Lost his last election, in 2008, with 36% of the vote.
Natural Resources May 13th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Natural Resources.
Recently the environment committee heard that district energy could help solve the problem of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions.
What is the minister doing to encourage district energy projects? Is he prepared to act upon a major study of the potential for district energy in the national capital region which was completed last year?
Unity Peak May 1st, 1998
Mr. Speaker, on June 21 a group of students from South Carleton High School in my riding will stand atop a very special mountain in the Alberta Rockies. The mountain is called Unity Peak. The 85 participating students along with their teachers and parents can be proud that they were granted the privilege of naming this peak themselves, a first for any high school in Canada.
Two years ago just after the Quebec referendum, the students and their teacher, Marc Bourgon, decided to do something special in the name of Canadian unity.
Since then they have fundraised over $90,000, researched and studied their way to a plan to both name and climb Unity Peak.
While they are on site these enterprising young students will collect geological samples and start a three year environmental impact study on the effects of tourism on the Lake Louise area. They will also be raising money for the Canadian Cancer Society.
I am pleased to say that I have accepted their invitation to join them on their 3,153 metre climb. Congratulations to everyone involved in the Unity Peak initiative. I look forward to joining them on June 21 on this climb for Canada.
Canadian Armed Forces April 28th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Defence.
In 1993 the 2nd Battalion of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry serving with the UN in the former Yugoslavia distinguished themselves for their courage under fire during a peacekeeping operation at the Medak pocket.
Will the minister take steps to officially recognize the tremendous work done by the 2nd Battalion under extremely dangerous circumstances and to say thank you for a job well done on behalf of all Canadians?
Peacekeeping April 24th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, in September 1993 during a UN peacekeeping operation in the former Yugoslavia, Canadian troops of the 2nd Battalion of the Princess Patricia's Light Infantry found themselves in the middle of a conflict between Croat and Serbian forces. A UN sponsored ceasefire agreement called on the Croats to withdraw their forces and let Canadian soldiers deploy into the Medak pocket to establish a buffer zone.
However, the Croats had different plans. They attacked Canadian positions with heavy artillery and machine-gun fire. The Canadian soldiers returned fire to defend themselves. One unit came under repeated attacks but held its ground. Eventually the Canadians forced compliance with the ceasefire agreement and ended an ethnic cleansing operation in the area. The Canadians were given a rare unit citation by the French UN commander for their collective bravery and devotion to duty. Unfortunately, most Canadians know very little about the Medak pocket action.
On Monday the national defence committee will hear from Colonel Jim Calvin, the commanding officer, and some of his troops. I would encourage MPs to attend to hear their remarkable story.
Trade April 20th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State for Latin America and Africa. In light of U.S. President Bill Clinton's recent journey to Africa, can the minister tell this House what steps he is taking to better tap into the trade potential between Canada and Africa's emerging markets?
Judges Act March 30th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, not long ago I asked the Secretary of State for Africa and Latin America a question concerning Sierra Leone, a small west African country, arguably the poorest country in Africa.
The country's legitimate government was overthrown in May 1997 by a so-called armed forces ruling council which itself was removed from power recently by a Nigerian led west African peacemaking force. I was very pleased to learn that the secretary of state will be visiting Sierra Leone tomorrow and gathering information about the state of affairs in that country.
The news reports from Sierra Leone are very serious. There is a crisis brought on by food shortages. Continued sporadic fighting in certain areas has also contributed to a serious refugee problem. Some reports put the number of people in need of food as high as half a million. This situation is extremely volatile. The west African force that I just mentioned which ousted the military junta replaced it with the civilian government which had previously been in power and which was led by former President Afmed Tejan Kabbah.
Freetown right now and a number of the other major centres such as Bo, Makeni and Kenema have been secured but there are still areas where there is sporadic fighting.
There is a great deal of suspicion about the intentions of the Nigerians in Sierra Leone. A recent article in The Economist magazine suggested that Nigeria may be interested in Sierra Leone's mineral wealth, which includes deposits of rutile, bauxite and diamonds.
Sierra Leone's recent history is a continuing tragedy of enormous proportions. Since independence in 1961 the country has been on a downward spiral brought on by political instability, greed, corruption and repression.
