Aileen Carroll

[Petitions, March 27th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present two petitions to the House.

In the first one, more than 300 constituents in my riding of Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford and adjacent ridings have signed a petition that calls upon parliament to legislate clear labelling on all genetically altered seeds, foods and their byproducts available in Canada.

It further requests that these products be banned from the market until they have been rigorously tested to prove their safety when consumed by humans and come into contact with all other species with whom we share the planet.

[The Environment, March 16th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, a report commissioned by Environment Canada reveals that up to 100,000 seabirds are killed every year in the oily waters off the coast of Newfoundland. I am certain that Canadians are as angry as I am that these waters are being used as a dumping ground for oily wastes by ships headed to the U.S.

Due to totally inadequate environmental surveillance and ridiculously low fines for polluters, these ships pump their bilge with impunity before they reach U.S. territory. A conviction for fouling European or American waters can cost shipping companies up to $1 million. In Canada the average penalty for the few ships apprehended has been a puny $7,000.

When will this country get into active pollution regulation enforcement and commit the funds to make our enforcers a real threat to these environmental criminals? They cannot get away with causing the slow death of seabirds in Europe or the U.S., but they do it in our waters where the fines are merely a cost of doing business. I ask members—

[The Environment, March 3rd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, earlier this week The Globe and Mail reported that the Canadian Environmental Industry Association is worried that Canada's rules allowing the dumping of untreated hazardous waste into landfills are too lax. The industry itself is warning that Canada risks being flooded with cancer causing wastes from the United States because of Canada's weak regulations.

It is not the import of waste that the industry is warning us about. It is the practice of dumping toxic pollutants into landfills, banned in the United States but still legal in Canada.

There are treatments for destroying the dangerous materials, but the matter is under provincial jurisdiction and the Ontario government has taken no action whatever to match the more rigorous U.S. rules. This negligence has been noted by the U.S. EPA. It reflects badly on Canada's reputation internationally, let alone on the health of Canadians who live in Ontario.

[Mozambique, March 2nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, in the first week of February torrential rains began to fall in Mozambique causing the worst floods in 50 years. Before it could recover, Mozambique was hit again last week by a cyclone leaving 65,000 people homeless.

I am proud to say that Canada has responded to this natural disaster by providing the people of Mozambique with $1.6 million in assistance. This money will provide food, blankets, medicine, clean water and urgently needed air support.

In the latest budget Canada has increased bilateral international assistance to $435 million over the next three years. This means Canada can continue to help other countries like Mozambique that face catastrophic natural disasters.

This budget demonstrates that Canada continues to be a generous and fair country.

[The Budget, February 29th, 2000]

Madam Speaker, it is important to note that we have restored to 1993 levels and even above federal contributions to health care. Quebec receives about 28% of total transfers. That is quite a bit considering that it represents 24% of the population.

As well, we have seen the health minister emphasize the need for efficiencies. We are back to a large percentage of the funding of health, but there is a need for all provinces to come together to make a more efficient system. It requires all their input.

[The Budget, February 29th, 2000]

Madam Speaker, debt reduction has always been a priority of the government. We have from the beginning addressed it by a 50:50 approach: 50% on new spending and 50% on tax reduction and debt reduction. We have helped to create a economic milieu in the country whereby the economy has grown. It continues to grow at such a pace that it factors into the debt ratio. This has declined, as the questioner knows, and will continue to do so. Yes, we have reduced it by $3 billion for each of our years. Yes, we continue to set aside a contingency fund which most likely will be able to be applied to the debt at the end of this fiscal year.

In phrasing his question the hon. member made reference to the fact that perhaps members on this side of the House were singing from a song sheet that someone else prepared. We prepared that song sheet. We had a finance minister and a cabinet listen closely to a caucus wherein we are free to speak of all things vital to us, to reflect what our constituents tell us about health care, to hear from our constituents and to feed into a budget. This budget is a result of that. It reflects an open caucus where every person on this side of the House feels that he or she has been a part in setting the budget.

The official opposition, to the best of my knowledge, for a party that wants to be grassroots does not run a caucus in any way like the caucus of the Liberal government.

