Debates of May 15th, 2006

Musicfest Canada

[Colin Mayes, Conservative, Okanagan—Shuswap, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to welcome from my riding of Okanagan--Shuswap, Mr. Gordon Waters, a music director from School District 83.

Mr. Waters is in Ottawa this week with his four piece jazz quartet comprised of Kelly Vanommen on guitar, Devon Leyenhorst on drums, Andrew Rasmussen on piano and Alex Dobson on bass. This group was awarded a gold/superior rating at the Interior Jazz Festival in Kelowna and was invited to perform in Ottawa at Musicfest Canada.

They will be performing tomorrow morning, May 16, at the National Arts Centre at nine o'clock, and I invite all members to attend.

The thought occurred to me, Mr. Speaker, that if the House had background music, how much easier it would be for you, as the conductor of the House, to set the tempo and tone. Members would not hit as many flats and be so sharp to each other. Music would help to transcend this place of conflict into a symphony of cooperation, “The Speaker's Opus”.

Public Transit

[Wajid Khan, Liberal, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's cities need smart transport if they are gong to be economic powerhouses. Take Mississauga for example. It is the sixth largest city in the country, with 700,000 people, over $30 billion GDP and yet it is increasingly in dire need of a better public transit system.

The province of Ontario and the city of Mississauga have already set aside funds for a bus rapid transit concept, yet the government is lagging on providing funds. Mississaugans want to better their quality of life, travel quickly, efficiently and cleanly between work and home.

Putting together a transport strategy for Mississauga is about getting rid of traffic jams and dealing with capacity problems. Despite what the Conservatives think, we need to make our roads greener. We must find much better way to give people the kind of real choices that will encourage them to leave their cars at home.

This is why I will continue to give my support to the bus rapid transit system initiative for Mississauga. I urge the government to do the same.

Families

[Lynne Yelich, Conservative, Blackstrap, SK]

Mr. Speaker, 12 years ago today the United Nations designated May 15 as the International Day of Families. This annual observance marks the importance of families to communities across the world and on this occasion I am proud to reiterate our government's support for young Canadian families and their diverse needs.

Our universal child care benefit will provide direct support of $1,200 per year to parents for each child under six. Our child care spaces initiative will create up to 25,000 new child care spaces per year starting in 2007. This is good news for all preschool aged children. It shows our commitment to supporting parents and their child care choices.

Canadian families are the cornerstone of this great nation. They deserve our support and our government is proud to deliver this to them, as they have asked us to do.

Canada-U.S. Border

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, again this week in Washington there will be debates surrounding the western hemisphere travel initiative, a new law that will require both Americans and Canadians to have passports or new identification to enter and exit the United States.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that this ill thought law will have devastating consequences to Canadian and U.S. tourism, trade and social-cultural exchange.

Most recently, the Zogby study went so far to demonstrate that many Americans will not comply with the new rules at all. With a looming deadline fast approaching, no specific regulations implemented and no detailed plan of implementation, we are on the fast track for economic loss. This is no longer theory as investor Jim Pattison of Ripley's fame recently pulled out of a $100 million investment for the Niagara region causing another loss.

New Democrats have been speaking on this issue since day one by forcing the Canadian Tourism Commission to study the consequences, demand expectations from the Bush administration, and calling for a Canadian tourism strategy specific to WHTI.

While in opposition, the Conservatives joined the initial fight for accountability. However, the government since abandoned Canadians in Cancun, when the Prime Minister told us to get used to it and was star struck by Condoleezza Rice while in Washington. What happened to standing up for Canadians? Canadian jobs in tourism and trade are at risk. The Conservatives should not be like the Liberals in the last administration. They should stand up for Canadians.

Girl Guides

[Todd Russell, Liberal, Labrador, NL]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the achievement of nine Rangers, one of the senior branches of the Girl Guides of Canada, from the 1st Happy Valley Ranger Unit in my riding of Labrador.

Rangers Chantelle Callahan, Victoria Bolger, Alicia Broomfield, Lucy Niles, Amy Norman, Vanessa Fewer, Samantha Gillingham, Jennifer Mitchell and Ruth Kearney were recently awarded the Canada Cord, one of the Guiding movement's most prestigious honours.

