal

Ken Boshcoff Liberal Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to congratulate Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung Historical Centre in Stratton, Ontario, and architects Hilderman Thomas Frank Cram of Winnipeg, Manitoba, who were recently recognized by the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects with a regional citation award.

These awards of excellence recognize and encourage excellence in all aspects of the landscape architecture profession. I recently had the opportunity to visit the centre with Chief Albert Hunter of the Rainy River First Nation and was truly impressed by this massive impressive collection of aboriginal history and the beautiful landscape.

Also known as Manitou Mounds, this place was at the centre of a continent-wide aboriginal trading network. Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung is sacred to the Ojibway and to other first peoples of North America, thus marking an enduring spirituality.

I ask all members to please join me in congratulating Kay-Nah-Chi-Wah-Nung Historical Centre on this prestigious award.

ArtopexStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Bloc

Nicole Demers Bloc Laval, QC

Mr. Speaker, Artopex, a Laval-based furniture manufacturer, has acquired Standard Desk of Laval, which makes high-quality wooden office furniture, the only product missing from Artopex's line-up.

With this acquisition, Artopex's annual sales have reached $70 million.

The company will keep the 135 employees of Standard Desk and has plans to hire more in the near future. As a result, Laval is now the company headquarters, with two locations and 265 employees. Artopex also has two plants in Granby and one in Sherbrooke, with a combined total of 500 employees.

Congratulations to the Pelletier family, which owns Artopex, on its success. In addition to being an employer of choice for residents, this company has ensured a thriving industry for Laval.

Aboriginal AffairsStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Nancy Karetak-Lindell Liberal Nunavut, NU

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, May 31, 2005, the Inuit of Canada signed a historic partnership accord with the Government of Canada. It was signed on our behalf by Mr. Jose Kusugak, the president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the national Inuit organization, with the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

Similar accords were signed with the four other national aboriginal groups. The joint accords reflect the government's commitment to renewing its relationship with the aboriginal peoples of Canada in a manner that respects aboriginal and treaty rights and the unique place of aboriginal peoples in the Canadian federation.

The accords also reflect the government's commitment to strengthening the policy capacity of aboriginal organizations to contribute more effectively to public policy making.

I would like to recognize the Prime Minister of Canada for this bold measure as well as all the people involved in the process. I look forward to working with him and the cabinet's aboriginal affairs committee to move critical issues affecting Inuit forward.

SeniorsStatements By Members

June 8th, 2005 / 2:05 p.m.

Conservative

Randy Kamp Conservative Dewdney—Alouette, BC

Mr. Speaker, the United Nations has proclaimed the first full week in June of each year Seniors Week. I am sure all members of the House would agree that seniors play a very vital and valuable role in our families and communities all across this country, as they do in my riding.

The Conservative Party believes that the government could be doing much more for Canada's seniors. We are committed to ensuring that seniors continue to have quality of life, accessible health care and the ability to stay in their homes longer.

In order to make life better for Canada's seniors, we would end the discriminatory practice of mandatory retirement and let seniors decide when they want to retire. We would make it easier for seniors to get the care they need in their own homes.

We would take tough measures to prevent elder abuse and enact severe punishments for those who commit this crime. We would appoint a minister responsible for seniors to ensure that their unique needs are being properly addressed across government departments.

A Conservative government will stand up for Canada's seniors and do its part to recognize their invaluable contribution to our country.

Athletic ExcellenceStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Francis Scarpaleggia Liberal Lac-Saint-Louis, QC

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to praise the accomplishments of Stephanie Horner, a 16 year old swimming champion from Beaconsfield, Quebec, in my riding of Lac-Saint-Louis.

Stephanie has been awarded a bursary from the Quebec Foundation for Athletic Excellence. The foundation was established to support worthy athletes in their quest for excellence. Recipients of this year's bursaries include Canadian athletes of world and Olympic calibre in a variety of sports.

In addition to her many swimming medals, Stephanie helped lead her team to a second place finish at the team championships in Quebec City earlier this year and hopes to qualify for the Canada Games to be held in Regina this summer.

Stephanie began swimming at age six with the Beaconsfield Blue Fins Swim Club and currently swims and trains six days a week. I join my constituents in congratulating Stephanie on her achievements and wish her great success in the future.

Drummond DesignsStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Bloc

Pauline Picard Bloc Drummond, QC

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to note that Drummond Designs, in Drummondville, placed among the top five residential architecture firms in North America.

Drummond Designs, the largest developer of house plans in Quebec, is on a roll. Since 1998, its sales have increased, on average, by 30% per year, thanks to its resounding success in the United States.

As proof, Hanley Wood, the single largest publisher of house plan magazines in the U.S., has just awarded this Drummondville company the top prize for the quality of its drawings. It was selected from over one hundred North American companies.

