Hélène Scherrer

[Mérite Stellaris, May 31st, 2002]

Madam Speaker, the Mérite Stellaris gala organized by the Charlesbourg—Chauveau chamber of commerce was held on April 26, at the Capitole, in Quebec City.

The Mérite Stellaris honours businesses and people who have excelled all year long, and it recognizes those who sometimes work behind the scenes to keep the business world thriving in the dynamic region of Charlesbourg—Chauveau.

The finalists and winners are small and medium size companies that do their utmost to be first, by offering innovative, creative and quality products and services to their clients. The Mérite Stellaris is the only event in the region that underlines the work done by businesses, thus giving them an opportunity to get to be known.

The Government of Canada gave the award in the Arts and Culture category. The eighth edition was held under the honourary presidency of the Hon. André Ouellet, the CEO of Canada Post. A special “Tribute to a builder” award was given to Jules Dallaire, from the Fonds de placement immobilier Cominar, which is a real estate investment trust.

I congratulate the organizers for making a success of this event and I say to them “See you next year”.

[Young People, May 29th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, today I had the pleasure of welcoming a group of young people from my riding, students from Rochebelle school in Sainte-Foy and from the Petit Séminaire de Québec, who have become involved in their community through Plan Nagua.

They are here today with a declaration signed by almost 4,000 young people. This declaration was drawn up by a committee of young participants and sets out the foundations of the society in which they would like to live. Since first being drawn up in April 2001, the document has been translated into eight languages and has been circulated in several countries.

The declaration was read out at the people's summit in Quebec City, as well as being used as a springboard for special activities in a number of schools in the Quebec City area.

Today, the declaration was presented to various ministers and secretaries of state, so that the young people could present publicly the values they feel are important and the means they intend to use to bring about this blueprint for society.

This declaration has been a unifying exercise which has given everyone a chance to reflect on the importance of social commitment now and in the future in a responsible civil society.

I encourage these young people to pursue this project and to inform those around them of these values, which all Canadians hold so dear.

[World Conference on Women and Sport, May 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I am extremely pleased to congratulate the Government of Canada, the Department of Canadian Heritage and the International Working Group on Women and Sport for the success of the third conference on women and sport.

More than 550 people from 97 different countries attended the third World Conference on Women and Sport, held from May 16 to 19, 2002 in Montreal.

The conference identified the obstacles women face, while celebrating the change for the better that has taken place for women in sport over the past four years.

Conference participants pooled their experience on the contribution sport makes to enriching individuals, communities and nations. They learned how to use sport to promote the advancement of women, co-operation, social animation, understanding and peace and to develop self-esteem and self-confidence. These represent the foundation of health and accomplishment for girls and women.

I wish to congratulate the organizers on this highly successful event.

[Children, May 10th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, during the United Nations Special Session on Children this week, progress made since the World Summit for Children in 1990 was examined. In this way, the governments are recommitting to ensuring a better future for all children, creating a world action plan and, in particular, setting the objectives for the next ten years.

Can the Secretary of State for Human Resources Canada again tell the House what the Government of Canada is doing to help children get the best possible start in life?

[Carol Anne Letheren Award, April 23rd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to congratulate Marion Lay of Vancouver as the first recipient of the Carol Anne Letheren International Sport Leadership Award. Established by the Canadian Olympic Association and the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity, this award honours a Canadian woman who has made an outstanding contribution in the area of international sport leadership and who has had a profound impact on sport and physical activity.

Ms. Lay is the President of the 2010 Legacies Now Society, whose objective is to ensure program legacies from the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. She is also a founding member and past chair of the board of the Canadian Association for the Advancement of Women and Sport and Physical Activity. Ms. Lay also won a medal in swimming at the 1968 Olympic Games and many honours and distinctions throughout her career for her outstanding contribution as a sport leader who exemplifies spirit of sport values.

Congratulations Marion.

