Debates of Oct. 19th, 2004

Relizon Canada

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in the 2004 competition for the Grands Prix québécois de la qualité, the Drummondville branch plant of Relizon Canada received an honourable mention in the major manufacturer or branch plant of a major manufacturer category.

This honour from the Mouvement québécois de la qualité, in conjunction with the ministère du Développement économique et régional et de la Recherche, is in recognition of the plant's strong focus on quality.

The jury based its decision on such points as the high degree of customer satisfaction, the company's quick order processing times and the professionalism, talent and commitment of its employees.

The purpose of the Grands Prix québécois de la qualité is, I would point out, to recognize private and public sector businesses and organizations that have achieved the highest quality standards in all their spheres of activity.

The Environment

[Andy Savoy, Liberal, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Mr. Speaker, in my riding of Tobique--Mactaquac there is a unique and natural treasure. The Meduxnekeag Nature Preserve is home to old growth hardwood forests, and rare plants and flowers. The guardians of this amazing resource are the dedicated members of the Meduxnekeag River Association.

The Meduxnekeag River Association is committed to preserving the untouched splendour of this valuable resource. The importance of the association's work was recently recognized by the New Brunswick government which presented the association with an environmental leadership award.

The Appalachian hardwood forests in the Meduxnekeag Nature Preserve had almost disappeared after 200 years of industrial growth. The Meduxnekeag River Association has worked tirelessly to raise funds and increase awareness to ensure that this natural gem remains for generations to come.

Congratulations to the Meduxnekeag River Association and its supporters for giving the residents of Tobique--Mactaquac a chance to experience this unique gift of nature.

Trans-Canada Highway

[Darrel Stinson, Conservative, North Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Mr. Speaker, in his letter last month to the Mayor of Salmon Arm the present minister of highways stated:

--highway segments that comprise the Trans-Canada Highway, with the exception of components in the national parks, are within the jurisdiction of the Province of British Columbia. The province is responsible for the design, construction, and financing of the Trans-Canada Highway within its provincial boundaries.

It is not fair that Canada's national highway should be a provincial responsibility except in national parks. Despite the billions of dollars flowing into federal coffers from fuel taxes, much of the Trans-Canada Highway from Chase in my riding to the Alberta border remains a killer highway where hundreds have been killed or injured since the Liberals took office in 1993. Think of the suffering as well as the health care costs a safe highway could prevent.

When will the government accept full responsibility for funding Canada's national highway and make it safe for the travelling public?

Conservative Party of Canada

[Anita Neville, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, as most people know, when one door closes in life, another one usually opens, but it is odd that the Conservatives and their leader would take this motto to the extreme.

On Friday the Leader of the Opposition decided to slam the door on traditional Canadian federalism while thrusting open the door to a constitutional debate, which no one in Canada wants to see. That party has also closed the door on accountability to the Canadian people. That party not only wants to weaken the federal government, but wants to devolve power to unaccountable, unelected institutions that will speak for Canada.

The speech has confirmed that the Conservatives will continually close doors to opportunities that Canadians want while continuing to flirt with reopening constitutional debates, not for the good of the nation but only for the good of the party.

With policies like this, the Conservatives opened the door that leads down the path of their predecessors: the Reform, the Progressive Conservative and the Alliance Parties.

Small Business Week

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

Mr. Speaker, this is Small Business Week, an opportunity to reflect on that part of the economy closest to our communities, whose health and viability is a measure of the health and strength of those communities. Small businesses reflect the cultural mosaic and distinct character of each and every community. They have personalities. They have local faces.

More women now own and work in small businesses than ever before, contributing more than $18 billion to the Canadian economy every year. Women are running more than 700,000 small businesses across the country, roughly 30% of the total. They are bringing a new strength, a new way of doing business, one that is focused more deeply on making their communities work for all.

Yet like all women in the paid labour force, they face greater demands and reap fewer rewards than their male counterparts. Many are juggling work and family responsibilities with few benefits and little security.

