Debates of June 1st, 1995

Supply

[Ed Harper, Reform, Simcoe Centre, ON]

Madam Speaker, I am not sure what the question was. I do not even think it was a question. I think it was a very eloquent statement from a very eloquent member.

Nowhere did I say the government should offer more services. That is not a reality and I did not suggest that for a moment. What I am saying and what I said in my remarks is that we have to get less government. We have to get government out of our lives. There is too much government, and we have to reduce that level. However, we do have to provide services, and we can provide services by getting the services provided by the government that is closest to the people. There are many areas where that means transferring it to the provincial governments. We do

not have a problem with that. We have to deliver these services in the most cost efficient way possible.

The member was suggesting that people in Quebec might be prepared to pay more taxes. I would like to see a poll on that. I do not think they are prepared to pay any more taxes. I think they feel the same way as the people in Ontario: They are taxed to death and they are looking for some relief by the government cutting its spending. That is the answer to creating the jobs the member needs in Quebec, just as we need them in Ontario.

[The Speaker]

That is a lively little exchange we have going. I think it is almost two o'clock.

My dear colleagues, it being 2 p.m., pursuant to Standing Order 30(5), the House will now move on to members' statements.

Cultural Exchanges

[Ronald J. Duhamel, Liberal, St. Boniface, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to speak about a group of students who are here in Ottawa today.

Some 30 students from Como Lake Junior Secondary in British Columbia and from l'école Saint-François-Xavier in Quebec have been participating in a praiseworthy cultural exchange. The Quebec participants first went to British Columbia,

They were welcomed by a host family and encouraged to practise and improve their knowledge of English and of British Columbia. In turn, the students from British Columbia were welcomed into homes in Quebec, where they were immersed in the French culture and language.

These students are living proof of the desire held by Canadians to learn more about their neighbours.

I congratulate the students and their professors for promoting cultural exchanges and for their desire to learn the other official language.

I would encourage my colleagues in this House to follow their example and to show the whole world how Canadians appreciate each others' differences and similarities, and how this makes it the best country in the world.

Environment Week

[Yvan Bernier, Bloc, Gaspé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in honour of Environment Week, June 4-11, I would like to acknowledge the laudable efforts of the Canadian and Quebec mining industry to be more environmentally conscious.

The Canadian mining industry is the first mining association in the world to develop an environmental policy for all of its members. Under this initiative, dubbed ARET, Accelerated Reduction/Elimination of Toxics, the largest mining companies have committed themselves to reducing the most offensive emissions by 71 per cent by the year 2000.

We can only welcome any measure which aims to make the sustainable development of natural resources more environmentally friendly.

The mining industry's commitment to reducing its emissions is a big step in the right direction. Our congratulations.

Environment

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

Mr. Speaker, with next week being Canadian Environment Week, I want to point out the many improvements that have taken place in our natural resource industries, especially forestry, to protect the environment.

As someone who has earned a living as a logger and a prospector, I know that most people work in the bush because they love it. I know that forest industry employees want to ensure that jobs in the bush remain available for their communities, their children and their grandchildren. They want to be able to continue hunting, fishing, hiking and camping on public lands. They want their communities' watersheds also to be protected.

Science and technology are helping us to gain a better understanding of how these activities affect one another. I believe it is only through a national commitment to sustainable development of our natural resources that our Canadian standard of living, widely recognized as the best in the world, will be maintained, including the environment.

Agriculture

[Len Taylor, NDP, The Battlefords—Meadow Lake, SK]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday in the House of Commons I again asked the government to delay its plans to immediately eliminate the Crow benefit until a more detailed review of the long term implications of this decision was completed. I want to bring to the attention of the minister of agriculture that other farm

experts have today said that the government may be moving too quickly.

Testifying in front of a committee today, Ron Leonhardt from the Unifarm organization said: "When great changes are being made, there must be a transition period". On behalf of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, Ron Gleim said that the federal government may have moved too fast with not enough money. He expressed concern about the unsubstantiated government claim that crop diversification and value added production would replace the Crow losses by saying: "Hoping and praying will not pay the bills".

There has not been enough attention paid to the question of how producers will be able to manage the change thrust upon them and how long this will take. I think the federal government had better take the time to adequately-

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Saint-Denis.

Visit Of Thomas Mitsios

[Eleni Bakopanos, Liberal, Saint-Denis, QC]

I rise today to welcome the member of Parliament from Saranda of the Republic of Albania on his first visit to Canada.

As a representative of the ethnic Greek minority and a member of the Human Rights Party, the purpose of his visit is to meet and exchange ideas with Canadian parliamentarians on the democratic principles and respect for minorities which make Canada a shining example.

We learned of the difficulties that opposition parties are facing and more specifically the plight of the leader of the opposition, Mr. Fatos Nanos, who has been imprisoned since September 1993 by the government. I will be calling on my colleagues to sign a petition for his release.

