Debates of Feb. 9th, 2004

Kenaston

[Peter Adams, Liberal, Peterborough, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in January following a period of record -40° weather, my wife Jill and I found ourselves driving in blizzard conditions. We were forced off the highway south of Saskatoon. With many others, we spent the night on the floor of Kenaston Place, the community centre of Kenaston, the aptly named “blizzard capital” of Saskatchewan.

We want to thank all those who helped stranded travellers during this emergency: the mayor, emergency preparedness people, teachers, restaurateurs, and pool hall operators.

To Kenaston, home of the super hockey draft and of the Blizzards hockey team, we storm survivors say thanks, and we join Kenaston in saying, “Go, Blizzard, go”.

Cultural Exchange

[John Duncan, Canadian Alliance, Vancouver Island North, BC]

Mr. Speaker, there is a group of 25 grade 11 and grade 12 students from Carihi, Campbell River High School, in Ottawa this week on a cultural exchange. In September, Hillcrest High School students from Ottawa had a highly successful visit to Campbell River. This week is the return engagement for the Campbell River students.

I am taking this opportunity to welcome the students to Ottawa. They are from a well ranked high school in the heart of Vancouver Island North. The school has an excellent scholastic and athletic program that represents the community well.

I am sure the students will greatly benefit from their visit this week. I am excited for them and I will be meeting them this afternoon as they are becoming familiar with the main Parliament Building and will attend the House of Commons question period.

I am sure they will pass on their impressions to me at the first opportunity, and I will let you know, Mr. Speaker.

Black History Month

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

Mr. Speaker, February is Black History Month, a time to celebrate the many achievements and contributions of black Canadians, who throughout history have done so much to make Canada the culturally diverse, compassionate and prosperous nation we know today.

This year is particularly special, marking the 25th annual celebration. Each year, Canadians from coast to coast to coast take part in festivities and events honouring the legacy of black Canadians, past and present. Exhibitions, awards dinners, discussions and film screenings present an ideal opportunity to learn about the experiences of black Canadians in our society and the vital role this community has played throughout our shared history.

I would encourage all Canadians to take part in the celebrations this month and to learn about the many sites, persons and events of national significance that are a hallmark of Canada's diverse but common heritage and identity.

Claude Ryan

[Marcel Proulx, Liberal, Hull—Aylmer, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to express my condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Claude Ryan, one of Quebec's great political minds who helped shape the province's free and modern society of today.

We will remember Mr. Ryan as the leader of the provincial Liberals in Quebec from 1978 to 1982, but also especially as the leader of the “no” forces that defeated the 1980 referendum on Quebec sovereignty.

He stepped down as Liberal leader in 1982, but remained in government as a provincial cabinet minister from 1985 to his retirement in 1994.

Claude Ryan was a committed Canadian with an unshakeable faith in his country. He believed in a strong Quebec within a collaborative Canadian federation. He was always at the centre of great dialogues on ways to improve federal-provincial relations to the benefit of Quebeckers. For this, he has the appreciation of all Quebeckers and of their fellow citizens across the country.

Winterlude

[Eugène Bellemare, Liberal, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on the occasion of the 26th edition of Winterlude in the Ottawa-Gatineau region, I would like to commend the National Capital Commission on the event's continued great success.

The NCC has had a great impact on the national capital region over the years and has brought a myriad of benefits to the region.

The chair of the NCC, Marcel Beaudry, and his staff continue to fulfill their mandate with great distinction.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Government of Canada for providing much needed support to the NCC and its leadership over the years. Canadians can therefore take great pride in their capital.

Public Service

[Bill Casey, Progressive Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday I raised an issue in the House regarding the Government of Canada jobs that were restricted to Ottawa. These jobs were located in Afghanistan but limited to only those people residing in certain postal codes around Ottawa.

The President of the Treasury Board responded to my questions with a non-answer and then phoned me to explain. When I did not agree with his logic, he hung up on me and called me a few names in the media.

