House of Commons Hansard #60 of the 35th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was fees.
The Speaker
As is our practice on Wednesdays, we will now sing O Canada, which will be led by the hon. member for Beaver River. Editor's Note: Whereupon members sang the national anthem .]
Bob Wood Liberal Nipissing, ON
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize a group of extremely hardworking individuals from townships in the district of Nipissing.
The Mattawa and Area Forestry Committee is made up of members from the Bonfield, Calvin, Mattawan and Papineau-Cameron townships and the town of Mattawa.
Forestry companies like Calvin Forest Products, Clouthier and Sons Logging, Columbia Forest Products, Wunsch Forest Products and Tembec Incorporated are developing ideas for value added products to complement current production in the forestry industry.
This forward thinking committee is hard at work developing new sectors for economic growth in the forestry industry in our area. Human Resources Development Canada and the Ontario ministries of national resources and northern development and mines provide ex officio help that is greatly appreciated.
I congratulate this group of communities for looking to the future and not just seeing the problems, but instead actively working to be part of the solutions.
Deborah Grey Reform Beaver River, AB
Mr. Speaker, I have kept my word and gone to the battlefront in Hamilton East and, lo and behold, my opponents are not there.
A few weeks ago the finance minister, in the cosy comfort of this House, challenged me to meet him on the doorsteps of Hamilton East to talk about his broken GST promise. Where is he? Is the finance minister afraid to go door to door with me and defend his broken promise?
I was on the doorsteps in Hamilton East last night, ready to go toe to toe with Sheila Copps but I did not see her, or any minister. Is she afraid? I will be there today and I will be there again tomorrow. I am looking forward to seeing them soon because, after all, there are only four days left until the vote.
Is the justice minister afraid to defend the inept Young Offenders Act that I spoke about with young people last night? Is the Prime Minister afraid to defend his broken promises on the GST, immigration, child care, free trade and MP pensions?
Once again I challenge the timid souls on the front benches here. Come with me this afternoon at 4 p.m., Canadian flight-
Ted McWhinney Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC
Mr. Speaker, Douglas Kenny, who died last week, was a respected professor of psychology who became president of the University of British Columbia in the stormy years after 1968 when universities were torn apart by larger community demands for fundamental change in institutions and structures, and for radically new approaches to learning.
As a pragmatic scholar, Dr. Kenny sought accommodation between the warring factions operating inside and outside the university. He also actively promoted international recognition of the University of British Columbia as a world leader in science, medicine and other disciplines.
His epitaph may perhaps be found in Claude Bissell's phrase, borrowed from Arnold Toynbee: "Halfway up Parnassus". Dr. Kenny showed the way, and it has been for his successors, David Strangway and others, to try to reach the top of the mountain.
Stéphan Tremblay Bloc Lac-Saint-Jean, QC
Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday, Micheline Paradis, a lawyer from the Lac-Saint-Jean riding, was appointed to the Quebec Court.
She is the first woman judge in that region's 160-year history. When she began her career some 20 years ago, there were practically no female lawyers in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region.
Today, over 50 per cent of the members of the regional bar association are women. This appointment opens another door and represents another step toward equality between men and women, thus enhancing Quebec's judicial system and giving it even greater credibility.
I am happy to congratulate Ms. Paradis on how far she has come and I wish her the best of luck in her new career.
Elsie Wayne Progressive Conservative Saint John, NB
Mr. Speaker, we just finished celebrating the 50th anniversary of the end of the second world war and people around the world thanked our vets for the freedom we all enjoy today.
The Ridgewood veterans wing in Saint John is operated under the jurisdiction of the McKenna government and receives a grant from Veterans Affairs to operate. The McKenna government has decided to introduce rethermalized food for the vets. The meals are prepared in Toronto. Even the toast, bacon and eggs are shipped down frozen to Saint John and reheated.
This process has been tried in other local hospitals in Saint John and has had terrible reviews from the patients, the doctors and other staff.
The Legion is outraged that these veterans will be used as guinea pigs. Veterans Affairs has prided itself in the past on the humanitarian treatment of veterans.
The present on-site food preparation is very good. For the sake of our veterans' health, dignity and quality of life, I ask the Secretary of State for Veterans Affairs to stop these unnecessary changes.
Warren Allmand Liberal Notre-Dame-De-Grâce, QC
Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago the Quebec government announced it would cut student aid for undergrad study outside the province. Quebec will no longer offer loans to most CEGEP and undergrad university students who want to study in English in another province.
This policy is discriminatory, unfair and totally unacceptable. Ottawa helps fund student aid in Quebec. In 1996, federal transfers will amount to $98 million.
The Minister of Human Resources Development said he will investigate this matter to see what can be done to reverse the decision by Quebec. I urge him to act on this quickly since many Quebec students who study elsewhere are now scrambling to find other sources of funding. As an alternative I suggest that the minister allow Quebec residents who lose their loans to apply under the Canada student loans program in the provinces where they study.
