Rey D. Pagtakhan

[The Philippines, October 29th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the Speech from the Throne, which opened the second session of the 36th Parliament, speaks of Canada's place in the world as an outward looking country with a trade oriented economy.

It gives me a special sense of pride when my country of birth, the Philippines, experiences Canada's broadened economic vision at a time when our two nations are celebrating half a century of diplomatic relations.

Recently team Canada '97, led by the Prime Minister, was in the Philippines. This past August the Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific led another trade mission to the country and witnessed the official opening of the Canadian consulate in the city of Cebu, a beautiful place where my wife spent her formative years.

Officials from Cebu were in Toronto yesterday to sign a twin city agreement. We acknowledge their presence, along with Philippine Consul General Susan Castrence, in the gallery and welcome them to watch our proceedings in the House this morning.

[Agriculture, October 28th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, “Farming is the single most important factor in Canadian experience,” wrote author Allan Anderson in Remembering the Farm .

It is, therefore, welcome when the Prime Minister and the premiers of Manitoba and Saskatchewan come together and when delegations of farmers, ministers and officials meet with key federal ministers and government caucuses to find urgent solutions to the farm income crisis and to address the root causes on a long term basis.

Dialogues like these, not sheer political partisanship, are more effective in further advancing the interests of farmers to the well-being of all Canadians. Thus, we can be confident that the Government of Canada, working together with all stakeholders, will find the solution and soon.

Farming is vital to Canada's food production system, is vital to the Canadian economy and will continue to be vital to Canadian life.

[Committees Of The House, May 14th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the second report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, pursuant to the order of reference of March 1, 1999, on Bill C-63, an act respecting Canadian citizenship.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the members, research staff and clerk of the committee as well as the interpreters, the witnesses and others who assisted the committee in its study of Bill C-63.

[Public Sector Pension Investment Board Act, May 13th, 1999]

This is an example of a member of the Reform Party trying to make a travesty of democracy in Canada. I am not angered, I am saddened that it would be evinced by the member opposite.

The duty of government to this pension plan is not only that the federal government will match the contribution of federal employees, but as well it must be noted very clearly that the government will assume all the risk.

There are two points. The government matches the contribution of the employees and at the same time it makes up for any short fall.

What is the issue before us? I will read from the editorial which I mentioned previously:

Today, the plan is estimated to have a $30 billion surplus, meaning that if the future pension entitlements for all employees and retirees were paid out today, the pension fund would have $30 billion to spare.

Two weeks ago Ottawa introduced legislation....

Complicating the debate is the fact that the pension fund and the surplus exist only on paper. In reality, the government has always used the employee contributions to help finance its programs. The benefits are funded on a pay-as-you-go basis from budget revenues....

So if the employees were to win the battle for even richer pension benefits, government spending would automatically go up.

I hope the Reform Party would agree with that. That would leave less money for social programs like health care and less money to reduce the personal income taxes of all Canadians.

I think it only follows that the surplus truly belongs to the Canadian people. Because we assume all the risk, it only follows that it belongs to the Canadian people. According to the Toronto Star , “The government is on solid ground”.

I am surprised the Reform Party, which tries to say that it is about a cut to income tax, would miss the opportunity to find a source for the reduction of income taxes; that a party which would like to see a reduction in our debt would lose the opportunity to find a social fund so we could reduce our debt. More important, we can have a social fund to allocate expenditures for our health care program.

I think I have made the basic points on the issue. With the permission of the Speaker, I will answer any questions that members opposite would like to pose.

[Public Sector Pension Investment Board Act, May 13th, 1999]

I can stand here because this is a House of democracy. If the member of the Reform Party respects democracy, then he will respect freedom of speech.

[Public Sector Pension Investment Board Act, May 13th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the issue before us concerns the federal employees' pension plan. It is estimated that there is a surplus of about $30 billion.

From time to time we should draw wisdom from the media. I have in my hand an editorial from the Toronto Star dated April 26, 1999. I could not do better than to quote profusely from this editorial.

What, for example, is the nature of the federal employees' plan? What is the amount they contribute from their earnings? They contribute a maximum of 7.5% of their earnings to this plan. Apparently it is a plan that is acceptable to them and it is indeed a very good plan.

What is the duty of the federal government to this plan?

[Petitions, May 7th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I too would like to present petitions on behalf of those who seek the amendment of the Divorce Act to allow grandparents to have access to their grandchildren. It is a very laudable objective indeed.

[Youth Violence, May 7th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the recent shootings in Taber, Alberta and Littleton, Colorado have once more awakened us to the issue of violence among children.

What can we do as a nation?

I am reminded of a speech by Hetty Adams, Canada's leading educator in teaching children the skills of peace, which she gave a little over two years ago.

Children are not born with violence in their blood, but their exposure to behaviours of violence have made some desensitized to it.

When we plant the seeds of self-esteem, tolerance, anger management, mediation and conflict resolution in the hearts and minds of our young, we will harvest a citizenry skilled in peacekeeping and peacemaking.

May the federal government, in collaboration with the provincial governments, seek to establish nationwide a curriculum in peace studies at all school levels.

May this be one legacy we leave as a nation as we head into the new millennium: a citizenry of children and youth who live and champion the ethics of peace, not tragedies of school violence.

[Václav Havel, April 30th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday Canadians witnessed in the House a living champion of freedom, President Václav Havel of the Czech Republic. The Prime Minister introduced him as “a beacon of freedom”.

You, Mr. Speaker, referred to “how one individual can influence the course of history in the face of great adversity” when thanking him yesterday. Mr. Havel honoured our country by accepting to address the nation.

It was also a very special moment for Manitobans when my alma mater, the University of Manitoba, granted President Havel a special honorary degree in recognition of his unique place in world history, for he is a man of courage, conviction and insight.

We were truly privileged in the House to experience the eloquence of his philosophy and the simplicity of his words when he concluded his remarks by saying “while the state is a human creation, humanity is a creation of God”. Truly Mr. Havel reminded us of the ethics of human conscience.

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, April 28th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta will serve as the stage for the RCMP's 125th anniversary of its historical 1874 March West.

From May 8 to July 25 the RCMP, with hundreds of volunteers, will re-enact their first crossing of the prairies by the frontier police and celebrate the contribution to the settlement of Canada.

This event will create the opportunity for citizens within the prairies and beyond to travel together the beauty of Canada's western landscape, thereby enhancing the RCMP's tradition.

The positive influence of the RCMP officers on the Canadian west has truly extended to include the whole nation. By their commitment to serve and protect they provide a symbol of pride and security for all Canadians.

Indeed, this anniversary, which is not merely of the past nor the present but of the future, deserves the jubilation of all Canadians.