Randy White

[Highways, June 21st, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I wonder who is going to get the babysitting fees for the minister of public works, the minister of transport or me?

The government has refused to give documents to the Citizens for Fairness Coalition in Wentworth Valley, Nova Scotia, but I delivered them myself at a rally in the valley.

I would like the Prime Minister to answer this question. Why does the government have to be threatened with lawsuits by outraged citizens before it acts to rein in cabinet ministers who are clearly out of control? What assurances do we have that the minister of public works, in particular, will be given a wake-up call by the Prime Minister?

[Highways, June 21st, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, now I find that the hon. member for Cumberland-Colchester is telling people that the federal government has found a solution.

Before the session closes I would like to try to get the minister of public works up on his feet and be blessed with an answer. Will the Liberal government be returning the $26 million to highway 104 as suggested by the hon. member for Cumberland-Colchester?

[Highways, June 21st, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, it just does not fit, really. The Prime Minister just said that the highway 104 scandal is the responsibility of the province of Nova Scotia.

I recognize that the Minister of Public Works and Government Services refuses to answer for the misappropriation of funds-

[Petitions, June 19th, 1995]

The second petition, Mr. Speaker, asks that Parliament act immediately to extend protection to the unborn child by amending the Criminal Code to extend the same protection enjoyed by born human beings to unborn human beings.

[Petitions, June 19th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions from residents of Fraser Valley West.

The first asks that Parliament ensure that the present provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada prohibiting assisted suicide be enforced vigorously and that Parliament make no changes in the law that would sanction or allow the aiding or abetting of suicide or active or passive euthanasia.

[The Late Robert Lloyd Wenman, June 19th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I am sad to say that last week former Conservative MP Robert Wenman passed away at the age of 54.

Mr. Wenman worked as a member of Parliament for 19 years, proudly serving the Fraser Valley West communities of Langley, Fort Langley, Aldergrove and Abbotsford.

Bob was a longstanding politician who started his public service at the age of 25 in 1966 as an MLA in British Columbia. He joined federal politics in 1974. In the House of Commons he focused on personal projects and issues such as the environment, a bill permitting passive euthanasia, the enhancement of Canada's international ties and the promotion of B.C. business opportunities with the federal government. He also was strongly anti-abortion and supported family values.

Bob and I met after the election and in the sincere and open approach for which he was known, he was kind enough to help me in those early days. For that I shall be ever thankful. He was a popular individual and active in our community. He was respected by all people and shall be missed.

Bob's contribution has made Canada a better country in which to live. I join with my Reform colleagues and all members of the House to express sincere sympathy to Mr. Wenman's family and friends. We thank Bob for his unselfish contribution.

[Petitions, June 14th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition from constituents from Fraser Valley West.

The petitioners ask that Parliament not amend the human rights code, the Canadian Human Rights Act or the charter of rights and freedoms in any way which would tend to indicate societal approval of same sex relationships or of homosexuality, including amending the human rights code to include in the prohibited grounds of discrimination the undefined phrase sexual orientation.

[Transport, June 14th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I did not mean to suggest the minister of public works would buy votes.

Would the Prime Minister be willing to look at the situation and ask the minister of public works to step down pending the investigation of the auditor general's report, pending litigation, pending the complaints from the Reform Party, pending Liberal-

[Transport, June 14th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's ethics counsellor gets about as much work as the Maytag repairman. The only difference is the Liberal machine is in desperate need of repair.

I wonder if corruption is a federal or a provincial responsibility.

Since the Minister of Transport is also going to be named as a defendant, I will place the question to him. Will he recommend to the Prime Minister that he tell the public works minister to return the money he diverted to buy votes in his riding or at least step down pending the results-

[Transport, June 14th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, this highway 104 controversy is not going to go away, much to the dismay of the minister of public works. As I stand here, a lawsuit is being initiated by the Citizens for Fairness in the Wentworth Valley of Nova Scotia naming the minister of public works as a defendant. This moves us not only into morally and ethically wrong behaviour but also illegal actions.

Since the Prime Minister refuses to call in the ethics counsellor, why will this government not cut its losses on this mess now and commit to returning the misappropriated funds back to the Wentworth Valley bypass project on highway 104?