Debates of Feb. 19th, 2001

Minister Of Health

[Diane Ablonczy, Canadian Alliance, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of members of the House and House officers to extend best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery from prostate cancer surgery to our colleague, the Hon. Minister of Health.

The health minister is undoubtedly spending much of his post-operative downtime enjoying House proceedings on the parliamentary channel, so this is an appropriate moment to let him know that we are cheering him on and that our thoughts and prayers have been with him and his family.

Of course some of us have entirely selfish reasons for looking forward to the minister's early return to the House, especially opposition health critics. We will do our best with our questions when he returns to demonstrate to the minister how much he has been missed.

All of us here send him our good wishes and best regards.

Lizzies Old Timers Association

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, York West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Lizzies Old Timers Association is a unique community organization that has its roots in Toronto's Elizabeth Street Public School, now known as the Bob Abate Community Centre. Playground teams named the Lizzies were initially involved only with baseball but have grown to include other athletic activities such as hockey and basketball.

Today the Lizzies are more than just an organized sport group. They actively participate in worthwhile community causes and contribute to many charitable organizations. Every year they sponsor organized sport programs in Toronto, which allow over 1,000 underprivileged youth to enjoy organized sport programs.

In addition, the Lizzies Old Timers Association also honours outstanding individuals throughout the community for their athleticism in the programs and for volunteerism that has demonstrated a commitment to making a difference in the Toronto community.

I take this opportunity to congratulate Lizzies Old Timers on their recent 17th anniversary and give my best wishes to members of the former and present Lizzies who have contributed their efforts toward the success of this outstanding community organization. They have shown that the Lizzies are truly winners, not just in amateur sport but with the community.

Winterlude

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, at this year's Winterlude, Quebec won first prize in the Canadian snow sculpture competition on Parliament Hill.

For the second year in a row, the prize went to a team from my riding made up of Normand and Martine Rousseau and Gérard Vallée, all of Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Conseil.

Because of the disastrous weather conditions, our three artists had only 30 hours to complete their sculpture of sugaring-off time, “Le temps des sucres”. It got the nod from the judges nevertheless, for its technical and artistic merit.

Speaking for myself as well as the people of Drummond, I would like to say thank you and congratulations to our three sculptors for this great win.

Supreme Court Of Canada

[Charles Caccia, Liberal, Davenport, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the decision of the Supreme Court of Canada to allow the extradition of two men accused of murder on the condition they not be executed is to be applauded and supported.

To the dismay of some members opposite, the supreme court has made a landmark decision reflecting the view of many, including that of the distinguished Italian jurist, Cesar Beccaria, when he wrote over 200 years ago about the death penalty:

The state should set the example of civilized behaviour and not take human lives in a cold and deliberate way, applying violence to deter the use of violence.

It is time now for the United States of America, China and other countries to heed Beccaria's admonishment and abolish the death penalty in the name of progress and civilization, as has already been done by 104 parliaments around the globe.

The Family

[Grant Hill, Canadian Alliance, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Monday, February 19, is a statutory holiday in Alberta to respect families. It is a day on which to take a little break from school and work. In the middle of a cold, snowy February in Alberta some kids can go skiing.

In fact, I found out today that members of my own family are skiing in West Castle near Pincher Creek. I must say I am a little jealous being here in Ottawa while they are at home in Alberta.

My oldest son, Rob, said that on Saturday he tried to modify a tree somewhat with his leg, only bruising it, I am also glad to say. It seems like he was trying to imitate my youngest son, who actually broke his leg skiing at Lake Louise over the Christmas holiday.

It is real nice to be able to stand and recognize families and all those Albertans who get to enjoy this statutory holiday in honour of the family, surely the foundation of our society.

Human Genome

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform my colleagues in the House that last week was a gloriously full of scientific and technological developments.

The completion of the human genome mapping marks the start of a new era for humanity, one in which we can now glimpse the control, reduction and even defeat of a multitude of genetic diseases.

I take this opportunity to congratulate the Secretary of State for Science, Research and Development for announcing that Canada will not allow information on the human genome to be the private property of anyone.

There were two other technological achievements of note last week. The Destiny Science Lab was attached to the International Space Station, thus providing a unique research facility to better understand our interstellar environment. As well, the NEAR satellite, after orbiting an asteroid for over a year and relaying data to earth, has now landed on that asteroid, a first in the annals of space.

I say bravo to all the scientists, engineers and technicians involved.

Automobile Industry

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Speaker, today is a day of mourning for workers in the automobile industry and for NDP members. The auto pact agreement, which was signed 36 years ago, ends today. This agreement helped Canada become a major player in auto making around the world.

