Debates of Dec. 14th, 1995

Nuclear Testing

[Mac Harb, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Don Francis of the coalition against nuclear testing and many of my constituents are outraged at the French's nuclear testing in the South Pacific. They are calling for a ban on the sale of uranium to any country which produces or tests nuclear weapons.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and has become an important reminder of the human potential for global destruction. Conflicts throughout the world continue to be resolved through peaceful measures, and the decision of the Government of France to resume nuclear weapons testing has seriously damaged this commitment.

On December 12 at the United Nations plenary session Canada voted in favour of a resolution strongly deploring nuclear testing.

I share the concerns of my constituents. As a society we must take all necessary steps to ensure our world is free of nuclear weapons.

Pornography

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, like many members, I recently received numerous white ribbons from people in my riding. These white ribbons signify their concerns about the effects of pornography in communities across Canada.

A number of churches in Halifax West have been actively involved in the white ribbon against pornography campaign. By distributing information pamphlets to encourage discussion and action, by wearing white ribbons during the WRAP campaign, by bringing their concerns to our attention, my constituents are taking a strong stand against pornography.

As the social action committee of the Bedford United Baptist Church stated, people acting together can make a difference. My constituents are acting together to limit the production, distribution and sale of pornography. I commend their efforts.

Minister Of Health

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, day after day, the Minister of Health keeps fumbling and getting bogged down because of the wishy-washy and clumsy way she manages her department. Remember the hepatitis C issue. The minister was so casual about the whole thing that she had to apologize to those concerned.

In her tobacco control strategy, the minister does not answer the legitimate questions raised in recent days by concerned organizers, in Montreal, of cultural events sponsored by tobacco companies. This is just the most recent in a series of blunders on the minister's part. Whether she was dealing with the tainted blood issue, somatrophin, AIDS, breast cancer or other issues, the minister showed that she was totally incompetent. Rarely has the behaviour of a government member had such a devastating effect on its reputation. Therefore, instead of making recommendations to the Leader of the Opposition regarding my future, the minister should ponder her own future.

Canadian Unity

[Keith Martin, Reform, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the basic principle of any democratic society is equality for all its citizens. However, this principle has been abrogated by the government in giving a distinct society clause to Quebec.

The principle of equality is something that Canada stands for and is something Canadians have fought for and have died for. It is the basic tenant of our society, one Canadians hold in the highest esteem. The course the government has taken violates this principle of equality.

As we prepare to rise for the Christmas break, the message I would like to send to the people of Quebec and to the rest of Canada is this. We are a nation with a proud and diverse history, a

nation based on tolerance and respect. Our differences are not something that need to divide us but something that can bind us together. If we are to have unity we must think of ourselves as Canadians first and not as hyphenated Canadians.

A strong and united Canada is our destiny, something we must and can pursue. As we gather with family and friends during this holiday season I encourage all Canadians to reflect on how lucky we are to live in this beautiful country.

Child Care

[Chris Axworthy, NDP, Saskatoon—Clark's Crossing, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the child care initiative announced yesterday by the Minister of Human Resources Development is a small step in the right direction, but only 12 per cent of Canadian children who need licensed child care have access to it, compared with 80 per cent in many European countries. The 362,000 regulated child care spaces in Canada barely scratch the surface, as there are 3.1 million children in need.

The Liberal government is using budgetary restraint as an excuse for not developing a real national child care program and it has already slashed $7 billion in social programs, thus compounding the problems the less well off children in Canada face.

The government has also chosen to download its responsibilities on to the provinces, which are already strapped for cash. Plainly some provinces will not be interested in participating in this offer of child care partnership, and then what will become of the children in those provinces?

Unfortunately the government does not understand our children are our future and that now is the time for real and full commitment to Canada's greatest resource in the form of universal, accessible and non-profit child care.

Leader Of The Reform Party

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

Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of the season, the clarion call of the leader of the third party to His Excellency the Governor General of Canada, demanding the removal of the Prime Minister, no doubt will bring love and joy to the House.

Like elves and flying reindeer, surely the leader of the third party has had a vision. Canadians must be asking what is dancing in his head. Is the cause too much refined sugar or half-baked turkey?

This Christmas season we government members of the House are full of goodwill. Surely the recent actions of the leader of the third party can be described in the last words of the last line of the Polish "Carol of the Bells": Merry Christmas, ding, ding, ding, dong.

Reform Party

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have a confession. I have a 25-year habit I cannot kick, thinking like a physician.

I have observed the Reform Party with clinical interest over the last two years. My diagnosis: collective schizophrenia evidenced by irrational behaviour, delusions of grandeur and loss of touch with reality.

Observe a party that emoted over the 14 women gunned down in Montreal yet which opposes gun control; a party that claims to support universal medicare but wants a two tier U.S. style system; a party that said it supports Canadian unity but was absent at the Montreal rally and stands unanimously with the Bloc on every issue of Canadian unity.

It called for a B.C. veto and then sided with the separatists against any region's getting a veto; a party whose leader so desperately wants to be Prime Minister, a position denied him by the people of Canada in the last election, that he committed the ultimate irrationality of asking the crown to remove a democratically elected Prime Minister from office.

Actually this is not schizophrenia, it is coldly calculated political opportunism; a party willing to sacrifice Canada's future to advance its own political position.

