Debates of Feb. 8th, 2001

Canadian Alliance

Jim Abbott Canadian Alliance Kootenay—Columbia, BC

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I know that in a former life as Deputy Speaker you used to hold an awful lot of us to the issue of relevance. I do not find any relevance in what this member is talking about.

SupplyGovernment Orders

The Speaker

I know that after question period the hon. member for Mississauga West will have nine minutes remaining. I am sure he will point out in the course of those nine minutes the relevance of the statements he is making to the motion before the House dealing with a statement about the ethics commissioner being responsible to parliament. I am sure we will hear from the hon. member for Mississauga West as to relevance later this afternoon.

The EnvironmentStatements By Members

Liberal

Aileen Carroll Liberal Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford, ON

Mr. Speaker, I stand to congratulate the Hon. Minister of the Environment for being the first Canadian to be elected as president of the governing council of the United Nations Environment Program, UNEP.

UNEP is a forum for governments to tackle critical environmental issues. Canada is now positioned to become a leader in developing the international environmental agenda for the next two years.

In the same forum scientists warned that greenhouse gases that have been locked in the Arctic's permafrost for millennia are now being released because of global warming. Damage to the permafrost will unleash enormous environmental harm, thus the need for UNEP to attempt a speedy ratification of the 1997 Kyoto protocol.

Canada, as a signatory and now positioned to be a world leader, must demonstrate that we are working diligently to honour our commitments made in Kyoto.

Earl McCutcheon And Ross WeaverStatements By Members

Canadian Alliance

John Williams Canadian Alliance St. Albert, AB

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Sergeant Earl McCutcheon from my riding of St. Albert and Corporal Ross Weaver from Edmonton. They were recently awarded the Medal of Bravery by the Governor General for their heroic actions in Kosovo.

Sergeant McCutcheon and Corporal Weaver entered an undefined minefield to rescue an elderly civilian who had been seriously injured by stepping on a mine. Realizing that immediate care was required to save his life, the two officers cautiously made their way through the unmarked minefield, administered first aid and co-ordinated the evacuation of the victim to a hospital for intensive care that saved his life.

It is the heroic actions of our soldiers like Sergeant McCutcheon and Corporal Weaver that define Canada as a nation committed to peace and human rights. On behalf of the people of St. Albert, Edmonton, and indeed, on behalf of all Canadians, I thank them for acting selflessly in the face of danger. We can be proud of their dedication and service to our nation.

Safe Drinking WaterStatements By Members

Liberal

Charles Caccia Liberal Davenport, ON

Mr. Speaker, according to the Sierra Legal Defence Fund, most Canadian provinces and territories have inadequate laws to ensure the safety of our drinking water. The survey it conducted shows that regulations in four other Canadian jurisdictions are as bad or worse than those in Ontario prior to the Walkerton tragedy.

The situation calls for federal leadership. The Speech from the Throne contains a commitment to safeguard our freshwater supply. We have to move from non-binding drinking water guidelines to strong regulations to prevent toxic substances and waterborne contaminants resulting from industrial and agricultural operations from reaching the water supply.

Legally binding standards aimed at ensuring a safe drinking water supply for Canadians are needed from coast to coast.

Catriona Lemay-DoanStatements By Members

Liberal

Rick Laliberte Liberal Churchill River, SK

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise in the House today to recognize the accomplishments of Canada's best amateur athletes.

A world class Olympian is what Catriona LeMay-Doan of Saskatoon is today. The undisputed star of women's long track speed skating captured gold medals in both the 500 metre and 1,000 metre World Cup races held this past Saturday in the Netherlands.

The reigning Olympian speed skate champion in the 500 metres has won six of seven World Cup races this season in the 500 metres and on two occasions bettered her world record.

Training out of the Calgary Olympic Oval, which is still recognized as the best ice in the world, Ms. LeMay-Doan leads a strong Canadian speed skating team that is preparing for the 2002 winter games just one year away.

I congratulate Ms. LeMay-Doan for being an exceptional Canadian. We are all very proud of her and wish her the best in her future endeavours.

