Debates of April 29th, 1998

[The Speaker]

As is our practice on Wednesdays, we will now sing the national anthem, which will be led by the hon. member for Saint John.

Collège Sainte-Anne In Lachine

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this House today with great pleasure to draw attention to the presence in the gallery of students from Collège Sainte-Anne in Lachine.

On September 2, 1861, this institution, which was known at the time as Villa Anna, opened its doors to 66 students aged between 6 and 18, 51 of whom were residents of Lachine.

It is also important to note that, from the very beginning, Villa Anna provided bilingual instruction and encouraged students to grow in truth, freedom and life skills.

The list of students who have gone through Collège Sainte-Anne is too long for me to read, but let me mention one of the most famous ones: the Hon. Senator Thérèse Lavoie-Roux.

Congratulations to Collège Sainte-Anne of Lachine, which—

[The Speaker]

I am sorry but I must now give the floor to the hon. member for Langley—Abbotsford.

Victims Bill Of Rights

[Randy White, Reform, Langley—Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today is the second anniversary of an agreement in the House of Commons to develop a national victims bill of rights.

Yes, it was April 29, 1996 when the Liberal government agreed with the Reform Party to put the rights of victims front and centre in this nation. Once again, however, the Liberal government did nothing. That is right, nothing. The Minister of Justice recently said that victims rights were just rhetoric.

Is the right to know the status of the criminal rhetoric? Is a person's right to know what their rights are rhetoric? Is the right to know when plea bargaining is taking place rhetoric?

I am ashamed to say that I sit in this House of Commons with those who are more concerned with the rights of criminals than the rights of victims. I am ashamed to be involved with those who say one thing and do nothing.

The fight for the rights of victims will continue and I am committed to be at the forefront of that battle, full time, now and when I leave this place of false hope.

International Association Of Firefighters

[Judi Longfield, Liberal, Whitby—Ajax, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the hospitality shown and the positive suggestions made by the International Association of Firefighters which has been meeting here in Ottawa at its seventh annual legislative conference.

Firefighters, as members know, are primary guardians of safety who are prepared to risk their lives in the performance of their duties. I would like to officially recognize them for their continuing dedication, sacrifice and service to this country.

Firefighters from across Canada have been to Ottawa to advance a number of very important issues. Among them is their request for the establishment of a federally regulated, third party investigative agency that would lessen the risk to firefighters who must deal with tragedies like the 1997 Plastimet fire in Hamilton.

They ask that we extend funding to complete the testing of Operation Respond, a program designed to ensure the safety of firefighters. I support these requests.

I call on my government to demonstrate its commitment to safety and its respect for firefighters. I urge it to implement—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Anjou—Rivière-des-Prairies.

Asbestos

[Yvon Charbonneau, Liberal, Anjou—Rivière-Des-Prairies, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we have learned in the newspapers of the decision made by the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe to completely ban asbestos.

Last week, as Canadian parliamentarians from the Liberal Party, the Conservative Party, the Bloc Quebecois and both Houses of Parliament, as well as observers at this interparliamentary assembly, we ran into a wall of misunderstanding and faced total rejection of the Canadian position, which is the same as the one held by the Russians.

Instead of a comprehensive ban on asbestos regardless of type or use, the Canadian position is based on the following consensus: asbestos may be a hazardous product, but its use can be controlled by putting workers' and public health first.

This consensus is shared by all levels of government, industry and labour in Canada. Unfortunately, the vast majority of parliamentarians in the Council of Europe have remained insensitive to any argument that might have softened their position.

It is therefore important that the Canadian consensus be put forth again before the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which will make a final decision on this recommendation.

Ontario Mining Week

[Réginald Bélair, Liberal, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this is Ontario Mining Week and I would like to pay a special tribute to the mining communities in the riding of Timmins—James Bay and, more specifically, to the city of Timmins, the largest gold mining community in Canada. I would also like to acknowledge the more than 3,000 individuals who work in the mining sector and contribute to this region's growing economy.

New mines are opening up in my riding, such as the Agrium phosphate mine near Kapuskasing. This means new jobs and economic opportunities for the area.

The value of production from metal mines in Timmins—James Bay has amounted to $836 million or 19% of the total value of output in Ontario. Exploration expenditures are up to $43 million. There is no doubt that mining is a vital contributor to my riding and to the country.

I am proud of the contribution made by the mining industry to our region's economy, quality of life and lifestyle. We must never forget—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Lethbridge.

Hepatitis C

[Rick Casson, Reform, Lethbridge, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I have a grave message for this Liberal government and the health minister from a constituent.

I am going to read her words, expressing the pain suffered by her and her family:

I received tainted blood during the course of surgery in 1985 and I was notified in 1996, by the blood bank.

I have hepatitis C, and now understand the symptoms I have experienced for years.

