Jean Augustine

[Excise Tax Act, February 10th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, Bill C-70, the new single harmonized tax system is designed to significantly simplify the sales tax rules for charities. The legislation includes measures to streamline the definition of charity to make the application of sales tax rules simpler. In speaking with several of the volunteer organizations and charities in the riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore, those measures in Bill C-70 please them greatly.

The bill raises the existing small supplier thresholds applicable to taxable supplies and gross revenue, reducing the number of charities required to register for sales tax purposes. The measures the small charities in my riding see of benefit consolidate and simplify the rules governing the charities' taxable activities. These

measures within Bill C-70 are designed to assist charities. They are designed to ensure that volunteers can work productively within those charities without spending administrative time. These are benefits within Bill C-70. Another measure simplifies the requirements for filing returns and claiming rebates. Again we know the volunteer hours that are spent doing those two important tasks.

The overall effect of the changes are really what we should be focusing on; that is, simplifying the rules, reducing the workload that volunteers give of their time and effort. All of this would seem to be outside pure accounting and economic lines. Those are reasons that Bill C-70 needs to be supported.

It is also important to note in this debate that Bill C-70 speaks about efficiency, fairness and simplicity in the tax system. It calls on every one of us in this House on behalf of our constituents to ensure that we are providing them with the ways in which they are able to respond to bureaucracy, government measures, revenue issues and taxation. We are providing them with those measures.

It is important that this is supported. All members on all sides of the House must realize the discussion is one that speaks to a harmonized system that would benefit our entire country. They too have spoken about a difficulty with the old GST, the difficulty in the system, the labour intensity in the system and the fact that it is a tax that stands in the way of businesses doing what they should do and could do for all Canadians.

I call on all members on all sides of the House to recognize that this debate is about harmonization. This debate is about a single harmonized tax system. This debate is about simplicity, fairness and an economically efficient tax system. I call on all members to focus on the debate and support the bill.

[Excise Tax Act, February 10th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak at report stage of Bill C-70. Despite the diatribe that has been heard before me, this debate is really about harmonization. This debate is about the new single harmonized tax system. This debate is about a simpler, fairer and more economically efficient harmonized tax system. This debate is about benefits that would be realized by individuals, communities and groups.

I will speak about five different areas in which the new single harmonized tax system will benefit consumers and businesses. I want to talk about the economic benefits it will have for all Canadians. I want to talk about the lower administrative costs. I want to talk about organizations such as colleges, schools, hospitals, universities and the registered charities which will benefit from this system.

My colleague spoke about consumers. He spoke about the benefits which will be realized as a result of the tax inclusive pricing rules inherent in Bill C-70. Those rules will ensure that consumers know the full price of a good or a service before paying for it, while keeping the rate of sales tax visible on receipts.

Another of my colleagues spoke about businesses which will have to deal with only one set of sales tax forms. There will be one set of operating rules. There will be one tax administration.

There is a business in my area run by Mr. Cinelli, a hairdressing salon. He has spoken about the time and the effort which he has to expend because of the GST. It is complicated and it affects his business.

There are benefits for Atlantic Canada. Members of Parliament from Atlantic Canada have spoken about the benefits the new system will have for business.

Would we in Ontario have such benefits? All Ontario members of Parliament are awaiting Premier Mike Harris' pledge to harmonize the system. We appeal to him at this point in time to get onboard and to consider the harmonized system which he knows will benefit the province of Ontario. It will benefit the businesses of Ontario, especially the businesses that currently have to deal with so much administration.

We have also heard from members across the way a whole series of difficulties they see with the system. They do not seem to understand the intent of harmonization. Or maybe they refuse to understand the benefits which a single, harmonized tax will provide for businesses. Economic benefits will flow from the removal of tax on business inputs. There will be lower administration costs.

A lot of time has been spent talking about the Prime Minister and individuals who spoke while in opposition without fully considering the low administrative costs which businesses will realize. The intent must surely be to ensure that Canadian businesses survive and grow and that administrative and economic benefits are provided to those businesses so they can provide jobs.

