Pat O'Brien

[National Sport Act, April 27th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I am pleased to congratulate the hon. member for Kamloops and am very pleased to support this amended bill. The bill recognizes two sports officially as our national sports, hockey and lacrosse, neither of which has ever been officially recognized in the House before as a national sport. I think that is a very positive initiative.

Can there be anyone in the Chamber or anyone in the country who does not know that one sport fascinates and obsesses Canadians from coast to coast to coast? Frankly we know that sport is hockey.

It is our national obsession. It is played by young and old, by male and female, by the able bodied and by the disabled. How well I remember seeing people playing a variation of hockey in a gymnasium, people who had lost the use of their legs. It is our national obsession unlike any other sport, and that is not to denigrate the many other sports Canadians participate in very aggressively, including lacrosse.

Whether it is my young son, Carl, or yours, Mr. Speaker, playing hockey in the backyard or Patrick Roy in the Forum, most Canadians have played hockey at one time or another in their lives, be they citizens in a large city or in one of our hamlets from coast to coast to coast.

Being from southwestern Ontario I can tell the House that the summertime sport of choice there is baseball. It always has been. London, Ontario has the site of the oldest continuous baseball played at Labatt Park. Not to denigrate the sport of lacrosse which I have played a bit, it is not played in some parts of the country. That cannot be said about the sport of ice hockey as we all know. It truly is the national sport of Canadians and I would say the national obsession of Canadians.

We all know that the true world hockey championship is not the Olympics or the yearly world tournament. It is the Canada Cup. That is the true world championship of hockey. Canadian men and women excel at this sport.

It has been said by several members that our women's national team has just won the world championships for the third time in a row. I expect they will add many more times to that championship run.

Hockey is part of our national identity. It helps us to define ourselves. Canadian poet Al Purdy called hockey a combination of ballet and murder. We might not like the second word but it is an aggressive sport. He wrote: "For years a Canadian specific to salve the anguish of inferiority by being good at something the Americans aren't".

The Americans are improving but they have a long way to go to come up to our level. As we all know with the American franchises by far most of their players are Canadians and with the influx of Europeans we are seeing the Americans still have a long way to go to catch us in our national sport.

The impact of the professional sports franchise, the Montreal Canadiens has been mentioned already. It is the most successful of all sports franchises. As several of my colleagues have said-and, my hockey loyalty can be found in this comment-the Canadiens 24 Stanley Cups is a professional sports record. No team in any other sport equals that success level.

I am proud to tell the House that although many early players were French Canadians and the sport was founded in Montreal, it was founded by an Irish Canadian by the name of Ambrose O'Brien. I am proud to note that fact in the debate.

Canadian cities compete to claim these hockey heroes. Being from southwestern Ontario I can say that Stratford likes to claim Howie Morenz as the Stratford Streak, but the people of Mitchell, Ontario, will say that Howie Morenz was born in Mitchell, Ontario.

We have national lessons to learn from the great game of ice hockey. I would like to refer to the most famous goal ever scored. That of course has to be the goal scored by Paul

Henderson to give us victory in the 1972 World Championship against the Russians, the first such series.

As a Montreal Canadiens fan my whole life, I am proud to remind the House that the Henderson goal was made possible by a great play by Yvan Cournoyer to keep the puck in the Russian end, an extraordinary effort when they tried to clear the puck, and then by Phil Esposito who refused to be denied his shot on goal, the rebound of which Henderson then pounced on and put into the net. It has hit me many times for years the symbolism of that goal. Let me give you those three names again: Paul Henderson, Yvan Cournoyer and Phil Esposito. That is the kind of co-operation we need in this country: An English Canadian, a French Canadian and an Italian Canadian working together to help us win a hockey series.

We are most confident, we are most determined and we are most united on a hockey rink. That is a lesson we ought to bear in mind as we support this bill. I applaud this. This is not frivolous in any way. This is an extremely important bill. It is well worth the time for us to take a few minutes in this House and learn the lessons we should be learning from hockey. The fact that we are at our best as a nation when we set aside background, English, French, ethnic, and we work together as a nation. May it always be so.

[Petitions, April 27th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I too rise in the House today to present a petition in support of ethanol as a fuel. Its time has come in Ontario.

Some 200 petitioners call on the government to extend the exemption on the excise portion of ethanol for a decade to allow the strong and self-sufficient ethanol industry in Canada to go forward.

I present this petition on their behalf.

[Cultural Learning Centre, April 26th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the London Cross Cultural Learner Centre is a multifaceted facility that has provided services to newcomers to Canada for over 25 years. The centre has evolved into a unique combination of programs and services that are based on cross cultural learning within the community.

