Debates of Oct. 19th, 1994

Television Violence

[Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral, Bloc, Laval Centre, QC]

Mr. Speaker, following the tragic events in Norway, where a five-year-old girl was killed by two six-year-olds, the public is entitled to wonder if television violence does not lead to violent behaviour in young people.

Many are convinced that it does: 1.5 million people have signed Virginie Larivière's petition calling for an end to violence on television.

There is increasing agreement among medical experts as to the harmful influence of television violence on the behaviour of children.

In the face of the CRTC's inertia on this issue, what is the federal government waiting for to propose concrete and effective measures that address this serious problem, which is detrimental to the development of our children?

Immigration

[Art Hanger, Reform, Calgary Northeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, a Torontonian applied to bring his bride from Guyana to Canada. His file was taken in Etobicoke; another was taken in Port of Spain, Trinidad. The files then went to Toronto. Then they went to Brampton. Then they went to Mississauga and back to Toronto.

There his file sat for over six months with no action. Now it has to go back to Trinidad with no action taken, but the medicals have expired and have to be done over. Then the file will have to come back for approval to Mississauga and then go back to Port of Spain.

With luck the case will be finalized in a few months. That is two years of passing the buck for a standard application. That is two years of heartbreak and loneliness and that is not unusual. I have spousal sponsorships on my desk that have taken four years.

The system is overwhelmed. This government says that family reunification is a priority but to make it work we must cut the numbers of extended family sponsorships, cut the backlog and make room for those who deserve priority.

[Paul Szabo, Liberal, Mississauga South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring to the attention of the House a glaring difference between reality and practice in the immigration sponsorship program.

Ideally under the terms of the program, someone who agrees to sponsor a family member also agrees to provide assistance, if necessary, for a 10-year period following their arrival. In reality, this agreement is of little worth as 62 per cent of all sponsored immigrants apply for social assistance within two years of their arrival in Canada. While undoubtedly some defaults are justifiable, in most cases sponsors simply do not live up to their agreements because they are not enforceable.

The credibility of the immigration sponsorship program must be restored. The creation of a mechanism which would be enforceable would give sponsored immigrants the security they need while at the same time protecting the Canadian taxpayer.

Canadian Labour Market And Productivity Centre

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to congratulate the Canadian Labour Market and Productivity Centre on its 10th anniversary today. Former Minister of Finance Hon. Marc Lalonde was instrumental in establishing this unique forum for dialogue and consensus building among Canada's business and labour communities.

Admittedly, business and labour have distinct and divergent agendas on many fronts. However, over these past 10 years the CLMPC has brought together leading labour and business organizations, such as the Business Council on National Issues, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, the Canadian Labour Congress, the Canadian Manufacturers Association, and the Canadian Federation of Labour. Together they have produced many significant consensus reports on important economic challenges facing Canada.

All of us wish to extend our thanks to the hundreds of business and labour leaders who have contributed so much to this worthwhile endeavour. We congratulate the CLMPC today.

Social Program Review

[Eleni Bakopanos, Liberal, Saint-Denis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in his document released last week the Minister of Human Resources Development announced the objectives of the reform which included helping Canadians get and keep work by ensuring they have the knowledge and skills to compete with the best labour forces in the world.

The Parti Quebecois government shares this objective and sets it out clearly in its chapter on full employment: "If every member of society, on the basis of his abilities and determination, is able to find employment that meets his expectations, society as a whole stands to gain. In order for Quebecers and their economy to attain their full potential, there must exist a framework of policies that encourage people to lead a productive life".

It is perhaps surprising that the Quebec government shares our objective. I would therefore invite it, without delay, to take part in the consultations on the reform of social programs. This is part and parcel of the responsibilities of the good government it has promised us.

Breast Cancer Month

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to remind members of the House of Commons and all Canadians that October is Breast Cancer Month.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among Canadian women. Approximately 17,000 new breast cancer cases will be diagnosed this year and 5,400 women will die of the disease.

Health Canada, together with the Canadian Cancer Society, the National Cancer Institute of Canada, and provinces and territories is implementing a major initiative on breast cancer totalling $25 million over five years. Activities include support to provincial breast cancer screening activities, research, five breast cancer exchange projects and fostering high standards of care for breast cancer.

I would like to applaud the efforts of families, professionals, voluntary and self-help groups and others toward reducing the burden of this disease on Canadian women and their families.

This month proclaimed as Breast Cancer Month provides us all with opportunities to support breast cancer initiatives-

Terrorism

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, approximately 20 people were killed and 40 wounded in a bombing this morning in Tel Aviv. The horror we have witnessed was appalling, and we wish to extend our deepest sympathies to the victims' families.

