Debates of May 27th, 1998

[The Speaker]

As is our practice on Wednesdays, we will now sing O Canada, and we will be led by the hon. member for Sackville—Eastern Shore.

Land Mines

[Janko Peric, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I call on all members of the House to join me in congratulating all parliamentarians of the Republic of Croatia for unanimously ratifying the Canadian led treaty to ban anti-personnel land mines.

One of the first countries to support and join the Ottawa process, Croatia became the 12th country to ratify this convention.

A foremost victim of land mines, up to three million mines were laid in areas of the country, blocking the safe return of refugees and displaced persons and further hampering attempts at development and reconstruction.

Through partnerships with other states, Canadian de-mining technology and expertise can help to eliminate the dangers of existing land mines in this region.

Income Tax Act

[Myron Thompson, Reform, Wild Rose, AB]

Mr. Speaker, there has been a lot of talk lately about the declining role of parliamentarians at the hands of judicial activism.

In the case of Rosenberg v Canada, a lesbian challenged the constitutionality of the Income Tax Act, since it forced Revenue Canada to refuse to register her employer's private pension plan if it extended death benefits to same sex partners. In a unanimous decision on April 23, the Ontario Court of Appeal decided to read a same sex definition of the term spouse into the act.

I feel that the government has an obligation to defend its stated position on the definition of spouse and if an appeal fails then this issue should be put before parliament.

As the former justice minister himself said while defending the need for Bill C-33, “we shouldn't rely upon the courts to make public policy in matters of this kind. That's up to legislators, and we should have the courage to do it”.

This issue comes down to one question: Is the current justice minister going to let the courts decide on the redefinition of the term spouse or is parliament?

Armenia

[Sarkis Assadourian, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Armenian independence.

On May 28, 1918 the Armenian nation threw off the shackles of oppression of the Ottoman Empire and re-established itself as an independent nation on the world stage.

Today Armenians throughout the world join together to celebrate the birth of the modern Armenian state. As we gather to celebrate this important milestone we will pray that the growth of democracy and the rule of law will continue to flourish in today's Armenia.

Armenians have fought countless battles and endured immeasurable hardships to sustain our language and culture and, in fact, our very existence as a nation.

Happy Anniversary, Armenia.

Bishop Franjo Komarica

[Derek Lee, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to call on members of the House to join me in welcoming Monsignor Franjo Komarica, Bishop of Banja Luka, Bosnia-Hercegovina.

During the war which engulfed Bosnia-Hercegovina, most of those in Bishop Komarica's diocese were subjected to ethnic cleansing and their homes open to systematic destruction.

Monsignor Komarica has long been an outspoken advocate of a just and peaceful solution to the conflict in Bosnia and a harmonious co-existence between all of its peoples.

Despite the threat to his personal safety, the bishop worked courageously to intervene and prevent the outbreak and escalation of large scale conflicts and oversaw the distribution of desperately needed humanitarian aid to all citizens in need.

I applaud Bishop Komarica for his defence and assistance of all victims of war in Bosnia-Hercegovina and I welcome him to Canada.

Canada's Armenian Community

[Eleni Bakopanos, Liberal, Ahuntsic, QC]

Mr. Speaker, May 28 is a significant date for the Armenian community in Canada.

On that date, in 1918, the Republic of Armenia was created following the tragic events in which more than one million of their fellow citizens were killed.

Although the new republic was annexed by the Soviet Union soon after, May 28, 1918 remains an important date for all Armenians.

Today the Republic of Armenia is once again an independent country, having declared its independence on September 23, 1991 from the former Soviet Union. Even though the Armenian economy has been strained by recent changes and is currently undergoing a difficult process of economic restructuring, the future now looks brighter for the new republic.

On this day I wish to pay a special tribute to my constituents of Armenian origin who are model Canadians and proud of their rich culture and linguistic Armenian heritage.

I invite all my colleagues to celebrate this anniversary together with all Canadians of Armenian origin.

Canadian Special Olympics Organization

[Dick Harris, Reform, Prince George—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to pay tribute to the Canadian Special Olympics Organization.

These very dedicated people provide programs of tremendous benefit to individuals with mental challenges.

The special olympics is one of the most respected charity help groups in all of Canada and this is due to the thousands of dedicated volunteers who donate so much of their time to this very worthy cause.

I am proud to host in my riding every year the Prince George special olympics charity golf classic which has raised more than $100,000 for our special olympics organization over the last five years.

I salute the many special olympics volunteers and especially the special olympics athletes who, with grit and determination, say “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in my attempt”.

Calgary Declaration

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Ontario became the eighth Canadian province to send a clear message in favour of national unity by supporting the Calgary declaration.

“We recognize Quebec's unique character”, said the Ontario legislature. The provinces are once again reiterating that Quebec belongs in the Canadian federation.

