Debates of Feb. 20th, 1995

Contracting Out

[Eugène Bellemare, Liberal, Carleton—Gloucester, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government operations committee of which I am a vice-chairman has been reviewing contracting out practices for over six months.

The previous government's bias toward wholesale contracting for services within the public service has led to little accountability as to numbers or quality of the shadow public service. The committee continues to be frustrated by the lack of data and costing.

The $5.2 billion for contracting services in 1993 is but a guestimate and could well be twice this amount. It is my belief that the government should restrain this practice so that public service employees not lose their jobs while the shadow public service continues to grow and prosper out of control.

Trial Proceedings

[Walt Lastewka, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the daily newspaper in my riding, the St. Catharines Standard , on its editorial calling for the media to examine the moral question of how visual evidence should be reported at the Paul Bernardo trial.

The editorial states:

Does the public have a right to know every single detail of evidence that will be presented during the trial? In principle, in defence of freedom of the press, the answer must be yes. But does the public need to know every gory detail? The answer surely is no, so long as the public is assured that such evidence has been seen and weighed by the judge and the jury of 12 who will represent us all in deciding the case.

While the media may have an obligation to inform the public, there is surely also a duty to respect the dignity of the victims and of the victims' family, neighbours and friends.

Canadians must ensure that the media coverage is handled in an appropriate and respectful way; in short, in a Canadian way.

Small Business

[Sarkis Assadourian, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize and applaud the aggressive approach the city of North York is taking in establishing the North York Small Business Centre.

Canadians realize that the small business sector now accounts for over half of all private sector employment. They understand, as this government does, that the impact of small business on the

Canadian economy is profound. Small business will be relied upon for economic growth and job creation.

This government promised to focus on a jobs and growth agenda. The Minister of Industry's plan calls for partnerships among all Canadians and their institutions-businesses, unions, professional associations, interest groups and governments-to facilitate and create jobs and growth in the private sector.

The North York Small Business Centre realizes that growing new businesses is important, that new business people need help in marketing themselves and simply need some encouragement.

I would like to pay tribute to Mr. Lincoln Allen, the executive director, and all of the centre's staff and wish them success.

[Translation]

Copyright

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in an attempt to boost his image before the Christmas holidays, the heritage minister announced with hoopla, on December 22, that the government planned to be reviewing the Copyright Act in the spring.

Last week, the 50 groups participating in the Canadian Conference of the Arts' cultural summit rejected government plans for gradual reform and demanded immediate action.

The minister's announcement does not help make the Copyright Act any less antiquated. The time has come for the government to be more specific about its plans with respect to the content of this bill.

By refusing to subject the bill to a comprehensive review, the heritage minister clearly indicates his unwillingness to take on his industry colleague, as he was supposed to do. It is clear who the real sponsor of this legislation is.

Patrick Kelly

[Philip Mayfield, Reform, Cariboo—Chilcotin, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to seek the justice minister's commitment to act in the case of former RCMP officer Patrick Kelly.

As I noted in this House last year, Mr. Kelly was convicted 11 years ago in the murder of his wife. The prosecution's key witness, Dawn Taber, came forward in 1993 and admitted that she had not witnessed the murder, contrary to her testimony almost ten years ago. Ms. Taber said last Wednesday: "You cannot imagine what this has been like, to realize that what you have said has put a man in prison".

I understand that the minister has a lot on his desk: amendments to the criminal code, constituents up in arms over firearms registration, as well as constituent concerns. However, when the Minister of Justice leaves his office at the end of the day a woman will be sitting at home wanting to clear her conscience and a man will be sitting in jail awaiting a new trial. Before another day passes I challenge the minister to start the process and give Mr. Kelly a chance to state his case fairly in a court of law.

Women's Institutes

[Marlene Cowling, Liberal, Dauphin—Swan River, MB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, February 19, marked a very important day for rural women in Canada and around the world. It was on that date some 98 years ago that the women's institute was founded in Ontario by Mrs. Adelaide Hoodless, Mr. and Mrs. Erland Lee and 101 members.

Now associated women's institutes around the world provide nine million rural women in 70 countries with opportunities for personal growth, community service and equality.

As former national agriculture chair for the Federated Women's Institutes of Canada I know first hand the important work the women's institute does. Therefore, it gives me great pleasure to pay tribute to our founder, Mrs. Adelaide Hoodless, for her vision and to the countless women who throughout the years have worked tirelessly with the women's institute for the betterment of themselves, their families, their communities, their countries and the world.

