Debates of May 26th, 1994

Budget Implementation Act

[The Speaker]

The hon. member of course will have ample time at the end of question period to take up where he left off.

It being 2 p.m., pursuant to Standing Order 30(5), the House will now proceed to Statements by Members pursuant to Standing Order 31.

Ethanol

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

Mr. Speaker, ethanol is being presented as a subsidized gasoline additive offering environmental benefits.

However, the United States energy department earlier this month revealed that an assessment study of ethanol showed that the losses outweigh the gains, taking into consideration the money spent and pollution created in production and distillation. In fact ethanol will produce negligible if any benefits for air quality.

In the U.S., environmental groups such as the Sierra Club have publicly expressed their opposition on the basis of cost, use of fertilizers and potential pollution resulting from production.

Similarly the American experience reveals the economic trickle down to the farm community is negligible.

Anyone who spends taxpayers' money expects a positive result. Before we embark on this experiment let us remember those taxpayers and be in a firm position to tell them just what they are receiving.

Refugee Status

[Osvaldo Nunez, Bloc, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, some very serious problems have undermined the credibility of the process to review, on compassionate grounds, cases in which refugee status was denied. Although the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration has been aware of these problems since March, there has been a steady stream of deportations without any particular show of concern by the minister.

The Davis Wallman report is clear: the process lacks compassion, it is arbitrary and it puts in jeopardy the lives of hundreds of people deported to their country of origin where human rights violations are the order of the day.

We have every reason to ask ourselves whether Canada still observes its international obligations or whether it is taking an increasingly suspicious and rigid stance.

The minister can no longer afford to hide behind studies and committees. He must act now!

Peacekeeping

[Jack Frazer, Reform, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, having yesterday returned from a special joint defence committee visit to our Canadian forces servicemen and women in Bosnia and Croatia, I want to report that we found them enthusiastic about their role and activities in that theatre.

Although only recently rotated into the region, they have quickly and effectively adapted to their conditions and the situation in which they perform their duties. They have rapidly learned about the area for which they are responsible and the people with whom they must negotiate to achieve a peaceful resolution of the many problems encountered.

Our forces are required to display copious quantities of resolution, diplomacy, patience, compassion and understanding and once again they have risen to the task.

The local people respect them for their professionalism, their dedication, their impartiality and firmness.

Although we are a long way from achieving a solution to the problem, all Canadians can take pride in the part that Canada, through our Canadian forces, is playing in the former Yugoslavia.

Stratford Festival

[John Richardson, Liberal, Perth—Wellington—Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to invite all members of the House and all Canadians to attend the Stratford Festival, Canada's national English speaking repertory theatre.

Monday, May 30, marks the official opening of the 42nd season of the Stratford Festival, the jewel of southwestern Ontario. North America's most esteemed repertory company performs on three world class stages in a town renowned for its park systems, shops and restaurants. This is a cultural success story.

The theatre achieves the highest artistic standards while attracting thousands of visitors to the region every year and pumping millions of dollars into the local economy.

This season ends on November 13 and offers 10 marvellous productions. I hope to see you in attendance.

The Environment

[Roseanne Skoke, Liberal, Central Nova, NS]

Mr. Speaker, an excellent example of how government, industry and the community are co-operating to restore our environment is evident in my riding of Central Nova.

The Scott Maritimes pulp mill in my riding has been working steadily with the province of Nova Scotia in recent years to improve the quality of the effluent that is being released into the adjacent lagoon at Boat Harbour.

Scott Maritimes Limited is upgrading its treatment facility to meet federal government pulp and paper effluent regulations. In addition, the province, as owners of the Boat Harbour treatment facility, has proposed the construction of a pipeline to discharge the treated effluent one kilometre out into the Northumberland Strait instead of into the Boat Harbour lagoon.

Mr. Speaker, be advised today that the pipeline proposal is being subjected to an initial environmental assessment by Environment Canada, in co-operation with other federal departments and the province, to address environmental and social impacts.