As for the Bouchard government, it has instituted a so-called non-partisan parliamentary commission on the Calgary declaration.

Why did nine of the thirty persons who were approached decline the sovereignists' invitation to take part in this bogus commission? This speaks volumes about the non-partisan nature of this commission, which Premier Bouchard would have us believe in.

Air Pollution

[Sue Barnes, Liberal, London West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, air pollution advisories are being issued more and more frequently across the country. Montreal has already had two smog alerts so far this year, which is somewhat unusual this early in the season.

Children and older people as well as those with respiratory and cardiac problems are the most vulnerable. Recent data show that up to 1,800 Ontario residents die every year from air pollution.

Immediate action is required to ensure that Canadians can breathe cleaner air. Air pollution is a source of concern for all Canadians and should be a priority for all governments.

Canadian Wheat Board

[Garry Breitkreuz, Reform, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the results of a survey on grain marketing in Saskatchewan was recently made public. I thought members who helped ram Bill C-4 through the House would be interested in the results.

Sixty per cent of the respondents thought there should be dual marketing for wheat; that is, the Canadian Wheat Board should not be the only company the western farmers can sell their wheat and barley to.

Sixty-one per cent thought there should be a provision for producers to sell a portion of their production outside the Canadian Wheat Board.

Fifty-four per cent thought the wheat board would be effective in a dual market.

Fifty-three per cent felt they did not know enough about the changes to the wheat board passed in Bill C-4.

I think members on the government side will pay more attention to these survey results when they learn that the survey was conducted by the leader of the Liberal Party of Saskatchewan.

Quebec's Senior Citizens Week

[Maud Debien, Bloc, Laval East, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since this is Senior Citizens Week in Quebec, I take this opportunity to salute all senior citizens in Laval and Quebec and to thank them for their contribution to our society's development.

Two years ago, the federal government announced a seniors benefit program that would provide minimum annual payments of $11,420 to a person living alone, and $18,440 for a couple, which is clearly below the poverty line.

With the support of Bloc Quebecois members, seniors groups have questioned the formula used to calculate these benefits. They have criticized the federal government for jeopardizing the financial independence of elderly women and penalizing seniors with other sources of income.

We want the Minister of Finance to follow up on these concerns. Seniors can be assured that we will be vigilant during the review of that program.

I wish you all a good week.

Calgary Declaration

[Claude Drouin, Liberal, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last week, we learned that unemployment has gone up in Quebec. Instead of trying to find concrete solutions, the PQ government has decided to set up a parliamentary commission on the Calgary declaration, a document in which it does not even want to believe.

In this morning's edition of La Presse , an editorial writer says: “There is in fact a direct link between the two events. Politics is killing the economy in Quebec. We will not succeed in lowering the unemployment rate, in efficiently fighting poverty and in giving back to the state enough financial leeway as long as we continue to bleed ourselves dry over this political debate, which is getting us nowhere”.

I leave it up to Quebeckers to make up their own minds about the PQ decisions, which go squarely against their own interests and seem to be unanimously supported by Bloc Quebecois members.

Universal Declaration Of Human Rights

[Louise Hardy, NDP, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, human rights and the family are the topic of the Canadian Council of Refugee's semi-annual conference. Participants from Canada and abroad will attend and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Canadian government is concerned with trade and not human needs or problems. This government must advance policies that represent the values of Canadian citizens rather than reacting to the hysteria of right wing politicians and enforcing detentions and deportations.

A refugee claimant who has passed the medical and background checks should receive landed immigrant status at the most three years after filing a refugee claim. A large number of refugees are in limbo and waiting for basic human rights such as the pursuit of work, education or travel. We must not close our doors to those seeking refuge.

Minister Of National Defence

[Bryon Wilfert, Liberal, Oak Ridges, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to congratulate the Minister of National Defence, the hon. member of parliament for York Centre. He was recognized last Thursday as the recipient of the American Public Works Association's Distinguished Service Award. The award recognizes members of government for their far-reaching positive impact on public works programs, services or policies through distinguished public service commitment.

He is the first Canadian to win the award in the 104 year history of the APWA. The minister certainly deserves it for the work he did as minister responsible for infrastructure when he launched the Canada infrastructure works program, a model program for intergovernmental co-operation. He spearheaded the effort to rebuild Canada's infrastructure and provided $2 billion in federal money. The program delivered the money where it was needed most, at the municipal level.

In his current portfolio the minister mobilized 15,000 Canadian forces to support public works officials during the ice storm of 1998.

Please join me in congratulating the Minister of National Defence.

Globalization

[Stéphan Tremblay, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, members of the political and economic community met this week to look at certain aspects of globalization in terms of economic imperatives at the world conference in Montreal.

The members of a popular lobby group, l'Opération Salami, vigorously expressed their resistance to globalization, which, according to them, is creating its share of injustice.