We have in Canada 73,000 to 75,000 registered charities. Four thousand of them are comprised of hospitals, universities, public colleges and schools. They are not for profit organizations engaged in charitable activities.

In my riding there are several hundred registered charities. They vary from small relief organizations, anti-poverty groups, benevolent groups, the cancer society to others like the children's aid society, the YMCA and YWCA. Those charities are small. They have unsophisticated accounting systems and rely heavily on volunteers. Those organizations will benefit from the harmonized sales tax system. The administration of those organizations and the workload of their volunteers will be simplified as a result of the harmonized sales tax.

Bill C-70 is designed to significantly simplify that burden for charities. What I consider to be the four or five important measures that will assist those organizations-

[Petitions, February 10th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have several petitions from constituents of Etobicoke-Lakeshore.

These constituents call on Parliament to ensure dedicated AIDS funding beyond March 1998 and to renew the national AIDS strategy now. The national AIDS strategy, phase II, will expire on

March 31, 1998 and there has been no commitment to renew or extend it.

Canada's economy loses more than $1 billion each year because of person years lost to AIDS.

[Excise Tax Act, February 10th, 1997]

His Reform friends.

[Black History Month, February 3rd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, February has been designated Black History Month. All over the country, people will be honouring the contribution of people of African origin to the development of Canada.

This month we honour the accomplishments of many African Canadians so that young Canadians realize the role that these figures play in shaping equality and in the multicultural nature of this country.

I want to pay special tribute to someone who passed away about two weeks ago, Lloyd Perry. He was a community worker, the Official Guardian of Ontario, someone who belonged to such organizations as the War Amps, who received several awards and several honours as a black Canadian who made several contributions.

At this time, this House should be well aware of the contributions of people like Lloyd Perry and others who have given so much to this country.

[Human Rights, December 11th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's record on human rights has improved dramatically since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the UN General Assembly in 1948. In many respects, the declaration of that seminal document has served as a watershed in Canada's own record in human rights.

Since then, Canada has taken a leading role in advancing the interests of women and in its treatment of minorities, aboriginal people, people with disabilities and those with different sexual orientation.

Canada has also taken a very different approach to new immigrants and ethnic and racial minorities of all kinds, an approach which has embraced diversity and encouraged an open, tolerant and multicultural society.

Human rights day reminds us that there is always more to be done and new struggles to be waged. We have come a long way. Human rights day allows us to reflect on where we have gone and simultaneously to plan for the future.

[United Nations Universal Declaration Of Human Rights, December 10th, 1996]

Madam Speaker, I am honoured to rise in this place of free and open debate to speak in support of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1998.

I intend to speak today about the reasons why we must commemorate this important occasion. As Canadians we must lead the world in celebrating and reaffirming the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for four basic reasons, and I will give the House the four reasons.

First, Canada was instrumental in the declaration's existence. Second, our Canadian society has been profoundly shaped by the declaration's articles. Third, we must applaud the victories that we

have made in human rights internationally. Fourth, we must acknowledge that our work is not complete.

Canada and Canadians have been a force in establishing this important document. After the second world war our country shared the belief with our allies that we needed international institutions like the UN to prevent future wars from happening. It was the determination of Canadians like Louis St. Laurent and Lester Pearson that pushed for an institution which respected the sovereignty of states but also valued the rule of international law.

After the allies liberated the concentration camps at the end of the war, people around the world were shocked and dismayed by the inhumanity of the holocaust and the tyranny of the axis powers. This prompted Canada to join with other nations to establish the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

It was a Canadian who authored the original draft. The member for Mount Royal spoke about Dr. John Humphrey, a New Brunswick born Quebec lawyer, former dean of law at McGill University in Montreal, one of Canada's finest jurists, a key figure in setting out the scope and content of this great human rights convention. We have a great deal to be be proud of and we should celebrate the 50th anniversary of the universal declaration because of this.

Canada has had an important place and has played an important role in developing this international convention. However, Canadian society has also reaped the fruits of this great document. Our society, the envy of the world, has nurtured the seeds of the virtues of respect, tolerance, freedom and democracy.

