Debates of Nov. 9th, 1995

Education

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development and Minister of Western Economic Diversification]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to answer in two specific ways.

First, this summer we introduced a brand new student financial assistance program that substantially refinanced the ability of young people to go back to school. For the first time ever we introduced a major grant program that would allow young people with high income needs, such as disabled students and women going to graduate school, to get specific direct grants. It is the first time the federal government has ever offered that kind of assistance.

Second, this year we introduced a youth internship program. By working with the private sector, it allows young people to work half time in the business workplace environment and half time to go to school. We have signed agreements with a number of human resource sector councils in the private sector.

This year alone up to 25,000 young people will be enrolled in that program, showing how successful it is to be able to get the private sector to work with us in partnership in helping young people.

Presence In Gallery

[The Speaker]

My colleagues, this is a rather special day for the House because we have special guests in not only the Speaker's gallery but also in the opposition gallery.

Fifty years ago today, Canada became a member of the United Nations. On this occasion, I would like to salute the Canadian men and women who personify our commitment to the UN.

Seated in the gallery today are peacekeepers of the Canadian Armed Forces and Mounted Police who have served in Cyprus, Egypt, El Salvador, Haiti, the Golan Heights, Kuwait, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia.

These men and women represent the 100,000 Canadians who have served in peacekeeping missions since Parliament ratified the United Nations charter. They are in our galleries to my left and they are joined today with their spouses.

Today this House, the representatives of the people of Canada, salute our peacekeepers, nos Casques bleus, past and present on behalf of all Canadians.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[The Speaker]

My colleagues, I hope you will take a few minutes to receive the members of our peacekeeping forces, all three forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, at a very small reception which will be held in room 216-N immediately after question period.

Business Of The House

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

As you might suspect, Mr. Speaker, as we usually do on Thursday, I want to ask my hon. colleague, the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, to give us the agenda for the next few days.

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons and Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to provide the weekly business statement.

We will continue today, tomorrow and on November 20 with the second reading debate of Bill C-96, on the human resources development departmental reorganization. This will be followed by report stage and third reading of Bill C-83, respecting the environmental auditor general.

The business of the House would then be called in the following order: Bill C-78, Bill C-52 and Bill C-58.

Finally, I would like to designate November 21 and November 22 as opposition days.

[Ray Speaker, Reform, Lethbridge]

Mr. Speaker, I have two questions for the House leader of the government.

First, could the hon. House leader indicate whether the government intends to introduce any substantial legislation into the House between now and December 15, if the House continues in operation?

Second, could the hon. House leader indicate whether the very important reports that have been promised regarding old age assistance, Canada pension plan, unemployment insurance are going to be tabled in the House? Will the paper on aging come to the House? Will a position be presented on the GST? That was promised at least two years ago.

Finally, would the hon.-

[Fernand Robichaud, Liberal, Beauséjour, NB]

Order.

[The Speaker]

We allow these interventions if they are short questions. I would appeal to all hon. members, should there be any more interventions like this, that the questions be very precise and as short as possible.

I will permit the hon. House leader to answer.

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Windsor West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, with respect to the second part of the hon. member's question, the material on the subjects he has mentioned will be brought forward in due course in a way that is consistent with the red book, the throne speech and the budgets of the government.

With respect to the first part of the hon. member's question, the answer is definitely yes.

[The Speaker]

I would encourage the hon. House leader of the Reform Party to perhaps have a meeting with the hon. House leader of the government.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It was our understanding there was to be a statement made at this time in reference to Armistice Day. I believe if you were to seek it you would find that was the agreement of the House.

If such is the case perhaps we could proceed with that prior to going to Government Orders.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

As I understand it, the chief government whip is correct. We will proceed beginning with the hon. Minister of Veterans Affairs.

Remembrance Day

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Secretary of State (Veterans)]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to those Canadians who gave their lives for freedom and democracy in serving their country in two world wars, the Korean war and in peacekeeping missions.

