Debates of Nov. 21st, 2002

Restorative Justice Award

[Lynn Myers, Liberal, Waterloo—Wellington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this week Correctional Service of Canada and communities throughout the country are celebrating Restorative Justice Week. Restorative justice focuses on repairing the very serious harm done to communities by crime.

Last night at the Edmonton Institution for Women, two Ron Wiebe Restorative Justice Awards were presented to citizens of this country who are making a difference by reaching out to offenders and victims of crime. The first went to Martin Hattersley, an Edmonton lawyer and an ordained priest of the Anglican Church of Canada, and the second to the Fraser Region Community Justice Initiatives Association of Langley, British Columbia.

The CSC established the award in 1999 to recognize Canadians who demonstrated through their work or lifestyle ways of transforming human relationships by promoting communication and healing between people in conflict, be they victims, offenders, colleagues, families or neighbours.

I urge all members to join me in congratulating the recipients of the Ron Wiebe award.

Veterans Affairs

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

Mr. Speaker, on behalf Lieutenant Colonel Al Trotter and the people of Kamloops, Thompson and Highland Valleys, I would like to thank the thousands of outraged Canadians who have taken the time to call, write or e-mail Mr. Trotter, myself, Global Television and the Minister of Veterans Affairs in support of this distinguished war hero. If full comprehension of the situation has evaded the minister, letters and calls from across the country have no doubt helped to clarify Canadian views on the value we place on our veterans.

Please, Canada, turn up the heat and continue to inundate this waffling government with letters and calls. Let the Liberals know without a shadow of a doubt that we will not stand by and allow this great war hero to be denied his justice.

Lucie Latourelle

[Raymonde Folco, Liberal, Laval West, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to highlight today the incredible amount of work done by Lucie Latourelle of Laval, Quebec, who has been involved for more than 40 years with persons with a physical or intellectual disability.

Ms. Latourelle also spearheaded the establishment of Maisons de la Tourelle, a home that recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. Located in Sainte-Rose de Laval, this home accommodates eight persons with a physical or intellectual disability.

By founding Maisons de la Tourelle, the volunteer of the year 2000 in Laval hoped to provide the residents with a family setting where they could develop and take on responsibilities geared to their abilities, while under constant supervision.

Dreams like Ms. Latourelle's dream can lead to actions which, while they may often initially appear insignificant, spread happiness and joie de vivre all around us.

The Movie “Un homme et son péché”

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the characters of Claude-Henri Grignon are part of the collective imagination of Quebeckers. Many of us remember a scene or a line from the radio or television series.

For a few fleeting moments, these mythical figures, these legends, will come back to visit us, some 50 years after the original movie was made.

I want to acknowledge the impeccable work of the large cast, including Pierre Lebeau, whose portrayal of Séraphin Poudrier, the miser, is masterful, Roy Dupuis, as the handsome Alexis, and Karine Vanasse, the young woman from Drummondville whose fresh-faced youthfulness gives us a remarkable Donalda.

Incidentally, the movie is opening tonight in Drummondville. I urge Quebeckers from all generations to be part of this great moment in the cinema of Quebec.

Fisheries

[R. John Efford, Liberal, Bonavista—Trinity—Conception, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to announce that a major change is about to take place in the fishing industry in Newfoundland, a good news item.

I want to congratulate the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans for putting together a consultation process that will allow the industry in Newfoundland and Labrador to hold formal discussions with the Government of Canada and the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans to allow the vessel replacement program to take place. This has been an issue for some 20 years that has been ongoing in Newfoundland and Labrador. Because the fisheries have changed so much, the lives of people have been at risk.

I am pleased to announce today that this process will take place in a timely fashion and decisions, hopefully, will be forthcoming in the year 2003.

Child Pornography

[Art Hanger, Canadian Alliance, Calgary Northeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the government has a solid record of stopping good legislation in its tracks. The government has been unafraid to sacrifice the public interest for its own perceived party interests.

Three weeks ago the government played that game by stopping two bills that immediately would have made Canada's children safer from the growing problem of child sexual exploitation. The government refused to consider raising the age of sexual consent and refused to even consider tougher sentences for pedophiles. It will jail farmers for selling their wheat, but will not jail those who prey on 14-year-old children.

In response several organizations, including the Canadian Justice Foundation and Mad Mothers Against Pedophiles, have announced that they are joining with me to make Canadians absolutely aware that the protection of children from sexual abuse is not on the radar screen of the government. Working together we will build a national coalition of Canadians who will target not only pedophiles but the Liberals who protect them. We will work with concerned Canadians from coast to coast to stop the legalized abuse of children.

