Debates of June 21st, 1994

Quebec's National Holiday

[Antoine Dubé, Bloc, Lévis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, June 24 is fast approaching and I would like at this time to extend my best wishes to all Quebecers on their national holiday.

Over 700 events are scheduled this year for all regions of Quebec. The theme of Quebec's national holiday is "Quand 7 millions de gens" which reflects the fact that this day is for all Quebecers, regardless of their origin.

This theme is also indicative of Quebecers' collective ability to take their future into their own hands.

It should also be noted that June 24 is celebrated by all of Canada's francophones. This day provides them with an opportunity to express their pride in their francophone roots and to show their commitment to preserving their heritage.

May everyone enjoy themselves on June 24.

[English]

Single Parents

[Ray Speaker, Reform, Lethbridge]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize an important group in our society, a group which often gets overlooked: single parents. Each of us in this House undoubtedly knows at least one single parent. Indeed, some of us are single parents.

Of all the diverse households in Canada, single parents represent 13 per cent of Canada's families. To me they are much more than a simple number on a statistical chart. As parents they play a crucial role in our society. As single parents their job of raising children is made doubly hard. Not only must they nurture and care for their children in an emotional sense, they must also bear the responsibility of supporting their families financially.

Today I would like to recognize one particular single mother who has accomplished both tasks. When my niece became a single mother she decided she was going to take responsibility for her child. As hard as it was, she found a job and is raising her child to be a responsible young person, active in sports and school. She receives moral support from her immediate and extended family but still values her independence.

I would like to commend her and other single parents today.

Laughter Day

[Beryl Gaffney, Liberal, Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Laughing Does Matter is an interest group of professionals and volunteers who promote the benefits of laughter in all walks of life.

Thanks to the efforts of Irene Martin and the late Marjorie Mann, June 21 has been declared Laughter Day in Ottawa-Carleton. They are encouraging Parliament to proclaim this date as National Laughter Day.

Laughter tends to bring us together as a community and as a country. Laughter serves as a valuable coping mechanism and has many physical, psychological and social benefits. Sometimes Canadians need a shot in the arm to help them deal with the realities and uncertainties of job loss, high unemployment or just making ends meet. It is a well-known fact in the health care field that laughter helps dissipate fears, frustrations and anger. It helps people regain the health and energy they need to keep on fighting.

I invite Canadians from coast to coast and my colleagues in the House of Commons to join us in celebrating Laughter Day. Let us all have a good laugh today.

1999 Pan-American Games

[David Walker, Liberal, Winnipeg North Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I am rising today in support of the bid by the 1999 Pan-American Bid Committee in Winnipeg to host the 1999 Pan-American Games.

Since Winnipeg was chosen as the Canadian bid city for the 1999 Pan-Am Games the government of Canada and its partners, the province of Manitoba and the city of Winnipeg, have supported the bid both technically and financially. There has been tremendous community support for the hard working committee. This will ensure the setting of a standard of excellence and a very high profile for the Pan-Am Games both in Canada and abroad.

In this bid Winnipeg has also pledged to strive for new heights of excellence in sports and culture while forging a new spirit of international understanding helping to ensure a bright future for the games.

I know all Canadians will join me in wishing the city of Winnipeg every success in its bid for the 1999 Pan-Am Games.

Aboriginal Solidarity Day

[Elijah Harper, Liberal, Churchill, MB]

Today is Aboriginal Solidarity Day, a day when the First Nations of this land take time to commemorate our past and history, our rich culture and heritage.

We are the First Nations. We are many nations. We are a great people. We are a great nation. Greatness is not measured by the material wealth one has. Greatness is measured by how much one gives and how much one shares. This has been demonstrated by the First Nations to the rest of the world. We have been very kind and generous. This has been our greatest strength.

We are not lazy people. By appreciating and understanding, by supporting and recognizing the aboriginal people of this land this country can be a united, stronger and better Canada.