New Democrats have called for a strategy to strengthen the environment for small business, and today call for a renewed effort to bolster support for the women who own and work in small businesses across Canada.

Ramadan

[Rahim Jaffer, Conservative, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Muslims around the world are celebrating the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Muslim calendar. The month of Ramadan celebrates when the Holy Qur'an “was sent down from heaven”.

The fast of Ramadan lasts an entire month. It is a time when Muslims concentrate on their faith and spend time with their families and communities.

During Ramadan, strict restraints are placed on the daily lives of Muslims. They are not allowed to eat or drink during the daylight hours. At sundown the fast is broken with a prayer and a meal called iftar . After the meal Muslims spend time visiting with family and friends. The fast is resumed the next morning.

Ramadan is a time to focus on family and faith. I hope all Canadians take time to experience and learn more about the Islamic faith.On behalf of the official opposition, I would like to wish all my Muslim brothers and sisters a very successful Ramadan and a joyful celebration of Eid.

Eye Health Month

[Roger Clavet, Bloc, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, during this, Eye Health Month, I am pleased to have this opportunity to draw hon. members' attention to the important work of the Fondation des maladies de l'oeil. This not for profit organization collects funds with the help of numerous volunteers for research on diseases of the eye.

The organization's mission is three fold: to prevent eye disease and blindness; to promote an interest in research; and to inform and educate the public.

Over 250,000 Quebeckers have vision problems that cannot be corrected with eyeglasses, and this is why research into cornea disease and transplants is so important. There are many degenerative diseases that affect vision: glaucoma retinal degeneration, which is linked to ageing and diabetes; and amblyopia. Three people in a thousand, in fact, are considered legally blind.

My congratulations to those behind the foundation, its volunteers, and the research teams working so hard to find treatments or cures for diseases of the eye.

National Co-op Week

[Brian Fitzpatrick, Conservative, Prince Albert, SK]

Mr. Speaker, every year cooperatives and credit unions celebrate National Co-op Week. This year Co-op Week is being held from October 17 to 23. This year's theme is “Youth: The Future of Cooperation”. The theme recognizes the fact that our young people will be our leaders of tomorrow.

For many decades the Saskatchewan Cooperative Youth Program has been in the forefront in developing leadership among young people.

Milton Friedman, the world famous economist, has stated that voluntary cooperation, that is individuals working together for their own betterment, is the backbone of a free market economy.

The cooperative movement has contributed much to the Canadian economy, and in so doing has improved the quality of life for all Canadians. I know that all members will want to offer the Canadian cooperative movement our congratulations for so many accomplishments.

Small Business Week

[Gurbax Malhi, Liberal, Bramalea—Gore—Malton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, 2004 marks the 25th anniversary of Small Business Week, from October 17 to 23.

In 2001 the Royal Bank of Canada, Canada Post and the Economic Developers Association of Canada proclaimed the Brampton Small Business Enterprise Centre to be “the best economic development program in Canada”.

Sandra Hames is councillor for wards 7 and 8 in the city of Brampton. She is also chairman of the city's economic development committee.

Councillor Hames is visiting the House of Commons today. I would like to join my fellow MPs in honouring her and the city of Brampton for their efforts at promoting small business in our community.

Sponsorship Program

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, before the election, the Prime Minister said that he did not know anything about the conduct of the sponsorship program. It turns out he knew enough for his office to phone Alfonso Gagliano and secure $1.25 million for a company with connections to his own political fundraiser, Serge Savard.

Who in the Prime Minister's Office made these calls?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, all questions having to deal with this issue are very important. That is why the government set up the Gomery commission, which is in the process of dealing with them. The hon. member knows that all these questions will be answered at that time.

This is a very serious thing and I appreciate the hon. member's question, but also, I spent a lot of this morning studying the Belgian constitution. I thought that is what the hon. member might have asked me about.

