Rose-Marie Ur

[Petitions, December 7th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, in the third petition the petitioners pray 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, December 7th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, in the second petition the petitioners pray 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.

[Petitions, December 7th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36 I have the honour and privilege to table three petitions duly certified by the clerk of petitions and signed by the constituents of Lambton-Middlesex.

In the first petition the petitioners pray and request that Parliament not amend the human rights code, the human rights act or the charter of rights and freedoms in any way that 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 of sexual orientation.

[Petitions, December 5th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, in the second petition the petitioners pray and request that Parliament not amend the human rights code, the Human Rights Act or the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in any way that would tend to indicate societal approval of same sex relationships or of homosexuality, including amending the Human Rights Act to include in the prohibited grounds of discrimination the undefined phrase sexual orientation.

[Petitions, December 5th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour and privilege to table to two petitions signed by the constituents of Lambton-Middlesex, pursuant to Standing Order 36 and duly certified by the clerk of petitions.

In the first the petitioners are concerned about the future of VIA Rail passenger service in southwestern Ontario and call upon Parliament to urge the government to place a moratorium on any passenger rail cuts in the Sarnia-Toronto corridor.

[Bosanquet, November 30th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, it gives me a great deal of pleasure today to congratulate the residents and the council of the township of Bosanquet in my riding of Lambton-Middlesex.

On December 1, 1994 by order of the Ontario Municipal Board the township of Bosanquet will be elevated to the town of Bosanquet and its new town council will be sworn in.

The province of Ontario's newest town has a very storied history commencing in 1821 with a 390 acre land grant to its first settler, Mr. Asa Townsend. In 1850 electors met to elect the township's first council. One of the first motions passed by the council was the proviso that there was no qualification necessary with respect to property for the several officers appointed at that meeting.

It is not hard to deduce that the first councillors of the township of Bosanquet displayed the highest democratic principle. Their spirit lives on with the current mayor, Mr. Fred Thomas, and the town's six councillors.

My heartiest congratulations to the town of Bosanquet.

[World Trade Organization Agreement Implementation Act, November 29th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to take part in today's debate on the third reading of Bill C-57, an act to implement the agreement establishing the World Trade Organization. The main aim of this legislation is to establish the new World Trade Organization which will administer the recently concluded general agreements on tariffs and trade signed by 123 governments in Morocco in April of this year.

This bill will set the stage for a new era in international trade, making Canada a full participant in the most comprehensive trade agreement in history. Bill C-57, the implementation legislation, will modify existing legislation and contains only those changes required to meet Canada's obligations under the international agreement.

Canada and a host of other nations went through seven and one-half years of difficult, often very frustrating, multilateral negotiations with the Uruguay round of GATT. Throughout the negotiations, Canada aggressively pursued an agreement to pave the way for expanded trade and investment worldwide. We certainly did not get everything we wanted, but that is the nature of most negotiated settlements.

I intend to offer my support to this bill, although I must admit my support is tempered by cautious optimism. There are so many unanswered questions associated with what can or should be achieved in this new era of global trade. Until we become familiar with the ways and means of this new trading framework, uncertainty is bound to linger.

The Uruguay round covered 15 different trade areas including services, government procurement and a new set of trade dispute rules. We all know how close we came to not having an agreement at all. Had Canada and other nations not signed this trade deal it is open to question where we would have stood. It is possible that business would have continued as usual, but very unlikely.

Several very serious trade disputes had been piling up between the United States, the European community and Japan and were put on hold pending the outcome of the Uruguay round. As a middle economic power, Canada often found itself in the crossfire between these formidable trading blocks and our interests suffered as a result. To that end Canada was forced, after standing completely alone, to abandon its primary aim, the strengthening and clarification of article XI, and instead was compelled to protect its supply managed products by an initial level of high tariffication rather than quotas.

I should state that as member for Lambton-Middlesex the primary industry in my riding is agriculture. Statistics show that nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars worth of farm products are produced each year in the counties of Lambton and Middlesex. More than one-half billion dollars worth of farm supplies and equipment are purchased.

To say that my constituents are concerned about what lies ahead of them would be an understatement. Frankly, I do not blame them for being concerned as we embark on a brand new era in global trade, where to a certain extent a large degree of blind faith is required. As parliamentarians I believe our main challenge, given the kind of financial straits in which we find ourselves and given the international obligations under which we are now operating, is to search for a proper balance between the rigours and the power of the marketplace and the establishment of a greater degree of fairness to farmers in the farming community. A farming community is worth preserving and I cannot overstate the need to use and develop our talents in doing so.

