Dennis Mills

[Supply, October 29th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the motion de Bloc Quebecois has presented today. During this last month, we have had numerous debates on security, the economy and immigration.

However, we did not discuss international aid much. So, it is very important that we have this debate today.

I have always believed we must be a nation that measures our strength by the mouths we feed and the environment we protect. I have always believed that has been the value system of our country. It has been the value system of Prime Minister Pearson, Prime Minister Trudeau, Prime Minister Turner, the right hon. member for Calgary Centre and the present Prime Minister.

I am also excited today because the Parliamentary Secretary for the Minister for International Cooperation, who is here in the House, has stated that the government will be supporting the motion. This is more than a signal. It is a commitment to act immediately and deal not only with reviewing our international aid policy programs but to immediately inject some serious resources into the department if we are going to continue being a nation that measures our strength by the mouths we feed and the environment we protect.

On September 18, I believe it was, at the Canadian Club in Toronto, the United States ambassador to Canada gave his first public address after September 11. He opened his remarks by saying that on September 11 and 12 the United States had to reach out to leaders of many countries around the world in order to put together a coalition to deal with the terrorist actions that took place in the United States. He said that the United States did not have to reach out to Canada because the Prime Minister called him directly within minutes of the planes crashing into the World Trade Center. He said that the Prime Minister told him “We will be with you. Whatever you need we're there”.

I was sort of amazed because I never saw that statement of the ambassador of the United States reported in any of the print media. Obviously I saw that speech on television. I was amazed because I had seen so much media coverage saying that the government did not really get into the play right away, that it really did not step up to the plate and support our neighbours to the south yet here was the United States ambassador saying that the U.S. did not call Canada, that the Prime Minister called him within minutes.

From there the government went on to deal with many different issues, such as national defence, immigration, RCMP, CSIS, et cetera. While that was going on, an article appeared in the Globe and Mail about three weeks ago by Margaret Wente. She said that the security files, the border issues and the immigration problems were being dealt with but that we had better start dealing with the human deficit. She said that we had better start dealing in parallel with what must be done to deal with the human suffering going on in Afghanistan.

Today we have a motion from the Bloc that deals specifically with that and I celebrate it.

It is difficult for us who live with a very special standard of living in Canada and an almost cocoon-like existence in Ottawa to feel or imagine the pain of what is going on right now in Pakistan and Afghanistan. I have to believe that anyone who watched television last night and saw the children who were bombed inadvertently and the children out in the Afghanistan desert waiting for yellow bags to drop out of the clouds so they would have something to eat, would have to ask what we are doing as a nation.

I realize that within hours $500 million, which was development money to Pakistan, was forgiven. I realize that we have given approximately $160 million additional dollars to Afghanistan through various agencies, such as the United Nations, the Red Cross and other agencies working there, but I know every member in the House believes we must do more and we must do it immediately.

We are a nation that has been blessed with incredible amounts of resources in terms of food supplies. If there were ever a time for the great asset of agriculture and the food supply we have in Canada to be put into action and provide international aid, it was at this moment.

I appeal to my colleagues and officials that in the next few days we think outside the box. Let us figure out a way to take advantage of that strength. Let us work on making sure that Canada's history of being there and of reaching out to people in need continues. Let us use food and water as our instruments of peace, especially for the young people.

There is something else we can do. Last week a number of us had an opportunity to be present at a meeting that took place on the Senate side of this parliament. It was a meeting hosted by one of our senators for an organization called Olympic Aid. This organization was set up back in 1994 when Olympic Aid lent support to the war victims in the former olympic city of Sarajevo. Olympic Aid has gone on subsequently and worked in many different wartorn countries.

The guest speaker was the chairman of Olympic Aid, Johann Koss, a former gold medal olympic athlete himself, who donated his prize money from his olympic experience and challenged Norway and other countries. They have raised millions of dollars. For those who were not present at the meeting, coaches from all over the world go into wartorn countries, work with young kids and teach them how to play because they believe that every child has the right to play. While these young children are being distracted by war and every other difficulty, Olympic Aid coaches take a holistic approach through sport.