On Saturday in ceremonies across the country and in cemeteries around the world where soldiers rest in peace, Canadians will pay tribute to our war dead. This has been a cherished tradition on November 11 ever since the end of the first world war on that date in 1918.

Through the course of this century Canadians have responded to the call of duty again and again. They have shown their strength, courage and conviction in defence of democracy and in the interest of peace. As the years pass and the veterans of these earlier wars age and pass away, it is up to each new generation of Canadians to continue the memory of their sacrifice and courage.

It is up to each new generation of young Canadians to reflect that the men and women who gave their lives were young themselves. They fought for liberty with the strength and idealism of their youth. Many others sacrificed their youth in the terrible ordeal of war.

The Prime Minister has declared November 4 to 12 veterans week. We have used this week as an occasion to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice and those men and women who came back from the war and kept on contributing to Canada.

These veterans come from all regions of Canada. They serve their country with pride and distinction. They left behind in the cemeteries of Europe, Southeast Asia, North Africa and the Pacific comrades who died for their country without a thought of whether they come from the east or the west or whether they fought for this province or that. They fought and died for Canadians. All Canadians in every province share the legacy of peace and freedom they left for us.

On Saturday the country will unite to remember her war dead. Let every Canadian remember and cherish the memories of those who have sacrificed so much. Let us put aside our partisan differences and our conflicting visions of tomorrow. Let us pay tribute to those who gave us the freedom we have to choose our destiny, the freedom we share with Canadians.

[Jean H. Leroux, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Bloc Quebecois, which forms the official opposition in this House, I am pleased to rise this afternoon in honour of Remembrance Day. Tradition dictates that, every November 11, we take a few moments to remember those who have served in the two world wars and in the Korean war.

Of course, we must also remember those who served in the numerous UN peacekeeping missions. Remembrance Day is especially significant this year since last spring marked the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II. Today, we want to thank all those who served at the front, the sailors and airmen and women from all regions of Canada, the members of the merchant navy, the

nurses, and all the men and women who risked or gave their lives to overcome tyranny.

We must never forget that over 100,000 young Canadians and Quebecers lost their lives in the two major global conflicts, while hundreds of others died in Korea and in various peacekeeping missions. Unfortunately, many bloody conflicts are still raging throughout the world. Let us think about all those who are responsible for keeping the peace in the world, in particular the Canadian peacekeepers.

One of the main roles of the Canadian Forces at the international level is to participate in peacekeeping operations. This is an invaluable asset and international achievement for Canada.

On behalf of all Bloc members, I wish to congratulate all members of the various Legion branches. We sincerely thank them for honouring the memory of the young Canadians and Quebecers who left everything behind and went overseas to fight for peace and freedom.

Today we remember the selfless sacrifices made by those to whom we owe this legacy of freedom and democracy.

The heavy human casualties and the great suffering of all those affected by these endless wars are beyond comprehension.

As the Leader of the Official Opposition said in marking the 50th anniversary of the end of the second world war, who can describe the terrible pain of the mothers and fathers whose son was killed in the prime of his life? And what about the widows and orphans, the brothers and sisters forever deprived of a loved one who left one day for a faraway country to meet his destiny as a sacrificed hero?

Like those who gave their lives, all these brave people also fought so that there would be no more wars and that future generations would be spared the attendant atrocities, suffering and upheaval.

This was, however, the price we had to pay for our commitment to peace and democracy. It is precisely because our young soldiers shared these values that they felt compelled to defend them overseas.

We must therefore sincerely thank again all those who died and, of course, all those who survived these tragedies.

Let us pay them a vibrant tribute and honour their memory.

[Preston Manning, Reform, Calgary Southwest, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to remember and pay tribute to those brave Canadians who served their country and those who lost their lives or suffered injuries or loss in the terrible wars of this century. On behalf of our party, our constituencies, our constituents and all Canadians who remember, we offer our profound respect and deepest thanks.

That reminds me that there are no French Canadians or English Canadians in cemeteries in Europe, only Canadians. I pray that this fact unites us in peacetime as in wartime.

