Brenda Chamberlain

[Oath Of Allegiance To The Flag Of Canada Act, March 22nd, 2000]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-451, an act to establish an oath of allegiance to the flag of Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to table my private member's bill, an act to establish an oath of allegiance to the flag of Canada. Many of my hon. colleagues and constituents will remember that I originally introduced this bill a few years ago; however, it died on the order paper, so I am pleased to have the opportunity to reintroduce it today.

This bill calls on a parliamentary committee to work with Canadians to draft an oath of allegiance to our flag. The oath would not be mandatory, but would be a way for Canadians to express their love for our flag and all that it represents.

I look forward to working with my hon. colleagues on both sides of the House to help make this bill a reality.

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

[The Budget, March 1st, 2000]

Madam Speaker, I certainly accept the hon. member's apology. He also said that I was saying some nice things so that balances things out. I am okay with it. I want to address some of the points he talked about. He talked about the child tax benefit that we are giving. He talked about the environment. He talked about knowledge, innovation and families. For all of it he said “take it off, take it away”.

I am not surprised we hear that from the Reform Party. There has never been support for any of those things from the Reform Party. It has always believed that tax cuts, tax cuts and tax cuts are the only way of doing business, but we all know that many more things are important to Canadians. Their health care is important to them. It is important that they have their housing needs met. It is important that they have social programs to support them. It is important that we support the environment. If we do not, what will be left for our children?

The Liberal government will absolutely continue to fund such programs but also in a balanced fashion cut taxes, wipe out the deficit, and continue on a strong fiscal path while caring for every Canadian. That is what Canadians want. That is what we will deliver.

[The Budget, March 1st, 2000]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to take part in this very important budget debate.

This is a budget that all Canadians can and should be proud of. It is a balanced budget in two ways. Not only is this our third consecutive balanced budget, but the promises made in this budget are also balanced. We have balanced the need to deliver tax relief and to repay the debt with the need to maintain our valued social programs.

Once again the federal government has proven that its commitment to fiscal responsibility is unshakeable and that this commitment does not prevent us from helping Canadians in need. On the contrary, it is because of this sound financial management that we have continued to improve the quality of life for all Canadians. Like the budget says: better finances, better lives.

Last fall I conducted a prebudget survey in my riding of Guelph—Wellington. I asked my constituents to identify their priorities for the 2000 federal budget. Their concerns were health care, tax cuts, post-secondary education, the environment, infrastructure and children. The government listened to our concerns and acted on them. Every single one of the priorities identified by the constituents of Guelph—Wellington has been addressed in this very budget.

Our health care system has been a source of national pride for many years. Guelph—Wellington chose health care as one of its top priorities and so did the federal government.

The provinces will receive an additional $2.5 billion through the Canada health and social transfer. This is the fourth consecutive time that we have increased funding for the CHST. In the last two years alone we have increased the cash portion of the CHST by 25%.

Here is another important figure. This year funding for the CHST will reach an all time high of $31 billion. Obviously the federal government is committed to health care. This is the highest amount ever that has been transferred to the provinces.

It is very important to emphasize this point because of false accusations made by Ontario's provincial government that we are not doing enough to fund health care. It is true that the federal government had to make some difficult decisions to reduce the deficit, but it is also true that federal transfers to the provinces in both cash and tax points are higher today than when we took office.

We have pumped an additional $4.4 billion over five years into health care in Ontario since balancing the budget. The Ontario government promised that every single penny of this money would go directly to health care. I certainly hope that the Ontario government lives up to its promise, instead of doing like it has in the past, using federal funding to pay for its tax cuts.

The federal government is also committed to post-secondary education. In addition to the $2.5 billion increase in the CHST funding, the federal government will increase the tax exemption for income, for scholarships, fellowships and bursaries from $500 to $3,000, meaning that there will be no federal tax on the average $3,000 millennium scholarship.

The federal government will also provide $900 million over five years to fund and sustain 2,000 21st century chairs for research excellence at Canadian universities. Funding for the Canada Foundation for Innovation will increase by $900 million as well. Research will also be supported through $160 million for Genome Canada and $90 million to improve Canada's ability to regulate biotechnology.

