Jean Augustine

[The Environment, November 26th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I listened very carefully to the minister and would like to draw his attention to a program in 3,000 Toronto households. That program is called Green Saver. It shows people how to improve home comfort, save on bills and reduce household energy consumption. The green saver program works with clients and shows some improvement in terms of their individual homes. It shows the impact on climate change and emissions. They have documented the progress that individuals have been able to make.

I want to ask the minister if individuals and communities with some assistance, acting on their own, can reduce greenhouse emissions, what is the federal government taking into the international forum to show how the federal government itself has been putting its house in order? In other words, how can we show some of the efficiencies that we have done in our federal buildings and what can we take to that forum for discussion?

[Anti-Personnel Mines Convention Implementation Act, November 24th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member's sharing his time with me. I know the lateness of the hour but I am really honoured to stand and to speak on behalf of my constituents of Etobicoke—Lakeshore.

Many of them have been watching the debate most of the day and I have had several calls of support and calls of congratulations to the men and women on both sides of this House today who stood unified, who stood together to ensure and to speak to the passage of Bill C-22, the anti-personnel mines convention implementation act, an act to ban the use, stockpiling and transfer of anti-personnel mines.

I am also pleased to hear not only the eloquent speeches but also the congratulatory notes and the recognition of the work that has been done by all.

On December 3 and 4 the world will be watching Canada, not only Canada but the 89 or more countries that will be here to sign this anti-personnel mines convention. I too commend the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the United Nations Mine Action Centre and other non-governmental organizations, Jody Williams and those who have received the Nobel prize with her, those who have worked tirelessly in making the signing of the land mines convention in Ottawa on December 3, 1997 a reality.

Canada's efforts in ridding the world of these deadly weapons is a testament to our humanitarianism as a country, as a nation, and of the strong tradition in which Canadian foreign policy is modelled. As a nation we are admired for our deep compassion for others less fortunate than ourselves and this is amplified in this treaty.

I was one of the group from the foreign affairs and defence standing committees who went to the former Yugoslavia, a country that laden with land mines. I saw firsthand the devastation to lives that these weapons can do. It is estimated that there are over 18,000 minefields in Bosnia. It has been predicted that it could take over 70 years to clear the approximately three million land mines, land mines left from the recent conflicts.

Needless to say, an estimated 25,000 civilians, many of them children, are killed worldwide each year by land mines.

This convention is long overdue. I am proud that Canada has taken the lead in the global community to rid this planet of these horrible weapons. Bill C-22 is the beginning to global awareness of land mines. Young and old suffer the emotional fallout of being injured or have suffered the loss of a loved one to land mines.

The signing of the convention is a starting point to bringing greater awareness to this issue.

The Ottawa process provides an opportunity to build a greater awareness. The Ottawa process is to pursue the international community to ban the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines. We cannot forget that once this treaty is signed by co-operating states, Canada's work is not over. Once this convention is signed, Canada and the world must continue to work together with nations that have not yet endorsed the convention to do so.

We know that key countries such as the United States and China have not endorsed the convention. I am disappointed, as I am sure we all are. Their support could go a long way toward the eradication of land mines from the globe. This is why Canada must continue to vehemently work to put pressure on those nations that are not signatories to the Ottawa treaty. It is our obligation as a nation to make this world a safer place where children will be free from the damages caused by these deadly weapons.

I encourage young people in Canada today to look at this tremendous feat with pride and as an example of the strong political will that exists in this House. To all the victims of land mines in the world, you have voiced your opinions about land mines. You who know the hurt and the pain, you who know the tragedy, we have heard you. Canada has heard.

I close by saying that I am very proud that we have demonstrated leadership on this issue. Many thanks to our Minister of Foreign Affairs, our Prime Minister and our NGOs for bringing the treaty on anti-personnel land mines to fruition.

[Peter Ruderman, November 19th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to take this opportunity to recognize and congratulate Mr. Peter Ruderman, a constituent of Etobicoke—Lakeshore, for his tremendous volunteer efforts in assisting a state-run medical fund to make a successful and efficient transition to a private fund in Kazakhstan.

As a volunteer with the Canadian Executive Service Organization, Mr. Ruderman shared his expertise on the organization of the Canadian health care system through a series of lectures and discussions with health care professionals.

Mr. Ruderman's work is an example of the spirit of volunteerism. The people of Etobicoke—Lakeshore are proud of his efforts.

Congratulations, Mr. Ruderman.

[Petitions, November 17th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I have several petitioners who urge the federal government to join with the provincial governments to make the national highway system upgrading possible beginning in 1997.

[Sickle Cell Disease, November 3rd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to inform the House about sickle cell disease.

Sickle cell disease is a chronic blood disorder. It is genetic. The lifespan of a person with sickle cell varies. Members of our community who are afflicted with the disease experience physical, emotional and social effects of the disease.

Extensive research and funding are limited on sickle cell. There is a need for resources to help health care professionals provide appropriate treatment. On behalf of my constituents and other Canadians who are afflicted with sickle cell, I call for greater government funding and research for this disease.

I applaud the Sickle Cell Association of Ontario, the Sick Children's Hospital and the Scarborough General Hospital for their efforts in ensuring that this disease is understood.

[Population And Development, October 30th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, today is an important day in our parliamentary history. The Canadian Association for Parliamentarians on Population and Development is launched on this day.

This association will give parliamentarians in Canada the unique opportunity to raise the national awareness of population and development issues and to influence and shape policy decisions consistent with commitments made at international conferences and in Canadian foreign policy.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank you, officials and parliamentarians from the U.K., Bolivia, Asia, and all the NGOs who have participated and assisted to make this effort come alive.

