Debates of Feb. 4th, 2003

National Children's Infrastructure Program

[The Acting Speaker (Ms. Bakopanos)]

The hon. member for Bonavista—Trinity—Conception.

Queen's Jubilee Medal

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

Madam Speaker, before the Christmas recess I had the honour and privilege to present a number of deserving constituents from my riding of Bonavista—Trinity—Conception with the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal in recognition of their outstanding achievements and contribution to our communities and to our country.

The recipients are Walter Baggs, Captain Gushue, William Ford, Dr. Barton Manning, Harry Strong, Judy Stagg, Byron Rodway, Gordon Pike, Elizabeth Jerrett, Augustus Mercer, John Crane, Max Hussey, Eugene Hurley, Robert Moore, Effie Boone, Elihu Antle, Bram Walters, Eliza Swyers, Roderick Nicholl, Herb Brett and Eric Kenneth Jerrett.

Cambridge, Ontario

[Janko Peric, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

Madam Speaker, January 1, 2003 marked the 30th birthday of the city of Cambridge.

When the communities of Galt, Preston and Hespeler were forced together by order of the provincial government in 1973, residents feared that their communities would lose their identity. Fortunately the city of Cambridge has prospered and Galt, Preston and Hespeler have retained much of their history and charm.

A vibrant economy anchored by industrial leaders such as Toyota, ATS, Canadian General Tower and A.G. Simpson has helped to draw an increasing number of residents to Cambridge.

With a population of 110,000 and growing, Cambridge will continue to lead the region in industrial growth while still maintaining a sense of community that those of us who live in Cambridge truly appreciate.

Happy birthday, Cambridge.

Musgrave Harbour

[Larry Spencer, Canadian Alliance, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

Madam Speaker, families from coast to coast are mourning the loss of a number of precious Canadian lives.

Yesterday we learned of the death of five hunters from the small community of Musgrave Harbour, Newfoundland. This loss of life brings us all great sadness.

The hunting party included a father, his three sons and two other men. Only one of the six men survived a terrible ordeal in the frigid waters off northeastern Newfoundland.

This is a devastating blow to this tightly knit community of 1,400 people. The death of five of its own is indeed a heartbreaking tragedy which powerfully impacts the whole community.

On behalf of the Canadian Alliance, I want to extend my sincere condolences to the families and residents of Musgrave Harbour today. Our hearts and prayers are with them during this most trying time. Canada has indeed suffered yet another tragic loss.

Paul Hébert

[Gérard Binet, Liberal, Frontenac—Mégantic, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last Sunday, the ninth annual Soirée des Masques was held. This tribute to Quebec theatre recognizes the artists, writers, directors and actors who share a passion for their art.

In addition to highlighting their accomplishments, this celebration is an opportunity for the public to see the breadth, diversity and richness of Quebec theatre.

This year, the Académie québécoise du théâtre decided to honour a man of the theatre, an actor and director originally from Thetford Mines, Paul Hébert. This man, who has dedicated his life to the theatre, received the Hommage de l'Académie award for his body of work.

On behalf of the people of Frontenac—Mégantic, I am very proud to congratulate Paul Hébert, a master of his craft.

Wetlands

[Alan Tonks, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House that the Canadian Wetlands Stewardship Conference is being held here in Ottawa this week. The three day conference brings together a wide range of resource sector groups, conservation organizations, government agencies and individual Canadians sharing a keen interest in the conservation of Canada's wetlands. It is being held at an opportune time as this past Sunday was Global Wetlands Day.

Wetlands are exceptionally diverse and productive ecosystems. They play a vital role in filtering and purifying our water. They provide habitat to over 30% of the species at risk in Canada. They also store large quantities of carbon, making wetlands a key resource as we address climate change issues.

Despite their tremendous importance to our nation, many of Canada's wetlands have been destroyed and those that remain are often under pressure from competing land use. While heartening progress has been made across Canada in wetlands conservation, it is critical that we collectively redouble our efforts to ensure that wetlands are protected for future generations.

