Derrek Konrad

[Radio Station Cjvr, November 4th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, there is an old joke that asks “What do you get when you play country and western music backward?” The answer is that you get your girl back, you get your dog back, you get your truck back, and, if it were not for this Liberal government, you would even get your guns back.

Mr. Speaker, do you know what you get if you play it forward, if you add interesting and insightful commentary, timely and informative news programs and combine it all with community service? The answer to that question is that you get radio station CJVR in Melfort, Saskatchewan which was just named country music station of the year.

Mr. Speaker, when you are in my riding of Prince Albert you will be royally entertained, amused and informed by tuning into 750 CJVR.

I know that members of this House will want to join me in extending personal congratulations to manager Gary Fitz and staff on winning this award not just once, not just twice, but for an unprecedented third time in a row.

[Aboriginal Affairs, October 28th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, we have seen nothing but problems on this minister's watch. We are calling for a forensic audit of all of this. On the Waterhen reserve in Saskatchewan they have uncovered accounting irregularities that date over a year and there has not even been a response.

When will the minister look at her partnership with the leadership and develop a partnership with the people, the rank and file natives who are asking for a forensic audit?

[Aboriginal Affairs, October 28th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, we have had reports of children living in poverty, reports of band accounting irregularities and reports of band leaders living jet-set lifestyles. We have been calling for forensic audits on reserves from the start.

I want to quote what one person from the Waterhen reserve in Saskatchewan said: “We will not ignore this continued problem in mismanagement at the expense of our children and for our future generations”. It is over a year since those words were said.

When will the minister quit ignoring the problem, take the matter seriously and announce a forensic audit?

[Aboriginal Affairs, October 26th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, even while we speak some children on the Hobbema reserve in Alberta are living in conditions that would appall an experienced foreign aid worker. Their parents are among the 80% of residents living on welfare on what should be one of the wealthiest reserves in this country.

I again ask the minister why is the money not getting to those who really need it. Where is the forensic audit that we and grassroots natives have been calling for?

[Aboriginal Affairs, October 26th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, on Saturday morning Canadians were appalled to read in the Globe and Mail about conditions on the Hobbema reserve. While some children on the reserve sleep on filthy mattresses in the basements of burned out houses, their jet set leaders are living in luxury both at home and abroad.

The official opposition together with band members has been calling for a forensic audit into the band's finances for the last year but the minister has refused.

Why is the money not getting to those who really need it?

[Apec Inquiry, October 23rd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, we just heard a few moments ago that the chair of the public complaints commission denied the allegation against him and he is staying on as chair. We also heard that they are adjourning the commission meetings until November 16.

Justice delayed is justice denied. When will the government bring forth justice for these people and establish an independent judicial inquiry? Will the government do it right away, now?

[Equality, October 2nd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, last week in a joint session of the Houses of Parliament the Prime Minister honoured Nelson Mandela for having fought for the creation of a non-race based constitution and a democratic society.

What makes that a big, square pill for the rest of Canadians to swallow is that the Prime Minister was part of creating Canada's race based constitution and is creating government across this country based on race.

When will the Prime Minister admit to the hypocrisy and start to build a legacy for himself and all Canadians of racial equality?

[Charitable Contributions, October 1st, 1998]

Madam Speaker, I would like to make a couple of remarks that will be appropriate for the previous speaker, the member for Hamilton West. He said we will help them. Yet I read in the Globe and Mail of February 6, 1996 that grants and other support from governments have been sharply reduced and sometimes eliminated entirely. We will help them all right. That is some help. That was the Liberal government.

The House of Commons finance committee which tabled its prebudget report last month endorsed the viewpoint that growth in charitable donations is at a virtual standstill and new incentives are needed. The finance committee which is chaired by a Liberal asked that the government consider enhancing the charitable tax credit for donations to charities currently funded by governments to make them as generous as the current political tax credit for small donations to political parties. We see that the Liberals' own committees are against what the previous speaker had to say.

The Liberals are the biggest beneficiaries of the current system, but I can assure members of one thing. In my riding the Liberals will be the big losers under any system as they supported Bill C-68 in the last election.

The question now is who do we want to help in this country, the political system or the charitable system? I have worked with charities. I have worked in government, as now, and I am not entirely convinced that we are doing the good that many of the charities do. One thing is for certain. I hear a lot of complaints about MP paycheques and other perks available to them but I do not hear anyone complaining about what charities get and do. That says a lot to me.

Canadians are voting with their pocketbooks. They are voting to support charities at an extremely high level. Why should charities be subject to discriminatory tax treatment? Should this country not have one law for those who support volunteers?

Three out of fifty-two awards for caring Canadians were made to people from the riding of Prince Albert. That left only 49 for the entire rest of Canada.

The changes requested in the motion would do a lot of good in a constituency like mine which is a rather low income constituency but very generous in giving to support fellow Canadians.

Caring costs money. The government should not be hindering. It should be helping charities to get ahead. I am sure those who make the large donations appreciate the large tax credits on donations. But many Canadians give smaller donations because it is all they have left after the government has finished taxing them out of existence. Many charities, in particular pro-family charities, need help and they are key to Canada's way of life in the 20th century. As we go through redefinitions of family and the family is under attack, those pro-family groups need to have their charitable status.

[Canada Customs And Revenue Agency Act, October 1st, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the question about democratic control.

Again, this is why we are suggesting that these amendments be made to the bill calling for a taxpayer protection agency, something we can work with that will ensure government has some control even in setting the terms of reference for how that person will work.

As to political friends, we all know the record of this government. One would not be surprised to see that most members of any boards or commissions would probably have Liberal connections.

[Canada Customs And Revenue Agency Act, October 1st, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague. I do not think it is up to the government to be delivering lectures to its people on arrogance when we see the arrogance of the Liberal government at the top. It flows down. It does not come up. It comes down. Leadership starts at the top in that chair over there. We can see it in what I said earlier about the appointment of a Progressive Conservative from a province that does not know what a federal Progressive Conservative looks like. They have forgotten their faces and names.

We see a member in the other house who had nothing to do with the people of Alberta's selection. Talk about arrogance of servanthood. Servanthood is something that is demonstrated at the top. As it is practised by the leadership, it will be practised by those who see it practised.