Debates of Dec. 1st, 1997

War

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

Mr. Speaker, this week over 120 nations will come to Ottawa to sign the anti-personnel land mine ban. The success demonstrates what Canadian foreign policy can do on the international stage. Soon, though, we will have life after land mines and Canada is uniquely poised to take up the challenge of addressing the biggest challenge of all, how to prevent war.

From Bosnia to Rwanda, the world has failed to prevent these vicious internecine conflicts even when the writing was on the wall for generations. Once blood has been shed and economies destroyed the seeds for future conflicts are sown for generations to come.

We must move our foreign policy from a reactive one to a proactive one. We must move from conflict management to conflict prevention.

Canada is uniquely poised to do this and I hope that our 21st century can be a safer one than the 20th century.

World Aids Day

[Eleni Bakopanos, Liberal, Ahuntsic, QC]

Mr. Speaker, “Children in a world marked by AIDS” is the theme for World AIDS Day. All the children of Canada and throughout the entire world will spend their entire lives dealing with the risk of infection by the virus that causes AIDS.

In Quebec, the latest figures indicate that AIDS hits children under the age of 15 hard, particularly marginalized youth. Some 3.8 million children under that age have been infected with HIV since the start of the AIDS epidemic in the early 1980s, and 2.7 million of those have probably died by now, according to the latest UN AIDS report.

AIDS is emerging as a leading problem for youth in Canada. The medium age of new infections dropped from age 32 in 1982 to age 23 in 1986-90.

Today's announcement by the Minister of Health to commit $42.2 million a year over the next five years will ensure that our efforts to educate our youth to the dangers of AIDS and to provide treatment, care and support to those suffering will be maintained during this crucial time.

In a world with AIDS children are everyone's responsibility. We owe this to the next generation. We owe this to our children's future.

[Maurice Dumas, Bloc, Argenteuil—Papineau, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take advantage of World AIDS Day to honour all of the men and women engaged in the search for a cure for this dreadful disease.

I would also like us all to remember its far too numerous victims. Since 1978, 14,836 cases have been reported in Canada. To date, 10,837 people with AIDS have died. Far too many, alas.

According to the Department of Health, the AIDS epidemic could cost the Canadian economy up to $22 billion over the next five years, if nothing is done to check it. Terry Albert and Gregory Williams, the authors of the report, conclude that “over the past seven years, Canada has lost ground in its battle against the AIDS epidemic”.

Canada must regain lost ground and develop an AIDS prevention strategy that is beyond reproach, not only for economic reasons but also, and above all, for humanitarian ones.

Terrorism

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday afternoon, in my riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, the vice-president of the Lachine Committee for Canadian Unity, Hélène Tobin, and her family were the victims of attempted murder and arson. Someone had planted a home-made bomb in front of the door of the house. Fortunately, the bomb did not explode.

Mrs. Tobin is the latest target of the undemocratic persons who promote terrorism to advance political causes. These terrorists represent neither my Quebec nor my Canada, and I strongly condemn them.

I therefore urge all persons who call themselves democrats and who believe that our Canadian democracy and our basic rights are precious and should be preserved to distance themselves clearly from this undemocratic and pro-violence movement.

Avalanche

[Eric C. Lowther, Reform, Calgary Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay respect to the families of Aimee Beddoe, David Ferrel, Mike Patry and Alexander Velev.

These Calgary youths tragically died in an avalanche while skiing in the Kananaskis over the weekend. The four teens were students at Western Canada High School in Calgary and were deeply loved by their friends and families.

Aimee, David, Mike and Alexander demonstrated a great love of life and were all active in sports and outdoor activities.

As many of us in this House are parents, I know our hearts go out to their families in this time of loss. Their children's lives were a great gift and blessing to many. They can take comfort from the joy their children gave to them.

These families can be assured that our thoughts and prayers are with them in hope that the families of Aimee, David, Mike and Alexander might find peace in this difficult time.

