Debates of Oct. 6th, 2005

First Nations Oil and Gas and Moneys Management Act

[Pat Martin, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, it has been an uphill battle trying to drag my colleagues from the Conservative Party into the 21st century, kicking and screaming as they go, as they acknowledge aboriginal and treaty rights. It is a challenge that I am willing to take on and one by one, we are trying to chip away at this Eurocentric sort of arrogance and ignorance that endorses the paternalism of the Indian Act.

For someone to stand and defend the paternalism of the Indian Act, in contrast to a progressive piece of legislation that contemplates a sharing of oil and gas resources is beyond me. We should not waste a great deal of time on this as I am sure we are close to question period.

Terezia Zakar

[Lloyd St. Amand, Liberal, Brant, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to pay tribute to a wonderful member of my community, Mrs. Terezia Zakar, who passed away September 14. Mrs. Zakar was the proud president of the Petofi Hungarian Cultural Club located in Brantford.

Mrs. Zakar came to Canada in 1956 from Hungary with little resources, but soon proved to be an excellent community motivator. Mrs. Zakar dedicated much of her life to the promotion of the Hungarian culture in Brant. She was an active organizer of Hungarian dance and cultural performances, international village displays, as well as different activities and charity events. She was instrumental in the purchase of the Petofi Hungarian Cultural Club, which has been the location for many Hungarian community events.

Terry will be remembered as a loving wife to John, her husband of 40 years, and a wonderful mother to her children who made her so proud. I would ask my fellow members of the House to join me in paying tribute to a woman who contributed so much of herself to the betterment of her community.

Liberal Government

[Kevin Sorenson, Conservative, Crowfoot, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to notify all those watching today of a very worthwhile campaign. No, it is not an election campaign. The Liberal government has ensured we will not be going to the polls anytime soon. Fearing defeat, it has taken the unprecedented step of denying all opposition parties their supply days until mid-November. Shame.

What I am talking about is the stick it to him campaign, a campaign aimed at giving David Dingwall exactly what he wants, and stopping the Prime Minister from spending even more of taxpayers' hard-earned cash on Liberal hush money.

I urge all Canadians to join in the one tonne gum challenge by sending, postage free, a piece of bubble gum to the Prime Minister, so he may pay Mr. Dingwall his hush money with half a million dollars worth of chewing gum instead of half a million dollars more of our own money.

The Prime Minister and the Liberal government have been sticking it to taxpayers for far too long.

Sidney Crosby

[Michael John Savage, Liberal, Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, NS]

Mr. Speaker, last night Sidney Crosby of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, played in his first NHL game and recorded his first point. Not since Wayne Gretzky has hockey witnessed such a young player entering the professional ranks under so much spotlight and with so much promise.

As remarkable as Sidney's performance is on the ice, his grace and composure in dealing with the enormous pressure that has fallen upon him since a young child is so impressive and a testament to his character. His parents can be rightly proud of this exceptional young man as he continues to meet enhanced expectations. It takes a person of rare quality to captivate a nation, to single-handedly revive a hockey franchise, and continually reach new heights in his chosen field.

Sidney Crosby would be a great success in life even if he never scored a single goal in the NHL, but he will do so much more than that in the years to come. He will continue to achieve and make all Canadians proud, none more so than the residents of Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia.

Way to go Sidney.

Châteauguay Municipal Library

[Denise Poirier-Rivard, Bloc, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to announce to the House that the Quebec Order of Architects has named the Châteauguay Municipal Library and its architects as the winners of its award of excellence in architecture.

The official presentation of the award will take place at Châteauguay on October 11. This past August 30, the Quebec Order of Architects also ranked the Châteauguay Municipal Library among the top three finalists in the cultural project category.

The jury was won over by its warm and welcoming atmosphere and described the building has having achieved a wonderful balance of distinctiveness and civility.

The library also drew attention for its unique geothermal heating system, which extracts heat from the ground to heat the entire building.

The Bloc Québécois congratulates all those who had a hand in this splendid success. Long may this jewel in Châteauguay's crown continue to sparkle.

Year of the Veteran

[Yasmin Ratansi, Liberal, Don Valley East, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this year the Government of Canada designated 2005 as the Year of the Veteran to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II.

