Mr. Speaker, today is International Day of Disabled Persons. Since the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons ended in 1992, we have become a more enlightened society.

We have removed barriers in many of our buildings to make them more accessible and functional for people with disabilities. We have heightened public awareness and acceptance that access is a right and everyone's responsibility.

This government provided $168 million to the vocational rehabilitation of disabled persons program. As well, the Government of Canada is contributing an additional $100 million for Canadians with disabilities. This includes the new $30 million opportunities fund that will help people with disabilities to find jobs.

The litmus test of Canadians' commitment to equality and equity is meaningful social and economic participation.

Seaforth HighlandersStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Reform

John Cummins Reform Delta—South Richmond, BC

Mr. Speaker, the Seaforth Highlanders, a Vancouver based regiment, was asked to be ready to act as the honour guard at last week's APEC conference in Vancouver. At the last minute they were told to keep their uniforms in their lockers because they did not look Canadian enough.

It was a stupid decision, equivalent to flying in Atlantic salmon to serve to guests in B.C., or the premier of P.E.I. because the Prime Minister wanted to introduce his foreign guests to a provincial premier.

The government did not question the looks of the Seaforth Highlanders before sending them to war. Nor did it ask Seaforth veteran Smokey Smith to change his uniform before pinning a Victoria Cross on his chest.

The Vancouver based Seaforth Highlanders have a long and proud history as a Canadian regiment. To suggest in any way that they are not representative of their country is an unspeakable insult.

The Prime Minister's decision to bypass the Seaforth Highlanders is shameful and disgusting. I ask that he apologize to the Seaforth Highlanders today.

Child PovertyStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Aileen Carroll Liberal Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford, ON

Mr. Speaker, over the six year period between 1989 and 1995, the incidence of child poverty in Canada has increased by 58%. The number of children living below the poverty line is 1.5 million with a staggering 500,000 in Ontario alone.

Regardless of whether one accepts the low income cutoff or poverty line set by Stats Canada, there are some facts we should all note. The average poor family of three in Ontario lives 35% below the poverty line, on an annual income of $17,000. This is in dramatic contrast to the average income of $60,000 for all families with children in Ontario.

Aside from the obvious human costs, unless we quickly develop a concerted effort to combat this problem, there will be economic costs to pay through the education system, the health care system and indeed perhaps the correctional system.

International Day Of Disabled PersonsStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Bloc

Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral Bloc Laval Centre, QC

Mr. Speaker, today, on the International Day of Disabled Persons, the Quebec National Assembly made the official proclamation of the Quebec Week of Disabled Persons. For one week, we will focus on our fellow citizens who live each and every day with diminished autonomy.

With their tenacity, courage and skills, these men and women who deserve our full admiration have made names for themselves in the world of culture and sport, as well as in professional, social and community involvement.

In the coming days, let us take time to examine our share of responsibility in improving their quality of life. We can, without a doubt, use as a guide for our reflections the theme of the Quebec week: Access is independence; everyone gains from it.

Guaranteeing access is a collective obligation. Independence is a precious gift, but each of us knows what a fragile gift it is. May the week of the disabled raise our awareness of that reality.

Standing Committee On FinanceStatements By Members

December 3rd, 1997 / 2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Maurizio Bevilacqua Liberal Vaughan—King—Aurora, ON

Mr. Speaker, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance travelled across the country to engage Canadians in a national dialogue about building a strong economy and a strong society.

Canadians approached this consultation with an understanding that economic growth and fiscal success are not ends in themselves, but rather a means to improve the quality of life for all Canadians.

Canadians want balance, not just a balanced budget, but balance in government policy, in its goals and its results. Canadians want balance between the security offered by debt reduction and the benefits of investing in people, technology and research and development.

Canadians firmly believe that health, education and pensions are not just line items on a balance sheet but rather an expression of our core values. Canadians want to leave future generations a legacy of expanding opportunities and security rather than one of high taxes and escalating debt.

Canadians have demanded accountability from the government as well as responsibility from themselves.

In our report entitled Keeping the Balance, Security and Opportunity for Canadians , we have tried to respond with the substance our fellow citizens demand, as well as a budget plan.

