Jean Augustine

[Foreign Publishers Advertising Services Act, March 8th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the member across the way said we may speak according to the way we see fit. I want to address the bill according to the way I see fit this afternoon because many of my constituents who are watching and listening to the debate have asked us questions and I would like to answer a few of them on Bill C-55, the magazine bill or the advertising by foreign periodical publishers bill, and freedom of expression.

I received a couple of calls today asking how Bill C-55 would ensure that Canadian magazine publishers have clear access to Canadian advertising services and the revenues accruing from them. The answer to my constituents was that without those revenues we would not have a viable Canadian magazine industry. Without those revenues we would be unable to provide Canadian readers with the broad range of Canadian publications we currently have.

Many of us as members of parliament were present at a display in one of the rooms on the parliamentary precincts a while ago where several hundred Canadian magazines were on the shelves. Men and women who were cultural artists, photographers, graphic artists, writers, publishers, et cetera, were also there. They were very proud of the work they were doing. They see this as a viable way of making a living for themselves and see any move in the direction of where there is no support for Bill C-55 as being a threat to them, to their future and to Canadian cultural activities.

After reading several articles in the press this weekend, we know that the Reform Party will not be supporting the bill. It is not unreasonable to hear what we heard today in debate. It is part of the plan of action wherein there is little support.

I want to speak specifically to my constituents who have some concerns and have addressed them to me. In discussions with several of them there was a sense that Bill C-55 would stop U.S. magazines from entering Canada. I think other members addressed this earlier, but I want to make sure they understand that U.S. magazines will continue to be welcomed in Canada and that U.S. magazines account for 80% of newsstand sales in Canada.

Bill C-55 is about regulating access to advertising services. Foreign publishers seek access to revenues from selling Canadian advertising services without producing original editorial content for the Canadian market. That revenue is then not available to Canadian publishers that actually produce original content for the Canadian market.

The important point is the fact that foreign publishers cannot come in and use our Canadian advertising services and walk away with our Canadian dollars, denying Canadians the opportunity to benefit from the Canadian market.

We hear a good deal about the trade war that will result between Canada and the United States. My constituents are concerned about this when they hear from the Reform members what could possibly happen to us as a result, what industries could be put at risk, the fact that at this point in time what we will be really doing is letting the American anger and the American feelings over this issue somehow come down on us like a ton of bricks.

I want to say to my constituents that this is not a trade war. Canada and the U.S. have the world's most successful trading relationship with about 95% of all goods going back and forth across the border. We have ways we could settle disputes and that dispute settlements are there to be used. This is precisely why Bill C-55 has provisions that if the U.S. dislikes the provision it can then turn to international dispute settlement.

One other item that is also important is something I jotted down from a conversation with a constituent who spoke about the fact that the bill does not place restrictions on the content of magazines or on individual advertisements or limits Canadians' access to foreign magazines. This is someone who is supportive of Bill C-55 and who wanted to make sure that I made that point today. This bill does not place restrictions on the contents of magazines.

Another constituent addressed the issue of freedom of expression to enjoy a diversity of Canadian ideas. I think this is what Bill C-55 is ensuring, that Canadians continue to have the freedom to express, the freedom to enjoy a diversity of ideas as seen in Canadian magazines.

I encourage my colleagues in the Reform Party to take a second look at their position at this point to recognize the importance of Canadian advertisers to invest in Canadian publications and to again take another look at the fact that this is not draconian and unprecedented legislation. We have at least 100 pieces of legislation that contain similar legal provisions as we see in Bill C-55.

This is not the last time to debate this bill. Other opportunities will be presented. This is not the last opportunity, as one member across the way states. Other opportunities will be provided.

We need to stand up for our cultural artists. As we head into the new millennium it is important that Canadian cultural activities be affirmed and that we go into the millennium strengthened.

Bill C-55 supports longstanding Canadian cultural policies. It is consistent with our international trade obligations and it is the Canadian thing to do.

[Commonwealth Day, March 8th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, today is Commonwealth Day. In 1949, the second Monday in March was chosen to be the day when member countries around the world observe their association as Commonwealth members.

This year's theme for Commonwealth Day is music. Music is a unifying force that binds us together as citizens of the global community. The rich variety of music is as diverse as the Commonwealth itself. The Commonwealth includes over a quarter of the world's population, spanning differences in race, creed and language in 54 countries.

Yesterday I was privileged to attend the Royal Commonwealth Society celebration in Toronto and was impressed by the musical performances of our young people and their ability to communicate through music.

Our future is assured as young people around the world participate in musical activities and share in these international fora. Happy Commonwealth Day to all.

[The Budget, March 3rd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy that I was able to give the member the opportunity to read into this debate the concerns that he has in the books.

Again, we are addressing some issues that we have advanced from the 1998 budget into the 1999 budget. If the member did spend the time to go through the documentation, he would see the progress that we have made from 1993 until now.

