Eleni Bakopanos

[Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, April 14th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I am rising today to mark the 20th anniversary of the coming into force, on April 17, 1985, of section 15 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This section, which has 110 words in French and 92 in English, has helped make Canada a great place to live.

For women, section 15 has a particular significance. Twenty years ago, a solid and united women's network was formed and contributed to assure that all women and men would be protected equally by the charter.

This fundamental principle played an important role in the forming and the orientation of our nation over the years. Today, with my female colleagues from all parties, I am proud that we have a strong female representation in politics and in our universities, business corporations and judicial system.

Section 15 of the charter puts Canada in the front ranks of nations dedicated to protecting fundamental human rights.

Let us all celebrate this commitment to equality.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2005, April 13th, 2005]

Madam Speaker, I will not touch the last part of the question. Indeed, we try in this House to keep debate elevated.

First, I already said in my speech that I myself had worked on some of the measures taken by the government and contained in the budget concerning assistance to society's most disadvantaged families. A number of these measures are in operation in my own riding.

I can provide another example of a measure that will help new families and that is the one providing loans for students to go to school. It is well known in my riding. People are eager to take advantage of this program, which gives children a loan they can use in the future for their education.

Unfortunately, I do not have the time to address other measures the government has established. I am still convinced, however, that the Bloc will never be satisfied with any measures except one that leads to separation. This is what they have been repeating in the House for the past 12 years.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2005, April 13th, 2005]

Madam Speaker, I do not think there was one question in that garbage from the other side. On that alone, let me deal with the two issues with which I dealt. They have to do with early learning, child care and child poverty, which is an issue that I have championed also.

The Conservative Party, or the official opposition, has misrepresented some of the statistics. It has been stated in the House both by the minister and myself of how the OECD deals with the statistics on poverty in Canada. This does not mean that a single child in the country should go hungry. We are not proud of that. With the child tax benefit, which I mentioned if the hon. member took a little of time to listen, we provide assistance to low income families. What those members have proposed, which is a tax cut, will not solve poverty in the country.

For example, 70% of Canadians are working, including mothers, and are looking for assistance from the government in terms of assuring that their children are in quality, universal early learning and child care. Education will take children out of poverty. I am a living example of that and so are the members in the House. Education is the basis of getting out of poverty and so is providing enough income and other benefits to families. It is not a tax cut that would go to the rich in the country and not to the low income families. The Conservatives are proposing a tax cut of $2,000 which will not provide any assistance whatsoever to any single person. That is exactly from the electoral program of the Conservatives. They can sing a nice tune about everything that has not been done.

On agriculture, the minister has announced in the House various programs of assistance for agriculture. They have received it. I know they do not want to listen to the truth. The truth always hurts. It hurts badly, especially when we can throw mud instead of ideas in the House.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2005, April 13th, 2005]

Madam Speaker, I very much appreciate this opportunity to express my support for Bill C-43, which implements the measures contained in budget 2005.

Before I continue, let me say that I will be splitting my time with the member for York West.

As my hon. colleagues mentioned in their remarks, in this year's budget, the government has taken major steps towards delivering on its commitments to Canadians. Indeed, that is the theme of budget 2005, “Delivering on Commitments”.

Canada is known internationally as a country with a strong social foundation. Canadians believe that everyone should have the opportunity to succeed, to achieve full potential and to participate fully in the promise of Canadian society. In this way, Canada's prosperity is shared by all. This belief drives the government's support for strengthening Canada's social foundations.

In my remarks today, I would like to focus on what this government has done to build on Canada's enviable reputation in this area. Our actions are based on the premise that economic and social policies of the government must reinforce each other.

Strong social policy provides the security for Canadians that is necessary to support sustained economic growth and provide opportunity for all. Strong economic performance has enabled Canada to build a solid social foundation and provide equal opportunity for all citizens. All this must be accomplished with an unwavering adherence to fiscal discipline now and in the future: a commitment to balance the government's budgets and to live within our means.

In its October 2004 Speech from the Throne, the government set out an agenda to strengthen and build a more globally competitive and sustainable economy. This agenda involves strengthening Canada's social foundations through investments in health care, child care, seniors, aboriginal people, Canada's cities and communities, culture, and the justice framework.

By the end of this year, we will have invested $13 billion in programs to support children and families. The Canada child tax benefit, which provides over $3,000, and over $200 for stay at home moms, is just one of those initiatives to support families and children. So when the hon. members of the opposition say there is nothing in the preceding budgets or the present budget in terms of stay at home moms or choices that are given to Canadians, this is one example.

Let us not forget the choice that the Conservatives are in fact giving Canadians. They call it a choice. If we cut the numbers out it is $2,000 as a tax cut, which provides only about 15% to low income families and about $200 or $300 per child. Let us try to find a space in a day care centre in Toronto or Montreal for that amount of money. Also, that does not build a system of early learning and child care.