Regional Economic DevelopmentStatements By Members

Liberal

Georges Farrah Liberal Bonaventure—Gaspé—Îles-De-La-Madeleine—Pabok, QC

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take the few minutes I have at my disposal to draw attention to the exception results our government has had with its action aimed at economic recovery in the Gaspé and Îles-de-la-Madeleine.

The Minister of National Revenue and Secretary of State responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada announced on October 4, 2000, that a new regional office of the Economic Development Agency would be opening at Gaspé. It has been providing service since the fall to the Gaspé and Îles-de-la-Madeleine.

The performance of this new office over its first four months confirms without a doubt that it is an important tool in the regional economy.

In just a few months 50 new applications have been formally submitted, and decisions already reached on 18 of them. As a result the federal government has been able to contribute $2 million, which has generated investments of $5,2 million and created or maintained 233 jobs.

From the number of applications it is clear that what our government is doing in the Gaspé and Îles-de-la-Madeleine region is appropriate. Its commitment to the future of the people of that region is equally clear.

CustomsStatements By Members

Canadian Alliance

Myron Thompson Canadian Alliance Wild Rose, AB

Mr. Speaker, according to the National Post we have just learned that the Liberal government in the past couple of years has relaxed our customs regulations to the point that they have now become an honour system called CANPASS.

Private aircraft with less than 15 passengers are free to land at any airport without customs inspection merely by calling a central phone number to report their arrival. To make matters worse, the itineraries of these planes are considered confidential information by Nav Can so customs is truly working blind.

With regulations this loose Canada will quickly become the number one destination for organized cartels and their smuggling of drugs, guns and human beings.

The American government is so concerned with Canada's sieve-like borders that it is now considering the placement of troops along our border. It has no alternative, since drug cartels can simply load up, fly to Canada and distribute south of the border. Does it honestly make sense to the minister of customs that we do not search international flights?

The solution is simple. CANPASS must be scrapped immediately. Anything less is not only unacceptable but a dangerous threat to all Canadians.

Black History MonthStatements By Members

Liberal

Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC

Mr. Speaker, February is an important month to me and to many Canadians.

As the House is aware, it has been officially designated Black History Month. This is an opportune time for all Canadians to think about the important contributions of black Canadians to the development of the Canadian identity and to the realization of an open society focussed on the individual.

February also presents an ideal opportunity to highlight a book which has recently been published and is entitled Millennium Minds: 100 Black Canadians . Written by Ottawa author Patricia Holas, this beautiful photo biographical book draws the profiles of men and women in black communities across Canada who have contributed or are still contributing with both passion and pride to the diversity of Canadian culture and to our country's evolution.

I congratulate Patricia Holas for an outstanding accomplishment and best wishes to all for a great month of black history.

CloningStatements By Members

Bloc

Pauline Picard Bloc Drummond, QC

Mr. Speaker, with human cloning the topic of the day, and countries like Great Britain, the United States, France and Germany drafting legislation to cover practices in this matter, Canada cannot manage to even produce a bill or initiate debate.

Cloning is a serious matter raising fundamental issues about the future of humanity. This sort of thing should not be discussed in secret but rather in the House of Commons.

For five years I have been asking the government to act on the issue, and the minister says he is still thinking. While the federal government is thinking, other countries are acting and changing their laws to permit human cloning for therapeutic and scientific reasons.

This government's inaction, lack of transparency and lack of initiative put Canada once again dangerously close to missing the boat.

Alexandre LafleurStatements By Members

Liberal

Hélène Scherrer Liberal Louis-Hébert, QC

Mr. Speaker, allow me first to sincerely thank the people of my riding of Louis-Hébert for according me the honour of representing them in Ottawa.

In addition, I would like to congratulate a young student in Sainte-Foy, Alexandre Lafleur, who is studying natural science at the CEGEP there. He is going on the team Canada trip to China today, sponsored by the pharmaceutical and telecommunications sectors.

This will be a unique experience for this young man and an honour for us to be represented by Mr. Lafleur, nicknamed the “whiz kid” by Quebec City's paper Le Soleil .

I wish Alexandre, an excellent trip.

In closing, I invite my colleagues in the House of Commons to visit the Quebec City region during the carnival, which ends this weekend. There will be the sculptures, the ice palace, hooch filled walking sticks and, of course, Bonhomme Carnaval.

