Debates of March 17th, 1999

[The Speaker]

Today, we have two reasons to celebrate. First, it is St. Patrick's Day and, second, of course, as is our practice on Wednesday we will now sing O Canada, and we will be led by the hon. member for Wentworth—Burlington.

Semaine De La Francophonie

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

Mr. Speaker, all French speaking Canadians celebrate the Francophonie, regardless of the part of Canada they are in. It is a celebration for Quebec, but it is also one for the entire country.

Each of us is in a position to contribute to promoting French culture in Canada and internationally.

Ever since the first Sommet de la Francophonie, the participating states, Quebec and Canada among them, have exchanged views in an atmosphere of harmony, not only on cultural aspects, but also on the scientific, technical, economic and social aspects of their relations.

May this Semaine de la Francophonie continue to unite peoples and countries and bring them ever closer, in areas of complementarity in which they can enjoy mutually advantageous exchanges and collaboration in areas as diversified as culture, social development and economic development.

The Public Service Of Canada

[Keith Martin, Reform, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, PSAC employees are being shafted. They are on strike because their ability to engage in binding arbitration has been taken away from them. All PSAC employees want is to be treated fairly and to get back to work. As a result of the strike the public is inconvenienced and our economy is hurting.

What do PSAC employees want? They want to be paid the same for doing the same job with the same skills as other people in other unions within the government. As it stands, PSAC employees are paid significantly less.

In my riding of Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, Canadian forces base personnel have been exemplary in meeting the challenges laid out for them. They have downsized more than 40%, increased efficiency and doubled up on their duties. All they get from this government is a kick in the teeth.

We must deal with PSAC workers fairly and treat them the same as other workers within the federal government, give them the same wages, benefits and opportunities and get them back to work. Anything less is an abdication of this government's responsibility.

Semaine De La Francophonie

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

Mr. Speaker, all of Canada has good reason to celebrate the Semaine de la Francophonie.

In a number of Canadian provinces, the struggle to promote and conserve the French language and culture has been a long and difficult one.

The fear of losing the rich national resource that our language and bilingualism represent has moved a number of people to form organizations to defend and promote the French, with a view to consolidating the position of francophones outside Quebec.

Today, all francophones outside Quebec feel pride in what they have accomplished and join with Quebec in marking this week which celebrates French and the ongoing battle in all of the provinces of Canada to preserve and promote this rich culture.

George Chuvalo

[Janko Peric, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to boxing legend George Chuvalo, Canadian heavyweight champion for 21 years and one of our nation's toughest boxers.

Having endured a family tragedy that would have sent most down for the count, George has fought back and declared all out war on substance abuse.

With immense passion and determination he travels from city to city urging Canadians teens, native youth and young offenders to reject the use of drugs and the idea that drugs are cool or glamorous.

George's anti-drug tour has been supported by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union and Expedite Plus.

I know all members will join me in offering George our encouragement for his continued efforts to educate youth about the dangers of drug abuse.

The Senate Of Canada

[Charles Caccia, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it has become fashionable to kick an organization which cannot defend itself, namely the upper house of parliament.

Over the decades valuable studies and reports have been produced by our senators who have made a fine contribution to the understanding of issues and the shaping of policies and laws. A special Senate committee on poverty in Canada headed by Senator David Croll is just one example. Upcoming reports include one on the impact of globalization and another on Canada's boreal forest.

Rather than attempting to dismantle a fine Canadian institution, critics could better use their time and energy in becoming acquainted with the good work of the other place and in informing Canadians about the achievements of senators past and present.

With some exceptions, we in the House of Commons believe we have the best possible arrangement for Canada, with one elected and one appointed chamber. It is an ideal balance. Rather than denigrating the Senate we should support it.

Silken Laumann

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of all Canadians to honour one of my constituents and one of our country's greatest and most courageous athletes. Silken Laumann, Olympic medalist and world champion rower, announced her retirement yesterday.

While her accomplishments include three Olympic medals and the 1991 single sculls World Championship, it was her determination to triumph over adversity that won the hearts of a nation.

Just months before the 1992 Barcelona games her leg was seriously injured in a collision at a German regatta. Doctors said she would never race again. But she refused to give up. She endured eight operations and battled back to win the bronze medal.

