Debates of Sept. 22nd, 1994

Success Nova Scotia 2000

[John Murphy, Liberal, Annapolis Valley—Hants, NS]

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, September 16 our government teamed up with the province of Nova Scotia to announce Success Nova Scotia 2000.

This five-year project under the strategic initiatives program will assist 3,000 young Nova Scotians gain valuable work experience in leading industries. The objective is to develop and implement new opportunities by promoting internships as an integral part of our learning culture. Success Nova Scotia 2000 is a reflection of our government's commitment to finding better ways to help young people secure jobs in their chosen field.

I am confident that the people of Annapolis Valley-Hants will seize upon the opportunity to make this program successful for our youth.

By providing leading edge job opportunities for our young people, we will enhance Nova Scotia's position as an economic leader in the years to come.

Council For Canadian Unity

[Maurice Dumas, Bloc, Argenteuil—Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in Montreal, the president of the Council for Canadian Unity embarked upon the referendum campaign trail, stating he entirely approved of the absence of any new federal offers.

For the Council, unity is tied to the status quo. The renewal of the Canadian federation is not longer an option.

After 30 years of lamentable failure, in this show of honesty the Council is revealing its true colours.

The Council for Canadian Unity which-let us not forget-is subsidized by Ottawa, confirms that Quebecers are to expect nothing better from Ottawa than more duplication, more overlapping and more squandering of their tax dollars. In other words, more of the same.

Gun Control

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

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice should be aware that opposition to gun control is not just a preoccupation of rural westerners.

In the past few weeks I have received more than 100 angry letters from urban Ontario residents who do not share the minister's jaundiced opinion of the competence and integrity of Canadians, or the patronizing view that gun owners need to be protected from themselves.

I have advised these people that I am one of the good guys and that they should direct their anger where it belongs: at the minister.

A few of these correspondents are probably part of that huge crowd out on the lawn today. They are sending a clear message against statism. I hope the minister is listening and perhaps rethinking his elitist prejudices.

Tough gun controls have proven ineffective in many jurisdictions including New York, Illinois and the United Kingdom. Why must we continue down this-

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Guelph-Wellington.

Education

[Brenda Chamberlain, Liberal, Guelph—Wellington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, individual Canadians manage their responsibilities every day with enthusiasm and dedication and slowly make their mark on the people around them.

One of these individuals is Terry Lynch, director of education for the Wellington County Board of Education. Terry is bright, amazingly energetic, and has much to offer in common sense and determination. He has worked relentlessly to succeed in order to ensure that the board is the finest in the province of Ontario. I am proud to call Terry a friend.

As children across Wellington County return to school from their summer vacation, they should thank educators like Terry who work hard behind the scenes with endless energy to make their education experience rewarding and first class in order to prepare them to succeed in their future.

Take Back The Night

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

Mr. Speaker, fear of violence and violence itself is a severe restriction to equality for women. This sad reality of our society sees women and children at risk of danger in many situations, including the most fundamental action of walking safely after dark.

The federal government is committed to addressing the widespread problem of violence against women by working in partnership with local communities to find solutions. I send my support to the London group, Women for Action, Accountability and Against Violence Everywhere, and to all women as they march to bring an end to violence in the Take Back the Night rallies happening this week across the country.

I encourage Canadians to get out and support the right of women to walk freely within our communities.

International Nickel Company Of Canada

[John Finlay, Liberal, Oxford, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this summer I was a guest of the International Nickel Company of Canada. The tour was arranged through the Parliamentary, Business and Labour Trust. I visited the research centre in Mississauga and the mine, smelter and refineries in Sudbury. I met with the CEO, vice-president, managers, miners and union officials.

What impressed me most were two things: the commitment of everyone in the corporation we met to compete internationally by virtue of research, new technology, enlightened management and downsizing; and, second, the corporation's ongoing commitment to the betterment of the communities where it is situated and to the preservation of the ecosystem by the reduction of pollution.

Sudbury and the surrounding region is no longer a moonscape. The air no longer smells of sulphur. Thanks to the forward looking, sustainable environmental policies of Inco and its co-operation with the local municipalities, the region is now a green landscape again.

Appointment Of Sharon Carstairs To The Senate

[Maurice Bernier, Bloc, Mégantic—Compton—Stanstead, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has just shown once again his lack of understanding and respect for Quebec. The appointment of Mrs. Sharon Carstairs to the Senate reinforces the idea that the government of Canada knows how to reward those who publicly attack Quebec.

