Debates of Oct. 2nd, 2006

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

[Diane Bourgeois, Bloc, Terrebonne—Blainville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, every year, October is dedicated to awareness of breast cancer and the fight against this disease. Every October we are reminded how many people, almost all of them women, die of breast cancer. In 2006, it is estimated that Quebec will see 6,000 new cases of breast cancer and that 1,400 women in Quebec will die of the disease.

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed type of cancer, but nothing can beat prevention. Women have access to prevention methods such as mammography, the best way to detect a cancer at the initial stage.

This past weekend, the 15th annual CIBC Run for the Cure, organized by the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, took place in Quebec City. Hundreds of people turned out to walk for a future without breast cancer.

I want to congratulate all the participants, whose efforts will enable the fight against breast cancer to continue.

Government Programs

[Paul Dewar, NDP, Ottawa Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the government has eliminated $39 million in spending on the social economy. Canadians are asking why.

Social enterprises use business methods to achieve social and environmental goals. These triple bottom line enterprises provide Canadian communities with needed goods and services, from alternative energy to community tourism to affordable housing. They create jobs, include all Canadians and stabilize and humanize our towns and cities.

Evaluations of these programs, including the Community Futures Development Corporations, show that these groups mobilize volunteer time and private donations that match and often exceed the government support they receive. Furthermore, the jobs and training their employees receive expand tax revenues and reduce social transfers.

The government does not understand the implications of its ideological cuts. Canadians deeply believe that we can blend social, economic and environmental objectives and pursue these objectives through social enterprise.

In the interests of all Canadians, the President of Treasury Board should put back the money immediately.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

[Steven Fletcher, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House and all Canadians that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is a disease that touches us all. This year an estimated 21,600 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 5,300 women will lose their battle against this disease.

Our government is concerned about the physical, emotional and social impact this disease has on Canadians. This is why, in addition to our support of the Canadian breast cancer initiative, currently funded at $4 million per year, Canada's new government is proud to have announced in budget 2006 $52 million per year for the Canadian Strategy for Cancer Control. The CSCC has the united support of the entire Canadian cancer community consisting of hundreds of organizations, including the Canadian Breast Cancer network and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

Canada's new government is working to reduce the number of new cases of breast cancer, improve the quality of life of those affected by the disease and decrease the number of deaths it causes.

I encourage all Canadians to engage in the fight against cancer and recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Research and Development

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Kitchener—Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on September 21 at the Centre for International Governance Innovation, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty was named the global personality of the year for 2006 by the prestigious London based Foreign Direct Investment business magazine. This was the first time this award ceremony was held in the Americas and it was held in Waterloo.

The magazine chose Premier McGuinty, who is also the minister of research and innovation, because of Ontario's string of successes in attracting foreign investment in recent years and his initiatives for boosting research and innovation.

Liberals understand that R and D and innovation are crucial for Canada's economic future. Liberals believe in investing in our students. In contrast, the Conservatives and the Prime Minister have slashed funding for R and D and innovation, and student assistance.

When are the Conservatives going to get their heads out of the oil barrel and invest in Canada's most important natural resource, our young people and the brainpower of all Canadians?

Democratic Republic of the Congo

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is committed to supporting peace, security and development in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Some 500 deputies were elected on July 30 during the first democratic elections held in 40 years. Canada has contributed $12 million to the organization of these elections. Since 1998 Canada has contributed more than $193 million in development assistance to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Canada announced in March 2006 support for the joint initiative on sexual violence in the Congo. This project supports the efforts of UN organizations, the Congolese government, and the Congolese civil society to address sexual violence against women in eastern Congo.

This August I visited the Congo in Canada's capacity as the vice-chair of the Great Lakes Region of Africa peace initiative. We will continue our support for this very important conference that will bring, we hope, a new era of peace in the entire region.

André Viger

[Luc Malo, Bloc, Verchères—Les Patriotes, QC]

Mr. Speaker, André Viger, an outstanding wheelchair athlete, has died at the age of 54.

The victim of a car accident in June 1973 that left him a paraplegic, he began a long fight to resume an active life. He chose to become involved in wheelchair racing and raised the sport's profile, paving the way for the athletes who followed.

His courage was recognized on numerous occasions. In 1985 he was named athlete of the year at the Sports Québec gala, in 1987 he was made a chevalier of the Ordre national du Québec, in 1989 he was made an officer of the Order of Canada and in 1993 he was inducted into the Terry Fox Hall of Fame. His determination also led him to win several paralympic medals, including three in Los Angeles in 1984, one in Seoul in 1988 and one in Barcelona in 1992.

The Bloc Québécois pays tribute to this great athlete, who pioneered the development of wheelchair racing.

