Aileen Carroll

[Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act, November 19th, 2001]

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question from the hon. member for Cumberland--Colchester. The member is right in that the person has been charged and now within the Russian judicial system will proceed to indictment. At that point evidence will be laid to argue as to whether he should proceed to trial. This was as we anticipated.

Explanations have been given as to the assistance Canada lent to Russia initially in bringing police officers to Canada to allow the investigation to ensue. While there was some discussion of that, we have met the bar in responding. Obviously the concern of my hon. colleague in the opposition is that justice be rendered. If on this occasion, as on other occasions, there had to be a fiscal dimension to that, then for the greater good of justice of the matter it appeared to be a lesser cost and certainly one that we could undertake, and which we did do.

The horror of the incident was such that justice was what was utmost in all of our minds. Following the justice issue, which was foremost, procedures within the department were a priority for the minister. A zero tolerance policy, which is new and which is clearly laid out within the Department of Foreign Affairs, has been another result of this dreadful accident.

I believe that my answer might assist the hon. member with his inquiry.

[Interparliamentary Delegations, November 7th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present, pursuant to Standing Order 34, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian delegation of the Canada-Europe Parliamentary Association to the fourth part of the session of the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe, held in Strasbourg, France, from September 24 to 28, 2001.

[Foreign Missions and International Organizations Act, November 2nd, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the bill is not focusing on what the member would have us believe. Again I think if he could grasp what we are and are not doing in Bill C-35, it would help him both in asking his questions and writing his newspaper articles.

For many years there has been a format in place where all diplomats and consuls assigned to Canada are vetted by immigration authorities before their accreditation is approved. Nothing has changed with Bill C-35.

[Foreign Missions and International Organizations Act, November 2nd, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the bill to which the hon. member refers, Bill C-35, does not affect the immunities of diplomats and consuls accredited to embassies and consulates. The focus is about people attending international conferences or international organizations that are not created by treaty. This bill is to ensure that those people have the same immunities. It does not enhance their immunities.

I think what might help the member is if I could provide him with a Cole's notes version of the Vienna Convention. Perhaps then he would grasp better what this bill is and is not about.

[Foreign Affairs, October 29th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs aims at seeking the widest possible coalition in the effort to fight terrorism and to increase world security. The best way to do that is by direct engagement of key middle eastern regional states such as Iran. This is the first time a Canadian minister of foreign affairs has visited Iran in almost a decade.

As an important regional country, Iran will be key as a major contributor to the effort to combat terrorism.

[National Rivers Day, October 25th, 2001]

Madam Speaker, I too wish to give my support to the motion in favour of a national rivers day.

There are indeed many reasons to support this initiative. Many of them have been touched upon by those who have spoken before me, but I too am motivated personally by the conviction that too many Canadians have only a vague idea of the natural splendour and unique character of our rivers. A national rivers day would go a long way to helping us better appreciate this facet of our country.

For example, in Canada there are now 38 heritage rivers. More are being added to the system each year. Among rivers that already have been designated and nominated from east to west we find the following.

In Newfoundland there is the Main River, one of the last wilderness rivers on the rock, and the Bay du Nord River, where countless brook trout, ouananiche and Atlantic salmon wait. On Prince Edward Island there is the Hillsborough River, which begins on the south shore of the island and winds inland through rich farm country to its sources near the white sand beaches of the north shore, and the Montague--Three Rivers, an unspoiled intermixture of fresh and salt water marshes, beaches, forests and communities interwoven by this river system.

In Nova Scotia there is the famous Margaree River, whose clear, icy waters and deep pools provide a haven for spawning Atlantic salmon and trout, and the Shelburne River where we can see the last old growth stands of white pine, red spruce and hemlock in Nova Scotia. In New Brunswick there is the St. Croix River linking shimmering lakes to the surging tidewaters of the Bay of Fundy. There are also the Sackville River and the Upper Restigouche River, where the salmon is still king. In Quebec there is the Jacques-Cartier River which cuts into the magnificent valley of the Jacques-Cartier and splits the spruce covered plateau of the Laurentians.