Making no secret of her anti-Quebec feelings, Mrs. Carstairs has worked relentlessly to sink the Meech Lake Accord. She tried to put Quebec in its place, and for her trouble, she is rewarded with a seat in the Senate. She who used to enthusiastically support Senate reform now considers this institution necessary because its members are better educated than those of the House of Commons.

[The Speaker]

Dear colleagues, please bear in mind that sometimes an attack on colleagues from the other place can also be an insult to the Senate as an institution. I trust this will be taken into consideration in the future.

[Some hon. members]

Order.

[The Speaker]

Order. After Question Period.

Gun Control

[Ed Harper, Reform, Simcoe Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in failing to balance its budget the Liberal government believes its dilemma is the lack of revenue when clearly the real problem is out of control spending. The same confused thinking has resulted in the emphasis on more gun control rather than getting tough with criminals.

The earlier decision to give in to the tobacco smugglers only shifted the emphasis to guns and alcohol. Our borders are leaking like a sieve when it comes to stopping the guns that are coming in.

The Ontario Provincial Police found during Project Gun Runner that 94 per cent of the guns on the black market were smuggled from the United States.

No amount of gun control is going to solve this problem. We need a government that is willing to start enforcing the laws that are here now rather than adding new ones if we are ever to stop violent crime.

Susan Aglukark

[Jack Iyerak Anawak, Liberal, Nunatsiaq, NT]

On Monday, the 1994 Country Music Awards for Canada were handed out. Among those honoured that night was Susan Aglukark, a young Inuk singer and songwriter from Arviat in my constituency.

In 1990 Susan's video called "Searching" won the top cinematography award from MuchMusic. Her first recording entitled "Dreams for You" was followed in 1992 by the critically acclaimed CD "Arctic Rose".

At Monday's awards ceremony, 27-year old Susan won the Rising Star trophy.

Susan and her music are special. Susan sings in her native language Inuktitut as well as in English. She sings about life, its problems and its joys. While celebrating the Inuit language and culture, Susan's music transcends cultural boundaries.

Congratulations, Susan. We are all proud of you.

Cultural Centres

[Carolyn Parrish, Liberal, Mississauga West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to congratulate the parish of St. Maximillian Kolbe in the city of Mississauga, a parish that my family and I belong to, on the official opening of the Pope John Paul II Polish Cultural Centre.

The centre was built by the parishioners using volunteer engineers, designers and site supervisors. It was built entirely with funds raised over the past eight years. It was completed for just over $2 million and carries a very modest mortgage. Not one dollar came from any level of government.

The centre will serve more than 8,000 families of Polish descent and will throw its doors open for use by the whole Mississauga community. This is an excellent example of multiculturalism for the nineties: a self-sufficient ethnic group reaching out to welcome members of the Polish Canadian community while sharing its facilities with the surrounding neighbourhood.

Again my sincere congratulations go to the founders: the president Lottie Misek, Father Stanley Bak, Father Ted Novak and to the 8,000 families that have worked so hard to see their dream come true.

The Late Marcel Tourangeau

[Shirley Maheu, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer my sincere condolences to Mrs. Gabrielle Tourangeau and her children on the death of her husband Marcel.

Marcel was well known in Saint-Laurent for his many activities as a volunteer and his tireless involvement, particularly as the founder and chairman of the Montpellier seniors group. Among other activities they could be seen playing pétanque every day of the year, whatever the weather-outdoors in the summer, indoors in the winter.

Marcel will be missed by all and especially by his family and his many friends. We have lost a great Canadian.

Member For Central Nova

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, September 20, the hon. member for Central Nova made hateful comments about the gay community, associating homosexuality with bestiality and pedophilia. The Liberal member shows partisanship and a serious lack of judgment by objecting to the fact that an offence motivated by hate, based on sexual orientation-

[The Speaker]

Order, please. In the last few days we have been bordering in some of our comments and some of the attacks on getting perhaps a little more personal than the House is willing to accept in the normal give and take of Parliament.

I would ask all hon. members to consider that whenever we attack one another directly like this it is not always in the best interest of the House. I would ask hon. members to look over the statements they will be making so that they are not referring in any way to what has transpired before.

National Unity

[Deborah Grey, Reform, Beaver River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister left the impression that the Reform Party was profiting from the national unity issue with a 1-900 phone call. Let me set the record straight.

