Debates of April 23rd, 1999

National Volunteer Week

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

Mr. Speaker, several thousand Quebec volunteers make a significant and constructive contribution to the community. I am pleased to recognize the invaluable work of these volunteers within organizations that are essential to our society's well-being.

I am very grateful to those people of all ages and from all walks of life for the unassuming work they do with non profit organizations, citizens groups, schools, sports organizations and numerous associations.

The number of volunteers in my riding and throughout Quebec is impressive. They respond generously to the ever increasing demand for their services. Today marks the end of National Volunteer Week, and I want to take this opportunity to thank, congratulate and pay tribute to these people.

In particular, I want to recognize the exceptional work volunteers do with the disadvantaged in my riding of Louis-Hébert. With very limited resources, they manage to help children, teenagers, mothers, those who are hospitalized, persons who are losing their autonomy and those who are abandoned.

Their salary is the smile they get from the people they help. Congratulations—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for St. Catharines.

Fatima Basic

[Walt Lastewka, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to honour a citizen of St. Catharines who has truly made a difference, an individual who has dedicated her life to helping others and specifically, to helping children around the world.

This tireless volunteer and dedicated Canadian is Fatima Basic. Fatima is presently the president of the Bosnian Children Relief.

Created in 1992, Bosnian Children Relief is a Canadian humanitarian organization dedicated to relieving the suffering of children and their families in war-torn Bosnia-Hercegovina.

Most recently, Fatima Basic has issued an urgent appeal for food, medicine, blankets, hygienic products and financial donations for the refugees fleeing Kosovo.

Fatima Basic recently received the International Helen Prize for her work to promote harmony and understanding around the world. This award is a well deserved honour that recognizes her many years of tireless dedication to the children and people of former Yugoslavia.

Today it is my honour and pleasure to share the work of Fatima Basic with my colleagues in the House and to congratulate her on her award. I thank her for her dedication, her spirit and the many lives she has aided over the years.

Rosemarie Kuptana

[Marlene Catterall, Liberal, Ottawa West—Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to congratulate a constituent, Rosemarie Kuptana, who was promoted within the Order of Canada to the position of officer for her continuing work to advance Inuit culture and her leadership on human rights. She played a significant role in securing for Aboriginal peoples an equal participation with other Canadians in national constitutional and political processes.

As president of the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, she worked with other leaders to advance self-government for aboriginal peoples. She has represented her people internationally and distinguished herself as an effective organizer, spokesperson and advocate.

Congratulations.

World Book And Copyright Day

[Gilles-A. Perron, Bloc, Saint-Eustache—Sainte-Thérèse, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today is World Book and Copyright Day. Proclaimed by UNESCO in 1995, this day is inspired by a wonderful Catalan tradition dating back to 1926. On April 23 of each year, people exchange books and roses.

Honouring in its own way this wonderful tradition, the Liberal government persists in maintaining a 7% tax on books, even though the Liberals promised to abolish the GST on reading material during the 1993 election campaign.

On this day celebrating books and authors, the Bloc Quebecois wants to remind the government that books are invaluable treasures for Quebec and Canadian culture. They are also the best way to pass on our knowledge to the next generations. Books—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Surrey Central.

Nisga'A Treaty

[Gurmant Grewal, Reform, Surrey Central, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to give the government fair warning not to use its majority in the House to invoke closure or time allocation in order to pass the Nisga'a treaty, trashing democracy like the NDP government has done in B.C. this week.

This Liberal government had better not slam the door on Canadians who want to debate this treaty. It should at least listen to its B.C. Liberal cousins.

The government should not even introduce the Nisga'a treaty in the House because the people of B.C. have not had a democratic say on the treaty.

For over 100 years the Nisga'a people have been waiting for fair and equitable compensation. Let us do it right and in the right way. Why the big rush?

The official opposition challenges the government to have a free vote in the House on the treaty because it is a precedent that will have national implications.

We do not want one problem solved and 10 more problems created.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Louise Hardy, NDP, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, in September 1995 Dudley George was killed. The United Nations calls it an extrajudicial killing and recommends a public inquiry.

First nations people are homeless, die on the streets and are crowded into ramshackle houses. Chiefs have to go on hunger strikes for medicine and doctors. The UN calls on Canada to take our commitment to human rights seriously.

When it comes to Canada's commitment to NATO, we respond quickly, politically and with money to back it up. But when it comes to the United Nations call to protect our own citizens, we do not respond with the same force.

Pictou County

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

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to acknowledge the exemplary efforts of the Pictou Regional Development Commission in my riding of Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough.

The goal of PRDC is to consolidate Pictou county as one of the leading commercial and industrial areas of Atlantic Canada. It does this through its highly qualified team of professionals who strive for corporate success.

Several international corporations earning billions of dollars in annual revenues have found Pictou county to be an excellent and profitable base for their operations. These same industries have been responsible for generating a diverse range of opportunities for businesses of all sizes.

Geographically, Pictou county is ideally situated for businesses that rely on effective distribution networks. The county contains links by sea, road, rail and air that connect directly with destinations across North America. A number of commercial and industrial properties in Pictou county have on-site rail access providing access and efficient transportation to destinations throughout North America.

