Mr. Speaker, the third petition calls on Parliament to oppose any amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which provide for the inclusion of the phrase sexual orientation.
Lost his last election, in 2004, with 34% of the vote.
Petitions June 20th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, the third petition calls on Parliament to oppose any amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms which provide for the inclusion of the phrase sexual orientation.
Petitions June 20th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, the second petition is in support of Bill C-205 which would prevent criminals from profiting from their crimes through the publication of books, magazines, videos and other materials.
Petitions June 20th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions. The first petition states that section 43 of the Criminal Code allows school teachers, parents and those standing in the place of a parent to use reasonable force for the correction of pupils or children under their care, and whereas reasonable force has been interpreted by our courts to include spanking, slapping, strapping, kicking, hitting with belts, sticks and extension cords, and causing bruises, welts and abrasions, the petitioners call on Parliament to end the legal approval of harmful and discriminatory practices by repealing section 43 of the Criminal Code.
The Environment June 14th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of the Environment.
This week the Sierra Club's 1996 Rio report gave Canada failing marks for its efforts to reduce greenhouse gases which contribute to global warming and climate change. Furthermore, a recent report of the northern river basins study provided further evidence of serious effects of climate change.
How is the government addressing this very serious issue of destruction to the atmosphere?
The Constitution June 3rd, 1996
Mr. Speaker, the member does not know me, so I am a bit surprised by the personal attack. He seems to doubt my sincerity when I say that I accept Quebec as a distinct society. It is different. It has a different history, a different language and a different culture.
There is a bit of a double standard. On one level the Bloc Quebecois says how awful Confederation is, how poorly we have done and how we do not get along. Bloc members attack our integrity. My integrity is being attacked if he doubts my sincerity. On another level, after the referendum, if they win, they are going to sit down to negotiate with us and we are going to have Nirvana. Everything is going to be wonderful. It just does not add up.
I would ask the hon. member to accept my word. I do not know Clyde Wells. I have never met him. It is not my concern what are his views on this issue. Quebec is a distinct society and, as such, I support it. I am surprised that he has difficulty with that. I support it, so deal with it.
The Constitution June 3rd, 1996
Mr. Speaker, first on a personal note, I want to publicly say how much I have missed my hon. friend. I am enjoying this debate with him very much.
Why do I believe that the educational system in Newfoundland is inferior? It is simply because I called a couple of my law school colleagues who are from Newfoundland. I asked them about their experiences. They explained that when they went to high school they did not have a qualified science teacher, except for geography. We talked about their experiences in literature. In the end they made it very clear that their educational experiences in grade school and high school were not as good as mine. They also explained the problems the island was having in terms of people moving out of the smaller towns and villages because of the lack of jobs and the pressure it was putting on the schools.
I do not know what Premier Tobin is talking about when he said they have a poor system. It is not from anything Premier Tobin has said that I concluded it is an inferior system.
Let me also say that being from Ontario, I think have a responsibility to take the counsel of the six members from Newfoundland and Labrador very, very seriously on this issue. They tell me they have an inferior system. I know them well enough to know that they are acting in good faith and they told me that with integrity. That is why I concluded that the system is inferior and needs to be reformed. That is why I am supporting the amendment.
The Constitution June 3rd, 1996
We do do it all the time but I find it frustrating because it is difficult to sort out. On one side people have said that Clyde Wells did not go into these negotiations in good faith. I do not know whether he did or not. On the other side, the premier for example has accused the Catholic church of being involved in a power struggle and not interested in the best interests of the school children.
I am not able to come to any conclusion. I do not know these people particularly. However, if they are not in agreement today, I do not see any real indication that they can come to an agreement in the near future. I accept by the counsel of those people closer to the situation that they are not likely to come to an agreement. Therefore, I conclude that we need to bring the issue to a close.
The Constitution June 3rd, 1996
Mr. Speaker, it is with honour that I rise this evening to express my views on the constitutional amendment to term 17 of the Newfoundland and Labrador terms of union.
I intend to support the amendment and I am happy to explain to my constituents of Elgin-Norfolk my reasoning. This has not been an easy decision. It has been a very difficult decision, one that I have studied very carefully and have taken very seriously.
I do not think I was ever asked to be a rubber stamp and I have not been been a rubber stamp. I do not plan on being a rubber stamp tonight when we vote on this. I made this decision without experiencing any pressure from any of my colleagues or from the Prime Minister. I thank him for allowing a free vote on this issue.