A few minutes ago, the President of the Public Service Commission faxed me a letter saying they were wrong after all and that the job descriptions for the four jobs in question were changed this morning. She has offered to meet with me to discuss the other hiring practices that amount to discrimination by postal code, and I am very pleased to accept.

I appreciate this progress, but many offensive situations still exist and we will stay at it.

Order of Canada

[Janko Peric, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Valentine O'Donovan is only the fifth Cambridge resident to receive our nation's highest honour, the Order of Canada.

The founder and chairman of Cambridge-based COM DEV International, he positioned this company to be a global leader in wireless and satellite communications. For his vision, leadership and contributions to the Canadian space program, he earned the McNaughton Gold Medal and the John H. Chapman Award of Excellence.

A distinguished community leader, he served as chancellor of the University of Waterloo and, together with his wife Sheila, donated significantly to establish Lisaard House hospice for terminally ill cancer patients in Cambridge.

I join all members of the House and all Cambridge riding residents in congratulating Mr. O'Donovan.

Jacques Duncan

[Serge Cardin, Bloc, Sherbrooke, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on January 31, 2004, Jacques Duncan passed away. He died peacefully in his sleep. The news came as a great shock to the whole sovereignist family in the Eastern Townships and in all of Quebec.

Jacques had a deep love for the people of his country, Quebec. He had enormous respect for them and knew how to accept them for who they were, whatever walk of life they came from. He always believed in the ability of each individual to contribute to the attainment of our collective ideal.

For nearly 40 years, Jacques fought every sovereignist battle. He was politically engaged. He thought the cause was noble and legitimate and he knew how to unite everyone under the same banner.

On behalf of myself and the Bloc Quebecois and all the people of Quebec, I would like to extend our sincerest condolences to his partner, France Brault, his children and grandchildren, and all the family.

Our friend is gone, yet his presence is still felt. Everything reminds us of him: the yearning for freedom and the desire for a country, Quebec. Thank you Jacques; we owe you much.

Quebec Winter Carnival

[Christian Jobin, Liberal, Lévis-Et-Chutes-De-La-Chaudière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 50th anniversary of the largest winter carnival, in the heart of the only fortified city in North America, which will run until February 15, 2004.

During this event, thousands of tourists from the four corners of the earth will proudly don arrow-patterned sashes and go out into the streets to take part in the many activities.

Yesterday the spectacular canoe races took place on the majestic St. Lawrence River. Canoe races were first run as a sport in 1894, at the winter carnival festivities. On February 1 of that year four canoes, manned by former canoeists from Lévis, took part in the competition. This year's winners, 110 years later, were Bruno Harvey and his team, who were participating for the 27th consecutive time.

Congratulations to Mr. Harvey, who has shown once again that determination always pays off.

Immigration

[John Reynolds, Canadian Alliance, West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast, BC]

Mr. Speaker, we know, and it will be confirmed again tomorrow, that this government is incompetent. Over the weekend, we learned that this government is also heartless.

A young bride, a bride of only three months, was sitting broken-hearted in New Delhi because this government refused to grant her a temporary visa to come to Canada to attend the funeral of her husband. Her husband was one of seven people killed in a horrific head-on collision on the Sea-to-Sky Highway in my riding. A funeral was to be held today in Squamish for her husband.

It was not until I and my colleague, the member for Surrey Central, brought pressure to bear that the government finally relented and did the proper thing.

I personally, as the member for the riding of West Vancouver--Sunshine Coast, wrote four letters guaranteeing this heartless government that this lady and her three relatives would go home. My colleague for Surrey Central did the same thing.

I was just informed by the minister about 15 minutes ago that she has signed a ministerial permit. I give her credit for that, but I say that it should not take so much political pressure to get compassion for the people in Canada who have these problems.

I thank the minister for doing it, but I say that next time let us please not put these families through what they had to go through in this situation. It was not good for the families. It was not good for Canada.

Gerald Bouey

[Bryon Wilfert, Liberal, Oak Ridges, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we are saddened today to learn of the passing of Mr. Gerald Bouey, who was the Governor of the Bank of Canada from 1973 to 1987.

