Debates of May 11th, 1994

Health

[Dick Harris, Reform, Prince George—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health and has been inspired by Mrs. Helga Lopp of Prince George, B.C.

Mrs. Lopp has been waiting over two years for a vital operation to cure a life-threatening condition. Yet, because of cutbacks in the operating room assignment times, the one doctor capable of performing the operation has a backlog of over 300 patients.

The minister has repeatedly said in the House that the health care system in the country is healthy. I do not believe it. Reformers do not believe it. Certainly Mrs. Lopp does not believe it.

Is the Minister of Health prepared to stand in the House today and acknowledge that the Canadian health system is not well and that bold measures must be taken to restore the health care system so that it works in Canada?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to stand in the House today to say that the principles and the values of the Canada Health Act will prevail.

I do not believe that any Canadian whose life is threatened imminently has had to wait for two years for surgery.

[Dick Harris, Reform, Prince George—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my supplementary question is for the Minister of Health. I sent her the letter for her eyes only. She has the letter.

Ministers of the crown have stood in the House and have stated over and over again that the health care system is based on a principle of universality. Stout defenders of this principle who ignore the fact that Canadians like Mrs. Lopp are not getting the health care they need offer no hope.

Does the minister realize that the people who wait in these ever growing lines for health care will eventually hold her and the government responsible? When will the minister come out of hiding-

[The Speaker]

The hon. Minister of Health.

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question. I want to affirm to all Canadians today that the government takes its responsibilities very seriously.

We want to tell all Canadians that yes, their health care system will be protected. They will be treated based on their need, not on their wants and not on the size of their pocketbooks.

Via Rail

[Roger Gallaway, Liberal, Sarnia—Lambton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transport.

It is being suggested by various groups interested in passenger rail traffic in the country that VIA Rail pays 300 per cent more for track use than CN's normal commercial freight users.

Can the minister please advise us if VIA pays the same track rate as that attributed to freight cars or is it higher?

[Douglas Young, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I say to the hon. member that I really do not know because we are not privy to all of the cost arrangements.

We have to find out first of all what we can release in terms of the commercial confidentiality. As the hon. member knows, VIA does business with both CN and CP. To make a comparison between the kinds of services provided to VIA by CN or CP with what happens with their own freight cars might require some work, but I certainly do undertake to get an answer back to the hon. member.

Tobacco Packaging

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

Mr. Speaker, I have so many questions stored up, I do not know which one to ask.

My question is for the Prime Minister. It has to do with evidence given in committee yesterday. A hired gun of the tobacco industry said that NAFTA might stand in the way of the intention of the Minister of Health and the government to introduce plain packaging to discourage the use of cigarettes.

What does the government intend to do about this? If it is found to be the case and NAFTA does stand in the way of this obvious good measure in terms of public health, will the government reconsider its support of the North American free trade agreement?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I am so happy to see the member on his feet, but about the question, that is another problem.

I do not think NAFTA has a lot to say about the way we should control that type of problem in Canada. Sometimes we hear things in committee we do not agree with. Evidently the hon. member did not share that view and I do not either.

National Defence

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of National Defence and Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 22(2), as promised in this House on May 2 in response to a question by the hon. member for Charlesbourg, I have the pleasure to table, in both official languages, documents setting out the Department of National Defence's policy on environmental protection.

They are entitled: NDHQ Policy Directive P5/92 "Canadian Forces and National Defence Policy on the Environment", Canadian Forces Administrative Order 36/50 "Environmental Protection and Management", and Canadian Forces Administrative Order 36/55 "Hazardous Materials Management".

Government Response To Petitions

[Peter Milliken, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to 10 petitions.

Department Of Labour Act

[David Collenette, Liberal, for the Minister of Human Resources Development]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-30, an act to amend the Department of Labour Act.

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

Canadian Human Rights Act

[Pierre De Savoye, Bloc, Portneuf, QC]

moved for leave to introduce a bill entitled: "An Act to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act, the Canada Labour Code and the Public Service Employment Act (whistleblowing)".

Madam Speaker, the purpose of this bill I am introducing today is to provide appropriate sanctions against retaliatory discharges by public sector employers of employees who report or "blow the whistle" on serious misconduct of their employers.

It is a question of protecting employees acting in good faith. Therefore, the bill would recognize that there are times when it is in the public interest to encourage employee whistleblowing, particularly when the public health and safety are at issue.

(Motions deemed agreed to, bill read the first time and printed.)

Citizenship Act

[Sharon Hayes, Reform, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-249, an act to amend the Citizenship Act (right to citizenship).

Madam Speaker, today I wish to table a bill to amend the Citizenship Act.

The intent of the bill is to clarify the automatic issuance of Canadian citizenship specifically to those born in Canada to parents who have made a claim for refugee or landed status and are awaiting a decision. The bill specifies that a child should retain the citizenship status of the parents until a decision is rendered on the case.

