Andrew Telegdi

[Committee Of The Whole, October 28th, 1996]

Madam Speaker, I see the humour in this situation in listening to members of the third party, listening to hot air coming once again into this Chamber.

We are talking about promises and I recall the leader of the third party rising in this House and calling this Parliament one without precedent. He called the make-up of this Parliament one without precedent. They told us they were going to do things differently. Canadians and members of this House know that they broke that pledge. It is reflected in the opinions of Canadians when they are asked what they think of members of the third party.

If there were intellectual honesty in the motion proposed by members of the third party they would support a member of the official opposition's filling the position. That is not what they proposed. They proposed that one of their members should fill the position of deputy chair.

I would like to respond to the hon. member for St. Albert. We had an election for the chair of the public accounts committee. That position has by tradition gone to a member of the official opposition. I recall how vigorously they opposed and filibustered to stop that appointment from taking place. Now they are standing in the House talking about what they would like to be done. They are not dealing with reality.

Let me repeat that if there were intellectual honesty in their position they would be talking about a member of the official opposition's filling the position.

There is no question that the member for Kingston and the Islands is an excellent choice. He will serve the House well. He will serve Canadians well. He will carry out his duties in a very judicial fashion.

Clearly there is no question that if members of the third party had any intellectual honesty they would not have been self-serving and would have suggested that the position be filled by a member of the official opposition.

Canadians know that those members have been lusting after the status of official opposition. They have had opportunities. They have campaigned across the country in byelections. They said to the electorate in different constituencies: "We are the Reform Party. Elect us to Parliament so we can become the official opposition". They have gone to the electorate across the country time and time again. The electorate has said no, and with good reason. It is because of the string of broken promises, promises they did not fulfill when they got to the House of Commons. I am

disappointed, along with many other Canadians, that they have not fulfilled those promises.

I applaud the nomination of the member for Kingston and the Islands. He will serve the House and Canadians well.

[Canadian Securities Commission, October 28th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the secretary of state for financial institutions.

The numerous provincial securities commissions in Canada mitigate against efficiency of investment, mitigate against wealth and job creation. This situation forces many emerging Canadian companies to go to U.S. markets for financing.

Will the minister tell us what he is doing to establish a national securities commission?

[Canada Community Investment Plan, October 22nd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, earlier today the Minister of Industry announced that Canada's technology triangle, comprised of the municipalities of Cambridge, Guelph, Kitchener and Waterloo, is one of 11 successful communities that will participate in the new Canada community investment plan.

The CCIP is an innovative program to facilitate access to equity capital for smaller firms with potential for growth. Under the CCIP the federal government partners with eligible communities to help their businesses grow so that they can create jobs and economic growth. Industry Canada will contribute two-thirds of the cost, up to a maximum of $600,000 per community over five years. The remaining third will come from the community.

The project will add economic vitality to Canada's technology triangle. That is part of the new economy, an economy where traditional industries modernize and new information and environmentally based industries are growing. It means more jobs and more research and development for the people in Canada's technology triangle.

[Habitat For Humanity, October 9th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, Habitat for Humanity is a charitable organization dedicated to the elimination of poverty housing by empowering people through home ownership.

This past summer from August 12 to 16, under the Jimmy Carter work project, 10 homes were built in Vac, Hungary. Six hundred volunteers worked on the homes and 19 of those volunteers were from Canada.

One of the 10 homes built was named Canada House and was financed mostly by Canadians with Hungarian backgrounds. The building of Canada House was truly a labour of love as Marcus and Lisa Shantz demonstrated. They spent part of their honeymoon building Canada House under the supervision of Milo Shantz, Marcus' father.

Habitat for Humanity is an example of creativity, generosity and accomplishment in making our world a better place. I congratulate the people who were involved in Habitat for Humanity in Vac, Hungary as well as the people who volunteered for Habitat for Humanity world wide.

[Petitions, September 30th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the third petition deals with the issue of euthanasia. It is against assisted suicide.

[Petitions, September 30th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition deals with Bill C-205 presented by the member for Scarborough West. This bill wants to outlaw criminals profiting from crime.

[Petitions, September 30th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions I would like to present to the House.

The first petition deals with the issue of land mines. It makes the point that there are 100 million uncleared land mines affecting 64 countries and that an estimated 26,000 civilians are killed and injured by these mines annually.

Therefore, the petitioners ask Parliament to legislate a comprehensive ban on the production, export and trade or transfer of anti-personal land mines.

[Cities Of Waterloo, June 20th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, 40 people from the city of Waterloo, Ontario are on their way to Waterloo, Quebec to attend a bicycle festival this weekend.

The two Waterloos, after years of exchanges, officially twinned their two communities in October 1995 during the Octoberfest celebrations in Waterloo, Ontario.

The mayors of the two Waterloos, Bernard Provencher and Brian Turnbull, were in Ottawa on October 19, 1995 to exchange their respective municipal flags in the presence of the Prime Minister. The mayors made the point that people to people contact among Canadians is important to build understanding and to promote national unity.

Waterloo, Quebec voted yes to Canada and no to separation.

We commend the two Waterloos for continuing their ties and for promoting understanding and goodwill among Canadians.

[Supply, May 30th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, it is hard to take the previous member and his party seriously when one looks at the opposition day motion.

Let me first express some regret because when the Reform Party was first elected to the House its members promised to do politics differently. That really has not been the case. They probably represent the worst in partisan politics. The electors in British Columbia know that as they only elected two out of seventy-five Reform members in the very recent election.

The leader of the third party said: "I will not accept a chauffeur and a car from the government. I am going to be different". Then we find out that the chauffeur supplied by the Reform Party is subsidized by Canadian taxpayers. Later we find out that there is a suit allowance which provides clothes for the leader of the Reform Party. People within the party who raised these matters were subject to criticism.

We also have the case where the members of the third party waxed eloquently when we were dealing with one of the members in our caucus for opposing the government on a matter of confidence. What does the Reform Party do? It suspends two of its members for voicing concern over its policy, which is a matter of freedom of speech. It drove a third member out of the party, one who is regarded by most people as a moderate Reformer.

The motion ends with "cynicism about public institutions, governments, politicians and the political process". Surely the member recognizes that by Reform members cynical actions during the referendum campaign, where they tried to undermine the very integrity of this country, they are the ones who have promoted cynicism about public institutions and politicians in a way that has not been done in the history of this country.

[Financial Administration Act, May 17th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate my colleague on a fine speech. I notice that the member for Calgary West wants to replace the member for Calgary Southwest as leader.

In terms of the motion before us, I am the vice-chair of the public accounts committee and I see merit in the motion. In many cases too many reports come before the public accounts committee. I believe this year there are some 35 chapters and we will be fortunate enough if we get to examine seven of them. Clearly it would be useful to make sure that issues raised by the auditor general got back to the relevant standing committees and then ultimately reported to the House.

There is no question we want the auditor general and the public accounts committee to be certain that the bureaucracy has taken the suggestions into account and has made the relevant changes to make government operations more efficient.