As a first step, federal officials will meet in early June with fishermen, native groups and other local organizations.

The Late John Wintermeyer

[Shaughnessy Cohen, Liberal, Windsor—St. Clair, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to John Wintermeyer, formerly of Kitchener, Ontario, who died recently after a courageous battle with Lou Gehrig's disease.

John Wintermeyer was a past leader of the Ontario Liberal Party. Although never elected, he stood for the finest principles in politics and was a pillar of his community and his church.

Three of his sisters and his brother-in-law, who is my favourite uncle, are in Ottawa today. I would ask all hon. members to join me in honouring the memory of the late John Wintermeyer.

Cirque Du Soleil

[Michel Bellehumeur, Bloc, Berthier—Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to draw the attention of the House to the tenth anniversary of the Cirque du Soleil, an organization that has acquired international fame.

Over the years, many awards have confirmed the genius of these performers, including the gold medal of the second international circus festival in Genoa, the gold medal of the fifteenth Festival mondial du cirque de demain, held in Paris, as well as several other awards in Europe, Asia and America.

Now ten years old, the Cirque du Soleil is still a remarkable testimony to Quebec's place in the world, with its 580 employees, including 162 performers, and an operating budget of several million dollars.

A total of 6.5 million spectators have seen their performances, and another 1.5 million are expected to attend this year.

Here is an outstanding example of what Quebecers can achieve when they act independently.

Young Offenders Act

[Monte Solberg, Reform, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I received letters from the 10th grade social studies class of Senator Gershaw School in Bow Island, Alberta.

One reads:

Dear Mr. Solberg:

I have decided to write to you on an issue that concerns me, the Young Offenders Act.

I am only fifteen so I can relate to the young offenders in this country better than an adult could. I saw on television a short time ago a little ten year old boy who is already an experienced car thief. He even admitted to his crimes-because he knew he could get away with it and-police could do nothing but "slap their wrists".

I am appalled that we are protecting the criminals. About a week ago in Medicine Hat, a young offender stabbed another and his name was not released. Why? Who did the crime? Why are we protecting the child who stabbed another one of his classmates? We should be protected from him, not the other way around.

Is this the Canada we really want? These are the generations ahead that will be in charge of our great country. What happens then?

Yours truly,

Adam Larsen

Mathematics Olympiad

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

Mr. Speaker, as a former teacher of West Hill Secondary School in Owen Sound, it is my experience that the majority of students are good citizens.

I cannot tell members how proud I am when I look to the new generation of Canadians in our ranks who will be carrying the torch for Canada into the 21st century.

Today I rise to congratulate Chris Hendrie from West Hill Secondary School in Owen Sound. Chris has just been selected as one of six students from across Canada to be a member of the Canadian Mathematics Olympiad team.

This summer Chris will travel to Vancouver to prepare for the international Olympiad and from there he will travel to Hong Kong to represent Canada as a member of Team Canada in this world competition. The team is selected by members of the Canadian Mathematical Society under George Gwyenther from St. John's, Newfoundland.

The Canadian team is composed of four students from metro Toronto, one student from St. John's, Newfoundland and one student from Owen Sound.

Cystic Fibrosis Month

[Ted McWhinney, Liberal, Vancouver Quadra, BC]

Mr. Speaker, May is Cystic Fibrosis Month. This reminds us of the tremendous challenges experienced by those who have cystic fibrosis. It is an inherited disorder that affects primarily the respiratory system of small children, and it causes devastating and ultimately fatal damage to the lungs.

Since 1960 the volunteers of the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation have been working to improve the lives of those affected by cystic fibrosis and to find a cure. Through research and better forms of treatment, the life expectancy of those who suffer from the disease has increased from under four years to more than 30 years.

I urge all members of the House to support the work of the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and the researchers who are dedicated to finding the cause of, and a cure for, this disease.