In Ontario the French and Mattawa Rivers formed a vital link in the fur trade route from Lachine, near Montreal, to Lake Superior and the northwest. St. Mary's River is an historic waterway which begins tumultuously, tumbling over rapids, where native people traded and fished for thousands of years and on past the power dams, factories and urban parks of the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie in Ontario and Michigan. Lock and canal building started here as early as 1798, and in 1895 the Canadian lock was the most advanced in the world.

Also in Ontario there is the historic Rideau waterway, winding 202 kilometres from Kingston to Ottawa, the oldest continuously operating canal system in North America. There is the Missinabi River, a silver thread of unspoiled wilderness, was used by the Ojibway, the Cree and later the voyageurs as the main trade route linking Lake Superior with James Bay. There is the Detroit River, passing through the largest metropolitan area, Detroit-Windsor, along the world's longest undefended border. The Grand River is in the heartland of southern Ontario. The Humber River is in the backyard of more than four million people. The Boundary Waters--Voyageur waterway is a paddler's paradise flowing through rapids, waterfalls, gorges, cliffs, beaver dams and innumerable lakes. The Thames River is the most southerly major river in Canada, flowing 273 kilometres through the cities of London and Chatham to Lake St. Clair.

In Manitoba there is the Bloodvein River, where red ochre pictographs of bison, human figures, hands and power symbols grace overhanging rock faces along a course that slashes through the Canadian Shield, slipping and sliding over 100 sets of rapids on its journey to Lake Winnipeg.

Also in Manitoba there is the Hayes River, which served as a route for Manitoba's first nations long before Europeans arrived and later became the main route from York Factory on Hudson Bay to the interior of western Canada for fur traders, settlers and explorers from 1670 until 1870. There is the Seal River, named for the harbour seals, normally marine creatures that are found up to 200 kilometres upstream from Hudson Bay.

In Saskatchewan there is the Churchill River, a succession of shimmering lakes interconnected by rapids, waterfalls and short stretches of river. It was the main water passage to the Canadian northwest for early explorers.

The Clearwater River in Saskatchewan and Alberta was the main route to the rich fur country of the north. The Fraser River in British Columbia is British Columbia's largest river, is the longest river in the Canadian Heritage river system and is the greatest salmon river in the world.

It seems, as usual, that we have all the greatest and the best references both in the east and west to the salmon rivers. However I am sure that for both sections of the country the feeling of pride in their salmon is well deserved. Fortunately we do not have to have a contest between our Atlantic and west coast salmon so the issue stays with the rivers.

There are the Athabaska, Kicking Horse and North Saskatchewan Rivers.

In the Yukon there is the Alsek River. Then there is the beautiful South Nahanni River, which is in the Arctic in the Northwest Territories.

I will leave the balance of the time to the member who most deserves that time, for her to explain a little further why she has come forward with such an excellent motion and such an excellent idea.

[United Nations Day, October 24th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, it is an honour for me to remind parliamentarians that, today, Canadians are joining with the other members of the United Nations family, to celebrate United Nations Day, which marks the date the UN charter came into effect in 1945.

The credibility and effectiveness of the United Nations have been enhanced by the outstanding leadership of Secretary General Kofi Annan. His vision for a revitalized organization received a vote of confidence of the highest order when the Nobel committee decided to award the Nobel Peace Prize to him and to the United Nations.

It is clear that the terrorist threat can best be met through a co-ordinated multilateral response. However while the United Nations faces unprecedented challenges it is reassuring that the purposes and principles entrenched in its charter continue to provide inspiration for our multilateral efforts to meet these threats.

I take this opportunity to pay tribute to the many Canadians who serve throughout the United Nations system.

[Armenia, October 23rd, 2001]

Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for sharing her views concerning the events of 1914 to 1925, during the closing years of the Ottoman empire, which claimed so many victims and had such a devastating impact on the Armenian people and other peoples in the region.

It was a period of history when so many atrocities were committed. Our previous debates and the moving addresses made in the House by a number of members have given many of us a better grasp of the magnitude of those events and of the suffering endured by Armenians and other groups who were displaced by the millions.

Members may recall that on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Armenian tragedy of 1915, the Prime Minister spoke to Canada's Armenian communities in these terms:

Canada recognizes and deplores the fact that a great number of Armenians were killed during the wars which marked the end of the Ottoman empire and extends its sympathy to the Armenian Community. Following the war, numerous displaced Armenians came to Canada and their contribution, as well as that of their descendants, has greatly enriched Canadian society. It is my hope that the memories of the past will serve to remind us of the importance of tolerance and respect for the diversity of our people.

