Andy Scott

[Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, April 19th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, this week Canadians celebrated the 20th anniversary of the charter of rights and freedoms. Our nation has been built on the premise that with diversity comes strength. Never before has it been so important for all Canadians to remember this.

With the tragic events occurring in the Middle East and with tensions running high elsewhere, Canadians and indeed people from around the world must take a moment to reflect on the power of peace and mutual respect.

Canadians have a long tradition of showing the world how countries with a diverse population can live in peace and harmony. All Canadians should be proud of this tradition and continue to strengthen the ties of friendship and community that have made our country a beacon of peace through justice around the world.

[Research and Development, March 20th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government has increased its spending on R and D in recent years to the CFI, the research chairs program and with increases in the research granting councils. However, these increases have forced Canadian universities to bear the indirect costs associated with that research, resulting in the $200 million indirect funds program announced last fall.

Could the Secretary of State for Science, Research and Development provide the rationale for the use of a sliding scale in the allocation of these funds?

[Research and Development, March 20th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government has increased its spending on R and D--

[Arts and Culture, March 14th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I take this occasion to speak about the four hour dramatic series Trudeau which will air on CBC television on Sunday, March 31, and Monday, April 1. The two part series was produced by Nova Scotia's Big Motion Pictures. It takes a candid look at 15 years in the political and personal life of one of our greatest prime ministers, Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

I am also pleased to have with us on the Hill today a splendid actor who has appeared in over 40 Stratford Festival productions. He also frequently acts on television and in film and is well known for his performance in the title role of Thirty-Two Short Films About Glenn Gould , portraying the eccentric concert pianist. It is my pleasure to salute Mr. Colm Feore as Pierre Elliott Trudeau in the miniseries Trudeau .

[Committees of the House, March 1st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the twelfth report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

Pursuant to its order of reference of Tuesday, October 16, 2001, the committee has considered Bill C-217, the blood samples act, and pursuant to Standing Order 97.1 recommends the House of Commons do not proceed further with the bill, that the order be discharged and that the bill be withdrawn from the order paper.

I also have the honour to present, in both official languages, the thirteenth report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(2) the committee recommends that the issues addressed in Bill C-217, the blood samples act, be placed on the agenda for the next meeting of the federal-provincial-territorial meetings of ministers of justice, attorneys general and solicitors general, as well as the agenda of the uniform law conference.

In addition, the committee recommends that Health Canada increase its efforts to gather statistics on the number of emergency workers who are exposed to blood borne pathogens in the course of their duties. The committee also recommends that government allocate the resources necessary to achieve this objective.

[2002 Winter Olympics, February 26th, 2002]

Madam Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Canada's outstanding performance at the Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

Much has already been said about the success of Canada's men's and women's hockey teams, our speed skaters, figure skaters, aerial freestylers, the fact that so many of our team finished in the top 10 of their sport and that such a large number of our athletes received medals.

I also pay tribute to the United States for its capacity to produce the Olympics with such success in the aftermath of September 11, and to the International Olympic Committee for reminding us what the world was like prior to the tragic events of last September.

In particular and most importantly I commend Canada's Olympic chef de mission, our own Sally Rehorick of Fredericton, New Brunswick who handled the early controversy and considerable expectations of our team with class and great competence and made Canada and Fredericton very proud.

To Sally, congratulations and bravo.

[Committees of the House, February 6th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the eleventh report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

In accordance with Standing Order 108(1)( c ), the committee is pleased to report to the House that it has agreed to hold a hearing on the annual report of the privacy commissioner for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2001.

[Privilege, January 31st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I would first note the civility with which this debate is taking place. It is done in good faith on all parts to make sure that we get this new process right.

A couple of points need to be established. As chair of the justice committee, being made aware of the requirement that we meet, we called a meeting specifically for this purpose. I personally invited representatives of the Department of Justice to be available in the event that the committee wanted to hear from the officials from the Department of Justice. That is why they were there.

The committee was also aware of the fact that the government response to the question was made the day following. That informed the committee's decision, as well as the fact that the member for Provencher brought forward a notice of motion to give 48 hours notice to discuss the substance. I accept the positions stated by both members that those are two distinct aspects of this, but I think that they had the effect of causing the committee to be aware that the issue would in some fashion remain alive and that did bear on the decision.

In any case I believe the committee members are masters of their own destiny. They made a decision in good faith. I do not think there was any particular motive behind that, other than since the answer had been given one day late, and since we were going to be discussing it the following week, I genuinely believe the committee made the decision that we could move forward and be in compliance with the standing order which caused us to have this discussion and decided at that moment that it was unnecessary to proceed further.

My own view as chair, and the advice I received, was that as long as the committee entertained this discussion and was aware of the fact that the department had not responded in the appropriate time, it was then up to the committee to decide what action to take. In the face of the circumstances I just articulated, the committee in a majority vote decided not to hear the witnesses and to move on.

[Committees of the House, December 12th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the tenth report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.

Pursuant to the order of reference of Wednesday, October 3, the committee has considered Bill C-30, the courts administration act, and has agreed to report it with amendments.

[Petitions, December 10th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36 I am pleased to present a petition.

Before its discontinuance, VIA Rail Atlantic, linking Halifax and Montreal through southwestern New Brunswick, was a successful service with 66% occupancy and 336 passengers handled each time it travelled. Given the increasing scarcity and price of fossil fuels and our concerns over health related air quality issues, the petitioners request that the House of Commons, through Transport Canada and the federal crown corporation VIA Rail, restore passenger service linking Saint John and Fredericton westward through Sherbrooke to Montreal and east through Moncton to Halifax.