Debates of Oct. 17th, 1995

Ruth Flowers

[Fred Mifflin, Liberal, Bonavista—Trinity—Conception, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge the singular contribution made by Ruth Flowers of Makkovik, Labrador, a recipient of the 1995 Governor General's award in commemoration of the Persons case.

The voice of the women in her community, she has sought to protect women victimized by violence, to involve women in community economic development and to preserve and promote the traditional culture of Inuit women.

A committed advocate of women's rights, Ruth Flowers was the catalyst behind the creation of Inuit Women of the Torngats and its first president. Under her leadership the organization established the first safe house for abused women on Labrador's north shore.

For her dedication and selfless efforts on behalf of the women of the north shore of Labrador, the Government of Canada has today honoured Ruth Flowers with the 1995 Governor General's award in commemoration of the Persons case. I ask all colleagues to join me in conveying our congratulations.

Francophones Outside Quebec

[Gilbert Fillion, Bloc, Chicoutimi, QC]

Mr. Speaker, by causing the Centre francophone de santé et de services communautaires in southern Ontario to close, the Harris government has just revealed its true intentions with regard to Ontario francophones.

For Franco-Ontarians, the message is clear: if you really want services in French, move to Quebec. This action, which speaks volumes, unfortunately confirms that Quebec's presence in Canada does nothing to prevent decisions that flout the fundamental rights of francophones outside Quebec.

Where is the member for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, the self-styled defender of francophone rights? Why is he hiding when it is time to act? There is no longer any doubt, the future of the french speaking community in North America lies in a sovereign Quebec.

Claude Bennett

[Bill Gilmour, Reform, Comox—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, recently the Prime Minister stated in the House:

Any citizen can request information from government departments. It is in keeping with our government's policy of openness to provide as much information as possible.

Why then is the government denying access to information requests regarding the severance package for Claude Bennett, the former chair of CMHC. Mr. Bennett agreed to step down last August after a back room cabinet deal sweetened his severance package.

It is time the government came clean with its backroom deals. Either we have a policy of openness as the Prime Minister states or we do not, or perhaps the policy is opaque as recently stated by the parliamentary secretary.

Mr. Bennett's severance package was paid for with taxpayer's dollars, yet now the government is blocking requests to divulge the details of the deal. So much for open government.

Sheila Kingham

[Anna Terrana, Liberal, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Government of Canada I am proud to salute Sheila Kingham of Victoria, British Columbia, for her many years of service on behalf of rural women. Today Ms. Kingham received the Governor General's award in commemoration of the Persons case.

Ms. Kingham's accomplishments have been many. An articulate and persuasive public speaker, she has given countless presentations and briefs on topics ranging from the rape shield law to women's health. She has encouraged others. As a firm believer in the power of collective action, she has helped other women to organize and lobby for advances in all areas of women's political, social and economic equality.

Mrs. Kingham created the position of rural coordinator for the Manitoba Action Committee on the Status of Women and helped establish the Western Manitoba Coalition for equality rights in the Canadian constitution, an organization formed to give voice to the concerns of rural women about constitutional change.

I am sure all members of this House will agree that Sheila Kingham is most worthy recipient of the 1995 Governor General's award.

Marthe Asselin Vaillancourt

[Pierrette Ringuette-Maltais, Liberal, Madawaska—Victoria, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I pay tribute to Marthe Asselin Vaillancourt of Jonquière, Quebec, one of the recipients of the 1995 Governor General's award in commemoration of the Persons case.

A long-time educator, researcher and grassroots activist, Marthe Asselin Vaillancourt has never missed an opportunity to improve the status of women.

Over the years, she has spoken out regularly on sexual assault, pornography, employment equity and family violence.

Within her community, she was the initiator of and the driving force behind the establishment of a shelter for women and the development, in cooperation with the Quebec provincial police, of a pilot project to oppose violence against women. This project gave birth to the Centre d'aide aux victimes d'actes criminels de Chicoutimi, which she currently heads.

She has served as national co-chair of the Canadian Panel on violence against women, which conducted the first national study in the world on this serious social problem.

Referendum Campaign

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the people of Quebec will be deprived of the opportunity to view a television debate between the presidents of the committee for the yes side and the committee for the no side during the present referendum campaign.

A consortium of television broadcasters has announced that the deadlines for organizing such an event cannot be met and consequently it will not take place.