To promote global education in the community the centre provides a resource centre and regularly hosts guest speakers, screens films and holds special exhibits. As well the centre collaborates with the Department of Citizenship and Immigration and the community to initiate language instruction to new Canadians or LINC.

There is a growing cultural diversity in the community of London-Middlesex. I commend the dedication and commitment of the individuals who have worked to create such a unique cultural learning centre.

[Highway 16, April 19th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity today to second and to speak to this motion which calls for the government to enter into an agreement with the province of Ontario to expand highway 16 into a four-lane highway.

This motion placed by my esteemed colleague from Leeds-Grenville is meant to help increase road safety and to improve travel in and out of the nation's capital.

Unfortunately this motion has been prompted by a series of tragic accidents, including the death of one young woman from the member's own riding. I compliment him on his attempt to alleviate any future tragedies that may occur on this 40 kilometre stretch of highway which connects Ottawa to the 401.

I too would like to encourage both the federal government and the province of Ontario to consider committing funds for the national infrastructure program to improve and expand highway 16. Money spent on such highway projects is money well spent and therefore I am pleased to support and to second this motion.

Many would think that such a motion does not directly affect my riding of London-Middlesex. However numerous students from London-Middlesex have left their homes to attend university in the Ottawa area. Many of these people drive home to visit their families for holidays via the 401. Obviously Londoners are among many thousands of Canadians who yearly come to the nation's capital to see the Parliament Buildings and the other beautiful sites of this city.

When taking highway 16 to the 401 people are faced with a busy exit out of Ottawa as they begin their six to seven hour drive home in good weather. On a return trip after this drive they are faced with driving on a busy highway that is used by all kinds of vehicles from tractor trailers, to vans, to mobile homes and motorcycles. By this time it is usually dark, which only adds to the dangers.

If you are like me, Madam Speaker, you worry about the safety of your children on the road. For many parents in my riding that last stretch of highway 16 is extremely nerve racking. Even the most experienced drivers are faced with the unnecessary risks of this particular road.

Tourists also use this road when visiting the nation's capital. Since 1985 over 700 accidents have occurred. Canadians from every province and territory use this road. The roadways to and from our nation's capital should be a source of pride to Canadians and not a constant worry.

This motion was put forward by my colleague primarily for safety reasons. I live in a region that is served by a major highway, the 401, as my colleague mentioned earlier. We have all seen far too many people lose their lives on that dangerous highway as well. As traffic has increased over the past decade so too have terrible accidents. For this reason alone both the federal and provincial governments would be wise to seriously consider this motion.

As a member of this government I am proud we have made a strong commitment to the funding of Canada's transportation infrastructure. Safety is and should be the primary reason for the expansion of highway 16, yet there is another vital reason for completing this important project: economics.

Several of the members from the national capital region have said in this House over the past several years that expanding companies in the region such as the high tech industries are faced with insurmountable transit problems when dealing with markets beyond the region. I hear the very same concerns expressed by businesses in my own riding of London-Middlesex.

This is truly a national issue. Improving the roadways in southwestern Ontario and across our country is very important to people in all parts of Canada. Time and time again constituents tell me of the need for better links with other regions so that small business and other vital sectors are able to benefit from access to other markets.

Good road systems open up new markets for existing small and medium sized businesses, which in turn creates jobs for people in all parts of Canada. In my riding, industry is steadily expanding. Commercial markets are facing increased challenges in dealing with markets beyond our region.

In speaking to this motion every one of us could easily draw a parallel to our own particular ridings. As my colleague from London East well knows, a number of surveys have shown time and again that transportation problems are at the top of the list of concerns of the people of the city of London. National surveys indicate the very same concern.

It would be extremely shortsighted and parochial of anyone in this House not to look at this motion with a view to supporting it. Surely it is a national issue when it concerns the nation's capital.

It is a great pleasure for me to support the motion and I ask all members in the House to do the same.

[Killer Cards, April 19th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the recent increase in violent crimes has raised the concerns of people all across Ontario and all of Canada.

As part of its efforts to reduce violence in Canadian communities, the government should without a doubt ban the importation of serial killer cards. These cards are a perverted twist on children's hockey cards. They feature psychopathic killers with a detailed description of the crimes they committed.

The lives of the victims of violent crimes should be remembered, not the killers and their actions.

This government is committed to measures to get at the root causes of violence and this should include the banning of these offensive cards that glorify murder and reduce victims to anonymous statistics.

On behalf of the constituents of London-Middlesex in Ontario, I call on Parliament to amend the customs and tariffs legislation to ban the importation of serial killer cards, ensuring that they will not continue to be sold in Canada.

[Refugees, April 13th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, social upheavals in countries across the continent have resulted in over 19 million refugees throughout the world. As arms struggles continued, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees spent approximately $1.1 billion in 1993 caring for the world's refugees.