The coaches teach them lifestyle. They talk to the children about peace and working with each other. I would ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Cooperation to please appeal to the minister that we as a nation get behind Olympic Aid. There is no one in the House who would not support a child's right to play.

Where better to have Canada's presence, through sport and through coaches teaching and bringing hope to young people, than in a wartorn country like Afghanistan? So often we do not think of that type of action being really important but the record will show that from Sarajevo on, wherever Olympic Aid went and worked with young children in wartorn zones the reactions and the hopes of those young people has created a lasting impact.

I believe that as a country we can make a very special contribution in that area, on top of our food and water and on top of all the other infrastructure and support systems that CIDA brings to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

As we support the Bloc Quebecois motion today, I appeal to my colleagues in the executive of the government to ensure we have a very special presence in the lives of those young people who have a right to play and a right to a holistic development of their own beings. Let us make sure we support Olympic Aid.

[Supply, October 15th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, my question for the right hon. member deals with the second part of his speech. He was very clear on the fact that we must continue to act. The first statement made was that we would be there with military support, with our national armed forces, et cetera. My question is on the last point that the member was dwelling on: the human intelligence that we must develop in order to participate and have the knowledge that Canadians want in a more effective way.

What specific recommendations does he have for the House on how the human intelligence can be improved through our spy systems, et cetera?

[Canadian Airline Industry, October 1st, 2001]

Mr. Chairman, since September 11 the Minister of Transport has been on the job from the first hour. Canadians and members of the House forget that within three hours nearly 300 planes that were not allowed in U.S. airspace landed at every airport across Canada.

Within days other security measures were taken, measures which have not been mentioned tonight by some members of the opposition. These included drug sniffer dogs at airports across Canada. We are not saying tonight that it was enough. Nor is the minister. He announced a number of other security measures that would be taken.

Most important, it is tremendous that we as members of parliament have an opportunity tonight to put forward our ideas and thoughts and the views of our constituents on the floor of the House of Commons. The minister is here and I know the Prime Minister is listening to the debate. I hope he moves quickly on some of the constructive and doable ideas tomorrow in cabinet or before the end of the week.

I will begin with an experience I had Friday night. I landed in Toronto and got into a taxicab. Coincidentally the driver was Nick, a man who has been in the cab business for years and who happens to be, of all things, from my riding. I asked him how business was. He said that since September 11 his business was down by 50%. When someone makes a wage of $500 to $700 a week and it is all of a sudden cut in half, members must know what a shock it is to one's system, one's family, one's grocery bill and one's rent payments.

I appeal to the Minister of Transport that the debate tonight is not about Air Canada and the airline industry alone. It is about the thousands, not hundreds but thousands, of small and medium size business men and women from across the country who are affected by the operation of the airline system.

When twenty daily flights from New York City to Toronto are all of a sudden reduced to three there is a ripple effect on the person who does not have the leverage to go to a bank manager for more money. Most people cannot go to a bank manager and ask for the difference until cabinet and the House of Commons decide what will happen with the airline industry of Canada. It does not work that way. Banks do not operate that way. They will give time to the airline industries and the lead corporations but not to the thousands of small business men and women.

I appeal to the Minister of Transport, the Prime Minister and our cabinet colleagues to move quickly on this file. I will be specific in my recommendations tonight because it is a night of thinking outside the box. It is a night of trying to propose creative, constructive and doable ideas.

I do not share all the ideas of the previous speaker, my colleague from the riding of South Surrey--White Rock--Langley. It is no secret that I have always been a person who believes in government intervention.

We are facing a national challenge in terms of consumer confidence. Anyone who would challenge consumer confidence in airlines right now has not been walking through airports or flying on airplanes. We have a crisis in consumer confidence in our airline industry and we need to do something to deal it. I propose the following ideas for restoring consumer confidence.

First, we should figure out a way to creatively apply a 50% reduction to all airline fares for youth under 25 and people over 60. This would encourage and stimulate people to fly again, not just with Air Canada but with all airlines in the country. It would have a tremendous ripple effect on our tourism industry and national unity. It could be achieved through the transport committee but it should be done quickly. The reduction would apply only to flights within Canada, only outside the busy periods of Christmas and Easter and only for eight months.

