Debates of April 3rd, 2009

Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act

[Serge Ménard, Bloc, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this is an extremely broad topic. Personally, I completely disagree with this government's policies and the way it deals with crime. This government knows only one solution for everything: tougher sentences, and they definitely do not work. The United States has proven this, since their crime rate is much higher than that of Canada. Their homicide rate is three and half times higher than Canada's, and five times higher than Quebec's, I might add.

I would remind the hon. member that in the past, I introduced a new method for dealing with organized gangs, and that was the integrated teams. When I was the Quebec minister of public safety, together with the chiefs of the Montreal police and the Quebec provincial police, I founded the famous Carcajou squad, which finally managed to break the back of the Hells Angels. I never asked for tougher sentences. The crimes committed by these people were serious enough that the Criminal Code allowed for extremely tough sentences, which they were given.

As for warrants to tap into devices other than telephones, it seems to me that we have already seen a bill on that. I am for it. I think we must find ways to tap into these new technologies. I could go on at length about this. The current government, with its tendency to follow the worst example of our neighbour to the south, is overlooking intelligent approaches that have been taken in other provinces. Once again, this demonstrates that we are indeed two very distinct nations. If we were one people—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Order. The time provided for questions and comments has expired.

All You Need is Love

[Daryl Kramp, Conservative, Prince Edward—Hastings, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to congratulate a special musical group that is very close to the hearts of many people in their hometown of Belleville, Ontario, and as far away as Liverpool, England. The group's name is All You Need is Love.

This tremendously talented group, comprised of members Andy Forgie, Mark Rashotte, Steve Smith, Vitas Slapkauskas, Al Haring, Francis Rose and Wayne McFaul, celebrate the ageless music of the Beatles, and for the third consecutive year, in 2008, were again invited to perform in Liverpool, England, during the extremely popular Beatle Week.

Not only do they thrill audiences in Liverpool, they are the star performers and organizers at a Beatles festival held annually in Belleville. These musicians also believe in giving back to their community and have, with their music, raised over $100,000 for women's shelters, locally and across Canada, and have also raised funds for the tsunami relief effort.

For their great achievements in music, for sharing some of the world's most beloved music with all of us, and for their dedication to helping those less fortunate, on behalf of the good citizens of Prince Edward—Hastings I wish to convey my sincerest congratulations and thanks.

Vaisakhi

[Sukh Dhaliwal, Liberal, Newton—North Delta, BC]

Mr. Speaker, on April 14, Canadians will celebrate Vaisakhi.

Vaisakhi commemorates the day in 1699 when Guru Gobind Singh created the Khalsa, and Sikhs were given a clear identity and a code of conduct to live by.

On April 11, in Surrey and Vancouver, the annual Khalsa Day parade will be a huge event in which people from all faiths and backgrounds are welcomed. The celebration attracts over 100,000 people and is known as the largest Khalsa Day celebration.

I invite all members of the House to join me in wishing happy Vaisakhi and a happy Khalsa Day to all.

Invisible Work Day

[Nicole Demers, Bloc, Laval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, on April 7, as they have every year since 2001, the AFEAS and its members will take the opportunity to make government authorities and the public aware of the problem of unpaid, “invisible” work.

According to the AFEAS, lack of recognition for invisible work is one of the factors in the persistent inequalities between women and men. It is also a factor in the poverty of women who choose to take care of their children or their incapacitated, ill or disabled relatives. These mothers and caregivers continue to live in poverty when they retire.

During a recession, invisible work by families and especially women will increase. That is why, this year, the AFEAS and other women's groups in Quebec and Canada are reiterating that it is important that Canada measure and take into account the unpaid work in every family, as it promised to do at the World Conference on Women, held in Beijing.

Churchill Falls

[Jack Harris, NDP, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, a very important event has taken place within the Canadian electricity market this week. For the first time in history, Newfoundland and Labrador is selling power from the Churchill Falls hydro project directly into the United States, through Hydro-Québec transmission lines.

It is a small amount of power, reserved from the 1960s deal that saw virtually all Churchill Falls electricity go to Hydro-Québec, which eventually reaped enormous windfalls, getting the lion's share of profits to the consternation of Newfoundland and Labrador.