Eight of these young women, along with Guiders Cathy Fewer, Karen Barnes and Kelly Norman, have spent this past weekend in Ottawa taking in many of the capital's great attractions. I was honoured to meet them during their visit to Parliament Hill today.

On behalf of my constituents, I would like to extend sincerest congratulations to these Rangers on their accomplishments and wish them every success wherever their future endeavours may take them. They are both proud Labradorians and proud Canadians.

Olympic and Paralympic Athletes

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

Mr. Speaker, we are pleased to welcome today on Parliament Hill athletes from Quebec and Canada who participated in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Turin this past winter.

The greatest accomplishments always start with a dream and the achievements of our Olympic and Paralympic athletes are no exception. Beyond the impressive haul of medals during these games, we want to acknowledge above all their passion for sport and physical activity and the values of perseverance and a fighting spirit, which become a true model for us all.

I want to thank these athletes for being living examples of men and women who excel and exceed the limits to achieve their goals.

May their tenacity, their determination and their motivation be with us always.

We are proud of these athletes.

Winter Olympics

[Don Bell, Liberal, North Vancouver, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today our Canadian athletes, who have been a source of great pride for all their fellow citizens at the Turin Olympics and Paralympics last winter, are honouring us by visiting the National Capital Region.

Our Canadian athletes just keep getting better. At Nagano in 1998 Canada finished fourth with 15 medals, in Salt Lake City in 2002 Canada finished fourth with 17 medals, and in Turin, Italy we finished third with 24 medals, 7 gold, 10 silver and 7 bronze.

On behalf of the official opposition, I am pleased to extend our sincere congratulations not only to those of our athletes whose excellence was rewarded with a medal but to all members of the Canadian team, including their coaches, families and especially the parents who believed in their children's dreams.

As the MP for North Vancouver I would like to extend a special welcome to team members from British Columbia: Sandra Jenkins, Sonja Gaudet, Lauren Woolstencroft, Gary Cormack and Robert Taylor.

I would like to encourage our athletes to keep their eyes on the prize and to continue to show us all that with perseverance great things can be achieved.

Families

[Mike Wallace, Conservative, Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today is the United Nations International Day of Families. The theme for this year is “Changing Families: Challenges and Opportunities”.

Today many Canadian families open their hearts to adopt a child. Some adopt children from overseas. Last Friday the Prime Minister told Canadians the compelling story of one of my constituents, Dr. Agnes Lee. Six years ago, Dr. Lee and her husband adopted Katie from China. They opened up their hearts and their home to their new addition, and to their family.

Canada, however, was not as open, at least not in terms of getting Katie her citizenship. It took 14 long months for Katie to become a Canadian citizen. This is simply not acceptable. Foreign adopted children should not have to wait so long to become Canadian citizens. Our Conservative government has committed to making the citizenship process easier for children adopted abroad by Canadians.

Today, on International Day of Families, the government is standing up for one of our most precious resources, Canadian families.

Fernand Lainé

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

Mr. Speaker, it is with respect that I acknowledge the passing of Fernand Lainé, a courageous and loyal man from the Huron-Wendat nation.

Son of Georges Lainé and Albina Ouellet, husband to Georgette Picard, the daughter of a grand chief, and father of 10, Mr. Lainé was one of the first to enlist in Le Régiment de la Chaudière during the second world war.

A man of compassion, he went to the assistance of a soldier left for dead on the battlefield. On his return from the war, Mr. Lainé held a number of different jobs, but most of all he gained the respect of his community through his honesty and loyalty toward the Huron-Wendat nation.

He never had much to say about his experience as a soldier, but he regularly attended Remembrance Day ceremonies. In fact, he was in the Remembrance Day parade last November 11.

The Bloc Québécois pays tribute to the memory of this great, courageous and loyal man.

The Environment

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, today the Minister of the Environment is in Bonn chairing the meeting of the United Nations convention on climate change.

While the Conservative members cheer, the Canadian public is collectively embarrassed. Leading Canadian environmentalists from the Suzuki Foundation to Greenpeace Canada have all begged the minister to stay at home and not waste the time of those who are truly committed to fighting global warming.