Just days after it was announced that the Nobel Peace Prize had been awarded to Israeli leaders and the leader of the PLO and two days after Israel and Jordan announced they had reached a comprehensive agreement, there is cause for considerable concern about the effect of this deadly attack on the ongoing peace negotiations.

We strongly condemn this attack. The enemies of peace must not win. According to the PLO leader, the best way to respond to the acts of such radicals is through the pursuit and intensification of the peace process. Let us hope that the peace process will continue.

[Bob Mills, Reform, Red Deer, AB]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Reform Party I offer my deepest condolences to the victims and their families of today's tragic bombing in Tel Aviv, Israel. While no words can do justice to the suffering of the families, we must speak out.

Terrorists who seek to destroy peace must not be allowed to win. Those who target innocent people to generate fear and hatred must be fought with every ounce of our energy and condemned by all civilized societies. In the end it is the voices of those who have struggled long and hard for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East who must triumph. Their victory will honour the lives of the victims and send a message to the world that violence need not be an endless cycle.

We are sickened by this criminal act and will not forget the victims of terrorism. I hope members of this House will pledge to fight on for their memory and the memory of those who have gone before them. The world community must never surrender to terrorists and we must never abandon our quest for peace.

Governor General Awards

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Brant, ON]

Mr. Speaker, every year the Governor General awards in commemoration of the Persons case are given to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution toward promoting the equality of women in Canada.

This year we honour five women who have gained distinction for their lifelong vision and dedication. They are: Shirley Carr of Niagara Falls, Ontario, who championed legislation that addressed women's rights in the workplace; Dr. Rose Charlie from Agassiz, British Columbia, who struggled for social justice for the women of Canada's First Nations; Alice Girard of Montreal, Quebec, who made a remarkable contribution to the public awareness of the nursing profession's role in health care; Morag O'Brien of Saint John's, Newfoundland, who was the backbone of her area's health care system for over 40 years; and finally, Dodi Robb of Toronto, Ontario, who dedicated her career to ensuring the inclusion of women's perspective in television programming.

I call upon this House to join me in saluting the courage of these five remarkable Canadian women.

Theresa Stevenson

[Bernie Collins, Liberal, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to bring to the attention of the House a constituent of Souris-Moose Mountain of whom we are justly proud.

Theresa Stevenson is a member of the Cowesses Indian band. She will receive the Order of Canada today for her personal conviction to improve the condition of life of all people in her community by helping them to receive the basic necessities of life: food, shelter, clothing and education, the necessities many of us take for granted.

Theresa is a woman of action. She is involved in providing hot meals to needy children, working as a literacy volunteer, assisting patrons to provide low cost housing, and much more.

Theresa lives by the credence: If you are honest, fair and work from the heart, you can do almost anything. Her humanitarian efforts are not reserved for her own people. She says: "God has made me colour blind. A person is a person and I will never close my door or my heart to a person in need".

We congratulate her.

Election Act

[Jean H. Leroux, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government of Quebec has announced its intention to amend the Quebec Election Act to save time and money by eliminating steps that are not necessary and cost the taxpayers a great deal of money.

Ottawa could bring the federal deficit down and save tens of millions of dollars if it applied measures along the lines of those announced by the Quebec government. The federal government should consider seriously a real election law reform.

The government must eliminate influence peddling as well as financial backer pressure in the case of traditional federal parties. As my hon. colleague from Richelieu said, the government of Canada should revise all outdated electoral practices and review party financing so as to allow only individuals to contribute to the coffers of federal political parties.

Patrick And Elizabeth

[Jean Payne, Liberal, St. John's West, NL]

Mr. Speaker, tragedy has once again stricken the residents of St. John's West.

It is with great sorrow that I rise in this House to inform members of a tragic loss of life. On Thursday, October 13 the vessel Patrick and Elizabeth was lost off the coast of Newfoundland with all five crew aboard. A massive search failed to turn up any signs of survival.

I express our deep sympathy to those families mourning the loss of Captain Patrick Coady of St. John's, crew members Edward Barry, Gerald Goldsworthy, and Mark Traverse of the Placentia area, and Wayne Giles of Southern Harbour.

My deepest sympathy.

The Economy

[Ray Speaker, Reform, Lethbridge]

Mr. Speaker, we also extend our sympathies and appreciate the member's statement.

When interest rates shot up after the release of the Liberal government's first budget, the red ink book, Reformers were the first to call for immediate action to keep the budget on its deficit reduction path. Yet the government refused to acknowledge that a problem even existed. The Prime Minister repeatedly stated that no additional cuts would be necessary for the government to reach its deficit reduction targets.

Over the last few weeks the C.D. Howe Institute, the Business Council on National Issues, and the Governor of the Bank of Canada have all said what we have been saying from day one: that the Liberal deficit reduction targets are billions of dollars off track. Yesterday's presentation of the finance minister only confirmed this scenario.