Meegwetch.

Student Employment

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

Mr. Speaker, summer is now upon us. Thousands of students in need of a job to pay for their education are frantically searching for employment.

I am appealing today to all Quebec and Canadian entrepreneurs who, as our economic leaders, have a social responsibility to provide jobs to a young, hard-working labour force eager to learn. Because they are motivated, student workers can substitute for vacationing employees, lend a hand to businesses and help them meet their everyday needs.

Young people are our future. When businesses adopt an enlightened approach, it is easier for students to gain entry into the labour force and as a result, all of society benefits.

Gun Control

[Lee Morrison, Reform, Swift Current—Maple Creek—Assiniboia, SK]

Mr. Speaker, since the introduction of gun control in 1978 the annual homicide rate in my home province of Saskatchewan has averaged three per 100,000, the same as in adjoining Montana where there are almost no firearms restrictions. Economic and social conditions are parallel and so are the murder rates.

On the other hand, since prohibition days New York state has had the toughest North American gun laws outside of Mexico, yet the murder rate there is five times higher than in Canada. I do not know why, but I suspect the presence of organized crime, widespread drug abuse, racial tension and grinding poverty just might have something to do with it.

Instead of concentrating on the emotional rantings of the Coalition for Gun Control, the Minister of Justice should inform himself by comparing firearms legislation and crime statistics in a wide variety of jurisdictions. Prejudice makes bad law.

The Family

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, government programs and policies should help preserve and strengthen traditional families. Families are the basic unit of society. A strong family life is important to instilling good moral values and coping with the day to day pressures of living.

When I speak about traditional family values I do not disparage the loving and often heroic efforts of single or divorced parents. Nothing determines the shape of a child's life more powerfully than his or her values, beliefs and sense of right and wrong. It is the values parents teach their children that will determine a child's fate and our country's future. Families are the instrument through which values and traditions are passed from generation to generation.

As we celebrate the International Year of the Family let us all remember that it is up to each member of Parliament to fight for measures that recognize, promote and protect this traditional institution.

23Rd International Children's Games

[Beth Phinney, Liberal, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, from June 13 through June 19 Hamilton was the proud host of the 23rd International Children's Games.

Held for the first time outside of Europe, children from 26 countries experienced friendly competition in the spirit of peace, unity and respect for all cultures. These games were the perfect breeding ground for friendship, goodwill and tolerance. The closing ceremony was quite a scene with hundreds of young athletes swapping souvenirs and exchanging goodbyes despite the language barriers.

The organizers and volunteers in Hamilton brought prestige and honour to the city. As the games chairman, Colin Millar, so clearly put it: "It has just been a tremendous success".

The Hamilton community has shown its leadership in organizing a colourful, exciting and memorable event. The federal government of Canada has proven its commitment to the Canadian youth, our future, by funding the 23rd International Children's Games in Hamilton.

Congratulations to all the organizers and participants for a job well done.

Beat The Street

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Rosedale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there is a literacy program for homeless young people in my riding of Rosedale which has been providing second chances to some of those who are left behind in our society. Beat the Street is a Frontier College program that is giving individuals the skills and self-confidence to get off the street and into school or the job market.

Beat the Street was founded in 1985 by two former street youths who recognized that literacy skills were absolutely essential to get young people off the street. By providing a supportive learning environment where students could find their own goals, the program's tutors are making a difference in the lives of hundreds of Canada's youth.

Beat the Street is now internationally recognized and is the model for two similar programs now operating in Winnipeg and Regina.

Workers and students from Beat the Street were in Ottawa recently to meet with the Prime Minister and individual MPs and Senators. I know all those who spent time with the students were very impressed with their ideas and thoughtfulness.

On behalf of all members of Parliament I salute Beat the Street for all its efforts. I call on the government to support it and all other youth literacy programs.