If they awarded an Olympic medal for courage and determination, I can think of no other recipient more worthy of a gold than Silken Laumann. She is a shining example of what it means and what it takes to be a true Olympian in every sense of the word.

The Irish

[Pat O'Brien, Liberal, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as you know, the Irish were one of the four founding cultures of Canada in 1867; not two but four. This historical fact is clearly symbolized on Canada's coat of arms, which includes the Royal Harp of Tara and the Shamrock.

Indeed, the very ceiling of the House of Commons is fine hand-painted Irish linen.

Several million Canadians proudly claim some Irish ancestry, including 40% of Quebecers. Clearly Irish Canadians have made and continue to make important contributions in every field of endeavour in Canadian society.

To the wonderful people of Ireland we send our prayers for a true and lasting peace with equality and justice for all. To the people of Ireland and Canada, may I say a Happy St. Patrick's Day, Joyeuse Saint-Patrice, Bannocktu Na Failee Padriq Oriv Gu Layer.

St. Patrick's Day

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

Mr. Speaker, I come from the most Irish city there is in Canada: Saint John, New Brunswick. I want to bring greetings from Saint John to all of those who are Irish in the House of Commons. But more than that, out of respect for you, Mr. Speaker, for whom I have great respect, I would like all of my colleagues, if you would allow us, to sing a chorus of When Irish Eyes Are Smiling. I ask them all to stand.

[Hélène Alarie, Bloc, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this year, St. Patrick's Day, the celebration of the Irish, is particularly significant.

This is in fact the first time in thirty years that the Irish in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are celebrating their national day in peace.

The Belfast agreements contain provisions for the possible liberation and unification of the people of Ireland, thus bringing to conclusion the work started by Daniel O'Connel, Michael Collins, Eamon de Valera and the thousands of men and women who fought for the independence of Ireland and for the recognition of its identity as a nation.

We can only hope that the peace process will ultimately mean the uniting of the Irish. This would prove once and for all the error of those who thought it possible to take away the identity of a people by force and territorial annexation.

No political tactic or manoeuvring, no denial of rights or failure to provide recognition can prevent a people from affirming its existence and assuming its independence, if it so desires—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Burlington.

Stu Chapman

[Paddy Torsney, Liberal, Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is my great pleasure to rise today and recognize Burlington Citizen of the Year, Mr. Stu Chapman.

Stu Chapman has volunteered countless hours in Burlington and across Canada. He has co-ordinated Grey Cup activities, Studebaker events, assisted Friends of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry and the Burlington Lions-Optimist Minor Hockey Association. He helped found Crime Stoppers in Burlington. He has even been president of the Federal Progressive Conservative Riding Association.

Today, Mr. Chapman is leading a wonderful group of Burlington army cadets and their volunteer leaders on an educational tour of Ottawa, its historical sites and the home of Canada's political system.

Stu Chapman is a wonderful Canadian. His generosity, his commitment to his community and his country are exemplary. He has touched the lives of many. He has demonstrated the importance of volunteerism and involved himself in making the world a better place, particularly for our youngest citizens.

Colleagues, please join me in congratulating Burlington Citizen of the Year, Mr. Stu Chapman.

St. Patrick's Day

[Jason Kenney, Reform, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Saint John is a hard act to follow.

Today Irish everywhere, including those who wish they were Irish, celebrate the feast day of their patron saint, the evangelist of Ireland, St. Patrick.

As Ireland enters its 15th century of Christianity, Canada's six million Irish descendants can give thanks for the growing spirit of peace taking root in their homeland. The Good Friday agreement is a sign of hope in what has been a century of violence and bloodshed.

Today is also a day to recall how fragile is the current peace in a land riven by decades of sectarian hatred. Monday's brutal car bomb attack on Rosemary Nelson, an Irish human rights lawyer who died two hours after her legs were blown off, comes just two weeks before the Good Friday peace agreement turns a year old.

She is simply the latest victim of the enemies of peace. Terrorists on both sides have continued a murderous campaign to prevent this resolution taking root, from the bombing at Omagh to the daily beatings and shootings.

Terrorist intimidation must not be allowed to stand in the way of peace. Without that there is little hope of restoring the legacy of St. Patrick and the great civilization his message spawned in Ireland.

Reform Party

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I must strongly criticize the conduct of the Reform Party in a matter that is important to Quebec and Canada, the one involving Bombardier in a dispute with Brazil.