This government's unwillingness to reduce expenditures is threatening economic growth, hindering job creation and jeopardizing the nation's health care and social programs. The government cannot put off making hard decisions. The ticking of the debt clock is growing louder every day and now stands at $534,864-

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Winnipeg Transcona.

Government Contracts

[Bill Blaikie, NDP, Winnipeg—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Public Service Alliance of Canada pointed out the skyrocketing cost of contracting out. Far from being a way to save money, contracting out is actually way more expensive. A Manitoba example helps to illustrate the point.

As Local 704 of the Union of National Defence Employees argues, figuring the total cost of the base support budget and other costs into the allegedly hourly cost of doing a job currently done by DND employees at Camp Shiloh not only grossly misrepresents the cost but creates an artificially high ceiling that is easy for private contractors to come in under.

Contracting out is a scam designed for patronage. A government serious about saving money should cut back on contracting out. It should not cut back on employees who will do the job for a lot less than what the private sector now charges the government, thanks to the government's own misleading way of calculating the cost of doing it in house.

Post-Secondary Education

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Speaker, post-secondary education is a critical issue to the future of Canada.

The riding of Waterloo includes two of Canada's leading universities, the University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University, as well as a campus of Conestoga College. The concentration of post-secondary students in Waterloo riding is the highest in the country. These institutions have played a crucial role in my community and in Canada's economy.

The residents of Waterloo riding are proud of Canada's record of excellence in post-secondary education. However we also know that our education system must continue to develop in order to meet the challenges of the next century.

I am pleased the government is now reviewing its role in post-secondary education in an effort to improve the system. We need to ensure that our post-secondary institutions are affordable and accessible to our youth who must compete in the international marketplace. Only through a comprehensive discussion with students, professors, administrators and the general public can we properly strengthen our universities and colleges to effectively serve Canadians in the years ahead.

Reform Party

[Eugène Bellemare, Liberal, Carleton—Gloucester, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Reform Party came to Ottawa on a power trip last weekend for its first national convention east of the prairies.

Using a decoder, here is a translation of its policies. If you want to speak French, go to Gaspé. If you fear a break-in, get yourself a bazooka. If you catch a kid at the cookie jar, cane him. If you are a woman wanting equal pay, get lost. If you are an immigrant, pay the doctor cash in advance if you please.

God save us from such caring, national unity builders.

Taxation

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in the last election campaign, a few days before the vote, the Prime Minister made a formal commitment not to increase taxes. He reiterated this same commitment in this House on September 20, when he said: "We do not plan to have any tax increases".

How can the Prime Minister reconcile his election commitment not to increase taxes with the statements made yesterday by his Minister of Finance, who said: "We made no promise with regard to taxes"?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I do not plan any tax increases. The Minister of Finance will table a budget and we think that there will be cuts. However, if people do not want us to make cuts, the alternative is to raise taxes.

We do not know exactly how much the economy will grow. We hope that it will give us the revenue we need, and I am pleased to report to the House that the Conference Board said today that confidence in Canada last month was the highest since 1979.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Saint-Maurice, QC]

As a historical aside, I was Minister of Finance at that time.

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, how can the Prime Minister tell us that he is counting on economic growth to make up the deficit, when his Minister of Finance said exactly the opposite yesterday, and I quote him from memory: "We can no longer count on economic growth alone to make up the deficit. Other measures will have to be taken"? How does he reconcile these two statements?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is quite obvious that the hon. member has a memory problem. We cut government spending in the last budget; it will be necessary to make further cuts in the next budget. That is what we are saying.

The Reform Party tells us that we are not cutting enough. Yesterday, you criticized us for not cutting enough, so we will perhaps listen to the opposition and make more cuts. Then they will stop complaining.

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, you will agree that the majority of Canadians find it rather distressing for the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance to merrily contradict each other on such an important issue.

If the Prime Minister is serious in the answer he just gave, could he, despite what his Minister of Finance said yesterday, make a formal commitment not to increase taxes for Canada's middle class?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we are consulting the Canadian public at this time. Everybody knows that when we became the government we had $500 billion of debt that we have to carry. We have prepared a very serious plan. We said that we will reduce the deficit every year by so much and will be at $25 billion at the end of the third year of our mandate.

We said very clearly that we will achieve our goal and we will do it. This year growth is at 4 per cent which is helping a lot. We will probably have to make cuts too. Probably we will have to plug some holes that exist in the tax system. We always have some problems like that which can bring in more revenue to the government.

I have absolute confidence we can reach our goal. There is always abuse of the tax system. I have been around long enough to know that. It is the job of a good minister to plug these holes and I have complete confidence in my good Minister of Finance.