All of this is great news for the University of Guelph, its students and its faculty. The money is intended to help, and I sincerely hope that the Ontario government will use all of it for this purpose. Ontario tuition rates are the highest in the country and Ontario also spends the least per capita on post-secondary education because of the provincial government. Ontario has also chosen to claw back the Canada millennium scholarships, money intended to make post-secondary education more accessible. Instead of giving the money to the students in Ontario, it is using the money to fund its Ontario student opportunity grant.

It is important to point out all of this so that we can set the record straight about what five years of Premier Harris' style of governing has done to Ontario and to his residents.

On the other hand, the last seven years under this federal Liberal government have been very good for Ontario and for Canada. We have eliminated the deficit, balanced the budget and have started to pay down the debt. In short, we have turned the economy around. Thanks to the hard work of Canadians and sound fiscal management, we have been able to maintain our valued social programs and deliver tax cuts without borrowing a single penny, unlike the province of Ontario which chose to cut taxes before balancing the budget and as a result has increased its deficit by $14 billion. Ontario gave a tax cut and borrowed money.

Budget 2000 introduces the most important structural changes to the federal tax system in more than a decade. These changes will deliver at least $54 billion in tax relief by 2004 and will benefit all Canadians. Bracket creep will be eliminated by fully indexing the personal income tax system. On average, Canadians will see their personal income taxes reduced by 15% annually. Low and middle income Canadians will see an annual decrease of 18% and families with children will see a 21% drop.

Tax brackets have also been adjusted. The middle tax rate now begins at $35,000 as opposed to $30,000, and the top rate at $70,000 as opposed to $65,000, and the middle income tax rate will be cut from 26% to 23%.

Investment and entrepreneurship will be further encouraged by lowering the capital gains tax and decreasing corporate taxes. The foreign content limit for RRSPs will also be increased from 20% to 25% and then to 30%.

These tax cuts will benefit all Canadians but especially families with children. These changes will affect things like GST credits and the Canada child tax benefit. We are also helping children by allocating another $2.5 billion to the child tax benefit increasing it to more than $9 billion annually.

Maximum benefits will reach $2,400 for a family's first child and $2,200 for each additional child. Parents of children with disabilities will also receive additional assistance through an increase in the disability tax credit. We are concerned about our children's future and are making concrete investments to ensure that every child has the best possible start in life.

One way we can do this is by protecting the environment. To this end, the federal government will integrate environmental and economic policies through the development of new technologies and sustainable practices. Budget 2000 will invest $700 million in such initiatives as climate change action funds, a sustainable development technology fund, a green municipal investment fund and the national strategy on species at risk. Guelph—Wellington has always been a leader in environmental technology, and we will definitely benefit from these initiatives.

The federal government is also making a significant investment in new physical infrastructure. Most of this funding will be directed to municipal infrastructure and highways, both issues of interest to Guelph—Wellington. The Guelph council and mayor want this infrastructure program. They feel they have benefited in the past from it, and they will benefit in the future again.

We have listened to Canadians and balanced the budget first before cutting taxes. The first tax cuts went to those who needed our help the most. In last year's budget and in this budget we extended those benefits to all Canadians. This is responsible, fair and permanent tax relief.

To the critics who say that we did not fund social programs enough, I remind them that health care and education are shared jurisdictions. We give money to the provinces and they deliver the services. In Ontario, the Harris government chooses to claw back this money rather than use it to help people.

The hon. Minister of Finance has said that there will be more money for health care if the provinces are willing to come to the table. We also need assurances from Premier Harris that this money will not be used to fund his tax cuts as it has been in the past.

I am proud of the budget. It is good news for Guelph—Wellington and for all of Canada. We have done what we said we would do and we have done it well. Together we will continue to improve the quality of life of each and every Canadian.

[National Unity, February 16th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to be Canadian. I believe that Canada is the best country in the world in which to live and I am determined to see it remain united.

My love for my country is why I am also very proud to support Bill C-20, the clarity act. On an issue as important as national unity we cannot let our judgment be clouded. The question must be clear and the majority must also be clear. Anything less would be unfair to all Canadians, past, present and future.