It is my belief that our citizenship laws should recognize that citizenship is not simply an automatic right, it is a privilege.

The intent of this bill is a direct response from input by the citizens of my riding of Port Moody-Coquitlam.

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

Canadian International Developmentagency Act

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley East, BC]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-250, an act to establish the Canadian International Development Agency.

Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce a bill, seconded by the hon. member for Red Deer, that will mandate the Canadian International Development Agency to help the poorest nations on earth.

Currently CIDA is not directly accountable to this House. Its funding is scattered over more than 100 nations. Forty per cent of its aid money is spent right here in Canada, yet every day we are confronted with the desperate images of the third world which needs emergency assistance and long term help to become self-sustaining. CIDA could do more to assist in these areas by redirecting its aid toward the third world. However, to change its priorities requires a legislative mandate.

My bill is based on the principles of openness, democratic decision making and accountability to this House. I think all members of Parliament could lend their support to this compassionate effort that will finally mandate CIDA and direct Canadian foreign aid toward those who need it most, the poorest of the poor.

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

Petitions

[Mary Clancy, Liberal, Halifax, NS]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to present a petition signed by numerous members of the constituency of York West in the province of Ontario.

They draw to the attention of the House that they support the efforts of Mrs. Debbie Mahaffy in her quest to have the importation of killer cards seized at the Canada-United States border to stop their distribution in Canada.

They state further that they abhor crimes of violence and believe that killer trading cards offer nothing positive for children or adults to admire or emulate but contribute to violence.

[Ovid Jackson, Liberal, Bruce—Grey, ON]

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today under Standing Order 36 to present a petition very similar to that of the hon. member who preceded me.

The members of my constituency would like to support the efforts of Mrs. Debbie Mahaffy in her quest to have the importation of killer cards seized at the Canada-United States border and to stop the importation of these damaging cards into our country.

[Tom Wappel, Liberal, Scarborough West, ON]

Madam Speaker, I have two petitions, the first of which is signed by constituents of my riding of Scarborough West.

The petitioners pray and request that Parliament not amend the human rights code, the Canadian Human Rights Act, or the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in any way which would tend to indicate societal approval of same sex relationships or of homosexuality, including amending the human rights code to include in the prohibited grounds of discrimination the undefined phrase, sexual orientation.

[Tom Wappel, Liberal, Scarborough West, ON]

Madam Speaker, my second petition is from the good people of Kamloops, British Columbia.

They pray that Parliament ensure that the present provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada prohibiting assisted suicide be enforced vigorously and that Parliament make no changes in the law which would sanction or allow the aiding or abetting of suicide or active or passive euthanasia.

[Jean-Paul Marchand, Bloc, Québec-Est, QC]

Madam Speaker, today I have the honour to present a petition signed by nearly 200 residents of my riding, Québec-Est, and region.

The petitioners want to draw the attention of Parliament to the situation of seniors in Quebec. Fifty-three per cent of men and 82 per cent of women who reach the age of 65 need government help to make ends meet. Forty per cent of seniors 65 and over are entitled to the guaranteed income supplement, a benefit which keeps them at the poverty line, and only 5 per cent of those 65 and over have an annual income above $50,000.

The petitioners therefore ask Parliament not to take any action that would reduce any benefit, pension, social program, assistance or acquired right which seniors enjoy or that would impose any tax or other measure which would reduce their income. I support this petition without reservation and I urge the government to act on it.

[Jerry Pickard, Liberal, Essex—Kent, ON]

Madam Speaker, it is my privilege to stand in the House today pursuant to Standing Order 36 to present a petition signed by residents of both Kent county and Essex county who support ethanol fuel, as do many members in the House.

The ethanol industry will do a great deal to help agriculture. It is one of the most environmentally friendly fuels in the world today. Whereas there is a tremendous boost for labour in agriculture and person-years in construction in my local municipality and municipalities around, they humbly ask this Parliament to consider the tax exemption on the ethanol portion of fuel.

[Bob Kilger, Liberal, Stormont—Dundas, ON]

Madam Speaker, today I have the solemn responsibility pursuant to Standing Order 36 to table a certified petition on behalf of more than 9,000 residents in my constituency of Stormont-Dundas.

Regrettably the petition is motivated by the tragic murder earlier this year of 16-year old Carrie Lauzon of Cornwall. This petition was started by her mother, Shelley Lauzon.

The undersigned petitioners humbly pray and call upon Parliament to review and revise our laws concerning young offenders by empowering the courts to prosecute and punish the young law breakers who are terrorizing our society by releasing their names and lowering the age limit to allow prosecution to meet the severity of the crime.

Questions On The Order Paper

[Peter Milliken, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

[The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Maheu)]

Shall all questions stand?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.