Despite repeated appeals from the no side for such a debate to be held, and despite all of the concessions made, the yes side continues to refuse a public debate on the basic issues.

After successfully blocking the television debate, now the yes side is pulling the leader of the Bloc Quebecois out of the House so that he will not have to defend his statements concerning the plan for separation.

Following the example of the separatists' saying "no" to debate and to the disclosure of information, on October 30 the people of Quebec will vote "no" to separation.

[Pierrette Venne, Bloc, Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this morning the Leader of the Official Opposition, accompanied by Françoise David, President of la Fédération des femmes du Québec, had the opportunity to explain what he said this past weekend.

Those of us who are in favour of change feel it is imperative for parents to be given assistance in reconciling jobs and family responsibilities. It is not a matter of making people have more children than they want.

In a sovereign Quebec what we are aiming at is better paid parental leave, increased services for young children, more daycare spaces, more flexible working arrangements.

The women of Quebec do not wish to be used as a red herring. Quebecers, both men and women, want the focus to be on true debate, not on blackening the character of a man of integrity, a man without a racist or sexist bone in his body.

Justice

[Diane Ablonczy, Reform, Calgary North, AB]

Mr. Speaker, over and over again Reformers in the House have tried to tell the Liberal government that Canadians want their safety and the safety of their families to be the top priority of our justice system.

In two days time, on Thursday night in Oshawa, the Reform message that the rights of law-abiding citizens must come before the rights of criminals will be reinforced by hundreds of Ontarians in a rally at the civic auditorium.

The Reform Party leader joined by the justice critics, the hon. members for Calgary Northeast, Crowfoot and Wild Rose, will deliver Reform's clear common sense plan for strong and effective changes to Canada's justice system.

Canadians are tired of having to look back over their shoulders in fear rather than ahead in security and confidence as they build their lives and their futures.

Reform is committed to solid measures to safeguard the future of Canada. I invite Canadians everywhere to look at what we are proposing and to give us their support.

Referendum Campaign

[Robert Bertrand, Liberal, Pontiac—Gatineau—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the PQ premier made a great effort to minimize and make a mockery of the significance the public attaches to what the leader of the Bloc had to say about the low birth rate of the white race in Quebec.

When questioned as to the meaning of what his separatist colleague had said, the leader of the Parti Québécois found nothing better to reply than "So what would you have me say? The pale-faced race?"

Whether white or coloured, Quebec women are, just like Quebec men, persons who will be called upon shortly to decide the future of Quebec.

The tendency of the yes side to pigeonhole people according to sex, language or race does not correspond in the least to the values of our society.

This coming October 30, the women and men of Quebec will be saying no to a project that seeks to divide them.

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the imagination of the people who design the ads for the separatists has no bounds. Yesterday, the Yes committee placed an ad in several Quebec newspapers, showing a page of help wanted ads, under the heading: "This is how we see the future".

The jobs offered in the ad for the Yes side included the following: "Sexy waitress required for new bar on South Shore"; "Barmaid required, experienced, nice appearance". Another ad: "Sell pantyhose from your home". Listen to this: "Sexy restaurant-bar requires pretty waitress and sexy barmaid, nice personality. Duties: lunch, dinner and manager". Yes, those were the duties.

Since yesterday, the Yes side has been trying to provide an explanation for what its leader said, but they have their work cut out for them. On October 30, the women of Quebec will say no to those who would determine their future for them.

The Crtc

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I want to say I am appalled at the statements made by the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs who said this morning that Quebec sovereignists were racist. I think that is entirely unacceptable.

My question is directed to the Prime Minister. Increasingly, francophones see their language and culture threatened in Canada. The CRTC, whose mission includes preserving the cultural identity of francophones in the broadcasting sector, is being forced to shift its decisions as we saw recently when an exemption was granted to Power DirecTv for the use of an American satellite for television transmissions.

Now that Power DirecTv has applied to the CRTC for a broadcasting licence for pay per view television, what guarantees do francophones in Quebec and the rest of Canada have that the regulations now in effect at the CRTC will be enforced this time, unlike what happened in this recent case before the CRTC?

[Michel Dupuy, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, what is important is what it says in the act, and I am referring to the Broadcasting Act which established the CRTC. I am very pleased that the CRTC will consider representations on the subject raised by the hon. member. That is how the legislation works, and it is there to protect Canadian content on our airwaves.