Film Industry

[Albina Guarnieri, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the Toronto director, Atom Egoyan, who just won the International Critics Prize at the 1994 International Film Festival in Cannes for his film "Exotica".

A young film-maker of only 33, Atom Egoyan quickly distinguished himself with his talent, his wit and his creative audacity, in films like "Family Viewing", "Speaking Parts" and "The Adjuster", widely acclaimed on the international scene.

Since making his first feature film in 1985 his works have attracted increasingly large audiences both in Canada and internationally. Exotica is the first Canadian English language film since 1985 to be in official competition at Cannes. This honour clearly represents an important milestone for the recognition of our feature film industry.

Hibernia Project

[Yves Rocheleau, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the release, this week, of a new study on the Hibernia project gives us another opportunity to express the concerns of Canadians and Quebecers who see this megaproject has a financial black hole. This study by two professors from Memorial University, in Newfoundland, shows clearly the folly of this undertaking which requires billions of dollars of public money just to survive. Even the General Secretary of OPEC was, this week, casting doubts on the economic validity of this project.

By stubbornly refusing to demonstrate to the people of Canada that Hibernia will eventually be cost-effective, the Canadian government is proving once more that it does not know how to deal responsibly with public money. It is asking the population to continue to support blindly this shameful and unjustifiable waste of public funds.

Junior A Hockey Champions

[Myron Thompson, Reform, Wild Rose, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to announce that this year's Centennial Cup Junior A hockey champions come from the heart of the Wild Rose country, Alberta, known as the Olds Grizzlies.

Due to the outstanding efforts of the coach, his staff and the entire team, the Grizzlies were undefeated throughout the entire round robin tournament. They competed against such fine teams as the Chateauguay Elites from Ontario and Quebec, the Red Wings of Weyburn, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, the Kelowna Spartans from British Columbia, and the Bulldogs from Antigonish, Nova Scotia.

This achievement could not have been possible without the hundreds of volunteers who not only own, but run the team on a day to day basis. During this time of fiscal restraint this is a perfect example of people donating their time for something they believe in without regard for monetary return.

On behalf of the constituents of Wild Rose, we are proud of this team's accomplishment and the contribution it has made to sport in Canada.

Hearing Awareness Month

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Fredericton—York—Sunbury, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to remind the House that May is Hearing Awareness Month. This is a time to recognize how important hearing is to communicating. It is also an opportunity to promote public awareness about deafness and to emphasize the importance of protecting our hearing.

More than a million Canadians have a hearing loss, with the greatest incidence occurring among the elderly. For people with this problem, communicating may necessitate additional resources such as sign language, oral interpreters, and telecommunications devices for telephone access.

Many national, provincial and regional organizations such as the Canadian Association of the Deaf, the Canadian Hard of Hearing Association and the Canadian Hearing Society work diligently to improve the lives of deaf and hard of hearing Canadians through services and advocacy.

Let us all acknowledge the challenges faced by those with hearing loss and urge Canadians to safeguard their hearing. It is a precious avenue of communication.

Peacekeeping

[Len Hopkins, Liberal, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Special Joint Committee on Canada's Defence Policy has just returned from hearings and briefings at NATO headquarters in Brussels.

We also visited, travelled and lived with our 2,000 Canadian soldiers who are doing a superb job of enforcing United Nations' peacekeeping rules within the former Yugoslavia.

When we accompanied our soldiers throughout the vast area they patrol on land and sea, we saw the devastation of war and man's inhumanity to man which one could not believe without seeing and without on site briefings.

What a first rate job our Canadians are doing. What dedication and professionalism they are exemplifying. They perform humanitarian tasks far beyond the call of duty. They are firm in handling infractions of the United Nations rules and are respected.

The soldiers feel very disappointed that all their efforts to represent Canada are not being recognized by the media, including the CBC. Many of the reports that get back home come through the BBC.

Come on, Canadian media, let's give our troops some well deserved recognition. Put Canada out front where she belongs in promoting peace.