It would be a serious mistake for Canada to become complacent now that 10 years of trade negotiations, starting with the Canada-U.S. free trade agreement, have finally ended. The globalization of large corporations means there is a whole host of problems around which we have to get our minds.

International trade is no longer among nations but among highly organized transnational corporations which have operations around the world. That means there must be international rules on such things as government regulations, competition laws, industrial standards and even rules governing labour markets. The World Trade Organization represents just a beginning in this process.

For example, members of the House should know that only a handful of companies control the processing of Canada's agricultural products. If we do not address this reality, then I am truly afraid for the future of Canada's farmers. If there is no incentive to farming then our sons and daughters will choose not to carry on. If a country cannot feed itself then it becomes a beggar in the world economy.

There are things we do right in Canada, that are the envy of the world. Internationally Canada has a reputation as a reliable supplier of some of the safest and highest quality, most diversified and unique agri-food products of any country in the world. Canada's agri-food industry accounts for 8 per cent of the GDP, over $15 billion in annual export sales, 40 per cent of Canada's positive balance of trade, two million jobs or 15 per cent of all jobs and $70 billion worth of goods produced each year.

We are told that the World Trade Organization will remedy such things as export enhancement subsidies and unilateral trade sanctions, that it will command sufficient confidence in its impartiality and efficiency, that it will uphold multilateral rules in the face of powerful protectionist interest groups and national governments.

I am gratified that there is a growing consensus in Canada that we have to develop our own strategies in dealing with the new realities that confront us. For example, I am very impressed with the work being done over the last six months by the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food.

Since May the committee has embarked on an ambitious study on the future of agriculture in order to evaluate present agri-food objectives and modify them for the year 2000 and beyond. Using the criteria of fairness, sustainability and efficiency, the committee is examining the agri-food sector role in rural life and in the Canadian economy and is involving producers, processors, consumers and other interested parties in developing a long term national strategy for agriculture.

Taken together, these components will constitute an overall farm policy that will take the Canadian agri-food sector into the

next century. It is precisely grassroot efforts like these that will prepare Canadian agriculture for the challenges before us.

I would like to take this opportunity to salute the agriculture committee and its efforts and I have every confidence that it will be successful in its endeavours. Hopefully, the Uruguay round will be the last marathon bargaining session.

I believe there will be a preference instead for more limited and focused negotiations on a variety of sectors and that is as it should be. Canada has in the past invested significantly in agricultural research and has achieved one of the highest international annual growth rates of agricultural production over the past two decades.

Here is a case in point. Canola, developed in Canada by the federal government researchers, grew from a zero dollar per year industry in 1974 to an estimated $9.35 billion per year industry in 1994.

Tragically Canadian investment in growth enhancing measures such as research and market development in the agri-food sector has steadily declined in recent years. We must reverse this trend precisely because we will find ourselves in an even more competitive marketplace under the auspices of the WTO.

Let me say in conclusion that we must develop a strategy for agriculture between the various levels of government and the private sector, including the various farm organizations. This need is even more acute within the highly competitive global marketplace and it involves three inter-related components.

We must remain committed to agriculture and agri-food and other natural resource sectors which are the cornerstone of Canada's economy.

We must strengthen our investment in agri-food research. We must ensure that the farmers of this country who produce $70 billion worth of goods each year get a fair share of the agricultural dollar.

Using these criteria once we have recommitted ourselves to building a solid domestic foundation in Canada's agricultural sector, I truly believe that we will be able to compete with anyone in the world.

[Violence Against Women, November 22nd, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, November is Wife Assault Prevention Month in the province of Ontario.

Statistics Canada says that one out of every four rural Canadian women is beaten. My riding of Lambton-Middlesex is primarily rural in nature. The fear and sense of isolation that every abused woman feels is compounded for abused women living in Canada's rural areas simply because rural living is more secluded and women feel they cannot leave the farm and farm business in which they are partners.

There is help for abused women in Middlesex county. The Women's Rural Resource Centre of Strathroy & area, which has offered protection for 200 area women over the last year, is also

conducting a rural outreach program for farm wives who are the victims of domestic violence.

In addition, the centre in conjunction with the Middlesex Board of Education is offering the services of a violence prevention counsellor for the children attending Strathroy's elementary schools.

We have to hope that proactive efforts like these will one day break the cycle of unacceptable domestic violence in Canadian households, both rural and urban.

