Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to have the opportunity today to address the House with some comments about the Speech from the Throne that opened Parliament on September 30.
Throughout the summer months I have talked to hundreds of people in my riding about issues that concern them. I talked to them at barbecues, on the ferry, on fundraising walks and in my office. Over and over again I heard about the critical state of our health care system. I heard about the dismay and fear caused by waiting lists in emergency rooms, for MRIs, for mammograms, for appointments with specialists and for necessary operations. I heard from people who have lost loved ones and are left to ponder the terrible question, what if they had received the help they needed when they needed it? That is a terrible question to be left with.
In my riding almost daily I also hear about education issues, about the lack of speech therapists and teachers' assistants and social workers. Although I know that these issues are considered provincial issues, I always do whatever I can to move them ahead because investing in young people is of course a national issue. Providing a level playing field for young persons with disabilities is absolutely a federal responsibility and a charter of rights responsibility.
This summer I also heard a great deal about the high cost of post-secondary education from young people, and from their parents who have invested years in their children's schooling. I heard from young people who have dared to dream about future professions and who now are facing incredible costs for post-secondary education. With the federal government's abandonment of its support for post-secondary education, tuition fees have gone up by 135%. Nova Scotia is leading this shameful example.
This summer, with the extreme weather events across the country and across the globe, I also heard concerns about our environment: water quality, air quality and of course our sewage treatment problems.
I have heard from people in North Preston who said they can wait no longer for the three levels of government to come together and help them build their much needed recreation centre.
I have heard much about poverty and substandard housing as well.
At the Battle of Britain ceremonies and at the jetties to meet returning ships, I heard concerns from veterans and many people in the armed forces about the fact that the government continues not to put in the necessary money for the equipment they need to do their job.
So it was with great interest that I listened to the throne speech in hopes that there would be some long awaited good news for the people of Canada.
To begin with, as I just asked the minister a question about this today, I would have to say that unfortunately and outrageously nothing was said in the throne speech about a significant federal commitment to the Halifax harbour cleanup. What is needed and what the NDP has been pressing for since the beginning is for the federal government to commit one-third of the money for such a large environmental infrastructure project, which is what it used to do in the past. That would be about $110 million. Instead, the government followed the lead of the provincial government, the ham-fisted provincial government, with only a token $30 million investment, leaving our city scrambling and our citizens wondering what it is they can expect from the federal government other than lofty words.
Unfortunately, the throne speech was full of lofty words and promises but alarmingly short on how-tos and whens. The unfulfilled promises from the Liberal red book of 1993 and 1996 have reappeared on everything from child poverty to urban renewal.
The throne speech indicated that the Liberals will finally ask Parliament to ratify the Kyoto accord. It was in one slim paragraph, very short on details, with no plan as to how they are going to do this. That is a crime. Because of Liberal stalling, greenhouse gas emissions today are 14% above 1990 levels, about 20% above our Kyoto target. By Health Canada's own admission, 16,000 people die prematurely every year due to environmental pollution.
New Democrats are fighting for action now on Kyoto, not vague promises. We need a solid implementation plan now to reflect the environmental impact on and the technological capability of our economy in terms of the environmental problems we are facing. We need to fight for a ratification plan that is fair to affected regions and to the workers in those regions. To make Kyoto work we need good ideas and legislation and federal commitments now.
The NDP is calling for the legislated creation of a market for ethanol and biomass fuels and for the mandatory conversion of coal-fired energy plants through the enforcement of clean air standards. As well, we are calling for the creation of a national alternative energy strategy, based upon proven capability in wind, solar and tidal production, and, in partnership with the provinces and municipalities, for the federal government to support transportation waste diversion and municipal infrastructure programs that promote energy efficiency and the use of non-fossil fuels. Of course this includes the Halifax harbour cleanup.
Not surprisingly, the throne speech called for much needed work in the health care system. New Democrats welcome a strong and renewed commitment by the federal government to our beleaguered public health care system. We will be watching carefully to make sure that this promise is not broken again. Privatization, long waiting lists for surgery, and woefully inadequate home and long term care: this is the Prime Minister's legacy so far.
The Romanow report due in November is expected to provide a blueprint for a renewed federal role in health care. We believe that this renewed role must include a significant increase in federal funding to the provinces and enforcement of the Canada Health Act to stop the growth of private clinics and hospitals. We also believe that we have to see an introduction of the long promised national pharmacare and home care programs. We will be fighting for those measures and will oppose any “rob Peter to pay Paul” proposals for funding the federal increase to health care transfers.
So far we have seen trial balloons about increasing the GST or further cutting employment insurance to pay for increases in health care funding. Such moves would be unfair and unacceptable. If the Liberals need more revenue for health care and social programs, they should look first at the ill-advised tax cuts contained in the former finance minister's 2000 budget, tax cuts that benefit mainly the banks, the big corporations and the wealthy.
Canadian content was sorely missing in the throne speech and in the Prime Minister's legacy. There was no mention of increased investment in the Canada Council or the CBC. Deep cuts to the CBC have destroyed the public broadcaster's ability to fulfill its mandate for Canadians. For all intents and purposes, CBC regional television news programming has ceased to exist under the Prime Minister's government. Despite all of the recent Liberal rhetoric about redressing the democratic deficit, the throne speech is silent about the critical need for media concentration legislation.
Nor does the throne speech give any comfort to military families that our Sea Kings will be replaced, or to the homeless that there will be affordable housing started before the snow flies.
There are many more people who will be sorely disappointed with the government's direction, but perhaps none more than persons with disabilities. Even as the throne speech puts forward a couple of measures to address disability issues, the finance department is ripping away other much needed income supports. It is instituting unfair and punitive measures to cut people off from the disability tax credit. Canadians with disabilities deserve respect and equal citizenship from their government, not harassing bureaucracies and punitive legislation.
In closing, I would urge the government to follow the calls from the courts, advocacy groups, the medical profession and the disabilities subcommittee and provide humane and compassionate tax relief to our most vulnerable citizens. That would be the most significant and genuine legacy of all.