At the same time we remember and pay tribute to the current members of our armed forces, many of whom have served or are serving as peacekeepers in the troubled places of the world. Again on behalf of our constituents and on behalf of all Canadians who cherish peace, we offer our profound respect and our deepest thanks.

November 11 is called Remembrance Day. Our children rightly ask what precisely it is we are asked to remember. If we ask the living, the loved ones and friends of those who served and fell in the wars, they will say we remember our loved ones and friends who gave their lives for freedom and democracy, and they will be right. However, if we could ask those who served and fell what they would like us to remember, I believe they would tell us to remember the great lesson their loss teaches us: the lesson that freedom and democracy cannot be preserved without self-sacrifice.

If each of us every day, year after year, makes the small sacrifices of time, energy and self-interest necessary to preserve our freedoms, that is enough. But if we neglect to make those small daily sacrifices then someday, somewhere down the road, a vast multitude of people like those we honour on Remembrance Day must make the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.

Today I say let us make our tributes and on November 11 let us lay our wreaths. But, above all, each day after that let us practise the great lesson: that freedom and democracy cannot be preserved without self-sacrifice on our part. Such practice would be the highest tribute we could pay to those who fought and fell as well as to those who stand on guard for Canada today.

[Simon de Jong, NDP, Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour for me to join my colleagues on behalf of the New Democratic Party in remembering those who died and suffered during the past great wars. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the last great war, both in Europe and Southeast Asia.

It is also a personal gratitude that I have the great honour to express today in the House to the Parliament of Canada. Coming from Holland, where many of my relatives had part in the

resistance against the fascism that swept through Europe, on their behalf and on behalf of my former countrymen in the Netherlands I wish to express our great gratitude and appreciation to those young Canadian men and women who liberated us from the shadow of fascism.

Having been born in the Dutch East Indies and a few months after my birth being incarcerated in a Japanese prisoner of war camp with my mother and my older brother, and my father eventually being taken a prisoner of war and incarcerated in a prisoner of war camp in Japan, I wish to express my personal gratitude to those men and women of the allied forces who liberated us. If it were not for them I would not be alive today. It is a very personal matter for me to stand in the House and express our deepest gratitude to those men and women who sacrificed their lives to save others.

As we remember them, let us also remember why the young Canadian men and women went forward in their great act of sacrifice. It was to preserve democracy and freedom as we know them. It was to fight against the intolerance that had swept through Europe and Asia at the time. As we remember their deeds, it is important for us to also reaffirm ourselves to the ideals of democracy, freedom and tolerance. Without tolerance, democracy and freedom cannot exist.

As we live through today's age of rapid social and technological changes, which create psychological insecurities, the ugly head of intolerance rises now and then. As we remember the dead, let us also remember the great purpose of freedom, democracy and tolerance.

On behalf of my colleagues, myself, my family and the people of the Netherlands, I thank those great Canadian men and women who did so much.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the many Canadians who sacrificed so much for the peace and freedom we all enjoy today.

The first world war ended at 11 a.m. on November 11, 1918. We reflect each Remembrance Day on that time and on that date. World War I left close to 70,000 Canadians dead and almost twice as many wounded. The second world war took the lives of 45,000 Canadians. Canadians also gave their lives during the Korean war and our armed forces answered when the United Nations called for action to put an end to Iraq's aggression against Kuwait. Canadians have never backed down or run away in the face of such aggression. Our troops have put their lives on the line when international peace and security has been at risk.

I, like my colleague of the New Democratic Party, am personally aware of World War II because I had two brothers who served in Holland.

As a child at that time I remember how we used to work and save our pennies to buy Canadian stamps, how we used to take our toothpaste tubes to school. Some of the boys used to bring their little metal toys and turn them in. All of us have memories, but I have happy memories because my brothers returned home safe and sound.

Canadians know that to ensure world peace the laws that govern relationships among nations must be respected and enforced. That is why we have almost 2,000 members of the Canadian military serving throughout the world in peace and humanitarian operations.