Budget 2005 builds on the initiatives we have outlined. Let me take a moment and outline just how the government is delivering on its commitment in some key areas, such as early learning and child care, and seniors, which are both part of the social development ministry.

Child care and early learning opportunities are essential to support our children's physical, emotional, social, linguistic and intellectual development, and to set them on a path of lifelong achievement.

The Government of Canada's commitment to a new early learning and child care initiative—which we are working on with our provincial and territorial partners—recognizes the important role that early learning and spcial integration play in expanding children's horizons, as well as in building a more productive economy. Budget 2005 follows through on this commitment with new investments of $5 billion over five years to help build the foundations of this initiative across the country. Hon. members will recall that the federal, provincial and territorial ministers agreed on four interrelated, key principles, known as the QUAD principles, to help shape a shared vision for early learning and child care and go beyond earlier agreements and investments.

QUAD stands for: quality, universally inclusive, accessible, and developmental.

Quality refers to evidence-based, high quality practices relating to programs for children, training and supports for early childhood educators and child care providers, and provincial and territorial regulation and monitoring.

Universally inclusive means that the programs are open to children, without exception or discrimination. Accessible means that child care is available and affordable. And finally, the development principle ensures that child care is focused on enhancing early childhood learning opportunities and the developmental component of ELCC programs and services. These principles were already in place and constituted our commitments.

I know that, soon, we will put the finishing touches on a new national initiative under which the provinces and territories will have all the flexibility required to meet their own needs and be accountable to their own citizens. In the meantime, as a sign of our good will, we are establishing a trust fund, which will provide the provinces and territories with federal funding from now until March 2006, so that Canadians no longer have to wait to experience the improvements in early learning and child care programs and services. Bill C-43, which is now before the House, proposes that $700 million be paid into a third-party trust.

Canada's support for seniors is one of the major success stories of government policy in the post-war era. At the same time, it is an area facing new challenges resulting from the longer and more vigorous lives of seniors.

To address the evolving needs of seniors, the budget makes significant investments across a wide range of policies that matter to seniors from health care to income security programs, from assistance for people with disabilities, to support for voluntary sector activities by and for seniors.

As hon. members know, together with the old age security pension, the guaranteed income supplement, or GIS, provides low income seniors with a fully indexed benefit that ensures they receive a basic level of income throughout their retirement years. Proposals contained in Bill C-43 will increase maximum GIS benefits by more than $400 per year for a single senior and almost $700 for a couple. Half of this increase will take effect on January 1, 2006 and the remaining installment will effect the following year.

It is important to note that the increase will be of particular benefit to senior women who account for more than one million of the seniors receiving GIS benefits. And may I say at this point that this comes from recommendations made by committees of the government's caucus that did an extensive study across the country and came up with recommendations which were incorporated in previous budgets and in this budget in particular.

I would also point out that another proposal included in the bill to increase the basic personal amount to $10,000 over five years will remove some 240,000 seniors from the tax rolls.

In summing up, I will say, as I said at the outset, that Canada is a country that cares about all its citizens. This government has established a solid base for its commitment to strengthen and secure Canada's social foundations.

The initiatives in this bill, which my colleagues and I have briefly detailed today, illustrate that commitment by building on past actions.

I also want to note that we are talking about initiatives related to the social economy—which is an extremely important issue in Quebec. In fact, my province already has such child care programs in place. I am very proud that our government wants to reach an agreement with the provinces on something I consider so fundamental.

I therefore urge my colleagues to accord this bill speedy passage.

[Standing Orders and Procedure, April 11th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, we are offering exactly that, real choice. My children were one and a half and three when I started out in the House, as a matter of fact.

The investment that we made in the Canadian tax benefit which will reach $10 billion by 2007 gives for the first child a maximum of $3,243 and a supplement of $239 to stay at home parents for each child under seven years old. That choice does exist at the present time.

All the opposition party is offering is $320; $320 is all a $2,000 tax break means to parents. That is what it is offering to parents at the moment. That is not a choice. It is politically expedient to say, “Let us have a tax break”, but that is not a real choice.

The real choice is on this side of the House. In fact we are offering tax breaks for low and middle income families. At the same time we are offering to those who choose to place their children in day care another choice. It amounts to $5 billion over five years. The provinces have agreed that we are going in the right direction.

[Standing Orders and Procedure, April 11th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I am also a mother of two daughters.

The Government of Canada recognizes that parents play a very important role in raising their children. We are dedicated to helping them meet their responsibilities. We understand that the right mix of investments by governments and other partners can support parents and ensure that communities, workplaces and public institutions work together in a way that supports families with children.

The need for child care services is very real for Canadians, for reasons of economics, lifestyle or self-sufficiency. Many parents would prefer to stay home to raise their young children, but that option is often not a reality in today's society. There is one thing that the opposition is always forgetting, which is that 70% of children aged six months to five years live in families where both parents work or study, or where a single parent works or studies.

