Paddy Torsney

[Committees Of The House, December 5th, 1996]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the seventh report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs.

Pursuant to the order of reference of Monday, June 10, 1996, your committee has considered Bill C-27, an act to amend the Criminal Code, child prostitution, child sex tourism, criminal harassment and female genital mutilation, and your committee has agreed to report it with amendments.

I would like to thank our researchers for their diligent work and the many witnesses who appeared before us. Their testimony is reflected in the amendments our committee has made. Congratulations to members on all sides of the House for their efforts in this very important issue to women across the country.

[Status Of Women, December 4th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, in a recent media release the Reform critic for the status of women said that the women she talks to despise the notion of equality used by the status of women, that the Department of the Status of Women is forcing society to change in ways that most Canadians would not choose for themselves.

Could the secretary of state tell the House how status of women is helping Canada become a better society for all Canadians?

[Allison Sawatzky, November 25th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honour the courage of Allison Sawatzky, a young woman from the riding of Burlington.

In the spring of 1995 Allison and her family were devastated when she was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis, otherwise known as flesh-eating disease.

Since surviving the first few weeks against all odds and with the help of countless doctors and even more prayers, Allison has endured numerous surgeries, gains and setbacks. She has demonstrated remarkable determination and indefatigable spirit and she has been there to help other young Canadians through their trials.

Allison's courage and triumph were recognized November 21 when she received the Clark Institute of Psychiatry's Courage to Come Back Award.

Allison Sawatzky is a role model for all Canadians and for each of us in this House.

Please join me in recognizing Allison's triumph and her generosity to others. Way to go, Allison.

[Wife Assault Prevention Month, November 18th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, in the last 12 months in Ontario alone 18 women have been killed by their partners. Along with those women three other victims, including two children, lost their lives. In the last 12 months in the Halton region 2,000 telephone calls were received on the wife assault help line and countless families sought shelter at Halton Women's Place.

November is wife assault prevention month, an opportunity to reflect on these lives and to refocus Canadians on the issue of domestic violence. Communities, schools, service clubs, individuals and governments must dedicate resources to ensure that women and their children are safe from violence. It is especially important to break the cycle and allow young Canadians the chance to grow up to be healthy, non-violent adults. Cutbacks to social services in favour of short term tax breaks are not the answer. Violence costs all of us in the long run.

[Small Business, October 21st, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of Small Business Week in Canada. Canadians know that small business is the engine of our nation, the place where job creation has been phenomenal.

I am particularly pleased to be able to highlight four Burlington business leaders who made the Ontario top 100 entrepreneurs list. Ray Simmons is CEO of CRS Robotics, a leading developer of human scale robots and robot systems. Ian Hopkins heads up Magic Wand Carpet Cleaning, a company he plans to franchise across North America. Archie Bennett is president of Zeton Inc. which designs and manufactures small computer controlled pilot plants. Kevin Milne's company is Mars Metal, a specialty casting and keel company.

Each of these individuals credits their team of employees and good customer relations as the keys for their success in the marketplace. This government salutes their success and the success of the entire small business sector in Canada.

We commit to ensuring that more individuals get the chance to be entrepreneurs and to Canada becoming an evermore successful trading nation.

[Telecare Burlington Distress Line, October 3rd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to recognize the achievements of Telecare Burlington Distress Line. Tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary that this volunteer organization has provided crisis care 24 hours a day and seven days a week to Burlington residents.

Under the leadership of Ms. Cheryl Harrison, 160 energetic and compassionate volunteers have listened to and have been supportive of distressed callers. This dedication to fellow citizens, to share the pain of others and to offer sympathy and hope to those in need is the embodiment of the principles of community. These volunteers work without recognition, they work anonymously.

Mr. Speaker and my colleagues, please join me in congratulating this outstanding team of volunteers for their extraordinary commitment to helping others and wish them all the very best for the future. Their work is important. Their work is needed.

[Petitions, September 25th, 1996]

Madam Speaker, the second petition has about 50 signatures. The petitioners note that we have one Canada that is indivisible. They request that Parliament and the Prime Minister confirm immediately that Canada is indivisible, that the boundaries of Canada, its provinces, territories and territorial waters, may be modified only by a free vote of all Canadian citizens as guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, or through the amending formula as stipulated in the Canadian Constitution.

[Petitions, September 25th, 1996]

Madam Speaker, I have two sets of petitions. The first has about 300 signatures from people of Burlington. They request that Parliament not amend the Constitution as requested by the Government of Newfoundland and refer the problem of educational reform in that province back to the Government of Newfoundland for resolution by some other non-constitutional procedure.

[Trade, September 16th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, last spring during the visit to Ottawa of the leaders of the five Central American states, the Government of Canada committed to taking steps to strengthen Canada's ties with that region.

Given the growing importance of Central America to Canada's foreign and trade policy, can the Minister of Foreign Affairs tell us what concrete action the government has taken since last spring to enhance our relations with Central America?

[Food And Drugs Act, June 13th, 1996]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-309, an act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (ingredients of food sold in restaurants).

Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to introduce this important piece of legislation. As members know, thousands of Canadians suffer from serious food allergies and are unable to freely enjoy one of the simple pleasures most of us take for granted, a meal in a restaurant.

For these Canadians, full ingredient disclosure of a restaurant's menu items can mean the difference between good health and serious illness, between life and death.

The bill promotes greater awareness of the issue of food allergies throughout the restaurant industry and minimizes the health risks faced by food allergy sufferers. It was developed on the initiative of Mrs. Betty Lou Taylor of Burlington and is supported by over 100,000 Burlington residents. It follows many months of consultation with the restaurant industry, the medical profession, groups representing allergy sufferers and members of Parliament.

I would like to dedicate this bill to the memory of Christian Taylor, a young many in my riding of Burlington who passed away on June 23, 1987 at the age of 17 after eating an apple turnover secretly flavoured with crushed hazelnuts.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)