Debates of May 28th, 1996

Minister Of Human Resources Development

[Osvaldo Nunez, Bloc, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I was deeply wounded by the offensive remarks directed at me by the Minister of Human Resources Development. He suggested that I find myself another country, if I was not happy with his government's policies.

The minister's remarks are discriminatory towards all immigrants and refugees. The worst is that his Liberal and Reform colleagues applauded him.

I am proud of my Chilean background and I share the profound aspirations of the people of Quebec. Far from intimidating me, the minister's remarks have only served to strengthen my sovereignist convictions and to encourage me to work even harder to build a pluralist country that is open to differences and more tolerant.

There is only one thing a minister who makes such remarks can do: resign.

Penitentiaries

[Randy White, Reform, Fraser Valley West, BC]

Mr. Speaker, under this Liberal government a judge has decided to give prisoners the right to vote.

During the next campaign let us look at what these Liberals will offer prisoners to get their votes. Free condoms so they can have safe sex? No, they already have that. Cultural cuisine like walrus and caribou steaks? No, they already have that. Old age security? No, they already have that. The right to overtime pay or to refuse work? No, they already have that. How about a nice golf course at a prison? No, they already have that. Maybe stereos and televisions while they are in the hole? No, they already have that too.

I do not have to campaign in prisons because prisoners already have more than I would offer. I am sure these Liberals will come up with something else for them like a signing bonus after each three-year stint.

Fisheries

[Gerry Byrne, Liberal, Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL]

Mr. Speaker, the minister and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans have again demonstrated their commitment to ensuring that Canadian resources are conserved and protected.

The minister recently announced the development of a system that allows photographs of fishing vessels at sea to be taken at night. This system produces high quality photos that clearly

identifies the fishing vessel and can be entered into evidence if charges are to be laid for violations of fisheries regulations.

This night photographic system, the first of its type in the world, advances Canada's position as the world leader in civilian air surveillance and is a clear demonstration of the use of state of the art technology in the protection of our ocean resources.

Inco Limited

[Raymond Bonin, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I stand today to offer my congratulations to Inco Limited for its recent $250,000 contribution for the construction of a special needs centre at Cambrian College. The donation adds to a longstanding tradition of Inco supporting communities across Canada.

The special needs centre will offer 1,200 students with physical and developmental disabilities the opportunity to develop the skills needed in today's economy and to access cutting edge technology that challenges the very notion of barriers.

Cambrian College, the community, Inco, all donors and the people behind the scenes who have made the centre a reality merit special recognition. The federal and Ontario governments also deserve mention for their contributions to the centre through the national infrastructure program.

Minister Of Human Resources Development

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Human Resources Development stated that he had had his fill of seeing a new Canadian sitting in the House preaching separatism. This unacceptable remark was made by a government minister and speaks volumes about the minister's opinion on Canadians by adoption.

Would the Prime Minister tell us whether the remarks of the Minister of Human Resources Development reflect his government's position on new Canadians?

[Douglas Young, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday in question period, the hon. member was criticizing the department of immigration. What I said then and I repeat now is that it is unacceptable, in my opinion, for someone who came to Canada, was honoured with Canadian citizenship and entered this House as an elected representative to the Parliament of Canada to attack policies on refugees coming to Canada, and I stand by it.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the minister has a short memory, but the blues bear witness. Hansard records what was said, exactly, and what was repeated and added to today just after the cabinet meeting.

My question, and it is a serious one, is for the Prime Minister. I would like to know how the Prime Minister can allow a member of his government, a minister, to decide that there are two sorts of citizens in Canada: those born and bred here, who may be either federalists or sovereignists, and new Canadians, who may only be federalists or find themselves another country, as he put it.

[Douglas Young, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, when I made my comments yesterday and when I made my comments today at the end of the ministers' meeting, I was trying to explain and I will explain now for the Leader of the Opposition that-except the people who have been here from the start, the native peoples-everybody in Canada comes from another country, including my ancestors.

What I said is that someone who benefited from Canada's generosity and openmindedness and who then-because in the blues yesterday as well there was a question by the hon. member about the legitimacy of the situation involving the department of immigration-

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

That is not true; that was not the question; that is wrong.

[Douglas Young, Liberal, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Everything I said yesterday, I repeat today. Someone coming to Canada-

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

You do not even know how to read.

[Douglas Young, Liberal, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

-who is elected, who enters Parliament and who defends separatism by attacking the system that enabled him to become a citizen-that is unacceptable.