In 32 years, Drummond Designs has sold about 100,000 house plans. Today, this company has 40 employees and 55 associates who work in 20 regional offices.

Congratulations to Marie-France Roger, her husband, Yves Carignan, and their entire team on another amazing Quebec success story.

Air CanadaStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that Air Canada has been ranked as the best airline in North America in an exhaustive worldwide survey of more than 12 million air travellers.

The annual survey of air travellers was conducted by a U.K. based independent research firm, Skytrax, between June 2004 and May 2005, using 35 different aspects of passenger satisfaction for each airline's product and service standards.

The airline industry considers this independent survey as the main benchmark for world ranking according to passenger satisfaction.

As a strong supporter of Air Canada, I would like to salute Air Canada employees and the management for a job well done.

Bruce Peninsula Biosphere AssociationStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Larry Miller Conservative Grey—Bruce—Owen Sound, ON

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise today on behalf of the residents of Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound to congratulate the Bruce Peninsula Biosphere Association on being the recipient of the Niagara Escarpment Commission Achievement Award.

This award recognizes the outstanding contributions it has made in the conservation of the Niagara Escarpment and its status as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve.

I would especially like to welcome the students from Bruce Peninsula District School who are present in the gallery today. They are part of a very special partnership between a Biosphere Reserve Community Association and the UNESCO associated schools program in Canada.

They, along with St. Edmunds Public School, are the first schools in Ontario to be recognized as UNESCO schools and have added Cape Croker, an aboriginal school, to their group this year.

These schools have chosen to incorporate the four pillars of UNESCO which stands for United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization into their studies.

Congratulations to everyone involved. We are very proud of their accomplishments.

FisheriesStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Mark Holland Liberal Ajax—Pickering, ON

Mr. Speaker, why would the Conservatives want to place the $50 million a year Ontario fishing industry at risk? Why are they preparing to vote against critical regulations that help Ontario manage and ensure the conservation of fisheries in this province?

The Ontario minister of natural resources is gravely concerned about Conservative support for the removal of this key provision of the Ontario fishing regulations. The minister states, “without this provision, Ontario would literally have its hands tied with respect to the enforcement of the commercial fishery”. He further states that this would, “threaten the sustainability of our fisheries resources”.

The Conservative Party has a history of rejecting conservation when it comes to management of our fisheries. Their laissez-faire free market approach to ocean fisheries did not work when the Conservatives were in government and it is an approach that will not work for Ontario's inland fisheries either.

I would call on all MPs from all parties to support the government motion. It would be nice to see the Conservatives stand and support a sustainable environment, instead of employing empty rhetoric.

Make Poverty HistoryStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

NDP

Alexa McDonough NDP Halifax, NS

Mr. Speaker, today in Ottawa UN Special Envoy Stephen Lewis once again pleaded with Canada to live up to our millennium development goal commitment to set targets to reduce poverty, hunger, illiteracy, discrimination against women and environmental degradation by the year 2015.

Canada has the fiscal capacity to meet our international obligations. What is lacking is the political will. Canada must also address our failure to eradicate child poverty here at home, a commitment adopted unanimously by Parliament in 1989. Yet one million Canadian children still live in poverty.

Today we congratulate the Make Poverty History campaign dedicated to ending poverty around the world and here at home in Canada.

Let us sign on as full partners.

The EnvironmentStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Conservative

Bob Mills Conservative Red Deer, AB

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on Clean Air Day to highlight the Conservative Party's plan to set Canada on a path toward reducing air pollution.

Unlike the smog blind Liberals, the Conservative Party of Canada has a real plan to deal with air pollution. We will legislate caps on smog-causing pollutants like nitrous oxide, sulphur dioxide and volatile organic compounds. We will also propose a cap and trade system within Canada that will give companies incentives to actually reduce smog-causing pollutants.

The Liberals have spent billions of dollars on an unattainable Kyoto plan. This week four major Canadian cities woke up to heavy smog. A recent university study has shown that smog kills about 800 people a year in Toronto and Montreal. We should be dealing with that, rather than buying hot air from Russia, as that corrupt government proposes.

We have drawn up an effective and working made in Canada approach to eliminating smog and cleaning our air for generations to come.

Environment WeekStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Bloc

Bernard Bigras Bloc Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, QC

Mr. Speaker, June 5 through 11 is Canadian Environment Week, a time to focus on the importance of protecting our natural environment in our everyday lives.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Robert Litzer, of the College de Rosemont Committee on Environmental Action and Dialogue, on being awarded the Canadian Environment Awards gold medal in the Environmental Learning category.

Two other Quebec initiatives also gained recognition. Silver awards in their respective categories went to Nina Blussé-Gould of the Committee for the protection of patrimony for Nuns' Island, and to Action Communiterre.