127Th Anniversary Of Confederation

[Sue Barnes, Liberal, London West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on July 1, we will be celebrating Canada's 127th birthday as a political entity. The Fathers of Confederation have given us a country that the United Nations have recently described as ranking first in the world in terms of human development.

Nations world-wide are filled with admiration for Canada, a country that distinguishes itself from others by its linguistic, cultural and regional diversity as well as its wealth of natural resources. I am proud to be living in such a dynamic and tolerant society. It is our duty to us all to remain true to our history and work together to find the compromises that will enable us to build our common future in the respect of our differences.

Long live Canada!

Cuba

[Svend Robinson, NDP, Burnaby—Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Foreign Affairs announced that Canada is lifting its 16-year policy banning government aid to Cuba. I want to congratulate the government on this important step and urge it to recognize the grave humanitarian needs of the Cuban people particularly in the areas of fuel, power, transport, food and medical goods.

Canada must strongly call for the lifting of the cruel, illegal and inhumane embargo by the United States, an embargo vigorously condemned by the United Nations. Canada should also urge President Clinton to invite President Fidel Castro to the upcoming hemispheric summit later this year.

Finally let me take this opportunity to congratulate the many Canadians who demonstrated their solidarity with the people of Cuba at this difficult time. They have supported caravans of humanitarian aid through Friendshipments.

The strength and courage of the Cuban people will see them through this difficult time.

Venceremos.

[Philippe Paré, Bloc, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Quebecois was pleased to hear that the government had decided to allow CIDA to restore assistance to the people of Cuba. This decision reflects the will of Quebecers and Canadians to help Cubans and shows once again that they are prepared to give generously to the poorest of countries where help is urgently needed.

Non-governmental and humanitarian relief organizations, which must be commended for their excellent work, will have access to CIDA funds to carry out projects to help Cubans affected by food shortage among other things. The Cuban government must however be reminded of our commitment to human rights and democracy, which forms the very basis of our identity on the international scene, as a gesture of solidarity with those who suffer and fight for their democratic rights.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

[Jan Brown, Reform, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, this Liberal government will be seen as the government that presided over the death of the CBC if it fails to act quickly and decisively.

The CBC had a heart attack years ago but somebody forgot to tell the government. Continuing to fund the CBC as it is now is like embalming a corpse: you add juice to it but you know it is not going to get any better. What is needed is radical surgery. We need to repair its faltering heart and infuse it with a healthy, vigorous new life.

The Minister of Canadian Heritage has stated publicly that he is in favour of partial privatization of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. When will he act on this commitment?

Start the process now. The CBC will not recover right away but when it does it will be leaner and more competitive. It will not do all the things it used to do, but if we are decisive now the CBC will survive in some form.

The Liberal government can continue to embalm the corpse or it can privatize the CBC. What will it be?

Corrections And Conditional Release Act

[Patrick Gagnon, Liberal, Bonaventure—Îles-De-La-Madeleine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to comment on the legislation introduced this morning by the solicitor general to amend the Corrections and Conditional Release Act.

The bill contains amendments to improve public safety. It deals in part with a subject of concern to all Canadians: high risk sexual offence. While violent crime in all its forms is intolerable, sexual offences against children are of particular concern. They must be dealt with firmly and effectively. The bill provides the tools to deal more effectively with sexual offenders who victimize children.

Measures introduced today would make it easier to keep these offenders in prison until the end of their sentence. Together with better rehabilitation programs the bill will improve the handling and management of sexual offenders. I look forward to seeing these changes implemented as soon as possible.

The Environment

[Pat O'Brien, Liberal, London—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have become more conscious of their responsibility to protect our environment. For my constituents this includes a safe and proper destruction of PCBs.

Currently this is an important issue in the city of London in the county of Middlesex. Full meaningful public involvement is a must in resolving this serious issue. No community must be forced to host a destruction facility against its will.