We need to stimulate people to get them back on airlines. I have a lot of respect for President Bush. He gives great pep talks and tells everyone to fly to Disneyland next weekend, but it will not happen that way. In this country we must give it a stimulus. This is where I disagree with my friend from South Surrey--White Rock--Langley because her party says we should have no government stimulus.

Second, I have stood behind Air Canada from the first day I was elected to the House and will continue to stand by it. Two years ago it was voted one of the best airlines in the world. It has been going though a super bad patch since September 11, but I believe any taxpayer money that goes into stabilizing Air Canada should be exchanged for equity.

The Ministry of Industry would be responsible for that. I hope the Minister of Industry, who is sometimes referred to as Captain Canada, would agree to stabilize Air Canada even if that means it becomes a crown corporation again. That is my view. I know some people will not like it but it is my view. That is the beautiful opportunity of having a debate tonight.

Third, the member for South Surrey--White Rock--Langley said something tonight that I totally agree with. She said we cannot deal with only one airline. We must do something in the next couple of weeks that will stimulate all industries and every sector of the economy. Even before September 11 we knew we had a bit of a fragile economy.

I think my friends in the Canadian Alliance will love this idea, and I call on the Minister of Finance and every member of the House to consider it. As a bold, broad step to stimulate the whole economy we should spend the GST for one year.

This would cause a blast of confidence to go through the entire economy. It would touch every sector. It would stabilize the temptation of many industries that are thinking of laying off Canadians. As taxpayers and as a government we would ultimately pay for this through various government programs.

The beautiful thing about the GST is that we do not need to consult the provinces. We do not need to consult the municipalities. We can come in here and put it to the House. What member of parliament would not support it as a means of re-igniting the economy and touching every sector?

Yes, it would cause the Minister of Finance a bit of a jar because the standard line around here is to ask where we would get the money. However if we do nothing we may have to come back here eight months from now to find more money. Let us bite the bullet and do it now.

[International Boundary Waters Treaty Act, September 27th, 2001]

I might give him a good answer.

The Government of Canada has constitutional responsibility for water quality on all reserves across Canada. I recognize and respect that off reserve water quality is under the jurisdiction of the provinces. However international waters like the Great Lakes are ultimately the responsibility of the Government of Canada.

[International Boundary Waters Treaty Act, September 27th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member raises a good point—

[International Boundary Waters Treaty Act, September 27th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, my House leader is responsible for designing and organizing committees. As the hon. member knows, the government cannot strike committees without the co-operation of all opposition parties. That is where the committee system sits right now. The discussion is ongoing.

With regard to the hon. member's second question, I stood in the House as a government member and supported Nelson Riis, the NDP environment critic, who had a private member's bill on banning bulk water exports.

I have sent flyers in my riding regarding bulk water exports and the Grand Canal. I have had townhall meetings. I have found that one of the most difficult challenges of being a member of the House of Commons is trying to get not only my own government but all MPs to grab the issue and deal with it in a comprehensive way.

That is why the issue should not be looked at by a subcommittee. That is why I have appealed to my House leader and other leaders that it be a special committee of the House, the same status as the committee that looked into the Meech Lake accord.

It is that serious. Anything less would not give the issue its proper due. I would apply the same pressure here. I am saying in the House what I have said privately and publicly, that we as a government must deal with the issue.

I am constantly hopeful that we will and I am seeing signs that we are. My government House leader is trying hard to get the committee going but we need the support of opposition parties.

[International Boundary Waters Treaty Act, September 27th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to have the opportunity to follow my colleague from Davenport. He has been a constant source of inspiration and guidance for all of us who have been working on the issue for the last number of years.

The bill is a good first step. It is not complete but it is a start. The challenge we will have in dealing with the whole issue of water security over the next 10 to 15 years is inextricably intertwined with the same challenges our neighbours to the south will face.

As the member for Davenport said near the end of his speech, if Bill C-6 is to be effective there must be a mirror of the bill in Washington. As legislators that is where our biggest challenge will be.

My riding is on Lake Ontario. I have a Great Lakes riding. It is no secret to everyone in the House that the Great Lakes governors of the United States signed a deal this summer with the Great Lakes premiers. If 10 years from now the midwest governors or legislators found themselves in desperate shape in terms of water, the geopolitical reality is that those legislators would outnumber our Great Lakes legislators and we would have a challenge. The leaders to the south would not sit there unable to function in terms of water requirements while we sat here pretending we were an independent operation. It would not work.