I would like my colleagues to join me in expressing our deepest regrets to his wife, Anne, and his children, Kathryn and Robert.

On many issues, history proved Mr. Bouey right. While at the helm of the Bank of Canada, Mr. Bouey warned of the dangers associated with government deficits. He also believed in the necessity of having an anti-inflation policy at the Bank of Canada. For a few years already, this government has followed Mr. Bouey's advice.

Mr. Bouey once said, “It's not the bank's job to be popular”. These are the words of a man of principle who was not afraid to tackle difficult problems head-on.

Let us pay tribute to the memory of Gerald Bouey.

Softwood Lumber

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to once again bring to the attention of the House the softwood lumber crisis facing our workers and communities from coast to coast to coast within the country.

What do we get from the government? We get absolutely nothing and silence in terms of cooperation with labour groups, cooperation with community groups, and cooperation with the mayors of these small communities where these forest industries reside.

Also, the government's end goal is to pit province again province by subjecting Canada to a quota deal. That would simply be disastrous for workers, their communities and the companies in these country. For those in Atlantic Canada, we have an exemption in the Maritime accord.

We are asking the government to continue to fight through the free trade deals to ensure that Canada's forest companies, their workers and their communities are represented honestly, openly and fairly in these trade talks with the United States.

Black History Month

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

Mr. Speaker, in 1995, the Parliament of Canada designated the month of February as Black History Month. Can there be a better opportunity to highlight the important contribution of Blacks to Quebec and Canadian society?

More than a simple commemoration, this is an occasion to celebrate the uniqueness of the history and culture of these men and women who have chosen to live in Quebec or in Canada, whether several generations ago or only just recently.

This celebration also recognizes the cultural diversity that enriches us all. Building a just and equitable society for everyone, regardless of our differences, demands that we try to understand the history, the passions and the values of each individual in our midst. As we celebrate Black History Month, we must keep in mind our collective responsibility to respect differences.

Rotary Club

[Beth Phinney, Liberal, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on February 18 the Rotary Club of Hamilton Mountain will be honouring the recipients of the Paul Harris Community Service Award. This award is the highest award Rotary International can bestow on a person.

Dianne Jackson will be honoured for her tremendous 28-year record of volunteering. Dianne has held numerous executive volunteer positions and helped negotiate the amalgamation of the Chedoke-McMaster and Civic Hospitals Volunteer Associations.

Sandeep Sehgal, a grade 10 student from Westmount Secondary School, will also be honoured for her contribution to the community and school.

I am sure all hon. members will join me in congratulating the recipients of this year's Paul Harris Community Service Award, and in thanking both Dianne Jackson and Sandeep Sehgal for their dedication to the Hamilton Mountain community.

Gasoline Taxes

[James Moore, Canadian Alliance, Port Moody—Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, last year, the federal government collected $7 billion, or $220 per person, in gas taxes and in GST on the cost of fuel and a tax on the excise tax. The money went directly into general revenues without any commitments for roads or infrastructure.

In the fall, the Prime Minister ran for office saying that he was going to give more money to municipalities. He promised that he was going to end the democratic deficit and respect the wishes of the House. The House voted in October to give substantive gas tax dollars back to municipalities.

As we head into an election campaign, the federal government is promising to give the municipalities $48 million per month. It is quite simply a spending spree within 60 days of an election call.

This is simple, typical, Liberal vote buying politics of writing cheques with an IOU expected on election day.

This government is ignoring the provinces and trying to buy the votes of Canadian municipalities. If it really wants Canadians to believe—

[The Speaker]

The House will now proceed with four brief statements.

The hon. Minister of Health.

Claude Ryan

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, we were saddened today to learn of the passing of Claude Ryan. He succumbed to his illness early this morning.

I invite the House to join me in offering our most sincere condolences to his family and friends.

This sad news is the final chapter in the life's work of a man who has left an indelible mark on the history of his country. In his years with Action catholique, Le Devoir and the Quebec Liberal Party, he had an impact on the careers of more than one generation of leaders of his society and his country.