The auto pact was a model of good trade policy. Unlike free trade, the auto pact made access to our Canadian market conditional on a commitment to Canadian jobs and communities. It has been an engine of prosperity for the province of Ontario and Canada as a whole.

Now that the auto pact has been killed by the WTO, the Liberal government must rethink its failed free trade policy and come up with a new policy to stimulate investment and jobs in the Canadian auto industry.

Quebec Artists

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on the weekend, the talent of Quebec artists was recognized internationally, in both Paris and Berlin.

Saturday evening, in Paris, at the 16th Victoires de la musique ceremony, the French equivalent of the Félix awards, Isabelle Boulay was twice crowned. She was chosen artistic discovery of the year and her album Mieux qu'ici bas was chosen best album discovery.

The following evening, in Berlin, it was Martine Chartrand's turn to shine. She won the golden bear for her short entitled Âme noire .

Also, Denis Villeneuve's film Maelstrom , shown outside the competition, won the prize in the parallel section Panorama.

Well done. Through your genius and your excellent work, Quebec's culture continues to spread the world over. You are our pride.

Heritage Day

[Marcel Proulx, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today is Heritage Day. Our heritage is the culture which we cherish and wish to preserve and pass on to our children and our children's children.

It is our shared symbols, the collections preserved in our museums, libraries and archives, the buildings from another era, our parks and natural spaces, our traditions, our customs and our stories. Everything that embodies Canada's cultural diversity is part of the shared heritage of all Canadians.

I stress the importance of preserving our heritage and highlighting it so that all Canadians can appreciate its richness.

I invite all Canadians to celebrate Heritage Day and to reflect on the shared heritage that unites us as a people.

Today and tomorrow, after Oral Question Period, the trust for the preservation of Canadian audiovisual materials will be honouring 12 audiovisual works representing Canada's heritage which have been preserved and restored for the benefit of the public.

I urge members to attend this event, which will take place in Confederation Room, Room 200, in the West Block.

Fisheries

[Loyola Hearn, Progressive Conservative, St. John's West, NL]

Mr. Speaker, fishermen and industry representatives are questioning why several fishery research vessels are tied up at various ports in Newfoundland when there is critical work they could be doing offshore. As an example, the Wilfred Templeman has been tied up in Burin since early December.

The department always uses a lack of research as an excuse for poor decision making and now we understand why. The future success of the fishery will depend greatly on scientific knowledge. As our fishermen would say, “it looks like we are depending on a rotten stick”.

Black History Month

[Carole-Marie Allard, Liberal, Laval East, QC]

Mr. Speaker, February marks Black History Month, an opportunity for all Canadians to celebrate the contribution of people of African origin to the development of Canada.

In schools, community centres and workplaces, Canadians are being urged to increase their knowledge and appreciation of this important but often neglected aspect of our history.

The arrival of Mathieu Da Costa in the early seventeenth century is historically associated with the presence of the first blacks in Canada. Da Costa, who was an interpreter, helped the Mi'kmaq and the French explorers to communicate with one another.

The federal government pays tribute to the contribution of Mathieu Da Costa and of others of diverse backgrounds with its Mathieu Da Costa Awards Program. This program invites students aged nine to 19 to learn more about two people who, like Da Costa, played a vital role in the creation of Canadian society.

As elected representatives, we are proud of the achievements of all Canadians of diverse backgrounds.

Trade

[Garry Breitkreuz, Canadian Alliance, Yorkton—Melville, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the Liberal government actually understands the impact of the decisions it makes. The recent decision to ban the import of Brazilian beef has caused Brazil to retaliate by putting restrictions on a number of Canadian products, including potash, which is one of the biggest industries in my constituency.

IMC Kalium in my riding is concerned it could lose millions of dollars in contracts, which could force it to reduce operations or even shut down.

This would ultimately put the 1,000 people in my constituency who work at the mine out of work. If that happens, families in the communities of Esterhazy, Churchbridge, Langenburg and many more will be feeling the impact of this suspect trade action. Businesses in these communities will also suffer as these families will have less money to buy goods and services. There are even a number of farmers who depend on the jobs at this mine to put food on the table.

Did the government not foresee that its action would trigger a trade war? The government's own scientists have even questioned the validity of this trade action. To put families at risk for political posturing is unacceptable and the government will be to blame if these allegations are unfounded.