Jacques Parizeau

[Sophia Leung, Liberal, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to express my indignation over the recent comments by Jacques Parizeau. He pointed to minorities in Quebec as the cause of his failure. The real cause of his failure is his narrow vision of Quebec.

Mr. Parizeau and his colleagues are promoting prejudice and the rejection of Canada. It is time that the separatists realize the future of Quebec and indeed all of Canada is founded on diversity. The way of progress and harmony for Quebec and Canada is through diversity, not through separation.

Westray

[Alexa McDonough, NDP, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, the sun did not rise in Nova Scotia today for Myles Gillis or Johnny Halloran. It never will. Dawn will never come for any of the 26 miners killed in the Westray mine.

Today is day 2,160 of their long night that never ends. Nothing we can do will ever change that. Nothing we do here on the surface in the sunlight will ever again let them feel dawn, a child's hug, the warmth of their wife asleep in their arms.

No report, no heartfelt apologies can ever make what happened to them all right. Killing workers can never be all right, but we can remember. We must keep their memory burning bright in our hearts and we must not squander their lives.

Regardless of party or politics, we must do all we can to make sure their fate never becomes the fate of any other woman or man who goes off to work every day. It is the least we can do for those 26 men and those who loved them. It is something to look forward to, like the dawn.

Jacques Parizeau

[Robert Bertrand, Liberal, Pontiac—Gatineau—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak once again about the statements made by the former Premier of Quebec, Jacques Parizeau, who said that the referendum defeat was attributable to ethnic groups.

Such a statement is unworthy of a former premier who claimed to work for every Quebecker. Therefore, I would hope, along with many of my colleagues, that every sovereignist will state loud and clear that he does not agree with such a statement, in the same way that, during the weekend, they condemned actions like those of Raymond Villeneuve, that are starting to become an embarrassment for the sovereignist cause.

I thought that the Parti Quebecois convention held last weekend would have provided them the opportunity to distance themselves from this statement. That was not the case, however, because they discussed instead the plan by militants to reinstate the sovereignty council to promote the independence of Quebec.

Pornography

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to bring to the attention of this House the deep concerns of many of my constituents regarding pornography.

The Saint John local chapter of the Catholic Women's League has sent me several little ribbons in recognition of White Ribbons Against Pornography or WRAP week. The CWL took part in the WRAP activities from October 19 to 26 this year.

The members of the CWL and their parishioners wore the ribbons and then they wrote their names on the back and sent them to me to show their opposition to pornography in any form. We need stronger laws to protect us from this destructive menace in our society.

Today, with the Internet, pornography is within easy reach of our children.

I commend my constituents for their efforts and I wholeheartedly agree with them. I urge this government to protect Canadians and their children and pass stronger anti-pornography laws.

Canada Post

[Preston Manning, Reform, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, early in November it was apparent that negotiations at the post office were going nowhere. The Reform Party then called for a legislated solution, but of course the government said no.

Then negotiations broke down and the ensuing strike has cost Canadians $3 billion. Guess what? Now the government is going to legislate a solution, what it should have done in the first place. This has cost $3 billion to the Canadian business community and consumers.

To whom should business people send this $3 billion bill, to Canada Post, to the unions or to the prime minister?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, what this government did was let the collective bargaining system have a fair chance.

Over 94.5% of the disputes under the federal jurisdiction are settled without loss of work. Now we have to move to legislation. I urge my colleagues to make sure this legislation moves as quick as possible.

[Preston Manning, Reform, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the minister is a living contradiction of his own statements. His faith in bargaining has been misplaced and now the government is going to legislate.

Even with the legislative solution, it is going to be days before the mail moves again. Some of the old style union leaders are trying to get their members to further punish the public by blocking highways, stopping traffic on bridges and even shutting down airports.

What will the government do with these threats of illegal activity? Will the government continue to dither like it did when the mail stopped moving?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, what we are dealing with here is simply a strike. The time has come when we must move legislation. I ask my hon. colleague to support that legislation and make sure it moves through the House as quickly as possible to get the post office back to work.

