Mr. Speaker, the second petition, signed by over 250 people, requests that the government amend the Criminal Code to protect the rights of all unborn children.
Lost his last election, in 2006, with 34% of the vote.
Petitions March 13th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, the second petition, signed by over 250 people, requests that the government amend the Criminal Code to protect the rights of all unborn children.
Petitions March 13th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, today I have the privilege of presenting to the House two petitions from concerned citizens in my riding of Cambridge.
The first petition requests that the Government of Canada find alternate means of stable funding for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, other than the implementation of a communication distribution tax.
Business Financing Program March 6th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, I rise today with good news for businesses in my riding of Cambridge, and congratulations for the Royal Bank and the Business Development Bank of Canada. These organizations recognized the needs of businesses in the industrial heartland of southern Ontario. They announced on March 1 that they are forming a strategic alliance to provide financing for small and medium size businesses.
The program will provide loans in the range of $50,000 to $500,000, filling a recognized gap that exists in traditional lending patterns. This financing program is targeted to businesses in the expansion phase, especially those in information technology, telecommunications, biotechnology, medical devices, plastics processing, auto parts, advanced manufacturing technology, new materials and the agribusiness and food processing industries.
I applaud the Royal Bank and the Business Development Bank of Canada for providing this tangible support for small and medium size businesses, the backbone of the Canadian economy.
Petitions March 5th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, the second petition is sent from Cambridge Right to Life, appealing to the House to protect the rights of unborn children.
Petitions March 5th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, I would like to present to the House two petitions from concerned residents of my riding of Cambridge and surrounding areas.
The first petition, with over 600 names, opposes section 745 of the Criminal Code.
Constitutional Amendments Act December 12th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to speak on this issue. I should like to share my vision of Canada with members opposite, the Canada that I dreamed of as a 10-year old boy in Croatia.
I dreamed about Canada. It was a huge country. I dreamed about Canada when I asked my parents whether there was anything for breakfast. Today as a parent I am asking my children what they want for breakfast.
My dreams became a reality in 1968 when I arrived in Canada. I was by myself and not even 19 years old. The question is why Canada. I cannot answer that question. However today I know that I made the right choice. I had the chance to go to Australia or New Zealand or to stay in Croatia. However I chose to come here. Three years later when I became a Canadian citizen I was the luckiest person on the planet.
I did not know about the differences within Canadian society until I arrived in Canada and I found out about English speaking Canada and French speaking Canada. That was great. There are Canadians in the middle, Canadians like myself, who came to build
this great country. We cannot ignore that they built it and they made it the best country on the planet.
We do not know how to appreciate that. Sometimes I ask myself what is wrong with us. When we return from travelling abroad and seeing how other people live and how much they have, we really appreciate what we have here and what we are.
October 27 was an historic date for Canada. We gathered in Montreal and told Quebecers that we loved them. The Prime Minister made a commitment which I fully support. It is not just to recognize Quebec as a distinct society. It also recognizes the historical fact that French people in Canada are different. It is not that they are better or worse than anybody else, but that they are different. They have a different language and a different culture. That is great and we have to respect and admire that. We have to tolerate that if we want to be a strong, united Canada.
On October 27 I took my eight-year old son along with the rest of the 250 constituents from Cambridge to Montreal. He was a part of that historic day. He was proud to be part of that historic day, the beginning of a new Canada. Today he is learning French in school. He will probably share some time in Quebec with his eight and nine year old colleagues in the near future.
Unfortunately maybe we do not know each other very well. It is about time that we took the effort to know each other, to get to know Canadians from British Columbia, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories. It is about time we know about our unique Canadian culture to which many newcomers and I contribute.
By giving this recognition to French people in Canada, I am convinced that Canada will survive. We are facing difficulties today, but it is not the end. It is evident that we have to solve the problem today and continue building a stronger and better Canada for our children and grandchildren.
I urge members from all three sides to work together to make Canada even better, to put our differences aside and work together to build a unique and stronger Canada. We can accomplish that, so help us God.
The Balkans December 4th, 1995
Madam Speaker, tonight from all three parties in this discussion I have been hearing the expression the former Yugoslavia. Let me clarify this. The former Yugoslavia means a territory of newly formed countries, starting with Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Hercegovina and the former Republic of Macedonia.
It would be absurd to use the expression of Latvia as the former Soviet Union. I would appeal to members to use proper names. Those countries are members of the United Nations.
The Balkans December 4th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, two things have to be separated, Somalia from Bosnia and Hercegovina. There was never civil war in Bosnia and Hercegovina or Croatia. As we know, there was occupation. There were attacks starting with Slovenia by the former Yugoslav army. It was the same thing with Croatia and Bosnia. The two situations cannot be combined as one. They cannot be compared.
As far as I know from talking to Canadian soldiers in Croatia, there were no scandals. They were doing their job, as much as they could do. They are highly respected by all three sides. Canadians should be proud of that. They have continued and are keeping a long history, a tradition. We have to support them in that endeavour.
The Balkans December 4th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, coming from that area and knowing the mentality over there I would like to answer my colleague as well as colleagues of the third party that the morale of Canadian peacekeepers is very high. They are highly respected. The morale on the other side is very low. I am not afraid that our soldiers will not do the proper job over there. I am very confident because all three sides highly respect Canadian soldiers.
The Balkans December 4th, 1995
It might be a different mandate but I strongly believe that we are ready for that mandate, that our soldiers are highly qualified for that.