But it is historic because it could be a first step and a building block for a Canadian power grid. It is based on a concept very much part of the American power grid, but new to Canada, called “wheeling rights”. The United States regulatory system requires participants in its electricity grid to allow others access to the grid through its facilities as a condition of participation.

Congratulations to Hydro-Québec and Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro and its parent, Nalcor, on this historic deal. We hope that this model can help show the way for the development of a true Canadian electricity grid, allowing cleaner, greener energy to be developed and marketed within Canada. We hope the federal government will step up to the plate and start playing a role in making this happen.

Community Support

[Ted Menzies, Conservative, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise to share a story of hope and goodwill. In my riding of Macleod, there is the small community of Stavely, home to 500 of my constituents.

Stavely hosted the first indoor rodeo in North America, now in its 52nd year, and is well known for its hard-working volunteers and endless community support.

This past Saturday, a fundraiser was held to assist a family that has suffered from the results of an unfortunate car accident.

My wife Sandy and I joined approximately 1,000 people at this event, and through donations and live and silent auctions, the community raised over $185,000 to assist Dale and Tracey Ohler with the costs they are incurring since their accident.

Even during these difficult economic times, citizens came together to support a local family in need. I am proud of the support this community provides to its citizens in need, and I was proud to attend this event as a neighbour and a friend.

Health

[Keith Martin, Liberal, Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, BC]

Mr. Speaker, World Health Day is April 7, and despite Canada having the world's eighth highest per capita expenditures on health care, our system ranks 26th in the world in performance. This is leaving Canadians without treatment for months and even years, in pain, suffering and getting sicker. This is a national disgrace.

However, the Canadian Medical Association has done a remarkable groundbreaking assessment that concludes that Canada should look east to Europe where costs are less, yet patients enjoy 17 the top 20 health care systems in the world. Most Europeans have universal coverage in mixed systems. They do not wait. They have timely access to quality care, and even expanded coverage for drugs and long-term care, all at a lower cost.

World Health Day should jolt Parliament to put health care back on the agenda and compel us to look to Europe to adopt their best solutions to ensure that every Canadian will have timely access to quality care when they fall ill.

100th Birthday

[Greg Rickford, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today honour a very special constituent and mark a very special occasion. On April 6, Grace Swanson will turn 100 years old.

Grace came to Canada in 1913 as the eldest of seven children and settled in the beautiful city of Kenora. She married her husband Fred, and in 1930 they built a summer camp on Longbow Lake, where I also spend my summers. Like a true northwestern Ontarian, she enjoyed the incredible hunting and fishing that the Lake of the Woods area has to offer.

Grace supported her country in time of war by knitting socks for soldiers serving overseas. She volunteered for numerous elections over the years, volunteered at her church and enjoyed singing in the senior choir.

Grace is a woman who has lived her life fully and shared her love of music, singing, ballet, painting and travel with those she loves.

The fabric of this great country has been built by the contributions of seniors like Grace.

Congratulations to a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a great-grandmother and a great-great-grandmother. Happy 100th birthday to Grace Swanson.

Memorial Cup Tournament

[Claude Guimond, Bloc, Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Memorial Cup tournament will take place in Rimouski from May 15 to 24. All eyes will be on our region as Canadians follow one of the most prestigious hockey championships in North America.

Competing in this event will be the champions of Canada's three junior leagues, which are currently in the midst of playoffs. My team, the Rimouski Océanic, is up against the Moncton Wildcats. I would like to invite my colleague from Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe to wear an Océanic jersey if Rimouski wins this round, and I will do the same if Moncton wins.

I wish all the teams good luck, and I invite everyone to come to Rimouski in May to cheer these young hockey players on as they battle for the ultimate trophy, the Memorial Cup.

North Atlantic Treaty Organization

[Deepak Obhrai, Conservative, Calgary East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, April 4 marks the 60th anniversary of the signing of the treaty that established the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. As one of the alliance's founding members, Canada is proud to celebrate NATO's 60th anniversary and to highlight its accomplishments in promoting peace and security.