Claude Ryan was, of course, renowned as a great intellect, but also as a staunch defender of Quebec, which he considered absolutely compatible with the broader Canadian framework.

A man of deep faith, he died peacefully.

May his soul rest in peace.

[Grant Hill, Canadian Alliance, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, today the people of Canada learned of the death of Claude Ryan, one of the public figures most instrumental in shaping our contemporary history.

For close to 40 years, this man of conviction, intelligence and vision was intimately involved in all of the important issues affecting the province of his birth. This great Canadian fought long and hard to raise public awareness of the significant place occupied by Quebec within the Canada of today and of tomorrow.

On behalf of the Conservative Party of Canada, I extend condolences to Mr. Ryan's family on this difficult day. They will be in my thoughts and prayers.

[Francine Lalonde, Bloc, Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, after classical and social service studies, Claude Ryan, became, at age 20, the national secretary of the Action catholique canadienne.

But it is with the daily Le Devoir that he gave his full measure, first as an editorial writer and then as director of that newspaper. His knowledge of the issues and his rigour were impressive. It is at that time that he discovered nationalism and used his influence, including against the Victoria charter, the first major constitutional reform project of Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

In 1976, Mr. Ryan asked his readers to vote for the Parti Quebecois of René Lévesque, even though he did not support his option. He strongly condemned Bill 101 however.

In 1978, he made the jump into politics and became the leader of the Quebec Liberal Party. In his beige book, he proposed equality for the two founding peoples of Canada, while leading the No campaign during the referendum. In 1981, he lost the provincial election and left the leadership of the party.

Claude Ryan has left a deep imprint on Quebec's history. The Bloc Quebecois wishes to offer its sincere condolences to his family and friends.

[Yvon Godin, NDP, Acadie—Bathurst, NB]

Mr. Speaker, today, Quebeckers and Canadians wish to pay tribute to Claude Ryan, a man who, through his deep convictions and rigour, has left his mark on Quebec's politics and has shaped its evolution.

His intellectual fervour served him well as an editorial writer for the daily Le Devoir and later on as a politician. We cannot forget his contribution and commitment to public life, and the determination and conviction with which he defended his ideas. Guided by his Christian values, Mr. Ryan fought for his beliefs with dignity and respect.

On behalf of the New Democratic Party, I wish to offer my most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Ryan.

Canada Steamship Lines

[Grant Hill, Canadian Alliance, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's company received a TPC grant of $4.9 million of taxpayers' money. The problem is that clause 13 in that contract states that no member of Parliament should receive a benefit from any of these contracts.

Why were the rules for the Prime Minister bent to allow him to receive that money?

[Lucienne Robillard, Liberal, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec]

No, Mr. Speaker, the rules were not bent. In fact, there is always a clause attached to all government programs stipulating that no member of Parliament, as an individual, should receive a benefit from a government program. This applies to all government programs.

Furthermore, when a member owns shares in a company, the code of ethics applies. And that is exactly what happened. The ethics counsellor examined the matter and determined that the hon. member for LaSalle—Émard had not intervened personally—nor had any of his associates and that consequently there is no problem.

[Grant Hill, Canadian Alliance, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, that is a bizarre excuse.

The Prime Minister happens not to be a person that has just a few shares in a company. He owns 25% of the company in question. Clause 13 is pretty specific. Clause 13 was broken.

If clause 13 is so useless, that a person can sail a steamship through it, then what good is it?

[Lucienne Robillard, Liberal, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec]

No, Mr. Speaker, clause 13 was not broken. Is the opposition member saying that companies may not apply for government programs if any member in the House owns shares in them?

Companies can apply according to a very strict code of ethics. That code was followed in the case in question. The hon. member for LaSalle—Émard did not intervene. None of his associates intervened. That is the conclusion reached by the ethics counsellor, thereby allowing the company access to a government program.

[Grant Hill, Canadian Alliance, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it sounds like a benefit to me.

The government did not explain why the rules were not followed. Clause 13 is supposed to be part of all contracts and subsidies.

Was clause 13 included in the agreement with the Prime Minister, yes or no?