The Economy

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

Mr. Speaker, the official opposition, the markets and most economists have been saying for some time that we are going into a downturn. The federal Liberals have been in constant denial about that, just whistling that we should not worry and be happy.

On Friday in the House the Deputy Prime Minister agreed with the official opposition. He said “The Canadian and U.S. economies are headed to a slowdown”.

If the Deputy Prime Minister agrees that we are headed toward a slowdown, why is the government not putting into place clear, precise steps of action to reduce the impact of that slowdown on Canadians?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the government has said right from the very beginning that the Canadian economy is not immune to a slowdown in the United States. We are indeed preoccupied with what is happening with our neighbour to the south and, obviously, its effect on jobs and the quality of life in Canada.

Given the fact that the Leader of the Opposition mentioned Nortel and given the fact that what has happened at Nortel is in fact a reduction in demand outside our borders, primarily in the United States, would he tell us what we could do in a Canadian budget that would improve consumer demand in the United States?

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

Yes, Mr. Speaker. At 3.30 this afternoon I will be addressing that in a news conference complete with charts and very specific steps of action. He should come on out.

Some call it a slowdown and some call it reduced demand from outside the United States. It is incumbent upon governments to plan,—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

Order, please. It is very difficult for the Chair to hear the Leader of the Opposition. I think it is appropriate for members to hear the Leader of the Opposition ask his question, certainly the Chair wishes to.

[Stockwell Day, Canadian Alliance, Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is noisy over there. Who let the dogs out?

It is incumbent upon a government to plan for both the good times and the bad times. The only planning we have seen from the government is a stale-dated mini budget last fall based on rosy predictions which even their resident economist, the now member for Markham, said could lead into a deficit because of their increased spending.

Why will the government not table a budget to deal with the uncertainties and to show clear steps of actions to reduce the impact. Table the budget.

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is absolutely right, it does take foresight and planning. That is why in the October statement not only was there the largest degree of stimulus in Canadian history, the largest tax cut of $17 billion this year, but there was also massive spending both on health care and on early childhood development.

Rather than the Leader of the Opposition waiting for his charts—will he wear a wetsuit at the same time—what would he do in a Canadian budget that would increase consumption in the United States?

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

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's spanking obviously still has him startled.

The federal Liberals are out of touch with reality. Job offers are down 2.2%, 43% of manufacturers are anticipating a slowdown and thousands of workers have lost their jobs.

Everywhere in the country people are adjusting to the new economic realities. Why does the government refuse to do the same?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I have said on two occasions that the government, as a result of its prudence, as a result of its tax cuts, which are unparalleled in Canadian history, and as a result of its spending, has put in place the measures that are required. While the Americans are debating tax cuts, the government has done them.

I should also point out that the tax cuts that we brought in on January 1 were greater than were the tax cuts that were recommended by the Alliance.

Now I go back to the hon. member. I have asked him the question three times. What would he put in a budget now that would affect consumer demand in the United States? That is where the problem lies.

[Jason Kenney, Canadian Alliance, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the problem lies with a finance minister who cannot recognize reality. We proposed $125 billion in real tax cuts, unlike the kind of CPP payroll tax increases being imposed by this minister.

In December the manufacturing decline was offset by an increase in shipping of electronics parts. Now that Nortel has laid off 10,000 people, we can see that the picture will change significantly down the road.

Why will the finance minister not agree with the growing number of experts who say that it is time to come in with a real budget and a plan to jump start the Canadian economy?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the slowdown in the United States is taking place now. The tax cuts that we put into place are greater than the first year tax cuts that the Alliance would have brought in.

Yes, the Alliance did recommend $25 billion in tax cuts in the fifth year, greater than what we did, but that would have put us back into a deficit. Would the hon. member tell us why going back into a deficit would improve the situation with consumers in the United States?

[Jason Kenney, Canadian Alliance, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, if he wants to talk about deficit, perhaps he should talk to his member for Markham who said that his own wild spending plans in this budget could put the government back into deficit.

Since he seems to be in denial, perhaps he could talk to his own parliamentary secretary who said on TV last week, on a panel with me, that growth this year could be as low as 2%. That 2% is a whole lot less lower than the 3.5% which was the growth projection in this government's tax and spend fiscal plan.

With the member for Markham and his own parliamentary secretary contradicting him, will the minister come in with a budget that will jump start this economy?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, in the October statement we set aside prudence factors that in fact compensate for the reduction in growth that is now projected. The fact is that we showed the foresight.

The hon. member just said that we should be cutting spending. Would the hon. member tell me how cutting spending will add stimulus to the Canadian economy at a time of slowdown in the United States?