He has and will continue to work very hard in his native Albania for the betterment of conditions of the ethnic Greek minority and the improvement of Greek-Albanian relations. This is something we as Canadians should look forward to and encourage because it will contribute to the peace, stability and prosperity of this volatile region.

I welcome the member from Saranda.

The Environment

[Ian Murray, Liberal, Lanark—Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of the Environment recently announced the release of the first summary report on the 1993 national pollutant release inventory. Over 1,400 companies across Canada reported their releases and transfers of 178 specified pollutants as required under the Environmental Protection Act.

The most significant feature of this inventory is that it is completely accessible to the Canadian public. For the first time in history, Canadians can find out directly from a full database of information about the pollutants being released in their neighbourhoods and communities or across the country. Canadians can access the information on this inventory through Internet either on their personal computers or they can use those available to them at libraries, schools and universities.

This important initiative will support the government's commitment to encourage pollution prevention by making both the public and industry aware of the quantities of pollutants being released all around us.

I encourage the government to continue to pursue this type of community right to know initiative.

National Access Awareness Week

[Rose-Marie Ur, Liberal, Lambton—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this week all Canadians join together in celebrating National Access Awareness Week, the goal being to ensure the full participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of community life.

National Access Awareness Week works to remove physical barriers to community access for Canadians with disabilities. The week has evolved from awareness raising to a vehicle promoting concrete action to remove barriers to accessibility. Throughout Canada more than 1,000 communities participate in this important opportunity for celebration and commitment.

Through the partnerships of National Access Awareness Week, voluntary organizations, governments at all levels, local businesses and thousands of volunteers have been able to undertake innovative projects in communities all across the country. The results of these projects are dramatic. Barriers for people with disabilities are coming down.

The House of Commons, its members and staff are also celebrating this important week. Activities on Parliament Hill include promotional displays, leadership activities and workshops.

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Bourassa.

Chile's Inclusion In Nafta

[Osvaldo Nunez, Bloc, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, following the Summit of the Americas in Miami in December, the Presidents of the United States and Mexico and the Prime Minister of Canada made a commitment to begin negotiations with Chile for

its inclusion in NAFTA. These negotiations get underway next week in Toronto.

We find it unfortunate that the American Congress appears to have made the elimination of the side agreements on occupational environment a prior condition to the adoption of fast track legislation.

The Government of Canada should make it very clear that Canada insists on the side agreements on occupational environment being an integral part of the negotiations with Chile. The people and the workers in the NAFTA member countries should enjoy reasonable working and environmental conditions.

The Bloc Quebecois supports Chile's inclusion in NAFTA and will monitor these negotiations with interest.

Liberal Red Book

[Herb Grubel, Reform, Capilano—Howe Sound, BC]

Mr. Speaker, have you noticed that the Liberals are no longer waving the little red book in defending their policies? There is a good reason. We did some research. At least four of the promises in the little red book have been broken already and we are only halfway through the mandate of this Parliament.

If props were allowed in this House, Reformers would be waving the red book as a symbol of broken promises, of a callous lack of integrity of a government that campaigned on being different.

Were the Liberals incompetent or just power hungry when they made promises Reformers always knew could not be kept, to replace the GST, raise immigration to 300,000, and many others soon to be paraded in front of this House?

Regional Development

[Nick Discepola, Liberal, Vaudreuil, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in response to the needs of the small and medium sized businesses, the Federal Office of Regional Development-Quebec will shortly implement a new concept of strategic intervention with a focus on innovation, market development and entrepreneurship.

The FORD-Q will continue to promote the interests of all of the regions of Quebec with strong and efficient measures. The driving force behind small and medium sized businesses will become the pivotal point in the realization of the economic potential of each of Quebec's regions.

The FORD-Q will add a whole new dimension to its role by joining in community projects and providing strategic advice and assistance. In this context, its presence will be felt more than ever before in the very heart of the regions.

This is what we on this side of the House call an excellent example of the government's desire to promote economic growth. This is government at its finest.

Gun Control

[Paddy Torsney, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this morning the YWCA, the National Association of Women and the Law, the Canadian Federation of University Women and the Action Advocacy Department of B'nai Brith Canada reinforced their support for this government's efforts to increase safety for all Canadians.

Gun control is one measure to help address the issue of violence against women. In homes where violence occurs, if guns are present they become part of the abusive use of power, control and intimidation whether implicitly or explicitly. In almost half of domestic homicides, guns are the weapons of choice for men who kill their spouses.

Domestic homicides are not random acts of violence and the guns used are not smuggled or illegally owned. The registration system will permit police to issue and enforce a prohibition order to obtain these potentially dangerous weapons and to prevent these deadly situations.

