Rose-Marie Ur

[Breast Cancer, March 6th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, as part of the pink ribbon campaign to support breast cancer research, I would like to take this opportunity to encourage all Canadians to increase their awareness of this insidious disease.

According to statistics provided by the National Cancer Institute of Canada, an estimated 17,700 women in Canada will develop

breast cancer in 1996, while more than 5,000 Canadian women will die from breast cancer this year.

All women are at risk for breast cancer. In fact, one in nine Canadian women will be diagnosed with this disease in their lifetime.

While women cannot do much about certain links to breast cancer, such as a genetic predisposition, research has indicated that there are a number of factors linked to the risk of developing this complex disease.

Let us show our support for breast cancer research.

[Petitions, March 5th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table a petition signed by constituents of Lambton-Middlesex and outlying areas. It is duly certified by the clerk of petitions pursuant to Standing Order 36.

In view of the fact that Canadians are paying approximately 52 per cent of the cost of a litre of gasoline in the form of government taxes, that the tax increase by 1.5 cents per litre in the last budget and that over the past 10 years the excise tax on gasoline has risen by 556 per cent, the petitioners request that Parliament not increase the federal excise tax on gasoline in the next federal budget.

[Competition Act, March 4th, 1996]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-221, an act to amend the Competition Act (illegal trade practices).

Mr. Speaker, the bill would amend the Competition Act by creating an offence for manufacturers and distributors of motor vehicles and farm equipment to engage in certain marketing practices with their dealers. In most cases franchise agreements provide that a dealer shall not carry any other line or "dual" without the written permission of the manufacturer. In practice that permission is rarely forthcoming.

The consequences of this restrictive arrangement are that the dealer's investment in one line of motor vehicles or farm equipment may substantially exceed the investment actually required to efficiently supply the sales and servicing demands faced by a particular dealer in his or her market.

By allowing the dealer to offer one or more new lines of new motor vehicles or farm equipment I believe the bill would produce two positive results. First, the investment of the dealer would be utilized more efficiently and effectively and, second, the public in the dealer's market would be better served.

I urge all members to support the bill for the benefit of Canada's business community.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)

[Softwood Lumber Industry, February 29th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister for International Trade.

Recently Canada and the United States signed a softwood lumber deal that will secure Canada's access to U.S. markets for five years. Why did Canada enter into this agreement with the United States rather than take the softwood dispute to the NAFTA panel, a panel process that Canada has won on all previous occasions?

[Bank Act, December 12th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, under the 1992 legislation there will be a review of the Bank Act in five years or in 1997.

I have received many calls and briefs from insurance companies in my riding of Lambton-Middlesex that are very concerned, as I am, about the potential changes in the Bank Act that could give the very powerful banking sector the ability to retail insurance from its branches.

While it is important to have a strong banking system in Canada, I do not believe it is right or fair to other sectors of the financial services industry to allow the most powerful sector, the banks, to accumulate strength which would likely turn into a virtual monopoly.

As a government we have already acknowledged that many of the new jobs created in Canada over the last couple of years have come from small and medium size businesses.

Allowing banks into the retail insurance industry could decimate small insurance companies in Canada, many of which are policyholder owned and predominately serve rural communities, like those in Lambton-Middlesex.

[Bankruptcy And Insolvency Act, December 8th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise to speak on Bill C-323, an act to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act.

It has been two weeks since the Minister of Industry introduced Bill C-109, an act to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act and the Income Tax Act.

The bill contains more than 70 amendments to the BIA. The amendments fine tune the laws regarding commercial bankruptcy and introduce new features involving consumer bankruptcy. The legislation has been designed to assist Parliament in its three-year review of the BIA.

The House welcomed the opportunity to look at the bankruptcy laws in more detail. After all, Canada's bankruptcy laws must protect the interests of borrowers, lenders, insolvent practitioners and government. These interests are so varied and complex that over the decades bankruptcy laws have been very difficult to reform.

Bankruptcy laws are an integral part of the framework legislation that established the rules of the marketplace in which buyers, sellers, lenders and borrowers can make transactions with confidence that the law will treat them fairly.

Among the issues covered in Bill C-109 was the treatment of court fines in assault cases in the event of bankruptcy. The government proposed that people who had been accused of sexual or physical assault should not be able to turn to bankruptcy as a way of avoiding penalties imposed by the civil courts. Fines for physical or sexual assaults become non-dischargeable in the event of bankruptcy under Bill C-109.

The legislation is now before the House and when it is in front of the committee, the committee will have the opportunity to study it in detail and to make appropriate amendments.