Kinsmen And Kinette Clubs

[Murray Calder, Liberal, Wellington—Grey—Dufferin—Simcoe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to stand here today to extend my congratulations to the Kinsmen and Kinette Clubs of Canada on their 75th anniversary.

It is impossible to calculate the many direct and indirect contributions Kinsmen and Kinette members have made to their communities, provinces and Canada since 1920. However, we do know that in the past ten years Kin members have raised more than $220 million for community service work while donating countless hours of their own time to fundraising and service projects. More than 600 communities across the country have benefited from Kin initiatives.

They also have an impressive record of carrying out international development projects throughout the third world which have extended the Kin's commitment to serving the community's greatest need to include the world community.

On the 75th anniversary of Kinsmen and Kinettes they are to be congratulated on a job well done.

London And St. Thomas Real Estate Board

[Sue Barnes, Liberal, London West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the London and St. Thomas Real Estate Board has adopted an initiative which we should note and applaud.

Each of its 1,450 realtors will be contributing an amount of $5 per member per year until the year 2000. The money will be deposited into a special trust fund to accumulate and accrue interest. The invested money is expected to reach $50,000, at which time it will be given to the federal government to be applied to the national debt.

The board's president, Debbie Collins, believes it is the first private sector association to undertake such an initiative. It has challenged fellow realtors across the country to do the same. It is serious about reducing Canada's deficit and debt and feels it is a very pressing problem.

Individuals and organizations are starting to take this seriously and will work out strategies along with the government to cope with our fiscal reality.

Dairy Industry

[Jean Landry, Bloc, Lotbinière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, at a press conference this morning, the association representing Canada's 26,000 dairy producers made it very plain that they would not accept any concession on the part of the federal government in the present trade dispute between Canada and the United States over agricultural products. Their legal position is firm, and respects the new GATT agreements, as well as Canada's obligations under NAFTA.

The official opposition supports the agricultural producers of Canada and of Quebec and demands that the government immediately cease all discussions with the American government on this issue.

Canada has nothing to negotiate. It must immediately take this dispute to a GATT or NAFTA panel, which will obviously rule in Canada's favour. If it does not do so, this government will sooner or later have to explain why it is trying so hard to trade away the interests of the agricultural producers of Quebec and of Canada.

Justice

[Myron Thompson, Reform, Wild Rose, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I want to tell Canadians about a sterling record of incompetence of the justice system which released this offender on parole once and on mandatory release three times beginning in 1963:

Six thefts, one B and E, one weapons possession, one attempted robbery, escaped custody, two auto thefts, one possession of dangerous weapon, one assault, one theft and then another escape, one car theft, one possession of dangerous weapon, parole violation, contributing to juvenile delinquency, theft and escape from custody, B and E, theft over $200, mandatory release and mandatory release violation, common assault, mandatory release and mandatory release violation, assault and theft under $200, indecent assault and failure to appear, forcible confinement and two counts of buggery, mandatory release and release violation.

Two counts of sexual assault finally ended this litany of crime.

I wonder if the parole board would consider mandatory supervision one more time for this habitual criminal. Mr. Gibbs promised to clear up boondoggles such as this in the parole board.

We on this side of the House are watching and wish him well.

Heritage Day

[Rey D. Pagtakhan, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Mr. Speaker, today on Heritage Day we celebrate our unique Canadian culture, values and institutions, our shared identity.

Whether we were born here or came from across the oceans, whether we came earlier or later, together we have built this great nation.

From time to time the tentacles of disunity have threatened the virtue of national cohesion. Today Canadians are proud to live in a country that is number one in the world in quality of life, for we promote accommodation, not assimilation. We are idealistic, not ruggedly individualistic.

We pursue pleasure to enrich our lives, not simply to gain material wealth. We work to sustain peace, order and good government. We reject violence.

Today let us harness the strength of our unique nationhood. Let us preserve one geography, one national soul, and achieve one national dream for our youth of today and their children of tomorrow.

Croatia

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Canada, Croatia and Bosnia-Hercegovina parliamentary group is pleased to be hosting a visit by a parliamentary delegation from the Republic of Croatia.

Members of the delegation include Dr. Zarko Domljan, Vice President of the Croatian House of Representatives; Dr. Franjo Greguric, former Prime Minister and member of the House of Representatives; Mr. Ivica Racan, Leader of the Social Democratic Party and member of the House of Representatives.

Over recent years Canadians have learned a great deal about Croatia. Last spring three colleagues from this House visited Croatia to learn about and assess developments there in the economy, administration and politics.

We are glad that Drs. Domljan and Greguric and Mr. Racan could be with us here this week. It is through these exchanges that legislators learn and share the thoughts and ideas which will guide our democracies to the common global goals of peace, security and prosperity.