[Infrastructure, April 16th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, on April 5, the Economic Development Agency of Canada announced 26 new projects for Quebec City under the Canada-Quebec Infrastructure Works Program.

For the riding of Charlesbourg, this will mean an investment of over $2 million under sub-component 1 of the program, the purpose of which is to promote projects to repair, replace, expand, restore or build water, sewage or water treatment infrastructures. Several other applications were submitted under transportation and culture and recreation infrastructures.

This kind of investment in municipalities allows us to improve infrastructures that have a high need, to pursue the Canadian government's environment and sustainable development objectives and, as a result, to improve the quality of life of the inhabitants of Charlesbourg.

[Exports, April 12th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday, April 3, the Secretary of State responsible for Canada Economic Development announced the renewal of a three year agreement designed to promote exports from businesses in the Abitibi—Témiscamingue.

This funding agreement, which is the result of a successful initial partnership, will allow 48th Nord International to carry on its support activities for small and medium size businesses from the Abitibi—Témiscamingue, in order to, among other initiatives, increase the number of small and medium size exporting businesses, while developing new markets and thereby promoting job creation.

As we know, our country's increased competitiveness impacts significantly on Canadians' quality of life. Canada's growth and prosperity depend directly on an increase in its exports and, in this sense, the Canadian government's efforts have produced impressive results. Indeed, over the past few years, our country has enjoyed a marked increase in its exports.

This is another actual example of our government's initiatives to ensure the economic development of the regions of Quebec.

[Canadian Sports Awards, April 9th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate all of the winners and those who were nominated for the Canadian Sports Awards, held in Toronto on March 26.

They include Mark Oldershaw for canoeing and Marie-Ève Drolet for speed skating, who were chosen as the best junior athletes. Ashley Cowan, who swam 20 kilometres across Lake Erie in 20 hours and 14 minutes, received the Spirit of Sport Story of the Year award. Roland Green, MTB World Cup champion in 2001, was named Male Athlete of the Year and Catriona LeMay Doan took home the title of Female Athlete of the Year.

I would also like to pay tribute to all the other athletes, coaches and volunteers who were recognized with nominations. To close, I would like to say that it was no surprise—but a true pleasure—to watch our ambassadors, David Pelletier and Jamie Salé receive the Pair of the Year award following their marvelous recent performance.

I ask you all to join me in congratulating our champions and volunteers for their commitment to sport and to thank them for making Canada so proud.

[Post-Secondary Education, March 19th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, this week, members of the Canadian Alliance of Students' Associations are on the Hill to bring to the attention of senators, MPs and ministers the difficulties being encountered by their 310,000 members enrolled in post-secondary programs.

With their theme “Education Builds a Nation”, these young students want to get across the message that they want the Government of Canada to realize that it has a role to play in encouraging higher education.

Their recommendations have mainly to do with accessibility for all Canadians to grant and scholarship programs. They are also reminding us that the significant increase in students' living expenses is not reflected in the size of scholarships. Finally, they are getting us to focus our attention on the need for greater flexibility in the repayment process criteria for the debt reduction program, which was introduced by the Canadian government in 1998.

I urge all my colleagues to open their offices and their minds and to be receptive to what these young people have to tell us as they take charge of their future.

[Fight Against Terrorism, March 18th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, on February 15, the Government of Canada ratified the UN international convention on the suppression of financing of terrorism.

The purpose of this convention is to deprive terrorists of their sources of financing. This will help prevent terrorist acts such as those that took place on September 11.

By ratifying the convention, Canada pledged to make it a crime to send or collect funds that could be used to commit terrorist acts. It also supports the guidelines of the convention on extradition or on the prosecution of those who take part in such financing.

Ratifying this convention is part of the Canadian government's efforts in the fight against terrorism. Canada has now ratified eleven of the twelve conventions against terrorism, and it has signed all twelve of them.

I urge our government to continue to take its responsibilities in the fight against terrorism.