Debates of Oct. 2nd, 2001

International Day of Older Persons

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

Yesterday, October 1, we celebrated the International Day of Older Persons.

More than ever, our seniors have concerns about the economic and social situation.

In my riding of Brome--Missisquoi, they share their concerns with me about the Quebec health care system, and the improvements required to the Old Age Security Program. Many of them have trouble making ends meet, as the cost of living rises.

Ms. Barbara Woolmer, of Bedford, has been circulating in Brome--Missisquoi a petition calling upon the government to raise old age security benefits.

I congratulate this lady on her initiative. It is important to lend an ear to the demands of our seniors. They have made a great contribution to this country and deserve our respect and recognition.

Victims of Crime

[Guy St-Julien, Liberal, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the victims of crime in Canada, and in Quebec in particular, have a strong grievance against the justice system. They are frustrated at being excluded, and demand equal attention with the offenders who have done them wrong. As well, they demand the right to speak when the time comes to make parole decisions concerning those offenders.

Consultations with victims held by the office of the solicitor general and the National Parole Board this past spring have revealed a rare unanimity across Canada.

Victims spoke of their frustration at being shunted aside, while the offenders who ruined their lives enjoyed all manner of rights and attentions. Victims, everywhere, made particular reference to the terrible fears they felt about the offenders' return to society.

Some believe that there should be no parole for the perpetrators of violent crime. Others feel that it should not be automatic at the two-thirds mark in the sentence, without the offender having done anything to deserve it. Many of them feel that offenders ought to be required to serve their entire sentence.

Communities in Bloom

[Paul Steckle, Liberal, Huron—Bruce, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be before my colleagues today in this place to congratulate the village of Blyth for being awarded the five blooms as the winner of the 2001 national edition of Communities in Bloom.

What this means is simple. When compared to numerous communities with a population of less than 1,000 people from across Canada, the village of Blyth was hands down the prettiest village in Canada.

I make special mention of the local organizing committee including the five members who were in New Brunswick for the September 22 decision. They are Bev Elliott, Eleanor Babcock, Anne Elliott, Elaine Scrimgeour and Nancy Snell.

I offer my personal congratulations to these ladies and to all who were involved with making this victory possible. Their efforts and hard work have again placed Blyth on the map. This success is yet another example of why Huron--Bruce is, bar none, the best and prettiest riding in all of Canada.

Fisheries

[John M. Cummins, Canadian Alliance, Delta—South Richmond, BC]

Mr. Speaker, for 21 days ending this past Sunday the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans allowed an unsupervised commercial aboriginal beach seine fishery on the Fraser River that has wreaked havoc. Ken Kristian, a recreational fisherman, wrote:

The stretches located directly below each beach seine site are literally stacked with hundreds upon hundreds of pre-spawn male pink salmon bodies. Only the male pink salmon and of course the odd so-called endangered coho or steel head were being culled and grabbed roughly by their heads, gills or tails and thrown from the bunt of the net, some 10 to 15 feet in the air, back into the very shallow water. The pink female salmon were being harvested simply for their payload of valuable roe.

I witnessed this appalling spectacle as did hundreds of others. Missing from this picture was any sign of DFO enforcement. This fishery combined with a lack of enforcement suggests another species of salmon may soon be on the endangered or extinct list.

Robert Bourassa

[Serge Marcil, Liberal, Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it was five years ago today, October 2, 2001, that a great Canadian and a great Quebecer, Robert Bourassa, passed away.

I had the privilege of sitting in the Quebec national assembly with Mr. Bourassa, when he was the leader of our party and the premier of the province. We can never overemphasize the fact that Robert Bourassa was a great visionary for Quebec. Among other achievements, he started and developed the whole hydroelectric industry. Robert Bourassa is the father of that industry, which has contributed and continues to contribute to Quebec's economic growth.

As early as in 1985, when he returned to active politics, Robert Bourassa's primary concern was to strengthen Quebec's potential in the high tech and qualified manpower sectors by promoting the aerospace and pharmaceutical industries, and all the value added sectors. He also gave Quebec a universal health care system and a charter of human rights and freedoms.

All these achievements remind us that Premier Bourassa was motivated by the well-being of Quebec's women and men—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Verchères--Les-Patriotes.

Éric Lucas

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Quebec has a new world champion since the summer. Indeed, on July 10, during a spectacular fight in Montreal, Sainte-Julie's Éric Lucas knocked out Glenn Catley in the seventh round to become the seventh Quebecer to win a prestigious world boxing title.

It is because of this remarkable achievement, which is the culmination of an already very impressive career, that Éric was awarded the medal of the national assembly, in Sainte-Julie's city hall, on September 19.

The new world champion of the WBC's super middleweight category showed how, in spite of the blows, the injuries and the occasional setbacks, one must never give up, one must learn to get up again and fight even harder to achieve one's objective.

