House of Commons Hansard #40 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was consent.
The Speaker
As is our practice on Wednesday we will now sing O Canada. The hon. member for Kingston and the Islands and a choir from Kingston and the Islands will lead us in the singing of our national anthem. This is only the fourth group that has ever led us in O Canada in our House.
Jean Augustine Liberal Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Christmas season is a time of joy and happiness for many Canadian children, yet for one unknown young child this will not be the case. Last Tuesday the people of Etobicoke—Lakeshore were shocked to learn that the body of an unidentified child was found dismembered in Colonel Samuel Smith Park, a local park.
The death of this child is an example of the kind of violence that, when perpetrated, affects us all. Our communities will not be whole or functional until we can identify this child and find the perpetrators. The lives of our children are too precious not to warrant our protection.
As we mourn the tragic death of this child let us take the time to reflect and take action on the things that threaten children's lives. We must work to ensure that children are safe in Etobicoke—Lakeshore and in all communities across our great country.
John Cummins Reform Delta—South Richmond, BC
Mr. Speaker, Santa Claus announced today that he will be moving his entire Canadian operation to the South Pole early next year. The reason? The excessively high taxes imposed by this Liberal government.
An obviously distraught Claus told a packed news conference that all aspects of his operation are overtaxed and that he is simply not prepared to pay any more. “It is becoming increasingly impossible to get the elves to work overtime”, said Claus. “Liberal payroll taxes rip their paycheques in half”.
“The excessive burden of provincial taxes, federal excise taxes and the GST are driving the price of reindeer fuel out of sight”, said R. N. Reindeer, chief of Claus' transportation division. “Our accountants say the best way to escape the Liberals' juggernaut is to move to the South Pole and to operate Santa's sleigh under a Liberian flag of convenience”.
“Our agenda has always been a children's agenda”, said a tearful Mrs. Claus. “Once Liberal taxes have shut us down, who are the kids going to write to at Christmastime, Revenue Canada?”
Jacques Saada Liberal Brossard—La Prairie, QC
Mr. Speaker, I have some good news, very good news, for the Gaspé region.
On December 13, the Minister of National Revenue and Secretary of State responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec announced that the Conseil de développement économique de Murdochville will be receiving a contribution of $377,000 for four prefeasibility studies aimed at determining the most promising areas for investment.
This is one of a series of measures undertaken by the Government of Canada in the past 24 months within the region. Some $28 million have been injected into programs specifically designed for the Gaspé—Îles-de-la-Madeleine region.
I should point out as well that an envelope of $20 million is still available for productive projects.
This is just one more fine example of the Government of Canada's concrete support to the process of restructuring the economy of the Gaspé—Îles-de-la-Madeleine region.
Claude Drouin Liberal Beauce, QC
Mr. Speaker, a great friend of amateur sport in Canada passed away on December 3 at the age of 59.
Claude Hardy was an athlete, a coach, an administrator and a TV commentator. He made his mark as a weightlifter in Quebec and in Canada, and on the world scene as well, participating in the 1968 and 1972 Olympic Games. Today we pay tribute in particular to his devotion to young athletes.
He was involved in several editions of the Canada Games as an athlete, a coach and leader of the Quebec delegation.
At each future edition of the Canada Games, the Claude Hardy award will be given in his memory to a delegation member demonstrating the same qualities as this great man, who left us far too soon.
Peter Adams Liberal Peterborough, ON
Mr. Speaker, we live in the most connected country in the world on the threshold of the 21st century. Yet, 22% of Canadians have difficulty reading commonly available material and another 26% have limited reading skills.
Whether we realize it or not, each of us knows at least one adult who cannot read. This is not a matter of immigrants having problems with their second or third language; this is a problem that affects all corners of Canadian society.
While we must keep up with the high tech aspects of the global village in which we live, we must also support focusing energy and resources to improve literacy levels across the country.
I urge all members to support the National Literacy Secretariat. The secretariat and its partners deserve our support.
Dave Chatters Reform Athabasca, AB
Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to make amends to an oversight from many years gone by.
Mr. Victor Quelch was a member of parliament from 1935 to 1958. In those 23 years he served as Social Credit member for the constituency of Acadia in southern Alberta. He was a very well regarded member of this House and served many roles, including chief critic for finance, agriculture and fisheries. In 1950 he was appointed by Prime Minister St. Laurent to serve as an adviser on the Canadian staff to the United Nations Assembly.
Before entering politics Mr. Quelch served in World War I and received the Military Cross for bravery.
A sense of duty to his country and its citizens guided Mr. Quelch's entire life, yet when he passed away in 1975 a tribute was never held in his honour in this House.
Although it is long overdue, I would like to acknowledge the service and dedication of Mr. Quelch. His contributions to Canada may be long past but they are certainly not forgotten.
Hec Clouthier Liberal Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON
Mr. Speaker, it was my privilege to represent Canada at the 55th anniversary of D-Day in Normandy this June. It was chosen as the number one Canadian news event of the century. I am proud to share my birthday with Pierre Elliott Trudeau. He was chosen as the number one Canadian newsmaker of the century.