One veteran in particular, Wing Commander Vernon Woodward, distinguished himself overseas as one of many Canadians who went to Britain to serve in the Royal Air Force. The young pilot was sent to some of the most difficult theatres of the early war, including Egypt, to fight Rommel's Afrika Corps, and to Crete in an attempt to fend off the Luftwaffe.

During this period “Woody”, as he was affectionately known, earned the Distinguished Flying Cross with silver bar and became the third most decorated Canadian ace to serve in the RAF. Indeed, Wing Commander Vernon Woodward's record is something that can be shared with pride by both the people of Canada and Great Britain.

On behalf of all Canadians, please join me in honouring the memory of all veterans who served and sacrificed in the service of their country.

Justice

[Dave Batters, Conservative, Palliser, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the initiative put forth by the families of the four slain officers in Mayerthorpe, Alberta. They have come together in asking Canadians to join them in the referendum of light. On the third day of every month, Canadians are asked to turn on their porch or patio lights in support of tougher sentences and paroles for drug related offences and a new national drug policy.

These families have highlighted a very important issue to the people of Canada and to the people of my home province of Saskatchewan. For months I pushed this government to reclassify crystal meth to allow for tougher sentencing. Despite the years of rhetoric, the Liberal government has consistently failed to bring in effective sentencing reform.

This government's approach to crime has failed and on behalf of the people of Palliser, I congratulate the families of the fallen officers for pushing this government to finally get tough on crime.

Kipling Collegiate Institute

[Borys Wrzesnewskyj, Liberal, Etobicoke Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, a recent issue of Maclean's magazine featured 30 trailblazing schools across Canada.

Kipling Collegiate Institute, a school in my riding, was featured as one of the 10 best schools in the rising to a challenge category. Located close to Pearson International Airport, with a high concentration of recent immigrants, two-thirds of students speaking a mother tongue other than English and a rough reputation, the teachers, students and families of Kipling have turned things around.

Under the leadership of Principal Roger Dale fostering an environment of optimism and mutual respect, and his far-reaching vision of having students take ownership of their school and their futures, there are now 44% more students passing provincial exams and 40% fewer students failing courses.

This evening I will be visiting Kipling Collegiate Institute during its commencement ceremony. I join all members of the House in congratulating its enthusiastic students and dedicated teachers.

Mental Illness Awareness Week

[Réal Ménard, Bloc, Hochelaga, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since its inauguration in 1992, Mental Illness Awareness Week has sought to open our eyes to the reality of mental illness.

Those who suffer from it have remained in the shadows for far too long. Too many of them are reluctant to seek the help they need, and the general public is insufficiently aware of the burden mental illness places on society.

Mental Illness Awareness Week seeks to raise awareness of the level of mental illness in Canada; to reduce negative stigma about mental illness; and to promote the positive effects of best practice in prevention, diagnosis and medical treatment.

If we know more about mental illness we will be able to detect it early and offer help when it is needed. Any one of us can be affected, regardless of age, financial position, race or gender.

I encourage my colleagues to be part of the solution, and to visit the Mental Illness Awareness Week site in order to learn more about how to deal with this illness and to dispel the misconceptions that surround it.

Oktoberfest

[Lynn Myers, Liberal, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish all Canadians a very happy Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest, which begins on October 7 and goes until October 15. I am proud to say that Kitchener-Waterloo is home to North America's largest Bavarian festival.

Since 1969 the festival has grown from a one day event with one festhalle to a 9 day event with 17 beer halls and 40 family and cultural events that are renowned all over the world, and attract well over 700,000 participants every year.

Music, dancing and, of course, beer will be enjoyed by all. Fashion shows, yo-yo demonstrations, marching bands and rocktoberfest are just a few of the events that will be held. On Monday, October 10 join us for the Thanksgiving Day parade. This year we are proud to have the Prairie Oyster band join us in our celebration on October 14. This group has won many awards, including six Junos and 11 Canadian Country Music Awards and are sure to provide us with some great entertainment.

I invite all hon. members and indeed all Canadians to join us this Oktoberfest and come enjoy the festival.