Grands Prix de l'Entrepreneuriat de Roussillon

[Robert Lanctôt, Bloc, Châteauguay, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my constituents, I want to congratulate the winners of the 2002 Grands Prix de l'entrepreneuriat de Roussillon.

In categories ranging from retail business to community involvement and tourism, the winners distinguished themselves by their professionalism and the quality of their products.

I want to congratulate Construction CF Jacob, Transport S.R.S., Entretien de voies ferrées Coyle, Thermofin, Vulcain Alarme, Les produits Zinda, le Complexe Le Partage, Les Élevages du Ruban bleu, la Société locative d'investissement et de développement social, and Webecom Technologies 2000.

In the young promoters category, an award went to Au petit violon.

These winners are working for the economic, social and cultural development of the Montérégie region, and we are all very proud of them.

International Development Week

[André Harvey, Liberal, Chicoutimi—Le Fjord, QC]

Mr. Speaker, February 2 to 8 is International Development Week 2003. The theme of this week is “Celebrating Canadians Making a Difference in the World”.

Today the Minister for International Cooperation marked International Development Week by presenting the Bill McWhinney Award of Excellence to the Prince Edward Island chapter of Farmers Helping Farmers.

This group brings together 50 Canadian volunteers who work together with farmers from Kenya and Tanzania to improve the rural economies in those countries. Their work and the work of many other Canadians deserves our recognition because, for more than 50 years, they have been supporting the development of the most disadvantaged countries and communities in the world.

I invite all Canadians to take advantage of International Development Week to learn more about the life of people who live in developing nations and to applaud Canadians who work to make our world safer, fairer and more prosperous.

Curling

[Carol Skelton, Canadian Alliance, Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the nation's best junior curlers are gathered in Ottawa for the Karcher Canadian Juniors, Canada's premier junior curling event.

Saskatchewan is represented by two excellent teams. Our young men are from the Sutherland Curling Club in Saskatoon. They are Steve Laycock, Christopher Haichert, Michael Jantzen and Kyler Broad, all coached by Barry Fiendell. Our young women are from the Nutana Curling Club in Saskatoon and are coached by Bob Miller. Playing with Biggar's own Teejay Surik are Marliese Miller, Janelle Lemon and Chelsey Bell.

All these find young athletes have worked hard to get to this level of competition. Their determination and commitment to their sport will ensure their success. Saskatchewan is behind them all the way. Good curling to all.

Health

[David Pratt, Liberal, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, since the release of the Romanow report the Prime Minister has been clear in his calls for greater accountability with respect to the money we spend on health care.

I rise today to assure the Prime Minister that his leadership on this vital issue has the support of my constituents.

According to a health care survey I conducted in my riding, 93% of my constituents agree that mechanisms should be put in place to increase government accountability. Of the more than 2,000 health care surveys we received, 85% of my constituents agreed that “the federal government should insist on stronger national standards where federal health care dollars are spent by the provinces”.

Like Mr. Romanow, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health, my constituents and I strongly believe that any additional money put into our health care system must result in real reform that requires increased accountability to the taxpayers of Canada.

Stan Rogers

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

Mr. Speaker, when Canadian folk music hero Stan Rogers died in an airplane fire in 1983 it was a loss that devastated family, friends and music fans from coast to coast to coast.

Rogers was son of a steelworker from Hamilton, Ontario, with family roots firmly grounded in Canada's east coast. Stan Rogers loved this country and its people, especially working men and women. He wrote powerful songs about fishermen, farmers and factory workers--everyday Canadian heroes. Songs like Northwest Passage and Barrett's Privateers earned him a place of honour in Canada's musical history.

There is a movement underway to get Stan into the Juno Canadian Hall of Fame. It is hard to imagine how Rogers' enormous contribution to the music and mythology of the country have been overlooked for 20 years.

It is an oversight that Vancouver's Geist magazine wants to fix. Geist has launched a grassroots online petition. They are looking for 10,000 people to sign the petition at www.geist.com. I invite all Canadians to Canso, Nova Scotia, from July 4 to 6 for the annual Stanfest. The federal NDP caucus joins me in supporting this campaign.