This year we commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the end of the second world war and on Remembrance Day and this Veterans' Week let us commit, each and every one of us, to honouring those who risked so much on our behalf through concrete action. In Holland during VE Day celebrations Canadian veterans were treated like royalty for their role in the liberation of that country.

Here at home we must continue to remember and show our gratitude to those who risked everything so that we would have the country we have today with our rights and freedoms. That is why we have to protect the programs vital to the well-being of so many veterans.

Today I say thank you to those who fought for the freedoms we enjoy. I say thank you to those who continue to wear the uniform of Canada for their extraordinary service to all of us.

Let us not forget the price that has been paid so that we could live in peace, individually and collectively. Let us be vigilant about maintaining that peace.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

We now resume debate on Bill C-96. The hon. member for Lévis still has four minutes in his statement, which will be followed by a period of questions and comments.

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

Once again, Mr. Speaker, I thought there had been discussions among the parties so that this period of comments would be followed by a moment of silence. I am informed, at least, that it was the case in past years, and I had thought that these discussions had taken place today as well.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

I must admit that I am not aware of the discussions, but I still believe that since Remembrance Day is coming soon, on Saturday, November 11, it would be quite appropriate to stand up and have a moment of silence.

I ask you all to rise for a minute of silence.

The House resumed consideration of the motion, with amendment.

Department Of Human Resources Development Act

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

Resuming debate on Bill C-96.

[Antoine Dubé, Bloc, Lévis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as you indicated earlier, I was not completely done with my remarks on Bill C-96. I would like to use the three or four minutes remaining to raise two major points.

I heard comments the minister and the hon. member for St. Boniface made to the effect that the official opposition was worrying for nothing, that it need not worry about clause 20 because, even though the minister was giving himself greater powers-these are certainly not duties or functions; we are talking mostly about powers here-he did not intend to encroach on provincial powers or responsibilities.

My father used to say: "To predict the future or to know how someone will perform in the future, just look at their performance for the past few months or years".

The Minister of Human Resources Development has been in office for two years now and we can clearly see two things. There are many things, but I will focus on these two. First, we will recall that among the many budgetary provisions contained in Bill C-17, there was one concerning cuts to the unemployment insurance program, which I would briefly summarize as follows: longer qualifying period, lower amounts and shorter benefit period. Let us bear this in mind.

The impact of these provisions was felt throughout Canada, but since I am from Quebec, let me point out that the labour minister mentioned again just recently how many more Quebecers were forced on welfare as a result.

The minister, in his speech this morning, spoke about young people, and said that, all things considered, there were not that many more unemployed young people. That is true, but in Quebec, at least, there are many more people on welfare, including young people. It think that has to be pointed out.

Furthermore, as the training and youth critic for my party, I would like to remind the House of what we heard in committee, which was that, in Bill C-28, the minister and the parliamentary secretary were giving themselves the right to designate the appropriate authority, when the previous act gave that right to the governor in council, meaning the provincial governments. Why? Because, in the Constitution, this is an area of exclusive provincial jurisdiction.

Moreover, in section 14(7), the minister dealt with the opting-out privilege which the government of Quebec has always requested and which it was able to use, but now there were some new conditions. Now, each element of the student financial assistance program had to meet the requirements of the federal government's financial assistance program. The minister was giving himself the right to determine how similar the two programs were. I just wanted to remind the House of all of this before concluding my remarks.

And finally, I want to thank the hon. member for Mercier, who is sitting right behind me, for her excellent work as deputy chairperson of the human resources development committee. As the official opposition critic, she spoke today more specifically to the people of Quebec, asking them to watch out, because Prime Minister Jean Chrétien was about to make them face the music, as he promised to do in answer to a question put to him in the House not so long ago.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

Before the question and comment period, I would like to remind all members that they cannot refer to hon. members by their names, but that they have to use the name of their ridings or their title. I know it is sometimes easy to forget, but I wanted to remind the House because this is an important point within our parliamentary rules.