Debates of Oct. 1st, 1998

Breast Cancer

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

Mr. Speaker, today marks the beginning of breast cancer awareness month. This year alone over 19,000 Canadian women will be diagnosed with this disease and tragically almost one-third of them will die. Breast cancer has become the leading cause of death among women 35 to 55.

Today we wear pink ribbons. The colour of the ribbon symbolizes hope for a cure. Today we offer our compassion and prayers for strength to the women and their families who are fighting this disease. A child losing its mother, a husband losing a wife; the pain of the loss of a loved one is the deepest kind of pain.

We must continue to work at finding a cure. Let us recognize and encourage the efforts of our Canadian researchers who are world leaders in the fight against cancer. Collectively we must continue to support every effort to better understand the causes and cures of this deadly disease. The hope for a cure fuels the search for answers. I know we all look forward to a day when we can speak about that hope—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Pierrefonds—Dollard.

The Late Pauline Julien

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

Mr. Speaker, we just heard that renowned Quebec singer Pauline Julien passed away.

While we knew she was very ill, her death caught us all by surprise. Pauline Julien was a greatly admired performing artist. We are saddened by her death, especially on this International Music Day.

Everyone in Quebec mourns her loss. She will be remembered as an artist and a woman who loved the French language and Quebec popular song. Pauline Julien personified Quebec, as a dynamic, generous woman who shared her enthusiasm for the development of the francophone and Quebec culture.

I want to extend our condolences and sympathy to all members of her family and all her friends. We share their pain and sorrow over the loss of this great lady.

Breast Cancer

[Greg Thompson, Progressive Conservative, Charlotte, NB]

Mr. Speaker, no word inflicts more fear in the hearts and minds of families than cancer. Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in Canada. Its toll is frightening.

October is breast cancer awareness month. The statistics speak for themselves. Nearly 20,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and of these women, over 5,000 will die. Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of death among women 35 to 55 and accounts for 30% of all cancer in women and 18% of all cancer deaths.

This Sunday, October 4, cities and towns across Canada will host Run for a Cure. We expect 50,000 people, women and men, to participate, raising money for breast cancer awareness and research. We need participation by all Canadians to conquer this dreaded disease.

With your consideration, Mr. Speaker, for more information on Run for a Cure and on breast cancer—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Pontiac—Gatineau—Labelle.

Canadian National

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

Mr. Speaker, in 1996 the Canadian Parliament passed the Canada Transportation Act. Canadian National had announced an important rationalization plan for its system. The people in my region were justifiably concerned about the future of the railway.

The situation concerning the rail line between Ottawa, Portage-du-Fort and Pembroke, Ontario has just come to a happy conclusion. I am proud to have been a participant in the discussions with CN authorities, resource people and Department of Transport representatives. The sale of this rail line ensures the people of the Pontiac and surrounding area of access to transportation for years to come.

Our government brought its usual skills to bear in this operation, and I am pleased to have been able to serve the best interests of the people of my riding through my involvement.

International Day Of Older Persons

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

Mr. Speaker, today is the International Day of Older Persons. With the International Year of Older Persons mere months away, it is our duty to emphasize the necessity of recognizing and protecting their rights.

Despite the Minister of Finance's statement in late July that “the proposed seniors benefit reform will not take place”, our seniors are nevertheless having to cope with the disastrous consequences of the cuts this government has been championing for too long already.

If it had not been for the fight put up by seniors, the AFEAS and other golden age groups in particular, the dignity of our seniors would have been attacked once again.

It is imperative for the government to assure seniors that the pension and other social programs will be cost-of-living indexed so as to guarantee the people who built Canada and Quebec a fair and reasonable standard of living.

Whaling

[Gary Lunn, Reform, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today Makah Indians are preparing to slaughter grey whales just off our west coast.

They claim the hunt is an expression of cultural self-determination. It is reported that this in fact is a commercial operation with the Japanese fronting more than $20,000 to promote the hunt and agreeing to purchase the whales at $1 million a piece.