From September 26 to October 3 we will be conducting a cross-country telephone referendum on Canada's future. The phone company, not the Reform Party, charges $1 a minute for each call. The Prime Minister appeared shocked at this. "Unbelievable" was his response.

What is unbelievable is the national debt. It is growing by $88,410 a minute. We believe ordinary Canadians should have a say. Canada's future is too important to be left in the hands of the political elite.

I encourage English speaking Canadians to voice their opinions by calling 1-900-451-4841 et, pour mes amis français, 1-900-451-4032. It is the best value on the Hill.

Jo Wells

[Paddy Torsney, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to congratulate Jo Wells, one my constituents from Burlington, who this summer became the first woman to run the full length of Canada.

Jo began her incredible journey in May leaving from St. John's, Newfoundland, and arriving in Victoria, B.C., 111 days later. Along the way, a long way-some 7,295 kilometres-Jo was greeted, cheered and encouraged by many Canadians in all regions and by many members of Parliament.

Her goal quite simply was to show that it could be done, that anyone who sets goals for themselves however big or small can accomplish them. Jo was especially running to raise awareness about the abilities of women, to show that there are no limits to what women can do.

We can all learn from Jo's extraordinary determination and enthusiasm. Please join me in congratulating an amazing woman, a terrific Canadian.

Gun Control

[David Berger, Liberal, Saint-Henri—Westmount, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer my support to the Minister of Justice and his initiative to draft legislation on gun control. The minister is striving to strike the right balance. He has told the House that his bill will focus on three areas: stopping illegal firearms, toughening the criminal justice system for firearms offences, and improving the regulation of firearms with a goal to enhancing community safety.

The minister has also assured the House that he is keenly aware that hunting has a long tradition and is an important economic activity in many parts of Canada. His proposals will reflect not only the need for a safe society and a strong criminal justice system but will also respect the legitimate interests of hunters, farmers, and those who use firearms for subsistence.

This is the kind of balanced approach to gun control that Canadians need and deserve. I encourage the minister to stick to his timetable and table new legislation in November.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police

[Audrey McLaughlin, NDP, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, today on Parliament Hill there are thousands of people protesting the proposed gun laws that the government is considering.

While the government has been talking about legislation to restrict guns, it has also been cutting back on the resources to enforce the existing laws that we have.

For example, since 1992 the RCMP budget has been cut by $33.4 million. This means a reduction in prevention services, community services, enforcement services. I would urge the government to restore adequate funding to the RCMP so that crimes can be prevented and the laws we have enforced. It must be part of any overall approach to making our streets safer.

[The Speaker]

Before we pass to Question Period, I know we have just been back for three or four days. I wonder if we might consider putting our questions a little more quickly, especially in the supplementaries, and cutting down and making almost non-existent the preamble. I would urge all hon. members who are answering questions to perhaps come to the point a little sooner so that we might get on more of our colleagues in the question and answer period.

That said, we now move on to Oral Question Period with the hon. Leader of the Opposition.

1992 Referendum

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the government promised to reimburse Quebec for the expenses incurred in the referendum on the Charlottetown Accord. On Tuesday, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs said that his government was not bound by this commitment and that Ottawa would therefore not reimburse Quebec. I remind you that the commitment in question was entered into by one first minister with another.

I put my question to the Prime Minister. What is the commitment of a Prime Minister of Canada to the Premier of Quebec worth if his successor can go back on it so shamelessly and with such impunity?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I asked senior officials in the Privy Council to check whether there had been commitments. I even discussed it at one point with current and former senior officials and we could not find any commitment made by the previous government in this regard. Under the circumstances, it must have been understood by the persons involved at the time that there was to be no compensation.

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, if requested, I will file a statement from the public accounts of the Government of Quebec showing that the federal government still owes $47 million for this item. Furthermore, Senator Jean-Claude Rivest, a Liberal, who was Mr. Bourassa's principal advisor at the time, said yesterday that Prime Minister Mulroney had made such a commitment to Mr. Bourassa. I would remind the Prime Minister that he is less scrupulous than his Minister of Heritage, who on a mere rumour honoured a commitment made by some unknown person to allow an unacceptable transaction with Ginn Publishing to proceed.

Does the Prime Minister know that his refusal to reimburse will force Quebecers to pay twice for the referendum? Does he realize that the injustice is even more flagrant because the Charlottetown referendum dealt with a question formulated and presented by the federal authorities?