The Prime Minister, the Minister of National Defence, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the chief of the defence staff are in Strasbourg-Kehl this weekend to join with the other 27 NATO allies at a summit to commemorate this achievement.

The NATO summit is a useful opportunity to reconfirm the commitment of NATO and its allies to securing and stabilizing Afghanistan, as NATO's top priority, and to ensure that allies commit sufficient resources to ensure success.

As we mark this historic milestone, I invite all members of the House to join with me in paying tribute to the men and women serving in Afghanistan.

Jessica Campaign

[Siobhan Coady, Liberal, St. John's South—Mount Pearl, NL]

Mr. Speaker, the Jessica Campaign was started by the family of Jessica Holman-Price, who was killed in 2005 by a Montreal city snow removal truck.

The goal of the Jessica Campaign is to increase road safety by fitting side guards or under-run protection devices to all vehicles in higher weight categories. This will offer unprotected road users, such as pedestrians and cyclists, protection against the risk of falling under the sides of such vehicles.

Research has indicated that actions such as the use of under-run protection devices and education campaigns can improve safety. While there is legislation in some European countries for these protection devices, no such legislation exists in Canada at this point.

Newfoundland and Labrador has recognized the value of this safety measure and is installing side guards on its new fleet of snow removal equipment.

I ask the House to recognize the life-saving potential of under-run protection devices and move to ensure their use.

Ottawa 67's

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Nepean—Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the legendary hockey coaching career of Brian Kilrea, Ottawa native and head coach of the Ottawa 67's for 32 of the last 34 seasons.

Brian's hockey accomplishments speak for themselves. He coached over 2,000 games, set a hockey record with 1,193 wins, led the 67's to three OHL titles and two Memorial Cup championships, was named coach of the year five times, even had the trophy renamed in his honour in 1996, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003.

Perhaps even more important, though, a new room at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario will be known as the “Brian Kilrea Teaching Room”, a place where children receiving long-term care can continue their studies. This room will be a lasting legacy to Brian.

I join with all parties in saluting his career, congratulating him and saying, “Way to go”.

Young Fundraiser

[Claude Gravelle, NDP, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pride to stand in the House this morning to recognize a young man from my riding of Nickel Belt.

Alexandre Petroski is an 11-year-old boy from the community of Lavigne. In May 2007, Alexandre's cousin passed away from cancer at the Toronto SickKids hospital. Since then, Alexandre has organized several presentations on the SickKids hospital to local schools in Chelmsford, Azilda and Timmins. He has also raised money by shaving his head and through MX for Children, a biking event.

Through those various fundraising efforts, Alexandre has raised a total of $34,000 for the Toronto SickKids hospital.

Alexandre is a young hero and a strong leader. I ask the House to join me in recognizing his hard work for our community and the Toronto SickKids hospital.

Leader of the Liberal Party

[Jacques Gourde, Conservative, Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we are beginning to know this Liberal leader very well.

He comes to Quebec and tries to pass himself off as a new René Lévesque, when in reality, he is a pale imitation of Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

He speaks out against the interests of Quebeckers when he is outside Quebec and thinks no Quebeckers are listening. And when he is caught, he denies it like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

The Liberal leader has said he would like to remove Quebec's seat at UNESCO. Quebeckers will not let that happen.

And last weekend—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Peter Milliken]

Order. The hon. member knows that personal attacks are not allowed during members' statements, but clearly, that is what he is engaging in.

The hon. member for Repentigny.

Quebec Federation of University Students

[Nicolas Dufour, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Quebec federation of university students is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. With over 120,000 members, it is the largest young people's association in Quebec today. The federation was founded when the tuition freeze was lifted in 1989. As an advocate for the rights and interests of university students in Quebec, the organization is a major stakeholder in the field of education in Quebec.

One of its primary concerns is the fact that post-secondary education in Quebec is underfunded. Both the federation and the Bloc Québécois believe that the solution must involve returning federal transfers to their 1994 levels. It is time for this government to give Quebec the tools it needs to take charge of its jurisdiction over education.