By providing information to the Brazil government in the Bombardier matter, the Reform Party displayed a total lack of regard for the interests of Quebec and Canada.

The Reform Party could well have dangerously compromised the position of the Government of Canada, which is working extremely hard for a Quebec company.

I understand now that in return for the little service they gave to the Brazilians they should move their headquarters to Brazil and call themselves the The Unidos Alternatividados.

There is a name for this sort of behaviour.

I demand an apology from the Reform Party, especially for the 60,000 Canadian families who work for Bombardier. Do not ever, ever take a side against Canada.

Infrastructure

[John Solomon, NDP, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

Mr. Speaker, this week Liberals tabled a memo to justify the so-called security reasons in the case of the untendered contracts for the Prime Minister's cottage. The memo raises other questions.

It shows that the RCMP asked for $80,000 to build a guard post on the road. They actually awarded two untendered contracts worth $137,000 for this work. Now we learn that costs have reached $147,000 for the road alone, with no final billing yet.

In total, to date they have spent $200,000 on the Prime Minister's personal cottage. The money has gone to the Prime Minister's personal contractor who allegedly meets security criteria but whose subcontractors are now before the courts on fraud charges.

Canadian's are asking, how can they be sure the overruns are not subsidizing the costs of the Prime Minister's private cottage when the contracts went untendered to the same contractor before construction of the cottage was complete?

Why has the extra $120,000 gone to a Liberal friend?

It is time the Prime Minister cleared the air on this matter by tabling all relevant documents.

St. Patrick's Day

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on St. Patrick's Day, the national celebration of the Irish, I as a Quebecker of Irish stock am pleased to have this opportunity to pay homage to those women and men who have made such a great contribution to what Quebec and Canada are today.

I am a descendant of those proud Irish who, after centuries of English domination, fought to make Ireland a sovereign country in 1921; of those proud Irish who, with the Belfast agreement, committed Northern Ireland to a process giving their country greater independence from the government in London; of those proud Irish who left their native land to settle in America, to build new lives and to build a country; of those proud Irish who, in 1837 and 1838, took up the defence of the people of French origin to establish an independent republic in Lower Canada.

Yes, I am a descendant of those proud Irish, whose culture and history ought to help them understand just how much they have in common with the destiny and national aspirations of the Quebec people.

The Economy

[Preston Manning, Reform, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I had trouble falling asleep last night so I read a speech by the industry minister.

In that speech to the Empire Club he admitted that Canada's standard of living is falling far behind that of the United States. It is now lower than that of California, lower than Michigan, lower than Louisiana, Alabama and Georgia, even lower than Mississippi.

Why does the Prime Minister persist in following high debt and high tax policies that lower Canada's standard of living?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, when we formed the government we had a deficit of $42 billion. We eliminated this deficit within four years. During that period we created more than 1.6 million jobs.

In the last budget the Minister of Finance again announced there will be tax cuts to the tune of $16.5 billion. Maybe the leader of the Reform Party does not know that we are on the right track. We have been declared the best managers—

[The Speaker]

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Preston Manning, Reform, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, we are talking about Canada's standard of living, in case the Prime Minister had not noticed.

The minister listed two principal reasons for the falling standard of living, high government debt and high government taxes, taxes that are 20% higher than our closest competitor and a debtload that is too high in relation to our GNP.

Our high debt, high tax Prime Minister has made Canada poorer than Mississippi. Does he really feel that is something to brag about?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I have to explain to the hon. leader of the Reform Party or the united right, I am not sure of the name anymore—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

The Right Hon. Prime Minister.

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Saint-Maurice, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we have invested money in research and development to make sure that Canada is getting more competitive. We have also invested money in the scholarship program to help young Canadians become more competitive. We have established a registered education savings plan to help young Canadians to become more productive than before.

We have taken a country that was bankrupt and have managed to put its finances in good order while at the same time keeping a safety net that all Canadians can be proud of.

[Preston Manning, Reform, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, we are talking about a declining standard of living. The Prime Minister cannot seem to get that through his head.

The problem is the government cannot handle the truth. The truth is that its high debt and high tax policies are driving the standard of living of the country down.

When will the government face the fact that its high debt, high tax policies are crippling Canada's competitiveness abroad and decreasing our standard of living at home?