I congratulate PRDC for its valuable community contributions. It is organizations like that which continue to work toward the betterment of our area and our province. Their work is noticed and appreciated.

Kosovo

[Jim Hart, Reform, Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today it has been reported that Slobodan Milosevic has made a hollow offer to end the crisis in the Balkans that does not live up to the NATO conditions.

It is clear that Canada's resolve on the NATO campaign must remain absolute and that we must continue to adequately prepare our military. Has the government set aside the necessary funds to properly equip our troops for the escalating NATO campaign? Will the Deputy Prime Minister assure the House today that the already cash strapped defence budget will not be completely tasked with this increase in commitment?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the government will have the funds available to carry out the obligations we have and whatever obligations which may come along later with respect to our involvement in the NATO initiative to return the Kosovars safely to Kosovo.

[Jim Hart, Reform, Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I will take that answer and put it in my expanding this government has no plan file.

At today's NATO summit in Washington, Canada will be asked to escalate its military commitment to the campaign. Since the government has no plans for new funding for our troops and our military is already cash strapped, how exactly does the government expect our military to carry out a campaign that could be bigger than the Korean conflict?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the premise of the hon. member's question is totally wrong. We are looking at whatever hypothetical possibilities might arise. Funds will be assigned as required to carry out what the ultimate decisions will be.

Canada is an active participant in the discussions taking place at NATO. We will participate in the consensus. Whatever the obligations will be on Canada as a result of that renewed consensus, the funds will be there.

We will not be aiming at cutting expenditures, as was the case in the Reform budget put forward as part of its platform in the 1997 election.

[Jim Hart, Reform, Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Deputy Prime Minister knows full well that statement is 100% pure balderdash.

The vague answers to critically important preparedness and funding questions raise more and more doubts about the government's commitment to our troops.

Last April the auditor general pointed out that the government has failed to give our ground forces adequate funding to modernize equipment. He said that our infantry and armour could be detected, engaged and defeated long before our troops even knew that the enemy was present.

How can the Deputy Prime Minister stand in his place today and pretend that our troops are being properly equipped when the government has not announced a single funding measure—

[The Speaker]

The hon. Deputy Prime Minister.

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member's question shows how empty and ridiculous the Reform position is. How can we talk about the funding that is required before we know exactly what further activities we may have to be engaged in as part of the NATO alliance?

We are proceeding in an active and vigorous way to support our troops and to be part of the alliance. We should not be throwing around numbers before we know exactly what further activities we may be called on to carry out.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Mike Scott, Reform, Skeena, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the B.C. Liberals walked out of the provincial legislature yesterday in protest over the NDP's unprecedented move to cut off debate on the Nisga'a treaty. Liberal leader Gordon Campbell called the NDP's strong-arm tactics “exceptional in the extreme and an assault on our democratic institutions”. Liberal MLA Mike de Jong blasted Clark's government for imposing a “draconian and sinister closure motion”.

Will the government commit here and now to tell Glen Clark that ratification in this House will not proceed until the democratic institutions of British Columbia have been respected?

[The Speaker]

Order, please. That question is out of order. The hon. member may wish to go to his second question.

[Mike Scott, Reform, Skeena, BC]

Mr. Speaker, B.C. Liberals have walked out of the legislature in protest over the NDP strong-arm tactics in invoking closure and time allocation on an unprecedented treaty that is going to affect the entire country.

We want to know is this government going to respect the democratic institutions of British Columbia and the democratic wish of the people of British Columbia to have a say on this treaty and a full debate, or is it going to bring in the treaty in lockstep with Glen Clark's government?

[The Speaker]

On the first part of the question, it is not within the purview of this parliament to make a statement with regard to what goes on in the British Columbia house. However, on the second part of the question, I find that it is in order and I will permit the Deputy Prime Minister to respond, if he so wishes.

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, our obligation is to respect the democratic procedures of the Parliament of Canada. That is what we are doing. That is what we are going to do.

Kosovo

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

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the NATO secretary general called on the allied countries to update their ground intervention plans for Kosovo.

In order for these plans to be updated, they have to already exist, naturally. And so the probability of operations increases daily, and we have here a government that appears to be being dragged along.

Does Canada have ground intervention plans for Kosovo and, if so, does it plan to update them as requested by the Secretary General of NATO?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we have policy objectives to pursue at the NATO discussions at the present time. They involve support for the five NATO conditions.

We underline the importance of a creative diplomatic solution. We maintain support for the air campaign. We affirm the readiness of Canadian peacekeepers to support a peace settlement. We have a definite position that we are bringing forward at the discussions at NATO. I hope we continue to have the support of the House of Commons for this sensible and important position.

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

Mr. Speaker, if I understand properly, the Secretary General of NATO will get no answer. Once again, the information we get comes from sources outside Canada.

In 1991, we voted on sending in troops, while the war was being carried on television. Is the government not running the risk of putting us in an even worse situation than in 1991, as we would be debating, without the opportunity of voting this time, the deployment of troops to Kosovo and watching the war and the lives of our soldiers put in danger on television?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, at this point the hon. member's questions are entirely speculative and hypothetical.

The Prime Minister said that the situation was changing, there would be other debates in the House of Commons and that he might reconsider the matter of a vote.

For the moment, the situation raised by the hon. member is totally hypothetical.