For these parents in particular, early childhood education and child care is a necessary and valuable choice, an option that can provide parents with the assurance that their children are growing up in a healthy and safe learning environment focussed on development.

As a result, the Government of Canada has made a commitment to provide parents with choices, and access to quality childcare and early childhood education facilities has become a real choice for parents.

This is a priority shared by all governments in Canada. At their meeting in Vancouver on February 11, the Minister of Social Development and his provincial and territorial counterparts reached consensus on the urgent need to put such programs in place throughout the country. All administrations were actively involved, because all of us, regardless of level of government, know that this is a choice our constituents want and need.

On February 23, 2005, the government announced it would invest $5 billion over five years. Of this amount, $700 million is available now for 2005-06, to fund the early learning and child care initiative, which will be developed in collaboration with the provinces and territories. As we continue our work on the final agreement, we will ensure that the provinces and territories have the flexibility they need to establish programs that best meet the needs of their citizens and that respect the common values to which the federal, provincial and territorial ministers agreed in November 2004.

In response to those for whom “choice” means a child-related tax break, it is important to note that the government's new commitment to early learning and child care is in addition to existing direct benefits and services for parents, which we have designed to ensure that all children have the best start possible in life and that families get the support they need, no matter what their circumstances or the choices they make.

In fact, through the Canada Child Tax Benefit and the National Child Benefit Supplement, the Canadian government is already providing billions of dollars in income support directly to low- and middle-income parents. This is something the opposition constantly forgets.

The total combined investment in the Canada Child Tax Benefit and the National Child Benefit Supplement is $7.7 billion. Contrary to what the member already said, families where one parent decides to remain at home can also take advantage of early learning programs funded by the federal, provincial and territorial governments, under the agreement on early childhood development and the multilateral framework on early learning and child care.

I would like to say--

[Dimitrios Hadjis, April 5th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, we learned with great sadness last Friday of the death of Judge Dimitrios Hadjis. His passing is a loss to both the Greek community of Montreal and Canadian society as a whole. They have lost one of their most eminent members.

Dimitrios Hadjis was an exemplary husband and father as well as grandfather, a loyal friend, and great mentor for many of us in the Hellenic community.

The Honourable Dimitrios Hadjis was the first judge of Greek origin in Canada. His dedication to education and social justice was his greatest passion as exemplified by his continued quest for knowledge and professional growth. He was an officer of the Greek Air Force, a member of the Bar of Athens, Greece and the Quebec Bar, and finally a judge of the Quebec Provincial Court.

He will be dearly missed by myself, by his family, his friends, his colleagues, and by all who knew him because he was a man who always had something good to say about everyone. May he rest in peace, dear friend. Eonia e mnimi tou. Long may he be remembered.

[Greek Day of Independence, March 24th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, March 25, 2005, we will celebrate the 184th anniversary of Greece's independence. I invite all members of this House to join with the more than 300,000 Canadians of Greek origin this weekend at celebrations in their own ridings.

March 25, 1821, marks one of the most important days of Greece's history, as well as the most influential moment of western civilization. I am as proud of my Hellenic heritage as I am of being Canadian because here in Canada, my second “patrida”, we have always upheld the very same ideals born in Greece. We have maintained the tradition of democratic principles and rights, and with wisdom and courage have contributed to the promotion of peace and the fight against injustice worldwide.

Canada is indeed a prime example of a nation devoted to the ideals of Hellenism, democracy, human rights, freedom and justice.

On March 25, I invite all my colleagues in the House to wish all Canadians of Hellenic origin:

Long live Greece. Long live Canada.

[Foreign Affairs, March 10th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased and honoured to rise today to extend the warmest of welcomes to His Excellency the High Commissioner for the Republic of Cyprus to Canada on the occasion of his visit to Ottawa.

I also wish to point out that, in December 2004, more than six months after Cyprus joined the European Union, Cyprus has once again extended the hand of friendship to Turkey by supporting, along with the other 24 member countries of the EU, a definite date for the start of negotiations to bring Turkey into the EU.

Canada-Cyprus relations have a history of over 30 years. Canada has always supported a comprehensive and permanent settlement to the Cyprus issue and Canada will continue to work with the UN, the G-8 and others to resolve the island's divided status.

Having worked with other colleagues on the Cyprus issue for as many years as I have been a member of the House, including the presentation in 1996 of the motion on the demilitarization of Cyprus, and always in pursuit of a just and peaceful solution, I, along with my constituents, family and friends of Greek Cypriot origin, remain optimistic that Cyprus will soon be reunified.

[The Budget, March 8th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I am still waiting for the answer. I would like to know—and the hon. member will have enough time to present his position on the aboriginals—if she has really read the amendment moved by the Conservatives, and if she agrees with it. That is the question.