This declaration has been a guiding force for these virtues right here at home, for example, the Canadian Citizenship Act of 1947, the Canadian Human Rights Act of 1977, the Canadian Employment Equity Act of 1986, the Canadian Multiculturalism Act of 1988 and last and most important, the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms adopted in 1982.

All of these important roots of Canadian human rights law were inspired by the articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We must celebrate our Canadian accomplishments as part of our international ones. That is why we must mark this important day.

As we approach the 50th anniversary, let us applaud our successes over the last few years. We have witnessed the transformation of South Africa from apartheid to a multiracial democracy. I witnessed this firsthand. I was fortunate to be chosen as the Canadian representative to observe South Africa's first multiracial elections in 1994.

We have also witnessed the progress to democracy in many parts of Latin America. My past riding president and provincial Liberal candidate Bruce Davis also went as a Canadian representative to monitor elections in Nicaragua a few years ago.

We have seen progress in Haiti, Russia and parts of eastern Europe. The spread of freedom, justice and democracy throughout the world is owed to this great document. This document has also been a rallying point for many international conferences on global issues.

Last year I was fortunate to attend the international conference on women in Beijing, China. It was there that the nations of the world met to affirm the principle of equality in article 2(1) of the universal declaration. It states:

Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

To put it simply, women's equality rights are human rights and countries of the world must reflect that. The declaration has been instrumental in our successes around the world but there is still work to be done. With regimes like Nigeria's, where oppression and corruption prevail, with gross violations of human rights in countries like Burma, Indonesia and Iraq, with conflicts fed not by ideology but by perverse commerce in places like Liberia, Afghanistan and Somalia, we must celebrate the UDHR and demand that these nations respect and honour the universal declaration.

With atrocities in Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, we realize that our work as a peace loving nation is not done. With the growth of hate messages on the Internet, we realize that our work as a tolerant, respectful, multicultural society is not done. With terrorist groups from Ireland to the United States to Israel spreading violence and fear in order to achieve political power, we realize that our work to preserve freedom and democracy and to respect the opinions of our opponents is not done.

We must celebrate and promote human rights by aiding the work of the international criminal tribunals, promote the strengthening of international labour standards, help establish an international criminal court and fight for the international initiatives for the welfare of children.

Until we do that, our work to establish free, democratic and civil societies around the world will not be done. We can begin this work by reaffirming our commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and by celebrating its 50th anniversary.

In closing, I can sum up my address by turning to the words of my esteemed colleague and friend from Winnipeg South Centre, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He remarked in a speech earlier this year: "If we turn away from the desolation and dismay of human suffering, if we fail to stop hatred from flowing through the channels of our new electronic networks, if we do not care about the present or future of vulnerable children, if we do not counter the capricious and arbitrary actions of authoritarian governments with

no legitimacy beyond weaponry and terror, then we will face harsh consequences down the road. In the larger landscape of human society, what began as hateful rhetoric may turn into open terrorism, regional warfare or genocide".

If we are serious about human rights around the world and here at home, we will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with all the glory it deserves. Every member of the House will join with me in affirming all 30 articles in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights today and especially in 1998.

[Mimico, November 29th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to applaud the members of the Mimico business community who this year re-established the Mimico-by-the Lake Business Association in my riding.

For many years now the retail district in this community has been in decline. The actions of local small business leaders, the residents and City Councillor Mr. Peter Milczyn have proved that when the community comes together it can produce positive results. Already businesses like Universal Bakery and Pekao Travel have changed the retail landscape. These improvements will move in step with the plans for the waterfront motel strip development.

For almost five years there was no construction in the area. We see that these changes and the fruits of this government's infrastructure plan for the waterfront motel strip are turning the economy around. The Mimico Business Association will join the New Toronto and Longbranch Business Associations-

[Manganese-Based Fuel Additives Act, November 29th, 1996]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased that the House is giving final consideration to Bill C-29.

