David Pratt

[Anti-Personnel Mines Convention Implementation Act, November 24th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Burlington.

I am very pleased to be able to speak on this legislation before the House today. It will enable Canada to fulfil its obligations under the international convention banning land mines.

As members of this House know, over 100 countries will come to Ottawa on December 3 to participate at the Treaty Signing Conference and Mine Action Forum. This event will bring to a close the Ottawa process which was initiated last year by the Minister of Foreign Affairs after the United Nations sponsored conference on disarmament talks in Geneva bogged down.

This legislation, which is entitled the anti-personnel mines convention implementation act, is of course necessary in order to give the full force of law to Canada's political and diplomatic obligations as a signatory to the convention. I certainly hope that other signatories to the treaty act with the same speed and resolve that we in this Parliament have demonstrated in ratifying this treaty.

On behalf of the residents of my riding of Nepean—Carleton, I would also like to once again offer my personal congratulations to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the tremendous personal effort he put into this initiative. He has made all of Canada proud. His efforts are very much in keeping with the finest traditions of Canadian diplomacy.

When Canadians think of our diplomatic achievements, they think about Lester Pearson, the Suez crisis and peacekeeping. We can add to that list the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the land mines treaty. Great credit is of course also due to the hundreds of NGOs, international organizations led by American activist Jody Williams and supported by others like the late Diana, Princess of Wales. Together a very important humanitarian goal has been achieved.

We have all heard about the statistics on land mines. There are an estimated 100 million mines in the ground in 70 countries around the globe. Every 20 minutes a person is maimed or killed by an anti-personnel mine. For every mine taken out of the ground, 20 new mines are planted. Fully 80% of the casualties are innocent civilians, a large portion are children and women. They live in countries like Afghanistan, Cambodia, Mozambique, Somalia and Vietnam. Long after the wars for which the land mines have been sown have ended, the legacy of the land mine lives on with random and indiscriminate violence causing death and serious injury.

On the North American continent we are very fortunate indeed not to have to live with the constant threat of land mines as we go about our daily lives. Others are not so lucky.

Seven years ago I travelled to Zimbabwe in southern Africa as part of a CIDA sponsored delegation. One aspect of our visit involved a trip to a refugee camp on the Mozambique border called Tongagora. What I saw there in three and a half hours left me with an unforgettable image of what life is like for many people less fortunate than we are.

For over 40,000 refugees from the war in Mozambique, many attempting to overcome the effects of malnutrition, malaria and diarrhoea and other diseases, this camp was their home. Over half the population of the camp were children. Many showed the physical scars of war, including amputated limbs as well as other disfiguring wounds.

The sight of one child in particular seared an image on my brain which I will never forget. Like all the children in the camp, this young fellow was clothed in rags. He was probably about 11 or 12 years old and walked with a makeshift crutch to support himself because one of his legs was amputated at the knee. One-half of his jaw on the right side looked as if it had been blown away. When I looked at that child from a comfortable seat on a bus as we were leaving the camp, the only thing I could think of was the fact that he would never enjoy the life that so many of us in this country are blessed with.

Starting life as a refugee is bad enough but having to cope with amputated limbs and serious disfigurement takes an extremely bad situation and makes it dramatically worse. Whether he suffered his injuries from a land mine is something I will never know, but it is clear that the land mines were responsible for many of the amputated limbs at that camp. Every time I see that young boy's face in my mind's eye, I think of the land mines and the incalculable damage done to innocents. As unfortunate as that boy was, many land mine victims in Mozambique never made it to a refugee camp. Some simply could not make the long journey to safety and others bled to death at or close to the land mine that they had detonated.

The effect of land mines goes beyond the physical damage that is done. Also of concern is the profound psychological damage that accompanies living with land mines. A series of letters which appeared in last Saturday's Globe and Mail from young Bosnians about the menace of land mines speaks eloquently of their effect on young minds.