“Rise again”, Stan Rogers wrote in the Mary Ellen Carter .

Rise again, rise again, that her name not be lost To the knowledge of men

I say rise again, Stan Rogers.

Chomedey News

[Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral, Bloc, Laval Centre, QC]

Mr. Speaker, recently the Canadian Weekly Newspapers Association, which boasts some 700 members, rewarded the Chomedey News for the third year in a row with the Blue Ribbon General Excellence Award. This recognition underscores the exceptional professionalism of its writing team, the objectivity and quality of its research, and the excellence of its content.

On the eve of the 10th anniversary of the Chomedey News , it is my pleasure to point out that this newspaper is a model of information thanks to the in-depth analysis of the topics it tackles and the critical eye it casts on socio-economic issues affecting the Laval community.

At a time of unsettling media concentration, the Chomedey News , an independent newspaper—only 4% of all newspapers in Quebec are independent—is the David to the Goliath of print media.

I applaud their work and thank them for their contribution to democracy.

New Democratic Party

[Bill Matthews, Liberal, Burin—St. George's, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to light the unfortunate decision of Canada's newest political leader. Mr. Layton has been leader of the NDP for just over one week and it appears in great NDP style that he could not wait to make his first glaring error.

It turns out that the new leader of the NDP has hired none other than Rick Smith as his chief of staff. Yes, that is right, Mr. Speaker, the same Rick Smith who, as director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, called the seal hunt an unnecessary slaughter.

Not only does Mr. Layton's tragic lack of vision on this issue shock and amaze Canadians, including some 12,000 Canadians who depend on the hunt for income, but now we have Newfoundland and Labrador NDP leader, Jack Harris, who has said that he was quite disturbed by the hiring. Mr. Harris went on to say that Layton's decision would be very damaging to the party.

Given the total lack of judgment demonstrated in this hiring, it would surprise none of us to see Mr. Layton now come flying up the Ottawa River on a jet ski, but of course he will not be wearing a seal coat.

In Flanders Fields Marathon

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour and privilege for me to rise today in the House of Commons in support of a historic partnership and a very worthwhile cause.

This year the Royal Canadian Legion has joined forces with the Arthritis Society to raise money for the September 2003 “In Flanders Fields Marathon” to take place in Belgium. The marathon participants and legion members will take the opportunity to attend memorial services at the historic Menin Gate in Ypres.

Not only will this venture give more Canadians an opportunity to learn about our rich military heritage, it will contribute much needed resources to the fight against arthritis through the Arthritis Society's “Joints in Motion” campaign. Since the year 2000 the “Joints in Motion” campaign has raised more than $7 million with the generous assistance of Merck Frosst Canada and Global Television.

Tomorrow, the New Brunswick division of the Arthritis Society and the Royal Canadian Legion will launch this fantastic effort at the Ridgewood Veterans Facility in Saint John, New Brunswick and I wish them all good luck.

Aboriginal Affairs

[Jim Pankiw, Canadian Alliance, Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I have consistently said that Indian lobbyists and their supporters have a hidden racist agenda. It turns out I was right.

David Ahenakew, a highly prominent Indian lobbyist, revealed his racist agenda by applauding Hitler, calling non-Indians immigrants, and saying that Indians should be the bosses of everyone else. Matthew Coon Come referred to non-Indian Canadians as a “white mob”.

The Canadian Alliance criticized me for exposing Ahenakew and other Indian supremacists who want race based privileges for Indians. In so doing the Alliance endorsed the racist policies of tax exemptions, handouts, gambling revenue, preferential hiring quotas, and lenient sentencing provisions for Indian criminals. That is why the Canadian Alliance only has 10% public support. It has abandoned the original integrity and common sense of the Reform Party.

There is only one true Reformer remaining in this Parliament who will tell it like it is and, Mr. Speaker, you are looking at him.