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since the minister has decided to come out of his shell, we will ask him about the CRTC.

Would he agree that Power DirecTv's application for permission to broadcast 63 English channels, 60 of which are American, and only one French channel on pay per view will leave the door open for Canada and Quebec to become a mere extension of the American market, which would be extremely harmful to the French fact in America?

[Michel Dupuy, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, obviously, in Canada the interests involved can apply for whatever they want, but it is up to the CRTC to decide. It makes its decisions on the basis of the legislation, the Broadcasting Act to which I referred earlier.

When the CRTC has made a decision with respect to a licence, that decision can be appealed to cabinet. That is how the legislation works, and its purpose is to protect Canadian content.

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the House will recall that in a recent case, when the minister was gagged by

the Leader of the Government, CRTC regulations were circumvented to ensure that Power DirecTv obtained a special authorization.

My question to the minister raises the same concerns. How can the minister expect francophones in Quebec and Canada to feel secure in the belief that the federal government will protect the French fact and their cultural identity in the broadcasting sector, when we know perfectly well that recently, the federal government bent the rules of the CRTC to give Power DirecTv an advantage and that now the same company proposes a pay per view service including 63 English channels, 60 of which are American, and one French channel? How can francophones say they are being well defended by this government?

[Michel Dupuy, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member's question would be valid if it were based on fact, which it is not. The federal government never violated the act and never instructed the CRTC to contravene the act, on the contrary.

We wanted to ensure there was no penetration of Canada's airwaves via American satellites. We acted for the purpose of protecting Canadian content.

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, cultural groups in Quebec rallied together yesterday to ask the CRTC to not compromise the present linguistic balance in broadcasting, specifically by granting a licence to Power DirecTv. For its part, the federal government claims to be acting, again in the case of Power DirecTv, in the name of free competition. This new episode demonstrates that Quebec has no control over its broadcasting environment.

Will the Prime Minister acknowledge that the Power DirecTv project would seriously compromise the linguistic balance of the Quebec broadcasting system and consequently risk weakening Quebecers' cultural identity? Is this what awaits Quebecers following a no vote in the referendum?

[Michel Dupuy, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, the CRTC has received a number of applications for licences. Next comes the perfectly natural process whereby they are heard, everyone's comments are heard, those in favour and those opposed-this is the point of the process.

The government will not intervene in the debate, because the law prevents it. We will, however, see at the end of the process whether the CRTC's decision is wise and, if it is not, interested parties will certainly be appealing to the government. At that point, we can decide. Let us allow the process to take its course, and then we will have some answers.

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, does the minister acknowledge that, in the present federal

context, Quebec has no power over broadcasting enabling it to protect its cultural identity against the massive influx of new English language television channels into Quebec? Is this not another good reason to vote yes in the referendum?

[Michel Dupuy, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I would like our colleague to respond to questions I have often put to my friends in both the Bloc and the Parti Quebecois.

As a country separated from Canada, how is Quebec going to block the American programs that spill over its borders via satellite? They will need the mechanism that we already have-the CRTC and the Broadcasting Act.

They should be delighted to have such a mechanism and vote no.

Health Care

[Grant Hill, Reform, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Canada Health Act will not allow private clinics to provide services that are insured by medicare. Most Canadians feel they should have a choice if medicare does not meet their needs.

Will the health minister finally agree to amend the Canada Health Act to allow fully opted out private clinics in Canada?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the opposition Reform Party, we have stood by our red book promises. We have said that we would continue to support the five principles of medicare. The medicare we have in Canada is one of the great reasons why it is wonderful to be Canadian.

In this country, Mr. Speaker, we have a system where it matters not how wealthy you are. What matters is how sick you are. That is the way it should continue to be. We should use our resources the best way possible to have the best technologies, the best pharmaceuticals in order to treat our sick Canadians and make them healthy.

[Grant Hill, Reform, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have trouble figuring out why waiting lists do not seem to bother the Liberals.

An American firm is now selling waiting list insurance for Canadians. If you have to wait more than 45 days you can ship off to the states. Not only do the Liberals say line up and shut up but they also say ship out.

What is the minister doing to reduce waiting lists or is she content to have Canadians travel to the U.S. for medical attention?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Perhaps, Mr. Speaker, if the Reform Party really wants to know about waiting

lists they should speak to the 38 million Americans who have absolutely no insurance at all.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.