Stéphane Dion

[Canada Grain Act, May 28th, 1998]

moved that Bill C-26, an act to amend the Canada Grain Act and the Agriculture and Agri-Food Administrative Monetary Penalties Act and to repeal the Grain Futures Act, be read the third time and passed.

[Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation And Safety Board Act, May 28th, 1998]

moved that Bill S-2, an act to amend the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act and to make a consequential amendment to another act, be read the first time.

(Motion agreed to and bill read the first time)

[Calgary Declaration, May 27th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in supporting the Calgary Declaration, Ontario's legislative assembly and the leaders of the three major Ontario parties expressed very forcefully the feelings of the people of Ontario towards those of Quebec. The three leaders spoke as great Canadians, as real statesmen.

Prime Minister Harris said “If we work together, Ontarians and Quebeckers can certainly keep this country united”.

Opposition leader, Dalton McGuinty, said:

“We believe that it is better to grow together than to grow apart”.

Finally, the leader of the NDP, Howard Hampton—

[David Levine, May 25th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, people attached to their country and fearing its loss because of the secessionist threat posed by the leaders of the Bloc and the PQ allowed their fear to find expression in a deplorable reaction.

[Millennium Scholarships, May 14th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Education should be urged to return to the table with the Minister of Human Resources Development, since we have just said that the proposal by the official opposition in the National Assembly was very interesting, very promising.

What is most important, after all, is that governments think about helping students.

[Millennium Scholarships, May 14th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the provincial education minister, Mrs. Marois, said “I asked Mr. Pettigrew if he was prepared to implement the proposal made by the Liberal opposition in Quebec City”.

I wish to give the House two pieces of good news: the first is that, after examining the proposal made by the official opposition in the National Assembly, the Government of Canada concluded that it was interesting, very interesting; the second is that it will not be necessary to amend the bill in order to give effect to the proposal.

[David Levine, May 14th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, if there is one thing in which I strongly believe, it is freedom of conscience. I strongly believe that politics should have no influence whatsoever on the public service. I would never ask anybody to take an oath of allegiance.

But in light of the threat of separation, we are lucky that this kind of problem is not as severe in Canada as it would be in other democracies.

[David Levine, May 14th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I have nothing to add to what I said. The unity problem in Canada creates this kind of difficulty.

It is fortunate this is happening in Canada, because in all the other democracies I know, this kind of difficulty would be even more acute with the threat of separation.

[David Levine, May 14th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, in this highly decentralized federation of ours, a minister of the federal crown does not have the power to decide who should be hired by a hospital.

This does not mean we cannot deplore the fact that this federation, this country of ours, is not unified enough for such a problem not to arise.

[Calgary Declaration, May 12th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc obviously does not like the Calgary declaration.

But Canadians, including Quebeckers, find it a rather good initial gesture of openness that reflects the values which unite us, as was clearly shown by the recent consultation in Ontario.

Let me say to those who may have doubts about this consultation that a rigorous, scientific poll shows that 73% of Ontarians recognize the unique character of Quebec society.