Kamloops, Thompson And Highland ValleysStatements By Members

Canadian Alliance

Betty Hinton Canadian Alliance Kamloops, Thompson And Highland Valleys, BC

Mr. Speaker, today I rise for the first time in the House of Commons to give thanks to my family, to my campaign workers and to the wonderful constituents of Kamloops, Thompson and Highland Valleys. On November 27 they elected me as their representative by an overwhelming majority. I consider it a great honour and a great responsibility.

My riding is one of the most beautiful places in Canada, if not the entire world. It is an area of sage, pine forests, majestic mountains and clear, crisp rivers and lakes. My riding is home to Nancy Greene-Raine, a two time Olympic gold medalist and the Canadian female athlete of the century. It is also home to the Kamloops Blazers, winners of six WHL championships and three Memorial Cups. My riding is home to Helmeken Falls, It Lake, Shuswap Lake, Highland Valley Copper and some of the finest cattle ranches in Canada.

The fine people in my riding sent me here with a mandate and a very simple message for the Liberal government: Rome is burning and it is time to stop fiddling.

International Development WeekStatements By Members

Liberal

Stephen Owen Liberal Vancouver Quadra, BC

Mr. Speaker, this week is International Development Week which brings together a wide range of public and private institutions, NGOs, government agencies such as CIDA, CUSO activities, CESO and the IDRC. They work in a dedicated way toward the belief that development and the reduction of poverty are absolutely essential to human rights, democracy and peace worldwide.

The Government of Canada recognizes this importance. In the budget of 2000 it increased spending for CIDA by $435 million and the recent throne speech announces further increases to that budget.

This properly recognizes the balance between Canada's enjoyment of and success in the global economy and meeting its global social responsibilities.

Nuclear Missile DefenceStatements By Members

NDP

Peter Stoffer NDP Sackville—Musquodoboit Valley—Eastern Shore, NS

Mr. Speaker, with the election of George Bush in the United States it appears that the U.S. will move quickly to deploy the nuclear missile defence shield. It is planning to coerce an already gullible foreign affairs minister and an all too willing Liberal government into joining them.

Last year my former colleague Mr. Gordon Earle of Halifax West stated that a top U.S. defence official was quoted as saying that for all practical terms Canada is the 51st state. The nuclear missile defence shield program will not only give away more of our sovereignty in terms of our defence policy, but it will also suck away hundreds of millions of dollars from our already financially starved armed forces. In the end it lead us down the path of nuclear missile madness and accelerate the arms race.

New Democrats across the country stress upon the government and all political parties that instead of shielding us from other countries, we should all work together toward a global initiative on world peace, human rights, decent labour standards, fair trade, world poverty and the environment.

Speech From The ThroneStatements By Members

Bloc

Richard Marceau Bloc Charlesbourg—Jacques-Cartier, QC

Mr. Speaker, this month marks the second anniversary of the agreement on social union.

Under that agreement, all the provinces, with the exception of Quebec, agreed to let the federal government intrude into provincial jurisdictions. Moreover, the throne speech recently confirmed the government's intentions to continue to infringe on provincial jurisdictions and, worse still, to build Canada by denying the Quebec reality.

The intergovernmental co-operation that the government raves about seems to apply only to provincial issues.

Indeed, the federal government has never agreed to co-operate with the provinces in its own areas of jurisdiction, such as monetary policy.

The choice that Quebecers will have to make is not between the status quo and sovereignty. They will have to choose between a Canadian state that is increasingly centralized and unitary, and the country of Quebec.

East Coast Music AwardsStatements By Members

Liberal

Shawn Murphy Liberal Hillsborough, PE

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that this weekend the city of Charlottetown will be hosting the East Coast Music Awards. More than 1,200 delegates representing every facet of the music industry will be in Charlottetown for talent showcases, jam sessions, workshops and the nationally televised awards show.

The festival recognizes the finest singers, songwriters and musicians in the region. Since its creation in Halifax more than 10 years ago, the East Coast Music Awards has grown into one of the biggest entertainment events in the country. The highlight of the weekend shall be the presentation of the director's special achievement award, being awarded this year to Anne Murray.