The Environment

[Hélène Scherrer, Liberal, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this morning the hon. Minister of the Environment released the Climate Change Plan for Canada. The plan incorporates the best ideas gathered in ten year's worth of consultations and cooperation.

It is based on the general outline of the draft plan on climate change tabled here in the House in October, and on the comments from provincial and territorial governments, industry, environmental groups and citizens.

The Climate Change Plan for Canada puts us on the path to becoming the most conscientious energy users and producers in the world; it will make Canada a leader in the area of developing new, greener technologies.

The plan will enhance quality of life for all Canadians, providing cleaner air, improved health and an increasing number of new economic opportunities.

Health Care

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, a snapshot of Canada's health care system today reveals a very puzzling and disturbing picture.

We have a new, comprehensive study of half a million patients showing that death rates in for profit kidney dialysis clinics are 8% higher than in non-profit clinics.

There is health commissioner Romanow saying that the option of more profit driven care defies logic and that the evidence just is not there to back it up.

At the same time, we have the privatizing premiers, Campbell, Klein and Eves, racing to put health care up for sale, and Senator Kirby, a board member of a private health company, solemnly recommending even more privatizing.

Health is Canadians' number one concern. We are at a critical decision point in our history, yet the picture gets blurry when it comes to the government's stand on for profit care. The health minister is missing altogether and is not in the picture.

Where is the government on privatization? Where is the health minister? “Where's Waldo?”

Aboriginal Affairs

[Yvan Loubier, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, during a trip to Europe accompanied by Quebec's minister for aboriginal affairs, Michel Létourneau, the Grand Chief of the Grand Council of the Crees, Ted Moses, praised the peace of the braves. Hardly words that European journalists are used to hearing.

This is testimony to the Government of Quebec and Premier Bernard Landry, who managed to conclude an historic agreement with a great people, an agreement that will guarantee harmonious economic, social and environmental development.

This also sets an example for other great nations of the world to follow, foremost Canada, by looking to Quebec, which is “something akin to a great people”, as René Lévesque said. By slamming the door on such an agreement with the Crees, the federal government does not measure up well in comparison.

Cedarbrae Collegiate Institute

[John Cannis, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the grade 12 history students from Cedarbrae Collegiate Institute in my riding.

The students have travelled to Ottawa to visit the Parliament Buildings and, of course, to get a better understanding of how the government works. I had the opportunity to meet with the students. I also have visited the school on many occasions in the past.

I believe it is very important for all students to take the opportunity to visit Parliament and experience firsthand how the legislative process works. As such, I encourage all my constituents, and all Canadians for that matter, to do the same as the students from Cedarbrae Collegiate Institute, to visit Ottawa in the future.

Again let me welcome the students from Cedarbrae Collegiate and thank them for visiting us here today. I am confident they will leave Parliament Hill feeling inspired and proud to be Canadians.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Gerald Keddy, Progressive Conservative, South Shore, NS]

Mr. Speaker, something happened yesterday in the House of Commons that should not be allowed to happen again.

The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans announced, in private, with a deliberate leak to a small group of Atlantic Liberal members of Parliament, that the fishery could possibly be shut down. His own department and Atlantic Liberal members of Parliament leaked the information. They came out of the meeting, spilled their guts to the media, whined and cried, threw up their arms in the air and asked what they could possibly do in such a situation.

Maybe the minister should have asked what he was going to do with the overfishing on the nose and tail of the Grand Banks and the Flemish Cap. What are we going to do about a foreign fleet that has been uncontrolled and our lack of representation at NAFO? What will the minister do, not just in the Gulf of St. Lawrence but in zone 4x, his own doorstep, where the cod stocks are not endangered?

Al-Anon Family Group

[Mac Harb, Liberal, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Al-Anon Family Group on its 50th anniversary and acknowledge its important contribution to our communities. This very special occasion coincides with this year's Canada National Addictions Awareness Week.

For 50 years the Al-Anon Family Group has been a source of help and hope for families and friends of alcoholics in communities throughout 115 countries. Al-Anon, and its group for younger members, Alateen, have founded in Canada alone over 1,600 Al-Anon and 115 Alateen groups.

With treatment and support, people can recover from alcohol addiction and make a positive contribution to their communities, their families and their workplace.

I offer my congratulations to the Al-Anon Family Group and urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the important role it has in our communities.

Kyoto Protocol

[Paul Forseth, Canadian Alliance, New Westminster—Coquitlam—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, as an accountable MP, if I were to vote for major changes to health care or seniors' pensions without having a reasonable cost benefit analysis and social impact statement, I would be considered irresponsible.