I commend the government's efforts to make pollution prevention a national goal. I urge the government to improve upon the imperfect plan we have inherited by developing a national program for the destruction of all PCBs in Canada.

Goods And Services Tax

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, when the Liberal Party was in opposition, it denounced the GST and promised to abolish it once in office. Indeed, the red book included the commitment to replace this tax. Now the report of the Liberals on the finance committee which was made public yesterday shows that the government has decided not only to maintain the GST but to hide it, and confirmed its intention to apply it to other goods and services, thus taxing consumers more.

After promising during the election campaign to abolish the GST and repeating on May 2 that he would kill this tax, how can the Prime Minister have the nerve today to maintain the GST by hiding it and moreover how can he consider extending it to medicine, health care and food?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the commitments we made in the red book remain our commitments as a government. We asked a committee of the House of Commons with representatives from the three parties to try to come up with a unanimous proposal for us and they could not agree. The Liberal members on the committee considered four or five different proposals for us; they chose one which is not at all binding on the government. But I would like to thank all members who worked on that committee because their work will help us see the issue a little more clearly.

In any case, I repeat that our commitment remains clear, and I would like to let the Leader of the Opposition know that on April 10, 1990, he voted for the GST and when he resigned on May 22 that year, he assured everyone in the Conservative Party that he would continue to defend the policies which he had the privilege to work on with them.

We received the committee report, but we say that the GST must be replaced by another tax, and we clearly showed in the red book the conditions which must be met to satisfy us.

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to the Prime Minister's answer and he suggests that his government might dissociate itself from the conclusions reached by the members of the Liberal Party on the committee. I will point out that the only members on that committee who proposed maintaining the GST, hiding it and extending it to other sectors such as medicine, for example, are Liberals.

So I ask the Prime Minister if it is true that he does not intend to apply the GST to medicine, health care and food. If that is not his intention, he is in the House today. He should tell us, in front of all of Canada.

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we are committed to consulting the provinces and trying to harmonize taxes with them. I see that the Leader of the Opposition wants me to give him a final answer without consulting anyone at the provincial level. He should make up his mind. Either he wants us to do in all circumstances, as was the case last week, when we were asked to impose a solution concerning interprovincial trade on all provinces and we said, "No, we are taking the time to consult on taxes. We want to harmonize the tax system". I myself talked about it with the Premiers last

December. Everyone wants harmonization. We are unable to give a final answer. If we did, we would not be a good federal government that likes to consult the provinces.

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, it is laughable to hear this government which continually repudiates the will of the provinces tell us today that it wants to hide behind them to do something awful, to tax medicine, health care and food.

I ask the Prime Minister if he realizes that a hidden GST extended to medicine, food and health care can only result in a greater tax burden for low- and middle-income families and for the elderly. How can the Prime Minister today support the idea of taxing such essential goods? What has happened to Liberal convictions?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we were very clear in the red book. We said that the system was not functioning well. We forgot to mention in the red book that the Leader of the Opposition voted for the GST. We also forgot to mention in the red book that he promised very solemnly to the Tory Party at that time that he would defend the GST when he got out.

I just want to say that we will consult with the provinces. The Minister of Finance will have his budget next February. We have a lot of time. We will not get excited. We will take all the time to consult with the provinces to find a good solution.

I am still amazed that the Leader of the Opposition is always trying to get at me because I am too nice with the provinces.

[Yvan Loubier, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, even the Conservatives did not dare to tax food, health care or medicine.

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

That is true, not even the Conservatives!

[Yvan Loubier, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal report on the GST proposes merging all provincial and federal consumption taxes into a single Canada-wide GST applied on a single tax base and managed by the federal government. Several provincial Premiers have already indicated that this centralizing proposal is totally unacceptable.

Given the rejection expressed by several provinces, including Ontario and Manitoba, does the Prime Minister not realize that his government's plan to integrate provincial sales taxes into the new hidden GST in an underhanded way is going to fail?