Members may also recall that on June 10, 1999, following comprehensive consultations, the position of the Government of Canada with regard to these events was set out in a statement made in the House by the hon. member for Halton speaking on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The hon. member stated:

--we remember the calamity inflicted on the Armenian people in 1915. This tragedy was committed with the intent to destroy a national group in which hundreds of thousands of Armenians were subjected to atrocities which included massive deportations and massacres.

May the memory of this period contribute to healing wounds as well as to reconciliation of present day nations and communities and remind us all of our collective duty to work together toward world peace--

Both of the above statements demonstrate that we share the memory of the suffering during this painful period. We have not forgotten. It is indelibly etched in our minds. During the debate on the Armenian tragedy in 1996, the House adopted a motion recognizing the week of April 20 to April 27 each year as a week of remembrance of the inhumanity of people toward one another.

The government has shown in previous debates and continues to show today that it attaches a great deal of importance to ensuring that the memory of this human tragedy is never allowed to fade from our collective conscience. It is important that knowledge of this event and of other calamities throughout the 20th century be kept alive and passed on to future generations. Remembering these events should also prompt us to further develop international mechanisms for preventing them from recurring and promoting reconciliation, which is crucial to achieving everlasting peace and a new start for all.

From this perspective, our country is a symbol of hope for humanity. In Canada, people from all over the world suffering from oppression, displacement and damaged dignity have found and continue to find refuge and comfort, an oasis of tolerance, sharing and understanding. These people who have been displaced, including people of Armenian descent, have succeeded here in rebuilding their lives in a safe place where individual freedoms are protected in Canada.

Canada is a land of hope, of renewal and of reconciliation and we are all working very hard, especially in these times, to ensure that Canadian ideals and values, such as tolerance, democracy and supremacy of law, are reflected in the work of international organizations and in the tools developed to prevent any recurrence of the horrors of the past.

We are not alone in defending these ideals, of course, but it is something we do naturally because we live in a tolerant society, a society where the diversity and differences of people from around the world is not only allowed but protected, promoted and, I might say, celebrated.

Our regular participation in peacekeeping missions around the globe is clear testimony to our desire and determination to make a concrete contribution to shaping a world where reconciliation and tolerance can replace hate and intolerance.

It is essential, indeed I would say it is our duty, to work tirelessly to promote multiculturalism throughout those parts of the world where its acceptance is precarious because we can use Canada as a shining example.

Today more than ever we must strive to promote tolerance and reconciliation among peoples so that the horrors of the past, like the tragedy suffered by the Armenian people, are never repeated.

[Committees of the House, October 23rd, 2001]

Madam Speaker, prior to speaking this evening, I would seek unanimous consent of the House for a motion. I move:

That the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration be authorized to travel to Vancouver, Winnipeg, Windsor, St. John, New Brunswick and Montreal from October 29 to November 1 in relation to its study on security at ports of entry in Canada and that the necessary staff accompany the committee.

(Motion agreed to)

[Foreign Missions and International Organizations Act, October 22nd, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague from Peterborough for his questions. With regard to the security question I would assure the member that police can provide such protection under common law, as was mentioned earlier. However the amendment hopes to clarify that power. To assuage some of the concerns across the way, clarification frequently leads to a delineation that is meant to make clear that police have a certain authority beyond which they cannot go. They cannot extend it to levels that would concern people. Clarification frequently means exactly that. That is all we are hoping to attain by moving out of the realm of common law and into a codification of that power.

The second question, a very good one, was with regard to international organizations that have not been established by treaty. This allows us to grant immunities and privileges by order. It is not an automatic trigger. It requires an order to be passed to organizations and conferences.

For instance, the OSCE, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, and the G-8 are organizations that meet frequently in different places and have not been established by treaty. It almost goes without saying, but I guess we now need to say it in an amendment, that people who attend the OSCE, G-8 or similar bodies must have the same immunities and privileges as those who attend organizations set up within the ambit of a treaty. Staying with the G-8, I suppose it is timely to have this clarified and in place.