Debates of Feb. 19th, 2003

[The Speaker]

As is our practice on Wednesday we will now sing O Canada, and we will be led by the hon. member for Halton.

[Editor's Note: Members sang the national anthem]

Crayola Canada

[John O'Reilly, Liberal, Haliburton—Victoria—Brock, ON]

Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating Crayola Canada as it celebrates 100 years of business. Binney and Smith became the owners of Crayola Canada in 1965.

Coloured crayons hit the market in 1903, being sold eight to a box and initially marketed to school children. Did you know, Mr. Speaker, that the average Canadian child will wear down 730 crayons by his or her 10th birthday?

Watch for new products this year including erasable twistables, coloured pencils with built in erasers and the centennial packs of crayons.

I ask all members to join me in wishing a happy and prosperous 100th anniversary to Binney and Smith, the makers of Crayola crayons.

Justice

[Kevin Sorenson, Canadian Alliance, Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, under the Liberal regime Keith Lawrence is living proof that crime does pay. Anyone who reads this career criminal's history would certainly concur.

In 1972 Lawrence escaped Collins Bay Penitentiary after three years into his 13 year sentence for armed robbery.

Recaptured in March 2001, after 29 years on the run, this escaped convict received only eight months for his prison breach and only two years after being convicted of defrauding Workers' Compensation out of millions of dollars in two provinces while on the run using a number of false identities.

The judge justified the lenient sentence based on a totally false assumption that this wanted man had been gainfully employed for the last 30 years he was on the run.

Out after a year and a half of this new sentence, Lawrence's parole was revoked after he allegedly assaulted his common law wife.

Tomorrow this career criminal will once again seek parole. I implore the parole board to send a clear message to this career criminal: Crime does not pay.

Estonia

[Sarmite Bulte, Liberal, Parkdale—High Park, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on February 24 Estonians and Estonian Canadians will mark the 85th anniversary of the declaration of Estonian independence. On this proud day in 1918, the people of this Baltic republic broke free and took control of their future after centuries of rule from its various neighbours.

For the next 21 years Estonians basked in the glow of being a new nation on the world stage until the dark clouds of war once again broke out in Europe and around the world.

It was at this point that Canada opened its doors and offered Estonians a new homeland in the aftermath of World War II, and so for the next 51 years Canada served as a refuge during the dark days of Soviet occupation until 1991, when Estonia regained her independence.

I would like to offer my congratulations to President Ruutel, the Estonian parliament and the people of Estonia on this momentous occasion.

Guide and Scout Week

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this week is Guide and Scout Week. I was a Girl Guide and a Tawny Owl and though I no longer dob, dob, dob, belonging to the Guides left me with a respect for our environment and a deep sense of social responsibility that probably led me to becoming a Liberal.

Since its introduction in 1910, Girl Guides has grown into an organization with 176,000 members in Canada. Canada's first female astronaut, Dr. Roberta Bondar, was a Guide. Girl Guides provides an opportunity for girls aged five and up to develop their skills in leadership, the outdoors, friendship, cooperation, self-esteem and self-reliance.

Most of us look forward to the Girl Guides' spring cookie campaign. Proceeds go to helping young women to make new friends, meet new challenges and experience the outdoors and adventure that guiding offers.

Last year over six million Canadians bought Girl Guide cookies. These chocolate and vanilla treats have become a Canadian tradition.

I ask the House to join me in extending our best wishes to the Girl Guides and Scouts of Canada during this important week.

Black History Month

[Geoff Regan, Liberal, Halifax West, NS]

Mr. Speaker, Black History Month is a time to celebrate the contributions made by black Canadians to Canadian society.

Let us take this opportunity to remember influential black Canadians like Mary Ann Shadd, a lawyer, teacher, lecturer, suffragist and the first woman in Canada to become a newspaper publisher; William Hall, the first Canadian Naval personnel to be awarded the Victoria Cross in 1857; and Donovan Bailey, five time World and Olympic Champion in track and field who still holds the Olympic record for 100 metres and the World record for the 50 metre sprint.

In Canada Black History Month has become an annual event celebrated nationally since it gained acceptance in the 1960s. The contributions of people of diverse backgrounds are essential to Canadian society.

Medical Marijuana Franchises

[Ted White, Canadian Alliance, North Vancouver, BC]

Mr. Speaker, if you would like something really different to do this weekend, why not come out to Vancouver and learn how to start your own medical marijuana franchise?

If hon. members need more information, just tune to Channel 2 in Vancouver and watch for the advertisement from the Kine Smoke Shop and the Canadian Sanctuary Society. They are sponsoring two seminars on February 21 and 22 to help get grow-ops up and running.

To add to the excitement, they might get to meet Mr. Briere, who started the Sanctuary Society and who was sentenced in 2001 to four years in jail for cultivating and trafficking in marijuana, money laundering, possessing a prohibited weapon and unlawful storage of ammunition.

