Rey D. Pagtakhan

[Sikh Community, April 23rd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, last Monday the Government of Canada unveiled a 46¢ stamp to honour one century of contributions to Canada by the Canadian Sikh community. In unveiling the commemorative stamp the Prime Minister said:

This celebration is very much what Canada is all about. As Canadians, many of us today take it for granted that this country values equality and fairness. The experience shows us that was not always the case.

Indeed the history of the Sikh community in Canada left a scar in our nation's past when the Sikhs on the Komagata Maru were refused entry and sent back to India. Canada has now buried the lingering memories of the Komagata Maru .

Last Monday's occasion reminds us that out of a people's struggle emerges the strength of a nation's citizenship. We can all be proud that Canada is a nation of people who have brought to this land diversity, values and honour.

[St. Paul University, April 20th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, last Sunday, St. Paul University in Ottawa, known for its commitment to Catholic education, granted honorary doctorates to four citizens of the world in Canada, Philippines and Germany: Ms. Marjorie Hodgson, respected aboriginal leader who has worked to support healing within aboriginal communities; Madame Labelle, Chancellor of the University of Ottawa; Father Wilhelm Steckling, Superior General of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate; and, Brother Andrew Gonzalez, President of the International Federation of Catholic Universities and the Secretary of State for Education, Culture and Sports of the Republic of the Philippines.

As a Canadian member of Parliament of Filipino heritage, it gives me a special sense of joy to see that two of the recipients are from Canada and one from the Philippines. These honours are a tribute to the recipients and therefore to the social value of education. This is welcome news since Canada has placed education as one of its national priorities.

When we salute the recipients, we show the abiding faith we have in our students, youth—

[Persons Case, April 19th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, 83 years ago today the Alberta Liberal government granted women the right to vote, joining Saskatchewan and my own province of Manitoba, which earlier that same year had that right of suffrage extended to women.

Much of the credit for ensuring that Canada led the world in women's suffrage must go to Nellie McClung, who headed the campaign. She, along with Emily Murphy, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby and Henrietta Edwards, known as the Famous Five, won legal equality for all Canadian women in the Persons Case of 1929.

May we in this House join today's generation of Canadians in saluting these early activists for their life-long determination to end discrimination in whatever form it takes.

What these visionary activists secured for Canadian women, they secured for democracy; indeed an historic legacy.

[Social Policy, April 14th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Human Resources Development who met two days ago with the federal-provincial-territorial council on social policy renewal.

Could the minister update the House on what the government is doing to ensure that Canada's children indeed have the opportunities needed for a better start in life?

[Fisheries And Oceans, March 25th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

A Canadian delegation recently attended the United Nations fisheries and agricultural organization meeting in Rome. What was accomplished in terms of protecting the world's oceans from destructive fishing, from overfishing and from pollution?

[Caregivers, March 24th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the struggles and joys of Canada's home caregivers and those to whom they give care for reasons of infirmity, disability or illness reflect the eloquence of our societal values.

André Picard and his team at The Globe and Mail are to be commended for drawing attention to this issue, the magnitude of which is staggering. Over one million Canadians need help—flexible work time, training, financing, respite and basic services—to cope with the demands of caregiving for their loved ones, most of whom are their parents or spouses. Indeed, governments at all levels have a duty to act and to act promptly.

May the issue ignite and the new social union framework facilitate the creation of a national home care program. To ignore its urgency is to surrender Canadian values at our own peril. The challenge to do good is at hand. We cannot long endure.

[Government Services Act, 1999, March 23rd, 1999]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. When the opposition called for a point of order there were more government members present in the Chamber.

[Research And Development, March 22nd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State for Science, Research and Development.

It will be a big loss for Canada when Dr. Shirley Neuman, a leading Canadian scholar in Canadian literature and publishing, leaves her position as Dean of Arts at the University of British Columbia to accept a similar appointment at the University of Michigan.

What is the government doing to restore funding to research in the social sciences and humanities, a true pillar of Canadian identity?

[National Housing Act, March 11th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I am saddened when members of parliament particularly from that party see no good in what the government has done. They are prone to exaggeration of nothingness. I remember having attended a few events in Winnipeg where I delivered federal government funding for social housing.

That being said, would the member agree that the meeting on homelessness between Mayor Lastman and the Prime Minister was important? Would she agree that the pledge of the Prime Minister to attend the summit on homelessness in Toronto on March 25 is significant? Would she agree that it is significant that health-related homelessness could be addressed by the $11.5 billion transferred through the CHST? I hope that she would.

[The Budget, March 2nd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, I think we have allocated sufficiently in this budget for the law enforcement agency of Canada.

The gun control law is now part of the law of the country, part of the rule of law. I hope the member opposite will obey the rule of law.