[Kenya, October 27th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State for Latin America and Africa. Canadians read of violent crackdowns on political demonstrations in Kenya.

In light of upcoming elections could the secretary of state tell us what Canada has done to make clear our support for free and democratic elections for the Kenyan people?

[The Late Simone Flahiff, October 21st, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the late Mrs. Simone Flahiff, a friend and constituent in Etobicoke—Lakeshore.

Simone was a challenging woman. She challenged all to be the best and applied the same standard to herself. Her crafts were legendary as was her cooking. She loved making floral arrangements for her church, Our Lady of Peace, where she was a founding member. The Catholic Women's League, the Liberal Party of Canada and the Liberal Women's Commission received the benefit of her abilities.

Simone will be greatly missed by her son Terry, family and friends. Simone watched the daily question period and I know she is watching us today.

Simone, my friend, thanks for your years of service to our communities. May you rest in peace.

[National Menopause Awareness Month, October 10th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House that October is National Menopause Awareness Month.

Menopause is a major health concern of Canadian women. By the year 2000 approximately four million women will be entering or will already have experienced menopause. There is a need to build greater awareness through the dissemination of information on the effects of menopause.

Menopause can act as a trigger to accelerate the risk of certain diseases such as osteoporosis, which affects one in four women because of estrogen depletion.

The Liberal government has made a commitment to women's health through the establishment of five centres of excellence for women's health. These centres are mandated to conduct research and provide information to the public on key health issues affecting women.

Through the initiative of these centres and the work of other national organizations such as the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, greater awareness on menopause will make our health—

[Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Act, October 8th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to participate in the debate to amend the Canada pension plan.

In Etobicoke—Lakeshore there are many seniors who have written, who have spoken with me and who have attended consultation meetings where we discussed the changes and the need for changes to the Canada pension plan. The plan is a primary source of income on which many Canadians rely in retirement.

Indeed, Canadians are greatly concerned about any changes to the plan which might have an adverse effect on their economic stability.

As members of Parliament, it is our duty to ensure that the financial future of all Canadians is secure and that Canadians will continue to have confidence in the Canada pension plan. The Liberal government is taking the responsibility for the future direction of the plan seriously by initiating the proposed changes. The changes are reflective of the Liberal government's belief in assisting, providing and protecting those in need.

I support Bill C-2, the legislation to amend the plan because that legislation will ensure that we have an improved and effective public pension plan that protects individuals in retirement. In an age where a wide variety of financial instruments are available to Canadians to prepare for retirement, not all Canadians can afford or have the protection of RRSPs.

Experts on CPP have drawn the government's attention to the fact that in light of national realities such as an aging population, the decline in population growth, that the plan needs to be tailored to match the demographic realities of our country. We are facing up to the demographic realities by securing the future of the CPP.

The proposed changes were the result of a lengthy consultation process with provincial and territorial governments, professionals in the actuarial and insurance professions, representatives of social planning organizations, seniors, young people and other Canadians.

From this process, one thing was clear: Canadians want a national pension plan even if changes are necessary to ensure its viability in the future.

It has been established by repeated government studies that payouts lagged behind the contributions. We need to have payouts and contributions in line so that Canadians can have a plan beyond the year 2015. This means that in order to maintain the current benefit structure, contribution rates need to increase by 14% of income by the year 2030.

It is interesting that the consultation which I held in Etobicoke—Lakeshore, individuals were talking about 15%. A 14% increase in CPP premiums is a rate that most Canadians would find difficult to manage. There needs to be a middle ground in relation to what Canadians are willing to pay into and receive from the plan.

Under the legislation, marginal increases to contribution rates will be slowly phased in over a seven-year period. Contributions will be increased by .4% of income this year and will go to 9.9% of income by the year 2003 as compared with the current rate of 5.85%.

As evidenced, the increase in contribution rates will not be dramatic and therefore Canadians can have a secure CPP that is affordable.

I would like to reiterate the facts of the proposed changes that the hon. Minister of Finance has given on numerous occasions in the last Parliament and which are echoed in this Parliament by many colleagues. My constituents would like to hear that current benefits such as CPP retirement pensions, disability benefits, survivor benefits or combined benefits are not affected by the amendments in Bill C-2. Any Canadian over age 65 as of December 31, 1997 who elects to receive CPP as of this date their pension will not be affected. Likewise all benefits under the CPP except death benefits will be fully indexed to inflation. If Canadians choose to retire at age 60 or 65 or up to age 70, these ages of eligibility for retirement will remain unchanged.

These are the principal tenets of the CPP that will remain intact. As the government embarks on rebuilding a sound CPP plan, Canadians who are not now in receipt of CPP need to know that there will be future changes. Future beneficiaries who will be in receipt of retirement pensions will see a change in benefits because calculations will be based on five years of pensionable earnings instead of the current three years.

The disability component of CPP will be affected by the proposed changes. An applicant who is eligible to receive disability benefits would have to contribute to the CPP in four of the last six years instead of two of the last three years or five of the last ten years which is the current contribution requirement. Benefits for these applicants will be calculated based on the applicant's maximum pensionable earnings at the time of disablement instead of at age 65. I know that these are issues that many of us deal with in our constituency offices.

Changes will be made to payments of death benefits. CPP contributors will continue to receive death benefit payments under the plan, but again the benefit will continue to be based on six months of retirement benefits. They will see a decrease and this decrease is due to the fact that we want to address the problem of income disparity by ensuring that low income Canadians are not adversely impacted by the proposed changes.

These proposed changes to the CPP will ensure that Canadians will continue to have an economically viable and stable pension plan that meets their future retirement needs. The intent of these changes is to give us better options and to ensure the viability of the plan.

I call on all members at this point in time to support this initiative for the benefit of all Canadians.