Added to the physical problems is the emotional and mental anxiety of passing this disease on to my husband, my children and my grandchildren.

To only compensate victims between 1986 and 1990 is totally unfair. I battle the same health problems, the same outcome, possibly death and we are just as innocent as the “window” victims. Are we not just as deserving of compensation?

She ends by saying:

Are politics and dollars worth more than people and lives?

Shame on the health minister. Shame on the Prime Minister. Shame on all the wimp Liberal MPs.

Manitoba Floods

[David Iftody, Liberal, Provencher, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the tragic floods that occurred in Manitoba last spring devastated the people of the Red River Valley.

One year ago today the town of Ste-Agathe was completely flooded, creating grief, family breakdown and attempted suicides.

Even today 100 families live in trailers or garages because their homes remain uninhabitable.

This is not a question of merely, as was stated in the House yesterday, flooded basements or having no lights. This is about people who are suffering. We have a duty in this House and I have a duty to say that we must continue to support the people of Provencher, the people of the Red River Valley, as this government has done.

Member For York South—Weston

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I strongly condemn the comments made yesterday outside the House by the member for York South—Weston, who criticized the Canadian government for helping flood and ice storm victims.

We must deplore such demagoguery on the part of that member, who will definitely not gain any credibility by trying to get a segment of the population all worked up.

The member for York South—Weston chose the easy route by shooting at anything that moves. He may show his incompetence and lack of judgment if he chooses, particularly since we know his record on faithfulness to a party and on being a team person.

As for us, we will not evade our responsibilities. We would rather live with the consequences of our actions as members of a government team. I guess we all choose our own way, express our own convictions, and show our faithfulness to a team, a philosophy and a Prime Minister. We know where the independent member stands on these points.

I prefer by far my own philosophy, which is to make the difficult decisions that have to be made and to be faithful to my leader, my team and our agenda.

Israel

[Preston Manning, Reform, Calgary Southwest, AB]

Mr. Speaker, tonight marks the 50th anniversary of the modern State of Israel. Born out of the ashes of the Holocaust and invaded by five countries on the very day of its independence, Israel has survived and thrived against all odds. Israel at 50 is a remarkable nation where Jews from all over the world go to live in freedom.

In recent years hundreds of thousands of Jews from the former Soviet Union and from Africa have immigrated to Israel, adding their own distinctive character to that growing country. In Israel, Arabs and Jews sit side by side in the Israeli Knesset and all citizens are allowed to practise their own religious and political beliefs.

Perhaps nothing speaks to Israel's spirit more than its national anthem, called “Hatikvah” which means “The Hope”. I call upon all members of this House to join with me in expressing our hope that Israel's next 50 years will be peaceful and prosperous and that she will live in harmony with all of her neighbours.

Member For York South—Weston

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

Mr. Speaker, I strongly disagree with the comments made yesterday by the independent member for York South—Weston, who criticized the compensation provided to victims of the disasters that occurred early in the year.

It would be hard to find someone who is more of a demagogue than this independent member, who betrayed his political party. I challenge him to come to my riding and my region and to repeat the same comments. I challenge him to try to withdraw the assistance provided by our government to those who suffered tremendous damage early in the year.

The independent member can go whichever way the wind blows, if he so chooses. Personally, I would rather stand up and support the decisions which we feel are best for the people in my riding and in my region.

Multilateral Agreement On Investment

[Bill Blaikie, NDP, Winnipeg—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, talks on the MAI have broken down, been suspended—call it what you like. The fact is that all Canadians who have been campaigning against the MAI have something to celebrate. Our concerns regarding the current model of globalization have resonated with the public and trade ministers have been forced to listen.

We are not members of the flat earth society after all, as the trade minister recently alleged. Instead we are members of the society for global governance that is just, sustainable, participatory and accountable.

Let us bury the MAI once and for all and use the opportunity of its failure to create a global economy which puts the rights of workers, of the environment and of democratically elected governments ahead of the rights of investors and the global corporate elite.

The NDP salutes all those who worked with us on this issue. Let us be vigilant, but let us also briefly pause to celebrate a significant victory in our struggle to put forward a different view of globalization.

Member For Abitibi

[Caroline St-Hilaire, Bloc, Longueuil, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, during the debate on poverty, the member from Abitibi said, and I quote:

I can say that, if women still stayed at home to look after their children, there would be less poverty.

I find this remark absolutely shocking and to top it all it is not true. In modern society fathers also take care of children.

I am dismayed that in 1998 it is still possible to use this sort of language to describe society. The member for Abitibi should be ashamed of reducing the problem of poverty to such simplistic terms. They are unworthy of a member of this House.

Certainly recognition of the unpaid work performed by women is vital, but this should not prevent women who choose to work outside the home to do so, regardless of what the hon. member thinks.

I hope this hon. member will change his paternalistic tune and join modern society.