[Preston Manning, Reform, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, Catherine Swift of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business is calling for a permanent end to the problems at Canada Post, and we agree. Either end Canada Post's monopoly on first class mail and open it up to competition or, if it is to remain a public monopoly, replace strikes and lockouts with binding arbitration.

What precisely is the government going to do to make sure that Canadians are never faced with this type of situation again?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague is well aware that part I of the Canada Labour Code is coming to the House again. The Sims report reviewed part I of the legislation and there was no suggestion to take away the right to strike. I ask the hon. member to make sure that when the legislation comes to the House that he supports it.

The Environment

[Bill Gilmour, Reform, Nanaimo—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, during the last month the government has had three separate positions to take to Kyoto. First, it was 1990 levels by 2010 agreed to by the provinces and the federal government. Nine days after that the Prime Minister said “Oh, no, it is not 2010, it is 2007”. Today we have a new position saying “Oh, it is going to be 3% less in 2010”. Three different positions in as many weeks.

If this is the latest government position, will the environmental minister tell Canadians how much this Kyoto deal is going to cost?

[Christine Stewart, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, the Reform colleague is not correct. Until today, this government has not said what our targets and timelines are. Today we have set our targets in place. This government is committed to negotiating a target which states we will reduce by 3% below 1990 levels for the year 2010, we will reduce another 5% below that for the year 2015.

When will the Reform Party stop saying no to this issue and realize that it is serious and all Canadians need to participate?

[Bill Gilmour, Reform, Nanaimo—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, well, golly, I think the minister just identified the problem: they did not have it until today. That is what the people wanted to know. Good Lord.

The question is, how is the government going to do it? Premier Klein is not all on side. What about the unemployment and what about the costs? Again I ask, how many jobs is this going to cost and how many dollars for the Kyoto deal?

[Christine Stewart, Liberal, Minister of the Environment]

Mr. Speaker, we on this side are convinced that we have to address this issue because the cost of not addressing it will be higher than addressing it. We believe that Canadians, with their ingenuity, and our entrepreneurs will assure us that in fact we are going to create jobs in this country. We are going to experience energy efficiency. Our health costs are going to be reduced. Canada will be the big winner in this.

Canada Post

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government is about to table today a bill forcing postal workers back to work.

In light of the fact that, last week, the government seemed to favour free collective bargaining, is today's action not motivated first and foremost by the desire to collect $200 million in dividends from the Canada Post Corporation, which would explain today's attempt to deny these workers the right to bargain freely?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, the government is going to put a piece of legislation in place in order to put CUPW back to work and get the post office in operation.

The Canadian people need the post office. We have given the collective bargaining system a fair period of time. Now it is time to move.

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, how can the government explain that, in spite of all the rhetoric from the Prime Minister and his labour minister, the major stages of this postal dispute, that is to say almost no negotiations, followed by a 10-day strike, the introduction of special legislation and resumption of postal operations, are precisely the ones announced on August 6 by the minister responsible for postal services to the Canadian Direct Marketing Association?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Labour]

Mr. Speaker, bargaining started three months before the end of the contract. We appointed a conciliation officer, a conciliation commissioner. We have given them every opportunity to come to an agreement.

Then the time comes when the government must move. That time has come. It is now.

[Réjean Lefebvre, Bloc, Champlain, QC]

Mr. Speaker, postal workers are finding themselves in a difficult situation today, with the government planning to take away their right to strike before they can gain any real leverage.

How can the Prime Minister justify the remarks he made last week in support of collective bargaining when the government already had a plan and the Canada Post Corporation knew it could count on the imminent introduction of special back-to-work legislation?

[Lawrence MacAulay, Liberal, Minister of Labour]

As I indicated previously, Mr. Speaker, there is a process to follow.

This government followed the process. Three months before the end of the contract both parties negotiated. I appointed a conciliation officer, a conciliation commissioner and even put a mediator in for a few days.

A time comes when the government must move. The time has come.