One young man, Admir Mujkic, a grade 12 student in east Tuzla wrote “Spring will come soon. Warm nights full of temptation to go out for a walk. We have had enough of smoke filled cafes, but where to go. Mines are all around us. Our fields, meadows, forests are probably covered with mines. That could probably ruin my life or somebody else's life, youth, beliefs, love. I want to run through flowery fields with my girlfriend. I want to pick the first violet for her, to climb the trees and forests. I want to lie in the grass and watch the sky for hours. I want to dream”.

Another student, Melisa Dzanovica, in grade 7 and also from Tuzla, wrote “My friend, do not look at the sky, do not count the stars, do not look at the yellow moon because in a split second it can become bloody. It takes only one wrong step. So lower your head, my friend. Your enemy is in the earth. It has surrounded you with a thick wire. Remember there is something worse than a war. Survive, my friend, the peace”.

There are a number of challenges we face in connection with this treaty. One is to ensure that ratification by the signatories proceeds quickly so that this treaty can become part of international law that stems the manufacture, possession, use and export of land mines. As parliamentarians we must work with our counterparts in other countries to ensure that this happens quickly.

Another challenge is to bring those who will not be signing the treaty, in particular our friends to the south, on as signatories. This would be a major step forward.

It is indeed unfortunate that the United States has decided not to become a signatory to the treaty at this time. As we know, it has cited its defensive situation in South Korea as its rationale for not signing, even though at least one of its own generals, General Norman Schwarzkopf, has said that the United States does not need land mines to defend itself or its allies.

To give credit where credit is due, however, the U.S. has destroyed 1.5 million land mines and has promised to destroy another 1.5 million in the short term. It has also vowed to increase its already sizeable budget for de-mining operations by 25% next year.

This brings me to perhaps the most important challenge that we now face as a global community; that is to move beyond the treaty signing and ratification to the next phase which should be a concerted international effort to get these mines out of the ground. This next phase will make the Ottawa process seem easy by comparison. It will require political will, significant resources as well as up to date technology to ensure that more lives are not lost and more injuries sustained in the de-mining effort.

As Canada has led the Ottawa process and the anti-personnel land mines treaty, so should we lead the process of ridding the world of these horrible weapons. We have some of the best trained personnel in land mine removal among the members of our armed forces and we have some of the most up to date technology.

In the first statement I made in this House I drew attention to two companies in my riding that I am proud to say are working on state of the art land mine removal technologies, Computing Devices of Canada as well as Thomson-CSF.

In the case of Computing Devices of Canada, they are working on a system which combines a variety of land mine detection technologies in one package. Their particular technology will have a system to detect even small amounts of metal. With ground penetrating radar their system will detect the presence of foreign objects in the soil. With an infrared camera it will detect heat flow disturbances in the soil associated with buried land mines. Yet another sensor is capable of detecting nitrogen, a key component of explosives.

The Thomson-CSF technology involves a very sophisticated robotic system with the capability of digging up, removing and disposing of land mines.

I mention this to indicate that the task of ridding the world of over 100 million land mines is a tremendously difficult but not an impossible task.

Great strides are being made with technology which will significantly reduce injuries and deaths related to de-mining activities.

To conclude, I want to say that all Canadians should be proud of this tremendous diplomatic achievement by the minister and the many others who are responsible for having this treaty moved forward.

We have come a long way in the space of one year toward solving a problem that afflicts a large portion of humanity. We must remember that the really tough job lies ahead.

I am confident that with the political determination, the financial resources and the latest technologies Canada can once again take the lead in one of the most important humanitarian issues of our time.

[Land Mines, November 24th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Industry.

In early December nations from more than 100 countries will come to Ottawa to sign the treaty banning anti-personnel mines. Recently I contacted the minister to suggest that the government spearhead an effort to exhibit Canada's leading edge land mine clearing technology at this conference.

Could the minister advise the House what progress has been made by his department on this suggestion?