These four groups know that Bill C-68 will not eliminate violence against women, but it will save some of their lives. I support their work and their position.

Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader

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

Mr. Speaker, just a few months ago the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party in Ontario stood on the steps of the legislature and encouraged a Toronto area woman to quit her well paying job and go on welfare. Talk about the ultimate flip-flop artist who is now proposing workfare for welfare recipients. Is he forgetting that the ones who will suffer the most will be little children?

Perhaps he should look more toward the Liberal plan which outlines welfare reform initiatives designed to encourage and help people obtain permanent employment.

Furthermore, the Conservative leader's plan is based on a fairy tale 30 per cent tax cut which will take $750 million out of

the education budget. As one who realizes the importance of educating all our youth for tomorrow and not just the elite few, I have grave concerns and so should the electorate.

Ontario voters should reflect carefully on this election and not be fooled by the Tory nonsense plan.

Red Cross

[André Caron, Bloc, Jonquière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, because the Red Cross hesitated and, in fact, neglected to test blood products for contamination by hepatitis C, several hundred Canadians were infected. This shocking conclusion was mentioned several times in the course of the proceedings of the Krever Commission.

The Red Cross waited until 1990 before using a test to detect hepatitis C, claiming that existing tests were not effective. In 1986, the United States was already using an indirect test to detect contaminated products. Hesitation on the part of the Red Cross between 1986 and 1990 potentially infected 10,000 Canadians.

These damning revelations are the latest in a series of horror stories which have surfaced at the hearings so far. In view of this information, the Krever Commission has a responsibility and a duty to identify those whose irresponsible attitudes led to the death of hundreds of human beings.

Upper Nicola Indian Band

[Jim Hart, Reform, Okanagan—Similkameen—Merritt, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the constituents of Okanagan-Similkameen-Merritt to inform the House that the illegal roadblock by the Indians at the Douglas Lake ranch is escalating. The Indians threatened violence when the RCMP tried to enforce the court injunction to dismantle the blockade.

My constituents and I have been here before. Last year, the minister of Indian affairs refused to get involved when a similar situation arose at Apex Alpine. The minister is again shrugging off his constitutional responsibility for Indians and lands reserved to Indians.

The minister has tried to excuse himself by declaring that he has received no request from the Indians to intervene. Yet, my constituents are desperately calling for intervention from this government.

I demand that the minister get involved. The roadblock has been declared illegal by the courts. The RCMP have been unable to dismantle the roadblock.

The Liberals must act. If this illegal blockade is not taken down, then the minister should exercise his authority and suspend federal funds to the Upper Nicola Indian Band.

Sergeant Thomas Joachim Hoppe

[Anna Terrana, Liberal, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, heroes are very much in demand nowadays. We all want a role model to emulate and when we meet one we feel very privileged.

Yesterday, the Governor General of Canada presented decorations for meritorious service to a number of Canadians who performed above and beyond the call of duty. Three of these people are from British Columbia.

Sergeant Thomas Joachim Hoppe from Vancouver was awarded the meritorious service cross in the military division for displaying outstanding leadership and ensuring the safety of his patrol and his mission while commanding a key observation post located between Serb and Muslim forces in Bosnia-Hercegovina.

Sergeant Hoppe was also awarded the medal of bravery for rescuing three Muslim children who were under direct fire near Visoko in Bosnia-Hercegovina.

Sergeant Hoppe is the first soldier since World War II to receive two of Canada's top military awards for exceptional bravery.

On behalf of all Canadians, I wish to congratulate Sergeant Hoppe and all recipients for their acts of bravery and for making all of us very proud of our peacekeepers.

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Pierrefonds-Dollard.

Parti Quebecois

[Bernard Patry, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the PQ government has again shown how loyal and generous it is to those who pledge allegiance to the separatist cause.

Yesterday, we heard that Marcel Masse, former minister in the Union nationale government and former Conservative minister, had been appointed president of the Conseil de la langue française du Québec.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[Bernard Patry, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

This appointment came after his predecessor, whose term was supposed to run until next September, was relieved of his duties.

With this latest appointment, Marcel Masse joins a select group of people who directly benefit from the separatist obsessions of the PQ.

If it fails to convince Quebecers to vote for separation, the PQ will at least have helped to create jobs for the new supporters of "profitable separatism".

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

Bosnia

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

Mr. Speaker, in a report presented to the Security Council yesterday, the UN Secretary General proposed four options for the role of UN peacekeepers in Bosnia. In another development, the United States is prepared to send ground support troops to Bosnia to reinforce the mandate of the peacekeepers. Meanwhile, there is still no indication of Canada's real intentions with respect to redefining the mandate of the peacekeepers.

Could the Prime Minister tell us quite frankly which of the four options suggested by the UN Secretary General before the Security Council is the one preferred by Canada?