Betty Hinton

[Goods and Services Tax, February 19th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I have asked government ministers repeatedly to waive the GST on supplies and services donated to the reconstruction of fire-ravaged areas of B.C.

Many uninsured people in the North Thompson have rebuilt their homes and places of business thanks to volunteers from all over North America.

They and the businesses who supply materials should be exempted from paying GST.

Fuel donated to truck agricultural goods like cattle feed into fire-stricken areas in my area should have also been GST-free.

The brave men and women firefighters sold T-shirts to raise relief funds and this government is charging them GST.

I am sure all members of the House can see the unfairness of forcing good Samaritans to pay tax on their generosity.

I wish to thank and congratulate the many generous people who have donated labour and materials to assist fire victims and I call upon the government to do the right thing: waive the GST on those donations.

[Petitions, February 18th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by constituents of my riding of Kamloops, Thompson and Highland Valleys.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to pass legislation to recognize the institution of marriage in federal law as being a lifelong union of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

[Kam High, February 17th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, this summer will mark 100 years since 20 students, the first high school class in Kamloops, gathered above a livery stable.

To commemorate this historic event and reunite old classmates, the Kam High Centennial Homecoming will be held from July 16-18. So far, 1,600 former students and educators have registered to attend.

Kam High graduates are coming home from as far away as China, Japan, Mexico and all points of the world. Organizers have so far located 5,500 Kam High graduates, but there are another 10,000 we have not yet found.

If persons or someone they know attended Kam High and would like to attend the centennial reunion, please visit the events website at www.kamhigh.com for information.

I look forward to welcoming home several generations of Kam High graduates this summer.

[Organized Crime, November 7th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, they should speed up the process. Canada should be leading the world in the fight to protect women and children. Instead, this year's trafficking in persons report states that Canada has made “uneven efforts to prosecute traffickers” and “no specific efforts to work with and rehabilitate trafficking victims”.

Traffickers need to know that Canada will not tolerate this despicable activity, but convictions are rare.

Why are victims and witnesses so often deported before justice can be served?

[Organized Crime, November 7th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday Calgary police apprehended criminals who were smuggling Asian women and girls into Canada to sell them as sex slaves. Calgary police should be applauded for this small victory against Canada's sex slave trade.

However, city police forces cannot do this alone. This is an international crime against humanity and they need help from the federal level. RCMP and Calgary police spokesmen said that this reprehensible crime is actually on the rise in Canada.

When will this Liberal government give police the resources they need to eliminate the sex slave trade in Canada?

[Sex Offender Registry, November 4th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, our party is in complete agreement to give unanimous consent to a vote on the sex offender registry immediately following question period.

Canadians were horrified to learn that our country was becoming known for making it easy for criminals to bring in women and children, and using them as sex slaves here and in the United States. Canada has been given a black eye internationally for its failure in combating the sex slave trade.

I ask the Secretary of State for the Status of Women, why is the Liberal government so callous on this issue?

[Kamloops, Thompson and Highland Valleys, October 31st, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I rise today to commend the many helping hands who have come to the aid of the people of Kamloops, Thompson and Highland Valleys.

The North Thompson Relief Fund, headed by George Evans, has raised tremendous amounts of money to bring relief to the people in the valley as have the Red Cross, the Mennonite Disaster Service, and Habitat for Humanity. Last night, the coup de grâce, the All Party Party also raised money for the North Thompson relief and we will be making that presentation on behalf of every party in the House very soon.

On behalf of the people of Kamloops, Thompson and Highland Valleys, it is with great pride that I say thanks to one and all for being so generous of spirit.

[Disaster Assistance, October 30th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, B.C. faced devastating fires this summer. In my riding a mill is gone, people are out of work and now they are losing hope.

I received personal guarantees of support from the government. So far the government has come up with a mere fraction of the total cost of this disaster. Meanwhile, people wait. They wait for jobs, they wait for answers and they wait for help.

What exactly will the government do to help rebuild the North Thompson Valley?

[Canadian Forces Superannuation Act, October 20th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the member from Strathcona a simple question, but there is a preamble to it.

He mentioned the floods in Manitoba, and I can certainly feel for him. I appreciate the fact that the military was there. My other colleague from the Bloc mentioned the ice storms in Quebec and I appreciate that as well. I found myself in the position this summer of knowing first hand just how valuable the military is in a domestic crisis. Military personnel were in my riding for the fires this summer and I do not know how we would have done it without them. I truly do appreciate them.

The member from Strathcona and I have some philosophical differences regarding the issues of the Canadian military. I do think we are on side on one issue, which is that we have treated our military very poorly.

With regard to the missile defence system which he also raised, I would only say to him that from my perspective and my point of view, I have to look at things in reality. We have Alaska above us and the United States below us. Whether or not a missile shield goes in is almost a foregone conclusion. Perhaps he would disagree with me, but I would like to be a part of that decision making process since I am fairly aware it is going to happen regardless.

The question I would like to ask concerns the superannuation that we are discussing today. Although it is a very small step toward treating military personnel the way they deserve to be treated and honouring them for what they do for us in the country and what they do for us overseas, would the member agree that it is a step in the right direction? I would like to confirm that he and I are on the same page on this and we are going to support this bill.

[Petitions, October 6th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is signed by the constituents of Kamloops, Thompson and Highland Valleys. The petitioners call upon Parliament to provide Canadians with greater access to non-drug preventive and medicinal options as well as information about these options and to sanction the personal choices of Canadians by clarifying the current vague definitions of food and drugs in the outdated 1927/1952 Food and Drugs Act.