Government Programs

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, last week the Minister of Finance and the President of the Treasury Board announced a budget surplus of over $13 billion. This money was paid down against our national debt, one of the largest repayments in Canada's history. That saves taxpayers $650 million every year in interest costs.

Our government also identified over $1 billion in annual savings after conducting an extensive expenditure review.

Taxpayers expect that their government will respect their hard-earned dollars. For 13 long years the previous Liberal government spent taxpayers' money willy-nilly as if it belonged to it personally. Last week the Liberal member for Wascana even had the audacity to suggest in this House that he wanted the money back.

The Liberals still do not get it. It is not their money. It belongs to all Canadians. Canada's new Conservative government does care about taxpayers and that benefits all Canadians.

Mental Illness

[Tina Keeper, Liberal, Churchill, MB]

Mr. Speaker, October 1 to 7 is Mental Illness Awareness Week. This week we are reminded that about 20% of Canadians will experience a mental illness at some point in their lifetimes.

Prior to the last election, the then Liberal minister of health announced that the Government of Canada would establish a Canadian mental health commission. Since the Conservatives were elected in January, the mental health agenda has lost all momentum in the government.

During the election the Conservatives claimed that if elected, they would “develop a new national disease strategy for mental illness in cooperation with the provinces”. The recommendations of the Senate report, “Out of the Shadow at Last”, focusing on mental illness in Canada, have received inadequate attention from the government.

I call upon the current health minister to act on the advice of the Senate's report and his parliamentary secretary to finally establish a commission on mental health in Canada.

De la Concorde Overpass

[Luc Harvey, Conservative, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a little over 48 hours ago, the collapse of the Boulevard de la Concorde overpass and the many victims involved shocked us all. There is considerable consternation in Laval, in the north end of Montreal.

On behalf of this assembly, I would like to offer our condolences to the families who lost loved ones as a result of this accident. We wish a speedy recovery for those still in hospital in Montreal. I am certain that the Quebec provincial authorities will take every action and every precaution to ensure that such a catastrophe never happens again.

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

Mr. Speaker, Saturday afternoon in Laval, the lives of Sylvie Beaudet, Jean-Pierre Hamel, Gilles Hamel, Véronique Binette and Mathieu Goyette were tragically cut short when the de la Concorde overpass collapsed.

My NDP colleagues and I want to express our sincere condolences to the victims' loved ones. Our thoughts are with you, and with the injured parties and their loved ones. Everyday routines have been overtaken by disbelief, numerous questions and tremendous sadness.

We can only hope that the public inquiry will answer the many questions and will ensure that such an accident never happens again.

We must all work together to prevent such accidents. Everyone here, as a member of this House of Commons, has a role to play.

Museums Assistance Program

[Robert Thibault, Liberal, West Nova, NS]

Mr. Speaker, on September 25 the Conservative government announced $1 billion in cuts to social programs on the same day that it announced a $13.5 billion surplus. This move targeted those most in need and sparked outrage across the country.

Included in the announcement was a $4.2 million cut to the museums assistance program. This move runs contrary to the Conservative election promise for new investments in the museums sector.

This comes as a blow to small regional museums and organizations that struggle to preserve and promote our cultural heritage with limited financial means.

My riding boasts a vibrant Acadian, Mi'kmaq, Planter and Loyalist heritage, as well as others, and is home to the oldest settlement in the country. The good people of West Nova know what it means to be efficient.

Efficiency does not mean that we cut out valuable programs that help our communities preserve and celebrate their heritage. Efficiency does not mean that we cut the legs from under our tourism industry.

De la Concorde Overpass

[Robert Carrier, Bloc, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we were horrified to hear about the collapse of the de la Concorde overpass in Laval, in my riding, on Saturday. This tragic event resulted in five deaths and injuries to six other people. I would however like to praise the rescue workers, ambulance attendants, police and firefighters who responded to the emergency calls for their dedication and professionalism. Recognition must also go to the members of the public who came to the aid of the victims in the moments following the tragedy, and to the medical teams who were able to prevent further loss of life, for their dedication.

This tragic event reminds us of how community and compassion affect our lives at the most unexpected moments.

The Bloc Québécois offers its condolences to the grieving families and to their friends and relations. We also wish those who were injured a prompt recovery.

[Marlene Jennings, Liberal, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it was with great sadness that we heard the news of the tragedy that took place in Laval on Saturday when the de la Concorde overpass collapsed.

We would like to offer our condolences to the families of the five people who died. Our thoughts are with you.

We also wish the six people who were injured the speediest possible recovery. Our thoughts are with you and with your families.