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, this is not good enough. This Prime Minister is supposed to stand in the House and answer questions on his own conduct and do it today, not months from now at the public inquiry.

No going to the junior guy. This is a job for the guy at the top. Is the Prime Minister saying that he does not know or that he will not tell us? Who made the calls from his own office?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, this Prime Minister set up a judicial inquiry into this matter. This Prime Minister takes this issue very seriously. The question is why would the Leader of the Opposition not allow the judicial inquiry to get at this matter? Let it deal with it. That is where the answer lies. That is the way this thing should be handled and it should not be a question of base partisan politics by the Leader of the Opposition.

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

No, Mr. Speaker, the question is why the Prime Minister thinks he can use Gomery as a cover for answering his own questions. He should be accountable for his own behaviour in the House of Commons.

The Prime Minister said on February 12, at the mad as hell press conference, “It's very important for public confidence that as Prime Minister I be clear about the degree of my knowledge of this matter”.

Who made the call from his office to Alfonso Gagliano? Tell us now.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker]

Order, please. We will have a little order in the House. The hon. Minister of Public Works and Government Services, a very popular minister, is rising to answer the question and we will want to hear the minister's answer.

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, I find the question curious, coming from the Leader of the Opposition. When his party called for the Gomery commission, the Prime Minister responded with a full judicial inquiry. We are cooperating, not prejudging that inquiry. In fact, on September 8, the Leader of the Opposition is quoted in the Hamilton Spectator as saying “I think [Gomery] is the best chance at getting some answers”. We in this party agree with him. That is why we are cooperating, not prejudging the work of a judicial inquiry.

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I support Gomery, and I still want the Prime Minister to answer questions in this House about his own behaviour.

Let me go over the facts again. Serge Savard, a friend of the Prime Minister and political fundraiser, raised $1 million. The Prime Minister's Office made calls to get $1.25 million for his company from the sponsorship program, a company with close ties to his right-hand man, Francis Fox and to André Ouellet, and by the way, whose son was a Liberal candidate. When will the Prime Minister get up and answer these questions directly? Who made the call?

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, I still cannot understand why the Leader of the Opposition does not understand the importance of respecting the independence of a judicial inquiry. Further, the Leader of the Opposition has some questions to answer as to why he equivocates about defending Canadian institutions like Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms, but is all too fast to embrace Belgian institutions. That hon. member, if he does not answer those questions, is the Belgian waffler of the House of Commons.

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, no amount of rhetoric is going to avoid what is obvious and that is the Prime Minister refusing to answer questions on his own conduct. I will say why I think the Prime Minister does not want to answer about who made these calls. I think the Prime Minister made these calls himself.

The office of the Prime Minister called Alfonso Gagliano to ensure that the sponsorships would be given to his friends.

Who made that call?

[Scott Brison, Liberal, Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, the fact is, the Prime Minister was aware of the sponsorship program. All members of Parliament were aware of the sponsorship program. In fact, I have a letter here from the member for South Shore to the minister of the day seeking funds for a project in his riding from the sponsorship program. Ridings from all parties, including my riding, and I was in the Progressive Conservative Party, the party that no longer exists, but the fact is we received funding in my riding from the sponsorship program.

I do not understand why he will not allow Gomery to do his work.

Air Canada

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, prior to the election, when the Bloc Québécois called upon the government to take action to ensure that Air Canada, when restructured, would continue to provide services in French, the Liberals replied in the House that there was no need to amend the legislation. The Commissioner of Official Languages still has had no guarantee from Transport Canada and she told us so today.

Since these are real worries, is the government going to enact a law to ensure that the new Air Canada and all its subsidiaries will be subject to the Official Languages Act as Dyane Adam is asking?

[Jean Lapierre, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, we did not wait for the report by the Commissioner of Official Languages. As soon as we saw the new structure for Air Canada during the—

[An hon. member]

What about WestJet?

[Jean Lapierre, Liberal, Outremont, QC]

Mr. Speaker, could you get that bad-mannered character to be quiet?