Colleen Beaumier

[The Budget, May 10th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I wrote down what I was going to say but after listening to all this about going backward, I decided to change my mind. I would like the hon. member to know that I think that Bob Rae did a fine job given the circumstances.

The one thing we fail to realize in this House and one of the downfalls of this House is the arrogance of thinking that we all have the monopoly on knowing what is honourable, right and decent. None of us has the monopoly. You with the big silly grin may feel that you are much smarter than I am and that you are--

[Volunteerism, November 23rd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, many immigrant volunteers in Canada rarely get the praise due to them. Because they are not yet part of the mainstream, their work goes unreported.

Today I would like to pay tribute to a group of Punjabi seniors who meet in Brampton every week to discuss issues which are of concern to them as a group and to the community at large. Most of them are retired and have small or no pensions, yet these fine men are truly lions. Most recently they financed 35 tents to be sent to the earthquake victims in Pakistan. There was no fanfare. They merely acted upon the teachings of their gurus.

We should be taking lessons from our immigrant communities. Age should be treated with respect. We warehouse our seniors, some in deplorable conditions. We ignore their opinions, dismissing them as out of fashion and we eliminate their visibility when they become an inconvenience.

I would like to name the group members, but there is no time. I am proud to call these Singhs my friends and will continue to seek their guidance in many fronts.

[Parliament of Canada Act, March 23rd, 2005]

Madam Speaker, I wish to be recorded as voting no to the motion.

[Member for Vancouver South--Burnaby, May 13th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my colleague, the hon. member for Vancouver South--Burnaby.

First elected in 1993, the hon. member has held numerous portfolios, including Minister of National Revenue, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, and Minister of Natural Resources.

Most important, the hon. member has the honour and distinction of being the first South Asian to hold a ministerial portfolio in any western democracy, and his lobbying efforts led to the opening of a Canadian consulate general in Chandigarh, India.

Born in Chiheru, Punjab, and coming to Canada at the age of six, the hon. member for Vancouver South--Burnaby is a perfect example of the opportunities available to new Canadians. He has been a successful businessman and entrepreneur, as well as a successful member of Parliament.

I would like to invite all members to join with me today in wishing the hon. member for Vancouver South--Burnaby all the best in his future endeavours. His contributions to the House will be missed.

[Foreign Affairs, October 22nd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mr. Bhupinder S. Liddar on his appointment as Canadian consul general in Chandigarh, India.

Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Mr. Liddar came to Canada and made an immediate impact on the diplomatic community in Ottawa. He is widely respected for his knowledge and analysis of international affairs.

His regular newspaper columns and television commentary have made the world of diplomatic politics accessible to all Canadians. As publisher and editor of Diplomat and International Canada, he has provided a valuable news journal to Canada's international community.

With this appointment, Mr. Liddar becomes the first Canadian consul general to Chandigarh, as well as the first Canadian Sikh to head a diplomatic mission. His appointment is an important act of recognition for the Canadian Sikh community.

I would like to offer my best wishes to Mr. Liddar on the occasion of this historic appointment. I am confident that through his customary hard work and dedication he will succeed in this posting.

[Occupational Therapy Week, October 21st, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday marked the beginning of National Occupational Therapy Week in Canada. Occupational therapists work with anyone who is having difficulty doing the activities that are important to them.

Their vital work is done with almost all age groups. They work with seniors helping them to enjoy more years of independent living. They work with children who suffer from developmental difficulties to help them enjoy all the benefits of growing up.

Unfortunately their work sometimes goes unnoticed and far too often funding for occupational therapy services are cut to finance more acute medical services. However, for those who have been treated by an occupational therapist, their services are invaluable.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank occupational therapists across Canada for their hard work and dedication to their profession. I wish them a successful National Occupational Therapy Week and good luck for the future.

[Edward Said, September 25th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise today to pay tribute to a leading Palestinian intellectual, Edward Said.

Mr. Said was born in Jerusalem but lived most of his life in the U.S. He studied at Princeton and Harvard and went on to become a leading advocate on behalf of the Palestinian people.

As a professor at Columbia University, his writing and speeches made him a central voice in the Palestinian struggle. He was equally critical of corruption within the Palestinian Authority and Israel's occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.

Professor Said died this morning at the age of 67 after a long battle with leukemia. He leaves behind an intellectual void that will be difficult to fill.

He will be greatly missed.

[First Nations Governance Act, June 3rd, 2003]

Madam Speaker, I believe that if the hon. member had listened carefully he would have talked about harmonization and implementation on the part of Canada.

I remind members that 18 months ago it would not have been thought possible that we could have harmonized programs with the U.S. at our land, air and sea borders. However, not only do we have agreements on these new programs, they have been implemented and are operational at our major ports of entry, such as Nexus and FAST joint in-transit container targeting.

Also, we are in the process of developing others like Nexus air and the harmonized commercial process for all the other commercial shipments not covered by FAST.

We are confident that we will arrive at a mutually acceptable conclusion on the issue of advanced timeframes for commercial shipments for other modes.

[First Nations Governance Act, June 3rd, 2003]

Madam Speaker, the hon. member has asked me to comment on the marine 24-hour rule.

As the minister announced on April 4, I am happy to report that following extensive consultations with stakeholders Canada will be implementing a 24-hour advance cargo notification rule for marine cargo importation.

A 24-hour advance notification represents the timeframe by which ocean carriers and freight forwarders would be required to submit data to customs electronically before loading in the foreign port. The data will be processed through automated targeting systems. Based on a risk assessment, the CCRA will identify certain containers for examination prior to loading.

This rule provides consistent reporting requirements for North American marine shipments. It is one more step toward implementing the customs action plan launched in 2000 and supports the Canada--U.S. smart border declaration.

The 24-hour rule for marine cargo allows the CCRA to manage risks effectively by identifying high risk cargo before it leaves the foreign port.

The 24-hour rule will be implemented by April 2004, allowing the CCRA, the carrier-freight forwarder and importer-broker communities time to prepare their business operations and systems for implementation.

I am sure my hon. colleague will be interested to note that while there has been overwhelming support during consultations for a common North American approach to cargo reporting, there was, however, concern about reporting timeframes for other modes.

The CCRA is in the process of consulting with our importing and exporting communities and will be in a position to propose a timeframe for pre-notification for the other modes in the near future.

I understand that the U.S. proposes eight hours for air cargo, four hours for land cargo, 24 hours for rail cargo and 24 hours for exports out of the United States.

It is important to know that these U.S. proposals were initial proposals designed to foster discussion and debate and they have resulted in the engagement of the importing and exporting communities on both sides of the border.

We are working with the U.S. bureau of customs and border protection to develop mutually acceptable timeframes for these other modes. I am confident that this will be achieved given our successful track record with the bureau both in developing other harmonized processes, like FAST and Nexus, and our more recent agreement respecting the new rail process for CN and CP shipments entering the United States, which includes advanced timeframes for rail reporting.

In addition to working with our U.S. partners, the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency is also working diligently with both the Canadian importing and exporting communities and our colleagues at Foreign Affairs and International Trade to ensure we develop and implement timeframes for these other modes which are effective for all concerned parties.

[Taxation, May 2nd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I believe the minister has answered that question several times in the past and she has made it clear that protecting the rights of Canadians to benefit from Canada's social programs was essential for her and the CCRA. In that respect, CCRA has initiated an outreach program via the hockey association regarding the employment status of hockey players and their eligibility for Canada's social safety net to ensure they receive the benefits they are entitled to. In order for the government to continue providing these social programs everyone must continue paying their fair share, as in this case in the past.