[Small Business, November 7th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, my question is addressed to the Minister of National Revenue.

While the entrepreneurial spirit is alive an well in my own riding of Nepean—Carleton, there is often frustration among small business owners about the complexity of information provided by the government.

I would like to ask the Minister of National Revenue what steps are being taken by his department to provide comprehensive, easily understood information for small business.

[Canadian War Museum, October 24th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the many Canadians, including those from my riding of Nepean—Carleton, who generously donated to a special fund established toward the purchase of the military service medals of Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae, author of In Flanders Fields .

Many Canadians are pleased that the federal government will be financially supportive of the efforts being co-ordinated by the McCrae House Museum in Guelph and the war museum to hopefully purchase these medals.

As we approach Remembrance Day it is very important for us to keep in mind that a nation has a duty to honour those who have died in defence of freedom. The Canadian War Museum has a special role to play in promoting our collective remembrance of the sacrifices of previous generations. In future we must ensure that they have the resources to do a job that should be important to all Canadians.

[Breast Cancer, October 8th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, many members have spoken recently on the subject of breast cancer, a devastating disease that has become the leading cause of death among women 35 to 55 years of age.

Breast cancer has had a profound effect on my own family. My grandmother had breast cancer 35 years ago and survived. While, I lost my mother to breast cancer five years ago, I am very proud to say that one of my sisters is now doing leading edge research at the University of Ottawa.

Every 30 minutes another Canadian woman is diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 5,400 women die of the disease every year. While these statistics are alarming, we have made great strides in the fight against this disease. The benefits of extensive awareness programs and early detection screening are starting to be felt as mortality rates for breast cancer in Canada have begun to decline.

October is breast cancer awareness month. Let us all wear the pink ribbon and show our support for women confronting this dreaded disease.

[Speech From The Throne, October 2nd, 1997]

Madam Speaker, in the context of the government's overall program I do not think there is any question that over the last four years the government would have liked to have spent money on areas related to children and youth and aboriginals and other areas of society that in many respects have been neglected.

Certainly one of its primary concerns over the last four years has been the deficit and the impact that the huge deficit and increasing debt would have had on the future of young people. If we had entered the next century with a debt of $700 billion or $800 billion, what sort of a future would that provide for our young people? I can answer that question. It would have provided no future at all because they would have been ground down by excessive debt. The opportunities for government to do creative things in our society would have been reduced significantly.

The government's achievement in addressing the deficit was certainly a first step toward securing the future of young people, children and youth.

A number of important programs and initiatives were announced in the throne speech. I referred earlier to the Canada child tax benefit which I think is extremely important and the government's focus on the need to create strong families so that the family unit can be strengthened as a fundamental component of our society. That is in the process of being done.

When we look for instance at the initiatives related to the centres of excellence to deepen our understanding of children's development and well-being and to improve our ability to respond to their needs, these are good programs which will contribute significantly to the well-being of young Canadians.

The aboriginal head start program is another one that I think is certainly very important to the children of aboriginal parents to ensure that they get the best possible start in their lives.

With respect to youth unemployment, certainly Canada's level of youth unemployment is extremely high. It is higher than anyone in the House would like to see it. As I mentioned earlier—

[Speech From The Throne, October 2nd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, first let me extend my sincere congratulations on your election.

It is with great humility and excitement that I rise today to deliver my maiden speech in the House of Commons. I consider it a great honour to stand in this House to represent the citizens of Nepean—Carleton.

We are referred to in the House by the name of our riding. That is an important reminder that the seat we occupy is not ours. It belongs to the people of our riding, in my case the citizens of Nepean—Carleton.

Nepean—Carleton has been blessed with some excellent members of Parliament, both Liberals and Conservatives, people like Dick Bell, Gordon Blair, Walter Baker and Beryl Gaffney. They were people who cared deeply about their community and their country, people for whom politics was not merely a job but an opportunity to serve their fellow Canadians in one of our great national institutions.