One such amendment should be the proposal before us today, that section 178 which lists non-dischargeable debts also includes the following:

-any damages in respect of an assault or battery awarded by a court pursuant to a judgment rendered in a civil proceeding and interest on the damages before or after judgment ordered by the court or payable by law.

The key difference between Bill C-109 and Bill C-323 is the addition in the hon. member's bill of including interest on damages as part of the non-dischargeable portion of a bankruptcy debt. This is an excellent amendment. I commend the hon. member for New Westminster-Burnaby for it.

I would like to see the same principle applied to all categories listed in section 178, not just the assault cases. I would prefer to see the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act amended so that either the interest issue is addressed specifically in each category or, conversely, have it addressed generically so that it is clear that it applies to all categories listed in section 178.

I do not believe debate on a private member's bill is the most appropriate place to make these changes. All of us are concerned about the efficient allocation of House time and I would rather see the issue discussed in committee when it reviews Bill C-109. That being said, I congratulate the hon. member for his worthwhile contribution to the amendment of Canada's bankruptcy laws.

Too often in the House we fail to acknowledge the perceptiveness and integrity of suggestions that come from the other side of the floor. Perhaps this is one reason Canadians have become impatient and cynical about politicians. They see us perform during question period. They are witness to the bickering and sniping that show politics at its worst.

What Canadians do not see in the clips from question period that make the nightly TV news is that behind the scenes and in committee there is a common purpose among members of the House. We are working hard to make things better for Canadians.

Perhaps we ought to make more of an effort to congratulate one another in public. Behind the curtains we often have a kind word for our colleagues on the other side of the floor. Sometimes we will ruefully congratulate them on a political point well scored. The time has come for us to acknowledge without shame when members across the floor come up with good ideas that ought to be a part of government policy.

This is one such occasion. I commend the hon. member for his work on bankruptcy reform. I look forward to hearing what he will have to say to the committee if he agrees the committee is a more suitable forum for his ideas to be discussed.

[Violence Against Women, December 6th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, today marks the sixth anniversary of the tragic deaths of 14 young women at the École Polytechnique in Montreal.

In honour of this national day of remembrance and action on violence against women, the Government of Canada calls on all Canadians to recognize that violence against women is a violation of women's human rights and has no place in Canadian society.

Unfortunately too many women continue to suffer various forms of abuse at the hands of their partners, acquaintances or strangers. Therefore, eliminating violence remains a priority of the Canadian government.

Since the tragedy in Montreal, the federal government has stepped up its efforts to eliminate violence against women. In fact, Canada is viewed as a world leader in recognizing and addressing the problem through community based action, information exchange and awareness, and shelters for battered women and children.

I call on all Canadians to assume responsibility for the eradication of all forms of violence against women in this country.

[Canadian Executive Services Organization, November 29th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to relate the outstanding international volunteer efforts of my constituent,Mr. Bruce Decker of Grand Bend, Ontario.

Mr. Decker and his wife Jean recently returned to Canada from Romania where Mr. Decker had applied his expertise to a locomotive manufacturer in restructuring its marketing department.Mr. Decker offered his services under the auspices of the Canadian Executive Services Organization, a non-profit volunteer organization which among other valuable services has been providing advice to emerging market economies in central and eastern Europe since 1967.

CESO is supported by the Government of Canada principally through CIDA. In addition to government support, CESO is also supported by hundreds of Canadian corporations and 4,000 volunteers. It is this kind of commitment and dedication by thousands of other Canadians that has contributed to the high esteem Canada has earned throughout the world.

[Manganese Based Fuel Additives Act, November 9th, 1995]

Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question.

I reassure the member that the government is not rushing through this issue. The minister gave notice in 1993, two years ago. In my view that is not rushing.

Further, I believe the House has been working on it since 1985 to broker a solution. Senior departmental officials from environment, transport, industry and natural resources have all been working with senior representatives from the petroleum companies and the automotive industry. This has not come by night; it has been looked at for several years with one option or another.

With all due respect, I believe there has been sufficient data put together and we have to move forward. We cannot constantly be looking and looking and looking. We have a party in the House that tells us we are wasting money continually. This costs money. I do not say it is wasting money when we do studies, but it costs money. We have adequate information. Let us move forward on the issue. It is time to move. We have to respect the information we have collected.

[Manganese Based Fuel Additives Act, November 9th, 1995]

Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague. In the past few days or weeks General Motors acknowledged that its cars would be able to use ethanol gas.

In addition I am very proud to say that gas stations have included ethanol pumps in London, Ontario, within the last week or two. They have been in touch with the car manufacturers. Obviously they know there is a requirement for such an option. I am very pleased to say ethanol is making strides in southwestern Ontario, my area.