Bill Graham

[Haiti, May 6th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister for International Cooperation, the President of the Treasury Board and myself are about to leave for Haiti. We will be meeting with our Caribbean partners this very evening.

Tomorrow we will be in Haiti to meet the Prime Minister and others. The Minister for International Cooperation wants to find out everything that Canada can do. We have clear instructions from the Prime Minister that Canada has a commitment to Haiti. We are going to do our best to accomplish what Canadians want to see done, namely getting Haiti back on the right path in the Americas.

[Haiti, May 6th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has always been very clear about Canada's commitment to Haiti. Canada was there in the 1990s. There is a Canadian troop presence there now. We have extended our troop commitment in Haiti. We are committed to Haiti. We have promised aid for its reconstruction. We are totally committed to the reconstruction of that country, which we consider a very important ally in the Americas and we are a partner it can count on.

[Foreign Affairs, May 5th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I met today with Senator Jaffer, who is a member of our Parliament, not of this House, and our special envoy to the Sudan peace process. She will be going there next week. She has been actively pursuing the peace process on behalf of the government and Canadian people.

We have been active not only in encouraging the peace process, but we have been active in helping the people of Sudan who are in very difficult circumstances.

The hon. member knows that and he need not try to portray it as if it is a surprise. It may be a surprise to his party; it is not a surprise to the government, which has been working on these issues--

[Foreign Affairs, May 5th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is very knowledgeable about how the UN Commission on Human Rights works. He has spoken about it in the House many times. He knows very well that African delegates are put up by African countries, and that Canada, Europe and other countries do not control those elections.

We have made it very clear when we voted against Libya to be the chair the last time that we take a strong stand. We believe strongly that we are working toward the reform of the UN Commission on Human Rights.

This is a very important institution of the United Nations. It does need improvement. We will be working toward that and at this time I am proud to say that CIDA is making significant contributions to the helping of refugees in the region.

[Foreign Affairs, May 4th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member from Oak Ridges both for his interest in the Orient and for his interest in human rights, which he has expressed regularly in the House. He would know that the government regularly expresses Canadians' concerns about human rights violations against minority groups, both in Vietnam and in Cambodia.

Indeed, at the March 2004 meetings of the UN commission on human rights, Canada's country statement encouraged Vietnam to stop the detention of citizens for their political and religious views and allow greater freedom of speech and association for minority groups. For several years now, Canada has co-sponsored a commission on human rights resolution on Cambodia, and Canada has called on Cambodia to improve its cooperation with the UNHCR.

[National Defence, May 4th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, it is the same question in a different language, but the answer remains the same.

[National Defence, May 4th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member, as so often happens in the House, is wrong on both counts, not just one count.

The Prime Minister has been totally consistent in terms of the Iraq war, and this party's policy and this government's policy has been totally consistent in terms of NMD. We will examine this and if it is in the interests of Canadians we will enter into it. If it is not, we will not.

It is not going to lead to star wars however much they might try to persuade themselves and try to fool the Canadian electorate into believing that.

[Foreign Affairs, April 27th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Oak Ridges for his question and his interest on this important subject.

We have always made it very clear that we believe that the people of Hong Kong should determine the political structure which is most suited to their needs in accordance with the democratic objectives which are laid down in the basic law.

We urge the Chinese authorities to ensure that the power to interpret the basic law will not be used to prevent political evolution in Hong Kong in accordance with the wishes and democratic aspirations of the people of Hong Kong. We will convey that message to all Chinese authorities at the appropriate meetings.

[National Defence, April 27th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, it is clear to the House that we are discussing the concept of the missile defence shield with the Americans in order to provide security for all of North America. This security would be in the best interest of Canada and all Canadians. We will not sign any treaties that do not ensure Canada's safety and are not in Canada's interest.

[First Nations Fiscal and Statistical Management Act, April 26th, 2004]

moved:

Motion No. 1

That Bill C-23, in Clause 2, be amended

(a) by replacing lines 1 and 2 on page 3 with the following:

““first nation” means

(a) in any provision of Part 5, a band; and

(b) in any other provision, a band named in the schedule.”

(b) by adding after line 4 on page 4 the following:

“(3) At the request of the council of a band, the Governor in Council may, by order, amend the schedule by adding, deleting or changing the name of the band.”

Motion No. 2

That Bill C-23 be amended by adding after line 34 on page 11 the following new clause:

“13.1 Paragraphs 83(1)(a) and (d) to (g) and section 84 of the Indian Act and any regulations made under paragraph 73(1)(m) of that Act do not apply to a first nation.”

Motion No. 11

That Bill C-23, in Clause 141, be amended by replacing lines 21 to 23 on page 60 with the following:

“141. (1) By-laws made by a first nation under paragraph 83(1)(a), or any of paragraphs 83(1)(d) to (g), of the Indian Act that are in force on the day on which the name of the first nation is added to the schedule are”

Motion No. 12

That Bill C-23 be amended by deleting Clause 148.

Motion No. 13

That Bill C-23 be amended by deleting Clause 149.

Motion No. 14

That Bill C-23 be amended by deleting Clause 150.

Motion No. 15

That Bill C-23 be amended by deleting Clause 150.1.

Motion No. 16

That Bill C-23, in Clause 151, be amended

(a) by replacing line 35 on page 62 with the following:

“the Indian Act before paragraph (a) is replaced by”

(b) by replacing line 39 on page 62 with the following:

“province, but subject to section 83 and”

Motion No. 18

That Bill C-23, in Schedule, be amended by adding after line 8 on page 70 the following:

“SCHEDULE

(Subsections 2(1) and (3))”