Land MinesStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Jean Augustine Liberal Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON

Mr. Speaker, this is a historic day in Canadian foreign policy. I join with all my colleagues in Parliament in welcoming to Ottawa the many distinguished guests who are gathered for the treaty signing conference and the Mine Action Forum.

Not only are we witnesses to the historic signing of the convention and the prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and their destruction, we have made history. We have ensured that the new international norm against anti-personnel mines is fundamentally encoded in a legally binding treaty.

We have participated in a remarkable global effort. I take this opportunity to commend not only our Minister of Foreign Affairs but also all those NGOs that have participated in this remarkable occasion.

Gun ControlStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Reform

Jim Pankiw Reform Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK

Mr. Speaker, last year the former justice minister who is currently the Minister of Health said that only the police and the military should be allowed to have guns. Two months ago the Minister of Foreign Affairs said that he would like to establish an international treaty to register, control and restrict the use of small arms. Last month the Deputy Prime Minister said that he favoured the development of an instrument to ban firearms throughout the world.

Do you see a pattern here? It is obvious. Beginning with Bill C-68 this Liberal government is committed to the elimination of firearm ownership in Canada. It is wholeheartedly dedicated to harassing law-abiding gun owners and confiscating their property. Registration then confiscation. That is the motto of these Liberals. Shame on the Liberal government for trampling on the property rights of Canadians.

Violence Against WomenStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadians will be honouring the memory of the 14 young women who lost their lives in 1989 at the hands of a stranger at Montreal's Ecole polytechnique, just because they were female.

Every year, December 6 marks the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, to ensure that no one ever forgets this tragic moment in our history.

According to Statistics Canada, half of the women in Canada have been the victim of at least one act of physical or sexual violence after the age of 16. Behind each statistic is someone's mother, sister or daughter, someone just like any of the 14 young women whose memory we will be honouring on December 6.

Violence continues. We will, however, use this day to remind ourselves that the efforts of all Canadian men and women are required if the attitudes that perpetuate violence and prevent women from attaining full equality in our society are to be changed.

Quebec's PartitionStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Bloc

Christiane Gagnon Bloc Québec, QC

Mr. Speaker, the debate on the partition of a sovereign Quebec is getting people worked up, particularly since the partitionists have the official support of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.

Let us not beat about the bush. A debate at this point is irresponsible and puts the extremists in the spotlight. Both the Bloc Quebecois and the Parti Quebecois categorically reject those advocating violence to achieve their political goals, like Raymond Villeneuve and his extremist movement.

However, the federalist camp has its fair share of extremists too. Jim MacKenzie, an acknowledged partitionist, is raising a fuss and threatening municipal officials with guerrilla tactics if they do not support his proposals for hacking up a sovereign Quebec.

The debate on Quebec's political future was much healthier when federalist extremists were not officially sanctioned by the Liberal government. What are the Liberals waiting for to dissociate themselves publicly from the partitionist movement?

The Late Michel BélangerStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Raymonde Folco Liberal Laval West, QC

Mr. Speaker, we were distressed to learn yesterday of the death of Michel Bélanger, who finally lost his long battle with an incurable illness.

Mr. Bélanger is one of the great Quebeckers devoted to the service of their country with a vision of the future that arose from a knowledge and a great understanding of the history of Quebec and Canada.

Universally respected in the worlds of business and politics, Mr. Bélanger was always keen to contribute to the workings of government. He also wanted to ensure that our society continued to evolve as it had, because it was clear to him that Quebec was meant to be within Canada.

We are all aware of Mr. Bélanger's contribution from the start of the Quiet Revolution in Quebec to the present. In both the public and private sectors he acted with vision, wisdom and reason.

Canada has lost a formidable ally and builder. Our condolences—

The Late Michel BélangerStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

The Speaker

I am sorry to interrupt the hon. member. The hon. member for Acadie—Bathurst.

Francophones Outside QuebecStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

NDP

Yvon Godin NDP Acadie—Bathurst, NB

Mr. Speaker, the 1996 census figures on linguistic profile show a 2% increase in the assimilation rate of francophones in Canada over the last five years. This trend towards assimilation of francophones is unacceptable.

I am a proud Acadian from New Brunswick. I am therefore really concerned when I see Acadians leaving their communities because there are no jobs and heading for anglophone urban centres where the risks of assimilation are greater.