The Quebec policy should not be allowed to remain. It has no place in a fair, diverse and democratic society.
Guy Arseneault Liberal Restigouche—Chaleur, NB
Mr. Speaker, as the linguistic debate heats up once again in Quebec, we in this House are faced every day with the sorry spectacle of two regional political formations competing for the linguistic intolerance award.
The Bloc Quebecois and its twin, the Reform Party, are unable to rally all Canadians around a common project. Both of them would rather try to destroy what they know they cannot control.
In his latest report, the Commissioner of Official Languages draws an objective portrait of the linguistic reality. The situation in this country has greatly improved since the Official Languages Act was passed. Attitudes have also started to change for the better.
I hope the commissioner's message will be heard and that the extremist attitudes of the Bloc Quebecois and the Reform Party will start to evolve.
Jean-Paul Marchand Bloc Québec-Est, QC
Mr. Speaker, given that, in Ontario, the rate of assimilation of francophones is in excess of 36 per cent and that francophones are still not allowed to run their own schools, given that Conservative Premier Harris is blithely chopping Franco-Ontarian organizations and that English is in fact the language of work in the public service in Ottawa, I would have thought that the primary duty of any Franco-Ontarian MP would be to look after the interests of his own constituents. But that is not what is happening.
I may be naive but I think the hon. member for Ottawa-Vanier is forgetting his primary duty to launch a crusade against the Quebec referendum act.
In other words, instead of opposing cuts imposed on Franco-Ontarians by his own government, the hon. member for Ottawa-Vanier prefers to crusade against Quebec's election laws, which are among the most democratic in the world.
Bob Mills Reform Red Deer, AB
Mr. Speaker, the governments of the world, including Canada, have made strong representations to the Government of Nigeria to stop its alleged human rights abuses. The desire for peaceful, democratic change has been widely promoted.
We have been making statements and innuendoes that something should be done. To this point these statements have had little or no effect on the Nigerian government.
The minister is well aware that the imposition of sanctions and the boycotting of Nigerian oil would have little hope of success. If they did work, it would take a great deal of time.
We encourage the Minister of Foreign Affairs to not only push for more rapid and concrete action against Nigeria but to consider demanding the outright removal of Nigeria from the Commonwealth until it improves its human rights record.
Nick Discepola Liberal Vaudreuil, QC
Mr. Speaker, major newspapers were reporting this morning that, next September, the "Team Quebec" trade mission to South America will be led by Bernard Landry, the PQ finance minister and minister responsible for economic development.
This is great news and we are pleased to see that the PQ government finally decided to follow in the footsteps of Team Canada. It is somewhat unfortunate however that, for the sake of political rhetoric, members of the PQ government made the deliberate choice of ignoring previous economic missions led by our Prime Minister.
All economic stakeholders agree that Canada's prosperity is dependent upon its capacity to expand its export markets. Through this decision, the Quebec government is sending investors and financial markets a positive message.
We wish every success to this Team Quebec mission and to its leader, who, this time, will have an opportunity to trade the minivan for a limousine.
Marlene Catterall Liberal Ottawa West, ON
Mr. Speaker, the chief electoral officer of Quebec has now charged 50 students at Bishop's University with voting illegally in the referendum. Their fine is $500 for showing a commitment to their province of residence and to their democratic duty as citizens to vote.
What is the fine for those who illegally discarded ballots, depriving citizens of the right to vote? One hundred dollars.
These students turned to their member of Parliament to help them. And what did the member for Sherbrooke, the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, the erstwhile defender of federalism, have to say? He could not help them because it was a provincial matter.
People have fought and died for the right to vote in this country. Taking away that democratic right only merits a fine of $100. Exercising one's responsibility as a citizen costs $500. Is this the democracy of the separatists?
Gilles Duceppe Bloc Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, on June 15, 1996, the Bloc Quebecois will celebrate its fifth anniversary. Indeed, it was on June 15, 1991, that Lucien Bouchard, along with a few other members of Parliament, founded our party, which now has 131,250 members.
At the time, the Conservatives, the Liberals and the New Democrats tried, with a rare show of unanimity, to muzzle the nine Bloc Quebecois members and to silence Quebec's claims and aspirations. It turned out to be a bad mistake on their part since, on October 25, 1993, 1,846,024 Quebecers elected 54 sovereignists members of Parliament. To top it all, the Bloc Quebecois became the official opposition.
Quebec has a strong voice in Ottawa to defend its interests and to promote sovereignty. This shows unequivocally that Quebec chose to stand up for itself.
It is with pride that we wish all Bloc Quebecois members a very exciting anniversary, and we invite them to join us in Sorel, on June 15, to celebrate with us.
Jim Hart Reform Okanagan—Similkameen—Merritt, BC
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the constituents of Okanagan-Similkameen-Merritt I rise to demand that the federal government stand up and protect the rights of victims from violent young offenders.
It was only a few weeks ago that young offenders hijacked a school bus in my riding and threatened the lives of young students. This week another case of a young offender threatens some people in my riding.