The words of my colleague from Davenport, who has been my environmental mentor for the 14 years I have been here, are important. He said we must have a mirror of the legislation in Washington.

There is another problem. At the foreign affairs committee in May we heard from witnesses who talked about the Great Lakes. Some of them said we must preserve the ecological integrity of the Great Lakes.

Who would argue with that? We all know that levels are down and that with climate change the ecological integrity of the Great Lakes is at risk. We share them with the United States, so what will we do? Will we look the other way? In my humble opinion we must examine every option within our water inventory to preserve the ecological integrity of the Great Lakes.

As much as I respect the bill and say it is a good first step, it is only the tip of the iceberg. It is for this reason that I have been trying for a long time to interest leaders of all parties in a committee that would look into the comprehensive nature of dealing with water security.

My first speech to the House of Commons in 1988 was about water and the free trade agreement. I gave the speech because I went to school in Houston, Texas, at the University of St. Thomas. Houston is the home of Clayton Yeutter, chief negotiator for the United States during the free trade agreement talks.

Clayton Yeutter did a doctoral thesis on North American water management at the University of Nebraska. His entire life has been devoted to water. He worked for Congressman Jim Wright as a young assistant. Congressman Wright, as we all know, wrote the book The Coming Water Famine . When a man who has spent his entire life dealing with water becomes the chief free trade negotiator I cannot believe his interest in water and the free trade agreement are separate. I have always held that view.

I appealed to then Prime Minister Brian Mulroney to attach a one page protocol letter to the free trade agreement saying that water would be excluded. I never got the letter but Hansard will show that I asked for it.

I think most people would agree that I am not a person who scares easily. However I am deeply concerned because the issue of water security is complex and involves economic realities with our neighbours. The U.S. has incredible leverage over us in terms of our economy.

The bill before the House today should be used as a first step to lever our complex discussions, hearings, investigations and relationships with legislators in the United States in such a way that North American water policy will ensure sound water management and the ecological integrity of the Great Lakes. These issues will affect not only our citizens but ultimately all citizens of the United States.

[Allotted Day--Anti-Terrorism Legislation, September 18th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The member made a statement earlier today that cabinet had its first meeting on this issue today. That is not factually correct.

[Allotted Day--Anti-Terrorism Legislation, September 18th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I am disappointed with the remarks made by the hon. member because many of the things that he said about the actions that were taken or were not taken immediately after the tragedy in the United States were not factually correct.

The Prime Minister was in fact on the phones with his ministers, wherever they were, not unlike President Bush whose cabinet was in many different places. Our Minister of Transport acted immediately. I will not go through the long litany and the long list of things that the people of Canada, the Government of Canada and members of parliament did this week. That is not the point.

The point is that yesterday, immediately on the first day back, we had an emergency debate. Today we respect, honour and celebrate the opposition day motion on dealing with this problem in a very precise and active way.

I said this morning that I supported the idea of the right hon. leader of the progressive conservative-democratic representative coalition that all parliamentarians should get involved in the debate. However, taking cheap shots at our side of the House is not the way that we will resolve and come together on the issue.

The hon. member can disagree with me but this is a period of time where we could emulate the example of our neighbours to the south and work together. That is what Canadians want.

[Allotted Day--Anti-Terrorism Legislation, September 18th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I return to my earlier question to the leader of Her Majesty's loyal opposition. With respect, I did not feel the answer was clear.

I support the review of the RCMP and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. They obviously will need more resources, more staff and more agents. Does the Canadian Alliance support the notion that the agencies should reflect the multicultural reality of the country as they rebuild themselves?

To be honest, we have been out of touch with the terrorist activities which have been happening in many countries around the world for many years. Those countries, our elected counterparts, could be a tremendous source of information that would allow us to craft good legislation here.

Would the Leader of the Opposition and his party support the notion that elected members of parliament should visit our counterparts in those countries to make sure that whatever legislation we craft here has the benefit of their years of experience of seeing terrorism on a firsthand basis?