Jean-Pierre Paquet And Andrée Massicotte

[Jim Silye, Reform, Calgary Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity today to give some words of praise for two dedicated public servants.

Members may recall a recent incident in Saudi Arabia where a group of foreign nurses were harassed and assaulted by local authorities. One of my constituents, Mr. Terry Wood, spent that entire weekend seeking information about his daughter, fearing she may have been involved in that incident. Happily she was not.

Mr. Wood is extremely grateful for the assistance he received from two watch officers with the Department of Foreign Affairs who were on duty that weekend, Jean-Pierre Paquet and Andrée Massicotte. Mr. Wood feels that the effort they put forth on his behalf went beyond basic job requirements and that they truly went that extra mile to see his concerns settled.

When a family member is in trouble incidents such as this one become very important indeed, something Mr. Paquet and Ms. Massicotte obviously recognize.

Their efforts on Mr. Wood's behalf reflect great credit on the Department of Foreign Affairs and on the public service as a whole and they are to be highly commended.

Development Of Canada's Francophonie

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister of heritage. In a submission today to the official languages committee, the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne points to the urgent need to adopt a comprehensive policy for the development of Canada's Francophonie. The federation is of the opinion that the lack of a comprehensive policy is preventing the federal government from fulfilling its responsibilities under the Official Languages Act.

My question is as follows: Does the minister recognize the urgency of the situation and the need to implement immediately a comprehensive policy for the development of Canada's francophonie, given that the federation is arguing today that the absence of such a policy is the reason for the failed interdepartmental co-operation effort and for the relaxation in the application of the Official Languages Act?

[Michel Dupuy, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that such a policy is on the drawing board. A great deal has already been accomplished and we will continue to meet our legal obligations in the area of official languages.

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, here is a government that has been in power for six months and, in the face of an emergency, responds that the policy is on the drawing board. That will not do.

How can the minister not commit immediately to adopting in the coming weeks a general, comprehensive policy on the development of La Francophonie? According to the federation, which proclaims the urgency of the situation, "the rate of assimilation is increasing and the socioeconomic situation is deteriorating".

[Michel Dupuy, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition does not seem to have paid close attention to our actions in recent months. We have increased grants to La Francophonie in different parts of Canada. School governance has been spared budget cuts. We have negotiated and are continuing to negotiate a whole series of agreements with minority groups and provincial governments. If the Leader of the Opposition would like a list of our achievements, I would be delighted to provide him with one.

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, it would appear that the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne did not benefit from any of achievements on which the minister is complimenting himself since today, it has sounded the alarm.

Will the minister commit today to establishing the central federal agency which the federation is demanding to put an end to the process of assimilation which, and I quote, "is having a devastating impact on these communities"?

[Michel Dupuy, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, clearly, we have not spoken to the same persons. The Leader of the Opposition is getting his information from malcontents, while I have talked to people with whom I am negotiating. My objective is to ensure the survival and growth of these communities across Canada, not to make political hay for reasons known to us all.

Collège Militaire Royal In Saint-Jean

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs. Last week, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs announced that an agreement had been reached with the Quebec government concerning the College in Saint-Jean, which was proof, he said, that federalism was alive and well.

Last Tuesday, the minister stated before this House, and I quote:

We clearly had a meeting of the minds on a number of items that will be part of the final round of negotiations. But, as I indicated last week, the final agreement is not ready yet.

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Quebec Minister of Education, with whom the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs is negotiating, told the National Assembly: "As we speak, I have yet to receive what I have requested, namely a written federal proposal to use as a basis for our discussions and negotiations".

How can the minister expect us to believe that an agreement is about to be reached with Quebec when his colleague admits to not even having received the document required to start negotiations?

[Marcel Massé, Liberal, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I can only repeat what I said in response to the previous question and inform the member opposite that the Minister of Education, Mr. Chagnon, is now in receipt of a written proposal.