Yesterday was flag day. I was proud to see people in Guelph—Wellington and across Canada show their patriotism and commitment to making this country work. As the saying goes, something worth having is worth fighting for, and our country is definitely worth fighting for.

[Robert Munsch, February 8th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, we have always known that Guelph—Wellington is full of wonderful and talented people. Later this week one of those people, author Robert Munsch, will be inducted into the Order of Canada. Robert Munsch has written 35 children's books, including the classics Mortimer , The Paper Bag Princess and Love You Forever .

Children across Canada and around the world have grown up with these great stories which not only entertain but also teach important lessons about the importance of family and of accepting people for who they are.

All of Guelph—Wellington will watch proudly when Robert Munsch is honoured by Governor General Adrienne Clarkson for his impressive contribution to children's literature. We hope that Mr. Munsch will keep writing for many, many years to come.

[Guelph—Wellington, December 14th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, as always great things are happening in Guelph—Wellington. The Guelph Spring Festival, the Guelph Jazz Festival and the MacDonald-Stewart Art Centre all recently received funding from Heritage Canada to help ensure that world class performers and artists continue to visit Guelph—Wellington. I would like to take this opportunity to thank these three local organizations and others like them that contribute so much to the cultural fabric of our community.

I would like to congratulate the 11th Field Regiment on receiving $75,000 worth of funding from the Department of National Defence Canadian forces millennium fund. This money will be used for a special project entitled “Serving With Honour: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae and Other Citizen Soldiers”. I am very pleased to see that Guelph—Wellington's proud military heritage is being commemorated in this way.

With all of these exciting events under way, it is no wonder that Guelph—Wellington is such a wonderful place to live.

[Division No. 54, November 18th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to take part today in what I believe is a very important debate on a piece of legislation that will affect our society as a whole. I know that my constituents have been asking for this legislation.

The youth criminal justice act recognizes that the protection of the public, people like you and I, Mr. Speaker, and our families and loved ones, must be the main objective of any effort to renew the youth justice system.

This new act is a balanced approach to replacing the Young Offenders Act. It takes steps to address society's concern about violent and repeat youth crimes, as well as the need for a system that promotes accountability, respect, responsibility and fairness.

However, it goes beyond punishing offenders as the Reform Party would have us do. It promotes crime prevention. It offers alternative sentencing methods. It provides for rehabilitation in order to prevent repeat offences. Quite simply, just a punishing will not fulfil these needs.

This legislation is part of the youth criminal justice strategy which focuses on three key areas. The first is prevention, to address the root causes of crime and to encourage community crime prevention efforts. The second is meaningful consequences that hold young offenders accountable, help them to understand the impact of their actions and allow them to make good on the harms they have done to both their victims and the community. The third and very important component is rehabilitation and reintegration to ensure that youth who have committed an offence receive the treatment and have access to the programs they need to prevent them from reoffending.

I believe that this focuses not only on punishment but also on prevention. Rehabilitation is extremely important. I agree with many of my colleagues in the House of Commons, and many of my constituents in Guelph—Wellington, that breaking the law must have serious consequences. However, it is my hope that the prevention measures contained in the youth criminal justice act will help to lower the youth crime rate and therefore prevent years of grief for the offender, the victim and the community.

I feel that rehabilitation is extremely important. All too often we see a pattern by young offenders. This act will help to break that cycle of jail and crime and jail and crime and jail, by giving young offenders access to counselling and other programs that will help them to understand that the law must be upheld, not broken, and that they can and will be valued members of society if they are willing to contribute to society in a constructive manner.

Programs that help to rehabilitate, supervise and control youth as they return to their communities help to protect the public because these programs help to prevent further crimes. This is something we can all be happy about. This component in Quebec has been extremely positive. We in all parts of Canada want to work on those successes.

As mentioned previously, where crimes do occur I believe that there must be meaningful consequences. I applaud my colleague, the Minister of Justice, on her move to ensure that these consequences are proportionate to the seriousness of the offence. It is very frustrating for a society to see any offender receive a sentence that does not equate with the crime committed.

The changes proposed in the youth criminal justice act will help to ensure that justice is done. For example, the age at which a youth can be tried in adult court will be lowered from 16 to 14 years of age. Those who are convicted and receive an adult sentence will have their names published. Their records will be treated as the records of adult offenders.