The only thing that is not yet clear is whether the present Minister of Industry is getting a percentage of revenues for making the business possible in the first place. I could not find any evidence of a campaign donation, but maybe a contribution in kind has long since gone up in smoke.

I wonder if they will be giving any samples this weekend. Can I count on seeing you there, Mr. Speaker?

[The Speaker]

I thank the hon. member for his kind invitation.

Nashwaaksis Middle School

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Fredericton, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in the House to congratulate the Nashwaaksis Middle School on being named one of Canada's most innovative schools.

Last Friday Nashwaaksis Middle School celebrated its membership in the SchoolNet's network of innovative schools for the 2002-03 school year. Industry Canada will contribute $10,000 to the school for each year of membership to further its work with information and communications technology.

SchoolNet's network of innovative schools helps educators develop effective strategies for integrating technology into the curriculum by having schools like Nashwaaksis share their information and communication technology expertise with other schools.

I commend the students and the faculty of the school. Together they are charting new territory, creating new opportunities for young Canadians so that they can have the skills necessary to compete in today's knowledge based economy.

Students of École de l'Arc-en-ciel

[Richard Marceau, Bloc, Charlesbourg—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the current international crisis and the threat of a war in Iraq concern everyone, from the planet's most powerful to our society's most vulnerable.

The students from the École de l'Arc-en-ciel in Lac-Saint-Charles asked me to present their views to the Prime Minister and Parliament.

Students of this elementary school are aware of the upset to world order and have expressed their fears, dismay and helplessness in a way only they can to contribute to peace.

These students, armed with only their talent and their desire for peace, created a mural symbolizing the pacifism typical of children.

They are asking the Prime Minister, who could be their grandfather, to do everything possible to avoid war. These children have a voice; we must listen to them.

Port Facilities

[Yolande Thibeault, Liberal, Saint-Lambert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on January 28, the Minister of Transport announced that construction of a temporary facility at the Escoumins wharf will begin next April. After many representations by local stakeholders, the Minister of Transport Canada and the minister responsible for Quebec have decided to listen.

This investment will allow the Compagnie de navigation des Basques to provide ferry service between Les Escoumins and Trois-Pistoles this summer. This is great news for the North Shore and Lower St. Lawrence River tourism industry.

The Minister of Transport and his department know how important this ferry service is and are working to find a long-term solution to make port facilities in Les Escoumins safe.

Thanks to this construction, the Compagnie de navigation des Basques can provide services to the local population and to tourists visiting these magnificent areas of Quebec.

Member for LaSalle--Émard

[Monte Solberg, Canadian Alliance, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, there has been a sighting. Yesterday a phantasm resembling the former finance minister is said to have passed through these hallways. Usually he is said to haunt the gloomy hallways of the revenue agency where he can be heard laughing every time another taxpayer cheque arrives in the mail. But yesterday his very presence was felt here in this place.

One person said that they felt a cold draft as they passed his office. Some say that during the budget speech a supernatural wailing and groaning could be heard emanating from his seat here in the House. Even the current finance minister is said to have felt an other worldly chill in his spine and the Prime Minister definitely felt a pain in his rear.

Yet, though a spectre, and we all know a spectre by definition is without substance, some in the Liberal caucus think this flimsy apparition should be their leader. I say to the member for LaSalle--Émard, “show yourself spectre so all Canadians can have a chance to see right through you”.

Indo-Canadians

[Joe Peschisolido, Liberal, Richmond, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this past Saturday, February 15, Indo-Canadians from across Vancouver gathered in my riding of Richmond to address the issue of violence in their community. Their goal was to educate young and old alike of the need to stem the tide of violence that has claimed the lives of nearly 60 Indo-Canadian men.

Organizers Balwant Sanghera, Balbir Jawanda and Paul Binning invited prominent members of our society to speak to the group. They included former B.C. Premier Ujjal Dosanjh and B.C. Supreme Court Justice Wally Oppal. Their message focussed on encouraging the younger generation to seek out and emulate positive role models in their lives.

All Canadians want to see an end to this violence. I congratulate the organizers and members of the Indo-Canadian community for dealing with this serious issue in such a positive and insightful manner.

Arts and Culture

[Wendy Lill, NDP, Dartmouth, NS]

Mr. Speaker, it is fair to say that yesterday's budget is uncultured. The minister made no effort to even pretend Canadian culture is a priority. In fact the budget hurts arts in the country.

By not renewing $60 million in CBC funding, our national public broadcaster will have to cut television and radio production in both official languages. Fewer Canadian stories will be told because the CBC is the primary producer of distinctly Canadian television and radio.

By reducing the federal commitment to the Canadian television fund while increasing the film and video tax credit for foreign production, he is shifting public support from Canadian stories to Hollywood productions.

The promise of only $10 million per year to preserve our thousands of historic properties is a travesty and an insult. Our nation's soul needs a strong public broadcaster and well funded culture support to flourish.