Let me say a few words about my immediate predecessor, Beryl Gaffney. As many in the House know, Beryl represented the former riding of Nepean over the course of two Parliaments. Beryl's background in municipal government kept her firmly rooted in the community. In the House she was a fierce defender of the interests of the national capital region, a fervent advocate of human rights, a committed spokesperson for women's health and an active proponent for the municipal infrastructure program.

Beryl Gaffney remains a source of inspiration to those who confront serious illness. Diagnosed with a serious brain tumour part way through her term, she endured major surgery and battled back to sit in the House and speak on behalf of her constituents. She enjoys the respect and admiration of people across the national capital region and across the country.

Over the course of this Parliament it is my intention to devote myself to providing the people of Nepean—Carleton with the best possible representation. Although my predecessors have set a very high standard, I will do my utmost to give voice to the concerns of my constituents in the House and its committees and I will work to ensure that their problems and inquiries with government programs and services are addressed with care and efficiency.

The constituency of Nepean—Carleton has been my lifelong home. I am very proud to say my family traces its roots in this community back to the 1820s and early 1830s. Nepean—Carleton is a riding that has changed dramatically in my own lifetime. From a quiet collection of farming communities it has been transformed with suburbanization and technology.

Predominantly Anglo-Saxon 30 years ago, my riding has benefited from the arrival of many new Canadians who have brought with them not only their skills and their talents but their hopes and dreams for a better life in the best country in the world.

The presence of the federal government in the national capital region continues to be very important to Nepean—Carleton. Many of my constituents are federal public servants.

There is a new kid on the block that is making its presence felt in a big way. Companies which are part of the Ottawa—Carleton region's thriving high technology industry can be found in the northern part of my riding which is part of the city of Nepean. Many of the residents of Nepean—Carleton work for companies like Computing Devices, Nortel, Newbridge, Corel, Mitel and Digital, to name a few. They are engaged in information technology, environmental technologies, biotechnologies, aerospace and telecommunications technology. They are part of the knowledge based economy which has transformed Ottawa from a predominantly government town to Canada's high technology capital.

These high tech companies are selling Canadian products to every corner of the globe. They are competing with the world's best and they are winning.

The southern portion of my riding contains the largely rural townships of Osgoode, Rideau and Goulbourn. Many of the residents of these areas also work in government and high tech industries, but many work in the agricultural industry, dairy, beef and cash crops, which has itself been transformed by new technologies.

In many respects Nepean—Carleton offers the best of both worlds, urban and rural. We are close enough to the country to uphold the rural values of community, self-reliance and hard work, but we are also close enough to the city to understand the importance of innovation, the entrepreneurial spirit and Canada's place in a wider world.

My constituents understand and appreciate the past but they also have an eye on the future. That is why this Speech from the Throne is important to them. Those who have read the throne speech will know that it builds on the tremendous accomplishments of the last Parliament. The future of every Canadian is brighter because of the achievements of the last four years. I am thinking of things like deficit reduction, taking the deficit from $42 billion down to a balanced budget which is now within sight.

Interest rates are at their lowest levels in 30 years. Almost one million jobs have been created since 1993. Our economic growth is expected to be the best of the G-7 countries this year. We continue to record huge increases in our trade surpluses. As we all know, the United Nations continues to rank Canada as the number one country in the world according to the human development index.

Anyone who has read the throne speech knows that it follows up on the commitments made by the prime minister and the Liberal Party during the election. It continues the important work of prudent financial management while, at the same time, directing resources to strengthen the social and economic fabric of this great country.

Let me address just a few of the themes on which the throne speech touches. One area which has not received much attention but which is important to my constituents is the reference to the public service. There is no doubt that there have been some tough times for the public service with the downsizing and restructuring of recent years.