These people moved Canada and the world. Few of us will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each and every one of us must work hard to change a small portion of events. In the totality of all those acts will be written the history of this generation. Each time a person stands for an ideal and acts to improve the lot of others or strikes out against an injustice, he or she sends forth a tiny ripple of hope.
It is my fervent hope, as MP for the great riding of Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, that we pass the torch to the next generation, knowing in our hearts and in our minds that we have not failed our families, our friends or our country.
The success story called Canada will continue to illuminate the universe into the next millennium.
Michel Bellehumeur Bloc Berthier—Montcalm, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Coalition pour la justice des mineurs, which is a coalition of Quebec agencies working with young offenders, recently submitted its brief to members of this House. Here is an excerpt from that document:
The constant decrease in youth crime and the positive results achieved by the provinces that implement all the components of the Young Offenders Act should convince Canadians, provided they are adequately informed, that the implementation of Bill C-3 would be a costly and useless measure.
Where are the supposed protectors of Quebec's interests in the Liberal caucus? Unfortunately, Liberal members from Quebec continue to turn a deaf ear to the message sent by those who have been defending Quebec's expertise for decades.
The Bloc Quebecois is the only party sensible enough to oppose this unjustified panic among the Liberals, who would rather upstage the Reformers when it comes to juvenile crime.
Youth justice is faced with a strange problem. The federal government stubbornly refuses to put its trust in the youth justice system, when it should be doing everything it can to support that system.
Ian Murray Liberal Lanark—Carleton, ON
Mr. Speaker, last May the national capital region was touched by the tragic death of 11 year old Sandrine Craig in a school bus accident. Friends of her family launched an intense two week organ donor awareness campaign following the Craig's decision to donate Sandrine's organs, an act which greatly enhanced the lives of six people.
Today “Sandrine's Gift of Life” was launched as a national donor awareness campaign. Volunteers working out of the eastern Ontario branch of the Kidney Foundation of Canada will head the campaign and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges will organize local campaigns through their colleges, extending into 900 communities across Canada. Through this campaign family members will be encouraged to share their wishes and to encourage others to do the same. This campaign will touch and benefit millions of Canadians.
I encourage all Canadians to consider signing an organ donor card so that a tragic loss such as that faced by Sandrine's family may offer hope to other families.
Grant Hill Reform Macleod, AB
Mr. Speaker, during my years in medical practice I dealt regularly with the tragedy of unexpected death, the grieving, the tears and the anguish. The story I relate today is bittersweet.
It starts with the tragic loss of Sandrine, an 11 year old girl killed near Ottawa. Her family showed enormous courage by consenting to her organs being donated to help sick sufferers. They then went further with a community organ donation program that enjoyed remarkable success.
Today, with support from the Kidney Foundation, the Association of Canadian Community Colleges, broadcaster Don Cherry and the Speaker of this House, a national organ donor awareness campaign was launched. I will be personally signing my own organ donor card. I encourage every member of parliament to sign on as an example to the rest of Canada.
“Sandrine's Gift of Life”—what a fitting legacy.
Judy Sgro Liberal York West, ON
Mr. Speaker, it gives me much pleasure to rise in the House today to pay tribute to Charmaine Crooks, holder of 11 Canadian track records and medalist in the Commonwealth and Pan Am Games. She was a silver medal winner in the 4x400 relay at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and the Canadian Olympic team flag bearer at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
This past week Ms. Crooks joins nine other IOC athlete commission members to be elected voting members of the International Olympic Committee. She was a member of the committee that spawned the World Anti-Doping Agency and the reform commission that has pushed for transparency and accountability in the international Olympic movement.
At 37 Ms. Crooks has become a professional singer and television host since ending her long and outstanding competitive running career. She is respected throughout Canada and the world for her dedicated efforts, speaking on behalf of all athletes.
I know that all hon. members will join me in congratulating Charmaine Crooks and wishing her all the best in her continuing quest to make sure that athletes' interests remain front and centre.
Gordon Earle NDP Halifax West, NS
Mr. Speaker, Halifax port is in danger of losing its competitive edge in the international shipping industry. Hundreds of jobs are on the line, as well as millions of dollars in revenue, and an international reputation is at stake.
The Halifax Port Authority recently demanded several changes to its 30 year tenant, Halterm, including a 900% increase in rent. I am concerned that the port authority may be taking an adversarial approach. The federal government appointed the board of the authority and I ask that the government ensure that the authority acts in the best interests of the port, our community and our region. The federal government has a duty to take a leadership role in this matter and ensure that the long term interests of the port of Halifax are upheld.
I urge the government to ensure that it does everything possible to facilitate renewed negotiations in an atmosphere of mutual co-operation, not conflict. The people of the Halifax region deserve no less.