Railway Safety

[Rob Merrifield, Conservative, Yellowhead, AB]

Mr. Speaker, this summer there were two train derailments in my riding along the Edmonton-Jasper corridor. On August 3 a CN train derailed in Wabamun created an ecological disaster. Some 700,000 litres of oil spilled into the lake killing wildlife, poisoning drinking water and actually spoiling the lake to local residents for the summer.

On both occasions I wrote the transport minister calling for an immediate review of railway safety in Canada. I still have not heard from the minister.

Last week there was another CN derailment in Alberta. Spills can be cleaned up, but it is the minister's duty is to determine why these incidents are occurring and to take steps to prevent them.

It appears that the transport minister is not taking this problem seriously at all. How big a disaster will it take to catch the minister's attention? The people in my riding are demanding and deserve some action.

Kedgwick Vocal Music Festival

[Jean-Claude D'Amours, Liberal, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Speaker, over the weekend, I had the chance to attend the Kedgwick vocal music festival in my riding of Madawaska—Restigouche in New Brunswick.

I must say that I was pleasantly surprised at the talent of the participants at this event and I want to acknowledge the remarkable performances of all those who, despite their stage fright, sang during this festival.

I am also quite pleased to have been able to attend this event, which helped me discover all this talent from my riding and elsewhere. I want to thank the organizing committee for its dedication and commitment to culture and the arts.

Canada abounds with talented artists. My region and all of New Brunswick are no exception. I am sure we will soon see some of these performers make a name for themselves.

Annie Blanchard

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

Mr. Speaker, as the member for Acadie—Bathurst, I have the honour to speak today to acknowledge the participation of Annie Blanchard from Maisonnette, New Brunswick, in TVA's Star Académie , a weekly show that is based on the same concept as Canadian Idol . Ms. Blanchard faces the possibility of elimination next Sunday.

Annie, the Acadian Peninsula and New Brunswick are behind you.

To encourage you and to support you, the public will gather tonight at Carrefour de la Mer in Caraquet for a benefit concert with fireworks and fanfare in your honour.

Your appearance on Star Académie is the pride of the region. Do not give up. Wilfred has already gone through this. Show them the real Annie.

Good luck, Annie. I look forward to seeing you in Maisonnette.

Liberal Government Policies

[Brian Pallister, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, these are the top 10 Dingwall facts.

Number 10, when the Prime Minister succeeded Jean Chrétien, it was out with the old and in with the old.

Number nine, the Prime Minister is so far up the ivory tower he cannot see the common Canadian any longer.

Number eight, the Prime Minister looks funny defending the indefensible.

Number seven, Liberals believe that ordinary Canadians should not get severance, but Liberals should.

Number six, the Prime Minister's real spending priorities are globe trotting, golf, gluttony and gum.

Number five, when the Prime Minister has a choice, he chooses cronies over Canadians.

Number four, taxpayers should pay hush money to Liberals or else they will sue.

Number three, there are two sets of rules, one for Liberals and another for the rest of us.

Number two, to our Prime Minister this is just another ding in the wall.

And the number one Dingwall fact, Liberals believe they can get their money for nothing and their Chiclets for free.

Mélanie Turgeon

[Marc Lemay, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Mélanie Turgeon, that outstanding athlete and native of Alma, in the Lac St-Jean region, has just confirmed her retirement from alpine ski competition.

This determined sportswoman has shown remarkable courage throughout her career, as she has achieved the goals she set for herself.

In a field traditionally dominated by Europeans, Mélanie has managed, with her rare determination, not only to get a foot on the medal podium, but to return there event after event.

Mélanie Turgeon has done a great deal for alpine skiing, in Quebec, in Canada and internationally. The Bloc Québécois salutes this remarkable athlete and her remarkable career. We know she will continue to guide young Quebec skiers as they fulfil their own dreams.

Thank you, Mélanie, for all the high points and excitement you have shared with us over the years.

Infrastructure

[Merv Tweed, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, it has been 246 days since the government announced its new deal for cities and communities. The government has been signing deals since March and other provinces have been able to move forward with their plans and projects.

My province of Manitoba has lost six months' worth of valuable construction time, an entire season. Manitobans deserve their fair share. The only ones who seem to get the cash when they want it are the government's cronies who do not have to wait for approval, they just put it on their expense accounts.