Canadians will remember that we have an opportunity here to ensure that we pass legislation on the basis of both merit and good common sense. Canadians will remember that this is not muzzling Parliament, not gagging the House. We have had 10.5 hours of debate and discussion. Canadians will remember that this MMT legislation before us is an important stepping stone in the prevention of air pollution.

This package of government initiatives will result in billions of dollars in health benefits saved for Canadians and for our health care system. This will help prevent the pain and suffering of choking and gasping attacks by the young and the elderly when bad air days shroud our cities with a dirty blanket of pollution which happens too often in many of our cities, particularly during the summer.

Today almost every Canadian motorist uses MMT simply because Canadian refiners use MMT. The exact amount of this additive may vary from one batch of gasoline to another. In general, premium grade gasoline contains a higher volume of MMT than regular grade gasoline.

Let me focus on the technological advances that have steadily cut the harmful emissions coming out of our tailpipes. In fact, since the early 1970s and the advent of national standards, over 90 per cent of the most noxious tailpipe pollutions have been removed. The automobile industry strongly warns that gasoline containing MMT clogs and jams up the operation of sophisticated onboard diagnostic systems.

However, I want to focus on the opportunity we have here to promote the health of people. We cannot take chances with the air we breath. We need this legislation for the health of Canadians and a healthy environment. I can go on to talk about the 21 auto manufacturers that are convinced that MMT clogs their pollution monitoring equipment and that are supporting and petitioning the government and members of Parliament, bringing forward their concerns. It seems to me that it is quite clear that we need to heed their message.

There are some 14 million cars on Canada's roads, each pumping out over 4 tonnes of pollutants every single year. Therefore we are on the road to disaster unless we do something now.

We are pushing for national emission standards so that our auto makers can ensure that they protect the air for Canadians.

We have had debates in the House about health, the health of Canadians. We cannot be indifferent to air quality because we know that air quality has a profound effect on Canadians and that it translates into $1 billion a year on our health care system.

We know that hospital admissions of infants for respiratory conditions are linked to ozone and sulphate pollution. We are living in an age when dangerous atmospheric pollutants rather than hormones are poisoning babies.

It is also important to note that scientists, including people at the University of Waterloo and other Canadian universities, who have done research work in this area, support this legislation.

We also know a whole list of groups and organizations support getting rid of MMT. They have been mentioned in previous speeches: the Allergy Asthma Association, the Canadian Institute of Child Health, the city of Etobicoke public health, the city of Toronto public health, the Council of Canadians, the Environmental Defence Fund, the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, the Ontario Public Health Association, Pollution Probe and Sierra Club. All of those organizations, who spend hours working on research and looking at issues, cannot all be wrong.

Of the 196 living Nobel laureate scientists, 99 joined with over 2,000 of the world's scientists to again sound a warning to us that we need to do something about the air we breathe.

Canada is one of the few countries that uses MMT and therefore it is important that we pass this legislation for all Canadians. It is also important that we protect Canadians from increases in automobile prices and I think the discussion we heard made mention of that.

It is important that we support this legislation, that we think about the health of Canadians and that a ban on MMT, supported by health departments, is really the way we must go. A healthy environment, the need to promote cleaner and alternative fuels, the trend to North American harmonization, consumer protection and all the economic pluses are the reasons why we need this legislation.

This bill will do a number of things for us. Canadians will certainly remember this day when we ensure that the air they breathe is clean. I call on all members to support this important piece of legislation.

[Zaire, November 6th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, it is with a great sense of urgency that I rise to speak about the situation in Zaire.

Canadians are deeply concerned by the violence there. This part of the world is in great danger if nations and people of goodwill do not step in and prevent this violence.

I encourage all actions to ensure the safety of refugees in Zaire and to establish and protect a safe zone for aid organizations to help ease the suffering that has occurred and is occurring.

We should see these as real people, real individuals, not political issues and not a political game. I encourage all members to speak out not only among ourselves but also among our constituents. I ask all Canadians to support whatever efforts that are necessary and given by our foreign affairs and others as their work is reaching a solution in that area.