Presence In The Gallery

[The Speaker]

Colleagues, perhaps now would be the appropriate time to introduce our three parliamentary brothers from Croatia who are today in our gallery.

Taxation

[Jim Abbott, Reform, Kootenay East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today the Liberal government is using a smoke screen of words referring to tax increases as making the system fair or having everyone pay their fair share. Canadians denounce this tactic. A classic example from last year's budget is the $100,000 lifetime capital gains exemption.

The Department of Finance and Revenue Canada are currently disadvantaging thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of senior citizens who depend on OAS and guaranteed income supplements.

Revenue Canada has structured the income tax return in such a way as to disadvantage pensions at the bottom end of the economic scale. Low income Canadians are being frozen out of passing their assets to their heirs and successors in a way that middle and upper income pensioners can.

Once again the Liberal government has fallen on its own politically correct sword. While saying it is going to make everyone pay their fair share it has created gross inequities in the income tax system.

Canadian Security Intelligence Service

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Michel Robert, spokesperson for the Security Intelligence Review Committee, the same Michel Robert who denied the existence of a secret file bearing the name of Preston Manning, said that Grant Bristow did nothing that was reprehensible. However, a recent video contradicts this statement and shows that Mr. Bristow committed acts that are unlawful and unacceptable in a democratic society like ours.

My question is directed to the Solicitor General. Will the Solicitor General finally admit that when he was a CSIS informer, Mr. Bristow acted in a way that was reprehensible and unlawful by engaging in a campaign to promote violence, more specifically against the Canadian Jewish Congress?

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

Mr. Speaker, SIRC thoroughly investigated all these matters and prepared a comprehensive report that was tabled in this House, and I think the hon. member should draw the attention of SIRC to any remaining concerns he may have in this respect.

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a video exists that was brought to the attention of quite a few people, and it shows that Mr. Bristow was, at the time, making speeches to promote violence and the commission of unlawful acts.

How does the Solicitor General expect the public to trust the Security Intelligence Review Committee when this is the second time the committee's findings have been contradicted? After it was denied that there was a file on Preston Manning, we are now told that Mr. Bristow, and this was shown on the video, committed totally reprehensible acts when he was an informer for CSIS, although we had been given assurances this was not so.

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

Mr. Speaker, my hon. friend is mistaken. The Security Intelligence Review Committee did not say that there was a file about Preston Manning but rather that the file had been mistakenly entitled Preston Manning while it dealt only with the investigation into possible election financing by another government.

The activities of the source in question were gone into thoroughly. Points were raised by the Security Intelligence Review Committee about the nature of the activities in question and how CSIS should update its methods of control of sources as

a result. This has been gone into. I think CSIS has dealt with this matter in a very satisfactory manner.

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, you must admit it does not take much to satisfy the Solicitor General.

Would the Solicitor General agree that the only way to get to the bottom of these allegations concerning Mr. Bristow, a CSIS agent, and his activities within the racist Heritage Front organization is to set up a genuine commission of inquiry to find out what is going on there, since obviously the Security Intelligence Review Committee is not well informed and its investigation techniques are not up to scratch?

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

Mr. Speaker, the SIRC is like a standing royal commission of inquiry with a mandate to supervise the activities of CSIS on an ongoing basis, and that is what it is doing. However, I wonder why the official opposition house leader would give the Heritage Front this kind of credibility. Why?

Members Of Parliament Pensions

[Suzanne Tremblay, Bloc, Rimouski—Témiscouata, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Solicitor General.

We are starting to get the picture about the government's intentions with respect to the members' pension plan. The government is supposed to introduce a bill dealing with this issue, this week.

Can the Solicitor General give us the assurance that this will not be a half-baked reform which will introduce one standard for long time members and another for new members?

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

Mr. Speaker, the government will keep its promises, based on the red book.

[Suzanne Tremblay, Bloc, Rimouski—Témiscouata, QC]

Mr. Speaker, can the Solicitor General and government House leader confirm that, once the new system comes into effect, while vested rights are respected, all members, both new and old, will make the same contributions and will accumulate the same benefits?

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will have an answer as soon as the bill is introduced.

The Deficit

[Stephen Harper, Reform, Calgary West, AB]

Mr. Speaker, on Friday the Minister of Finance said his deficit target of 3 per cent of GDP was an interim target and that the ultimate target was to eliminate the deficit. A target without specifics is no target at all; it is just political grandstanding and wishful thinking.

My question is for the Secretary of State for International Financial Institutions. In its upcoming budget will the government specify clearly how and when it will reach its ultimate target?