Debates of Nov. 3rd, 2004

Committees of the House

[The Acting Speaker (Hon. Jean Augustine)]

The member is an experienced member and knows the rules.

The member for Winnipeg North has eight seconds.

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

Madam Speaker, as we said back in the debate in 1998, sympathy does not pay for interferon. Sympathy does not make up for people losing their jobs or livelihoods. Sympathy does not add up to much unless it is accompanied by compensation--

[The Acting Speaker (Hon. Jean Augustine)]

Resuming debate, the member for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell.

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity this afternoon to participate in the debate.

We were, until a few moments ago, operating generally in a way which was somewhat non-partisan. Yes, there were a few partisan remarks made across the House and that is fine, we are the House of Commons, but the charade we saw a minute ago by the New Democrats should not be mistaken for compassion. That is an absolute abuse of the House of Commons. I think I know a little of how they work.

It is disgusting at its best and probably even worse than that to use the victims of hepatitis C in the way in which they just did. Let us get back to trying to help the victims of hepatitis C--

[Greg Thompson, Conservative, St. Croix—Belleisle, NB]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It is not very often that I come to the defence of the NDP, but that was absolutely unparliamentary coming from that member, the biggest hypocrite of all on the Liberal side of the House on this issue. He should sit down in his place and behave himself.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Acting Speaker (Hon. Jean Augustine)]

Order, please. May I ask the member to withdraw the word that he just used to describe the member for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell?

[Greg Thompson, Conservative, St. Croix—Belleisle, NB]

Madam Speaker, please remind me what word I used that was unparliamentary. I do not recall using any language that was unparliamentary.

[The Acting Speaker (Hon. Jean Augustine)]

There was a descriptor in there, an adjective that is unparliamentary.

[Greg Thompson, Conservative, St. Croix—Belleisle, NB]

Madam Speaker, the member is being hypocritical, which is so typical of that member, and that word is not unparliamentary.

[The Acting Speaker (Hon. Jean Augustine)]

I know it is late in the day but we have an opportunity here to be respectful to each other and to observe the rules of the House. I am asking if you would, at this point in time, having used language and repeated that language, to just take it back so we can continue with the discussion?

[Greg Thompson, Conservative, St. Croix—Belleisle, NB]

Madam Speaker, I will ask for a ruling from the Chair on the word hypocritical because it is my belief that the word is not unparliamentary. However, if it is, I will certainly withdraw it.

[The Acting Speaker (Hon. Jean Augustine)]

As per Beauchesne's, citation 489, that word is unparliamentary. There is also another citation where again that word is unparliamentary.

We are dealing with an experienced member. I know he is respectful of the House and that he will do the right thing.

[Greg Thompson, Conservative, St. Croix—Belleisle, NB]

Madam Speaker, I respect what your research has told you. I will withdraw the word “hypocritical”.

I will simply say that the member has gone back on his word in terms of the treatment of the hepatitis C victims. I will withdraw the word “hypocritical” but he basically has deceived the people in terms of--

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

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I have no intention of calling anyone any names but I do want to call to your attention that the member for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell has used some very unfortunate words with regard to my performance in the House.

He has suggested that by simply calling for a vote in this chamber that I have shown a disgusting charade and suggested that I was playing a game. I am personally offended by those words. In fact, I believe he has prevented me by those words from doing my job in this House to the best of my ability.

Does the member think it a disgusting charade or a game to want to see this sorry chapter in our Canadian history closed once and for all?

[The Acting Speaker (Hon. Jean Augustine)]

Order, please. I call on the member for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell.

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Madam Speaker, I am glad to resume debate. I say to the hon. member that if she found some of my language offensive, then I do apologize. I want to continue with my remarks and hopefully the time taken by--

[Charlie Penson, Conservative, Peace River, AB]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It seemed to me that you were rising in your place to ask the member for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell to withdraw those words in connection with the member from Winnipeg because he was the one who started this whole problem with his unfortunate choice of words.

I think that you, Madam Speaker, to get control here, should ask the member for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell to withdraw the reference he made to the member from Winnipeg.

[The Acting Speaker (Hon. Jean Augustine)]

I understood the member for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell had already dealt with the issue and so I was resuming debate. The member for Glengarry--Prescott--Russell.

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Madam Speaker, this has taken almost as much time as a normal speech. I hope that somehow this is recognized in the time allotted to me to make my remarks.

We are dealing with an issue that has gone on here for quite some time. I want to salute in particular our new Minister of Health for the indication that he has given, to Canadians generally and to all of us, that he is willing to have a fresh look at this issue.

How did this start? We remember the agreement that was made. I will not use documentation generally prepared by the department. I will just look at a chronology of some of the things from a newspaper article. It talks about how on March 27, 1998 the federal and provincial health ministers, all of them, arrived at an agreement of $1.2 billion limited to the people infected between 1986 and 1990.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

It doesn't cover everybody.

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

The hon. member says it does not cover everybody. I know. That is why I am speaking about it. This may come as a shock to him.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

It's a bad agreement.

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Yes. The Liberals, Conservatives, New Democrats, and everybody that made the agreement did not cover everybody. That is quite true. We have dealt with that. That is not why we are here.

Then Premier Mike Harris of Ontario, after he signed the agreement, decided afterwards to modify his component of the agreement.

[An hon. member]

Oh, oh!