Does the Prime Minister and his party not see the irony in someone who despises Kyoto chairing a conference designed to make Kyoto work, or has he sent the minister as some sort of fifth columnist to destroy the system from within?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the irony is that the party opposite that missed its Kyoto targets by 35% now wants Canada to abandon any role in the international conference. That would be irresponsible.

The Minister of the Environment will bring forth a change in Kyoto, and that is to have a Canada that is actually committed to taking some real action.

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, now Canadians know where that rhetoric is coming from because we know that Republican pollsters have been coaching the government on the catchy slogans needed to sell what they call their alternative plan, but they forgot the most important part. There is no alternative plan. Most countries are pushing for the accord's second phase to be more effective, while the Prime Minister is looking for ways to avoid it.

Why has Canada's Minister of the Environment arrived in Bonn without a single concrete proposal to make Kyoto work, not rhetoric?

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition is completely wrong in all of the facts and everything that was just in that question and in its preamble.

In the government's most recent budget, we provided new investments for public transportation and incentives to riders to take that transportation. We also provided new incentives to encourage the development of renewable fuels, things like ethanol and biodiesel.

What is really the problem here is that the party opposite voted against these sound environmental measures.

Francophonie

[Bill Graham, Liberal, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the unprecedented diplomatic incident involving the head of the Francophonie on his arrival in Canada could have been avoided if only one minister of this government had deigned to be at the airport, as required by protocol.

Despite the requests by Senegal and our own francophone population, the Prime Minister refused to offer an apology to His Excellency when they spoke.

The Liberal Party offered an apology to His Excellency. Why is the Prime Minister not doing the same thing, which is usual and proper in diplomacy.

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, once again the Leader of the Opposition is mistaken. I have spoken with Mr. Diouf and had a good conversation with him. He told me that despite the regrettable incident, he had had a good visit and good meetings in Canada. He expressed his admiration for Canada, for the government and in particular for the Minister of the Francophonie, who chaired the meetings in Winnipeg.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is really quite pathetic.

When I see how this Conservative government treated His Excellency Abdou Diouf, I am ashamed, as a Canadian and as a Quebecker.

After cancelling his meeting with His Excellency, Mr. Diouf, at the last minute and in light of the apparent belief of his incompetent Minister responsible for the Francophonie that dignitaries are met by telephone, can the Prime Minister confirm for me that one of the security officials at the Toronto airport threatened to send Secretary-General Diouf back by plane, despite his diplomatic passport, unless he submitted to a body search, telling him it would make no difference if he were Jacques Chirac.

It is shameful.

[Stephen Harper, Conservative, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I had a good conversation with Mr. Diouf. I said, obviously, that the incident was regrettable and I requested a review of the facts and the procedures to prevent a recurrence. However, as I have just said, Mr. Diouf was very satisfied with his visit and especially the work of the Minister responsible for the Francophonie.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I find it unfortunate that the Prime Minister has been completely blinded by pride. All he has to do is apologize. It is a matter of decency.

This weekend, even the Minister of Foreign Affairs said on the CBC that Senegal never requested a sincere public apology for their former president, His Excellency Mr. Abdou Diouf. However, that is completely untrue. I have here in my hand a statement from the foreign affairs minister of Senegal, Mr. Gadio, who very expressly asked the Canadian Prime Minister for a sincere public apology.

When will the Prime Minister assume his responsibilities and issue a formal apology to His Excellency Mr. Abdou Diouf, instead of expressing mere regrets? When will we see a cabinet shuffle, since his Minister for la Francophonie and Minister of Foreign Affairs--

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Order. The Minister of International Cooperation and Minister for la Francophonie and Official Languages.

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Minister of International Cooperation and Minister for la Francophonie and Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, over the weekend, I had the opportunity to work with His Excellency Mr. Abdou Diouf, the Secretary General of the OIF.

[Denis Coderre, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

What is needed is an apology, not stories.

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

I would encourage my colleague from Bourassa to show the wisdom and respect befitting our admiration for Mr. Diouf and the excellent work he has accomplished for la Francophonie around the world.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[Josée Verner, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

That said, I would like to quote Mr. Diouf. “I would first like to thank federal and provincial authorities for the wonderful welcome we received. This welcome attests to the vitality of the people of Canada and their desire to embrace the French fact”.

Those were the words of--

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

The honourable member for Laurier—Sainte-Marie. Order, please.