The budget reaches a new low in Liberal cultural policies. We now not only see a policy of indifference but one of active neglect. Our nation and our creators deserve better.

Haiti

[Benoît Sauvageau, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Secretary of State for the Francophonie really got his foot in it when he said that the values of democracy, human rights and good governance were Canadian values that did not seem to be part of the Haitian vocabulary.

I would like to remind the Secretary of State that Haitians were among the first emancipated people on this continent. In the 18th century, the Haitians abolished slavery, while in Canada in the following century, we hanged Louis Riel.

While Canada was still just a colony, Haiti was already a republic. The Haitian people are as passionate about democracy and human rights as Canadians are.

Each and every day, Haitians battle relentlessly to achieve their goals, which are no less noble for coming up against such arrogant attitudes.

The Bloc Quebecois feels that Haitians have nothing to learn from the Liberal Government of Canada, whose vocabulary abounds in smugness.

De Rochebelle Secondary School

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to applaud the efforts and determination of the young students at De Rochebelle secondary school in Sainte-Foy in my riding of Louis-Hébert.

These young people decided to raise awareness among those around them, their family and friends, about the negative impact Canada's participation in a war against Iraq would have.

They held several debates on the issue and collected 4,000 signatures on a petition that they will present to the Prime Minister today after oral question period.

They want to send a message of peace, and they hope this message will be heard by the political decision makers.

It is inspiring to see young people getting involved in their future and the future of their peers. I would like to congratulate the school's leaders for encouraging such initiatives.

East Coast Music Awards

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the Newfoundland and Labrador nominees and participants in the East Coast Music Awards held this past weekend.

I congratulate specifically the winners: Crush and The Flummies, and in particular the group, Great Big Sea.

These fine young men are not only good friends of mine, not only constituents, they are also super musicians and tremendous ambassadors for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. We are very proud of them.

Member for LaSalle--Émard

[Chuck Strahl, Canadian Alliance, Fraser Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the former finance minister has been busy working the phones and here are his top 10 requests for redefining the term, blind trust.

Ten, the word trust should be taken with a grain of salt.

Nine, blind refers to the ethics counsellor.

Eight, shipping companies are automatically exempted.

Seven, private companies do not count, if they are mine.

Six, only one minister shall have regular access to his blind trust.

Five, that minister will be me.

Four, blind trust and blind obedience will both apply to my caucus.

Three, as is now the case, writing contracts on serviettes will continue when necessary.

Two, in case there is confusion on this, the phrase blind trust will be erased from past, present and future red books.

The number one reason the former finance minister would like to redefine blind trust is,“What the electorate doesn't know, can't hurt me”.

The Budget

[Stephen Harper, Canadian Alliance, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the government went on a shopping spree and ordinary Canadians know they will be paying.

Canadian workers and families wonder why when the Liberals get to spend, spend, spend, they have to pay, pay, pay. They are wondering what is in it for them. Why is there absolutely no tax relief in the budget for ordinary middle class Canadians?

[John Manley, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, how soon they forget a five year $100 billion tax reduction by the government. How soon they forget full indexation of all tax brackets. How soon they forget that Canadians' top priority has been increased spending on health care, on poor kids, on the environment. These are the things that we have been doing.

[Stephen Harper, Canadian Alliance, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the reason they forget is that those tax cuts were offset by CPP premium increases, airline taxes and a record GST that the Prime Minister brags about.

Canadians know that most of the personal income tax cuts that the government talks about have been deferred well into the future. I challenge the MInister of Finance, if he is serious about middle class tax reduction, why does he not revise his budget and today move those future tax cuts for personal taxes into this year's budget?

[John Manley, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, he is wrong. Personal income tax cuts have been implemented and they continue to be enjoyed year after year by Canadians.

Unlike the Leader of the Opposition, I spent the last several months hearing from Canadians about what they wanted to see in the budget and I can tell him that we responded to that. We responded to their demands to see more money for health care, more money for children living in poverty, more money for homelessness, more money for affordable housing, and more money for the environment. Those are the priorities of the government.

[Stephen Harper, Canadian Alliance, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, if we look at the tax relief in the budget for ordinary Canadians, there is not enough to pay for the rose that was in the finance minister's lapel.

For months the finance minister went around the country talking about the need to control spending. He even said in this budget that he promised in the future to look at up to $1 billion a year. It was nothing more than an attempt to whitewash the spending scandal swirling around the government.

After months of looking into this issue, why could the budget not identify one example of one program that will be reduced by one dollar?

[John Manley, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, there are a billion examples like that because the result of the reallocation exercise is a reallocation of spending of $1 billion in 2003-04.

[Charlie Penson, Canadian Alliance, Peace River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is strange that there was not one example in yesterday's budget.

The government increased spending by $7.50 for every dollar in tax relief and none of that tax relief will go to hardworking middle class families. The government has neglected the average Canadian family. If the cuts already announced are so great, why will the finance minister not deliver the full package this year?