It is a done deal by then.
Lost his last election, in 2019, with 32% of the vote.
Summit Of The Americas March 27th, 2001
It is a done deal by then.
Summit Of The Americas March 27th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, I will be very brief. The hon. member is a former president of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. I wonder if he would like to comment on a motion adopted by the city council of Vancouver expressing very grave concern about the implications of the FTAA for the rights of cities to make decisions about their own future, about their environment and about the health care of their citizens.
The city of Vancouver unanimously passed a motion urging the federal government not to sign any trade deal, such as the proposed expansion of NAFTA being negotiated in the FTAA, which includes investor state provisions similar to those included in NAFTA. Does the hon. member agree with the motion that has been passed by the city of Vancouver?
Summit Of The Americas March 27th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, could the hon. member perhaps share his views with the House with respect to the importance of ensuring environmental standards within the framework of trade agreements?
I recall that at the first summit of the Americas in Miami in 1994 one of the commitments made was to strengthen the protection of biodiversity within the hemisphere. That was seven years ago and I am not aware of any steps that have been taken within the context of the summit of the Americas, free trade of the Americas negotiations or anything else.
Could the hon. member indicate to us what there is within the context of the current negotiations on the FTAA that would in any way strengthen the protection of the environment throughout the hemisphere, an objective which I know he shares?
Petitions March 23rd, 2001
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table a petition today which deals with the very serious issue of the devastating impact of the United Nations sanctions on the people of Iraq.
The petitioners note that these sanctions have been condemned by former UN humanitarian co-ordinator, Denis Halliday, as being tantamount to genocide. They note that the House of Commons standing committee on foreign affairs has unanimously called for the lifting of these economic sanctions.
The petitioners call on the House to urgently pursue the rapid lifting of the economic sanctions on Iraq. They include Linda Morgan and the campaign to end sanctions against the people of Iraq. They have done an outstanding job in bringing the matter to the attention of the people of Canada.
Multiculturalism March 23rd, 2001
Mr. Speaker, I recognize the very serious allegation that has been made, but quite clearly, in light of the seriousness of the conduct of the minister and recognizing the traditions of the House, I said the minister had lied with impunity. I withdraw those words and say she fabricated.
Multiculturalism March 23rd, 2001
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Deputy Prime Minister. The Deputy Prime Minister, in reference to the shameful conduct of the Secretary of State for Multiculturalism, pointed out that the member for Edmonton—Strathcona apologized for his conduct. He said the minister did the same thing. The member for Edmonton—Strathcona apologized. He was fired from his critic's job and sent to the backbenches of that caucus.
How low does the ethical bar have to go? What standards exist for the Prime Minister with respect to the conduct of ministers in the government? Can a minister slander the community of Prince George, a community that has won awards for human rights? Can a minister lie to the people—
Foreign Affairs March 20th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State for Latin America and Africa. Today we learned that 33 Huey helicopters, recently sold by the Canadian government to the U.S. state department, are in fact being used by the Colombian military as a part of the destructive Plan Colombia. Last week the minister agreed in committee that this kind of sale would be totally unacceptable.
Will the minister now agree to close the gaping loophole in our military export controls that allows this shameful complicity with the Colombian military, a military that has one of the worst human rights records in the entire hemisphere? Will he close this loophole now?
Summit Of The Americas March 20th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, I took part in a press conference with Régine Laurent, the spokesperson for the Table de convergence pour une opposition pacifique au Sommet des Amériques, a member of the executive of the Fédération des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec and of the Table de convergence.
Also there was Philippe Duhamel, non-violent direct action trainer, and organizer and spokesperson for SalAMI, a grassroots anti-globalization organization.
I attended in order to express my solidarity with hundreds of groups from Quebec and various regions of Canada, including the Réseau québécois sur l'intégration continentale, which is calling on the government to make public the texts of the negotiations for the FTAA.
Today, March 20, is the deadline for making these documents public, and I now ask, on behalf of all these groups, that these documents be made—
Supply March 15th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, as the minister will know, we strongly agree that the current softwood lumber agreement should not in any way be renewed and should be allowed to expire at the end of this month.
I have two very brief questions for the minister. As the minister knows, I represent British Columbia. One of the very serious concerns there is the dramatic increase in the volume of raw log exports from British Columbia. In 1997 the amount was a little over 100,000 cubic metres. Last year it was perhaps as much two million cubic metres.
The minister and the government are under pressure from some forest companies to reduce current restrictions on raw log exports. Will the minister make it clear to the House, to the people of Canada and particularly to the people of British Columbia that he will not in any way reduce restrictions on raw log exports and that in fact he will take steps to ensure there are even fewer raw logs exported?
Second, what is the response of the minister to the proposal by the B.C. minister of forests that he attempt to seek the appointment of a special envoy to negotiate a fair trade agreement with the United States so that we will not be into this destructive cycle of countervail, tariff and anti-dumping procedures after March 31?
Supply March 15th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, in fact we are speaking on behalf of communities, workers, and the environment in British Columbia and in Quebec.
If we were to accept the Bloc Quebecois' motion, we would not have an opportunity to challenge the provisions. For instance, we would not be able to oppose the American challenge to our environmental practices and to our practice of not having raw logs exported from Canada.
It is precisely because we wish to speak on behalf of communities, of the environment and of workers that we are rejecting these NAFTA rules, particularly the infamous chapter 11.
It seems to be fine with the member for Joliette if the big corporations are allowed to challenge provisions of the agreement, whether in Quebec, in Canada or in British Columbia. We, as members of parliament, and the representatives of the government in power would have no opportunity to say no. That is what the Bloc Quebecois is proposing and we do not agree.