It is within the government's power to make this deal happen. The Prime Minister must stop dithering and instruct Manitoba's lead minister to start rowing or get out of the boat. Maybe someone else can get this deal done for the benefit of all Manitoba communities. I urge the government to act today.

Community Leadership

[Karen Redman, Liberal, Kitchener Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to offer congratulations to the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce. The local chamber, in conjunction with the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce, recently earned national acclaim with the silver award for the best community leadership project in Canada.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce recognized the local chamber for its efforts in helping to establish the Prosperity Council of Waterloo Region. The prosperity council includes Communitech, a local technology association, and Canada's Technology Triangle Inc., the economic component of the region's local government.

I invite the House to join me in extending congratulations to the Greater Kitchener Waterloo Chamber of Commerce on its outstanding leadership and this achievement.

Gasoline Prices

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, since this House returned two weeks ago, Canadians have seen how out of touch the government is with the use of taxpayers' money. I am going to give a few examples.

The first example, today we find the government actually does favour a break on the high price of gas, but only if one is a politician or a civil servant. This does nothing for ordinary Canadians, except cost them money. Not only do they have to pay more for their own gas, now they have to pay more for the gas the government uses.

Will the government show some respect for taxpayers by cutting gas taxes and by cancelling this mileage bonus for civil servants and politicians?

[Reg Alcock, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board]

Mr. Speaker, the setting of mileage rates for civil servants is done through a consultation process with the unions under the contractual agreements we have with them. I have instructed my staff to go back to the NJC and ask them to reconsider this particular decision.

As for the setting out for politicians, that is handled by the Board of Internal Economy of this chamber. The member is quite free to have the conversation with the Board of Internal Economy.

Softwood Lumber

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, we will have that conversation with the Board of Internal Economy and we will look for the government's support to have that rolled back.

The second example, the Prime Minister is flying down to New York on a public relations exercise. This trip will cost Canadians thousands of dollars, but the Prime Minister on softwood lumber has not yet laid out any plan of action for Canadians and he has not yet even bothered to speak with the President.

Why does the Prime Minister think it is appropriate to spend thousands of dollars of Canadian taxpayers' money when he cannot even bother to pick up the phone at a few cents a minute and call the President?

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member said that we do not have a plan in place in order to deal with softwood lumber. That is utter nonsense.

Our number one priority here is that the terms of the NAFTA must be respected. This is why we have taken litigation in the U.S. Court of International Trade, in order to have the duties come back to Canada, in order to have those orders repealed. This is why we are taking measures for retaliation. This is why we have stepped up our advocacy. I am delighted that President Fox knows, along with us and Canadians, that the NAFTA must be respected.

David Dingwall

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, trite rhetoric, but the industry communities and workers are still looking for an action plan from the government.

The final example, the government keeps trying to justify a half a million dollar severance package for David Dingwall against the growing opposition of even members of the Liberal caucus. The government's own labour minister said, “If he thinks he deserves a severance package after having quit, then he should sue for it. I don't think he should be entitled to it”.

How could the government continue to make the case for severance when its own minister responsible for severance legislation thinks the idea is ridiculous?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, we will pay Mr. Dingwall only what legal counsel advises us we must. There is currently an independent audit re-examining his expenses under way. Further, should any discrepancies be uncovered by the audit, the government will insist upon a dollar for dollar repayment to the treasury.

[Peter MacKay, Conservative, Central Nova, NS]

Mr. Speaker, while the NHL is back with new rules against obstruction, the government continues to rag the puck, clutching and grabbing taxpayers over the Dingwall affair.

It appears that the Liberal B team is divided though. The revenue minister says he was given verbal advice to justify this appalling payoff. The minister cannot point to a contract or a specific clause in government law that would require such a galling giveaway because they do not exist. The Liberal member for Gatineau, a labour lawyer, says the government needs more than flimsy verbal opinions.

Will the minister take the advice of some of his own colleagues and show Canadians some real substantive legal opinions to somehow justify this Liberal severance for silence?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, we will pay Mr. Dingwall only what legal counsel advises us we must. There is currently an independent audit re-examining his expenses under way. Further, should any discrepancies be uncovered by the audit, the government will insist upon a dollar for dollar repayment to the treasury.