Quebec continues to play a lead role in environmental protection. As evidence of that, this week the Sierra Club of Canada issued its annual report card and gave Quebec “star pupil” rating for “solid performance in all subjects” related to the environment.

Environment Week provides us with an opportunity to continue our progress, and to hope that the federal government will stop talking and start acting.

Aga Khan FoundationStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Conservative

Rahim Jaffer Conservative Edmonton Strathcona, AB

Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate His Royal Highness, the Aga Khan, who became an honorary Companion of the Order of Canada on June 6.

Through his vision, the Aga Khan Foundation sees Canada as a permanent partner in international development. Operating in over 30 countries among some of the most disadvantaged communities in Africa and Asia, the Aga Khan development network agencies conduct their programs without regard to the faith, origin or gender of the people that they serve.

Now with the delegation of the Ismaili Imamate and the Global Centre for Pluralism being built in Ottawa, the Aga Khan Foundation is solidifying this partnership. I attended the ceremonies on Monday, with the leader of the official opposition, and I can truly say that everyone who meets the Aga Khan is truly moved by his vision and commitment to improve the world in which we live.

On behalf of the Conservative Party of Canada, it gives me great pride to congratulate all Ismaili Muslims for their contribution to Canada and continued success to His Royal Highness, the Aga Khan.

The EnvironmentStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Liberal

Michael John Savage Liberal Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS

Mr. Speaker, this is Canadian Environment Week, a week to celebrate our environment and the actions Canadians can take to protect and enhance our natural legacy.

Our quality of life depends upon a healthy, sustainable environment and this year's theme, “Taking Action on our Environment”, recognizes the important role we all play. There are hundreds of events planned across Canada and plenty of opportunities to get involved.

With $5 billion in green economy environmental investments and the first phase of Project Green, the plan for honouring our Kyoto commitments, there is plenty to celebrate from coast to coast to coast.

I encourage Canadians to take action this Environment Week. It could be something as simple as taking the bus, but we can all make a difference in our environment for generations of Canadians to come.

Democratic ReformOral Question Period

2:15 p.m.

Calgary Southwest Alberta

Conservative

Stephen Harper ConservativeLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has had 24 hours to think about the question I asked him yesterday. He has appointed one Minister for Democratic Reform and another Minister for Democratic Renewal.

Could the Prime Minister please explain the difference between the two, and who is responsible for the democratic deficit?

Democratic ReformOral Question Period

2:15 p.m.

LaSalle—Émard Québec

Liberal

Paul Martin LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, multiple ministers have the responsibility for this, all working collaboratively, with the human resources minister coordinating the effort and overseeing the process.

If that is too difficult for the Leader of the Opposition to understand, perhaps we could give him private briefings.

Access to InformationOral Question Period

2:15 p.m.

Calgary Southwest Alberta

Conservative

Stephen Harper ConservativeLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, that is quite a job description, coordinating the effort and overseeing the process.

One part of fixing the democratic deficit is dealing with the government's addiction to secrecy. The Information Commissioner said that the government's discussion paper on access to information, “reveals a government preference for increasing secrecy and weakening oversight”.

With a cloud of scandal over the government, why is the Prime Minister choosing secrecy over transparency. Could he get one of his ministers to answer this?

Access to InformationOral Question Period

2:15 p.m.

Mount Royal Québec

Liberal

Irwin Cotler LiberalMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to answer the question, particularly because I would just reverse the order.

We are seeking transparency and not secrecy. We seek exactly what the member opposite said. We are seeking openness, accountability and transparency. That is what I said to the committee and that is what I repeat in the House today.

Access to InformationOral Question Period

2:15 p.m.

Calgary Southwest Alberta

Conservative

Stephen Harper ConservativeLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, after 12 years I guess we keep on seeking.

Recently, the Information Commissioner commented that the sponsorship scandal would never have happened if the government had had a better Access to Information Act.

Why is the Prime Minister refusing to allow the Information Commissioner to examine all crown corporations, officers of Parliament, foundations and organizations that spend taxpayer money?

Access to InformationOral Question Period

2:15 p.m.

Winnipeg South Manitoba

Liberal

Reg Alcock LiberalPresident of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board

Mr. Speaker, as the member opposite would know, if he read the reports that we have been tabling, it is our intention to make all crown corporations subject to the Access to Information Act.

What we need to do is bring forward to the House and pass the amendments that protect commercially confidential and sensitive information, and we have undertaken to do so.

HealthOral Question Period

2:15 p.m.

Conservative

Steven Fletcher Conservative Charleswood—St. James, MB

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the government agreed in the House to fully fund the Canadian strategy for cancer control, which it knows is a commitment to provide $260 million over five years.

By supporting yesterday's Conservative motion, the government has agreed to specifically allocate these moneys to the national cancer strategy.

When will the $260 million for the Canadian strategy for cancer control be delivered?