As Ebenezer Scrooge would say: "Bah, humbug".

Canadian Unity

[Denis Paradis, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, it will be seven weeks since Canadians from all the provinces came to Montreal to show their support for Quebecers on the eve of the referendum. Only seven weeks.

Today, we are proud of the message the government has sent to Canadians by having this House adopt the motion on distinct society and the veto bill, and all this less than seven weeks after the referendum. This is a very important step.

Quebec members of the federal Liberal caucus have already advised the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs of their thoughts on future changes. The minister, who chairs the Committee on Canadian unity, is to make his recommendations to the Prime Minister two weeks from today.

I would like to take this opportunity to say that I hope 1996 will be a year of peace, prosperity and unity for all members of this House, for all my constituents in Brome-Missisquoi and for all Canadians who want to build the Canada of tomorrow.

Transfer Payments

[Gilbert Fillion, Bloc, Chicoutimi, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today the federal government monopolized a full page in Quebec's daily newspapers to announce that Quebec receives 31 per cent of federal transfers.

Of course, the federal government has skewed the facts by including transfers of tax points in its calculations. It also overlooks the fact that although Quebec represents 25 per cent of the population of Canada, it receives only 19 per cent of federal spending on goods and services, 18.5 per cent of federal spending on research and development, 17 per cent of federal capital spending, and so forth.

As a result of this shortfall in structural spending by the federal government, Quebec has to do without 55,000 jobs it would otherwise have.

As far as Ottawa is concerned, economic development is for Ontario and unemployment and welfare for Quebec. However, if cutbacks continue at their current rate, four years from now Ottawa will no longer finance Quebec's social programs.

Athabasca Tar Sands

[Dave Chatters, Reform, Athabasca, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I bring to the attention of Canadians the outrageous report tabled this morning by the environment committee. This report is a direct attack on Canada's resource industry and could put the proposed tar sands expansion project in my riding in jeopardy.

The proposed tar sands expansion will generate 44,000 new jobs all across Canada-real jobs, not the imaginary ones created by the minister of public works-and will add directly to government balances $97 billion.

This report makes outrageous statements about how environmentally damaging the tar sands are. The companies which extract oil from the tar sands have continually demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the goals of sustainable development and are voluntary participants in the government's CO2 reduction program. They are leading the way on environmental issues.

I urge the finance minister to reject these report recommendations as extreme and seriously consider the recommendation of the tarsands task force on the basis of the benefits to flow to all Canadians.

Reform Party

[Raymond Bonin, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canadians witnessed again the Reform leader's true loyalty and contempt for Canadian democracy.

The Reform leader said he wants to impeach the duly and lawfully elected Prime Minister of Canada, not for wrongdoing, but because he does not agree with his policies.

In a democracy, disagreements are settled in general elections and by the majority of votes in the nation's democratic institutions, not by trying to eliminate or silence by any means those with whom we disagree.

After two years in the House he should know and respect the democratic procedures of Parliament. How far is the Reform leader willing to go in his quest for power? We do not know. But the defenders of democracy must be on guard.

If the Reform leader does not agree with policy, let him come to the House, present his views and let the elected members vote. He will then see that the majority does not share his vision of a divided Canada. If he wants to launch an American style impeachment, let him agree to a vote in the House on whether he should resign. I am sure the result will be more than a 50 per cent plus one split.

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

Mr. Speaker, what do you call a political party that came to Ottawa advocating a new way of doing parliamentary business and then makes a fool of itself in Parliament?

[Some hon. members]

Reform.

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

What do you call a party that asked for a constitutional veto for British Columbia and then voted against it?

[Some hon. members]

Reform.

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

What do you call a party that debated a supply bill for five days and then asked why it had not debated the supply bill that it had just debated?

[Some hon. members]

Reform.

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

What do you call a political party asking for parliamentary committees to devise a procedure to defeat the government when such a procedure has been in existence for 128 years?

[Some hon. members]

Reform.

[Darrel Stinson, Reform, Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

What do you call a party that does not let its members vote? Liberals.

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

What do we call a party that thinks everyone else is crazy except itself?

[Some hon. members]

Reform.

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

Well, need I say more?

Child Care

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, at the same time that the Minister of Finance was vainly trying to reach agreement with the provinces on distribution of the drastic cuts in social programs announced by Ottawa early this year, the Minister of Human Resources Development was freeing up $720 million for a new national child care strategy. Surprisingly, the Minister of Finance was totally in the dark about the announcement.

What explanation can there be for the Minister of Finance knowing nothing, at the very moment when he was discussing significant cuts in social programs with the provinces, about his Human Resources Development colleague's initiative, his decision to inject $720 million into a new daycare package?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance and Minister responsible for the Federal Office of Regional Development-Quebec]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday and the day before that, at the meeting of ministers of finance, there were most definitely discussions on putting public finances on a more sound footing, as well as of the necessity for both levels of government to set priorities.

Several provincial representatives therefore spoke to the Minister of Human Resources Development concerning daycare. The British Columbia Minister of Social Affairs also made a statement on her wish for such a program.

The federal government therefore needs to respond to the wishes expressed by the provinces. What we established yesterday with the ministers of finance was that the absolute necessity of setting priorities.