Canada has developed an international reputation as a caring and compassionate country and we are committed to protecting people who have been forced to flee their homes and their countries.

I commend the efforts of the constituents of London-Middlesex who worked to make the community aware of the issues and concerns affecting our refugee neighbours and friends. I encourage all Canadians to work to ease the settlement of true refugees in our country.

[St. Patrick's Day, March 17th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I see from the shamrock you are wearing that you well know that today is March 17, St. Patrick's Day.

In this House we have many honourable members who are proud of their Irish ancestry. We have Clancy, Collins and Galloway, McGuire, Murphy and Shaughnessy, Tobin, Torsney and Whelan, O'Brien, O'Reilly and even Sergi O'Marchi.

Mr. Speaker, from the Irish harp and the shamrocks on our Canadian coat of arms above your chair to the beautiful ceiling of this very chamber, fine hand-painted Irish linen, there is evidence everywhere of the contributions of the Irish culture to Canada.

On behalf of all hon. members in this House, I would like to wish all Canadians, especially those of Irish ancestry, a very happy St. Patrick's Day.

[Criminal Code, March 17th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, in presenting this petition the petitioners make reference to the fact that conversion of oil pipelines to natural gas pipelines presents a number of risks to landowners.

They face an environmental liability. They are faced with substantial costs to attend and to participate in National Energy Board hearings. The National Energy Board Act has no provision for the awarding of intervener funding or for the awarding of costs to landowners unlike provincial energy acts.

Therefore the petitioners humbly pray and call upon Parliament to urge the Government of Canada to amend immediately the National Energy Board Act to provide authority to the National Energy Board to award intervener funding and costs to landowners who intervene in proceedings before the board on issues of public interest relevant to the construction and operation of pipelines.

The petition is signed by some 100 constituents of mine and a couple of neighbouring ridings.

[Canadian Executive Services, March 16th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, CESO is a non-profit volunteer based organization whose mission is to transfer Canadians' expertise to business communities and organizations in order to help them achieve their goals of economic self-sufficiency.

Volunteers experienced in their profession or industry serve as advisers and trainers to clients in Canadian aboriginal communities, developing nations and the new market economies of central and eastern Europe.

I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the efforts of Lorne and Charleen Duquette from my riding of London-Middlesex. Their efforts in the country of Romania have gone a long way in contributing to human and global development.

We are proud of these Londoners and of other Canadians who devote their time and energies to improving our world.

[Canadian Foreign Policy, March 15th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, I listened with interest to my colleague's comments about Canada's reputation in the world and the fact that it might be threatened. She listed in her arguments what we might call a tripod of this recognition of Canada's contribution to the world being foreign aid, peacekeeping, and respect for human rights.

Then in her remarks she simply addressed herself to one of those three issues, making clear that on the basis of the fact we have fallen short of our .7 per cent target in foreign aid somehow our reputation is about to be greatly threatened and undermined.

Could I remind the hon. member that we are second to none in the world today in our efforts in peacekeeping. We ought to be very proud of that fact, and I am sure we all are. In the matter of human rights, again Canada has a loud voice and is a champion for better human rights both at home, as we have heard day after day in the responses of the minister of immigration to certain sentiments that we do not share on this side of the House about welcoming people to Canada, and in our efforts to encourage other governments to respect human rights where it is not the case in their own countries. Just a few days ago I raised in the House the matter of the situation in Chiapis, Mexico, and the concern of many Canadians about it.

The hon. member has made reference to these three points. She castigated the government in saying that we were only at .4 per cent and that somehow this was threatening our reputation in the world. She then went on to speak about interdependency among countries, what one might call supranationalism.

I applaud that and I certainly second her sentiment there. However it is amazing to hear that from a member of a party with a political agenda to return to the petty nationalism of the 19th century which preached that a nation must be based solely on the fact that those who speak a language must therefore in and of themselves become a nation and would seek to destroy the new experiment in nationalism represented in Confederation, a neo-nationalism that Macdonald and Cartier along with many

other Canadians had the vision to put forward in this great country.

I listened with interest to the hon. member and to the leader of her party earlier today. I was saddened to hear their arguments based on a type of nationalism that is at least a century and a half out of date. Indeed it was the dream of the 19th century and became the nightmare of the 20th century with some of the most destructive wars in the history of mankind. It is amazing to me to hear such sentiments of interdependency of nations, which I applaud, coming from someone who is a member of a party with such a destructive political agenda, at least very destructive for this country.

Does the hon. member not believe that if the Bloc's agenda was achieved and Quebec did tear itself apart from the rest of Canada, Canada without Quebec and Quebec without Canada would certainly fall far short of what we would achieve in the world by being together as a nation? Does she not see that as perhaps the greatest threat to our reputation in the world, and it comes from her own party?