Debates of Nov. 28th, 2006

Aboriginal Affairs

[Olivia Chow, NDP, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last week the Assembly of First Nations held a powwow in my riding of Trinity—Spadina. Its focus was on the tragedy of child poverty.

One in six children in Canada lives in poverty. For aboriginal children, especially off reserve, it is even more heartbreaking. It is 40%, close to half. Not only do they go to bed hungry but a third of aboriginal children do not even have safe drinking water. This is a national disgrace.

Every beat of the drum at the powwow was a call to action for the House. Enough talk, enough platitudes, enough reports and enough commissions. It is time for action; action to support parents, action to share resources and settle land claims fairly, action to remove funding caps so there is more money for the communities and action to make poverty history.

That is our responsibility in the House. We have the power to do it. Let us hear the drumbeat and take action.

London North Centre

[Sue Barnes, Liberal, London West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I bring good news from London North Centre.

Last night the people of that riding chose once again to be represented in Parliament by a member of the Liberal Party of Canada. I encourage all members to welcome to the House Glen Pearson, a name of unquestionable Liberal pedigree. The Pearson era of politics is once again returning to Ottawa and I, for one, cannot wait.

I might also take a moment to congratulate the new leader of the Green Party of Canada, Elizabeth May, who finished second yesterday. For my friends in the Conservative Party and New Democratic Party, I offer my congratulations for hard fought campaigns. It is unfortunate for them that the people of London North Centre happen to agree with us over here, people who believe that Canada cannot have too many Pearsons and Parliament cannot have too many Liberals.

Raymond Gravel

[Roger Gaudet, Bloc, Montcalm, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of my Bloc Québécois colleagues, it is with great pleasure that I welcome Raymond Gravel, the new member for Repentigny. He succeeds Benoît Sauvageau, who died tragically on August 28.

To those Conservative members who question the legitimacy of the Bloc Québécois, I say that legitimacy in politics belongs to the voters. Today, it is clear that 66.3% of them put their faith in the Bloc Québécois.

He is joining our parliamentary team to defend Quebeckers' interests. He will be more than capable of doing so and of facing all the challenges before him.

We wish him the warmest of welcomes and offer him our full support in carrying out the mandate the people of Repentigny have given him.

Today, the Bloc Québécois has one more member, and the Conservatives, one fewer.

Leader and Deputy Leader of the Official Opposition

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Wascana, SK]

Mr. Speaker, today may be the final day upon which the leader of the official opposition, the hon. member for Toronto Centre, will lead off question period. Similarly, our deputy leader, the hon. member for Westmount—Ville-Marie, may be fulfilling this week her final round of duties in that capacity.

What the future holds is dependent upon this weekend's convention. As we know on all sides of the House, politics is a tough business. We all function in a challenging, unforgiving and unrelenting environment. The battles are difficult and sometimes there are wounds.

However, what is most important are the principles for which we stand and the character of the people engaged. On these two counts, principles and character, the current deputy leader and leader of the official opposition have earned the deep admiration and respect of all their peers.

Today, with much affection, we thank them for their enormous service over the past 10 months.

Government Policies

[Joe Preston, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today marks the anniversary of a historic moment here in the House. One year ago today, in an unprecedented vote of non-confidence, Canadians marked the end of a tired, directionless, scandal-plagued Liberal government and the beginning of a bright new future for this country.

The Conservative Party not only said that it would be accountable but as a government we have acted accordingly. More important, we have treated Canadians' hard-earned tax dollars with a respect that simply was not held by the Liberal government.

While the previous government's culture of entitlement awarded Liberal cronies with taxpayers' hard-earned money, we have lowered taxes for all Canadians, given parents money for day care, invested in our health care system and given more resources to fight crime.

Canadians know that they have a government that has strong leadership, that is a focused and efficient and a government that is committed to delivering.

House of Commons

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, perhaps you will forgive me if I take an extra second at the beginning of my question to thank all members of the House for their kindness. It does show that in this House we are all elected to do the best for our constituents and the best for our country. Ultimately our character and our respect for one another must transcend our partisan wishes or we will never survive this.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear!

Time, time.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

I think we will start the clock now. The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

Firearms Registry

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

We learn quickly, Mr. Speaker, that the term “affection” is a relative matter.

In Ottawa today we have both the De Sousa family, who lost their daughter Anastasia in the Dawson College shooting, and Hayder Kadhim, who still carries in his head and neck the gunshots he received at that terrible event. It is a terrible memory for us all, but one that gives Canadians hope for our future. Graciously they have come forward to share their pain, their stories and their determination to maintain the gun registry as vital to securing the safety of our communities and our schools.

Why is the government rejecting the facts about gun violence? Why is the Prime Minister continuing with his ruinous policy of trying to dismantle the gun registry?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, you will also allow us a couple of seconds to congratulate the interim Leader of the Opposition for his fine work. He has done it with the dignity that generally accompanies that task. We congratulate him for his fine work and that of the member for Westmount—Ville-Marie.

