John Maloney

[Federal-Municipal Relations, October 30th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, in January 2004, the Regional Municipality of Niagara will host the third annual Smarter Niagara Summit.

This year's conference will focus on municipal-federal-provincial relationships to promote common policies on brownfield redevelopment and smart growth incentives.

Niagara's approach to the concept of smart growth has been successful because of an inclusive process. By engaging the Niagara community in discussion forms, by enlisting business and community leaders in the decision making process, and by providing thoughtful insights from dynamic speakers, it has developed a robust approach to addressing many big picture items affecting the region.

I wish to congratulate the region of Niagara for again hosting this valuable summit and for the focus on federal-municipal relations.

With Niagara's proximity to the United States, the locally driven bi-national forum, the fact that it is surrounded by international waters, its prominence as a trade route, the presence of the Welland canal system, border security issues and more, the need for strong federal-municipal relations in Niagara is very pronounced.

[Literacy Action Day, October 23rd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to recognize the annual Literacy Action Day.

Literacy engages and impacts upon every aspect of our individual lives. It is at the core of early childhood learning, our personal development, our economic opportunities and our capacity to participate fully in society. Regrettably, 40% of Canadians between the ages of 16 and 65 have very low or limited levels of literacy, while two in five working age Canadians do not have the necessary literacy levels to fully participate in society.

I am encouraged, however, by the government's skills and learning agenda and the government's commitment to knowledge as the engine of the new economy with the imperative of literacy at its core.

At this time I would call upon members of Parliament to join me in recognizing Literacy Action Day and the efforts of those who work tirelessly toward improving literacy across this country.

[Committees of the House, October 10th, 2003]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the second report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food. In accordance with the order of reference of Tuesday, September 23, 2003, the committee has considered Votes 1(a), 5(a), 10(a), 30(a) and 40(a) under Agriculture and Agri-Food in the supplementary estimates (A) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2004, and reports the same.

[Job Creation, October 10th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, Statistics Canada has released its labour force survey for September 2003. Would the Secretary of State for International Financial Institutions advise the House as to the results of the survey?

[Steel Industry, October 10th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, earlier this week the Government of Canada announced that it would not implement surtaxes on the import of certain steel products, as recommended by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal.

Over one year has passed since the tribunal made these remedy recommendations. Despite concerns about the World Trade Organization's reaction, Canada should have taken the same position as the United States and Mexico against offshore imports. I am very disappointed the government has not chosen to act on the inquiry findings determined by the CITT.

The steel industry in Niagara has suffered significantly from this lack of safeguard action. Atlas Specialty Steel and others have either collapsed or are on the verge of collapse. About 550 dedicated Atlas workers in the region of Niagara are now without work. These are real people with real families facing an upsetting and uncertain future.

While I am pleased that the newly formed North American steel trade committee will look at many of these pressing issues, I fear that it may be too little, too late for the Canadian steelworkers.

We need to ensure that a North American steel accord is developed and put into place immediately. We need to revisit safeguard action on steel imports now. We need to take whatever actions we can to preserve the steel industry in Canada for Canadian workers.

[Veterans Affairs, October 3rd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Veterans Affairs and the government are to be congratulated for their excellent legislation addressing some of the most urgent needs of Canada's veterans and their spouses. Extending health programs for veterans and extending compensation for former prisoners of war, among others, is positive and needed.

There is, however, one glaring inequity that must be addressed now.

Nancy Clark is the widow of a second world war veteran. Her good friend, Joyce McClelland, is the spouse of a second world war veteran. They both reside in their own homes. Should Mrs. McClelland's husband pass away, she is entitled to a lifetime benefit to help with grounds and housekeeping under the veterans independence program. Mrs. Clark and 23,000 other Canadian veterans' widows are no longer entitled to such benefits.

I urge the Minister of Veterans Affairs, the Prime Minister and the government to find the resources to correct this unfair and inequitable position. As difficult as this decision may have been from a budgetary perspective, let us now show what a big heart our government has. There are no second class veterans' widows in our society. We owe so much to so few.

[Ethnic Diversity Survey, September 30th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday Statistics Canada officially released the results of the ethnic diversity survey which was conducted by Statistics Canada in 2002.

The survey represents an important milestone in the study of ethnicity in Canada. The survey provides policy makers and researchers with unique information on ethnocultural minorities and will allow researchers and policy makers to better understand these communities and therefore Canada. The survey provides us with groundbreaking research about people living in Canada, especially ethnocultural minorities, with respect to their cultural heritage, their family background, their knowledge and use of languages, their participation in Canadian society and their economic activities.

It also provides information about perceived discrimination and unfair treatment based on ethnocultural and ethnoracial background.

Initiatives such as the ethnic diversity survey will give us a better understanding of the role diversity plays in Canadian society and how it affects the lives of Canadians. It will also assist decision makers in developing policies and programs that better meet the needs of all Canadians.

[Millennium Excellence Award, June 12th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride that I recognize several outstanding young people in my constituency of Erie-Lincoln.

Millennium scholarships were awarded to four local high school students who excelled in their studies and show great potential for our Canadian community.

I ask all members to please join me in congratulating Elissa Smith and Emily Wilson, both of Port Colborne High School; and Rebecca Bogar and Adam Sherk, both of Ridgeway Crystal Beach High School, for outstanding academic achievement and excellence.

Ashley Browne, from Ridgeway Crystal Beach High School, also deserves special recognition for being selected to participate in a trade mission to Mexico with junior team Canada. Ashley will be the first young person from Niagara to join a junior team Canada delegation, and she plans to promote the growing Niagara wine industry during her trip.

I congratulate these young people, their families, friends and schools. I wish them all good luck. They make us very proud.

[Petitions, June 11th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am pleased to present a petition on behalf of my constituents of Erie--Lincoln.

The petition deals with former Bill C-15, now Bill C-250. The petitioners feel that passage of this legislation will lead to violations of freedom of speech and religious freedom in our nation. They call upon the House to strongly oppose the passage of Bill C-250 and not to allow it in any form to be passed into federal law.

[Petitions, June 9th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased pursuant to Standing Order 36 to present a petition on behalf of my constituents in the Erie--Lincoln riding.

The petitioners acknowledge that Canadians support ethical stem cell research and draw to the attention of the House that non-embryonic stem cells, which are also known as adult stem cells, have shown significant research progress without the immune rejection or ethical problems associated with embryonic stem cells.

As a consequence, they call upon Parliament to focus its legislative support on adult stem cell research to find the cures and therapies necessary to treat Canadians sufferings from illnesses and diseases such as cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's, muscular dystrophy and spinal cord industry.