Eleni Bakopanos

[Petitions, December 11th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to table in the House a petition signed by over 11,000 Canadians asking Parliament to allow Portuguese citizens to visit Canada without a visa.

The Conservative government passed legislation in 1986 requiring Portuguese citizens to obtain a visa when visiting Canada. This measure, which was intended to be temporary, has lasted ten years.

I join with the representatives of the Portuguese community here in the gallery today and the people who signed this petition in the hope this government will resolve a situation that has gone on too long.

[Ecole Polytechnique, December 5th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, December 6 always reminds us of the 14 young women who were robbed of their future and brutally killed at the Ecole Polytechnique on this day seven years ago.

This tragic incident will serve as a constant reminder of the violence that is inflicted on women. In order to ensure safe homes and safe streets for all Canadians, and in particular women, the government has passed important legislation on issues like gun control, high risk offenders and other amendments to the Criminal Code.

But we need to do more if we are to honour their memory and eradicate violence against women.

May their deaths not have been in vain. Let us get to the roots of the problem of violence against women, first by increasing our social education efforts and by constantly promoting fundamental values, like respect and tolerance.

I encourage all my colleagues in this House to light a candle tomorrow in memory of the young victims of the massacre at the Ecole Polytechnique.

[Diabetes, November 29th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, November is Diabetes Awareness Month. Nearly 1.5 million Canadians have diabetes. It is a major cause of premature deaths, blindness, kidney disease, heart disease, stroke, limb amputation and other significant health problems.

The chances of having diabetes increase with age and it affects more than 13 per cent of Canadians between 65 and 74 years of age.

The Canadian Diabetes Association supports research on diabetes, protects the rights of diabetics and their families, and provides them with a wide range of services. I am proud to say that Health Canada also plays an important role in the fight against diabetes, by subsidizing research through the Medical Research Council, by promoting the smooth functioning of the Canadian multisectorial council for diabetes, and by conducting health-related monitoring activities.

Please join me in wishing the Canadian Diabetes Association and its many volunteers are very successful Diabetes Awareness Month.

[Hon. Member For Rosemont, November 28th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc member for Rosemont used his parliamentary privileges for partisan and unauthorized purposes, that is to support separatist candidates in an election.

He sent 500 letters, at the expense of the House of Commons, to separatist sympathizers in his riding, and even to a few constituents in my riding of Saint-Denis. In these letters, the member for Rosemont invited people to support the candidacy of two well-known separatist militants for the board of directors of a local community service centre, the CLSC La Petite Patrie.

He is not the first Bloc member to do this. His colleague from Laurier-Sainte-Marie also used public funds to promote his wife's candidacy during school elections.

Bloc members can attempt to circumvent all the laws and regulations they want, they will not convince Quebecers of the soundness of their separatist project by stacking boards of directors.

[Parti Quebecois, November 25th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, this past weekend's PQ congress has provided us with the perfect example of a political party which places its ideology above everything else: the economy, social and health services, minority rights and so on.

Thumbing their noses at the results of the two referendums they themselves organized on the separation of Quebec, PQ members continue to prepare for the next referendum as if nothing had happened.

In the close to 2,000 resolutions contained in the delegates' kits, the PQ members did not see fit to consider, even once, the desire expressed by a majority of Quebecers to remain within Canada. The PQ continues in its desire to impose its separatist obsession on the majority of the Quebec population.

That population has spoken twice on the separation of Quebec. It is time for the Parti Quebecois, and the Bloc Quebecois, to agree to respect the democratic will of Quebecers and to move on to other things: the economy, social services, and the respect of minority rights.

[The Canadian Recording Industry, November 5th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, Quebec's artists reacted with enthusiasm to a recent announcement by the Minister of Canadian Heritage that she will increase funding for the program to assist development of sound recordings during the next financial year.

Could the minister explain her reasons for thinking that her initiative will encourage the development of the Canadian recording industry?

[The 1995 Referendum On Quebec Sovereignty, October 30th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, today is the first anniversary of the 1995 referendum.

On October 30, 1995, Quebecers chose Canada. They chose to continue promoting the French language and culture as well as Quebec's distinctiveness in the Canadian community. They asked us to continue improving the federal system to make it more sensitive to regional needs and differences.

Over the last year the Liberal government has been working to respond to the legitimate concerns of Quebecers. Our work is in progress but needs the support of the provinces in order to be completed.

The government understood the message that Quebecers gave last year, unlike the separatists who continue to ignore the facts. The facts are Quebecers are looking for effective government which will respond to their needs and priorities, not separation.

[Small And Medium Size Business Week, October 23rd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the week of October 21 to 25 is Small Business Week. Small and medium size business is the driving force behind the Canadian economy. It is also the driving force behind job creation. That is why our government is committed to supporting the small business sector to ensure its growth.

In Quebec, the Federal Office of Regional Development speaks for the federal government to small business. Through a network of 13 regional offices across Quebec, it works in partnership with Quebec entrepreneurs.

Small and medium size businesses, often run by families or young entrepreneurs, are the key job creators in Canada, particularly in my riding of Saint-Denis. There are also those who seek markets outside this country and the federal development office of Quebec provides them with the expertise to help enter those markets.

I salute all the people in the small and medium size businesses in Saint-Denis and throughout Canada for their contributions to Canada's economic development in this week dedicated to them.

[Canada-Portugal Friendship Group, October 10th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, as president of the Canada-Portugal Friendship Group I welcome to Canada the Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities, Mr. José Lello.

Portuguese explorers arrived in North America nearly 500 years ago. Since the establishment of their community, which numbers 500,000 today, Canadians of Portuguese origin have and continue to make a great contribution to the social, political and economic fabric of Canada's mosaic.

Our common membership in the United Nations, NATO, the OSCE and the OECD as well as recent commercial and technological links have strengthened Canada-Portugal relations.

This morning, with the member for Hull and the President of the Treasury Board, I attended the inauguration of a monument to all people of Portuguese origin in Hull. I will, if I may, cite the extract

from a poem by Jorge de Sena that is inscribed on the plaque. It reads: "I can only be from the land where I was born. Even though I belong to the world-".

I invite all my colleagues to come and meet the minister of state in the Commonwealth Room after Question Period this afternoon.

Benvidou ao Canada!

[The Family, October 8th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, this week families all across Canada will be rediscovering family strengths, this year's theme for National Family Week.

In my riding of Saint-Denis I have organized a drawing contest for the second year in a row to encourage elementary school children to rediscover their family strengths. Last year's contest was a success and this year's will have even greater participation.

As members of Parliament, we have a responsibility to teach and show young people, tomorrow's decision makers, how important family is in our society.

Family values are our greatest resource. Without the love and support of our families, it would be difficult if not almost impossible to realize our full potential and achieve our own goals and those of our society.

Indeed, without the love, support and strength of my parents, my husband and my two daughters, I could not do my job as well as other colleagues in the House.

Let us rediscover our family strengths and rejoice in our families not only this week but all year long.