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, clearly the Prime Minister has decided to let his Minister of Human Resources Development compound what he said yesterday about new Canadians. It is an insult.

My question is for the Prime Minister, and I think it is his responsibility as Prime Minister to respond. The Prime Minister was delighted recently by the suspension of three members of the third party for similar reasons. Is he going to act responsibly today as he ought as Prime Minister? Will he act quickly and demand the resignation of this minister, who brings shame onto the entire government with remarks he made that are clearly unacceptable in a democracy?

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I am moved by the words of the Leader of the Opposition, by his sudden concern for the respect of individual rights.

The other day in Quebec, the Leader of the Opposition alluded to the leader of the government, the Prime Minister, as being an Ontarian, although I have had the privilege of sitting in this House since 1963, have served the people of Quebec and New Brunswick here in the House of Commons and have followed the francophones of Quebec for 33 years.

I think the Leader of the Opposition should first clean up the language of his own members, who are accusing federalists of being traitors to Quebec because they believe in Canada. The members of the Bloc Quebecois are not about to teach us a lesson in good manners.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister certainly is having trouble understanding the terms used by his Minister of Human Resources Development. He did not understand the question yesterday, and you are confusing manners-

[The Speaker]

Dear colleagues, you must always address the Chair.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is confusing manners and respect for democracy with unacceptable speech. Yesterday, the Minister of Human Resources Development said, and repeated, "While it was Canada which gave him citizenship, here he is now seated in this House preaching separatism. Enough is enough, Mr. Speaker".

Can the Prime Minister tell us if the government's policy toward Canadians by adoption is this: "Welcome to Canada, but you are not entitled to your political opinions"?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, this is an opinion expressed by a minister concerning an elected member sitting legitimately in this House. He told the hon. member that he was preaching separatism in a country which had welcomed him. I think that is realistic. If the member in question wishes to say that he is a federalist, we will welcome him with pleasure, but he is a separatist. Is there any shame in being labelled a separatist, when a separatist is what one is? That is not shameful.

That is what the minister said. He is a separatist and a new Canadian, and he is working to destroy this country. He is entitled to do so, just as the minister is entitled to point out to him that he is a new citizen and involved in trying to destroy the country that welcomed him. He is entitled to do so. That is the beauty of Canada, to have absolute freedom.

There are a good many countries which would not allow new immigrants to work to destroy the country, but we in Canada have sufficient confidence in democracy to do so.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister does not even have the courage of the leader of the Reform Party.

[The Speaker]

Dear colleagues, it is not a question of being or not being courageous. We all have the courage of our convictions. I would ask the hon. member to choose his words with a little more care.

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

Mr. Speaker, what the Minister of Human Resources Development said yesterday was that, if the hon. member for Bourassa continued to express those ideas, he would do better to find himself another country. That is what he said.

Will the Prime Minister's convictions lead him to denounce these words, as the leader of the Reform Party denounced the members of his party who made unacceptable statements? Can he do that, rather than trying to camouflage the truth?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I simply stated that he is entitled to defend his ideas in Canada, and that there are not many countries that would allow that. If we were to start going back over unacceptable statements made about members of this House, there is one person who could be on his feet every day: myself.

However, I accept the political debate and the opinion expressed by an Acadian, a francophone outside Quebec, who knows that the separation of Quebec would endanger the cultural life of his fellow francophone citizens in New Brunswick or elsewhere in Canada. His feelings are true. I believe that he is describing a reality, which is that there is a member of this House who is an immigrant and who is working to break up Canada. That is something he does not like.

Considering that a member of the party across the floor from me said, not all that long ago, that people who were not born in Canada ought not to be entitled to vote in the Quebec referendum, we do not need the Bloc Quebecois' advice.

Employment

[Preston Manning, Reform, Calgary Southwest, AB]

Mr. Speaker, during the last election campaign the Liberals criss-crossed the country promising worried Canadians jobs, jobs, jobs.

Almost three years later we have 1.4 million Canadians unemployed, we have almost a third of our workforce underemployed and we have about one out of four Canadians worried about their future job security.

In other words, we have massive economic insecurity. How does the Prime Minister respond to this situation? He responded on his recent western trip by saying Canadians will just have to live with it.

Is the Prime Minister really telling 1.4 million unemployed Canadians they will simply have to learn to live with yet another broken promise, the broken promise of jobs, jobs, jobs?