Three years ago a young offender was convicted in the unprovoked shooting murder of 63-year old Edward Francis McDermott. He was convicted under the Young Offenders Act and sentenced to the maximum sentence, a ridiculous three years. The murderer is set to be released and four psychiatrists have testified that he is too dangerous to go back on the streets. The murderer is being described as a psychological time bomb. Crown counsel is trying to get around the Young Offenders Act to keep him in prison.
Penticton crown counsel should not have to find a loophole in the Young Offenders Act to protect society from violent young offenders. The Liberal government should act to make our streets, homes and playgrounds safe. So far it has failed.
Gerry Byrne Liberal Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte, NL
Mr. Speaker, at the Reform's national assembly this past weekend, Michael Walker, executive director of the Fraser Institute, said to an audience of Reform delegates: "Newfoundland is a morally bankrupt society. They do not even think to ask what I can do to solve my problems. They ask: What can the federal government do to solve my problems for me?".
Not one person challenged Mr. Walker's statement. Instead they applauded.
Let me tell the House that Newfoundland has an enterprising society. Let me further tell the House that since 1990, Newfoundlanders have made the highest contributions per capita to charities in this country.
Reform has the audacity to accuse us of being morally bankrupt. It is Newfoundland that understands what this country is all about. Reformers do not.
Bonnie Hickey Liberal St. John's East, NL
Mr. Speaker, as a Newfoundlander, I too am very upset at the statement by Mr. Walker calling us morally bankrupt. I am from Newfoundland and I am offended by this statement. Never have such untruthful, misleading, degrading words been uttered against me and my fellow Newfoundlanders.
Such a statement is an affront to Newfoundlanders and it demands an immediate apology from the Reform Party. Newfoundland is an equal partner in this nation. There is no prouder group in this country than Newfoundlanders. We have enriched this country with talented people, vast natural resources and economic contributions to this nation.
To allow this statement to go unchecked is one of the poorest examples of strong leadership in the history of this country.
Michel Gauthier BlocLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs said that the federal government wanted to be highly effective and competent and in a position to help Canadians in its areas of jurisdiction, wanted the provinces to be highly effective and competent in their areas of jurisdiction as well and wanted a very strong partnership between the two levels of government.
Are we to assume from the remarks of the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs that the federal government is keeping the leading role for itself in a whole series of sectors, so it can set broad standards and objectives, and giving the provinces a supporting role, that is, the role of administrator?
Stéphane Dion LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
No, Mr. Speaker.
Michel Gauthier BlocLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, I have to tell you that this is the most pithy answer we have had from this minister. May he always be so concise.
The Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs said the following with respect to the federal proposal on unemployment insurance:
This offer was acclaimed everywhere in Quebec as a great step forward, if not the finishing line for a concrete solution.
Are we to understand from what the minister said that the federal proposal in the area of manpower is not a starting point for negotiations, but, rather the finishing line?
Stéphane Dion LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, it is a framework where each province will be able to
exercise the responsibilities it wishes and where the Government of Canada will have its own responsibilities on this Canada-wide issue. Whether it involves ensuring a movement of workers within the country or whether it involves ensuring the various governments help each other in situations of exceptional crisis, the Government of Canada has its own particular responsibilities.
This is why Quebecers who believe in Canada have said that the minister set a very good policy, and only those who do not believe in it are continuing to fight it.
Michel Gauthier BlocLeader of the Opposition
Mr. Speaker, you will note that the level of obscurity increases with the number of words: the more he talks, the less we understand.
Can the minister deny that the attempt to set up a model where the federal government would establish standards and keep control and have the provinces carry out the programs is not a sort of back door revival of the spirit of the Charlottetown accord, which Quebec rejected for one reason and the rest of Canada for the very opposite reason?
Stéphane Dion LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, I invite the Leader of the Opposition to make a bit of an effort. What we are saying is quite simple. We can keep on repeating it.
We have the most decentralized federation there is. The Government of Quebec has certain responsibilities. It has a hard time assuming them all the time, and we are offering government assistance to ensure that this responsibility is carried out as well as possible. We have responsibilities as the Government of Canada and we are assuming them together with the provinces.
We are going to improve things in various sectors, be it manpower training, mining, forestry, recreation, public housing, tourism, the environment, freshwater habitats, etc.
Michel Bellehumeur Bloc Berthier—Montcalm, QC
Mr. Speaker, yesterday in this House, the Minister of Human Resources Development stated:
If it is only a matter of transferring funds with no strings attached, then they will have to speak to someone other than me, because I am not in the habit of sending money anywhere without making sure the interests of Canadian taxpayers are protected.
My question is for the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs. Are we to understand from what his colleague, the Minister of Human Resources Development, says that the government does not trust the provinces to administer the taxpayers' money in areas which are exclusively a provincial jurisdiction, and furthermore has no intention of withdrawing from any areas except those in which it does not have even a cent of financial involvement?