Let me explain my background because it is relevant to how I came to these conclusions. I was raised in the Catholic school system in Ontario. I spent 13 years there, including going to a Jesuit high school in Toronto. I learned a lot about Catholic values. My Catholic education has formed an important part of who I am today. It is because of those values that I made this decision seriously.
To those who are worried that this will be the end of Catholic education in Ontario or across the country, I do not see it that way. In my own case the choice was important for me. I support the view that people should have choices as to which school they send their children. The key principle at work in making my decision was what was in the best interests of the Newfoundland school children.
The Newfoundland school system by many reports which I accept as being factual is below the standards we have come to expect in Canada. I accept, after reviewing the material and also consulting with people who have been through the system, that the quality of education in Newfoundland is not up to Canadian standards. Whether it is the high illiteracy rates or the poor testing on science exams, Newfoundland has a serious problem, one which it is trying to address in good faith.
We are very quickly moving into a world where the divisions are not going to be so much between rich and poor, between resourced and non-resourced; rich and poor will break down between those who have knowledge and those who are ignorant. I cannot fight the battles of Ontario Catholic education or the battles of national unity on the backs of the children in Newfoundland.
Those opposed to this amendment have raised a number of arguments which I take seriously. In some respects they are quite compelling.
The first argument is that minority rights should not be abolished or amended simply at the will of the majority. If we look closer at the numbers, with only a 52 per cent turnout, 48 per cent of the people of Newfoundland by not voting demonstrated that at minimum they were ambivalent about the issue or at best, they consented with the government plan. Only 55 per cent of voters who did vote voted yes which I believe presents a real problem, but not a problem big enough to stall the vote.
Of total eligible voters, 28 per cent voted in favour and 24 per cent voted against. For example, of the Catholic population in Newfoundland which represents approximately 35 per cent, the Catholic population was at least divided. There seems to be a real division about this issue and I am taking note of it.
The next argument that people make is about precedent. Two arguments are at play here. One is that we are setting a precedent regarding how we are going to respond if there is another referendum in Quebec, what number we would respect and what number would we say is too low. The other precedent argument is that if we amend minority rights in Newfoundland then someone, perhaps Mike Harris, will try to do the same thing in Ontario.
Let me deal first with the issue of national unity. I will go back to my main point. If members accept as I do that this is necessary for the advancement of the educational experience for Newfoundland school children, is it fair to fight the national unity issue on the backs of those children?
As Canadians, we need to make a case for Canada clearly and simply. Quebecers, given a choice to vote on an honest question in a direct way will make a clear decision. We need to accommodate Quebec's need to be recognized as a distinct society and as a particular place and group of people who are different from the rest of Canada and have protection for their language and rights. We need to deal with that problem separate and distinct from the school issue in Newfoundland.
Let me move to the next precedent issue that if we open up minority rights in Newfoundland we will be opening up minority rights in Ontario. I will again go back to my main point. Is it fair for me to try to protect the rights of my children to go to Catholic schools, whether it is St. Francis of Assisi in Orleans or St. Joseph's high school in St. Thomas, on the backs of the school children in Newfoundland? I think not. If we want to have Catholic education in Ontario, then we as Catholics should work to protect it, first by going to Catholic schools and then advocating politically or in other ways the value of that education.
Another issue the opponents to the vote tonight raised is that there is a framework agreement. Let me say how frustrating it has been that both sides unfortunately have at times launched into what philosophers call an ad hominem argument where they merely attack the integrity of the other side rather than deal with the facts of the case.
Experience Canada May 16th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Human Resources Development.
Recently an initiative called Experience Canada, a Canada-wide youth development and cultural exchange program, was attacked by a Quebec critic. He has cited this program as a front for the government to push Canadian unity.
Could the Minister of Human Resources Development explain the purpose of Experience Canada and confirm what this program represents for youth across Canada?
Composting Week May 10th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, "Compost: For the Love of the Earth" is the theme of this year's national awareness composting week.
During this week, May 6 to 12, the Composting Council of Canada supports activities in communities, schools and workplaces across Canada to celebrate the many benefits and uses of compost.
Compost, familiar to gardeners as a valuable soil amendment, is also being used to assist in erosion control along roadsides and in strip mine reclamation.
Here at the House of Commons an ambitious composting initiative is one of the many successes of the greening the Hill program. Since 1991 Food Services, in partnership with the Office of the Environment, has diverted more than 80 tonnes of organic waste from landfill. Currently all organic waste, including starch, dairy and meat products, is sent to a state of the art vessel composter located at national defence headquarters.
I encourage all Canadians to get involved in composting.