I would like to thank the Quebec federation of university students for its contribution to the quality and availability of university education in Quebec. I would personally like to thank the federation's president, David Paradis, and its press secretary, Dany St-Jean, who are on the Hill today, for the excellent work they are doing for students in Quebec.

Rwandan Genocide

[Irwin Cotler, Liberal, Mount Royal, QC]

Mr. Speaker, April 7 marks the 15th anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda.

The Canadian Parliament, in a unanimous motion, designated this day as a National Day of Reflection on the Prevention of Genocide, inviting us to appreciate and act upon the following lessons.

First is the danger of state-sanctioned incitement to genocide. Simply put, the genocide in Rwanda did not occur because of the machinery of death, but because of the state-sanctioned culture of hate.

Second is the danger of indifference and inaction in the face of incitement and mass atrocity. The horror of the Rwandan genocide is not only that of the genocide, but that this genocide was preventable. Nobody can say that we did not know. We knew, but we did not act.

Third is the danger of a culture of impunity. Let there be no mistake about it: Impunity always means coming down on the side of the victimizer, never on the side of the victim.

Fourth is the danger of targeted assaults on the most vulnerable of the vulnerable: the women and children.

Fifth and finally is the importance of remembering the heroic rescuers, who confronted evil and prevailed.

Jamais plus.

Liberal Party of Canada

[Harold Albrecht, Conservative, Kitchener—Conestoga, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government's economic action plan, recognized as one of the best plans in the world, sure stands in stark contrast to the Liberal plan of flip-flopping and changing policy on the fly.

Liberals pretend to care about the forestry industry in one province and then they slam it by calling it a basement industry in another. Liberals say that asbestos exports need to be banned while in British Columbia and then say something completely different while in Ottawa. The Liberals say that they will gladly sit in a coalition with separatists and then they say that it would be wrong to sit with people who want to destroy the country. The Liberals pretend to support the auto industry while in Ontario and then they go out west and say that they do not support it. The Liberals say that they are all for the seal hunt and then they introduce a bill to ban it.

Canadians need a steady economic action plan, not a flip-flopping Liberal plan.

Afghanistan

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

Mr. Speaker, all week, Canadians have been outraged by the new law in Afghanistan that authorizes marital rape. Their reactions are visceral. They are calling on the Prime Minister to take meaningful action.

What sanctions does the Prime Minister plan to take if the Afghan government does not renounce its despicable law, which denies Afghan women their human rights?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas)]

Mr. Speaker, let me assure the hon. member that she does not have the corner on moral outrage. This is, indeed, an offensive law and Canada is deeply troubled by it. I would hope that all parties recognize that we share this concern.

The Prime Minister has shared his indignation at the G20. The foreign minister spoke out at the Hague and will again at the NATO summit. We call on the Afghan government in the strongest of terms to honour its human rights treaty obligations and, in particular, the recognition of the rights of women.

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

Mr. Speaker, the NATO summit begins today. The rights of Afghan women should be the top priority at that summit. The Conservative government must reassure Canadians, who are scandalized by the new law, that it will not stand idly by.

Can the Conservative government reassure Canadians now and assure them that the Prime Minister of Canada will not compromise on the fundamental human rights of Afghan women at the NATO summit?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas)]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member does not seem to have been following international news.

The Prime Minister, as I said, shared his indignation with other heads of government at the G20 meeting and he called directly and firmly on the Afghan government to honour its human rights treaty obligations under international law, including respect of the equality of women before the law.

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

Mr. Speaker, the government talked about serious consequences. What will those serious consequences be?

When it comes to foreign affairs, it is difficult for Canadians to know where the Conservative government's priorities lie. We have certainly heard much discussion about the Minister of National Defence's campaign to become the head of NATO and yet Canadians have heard very little from that side on the issues of fundamental human rights.

The NATO summit begins today. It is an opportunity the Prime Minister cannot waste. Do the Conservatives even have an agenda for this summit other than finding a new job for the Minister of National Defence?

[Peter Kent, Conservative, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas)]

Mr. Speaker, finger pointing and rhetorical fury may play well with the opposition, including the party opposite whose leader changes his policy positions as often as his socks, but with regard to this offensive law, the Government of Canada is dealing firmly and effectively with this issue.