The minister of fisheries has flip-flopped on this hunt four times in the last two days as he scrambles to appease foreign governments. RCMP and DFO officials have expressed serious safety concerns regarding the slaughter of whales in our waters. Greys are notoriously aggressive when wounded.

We need leadership in DFO. What will it take for the PM to realize that everything the minister touches turns into an unmitigated disaster? It is time for change. It is time for leadership. The PM should have fired the minister, not the committee chair.

Kosovo

[Charles Caccia, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the unanimous resolution of the House yesterday on Kosovo reflects the sentiments of most Canadians about a human tragedy reminiscent of Bosnia.

Words are inadequate to describe the treatment and persecution of innocent civilians in Kosovo. As the world community watches these events it is increasingly frustrated and believes itself to be impotent.

The situation in Kosovo reminds us of the excesses of nationalism, the dangers posed by people when driven by fanaticism and the extent of barbarism of which the human species is capable.

There is a role to be played by institutions such as the UN, the Council of Europe, and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Any of these could play a fine and useful role in achieving what the people of Kosovo, Serbs and Albanians alike, really want, an end to hostilities, persecution and violence and a return to normality before winter sets in. In other words, a political solution that will restore peace.

Transport

[Dick Proctor, NDP, Palliser, SK]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Canadian Transportation Agency ruled that CPR did not allocate enough rail cars to haul farmers' grain to the west coast in the winter of 1996-97.

This complaint was filed on behalf of grain producers by the Canadian Wheat Board and included a complaint against CN rail as well.

The wheat board estimates that this failure to provide adequate service cost farmers $50 million and the board is now expected to sue CP for a portion of those damages. This poor service is a direct result of the effective monopoly by CN and CP on shipping western grain. Yet these same railways argue that the system should now be totally deregulated so that they alone can decide what to haul, when to haul it and at what tariff.

This would be a disaster for western Canadian farmers. Yesterday's ruling proves that in order to protect farmers the federal government must continue to play a key role in regulating grain transportation in Canada.

Arctic Council

[Nancy Karetak-Lindell, Liberal, Nunavut, NU]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the town of Iqaluit for the warm welcome and generous hospitality given to the delegates and ministers who attended their first ministerial meeting of the Arctic Council held September 17 and September 18.

The circumpolar peoples of the Arctic Council are committed to improving socioeconomic conditions and protecting the environment and cultures.

The people of Nunavut are very concerned with environmental issues. My ancestors depended solely on the land and sea for survival and today we Inuit respect and cherish that bond.

Therefore we were very happy to hear the same concerns expressed by the international community at the Arctic Council as well as all the initiatives to protect our joint heritage.

The people of Nunavut are also very aware of the problems faced by our children and youth in the transition from traditional Inuit culture to the computer age. The welcome given Canada's children and youth of the Arctic initiative shows that our concerns are shared and understood by the international—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Rimouski—Mitis.

The Late Pauline Julien

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

Mr. Speaker, there is a feeling of sadness today in Quebec, as we are mourning the passing of Pauline Julien.

The Bloc Quebecois extends its condolences to her children Pascale and Nicolas, to her granddaughter Marie, whom she adored, and to her friends and family.

Pauline Julien was an actor, a singer and a composer, and she used her exceptional voice to interpret the songs of the greatest French and Quebec songwriters. When she came back to Quebec in the early sixties, she said “It is important for me to sing my own songs. I had things to say as a woman, a singer and a Quebecker, things that others could not say on my behalf”.

For many, Pauline Julien is synonymous with political commitment to Quebec and to the feminist cause. We will remember her kindness, her compassion for the needy and her anger at seeing the increasingly wide gap between rich and poor.

It is this woman, this singer, this Quebecker and this champion of so many social, national and international causes, that Quebec salutes with respect and pride.

Canada Pension Plan

[Preston Manning, Reform, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, last month the Liberals fired Bernard Dussault, the Canada pension plan's top actuary. Why? Because he was about to reveal how the Liberals had mismanaged the plan.