Member For York South—Weston

[Denis Paradis, Liberal, Brome—Missisquoi, QC]

Mr. Speaker, victims in the Montérégie, the Eastern Townships, the Saguenay region, others in various regions of Quebec hit by the recent ice storm and the victims in Manitoba are very upset by the remarks of the independent member, who is faulting them for receiving financial help in response to natural catastrophes.

If the independent member for York South—Weston has the courage to do so, let him visit the Saguenay, Manitoba and the other regions of Canada and tell them they should return the cheques they received from our government.

The hon. member can certainly shirk his responsibilities and he can let his party down as he did because he could not take the pressure, but he cannot insult victims who have received government assistance.

Israel

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

Mr. Speaker, Israelis must build with one hand while defending themselves with the other. That was the message of Chaim Weizzman, Israel's first president on the day the Jewish people re-established a homeland from which they were separated for thousands of years.

Tomorrow, by the Jewish calendar, the people of Israel will celebrate 50 years of statehood.

Today Israel is a diverse, vibrant and modern democracy. Israelis have transformed a tiny, barren land into an economic and technological power. Fewer than one million Israelis became six million. With all their differences they make the desert bloom and democracy work.

As Israel marks its 50th birthday, the PC Party of Canada extends its best wishes and its hope that the citizens of Israel will continue to move toward a just, comprehensive and lasting peace. Shalom, Israel.

Hepatitis C

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

Mr. Speaker, this is a very sad day indeed for all hepatitis C victims.

It is a terrible thing to realize that the federal government is stubbornly refusing to free up funds to compensate all hepatitis C victims, while it is literally throwing billions down the drain at the same time.

According to the auditor general, $2.2 billion are being wasted by bad management in the armed forces, $750 million of that on used submarines. And if this were not enough, we now learn that the government would be receptive to subsidizing the millionaires in Canadian professional sport. At the same time, this same government is cutting $11 billion from health, education and welfare, with more cuts to come.

Where do the Liberal government's priorities lie, when it is abandoning innocent victims, while at the same time merrily embarking in all sorts of ridiculous spending? This is unacceptable.

May Court Club

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure today that I rise in the House to pay tribute to the May Court Club on its 100th anniversary. The May Court Club of Canada was founded in 1898 by Lady Aberdeen, wife of then Governor General, the Earl of Aberdeen. Thirty-six of the 150 members and volunteers from Kitchener—Waterloo are on their way to Ottawa to take part in the 100th anniversary celebrations taking place May 1 and 2 with their current patron, Her Excellency, Mrs. Diana Fowler LeBlanc.

May Court provides a valuable community service. Through its tireless volunteerism and fundraising it operates a number of community service projects, including an afternoon day care centre for mothers and children, a special care committee providing weekly activities for ex-psychiatric patients and a food box program for school children.

In addition to these valuable services, through local fundraising efforts May Court provides financial aid to 39 community organizations servicing children, community needs, health care and counselling—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Souris—Moose Mountain.

Weyburn Red Wings

[Roy H. Bailey, Reform, Souris—Moose Mountain, SK]

Mr. Speaker, once again the Weyburn Red Wings of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League have captured the Anavet Cup. It took seven games to defeat the talented Winkler Manitoba Flyers.

The Weyburn Red Wings now advance to the Junior II National Championships to be held in Nanaimo, B.C.

Winning the national championship is not new to the Red Wings or their loyal fans.

Good luck, Red Wings, and bring home the national championship and the coveted Royal Bank Cup.

Natural Disasters

[Hec Clouthier, Liberal, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, when I looked at the news today I was appalled to see the member for York South—Weston trivialize the damage and suffering caused by the ice storm and floods to millions of Canadians.

To say that their hardship consisted of the lights going out and the occasional flooded basement is as callous as it is uninformed.

Do I need to remind the member that families were without light, without heat, without water in the dead of a Canadian winter? Do I need to remind him of the human toll? The ice storm and floods caused damage to many of my constituents in the riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke.

I cannot accept this type of cheap politics. Obviously the member is a dork—oh, I am sorry, Mr. Speaker, is in the dark.

Hepatitis C

[Preston Manning, Reform, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I hope the Prime Minister is proud of himself today. Let us look at what he has done.

He has abandoned thousands of hepatitis C victims infected because of government negligence. He has driven some of his own backbenchers to tears by forcing them to vote against their best interests, against their own consciences and against their constituents.

My question is for the Prime Minister. Was it worth it?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I have seen crocodile tears in my lifetime, but when I see the leader of the Reform Party wanting to cut billions of dollars from the programs of the natives of Canada, when I see the leader of the Reform Party asking the government to get rid of the CPP because he wants to transfer it to the private sector, when I see him opposing any measure that creates social progress in Canada and trying to score political points on the health of some people in Canada, it is very difficult for me to take him seriously.