[Agriculture, November 14th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

Ontario pork producers recently stated they could support a freer trade policy provided that Washington's countervailing duty on live Canadian hogs is dropped and a tough and effective mechanism is put in place to halt incoming U.S. hogs possibly carrying the pseudorabies virus.

Will the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food inform the House what measures his department is taking to address the concerns of Ontario pork producers?

[Unemployment Insurance Act, November 2nd, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have this opportunity to address the concerns expressed in Bill C-218 by the hon. member for Saint-Hubert.

The hon. member's bill purports to correct an injustice she perceives in section 3(2)(c) of the Unemployment Insurance Act. I know the hon. member has brought this matter forward with the very best of intentions.

The government appreciates the hon. member's concern. After all, we are striving to make sure its rules and regulations are fair and equitable for everyone. It pleases me to say that this particular provision is an example of the equality we are trying to achieve.

The section of the act that the hon. member is concerned about addresses the situation whereby relatives work for one another. Some hon. members have argued that this section of the act discriminates against relatives of employers. This is simply not so. The provisions simply act to make sure that those individuals who work for a spouse or for a mom or dad have the same access to this important government program as any other worker. Perhaps I can alleviate the hon. member's concern by pointing out the intent of this arm's length employer-employee relationship.

The government recognizes that more so today than ever before individuals are starting their own businesses working out of their homes and providing services that may involve family members. What we can call non-standard employment is on the increase. Last year more than 60 per cent of all new jobs were part time. Therefore I think the hon. member will agree with the necessity of having UI regulations that allow a relative or common law spouse to be an employee.

This section of the act entitles these individuals to pay premiums and collect benefits if their contracts are similar to those of workers not related to their employer. As well the employee of a corporation in which he or she has shares may also be eligible to pay UI premiums and collect benefits.

All the unemployment insurance program is asking in this regard is that relatives employed by relatives ensure that this is a legitimate employer-employee relationship. This is not discriminatory because all employees related or not must also do the required paperwork to satisfy the commission that they are legitimate employees. I say to the hon. member for Saint-Hubert that the only real distinction is a few additional forms to fill out. This is but a minor inconvenience. It is a reasonable measure because it protects the integrity of the UI program for everyone.

The hon. member has quite rightly pointed out that the majority of individuals affected by this section of the act are women but that is why the section was amended in the first place. It used to be that spouses, the great majority of whom are women, were not eligible for UI benefits. This is no longer the case. Women are not discriminated against in this regard. They

are however required as any other employee to show there is a legal employer-employee relationship if they wish to pay UI premiums and to be eligible to collect benefits.

In a related matter this government recognized that many women are entering the workforce. We know that many women are the main providers for their families. To address this evolving situation, the government introduced the dependency benefit rate of 60 per cent. This rate is for claimants with low incomes supporting a dependant or who have a spouse supporting a dependant. Without this, people in this situation would receive a 55 per cent benefit rate.

I believe that if the hon. member for Saint-Hubert considers the matter, she will see that this government is totally committed to fairness and compassion in applying its programs.

The thinking behind any adjustment to unemployment insurance is to guarantee that all potential UI recipients are treated fairly. That is one of the reasons we are looking at UI as part of the social security reform. Our surveys have shown that the great majority of Canadians support the concept of unemployment insurance, but the key word is insurance.

Canadians want this program to be used for the purpose for which it was originally intended, the purpose being temporary financial support between jobs and not as a supplement to a regular income. People understand that UI is a major component of social security and they want to see that it works fairly and equitably.

During previous debate on this bill one hon. member referred to the government's initiative to use UI development funds for training and upgrading skills. He suggested that by supporting the hon. member's bill we will enable workers employed by relatives to take advantage of training programs.

Individuals who qualify under this section of the act are as eligible for training programs as any other recipient. They are not being denied training because they have to fulfil an obligation, an obligation that guarantees that the business arrangement with their spouse is a true employer-employee relationship.

I say to all hon. members that a review of our social security system will give them ample opportunity to present their ideas on reforming our unemployment insurance program. The government's proposals are detailed in the discussion paper and we more than welcome constructive input. Social security reform is a partnership. It is a partnership that needs helpful suggestions if we are to develop new social security programs that will be fair and beneficial to all Canadians.

In summing up I thank the hon. member for Saint-Hubert for raising concerns over what she perceives to be discrimination. The government appreciates her attention in this regard. However in studying the matter I see no grounds to assume there is discrimination under this section of the UI Act. Therefore, regretfully I cannot support the hon. member's bill.