Canada's new government of course is making gun control more effective. We are looking at measures and ways to prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands of individuals, such as, of course, strengthening licensing systems and enhancing background checks.

My colleague, the minister responsible for the file, also has had the opportunity of meeting with the families on this issue and of course we are working with the department and the families to find a proper resolution.

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, it may be just exactly that fact, the newness of this new government, that the people of London rejected last night in their byelection as not representing what they want to see in terms of our values. That is not where we want to go. We do not want a government that prefers its own ideology over the facts. The government prefers the wishes of a gun lobby over the well-being of Canadians.

Police use the gun registry 5,000 times a day. The courts use the gun registry. Dawson College victims want the gun registry maintained and Canadians support them. Why is the minority government flying in the face of the will of Canadians? Why will the government not reverse its morally reprehensible decision to scrap our gun registry?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

The fact of the matter, Mr. Speaker, is that the long gun registry set up by the previous government has been ineffective. It has been costly and it has nothing to do with making gun control more effective. I would like to remind my hon. colleague of a statement made by the member for Outremont, who stated in March 2003, “The gun registry, it's a disaster, it's a living, breathing scandal, it has cost $1.2 billion”.

[An hon. member]

Who said that?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Pontiac, QC]

Our colleague, the member for Outremont.

We are looking at ways to correct this.

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, facing that, we have the courage of the De Sousa family and of Hayder Khadim, who are here with us today, and who, despite their grief and their injuries, have come to Ottawa to talk about this important issue. The Prime Minister, on the other hand, has not even deigned to reply to their letter.

As the Dawson College victims have said, it is morally reprehensible for this government to choose to listen to the NRA rather than to the victims of violence here in our country.

Can the Prime Minister show some courage too, and abandon his ideology and listen to the victims who are suffering here in Canada?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, in fact, in the interests of more effective gun control, the government is continuing to hold consultations with the provinces and territories. We have consulted with about 500 stakeholders. A firearms advisory committee composed of people with expertise continues to help with and support the work of the minister. We are working on this issue.

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

Mr. Speaker, after hearing nothing from the Prime Minister for several months, Hayder Kadhim decided to go on the road, and he has come to Ottawa today to meet with the Prime Minister.

Hayder first sent the Prime Minister a letter by mail: no reply.

He sent it by electronic mail: still no reply.

He sent his letter through the Minister of Public Safety: again no reply.

Has the Prime Minister no heart? Why are the victims of this tragedy still waiting for a reply from the Prime Minister?

[Stockwell Day, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize the family members of Anastasia De Sousa, who was killed, and her mother who is here to day, and also Hayder Kadhim. Yesterday, I saw a letter from the Prime Minister. I do not know whether Mr. Kadhim has received it yet, but the Prime Minister said that he was instructing me to meet with the victims. I have done that, and I am going to continue to work with the victims.

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

Mr. Speaker, the victims want to meet with the Prime Minister. The Minister of Justice is asking the police to sit on a committee to appoint judges, but his colleague the Minister of Public Safety refuses to have police to advise him on the firearms registry.

Hayder Kadhim and the family of Anastasia De Sousa are here in Ottawa today to get the Prime Minister to change his mind and reverse his decision to abolish the firearms registry and to get him to strengthen firearms control. The Prime Minister must change his mind and stop—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The hon. Minister of Public Safety.

[Stockwell Day, Conservative, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, we have heard from a number of police officers. We are going to continue to meet with them. The former police chief in Toronto said that he does not support the long gun registry and says that it should be scrapped. Also, Loren Schinkel, president of the Winnipeg Police Association said that the Winnipeg Police Association has never supported the long gun registry. Bernie Eisworth, executive officer of the Saskatchewan Federation of Police Officers, does not support the long gun registry.

I will just close by quoting the member for Ottawa South, who also said that he is not supportive--

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The hon. member for Laurier—Sainte-Marie.

Quebeckers

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last night, the House of Commons voted in favour of a motion recognizing the Quebec nation, a nation that, according to a general consensus at the National Assembly, which the Bloc Québécois subscribes to, includes all Quebeckers regardless of where they are from. However, while Premier Charest has just said that the Quebec nation is inclusive, the Prime Minister's Quebec lieutenant made comments that are contradictory to say the least, comments that require some clarification.

Is the government's position that the Quebec nation is made up of all Quebeckers, without exception?

[Lawrence Cannon, Conservative, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, last night, Quebeckers said yes. They said yes to Canada, and Canadians said yes to Quebeckers.

An editorial in this morning's Globe and Mail read, “Canada woke up this morning still one nation, undivided”. What is important in all this is that Canada remain united and that Quebeckers, regardless of which side—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The hon. member for Laurier—Sainte-Marie.