[The Budget, March 3rd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I think I will comment on the comment.

I will not want to use the analogy of war. I tend to be a peaceful person and therefore I would like to see the positives.

I tried to speak to my constituents about what budget '99 has in it for them. We know that cuts had to be made. We know that we started in 1993 with a $42 billion deficit and some things had to be done. What we have done at this point in time is we have tried to address some issues and to move forward. Budget '99 has indeed moved the agenda forward.

[The Budget, March 3rd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to join in the debate on the 1999 budget. I will be sharing my time with one of my colleagues, the member for Mississauga South.

I congratulate the hon. Minister of Finance for putting forward a budget that addresses the needs of Canadians. This is a budget we can all be proud of. Today I will use my time to speak briefly to three themes in the budget. I want to make sure my constituents who are watching this debate get some facts directly from the budget. I will address the issues of health care, knowledge, innovation and tax relief as outlined in the budget.

I believe the support of strategies to enhance quality health care for Canadians and the support to families and individuals in our tax system are essential for the growth of Etobicoke—Lakeshore and for all communities across the country.

Budget '99 is not an end in itself. It is a continuation of the federal government's commitment to building a strong, secure future for all Canadians. My constituents are pleased with budget '99 and agree that the government has taken yet another step in the right direction.

Over the past year my constituents have been saying to me that they would like to see the budget surplus used for deficit reduction, health, research and development, and tax relief among other things. In my consultations with them, those were the issues that kept coming to the top.

With the budget the federal government has delivered on their priorities without borrowing a single penny. I was pleased to share that with my constituents. Despite new investments in social and economic priorities, the federal government has not swerved in staying the course in sustaining sound fiscal management. This is what all of us in the House want our government to do.

In 1993 when the government took office the budgetary deficit stood at $42 billion. The state of Canada's fiscal house was in poor shape. The federal government had a major task in balancing the books and restoring the confidence of Canadians in our economy.

My constituents were concerned. The phone calls and the round table discussions we held all expressed their concern about the deficit. In 1998, when we delivered a budget that eliminated the deficit and balanced the books for the first time in 28 years, we were pleased and proud to share that with every individual who sat around the table and moaned with us about the $42 billion deficit we were in.

Today the policy of sound, prudent fiscal management pursued by the federal government has put our economy on the right track for the benefit of all Canadians.

Budget '99 continues the course. It continues to build on this comprehensive plan for creating a strong economy and a secure society. On this side of the House we believe that our young people deserve to inherit a country that is fiscally robust and capable of meeting the challenges of the next century. As we head into that next century the fiscal outlook of Canada is positive.

As we listened to our finance minister on budget day, all Canadians got the sense of renewed optimism about the economic viability of our country. In budget '99 the federal government will again balance our books. For the first time since 1951-52, the government has been deficit free for two consecutive years. The federal government will remain committed. We heard our Minister of Finance speak to this.

The 1999-2000 budget and the 2000-01 budget are again recording consecutive balanced budgets. The fiscal policy of the government continues to put the debt to GDP ratio on a permanent downward track. Again, this pleased my constituents. This is of tremendous significance to them simply because balanced budgets and a decline in the debt to GDP ratio means that the government can free up resources to strengthen our health care system, provide tax relief, invest in a more productive economy and a higher standard of living by promoting access to knowledge, research and innovation.

Budget '99 also preserved our health care system by securing high quality, equitable health care for all Canadians. The budget sets us on a course that speaks to the highest possible quality of health care and other tools that will make healthy lifestyles and healthy lives.

The health agreement reached in last month's first ministers conference and the new social union framework shows Canadians that the federal and provincial governments will pursue a common vision that puts health and quality of life first. We know that the prosperity of any nation depends on the health of its citizens. It has a direct bearing on how well Canada is situated in the global economy and ultimately the future of our country.

In budget '99 the federal government reaffirmed to all Canadians that sustaining and strengthening health care is one of its key priorities. My constituents know the total number is $11.5 billion and they are very much aware of the $3.5 billion that will be provided immediately as a one time supplement which the provinces will have the flexibility to draw upon according to their needs and priorities. In the province of Ontario we know the importance of that immediate $3.5 billion and what it will create for us.

In the weeks leading up to the budget, my constituents asked me over and over to ensure that the federal government addressed the problems of crowded emergency rooms, long waiting lists, shortage of diagnostic services, et cetera. As the media portrayed the upcoming budget as a health budget, there was more and more anxiety by constituents to ensure that these issues were addressed. This health budget is welcome news for the people of Etobicoke—Lakeshore. Ontario will also be receiving other moneys. It will receive a $4.4 billion investment in health care to encourage the government to make fundamental improvements to Ontario's health care system.

Making decisions about one's health requires one to be given the information and the tools to make positive decisions and choices. I want to ensure that my constituents understand where some of the dollars will go in terms of initiatives to enhance the flow of health information. A national health surveillance network will be built which will electronically link laboratories and public health offices across the country.