It is the responsibility of this government to invest in our francophone communities outside Quebec. Creating jobs also creates vibrant communities where young people can work and contribute to the continued development of the French language and culture where they were born and grew up.

The federal government's budget cuts to the network of cultural associations and institutions, and to Radio-Canada are contributing to the disappearance of French in Canada. It is time this government stopped cutting and began investing in francophone communities outside Quebec.

Disabled PersonsStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Reform

Ken Epp Reform Elk Island, AB

Mr. Speaker, this is the week when we pay special attention to those among us who have the challenges of living with physical disabilities.

Most of us do not think very often of the blessing of health we enjoy, but it is important to be especially considerate of those who are not so blessed.

I think today of my sister who has lived with cerebral palsy all her life. I think of my friend Rudy, who, though younger than I, is totally disabled with Parkinson's disease and confined to his wheelchair. I think of Mark who faces the daily challenges of living with multiple sclerosis.

When we want to get up to go to a different place in the room, we just get up and go without even thinking of it. These people and thousands of others do not have this priceless privilege. They are locked into the limitations of their bodies.

Our thoughts are with them today, our friends who live so courageously from day to day.

Brandon, ManitobaStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Progressive Conservative

Rick Borotsik Progressive Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB

Mr. Speaker, members of the House will probably be getting a bit tired of my good news Brandon stories about the Canada Games and the Olympic curling trials, but once again I rise to congratulate the community of Brandon in southwestern Manitoba on yesterday's announcement.

Yesterday Maple Leaf Foods announced that it will develop a new world class hog processing plant in the city of Brandon. The capital investment will be $112 million and initial employment will be 1,150 new jobs.

The investment in the plant is a key component of Maple Leaf's ability to compete globally. The CEO of Maple Leaf Foods said the plant will be a model operation worldwide, making it the best processing plant in the world.

I thank the many people who made this possible: Maple Leaf Foods, the province of Manitoba, the city council of the city of Brandon, and especially the economic development officer, Mr. Don Allan.

Member For AbitibiStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Bloc

Pierre Brien Bloc Témiscamingue, QC

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the House of Commons was witness to a disgraceful display, to say the least, during the special postal debate.

In a fit of hot-headedness, the member for Abitibi challenged an individual in the public gallery to a fist fight. Not content with verbally abusing a member of the public, the member went so far as to remove his jacket in an attempt to goad him into a fight.

Such behaviour is unworthy of—

Member For AbitibiStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Member For AbitibiStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

The Speaker

We will now proceed to Oral Question Period. The leader of the official opposition.

The EconomyOral Question Period

2:15 p.m.

Calgary Southwest Alberta

Reform

Preston Manning ReformLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, these days a lot of cabinet ministers are cooling their heels in the waiting room of the finance department. They are lining up to make their pitch for spending any fiscal surplus.

We can just picture the heritage minister making a pitch for free flag poles, the justice minister looking for a few more million to hand out on airbus suits, and so forth. They have spending plans galore.

Which ministers, if any, are arguing not for spending increases but for debt reduction and for tax relief?

The EconomyOral Question Period

2:15 p.m.

Windsor West Ontario

Liberal

Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, all the matters raised by the Leader of the Opposition are on the minds of ministers.

We are striving to create the right balance in the best interest of Canadians between eliminating the deficit, debt reduction and helping Canadians lead better lives, something the Reform Party does not seem to be interested in.

The EconomyOral Question Period

2:15 p.m.

Calgary Southwest Alberta

Reform

Preston Manning ReformLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, spending ideas are on the minds of ministers; spend the surplus on $700 lunches for bureaucrats.

The industry department is looking at how to hand grants to friends of the government. Environment wants to spend money on a way to harness the wind power of the Minister of Natural Resources.

However Canadians have other priorities. We have a $600 billion federal debt and we have the highest personal income taxes in the G-7.

Will the Department of Finance make debt retirement and tax relief its number one—

The EconomyOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. Deputy Prime Minister.

The EconomyOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Windsor West Ontario

Liberal

Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I can assure you the fixing up of Stornoway to change it from a bingo hall—

The EconomyOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Some hon. members

Hear, hear.

The EconomyOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.