There is a parallel in what the Liberal ideologues are asking us to do with the Kyoto accord. They have been unable to justify the likely costs and implications of ratifying this obviously bad deal. We also know that even if we could eliminate 100% of Canada's CO

2

production, the costly accomplishment would not even register on global climate measurement systems.

In Parliament, I will continue to ask the government to show us a scientifically sound proposal, a proper decision making document. If the proposal can meet reasonable standards, I will support it. However I will not support the poor submissions before us today, which appear to be very expensive, ill-defined, politically correct, emotion based and somewhat designed to appease special interests rather than Canada's long term national interests.

I urge the government to tell the whole truth about Kyoto and exercise inclusive leadership for positive change.

Health

[Grant Hill, Canadian Alliance, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Quebec and Ontario compensated all hepatitis C victims. Now that we know that the federal bureaucrats who were involved in this tragedy were on staff before 1986, will the Minister of Health ask cabinet to compensate all those who were infected with the hepatitis C virus and have contracted the disease?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, we are well aware of the decision yesterday to lay charges in this very unfortunate matter that affected so many Canadians.

The matter really now is sub judice and any spokesman for the government, including the Minister of Health, who I think will be here shortly, will have to be extremely careful in order to protect the rights of all those accused, as well as those people who have suffered.

[Grant Hill, Canadian Alliance, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I note that was not an answer to my question at all. Let me pose the question another way.

The senior federal bureaucrats who have been charged, and I note charged criminally, by the RCMP in the tainted blood scandal were employed by the government prior to 1986. The government categorically said that there was no responsibility before 1986.

Will the government change its stubborn policy and now look at looking after every single victim of hepatitis C prior to 1986?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, with great respect to the hon. member, we cannot do by the back door what we cannot do by the front door.

This matter will be litigated and any statement that is said, even here using parliamentary privilege, could affect this case.

I would ask the hon. member to perhaps pursue another line of questioning. The fact is that this matter is now sub judice and has to be dealt with in a very careful manner.

[Grant Hill, Canadian Alliance, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, notice the legal approach to this rather than the compassionate approach.

The Liberal government said that it would be too expensive to look after those victims outside the 1986 to 1990 period. Therefore my question for the health minister is very specific. How many victims have been compensated and how much money is there left unused in the bank that could and should be directed toward those victims outside this artificial legalistic timeframe? How much?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, there is no artificial legalistic timeframe. This government has put over $1.4 billion into compensation and assistance.

As the hon. member is well aware, there was a negotiated settlement. Some $900 million is being supervised by the court right now to ensure that over the next 70 years compensation is available to those who contracted hep C between the period of 1986 to 1990.

In addition, we have some $525 million available--

Canada-U.S. Relations

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

Mr. Speaker, yesterday a senior government official called the President of the United States a moron. Perhaps we could dismiss this damaging insult as an aberrant remark but, sadly, it is part of a consistent pattern of knee-jerk anti-Americanism coming from the government, from comparing the American policy on Iraq to Pearl Harbor, to blaming the victims of 9/11, and now responding with humour to this remark.

Will the government confirm that this comment was made by the Prime Minister's director of communications, and if so, does it reflect the views of the Liberal government?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, fortunately for Canadians and Americans, what is most important here is the personal relationship between the Prime Minister and the president, and that is an excellent relationship.

We will not comment on anonymous sources in the newspaper. We will comment on fact, and the fact is that the Prime Minister and the president enjoy an excellent relationship. In fact let me say that Canadians should understand that Americans, all Americans, understand that they have, and I quote, “no better friend, no better neighbour, and no better partner in the world than Canada”. Who said that? Colin Powell, the secretary--

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Calgary Southeast.

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

Mr. Speaker, does one good friend treat another by calling its leader a moron? Does the minister believe that the comment was acceptable simply because it was said off the record?

When will the government finally take accountability for the kind of knee-jerk anti-Americanism that has caused our bilateral relations with our most important trading partner to deteriorate to the worst level in decades?

Will the government hold the official, who called the President of the United States a moron, accountable by demanding his or her resignation?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, why do members of the Alliance always take the negative approach with respect to Canada-U.S. relations?

The fact is that it is a healthy relationship. From time to time there are disagreements but the personal relationship between the President of the United States and the Prime Minister is an extremely good one.

Alliance members often criticize Canada, not just here, but they go down to Fox TV and take shots at Canada and Canadian policy. That is unacceptable.

The Environment

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

Mr. Speaker, today, the Minister of the Environment released his climate change plan. This plan confirms our apprehensions, since the reference year will no longer be 1990, but 2010 instead.

Will the Minister of the Environment admit that using 2010 instead of 1990 as the reference year is tantamount to totally ignoring past efforts and setting aside the fundamental principle, which is the polluter pay principle?