[The Budget, February 29th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, at the outset I offer my congratulations to the Minister of Finance for crafting a budget of remarkable scope and balance. The minister has remained to true to his course and, as well, has responded to continued input from the Liberal caucus.

I have spoken in my riding of Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford to many groups at various times about how committed the government has been to realigning the federal balance sheet, getting our finances in order, eliminating the deficit and planning for the day when we would be able to return dividends to Canadians for their investment in successive Liberal governments.

Canadians, including my constituents of Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford, have invested in this government. They have given us their trust to restore our nation's finances. They have shown confidence in us to build a stronger, more innovative economy. They have trusted us to improve the quality of life for them and their children.

The time has now arrived when we begin to repay Canadians for supporting our plan.

A key component of my government's plan is to cut taxes. This will mean more money in the pockets of Canadians, stronger economic growth, continuing job creation and the enhancement of a more competitive edge for Canada globally.

The five year reduction plan that will restore full indexation to the personal income tax system is an essential ingredient of this budget. Core tax rates are reduced for the first time in 12 years. Personal income taxes are being reduced on an annual basis by an average of 15% in 2004-05. This plan will reduce taxes by a cumulative total of at least $58 billion over the next five years.

Full indexation is a fundamental break with the past and is a measure requested by many of my constituents. I am heartened that the Minister of Finance has heard those of us who have advocated for this tax change, and I thank my constituents who persisted in raising this issue on various occasions over the last three years.

Full indexation will stop the automatic tax increases and benefit erosion that have taken place under our Canadian tax system since the mid-80s. For the first time the real value of benefits, such as the Canada child tax benefit and the GST tax credit, will no longer be eroded by inflation.

For the first time in 12 years a federal income tax, the middle tax rate, will be lowered. The plan reduces the middle tax rate to 23% from 26%, starting with a two point reduction to 24% in July of this year. Eventually this will cut the taxes for 9 million Canadians.

The bottom line is that Canadians will be able to earn more income tax free and more of their income will be taxed at lower rates. This is the dividend Canadians have earned for their patience and fortitude in supporting the Liberal plan to get the federal fiscal house in order.

The plan enriches the Canada child tax benefit so that by 2004 an additional $2.5 billion annually will be provided to low and middle income families with children. This measure alone provides increased income for more than half of my constituents in Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford.

The plan eliminates the 5% deficit reduction surtax on middle income Canadians with incomes up to $85,000, and the plan raises to 25% this year and 30% next year the permissible foreign content of investments in registered plans and RRSPs. This is a measure that I and many of my colleagues have been promoting. I am very pleased that we have seen its accomplishment.

For students, I, along with many of my colleagues, was alerted by post-secondary institutions and student associations that the level of taxation on scholarships did not synchronize with the objective of reducing student debt load. Consequently, the government listened and it responded by increasing to $3,000 from $500 the amount of tax free income from bursaries, fellowships and scholarships, such as the Canadian millennium scholarship.

Other tax reduction measures include a reduction in capital gains from 75% to 65% effective immediately. In fact, this plan is so munificent that the opposition, which has been militant in its pursuit of a tax agenda, cannot even come up with a response. Even Owen Lippert, spokesman for the conservative Fraser forum, complimented the budget and the tax cut plan on this morning's edition of Canada A.M. . Mr. Lippert stated that the government must have been listening to him. If the Vancouver based Fraser Institute likes this budget then the opposition Reform and Conservative Parties are obviously taking a long walk off a short peer as they scramble to take issue with it.

There are other equally vital priorities as well. Canadians have reported repeatedly to pollsters, the media and to us, their elected representatives, that there must be an increase in support for post-secondary education and health care. The government has responded by increasing the Canada health and social transfer payments by $2.5 billion. Next year the CHST cash allotment will reach $15.5 billion, a 25% increase over the past two years. This infusion brings the federal transfer to the provinces above the original full funding level. The initially removed moneys have now been replaced and enhanced. The onus is now very much on the provinces to ensure that these allocated moneys become moneys dedicated to the intended purposes.

An editorial last week in the Toronto Star pointed out that the Ontario government, amidst its constant criticism of the federal government, has neglected to dedicate the full amount of $1.5 billion transferred in last year's budget for health care. The Ontario government has still not utilized $700 million for health.