One phenomenon, two visions: a world where everything should be done to facilitate economic exchange, because it is the guarantee of prosperity, or a world where community well-being means protecting the social values that have come from democracy.

When groups demonstrate to such an extent to express their viewpoint, it is time for us, the politicians, to look at the phenomenon of globalization and especially at its impact on our social values.

This is tangible evidence that we parliamentarians should adopt the solution I recently proposed, which is to create a parliamentary committee to study the consequences of this new reality.

Airbus

[Peter MacKay, Progressive Conservative, Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS]

Mr. Speaker, in anticipation of tomorrow's supreme court ruling on a case involving Karlheinz Schreiber in the ill-conceived, politically motivated airbus investigation, many questions remain unanswered.

It is increasingly clear that Kimberly Prost, retired Staff Sergeant Fiegenwald, mysterious convict Mr. Palosi and the equally credible Stevie Cameron are not the main players in this entire debacle.

We know a former prime minister has been harassed and defamed by the current government's administration and, when challenged on the merits, this same government only offered a qualified apology, paid the bill and now presses on with renewed vigour like an addicted gambler doubling his bets in the hope of covering his debts.

The affront to public sensibility and personal vendetta continues. The questions remain. Why has this dragged on? When will the government show good faith and abandon this dead end trail, saving Canadians further tax dollars? In light of Air Canada's decision to purchase more airbuses, does the government fear for the future integrity of the current Prime Minister, given the Liberal history of involvement with the airbus which dates back to 1971?

Reform Party Convention

[Grant McNally, Reform, Dewdney—Alouette, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this week in London, Ontario, one of Canada's most important democratic activities is taking place. Canadians from every corner of the country and from every walk of life will be gathering to discuss the state of our country and to develop innovative policy at the 1998 assembly of the Reform Party.

Assembly 98 delegates will speak freely and candidly about the problems facing their country. Unlike the Liberals, Reformers do not need to be whipped into line and smile for the cameras. Reformers take pride in speaking their minds on any issue, including an open debate on all aspects of our own party.

Reformers believe in an efficient and accountable government, and accountability starts with the individual. I invite members opposite to tune in and watch the proceedings of Assembly 98. They will see accountability, autonomy and the ingenuity that will continue to shape Canada for generations to come.

Health

[Grant Hill, Reform, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the health minister said that albumin, used to treat burn victims imported from the U.S. Alpha Therapeutic Company, is safe and “at no time have American authorities prohibited the sale of the products of this company”.

In one hour I found two product withdrawals from this company in one year, and one of them was albumin. Has the government learned nothing from the tainted blood tragedy?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the important point here is that the albumin being imported into Canada has been inspected by the American authorities and by the Canadian authorities and has been found to meet safety standards.

The member as a physician should know that albumin is an important product for the health of many Canadians. Because of the shortage of licensed suppliers and at the request of physicians, Health Canada through the special access program has permitted importation of this product from Alpha, which is an American company.

This product has been inspected by the American authorities, by the Canadian authorities and has been found to be safe.

[Grant Hill, Reform, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, remember he said no withdrawals and there were withdrawals.

The same company has such a bad safety record in the U.S. that on voluntary standards which they would normally comply with the FDA had to go to court to force them and the parent company, Green Cross in Japan, to get down on their knees and apologize for the Japanese tainted blood scandal.

Why are we allowing outsiders to tell us that these blood products are safe?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, as usual the member is not listening. What he is doing through his fearmongering is upsetting people who rely on this product.

I have said to the House and I say again to the member, if it does any good, that because of the shortage of this supply from licensed suppliers doctors have asked Health Canada to permit the importation from Alpha.

The American authorities have examined the very product being imported. Canadian authorities have examined that product and have found it to be safe.

Let us not instil unnecessary fear on the part of innocent Canadians who rely on these products for their own health and safety.

[Grant Hill, Reform, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is not testing this blood for safety. We are trusting someone else to say that it is safe.

The same company's founder said “Money is more important than blood”. That is not good enough in Canada.

Why are we trusting and repeating the errors of the past when it relates to tainted blood?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I can do no more than rely on the facts. I urge the member to be responsible in the way he is dealing with this issue.

Please, we are dealing with innocent Canadians who need this product for their health and safety. Please, the officials have told me expressly that Alpha has an albumin product that has been approved for marketing in Canada but does not have a licensed importer.

This product has been approved for importing into Canada. It has been approved by the Americans. Surely the member will be responsible enough to deal with the true facts of this matter instead of using it for narrow political purposes.

Employment Insurance

[Monte Solberg, Reform, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister must have trouble sitting down these days with $15 billion in his back pocket.

The Premier of Ontario calls his EI tax grab stealing from Canadians. How much longer will Canadians have to wait—

[Some hon. members]

Withdraw.