I congratulate the organizers of this event and I wish all participants, organizers and fans a most enjoyable and rewarding weekend.

Heating Fuel RebateStatements By Members

Progressive Conservative

Norman E. Doyle Progressive Conservative St. John's East, NL

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are outraged. The government has so mismanaged the heating relief fund that multiple cheques are going to some households, prisoners are receiving the rebates and people who do not pay for heat are qualifying for heating relief. Yet Canadians who need the assistance to help combat the high cost of heating fuel are not receiving these funds.

How could the government have administered this program so poorly? Canadian taxpayers do not want to see their money being given to people who are not bearing the burden of high heating costs. The government has allowed all GST credit recipients to qualify for this relief, at a cost of $1.3 billion. There is no connection between receipt of a GST rebate and entitlement to a heating fuel rebate.

The government has shown once again that it is governing by default. Could the government tell us why some people are receiving rebates when they are not paying heating fuel costs? All we are asking for here is a bit of common sense.

Bras D'Or—Cape BretonStatements By Members

Liberal

Rodger Cuzner Liberal Bras D'Or—Cape Breton, NS

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise in the House today to thank the people of Bras d'Or—Cape Breton for electing me as their member of parliament. I extend a special thanks to my family for their love and support and to all those committed individuals who worked countless hours on my election campaign.

As the member for Bras d'Or—Cape Breton I will work to represent the needs of my constituents. I will be a strong voice on the issues of employment insurance and job creation. I will work toward a strong, thriving economy to ensure that our young people have a future on Cape Breton Island.

I look forward to working with and serving the people of Bras d'Or—Cape Breton and once again thank them for their support.

Heating Fuel RebateStatements By Members

Canadian Alliance

Randy White Canadian Alliance Langley—Abbotsford, BC

Mr. Speaker, here is another bit of brain surgery by the other side. We know the federal government is giving natural gas rebates. Are they based on the people who paid the bills in the first place? Nope. They are based on the 1999 GST rebate.

Who is getting these rebates? Why, federal prisoners who have not paid one cent in natural gas bills are getting the rebates. People who are out of the country are getting the rebates. People who are deceased are getting the rebates.

What is wrong with the government over there? Does it have no sense? Does it have no sense of responsibility at all?

Americontact 2001Statements By Members

Liberal

Claude Drouin Liberal Beauce, QC

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a few moments to mention one of the many measures taken by our government to support exporters in their efforts to consolidate and diversify their export markets.

On January 22, the Minister of National Revenue and Secretary of State for the Economic Development Agency of Canada announced a non refundable contribution of $700,000 by the Government of Canada for an economic forum organized by Americontact 2001.

This international event, which will take place from April 3 to April 5, 2001, will be attended by business people from the greater Quebec City region and by financial partners from the 34 countries that will participate in the Summit of the Americas.

This is a unique opportunity to promote the commercial, scientific and industrial value of the Quebec City-Chaudière-Appalaches region.

This is a clear commitment by our government toward the future of Quebec and Canada.

Grants And ContributionsOral Question Period

Canadian Alliance

Deborah Grey Canadian Alliance Edmonton North, AB

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I asked the Prime Minister about his involvement in arranging $2.35 million worth of immigrant investor funds for the Auberge Grand-Mère. I remind the House that the auberge had a golf course right next door to it, which the Prime Minister owned at the time. He said there was no conflict because the Quebec government administered that fund.

No such luck. In 1996 brokers decided where those immigrant investor funds were spent and the Prime Minister met with those brokers. Why is he denying the link between his meeting and those millions?

Grants And ContributionsOral Question Period

Saint-Maurice Québec

Liberal

Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I have explained all that very clearly to everybody. I receive visitors in my office. I receive all members who want to come and have a picture taken in my office. A group came, took a picture, and I never talk to anybody. I have nobody to take notes.

What surprises me is that for two elections the member was telling the people that she was holier than anybody else and that she would never accept a pension from anybody. Now she is elected and is entitled to a pension, she changes her mind. What about hypocrisy?

Grants And ContributionsOral Question Period