These measures are not aimed at putting children in jail or at ruining their lives but rather at ensuring that serious crimes have serious consequences. Less serious offences could receive community based sentences that will help both the offender and the community to recover and move on.

In all cases youth will face consequences that promote responsibility and accountability to the victim and to the community, as well as to reinforce the values of society by helping the offender to understand the impact of his or her actions.

I will take a few moments to highlight some of the changes proposed in the youth criminal justice act because I feel they are important changes which are worth noting. The youth criminal justice act will establish a more efficient process. It gives the courts the power to impose adult sentences where serious crimes have been committed. This change, while respecting the due process of rights of the accused, also relieves the burden facing victims and their families.

The offences for which a young offender could be raised to adult court have been expanded to include a pattern of convictions for serious and violent offences. As a parent and a member of the Guelph—Wellington community this change gives me great peace of mind. I feel it goes a very long way toward ensuring that our streets remain safe. Victim impact statements will also be introduced.

Another important change that I would like to highlight is the provision for harsher penalties for adults who willfully fail to comply with an undertaking made to the court to supervise youth who have been denied bail and placed in their care. When the court places a young offender in an adult's care that adult is accepting the very serious responsibility of ensuring that youth in his or her care complies with the court's orders. This is not a responsibility to be taken lightly.

This measure responds to a proposal made by my colleague, the hon. member for Surrey North, and I would like to commend him for his efforts on this issue. I personally feel that this is a very important measure that sends a very strong message to parents. The role that they play in bringing a young offender to justice is an important one and parents must continue to play an active role in helping their children to become productive members of society.

I would also like to point out that the youth criminal justice act provides for new ways to deal with minor offences. Some young people are brought into the formal justice system for minor offences that are not always best dealt with in a traditional manner. The changes proposed in the bill establish a range of informal programs and alternatives for less serious offences. These new consequences will still be meaningful, but may not necessarily involve jail time. Instead, they focus on ways to repair the harm done to the community and to the victim.

Serious offences will still be dealt with through the formal court process. The youth criminal justice act is a key component of the federal government's youth strategy. I believe this strategy will be a success because it involves partners at every level of government as well as in the community: provincial and municipal governments, law enforcement officials, members of the legal profession, social service and child welfare agencies.

Over the last few years the Guelph police service has moved to a more community based, inclusive approach to law enforcement. It has been extremely successful. It has been so successful because the community as a whole now feels that it has a greater role to play in protecting our society. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Guelph police service for all of its wonderful work. Guelph—Wellington is lucky to have such a talented and dedicated police force.

I believe that the youth criminal justice act helps to ensure all of these things: a justice system that promotes accountability, fairness, respect, new measures aimed at crime prevention which include the community as a whole, meaningful consequences when crimes are committed, and programs that help to rehabilitate the offender while easing the pain of the victim and society. I am very pleased to see that these changes are talking place.

The public, the victims and I want the bill. To do anything less would be wrong.

[University Of Guelph, November 16th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the University of Guelph on being ranked as Canada's best comprehensive university by Maclean's magazine.

The U of G definitely deserves top honours. Its faculty and staff are very dedicated and extremely talented. Its students are among the best and the brightest.

The impact of research conducted at the U of G in the fields of agricultural science, veterinary science, minerals, biotechnology and others stretches across Canada and all around the world.

I say to everyone at the University of Guelph that once again they have made all of Guelph—Wellington very proud. We are lucky to have such a world class institution in our community.

[Petitions, October 20th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to table a petition on behalf of my constituents.

The petition contains over 1,500 signatures from the residents of Guelph—Wellington and the surrounding area.

The petition calls upon the House of Commons to affirm the current wording of the charter of rights and freedoms, recognizing that Canada was founded on the supremacy of God. I support this petition.

[Speech From The Throne, October 14th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I will invite my colleagues to go to my hon. colleague's riding.

I know there are serious problems in Canada, but there is no question that we live in the greatest country in the world, bar none. The reality is that the Liberal government will continue on a path of trying very hard to make sure social problems are addressed and that we are financially and fiscally responsible. We pledge to that.