Éric Lucas is another fine example of perseverance and determination that will inspire Quebecers. We are proud of him.

On my behalf and on behalf of all my colleagues, I want to congratulate our champion and wish him luck when he goes back into the ring to defend his title, which is soon, and also in all the other fights that he will have during his life.

Byelections in Quebec

[Clifford Lincoln, Liberal, Lac-Saint-Louis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is an immutable fact that democracy can never be imposed. Real democracy requires a government to consult, be fair and listen attentively to its citizens.

The resounding defeats of the Parti Quebecois yesterday are hard lessons for a government that often and vigorously talks of partnership and social democracy, but which imposes its fiats on the public.

As an MP in whose riding eight cities and municipalities will soon disappear through the imposition of brutal legislation, without regard for the will of the public, I am delighted at the hard lesson dished out to the PQ in Jonquière, where the issue of forced amalgamations was a major factor.

In the end, dictating and imposing one's will costs, because the public always has the final say.

May general elections come quickly to Quebec, because the arrogant Parti Quebecois government has yet to be given its ultimate lesson.

The Environment

[Bob Mills, Canadian Alliance, Red Deer, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank the Commissioner of the Environment for her audit delivered today. All Canadians are concerned about clean air, water and soil.

Once again the government has been given a failing grade in the protection of human and environmental health by the commissioner. The commissioner identifies lots of government plans but little evidence of actual implementation.

The report is a terrible indictment against the environmental protection the government has provided since it took power in 1993. It provided vague goals and good intentions but little action to meet these goals. Its intentions become little more than just empty words.

The lack of commitment to sound science which is the foundation of achieving the goals is severely lacking. Some examples are that there is a water problem and yet there are decades old regulations with no national standards for drinking water. It plans to ratify Kyoto but it has no idea of the cost. The government must show leadership and must implement solid scientific plans if it wants to protect the environment

Byelections in Quebec

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

Mr. Speaker, I am very proud and happy to recognize the fine electoral battles waged by the four Liberal candidates in Quebec yesterday in the byelections held in the Province of Quebec.

Jocelyne Roch, in the riding of Blainville, and Jean-Pierre Miljours, in the riding of Labelle, both showed extremely well against their PQ adversaries. Mr. Miljours lost by a mere 54 votes.

The wins by Françoise Gauthier in Jonquière and Julie Boulet in Laviolette were very nice surprises, particularly because these two ridings, like the other two, were considered PQ strongholds.

Last night's byelection results will sound a warning to the separatist forces. Furthermore, they are a good indication of the mood of Quebecers in this pre-election period.

It would appear that our friends in the Bloc will very soon have to prepare a new strategy since the PQ branch office in Ottawa is on the verge of losing its mother house in Quebec.

House of Commons

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

Mr. Speaker, twice since September 11 the Prime Minister, while conducting himself appropriately in many other respects, has shown a disregard and a contempt for parliament.

Twice he has made major policy announcements having to do with the Canadian response to September 11, not to parliament but to Liberal party fundraisers. This contempt continued today when, after a special debate in the House on the future of the airline industry, the transport minister announced the government policy not in the House but to the press. Perhaps there was no convenient Liberal fundraising event scheduled for today.

In any event, times of great national anxiety and danger are times for parliament to be taken seriously and for parliamentarians to act seriously.

The NDP calls on the Prime Minister to set an example. Perhaps it would lead to a new era of constructive parliamentary engagement. It is certainly worth a try.

Violence

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, now more than ever, it is important to highlight initiatives to end violence.

I am proud to inform my colleagues and citizens that, in my riding,a group of women known as la Rose des Vents has developed a tool to prevent violence for young people in relationships.

It is distressing to note that violence begins earlier among young people, and that it is becoming increasingly intense. It used to begin around the age of 15 or 18, and now begins at the age of 10 or 11.

In order to demystify the reactions of young couples to violence and come up with solutions to violence that they can consider, I would invite all those interested in learning more on this subject to obtain the document entitled “Arrêt à la violence dans les relations amoureuses”.

We must realize that we are all affected by violence, and we must act to put an end to violence.

Congratulations to Laurianne Plourde and Marie-Pierre Jutras, Executive Director and President, respectively, of la Rose des Vents, as well as to Martine Tessier, head of prevention program design and development.

Quebec Byelections

[André Harvey, Liberal, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it brings me great pleasure to congratulate Françoise Gauthier of the Quebec Liberal Party for her victory in Jonquière.

Despite the fact that the PQ has virtual complete control of Quebec's institutions, her victory in Jonquière has shown us democracy at its very best. I promise her my utmost co-operation for joint projects for the betterment of our beautiful area.