Gérard Asselin Bloc Charlevoix, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs just will not give up. He uses every possible platform to say that the federal system is flexible and evolving. For example, on Thursday, the minister stated his views on the evolution of federalism.
What a disappointment. Not only did the minister discuss the issue of a clear majority in a confusing manner, he also had the nerve to say that the federalist status quo is working just fine.
We want to set the record straight by reminding the minister that a recent poll conducted by the research and information centre on Canada, or CRIC, shows that only 13% of Quebecers support the status quo.
Another poll tells us that 60% are unhappy with the division of powers between Ottawa and Quebec. Worse still, another poll commissioned by the minister's own department indicates that 62% of Quebecers disagree with the statement that the situation is improving in Canada.
The Canadian system—
Minister Of Intergovernmental AffairsStatements By Members
The Speaker
I am sorry to interrupt the hon. member.
Rick Borotsik Progressive Conservative Brandon—Souris, MB
Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to mourn the loss of one of our colleagues from the Senate who also spent seven years on this side of the House as a member of parliament.
I speak of the passing of Senator Jim Balfour on Sunday at the age of 71. The Saskatchewan senator died after a long fought battle with cancer. He lived a life marked by more than one personal tragedy, including the untimely loss of several close members of his family.
Senator Balfour served on this side of the House after winning a seat in Regina as a Progressive Conservative member of parliament in 1972 and was re-elected in 1974. Under Joe Clark's government Mr. Balfour was appointed to the Senate in 1979 where he served for 20 years.
His tireless work on behalf of the people of Saskatchewan speaks for itself. Jim will be remembered both in his private and public life and the vast body of work he has left behind. He will greatly missed by all in the Progressive Conservative Party.
On behalf of the national caucus and leader of our party, I wish to extend my deepest condolences and sympathy to his family and to all those who knew him.
Paul Bonwick Liberal Simcoe—Grey, ON
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer Christmas greetings to all Canadians.
This is the most precious time of year to spend with loved ones, enjoy the Christmas spirit and, most important, enjoy the company of family. However there are many who are less fortunate, not able to celebrate this festive season let alone have a decent meal. There are young children going without toys.
We can make a difference. I ask my colleagues from all parties to join me and encourage their constituents to give to the many food banks and toy drives taking place in this great land. We should remember as we celebrate the birth of Christ that we should also celebrate this day with a true spirit of giving.
I want to take this opportunity, on behalf of the constituents of Simcoe—Grey, the Bonwick family and the 15 uncles and aunts visiting Ottawa today, to wish everyone in the House a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.
Deborah Grey Reform Edmonton North, AB
Mr. Speaker, merry Christmas too, but there is a merry Christmas going on with René Fugère right now. He is probably finishing up his Christmas card list and I bet there is a beauty in there for the Prime Minister.
He can afford to send a nice one because of the $11,500 payback he got from arranging $100,000 in federal grants to, you guessed it, Mr. Speaker, the Grand-Mère inn through the Prime Minister's Office. That is pretty good return on your money; it is better than most mutual funds.
Does the Prime Minister see nothing wrong with one of his federal riding executives getting this kind of kickback from a federal grant?
Government GrantsOral Question Period
The Speaker
The question is in order but I would ask members to stay away from the word kickback, for today anyhow.
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, let us look at the particular project. First, it occurred in an area of high unemployment. The project was recommended and supported by all local partners: the provincial government, the local caisse populaire, la Fédération des travailleurs du Québec solidarity fund, the group forces of private sector investment and the Banque de développement du Canada.
All these partners supported the investment of money which did not flow until the appropriate approval process was undertaken. Nineteen jobs were expected to be created and nineteen jobs are there.
Deborah Grey Reform Edmonton North, AB
Thanks anyway, Mr. Speaker, but when it comes to being a Liberal person in Shawinigan I think membership has its rewards.
Fugère's rewards are not just limited to that $11,500. He is the same fellow who is being investigated by the RCMP right now for breaking the Lobbyist Registration Act. The Prime Minister knows it. Why would that be? It would be for his efforts on behalf of three other companies in the Prime Minister's riding.
We see a little pattern. The Prime Minister keeps Fugère on his gravy train. Does he see nothing wrong with that?
John Manley LiberalMinister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member already knows that investigations with respect to the Lobbyists Registration Act were initiated as a result of newspaper reports. I am sure the hon. member would very much like to wait until she hears the results of that investigation before casting such aspersions.
Deborah Grey Reform Edmonton North, AB
Mr. Speaker, I think the only person who could answer should answer. What we need is clarity.
Let us put this in perspective again. The Grand-Mère inn gets a $100,000 cheque from the federal government. Just 10 days later that same inn writes an $11,500 cheque to a member of the Prime Minister's riding executive with a known ability to, let us just say, negotiate the winning conditions.
Does the Prime Minister approve of all his riding executive getting such cash, or does Fugère just have special status?
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I am very happy when entrepreneurs in my riding are creating jobs. I am doing my job as a member of parliament. Mr. Fugère never worked for me and has never been on the executive of my riding.