It is extremely important to ensure that steps are taken to enhance the morale and the esprit de corps of our public servants. They provide Canadians with important services and programs from search and rescue to meat inspection to trade promotion. We must ensure that we maintain a well-motivated, professional, non-partisan and efficient public service. I am pleased that the throne speech contains a reference to the people who day after day carry out the work of the Government of Canada.

I can tell the House that I was also very pleased to see the reference in the throne speech to investing in knowledge and creativity. This is vitally important to high technology companies in Nepean—Carleton, the national capital region and, indeed, the entire country.

Let me quote directly from the throne speech, “The government is determined to do more to support innovation and risk-taking in Canada and to attract more foreign investment in knowledge based industries to Canada. We will build creative partnerships between the private and public sectors to accelerate the adoption of innovative technologies in all sectors of the economy”.

The government believes that through small and medium size businesses we can develop and improve new technologies. That is why we are increasing the industrial research assistance program, or IRAP, to promote the diffusion of technology throughout Canada. We have already made a good start in this direction in the government's last mandate. Through programs like SchoolNet, Technology Partnerships Canada and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation we are making tremendous progress.

SchoolNet, which Microsoft's Bill Gates said was “the leading program in the world in terms of getting kids to use computers”, will have every school and library in Canada connected by 1998.

Technology Partnerships Canada, an investment fund with more than $250 million a year, will work with business to keep the development, marketing and production of new technologies in Canada where it will create jobs and foster new growth. There is also the business development bank which is providing start-up capital to new enterprises.

The throne speech touches on many areas of importance to my constituents. The sections of the throne speech which refer to investing in children are particularly important. Again I would like to quote briefly from the throne speech. “One of our objectives as a country should be to ensure that all Canadian children have the best possible opportunity to develop their full potential. We must equip our children with the capacities they need to be ready to learn and participate fully in our society”.

However, the throne speech is not just about idle rhetoric. The government is committed to increasing its contributions to the Canada child tax benefit by $850 million a year with higher payments to families beginning in July 1998.

I would like to indicate my strong support for some of the other priorities in the throne speech, especially creating opportunities for young Canadians. We all heard during the last election about the problem with youth unemployment. It is unacceptably high. We have to address that issue in this Parliament and I think we have had a good start with some of the recent statistics and job creation figures that we have had in that area.

However, we also have to reduce barriers to post-secondary education and ensure, as well, that young people are able to get that all important first job.

[Speech From The Throne, September 26th, 1997]

Madam Speaker, congratulations on your appointment.

I listened to the hon. member with some interest. It certainly appears he is filling the role of a dutiful opposition member in terms of attacking the government. However, I am sure he is aware of some of the news that we have had in Canada over the last few years and more recently. I am thinking of course of deficit reduction, taking the deficit from $42 billion down to zero, that interest rates are at their lowest levels in 30 years, that almost one million jobs have been create, that there have been massive increases in Canada's trade surplus, that our economic growth is going to be the best in the G-7 and that, of course, and we have all heard this before, Canada has been rated number one according to the United Nations human development index.

I would ask the hon. member, with all the things that have happened over the last four years and all of the positive developments, would he not concede that there have been at least a few positive developments in Canada which are going to benefit his constituents?

[Landmines, September 26th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, the recent announcement in Oslo, Norway that nearly 90 countries had agreed on a treaty that would ban anti-personnel landmines is a tremendous achievement for Canadian diplomacy.

Everyone in the House should be extremely proud of the role played by the Prime Minister, the Canadian delegation in Oslo and especially the Minister of Foreign Affairs who has been nominated for Nobel Peace Prize. While the landmines treaty to be signed in Ottawa on December 3 is a first step toward a solution, the next phase will be to get these landmines out of the ground.

I am pleased and proud that two companies in my riding of Nepean—Carleton, Computing Devices of Canada and Thomson CSF, are actively engaged in leading edge technology for landmine detection and clearance, technology which will save lives.

With the help of funding from the government, these two companies are working to ensure that Canada remains in the forefront of a solution to this serious international problem.