Within the last 30 years Sierra Leone has witnessed three conspiracies to overthrow the government, six attempted and five successful coups d'état. Over the last few years the political problems in neighbouring Liberia and Sierra Leone have created nearly one million refugees in the region.
My personal interest in Sierra Leone goes back about eight years when I first visited the country as a member of a delegation sponsored by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. I was a participant from the city of Nepean. At that time I was involved in a municipal development project sponsored by CIDA involving the town of Bo.
I made a total of three trips to Sierra Leone, in 1990, 1991 and 1993. I was very pleased and proud to be involved in several projects including the construction of a new market building in the town of Bo.
What is Canada's interest in Sierra Leone? Apart from the Canadian aid and development agencies that have operated in the country for many years, including CAUSE Canada, the Red Cross and CUSO, there is a longstanding historical connection between Canada and Sierra Leone.
Many freed slaves from Nova Scotia made their way back to Freetown in the early decades of the last century. In this regard I understand there still is a community to community link which exists between Halifax and Freetown.
As an English speaking Commonwealth country, Canada shares many of the same traditions and institutions as Sierra Leone. It is interesting to note that as Commonwealth countries, Canada and Sierra Leone are at the top and bottom respectively of the United Nations human development index.
Although blessed with many mineral resources, Sierra Leone has simply been incapable of exploiting these resources for the benefit of its people who remain the poorest of the poor.
When the minister returns from his visit to west Africa I hope he will provide this House with a report on what he discovered in Sierra Leone, in Ghana and some of the surrounding countries.
Canada in relation to Sierra Leone has promised aid. I am sure many members of this House will probably share the view that we can and should do better in terms of food aid, medicine and reconstruction assistance to a country that has been seriously devastated.
National Defence Act March 30th, 1998
Madam Speaker, my question relates to the amendments to the National Defence Act which would remove the death penalty from the act. As I am sure the hon. member knows in terms of the history of this penalty, about 25 Canadian soldiers were executed during the first world war and I think there was only one during the second world war for crimes ranging from showing cowardice in the face of the enemy to murdering a superior officer.
The Canadian situation actually is juxtaposed against the Australians who are also a Commonwealth force. No member of their forces was executed during the first world war and I think the same applied to the second world war. As we have seen, more and more since the beginning of the 1990s Canadians are being placed in combat situations, as we saw in 1993 with the action at the Medak pocket.
Does the Reform Party support the removal of the death penalty from the National Defence Act?
Mps Versus Pages Hockey Game March 27th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday night the quiet community of Sandy Hill here in Ottawa reverberated with the sound of cannonading slap shots and the roar of a partisan crowd.
The event was the annual MPs versus the pages hockey game. It is the only game in town where opposition and government members can be seen skating in the same direction and working toward the same goal.
The pages put together a solid effort. Led by their very capable goalie Julian Ovens, they were energetic and enthusiastic.
The TSN turning point came when the pages, with four MPs in the penalty box, were unable to score. Spurred on by the inspirational play of the member for Nunavut, the MPs finally triumphed with a score of six to five. But the pages had the last laugh because yesterday I saw none of them limping around with sore muscles.
Revenue Canada March 13th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of National Revenue. With tax filing season upon us, over 22 million Canadians are now grappling with their 1997 tax returns. Can the parliamentary secretary tell us what efforts are being made by Revenue Canada to make the system more user friendly?
Lieutenant-Colonel William Barker March 12th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, on this date 68 years ago one of the pioneers of Canadian aviation and Canada's most decorated war hero, Lieutenant-Colonel William Barker, was killed in a plane crash on the Ottawa River just a few kilometres from here. He was 35 years of age.
In his day Lieutenant-Colonel Barker was a hero's hero. His state funeral was reported to be the largest in the history of Toronto. The cortege was two miles long with 2,000 uniformed men as escorts and 50,000 spectators looking on.
When he ended his military career he held no fewer than nine gallantry awards including the Victoria Cross as well as two foreign decorations. He had 50 great war air victories to his credit. Flying alone in his last air battle, he was seriously wounded three times, fell into unconsciousness twice, but still managed to destroy four enemy aircraft.
Lieutenant-Colonel William Barker is one of Canada's forgotten heroes. He is also one of this country's greatest heroes. It is high time Canadians recognized his extraordinary achievements.