While Ontario's share of the new money in this year's budget will not solve all our problems, distinguished health care systems analyst, Michael Dechter, stated again this morning that it would be enough to hire thousands of nurses. We Ontarians should therefore be looking for significant improvements in our health care delivery system.

As well, the budget reinforces the government's grasp of the essentials of research and development and the need for Canada to excel in all areas of skills, technology and knowledge. The government created the Canada Foundation for Innovation in 1997 and we continue to make it one of the cornerstones of our plan by infusing the CFI with an additional $900 million in this budget.

In addition, the creation of the sustainable development technology fund will foster innovation by helping companies develop new technologies and bring them to market. In this regard I exhort Canadian companies to follow our lead and reconfigure their entrepreneurial spirit which has focused far too frequently in recent times on the need to cut costs rather than to develop new products.

Canadian companies have not invested sufficiently in the development of unique products and processes. As a result Canada stands 12th worldwide with regard to company operations and strategies. While Canada sits second only to the U.S. in overall connectedness, our businesses are not making optimal use of our connectivity. Canadian CEOs place a greater priority on cost reduction rather than on capturing markets in every corner of the globe through e-commerce.

As the Minister of Finance said yesterday in his budget speech, the private sector must change its concept of risk. This budget assists them in every facet. It is vital that the private sector meets the challenges of the 21st century and meets the bar the government and this budget have set.

I am also delighted that this budget recognizes that our Canadian forces have endured severe financial restrictions in recent years. I have promoted the serious need to reinforce the programs and resources of our forces, and quite frankly the successful result read in the House yesterday was a victory for many members of our caucus. This infusion will allow our military to continue to represent Canada with distinction in our peacekeeping and peacemaking roles.

Another victory for all of us is the recognition that the municipalities have an enormous role to play in the ever growing responsibility of environmental protection. The green municipal enabling fund helps communities assess where their environmental needs are the greatest. The budget also creates a revolving fund, the green municipal investment fund. The administration of these two funds will be the responsibility of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, a highly respected organization. From this initiative we hope to generate the best approaches to renewable energy, water conservation, waste management and urban transit programs.

I have dedicated much of my time since my election to the study of environmental degradation and the search for remedies. These initiatives permit immediate implementation of measures that communities can activate and thus make practical use of the knowledge, experience and recommendations of the environmental science and engineering professions.

I am honoured to be an active participant in the Liberal government and to represent the constituents of Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford. I am confident that we will continue to enjoy the support of Canadians so that we can further build on the frameworks we have structured concerning all these things.

[Girl Guides Of Canada, February 22nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the Girl Guides of Canada are proud to announce the debut of their first flag in this their 90th year of service.

The Girl Guides of Canada, Guides du Canada, is a movement for girls led by women. It challenges girls to reach their potential and empowers them to give leadership and services as responsible citizens around the world.

In Canada there are over 167,000 members between the ages of 5 and 17. In Barrie—Simcoe—Bradford the Maple Leaf and Champlain Divisions comprise many age groups. The Girl Guide movement is a non-discriminatory, worldwide organization with 10 million members.

I ask the House to join me and the Girl Guides immediately after question period in the Hall of Honour to celebrate the dedication of their special flag to the people of Canada.

[Imperial Order Of The Daughters Of The Empire, February 15th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, last Sunday one of Canada's most distinguished women's charitable associations, the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire, celebrated its 100th anniversary. In my riding members of the Barrie Kempenfelt chapter paid tribute at Central United Church to the IODE's accomplishments and its future initiatives.

The IODE was founded on February 13, 1900 and worked on behalf of Canadian families and children and supported Canada's efforts in wartime among many other accomplishments.

The Barrie Kempenfelt chapter contributes to a broad range of organizations in my community. This chapter has a particular interest in children with special needs.

I ask the House to join me in congratulating the IODE and wishing all members continuing success in the next 100 years.

[Endangered Species, February 8th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of the Environment.

Canadians are very concerned about the protection of wildlife species and their ecosystems. Dr. David Green, of the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, says that the current list of endangered species is just the tip of the iceberg.

What additional money and manpower will be made available to increase scientific species assessments and reviews?