National Defence

[Keith Martin, Canadian Alliance, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, on February 2 HMCS Regina became the sixth ship to leave CFB Esquimalt to help in our battle against terrorism.

I would like to thank the crew of the Regina and indeed all of the military personnel at CFB Esquimalt for their service to protect us. I also salute their families who bravely support these courageous men and women.

Now on the cusp of war our government has chosen this month to cut the cost of living allowances of our soldiers by $151 a month. These cuts are enormous when we consider that an ordinary seaman grosses only $2,200 a month. The government also increased their rents by $100 a month last November. These cuts exceed their raises last year, making our soldiers worse off this year than last.

I wish to challenge the government to do the right thing, and stop these heartless and insensitive timed cuts to the finances of our armed forces personnel. We must respect our soldiers and their families, and not penalize them while they are being sent half a world away to protect our interests.

Health

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

Mr. Speaker, as the first ministers prepare to meet this evening, Canadians are clear in what they want from the health care system. They want results. They do not want grand schemes. They want to see the current system fixed. They want more doctors, more hospital beds and shorter waiting lists. In the paper today the government talks about a whole bunch of new money.

I want to ask the government, will it allow the bulk of this money for the provinces to be spent on restoring the core of the health care system?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, as we have indicated, we have listened intently, both to Canadians and to others including Commissioner Romanow and Senator Kirby, in relation to what needs to happen to change our health care system so it is there for the future.

I have met with my provincial and territorial colleagues. I suggest that we are in complete agreement around what needs to happen to ensure that we renew our system for the well-being of all Canadians. I have no doubt that is what the first ministers will agree to tomorrow.

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

Mr. Speaker, the House will note that the minister avoided the question.

Everyone wants core services restored. For example, the Canadian Medical Association said:

...75% of new funding--be allocated to basic hospital services, physicians services, nursing and other services.

Canadians do not want new money spent on new promises and new bureaucracy.

Let me be clear to the minister once again. Will the government allow the provinces to spend the new money on restoring the core of health care services?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, we have always suggested that the provinces have flexibility to deliver their health care in ways that make sense for them and their residents. We have also made it very plain that we understand that it is the provinces and the territories that are on the front line of delivery of health care in this country.

We do understand that what Canadians want is a renewed sustainable system where they have access on a timely basis to high quality care. I have no doubt that is what the first ministers will renew their commitment to tomorrow.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am still not getting a clear answer so I will try it again.

The federal government wants the bulk of the new health care money to go to new promises. The provinces want to allocate these funds to essential services.

Will the government work with the provinces to ensure that the existing essential services are restored and viable before offering new promises?

[Anne McLellan, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, federal, provincial and territorial health ministers met in December and agreed upon a list of areas that we felt needed to be addressed to ensure a renewed sustainable health care system. The hon. member will see that all these areas are identified in our draft accord.

I hope an agreement is reached tomorrow, dealt with and funded by the federal government, and provincial and territorial partners. Those areas include: primary health care, home care, pharmaceuticals, diagnostic medical equipment, human health resources, and information technology.

As far as I am aware there is no disagreement that those are areas we all need to work on to ensure we have a high quality system for the future.

Border Security

[Grant Hill, Canadian Alliance, Macleod, AB]

Still no answers, Mr. Speaker.

Yesterday, the revenue minister brushed off concerns about U.S. border security concerns as just fearmongering. However, Michael Kergin, our ambassador to the U.S., said plainly:

We always have some challenges ahead of us and the border is, among them,...

My question is for the minister. Is the ambassador also just fearmongering?

[Elinor Caplan, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, we have proposals all the time that are brought forward, and I recently discussed this one in particular with Ambassador Cellucci recently. We are committed to working with the Americans to ensure that our border is a smart border--one that is secure and efficient.

[Grant Hill, Canadian Alliance, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian ambassador to the U.S. said:

We always have some challenges ahead of us and the border is, among them, the most critical.

Is the minister not a bit embarrassed about getting up in the House and talking about fearmongering when our ambassador to the U.S. says exactly the same thing? This is her opportunity to withdraw those flippant comments.