The Environment

[Steven Blaney, Conservative, Lévis—Bellechasse, QC]

Mr. Speaker, not only is the Liberal’s track record on the environment a source of annoyance for Canadians, but it also a cause of considerable concern for the Commissioner of the Environment. “The federal government has done too little and acted too slowly on Canada's commitments to address the challenge of climate change,” she said. “It is increasingly clear that Canada will not meet its international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

The fact is that since 1997 we have been told that more than $6.3 billion was going to be spent to combat climate change. What is the result? The result is that greenhouse gas emissions have risen, not by 10 per cent, not by 20 per cent or 30 percent, but by 35 per cent.

Where is the taxpayers’ $6.3 billion? Has it gone up in smoke?

Talk is cheap. The Liberals talk a good game, but facts are facts: as usual, the Liberals are failing miserably when it comes to the environment. Enough of the bloated rhetoric and more action. The new Conservative government keeps its word, and is preparing a green plan that will deliver concrete results on the environment for all Canadians. That is the difference.

Lake Saint-Pierre

[Guy André, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since 2004, as member for the riding of Berthier—Maskinongé, I have spoken several times in this House on the matter of shells in Lake Saint-Pierre, which has been recognized as a world biosphere reserve by UNESCO.

Last June, I tabled a petition with over 4,800 signatures asking the government to remove some 300,000 shells—8,000 of them unexploded—abandoned by the Department of National Defence at the bottom of Lake Saint-Pierre.

On September 25, we learned that the Department of National Defence had reached an agreement with a specialized company to carry out a study on removing these shells. We should not get too excited because the federal government has held out these studies on several occasions, and then not taken action.

Let us hope that this will be the last study. It is time to take concrete action to remove the shells once and for all.

Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, for the first time, Canadians have reason to worry about the future of their Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The government has eliminated the court challenges program, which protected the rights and freedoms of the least fortunate and also protected our francophone schools and hospitals. By acting in this manner, this government has clearly illustrated its base intention to gut our Charter.

Why is this Prime Minister attacking the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in this insensitive and senseless manner?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, quite the contrary. I am proud of the fact that, despite the budget cuts, we have preserved, in the budget, all the necessary funding for official languages. I can assure the Leader of the Opposition that we intend always to respect our constitutional and legal obligations.

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, preserving our official languages is one thing but normal citizens do not have the resources behind them that organized lobby groups have when they go to court.

In 2004, the Supreme Court of Canada made an important decision about our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The case in which the National Citizens' Coalition, headed by the present Prime Minister, sought to advance the interests of the powerful. The court challenges program allowed other Canadians to have their say and defeat those interests.

Is the destruction of the court challenges program today payback time for losing that famous case, Harper v. Canada?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I fail to see the connection that the hon. member has drawn.

What I can tell the member is that this government does not need to pay Liberal lawyers to sue the government when we do not respect the law. We intend to respect our legal and constitutional obligations.

Judicial Appointments

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, as we are talking about paying in court, at the very time the government is acting so firmly against the charter, it is appointing Conservative Party activists to be judges in Alberta, Quebec and New Brunswick.

While the Conservatives destroy the rights of individual Canadians before the courts, they are naming their partisan supporters to high judicial office.

This may be payback time for Conservative operatives but what does it mean for the integrity of our justice system?

[Vic Toews, Conservative, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I know, for example, that Mr. Justice McDonald was first appointed to the bench by another government. He distinguished himself on the provincial court and the government appointed him to the Queen's Bench on the basis of his demonstrable legal abilities.

If the member goes through the entire list he will actually find some Liberals on the list who have been appointed.

[Lucienne Robillard, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the minority government is trying to muzzle minorities by announcing cuts to the court challenges program. It is also trying to muzzle one of the independent voices of the legal system by eliminating funding for the Law Commission of Canada. All that and the government is appointing Conservatives to the judiciary to boot. Canadians have reason to be worried.

Does the Prime Minister realize that he is in the process of changing our judicial system for strictly ideological and partisan reasons?

[Vic Toews, Conservative, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, if we look at the list of individuals who were appointed, those individuals were all on lists compiled by that government and its advisers.

To suggest somehow that these individuals came from some list is simply misleading the House and misleading the Canadian people. These individuals were appointed on the basis of merit and that is what we intend to do in the future.

[Lucienne Robillard, Liberal, Westmount—Ville-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, recent judicial appointments show how important it is to know someone in the minority government.

A former Conservative Party president and the spouse of another organizer were recently appointed to the Superior Court of Québec.

Could the Prime Minister tell us whether from now on you have to be Conservative to be appointed to the judiciary?

[Vic Toews, Conservative, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I find it interesting that the member would disparage members of the judiciary in this fashion. The fact is that those individuals came from a list compiled by the past Liberal government. I understand that one of the individuals who was appointed by this government to the bench was a president of the Laurier Club.