My constituents also need to know that we are establishing the Canada health network, accessible by computer and telephone and enabling Canadians everywhere to have direct access to objective, reliable, up to date information on a range of health issues and providing better reports on the health of Canadians and the functioning of the health system. Those initiatives are consistent with the government's commitment on health and are a concrete step to strengthening medicare.

Budget '99 takes action on many fronts. It builds on the Canadian opportunities strategy by investing more than $1.8 billion over the remainder of this fiscal year and the next three years in the creation, the assimilation, the commercialization of knowledge and in support of employment.

There is just so much this budget has addressed that it would take minutes more to delineate the many positive items in this budget. I call on all of my colleagues as they debate this 1999 budget that they recognize the issues, that they recognize the measures which are in there and that they recognize the way in which this budget has addressed the concerns of Canadians.

[Health, March 2nd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, good nutrition is required for individuals to reach their full physical and intellectual potential.

Since March is nutrition month, could the Minister of Health tell Canadians what the budget has done to improve the nutritional health of mothers and newborns?

[Mathieu Da Costa Awards, February 19th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to pay tribute to the recipients of the 1999 Mathieu Da Costa Awards.

This awards program commemorates the legacy of Mathieu Da Costa, the first recorded black person to set foot in Canada. Mathieu Da Costa was an interpreter of the Micmac language for Samuel de Champlain during his voyage to Canada in the early 17th century.

This year's winners of the awards are: Kylene Cachelin of Kamloops, B.C.; Christina Young of Orleans, Ontario; Lucius Dechausay of Scarborough, Ontario; Samuel Carter-Shamai of Toronto, Ontario; Jennifer Ligget of Victoria, B.C.; Raelyne Linton of Parry, Saskatchewan; Mala Rambaran of Regina, Saskatchewan; Odolys Azondékon of Aylmer, Quebec; and Jennie Dorsaint of Laval, Quebec.

Congratulations to you all. You have made us proud through your willingness and commitment to learn more about our country's rich cultural heritage.

[Culture, February 17th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, earlier today the cultural industries sectoral advisory group on international trade released a report entitled “Canadian Culture in a Global World: New Strategies for Culture and Trade”.

Would the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Trade tell us how this report would help us and protect our culture in a globalized world discussion?

[Daniel Rehak, February 11th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are known around the world for our generosity and our willingness to help countries in the developing world. One Canadian who recently demonstrated this is Mr. Daniel Rehak, a constituent in my riding of Etobicoke—Lakeshore.

As a volunteer with the Canadian Executive Service Overseas, Daniel shared his expertise and knowledge of local area network systems with the vice-ministry of citizens services and municipal development in La Paz, Bolivia. He assisted the ministry in installing server software, local area networks, and in designing other computer programs to enable it to track migration effectively and efficiently.

Daniel's work is typical of Canadians who are motivated to provide services to disadvantaged economies. On behalf of the people of Etobicoke—Lakeshore I congratulate Daniel for his contributions to international development and for a job well done. He makes Canada proud.

[First Nations Land Management Act, February 1st, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak on report stage of Bill C-49, the first nations land management act. This bill is a step forward. It is an initiative that came about in partnership with 14 progressive first nations peoples. I call on all of my colleagues to realize that they cannot support Motions Nos. 1, 6 and 7.

The bill provides for an alternative land management regime whereby participating first nations control their lands and their natural resources by removing them from under the Indian Act provisions respecting land management while the remainder of the Indian Act continues to apply.

This is a positive model, a model not only to be implemented now but for the future transfer of land management to other first nations. There was also a protocol by which other first nations could be added to this bill as a result of an order in council. There are procedures in the bill regarding how this could occur. Provisions have also been included to address the concerns raised by native women. I know an earlier speaker brought up the situation of native women.

Regarding the motion before us, it will in some way change the intent of “Gathering Strength” and the intent of this bill. It is important for our Reform colleague to recognize that consultation cannot be mandated. To suggest at this point in our history that we will legislate consultations between the first nations and municipalities is unacceptable to the first nations and to us as Canadians who are working to arrive at justice, fairness, equity and all those things for our first nations people.

Therefore the motion before us would modify the conditions that were already agreed on by 14 signatory first nations in the framework agreement. The impact will somehow change the intent of the bill, to mandate, to define or to limit. The intent is really to change the bill in some way. I think that we need the support of all members on all sides of the House to resist such a transformation and such changing of a bill which has so far the agreement of so many parties.

There are ongoing processes. We need to respect the jurisdictional issues. We need respect the codes we have before us. At the same time having had aboriginal people come together and agree on the items within Bill C-49 we should go ahead and support this.

So I stand not to make a lengthy speech but really to support Bill C-49, to call on my colleagues on all sides of the House to oppose Reform's intention to dilute, to change and to modify the intent of Bill C-49.