Not once, but twice, Mr. Dussault was told to alter his reports because otherwise it would “embarrass the Minister of Finance”.

My question is for the Prime Minister. Why does he permit blatant political interference in the running of the Canada pension plan?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the Superintendent of Financial Institutions today categorically denied that allegation.

I would like to read from the superintendent's statement yesterday:

—there was no political interference in my decision to ask him to leave.

That is Mr. Dussault. It continues:

Not by the Minister of Finance, nor by any other Minister. I am responsible for OSFI, and this was my decision as the superintendent.

[Preston Manning, Reform, Leader of the Opposition]

You can bet, Mr. Speaker, that if he had not said that, he would have been fired today as well.

Bernard Dussault was fired because his report would have embarrassed the Prime Minister. He was fired because his report would have shown that the Liberal CPP plan was in deep trouble, that the premiums being charged were not enough to cover the miscalculations of the minister.

Will the Prime Minister reinstate Dussault so that he can give us the honest report that he would have prepared?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the single most important thing in all of this is the integrity of the Canada pension plan.

Neither the federal Minister of Finance nor the 10 provincial ministers of finance, all of whom are involved, would be embarrassed by whatever numbers come out.

Let me again quote from the superintendent's statement of yesterday:

The team of competent professionals who worked under Mr. Dussault remains in place. Mr. Hafeman, who is replacing Mr. Dussault is a competent, experienced actuary—

Then he goes on to say that the superintendent—

[The Speaker]

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Preston Manning, Reform, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, it seems that the government will go to any lengths to protect itself from embarrassment.

Somalia, an embarrassment: shred the documents. Krever, an embarrassment: take him to court. Students, an embarrassment: use the pepper spray. EI fund surplus, an embarrassment: steal it. Now this actuary, an embarrassment: fire him.

My question is for the Prime Minister. Is there any ethical guideline he will not violate in order to protect his government from embarrassment?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I am very, very proud of the record of my government on integrity in the last five years.

I am very, very surprised that the Leader of the Reform Party would get up in the House with so many Reformers at his back.

[Diane Ablonczy, Reform, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, this is a very serious matter. The confidence of Canadians in their pension plan has been seriously shaken because the independent chief actuary of the Canada pension plan, a man held in the highest regard in his profession, has stated categorically that he was asked to fudge the figures about the plan.

Is the minister simply going to sit here and tell the House that he will do nothing at all to deal with these serious allegations?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, first, as I have just mentioned, the Superintendent of Financial Institutions has categorically denied that allegation.

Second, let us understand what the superintendent has done. Not only is Mr. Hafeman, who worked under Mr. Dussault, now completing the report, but I will quote again from the superintendent “to provide an extra layer of assurance”, along the lines the member is talking about, “I will be seeking the help of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries. OSFI has been working with the CIA on an important new initiative, the development of a system of practised review”.

[Diane Ablonczy, Reform, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that Mr. Dussault's report, his five year review of the CPP that he has been working on, will never see the light of day. Some other figures, some other calculations, some other projections will come forward from goodness knows which sources. Apparently the minister has not even made up his mind yet. It could be this. It could be that. It could be someone else.

We need to know what the man who worked on this for seven years thinks about the plan. Are we going to see that report?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, that is simply nonsense. First, Mr. Hafeman worked under Mr. Dussault.

Second, what has happened is that the superintendent has asked the Canadian Institute of Actuaries to come in and do a practised review of OSFI's “actuarial services division early in the new year”. He has asked them to do it with special emphasis on the report of the CPP. There will not be one report; there will be two and it will be approved by the Canadian Institute of Actuaries.

Economic Situation

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

Mr. Speaker, this morning the Canadian dollar is in free fall. For the fourth consecutive month, the economy and all the economic indicators are declining. The Prime Minister, however, continues to say all is well.

Does the Prime Minister not think it is high time he acted as a responsible Prime Minister and took measures to stimulate the economy, before the country plunges into another recession?