Judi Longfield

[Customs, May 26th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Revenue.

Last weekend a group of tired Canadian forces members travelling on a military service flight returned to CFB Trenton after four months in Kuwait. Can the minister tell this House why these very special Canadians were forced to endure the often lengthy customs re-entry procedures after a patriotic tour of duty?

[Alberta Forest Fires, May 14th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, forest fires are raging in Alberta, forcing people to flee their homes and businesses. We know how valuable the Canadian Armed Forces were to the flood victims in the Red River and the Saguenay, and to those in eastern Canada affected by the recent ice storm. Can the minister of defence tell this House how the armed forces are helping the people of Alberta?

[Human Rights, May 1st, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to turn the attention of the House to the very important issue of human rights, an issue the Reform Party seldom if every raises in the House.

I am very disturbed to hear of the reported rise of hate and bias activity in British Columbia.

Can the secretary of state inform the House what initiatives she and her department have taken to combat the promotion of hatred and to prevent its growth in our communities?

[International Association Of Firefighters, April 29th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the hospitality shown and the positive suggestions made by the International Association of Firefighters which has been meeting here in Ottawa at its seventh annual legislative conference.

Firefighters, as members know, are primary guardians of safety who are prepared to risk their lives in the performance of their duties. I would like to officially recognize them for their continuing dedication, sacrifice and service to this country.

Firefighters from across Canada have been to Ottawa to advance a number of very important issues. Among them is their request for the establishment of a federally regulated, third party investigative agency that would lessen the risk to firefighters who must deal with tragedies like the 1997 Plastimet fire in Hamilton.

They ask that we extend funding to complete the testing of Operation Respond, a program designed to ensure the safety of firefighters. I support these requests.

I call on my government to demonstrate its commitment to safety and its respect for firefighters. I urge it to implement—

[Canada Book Day, April 23rd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to mark the third annual Canada book day. The brainchild of a well known Canadian author, Lawrence Martin, Canada book day coincides with the UNESCO declared international book day.

Sponsored jointly by the Writers' Development Trust, a national charitable organization dedicated to the advancement and nurturing of Canadian writers and writing, the Department of Canadian Heritage and the private sector, the motto for this year's event is “give one, get one, read one”.

We will be marking Canada Book Day in my riding in a special way. Councils in both Ajax and Whitby have officially declared today as Canada Book Day. I will be presenting a book by a Canadian children's author to every child born in my riding today. As of 1 p.m. I am pleased to report that I have four new constituents and five on the way momentarily.

I encourage all Canadians to visit the official Canada Book Day website to find out about events in their communities. I urge all Canadians to get one, give one, read one.

[Reform Party Of Canada, March 26th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, it must be tough to be a B.C. Reform member these days. It has been a long cold winter in Ottawa and I have heard that being shut in behind the walls of Stornoway without bingo makes one a little crazy.

While British Columbians expect their MPs to debate the budget, Reformers take flag waving joy rides around Parliament Hill. While this government works for lower taxes, a reduced debt and improved health care, Reformers devote their time in question period to mud slinging at the Prime Minister. While this government is acting on recommendations put forward by the national forum on health, Reformers dance to a mariachi band outside the other place.

It is clear that Reform has lost touch with the people of B.C. and that is why constituents of B.C. are turning to Liberals like Lou Sekora in Port Moody—Coquitlam for leadership. Lou knows that tax relief, debt reduction, more and better jobs and preserving key social programs are what people are really concerned about. Reform is out of touch with British Columbians—

[Canadian Armed Forces, March 18th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, in mid-September this member received her first parliamentary posting to the Standing Committee on National Defence and Veterans Affairs.

Since then I have been deployed to northern, western and central Canadian Armed Forces bases to investigate quality of life issues. Our military men and women remain prepared to give not only their personal freedom but also their lives if need be in the performance of their duties.

Too often we, the parliamentarians of Canada, remain silent. We neglect to reassure and demonstrate to our military that we understand the need to reaffirm our commitment to honouring our moral responsibility to them.

It has been said that the fastest way to lose one's sovereignty is to lose one's defence capabilities.

Canada must never allow its sovereignty to be put in jeopardy. We must ensure that our military has the tools, the manpower and the support it needs to stand on guard for Canadians.

[Division No. 101, March 17th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I would vote no with my party.

[Observance Of Two Minutes Of Silence On Remembrance Day Act, March 12th, 1998]

Madam Speaker, in the short minute available to me I want to say how proud I am to stand here and offer my support for the bill before us.

I certainly would take issue with some of the comments about reducing this to one minute. I believe two minutes is not a great deal of time to ask anyone to stand and pay tribute to those who have paid the supreme sacrifice on our behalf. It is the very least we can do.

I urge all members of the House to vigorously lend their support. It will take time and effort on the part of all of us. These are simply words on paper until such time as they take action. We need to lend our support to our legions, to make certain that each and every one of us do our part in making sure the very valuable initiative on the part of the member opposite comes to fruition.

[Durham College, February 26th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank the Minister of Finance for highlighting Durham College in his budget speech.

Durham College was founded in 1967 and began with a brave and important mission, to create and offer the best in college programs and to help students embark on successful careers.

Durham College has succeeded in this mission and is now one of the premier education institutions in Ontario, serving over 42,000 students.

It provides a true integration of the traditional workplace mandate of colleges and the traditional scholarship mandate of universities, thus providing the best of both worlds to students, employers and taxpayers.

With the announcement of the millennium scholarship fund, the RESP program and the Canada studies grants, more students will be able to take advantage of Durham College's vision for the future.

I congratulate Gary Polonsky, president of Durham College, who was in the gallery for the budget speech, for his contribution to the future of our young people.