I am convinced that Quebec will be completely liberated during the next provincial election, when Quebecers abandon the PQ just as the PQ abandoned hospitals. Then, Quebecers will be dealing with new political and social realities.

National Defence

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

Mr. Speaker, since the senseless terrorist attacks on the U.S.A., Canadians from every part of the country have rallied to lend a hand and make a difference.

My office has received a number of letters from concerned citizens wanting to make a difference. One such idea came from retired Captain Ken Maybee of New Maryland, New Brunswick, who suggests that we should resurrect the idea of victory bonds.

Captain Maybee is firm in his belief that a designated series of victory bonds directed for this purpose would not only provide unbudgeted funds, but could give much needed resources to our armed forces. It would also allow all Canadians a patriotic way to show their support for the war against terrorism.

The Maybee family has a strong and ongoing tradition of military service to our country. Their family represents the best of citizenship and a model of public service.

I rise today to urge the government to consider the benefits of the Maybee victory bonds initiative and I wish to express my thanks to Captain Maybee for his compassionate patriotism at this time.

Terrorism

[Stockwell Day, Canadian Alliance, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, it is day 21 since the terrorist attack. The United Nations Security Council has now given Canada 90 days to toughen up its refugee system.

Terrorists do not operate according to government rules and they will certainly not operate according to government timelines when it comes to planning their next actions.

How does the Prime Minister plan to meet the 90 day United Nations guideline? Why is he content to take up to six months, according to what we heard yesterday, to have the regulations in place? What is taking so long? The clock is ticking.

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, first I would like to wish the Leader of the Opposition a happy 30th wedding anniversary.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

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

I hope he stays in his job for 30 years too.

Mr. Speaker, there was a resolution passed Saturday night by the United Nations. We will do what has to be done within the time limit that all nations have been asked to operate within. Many of the things requested in Saturday's resolution have already been done by Canada, for a long time.

[Stockwell Day, Canadian Alliance, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to express my thanks for the congratulations and the sympathy expressed to my wife.

Yesterday, the vice-president of the union representing our immigration officers said that the selection of refugee claimants proposed by the government would prevent Canada from deporting such individuals. This could lead to an even longer delay in connection with the long list of 27,000 people to be deported.

Why is the government adding another delay in the deportation of people considered inadmissible to Canada?

[Elinor Caplan, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, in fact the proposals in Bill C-11 streamline the procedures, consolidate our processes, make it easier for us to bar access to the refugee determination system to those who pose a security risk, make it faster for us to identify those who are not in need of our protection, and make it faster for us to be able to remove those who we do not want to keep in Canada.

[Stockwell Day, Canadian Alliance, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, we have heard it will take six months, not 90 days. We do not see how it will be faster, especially when an RCMP officer responsible for the immigration program told the Senate that in Australia: “--if a refugee comes to their shore without the appropriate documentation....he will be detained up to the time that he is appropriately identified” or “he will be sent home. We do not have that in Bill C-11”.

He went on to say that if we did “--refugees who come to Canada without the appropriate tools and are in question can be detained and eventually deported instead of giving them the green light”--as in Canada--“to go on the street and God knows what happens then”.

Why will the government not give our immigration officers and our police the same tools to protect Canadian citizens that the Australian government gives theirs?

[Elinor Caplan, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, in Bill C-11, as in the existing immigration legislation, we are able to detain anyone who we identify poses a security threat, anyone whose identity we are unfamiliar with and where we have concerns that they will not show up for their hearings.

What Bill C-11 does is strengthen those provisions. The fact is this: we have already taken action. We have improved security at our borders. We have fast tracked a new immigrant identification card. We have begun training for our officers on new security issues and we are looking at old profiles to update security screening.

[Grant Hill, Canadian Alliance, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about a specific from Bill C-11.

Bill C-11 calls for refugee claims to be referred within 72 hours but the department does not have the resources to meet this goal. When it tried to do a pilot project, this is what happened: “There are no facilities to keep them. Some of the people slept outside with a blanket”. That is from the people who conducted the pilot.

Will the minister admit that she does not have the resources to do what the bill promises to do?

[Elinor Caplan, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, first of all that party voted against the bill when it was here. Further, its members argued at committee that the bill was too tough. They will also know that we did receive additional resources for the implementation of the bill.

I would say to the member that I was the first to admit that changes were needed, and we know that as a result of intensified security screening at our ports of entry there have been delays. We have said to people that those coming from the United States do have a choice. Rather than waiting they can make a claim in the United States.

[Grant Hill, Canadian Alliance, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, members of this caucus did vote against the bill because frankly it is too weak.

It is now clear that there are far too many weaknesses in the legislation the government has introduced to reform our refugee system.

Will the minister encourage the Senate to return Bill C-11 to the House of Commons for consolidation and improvement by the elected representatives of the people?