Mr. Speaker, I regret to say that I was standing here because my colleague had placed his brief case in my seat. If there is something of interest that you would like me to say, could you give me a topic and I could begin.
House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2004, with 44% of the vote.
Social Security System February 3rd, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I regret to say that I was standing here because my colleague had placed his brief case in my seat. If there is something of interest that you would like me to say, could you give me a topic and I could begin.
Social Security System February 3rd, 1994
On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. It seems to me that immediately before Question Period the member for Kitchener spoke and if I heard correctly the person in the Chair at that time said there would be an opportunity for five minutes of commentary and questions on his remarks.
I wonder if that is the case.
Tobacco Smuggling February 3rd, 1994
Mr. Speaker, as a recent chair of the cancer campaign in Peterborough and honorary chair of the Terry Fox campaign, I am very concerned about anything that increases tobacco use among young people.
That is why I am concerned about tobacco smuggling. This puts cheap glamorized tobacco into the hands of children who are often below the legal age for smoking.
I am also concerned about efforts to lower taxes on tobacco as a means of combating smuggling. While the merits, fairness and effectiveness of tobacco taxes can be debated, I have no doubt that high price has been a particularly effective deterrent against smoking for the young.
I hope the government continues to protect young people from the proven dangers of smoking. Let us turn all the resources of government and public opinion against smugglers who are killing our children.
Canada Scholarship Program February 2nd, 1994
Mr. Speaker, Trent University in Peterborough is the smallest university in Ontario but its students consistently perform well in national and international scholarship programs.
Trent maintained this record of excellence in this year's Canada Scholarship Program.
The Canada Scholarship Program was established to encourage young people, especially women, to undertake careers in science. Trent students have a fine record in the program.
This year 34 students, more than half of them women, won Canada scholarships. They were drawn from academic departments which span the sciences from social and environmental to physical.
A special feature of science at Trent is the flexibility of students in selecting programs which involve creative combinations of disciplines. This flexibility is producing young scientists who are well trained in their specialities but who have a broad range of interests. This approach is going to stand Canada well in the 21st century.
I am sure members of the House join me in congratulating all young Canadians who won Canada scholarship awards this year.
Peterborough Family Y February 1st, 1994
Mr. Speaker, the Peterborough Family Y has just celebrated its 125th anniversary. It operates in the oldest continuously used Y building in Canada. This gives members a strong kinship with the founders of 1868.
The YMCA is an example to all Canadians of how to adapt without trading in principles and philosophy. One hundred and twenty-five years ago you had to be young, male and Christian to belong to the Y; today you have to be none of these things. Today more than 20 per cent of the memberships in our Y are subsidized.
If a founder of the Y came back he would be surprised at the changes, but he would soon realize that the basic principles of self-help, community service and tolerance are stronger than ever.
Congratulations to Kathleen Bain, Doug Walker and Bob Gallagher for Canada 125 medals in recognition of their work for the Peterborough Family Y.
Like the Peterborough Y, Canada should not be afraid of change. Let us face the future willing to adapt and confident in our foundations and principles.
Social Security System January 31st, 1994
Madam Speaker, I too would like to address the remarks about the youth corps.
It seems to me when the member says $10,000 a year, he simply sees that as a cost. In the various streams of the youth corps, for example, one stream will be sustainable development and the environment, another will be community development and learning involving young people with training, even younger people and less able people. Another one is the entrepreneurial stream where young people in the corps will be involved with private businesses in the various communities. Yet another is the military stream.
I would like to ask the member one question. One thing these young people are going to get for this modest investment is their pocket money and their keep. My point is that we will have young people who will have worked in various parts of the country so when a position becomes available in Regina, for example, if they live in British Columbia, they will be more confident in applying for that position. They will learn about the country so that they can move around when an opportunity for a position arises.
This is a very worthwhile investment in young people and I would like the member's comments on it.
Social Security System January 31st, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I listened with great interest to the speech of the parliamentary secretary and to speeches from both sides of the House earlier in the day. It seems to me that recently there has been a good deal of criticism of Confederation from the other side of the House, addressing some of its so-called weaknesses. We tend to forget that Confederation is a very powerful and successful type of government. One of its strengths is that in times of economic difficulty one part of the country that is prospering can help the parts of the country that are not.
In the reforms that we are envisaging, in the training and retraining systems and in the social systems, I hope consideration is being given to the flow of young people across the country. At the present time only 14 per cent of the apprentices in Ontario obtain licences which allow them to work outside the province. This is a tragedy.
I hope the parliamentary secretary and his colleagues will work to allow the flow of skilled and unskilled young people across the country to become more effective.
National Forum On Health January 28th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I was pleased this morning to hear the minister of health talk about the national forum on health which will be chaired by the Prime Minister.
I hope the forum will address the shortage of physicians in rural areas and the movement of physicians trained in Canada to the United States. Villages like Keene and Lakefield in the township of Otonabee in Peterborough riding are already suffering serious shortages of physicians.
As costs are cut there is a tendency to centralize services. To obtain dialysis, for example, people have to travel great distances in great discomfort.
I hope the national forum will bear in mind that a highly centralized health system that appears cheaper at first sight will in the end cost more.
Foreign Affairs January 25th, 1994
Madam Speaker, I really enjoyed what the member had to say. I wonder if any member of the Reform Party has any comments on it.
Foreign Affairs January 25th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I listened with great interest to what the hon. member had to say. I thought it was very well put. Today we are having this very special debate. It is focused on Bosnia and the problems associated with it.
I would like to make a comment and ask the hon. member a question. It seems to me this lends urgency to the matter of a defence review. I know this is to be a public review but would it not be much better to move toward an armed force which is much more citizen based and in which there are many more opportunities not only for full-time very professional service but also for a variety of part-time service commitments and the strengthening of the cadet corps? I think that would focus on the various types of peacekeeping and peacemaking we have at the present time much better.
I also hope that the public review recommends better use of our bases so they can be training bases for international missions and things of that type.
The other review which is in the offing, I think next year or the year after, is a full-scale formal review of the United Nations. We heard a good deal from the hon. member just now about the way the United Nations has been operating in Bosnia.
For myself, and I say this as a great supporter of the United Nations, it seems that in the area, for example, of science and education the United Nations has become unnecessarily cumbersome and fat. It is extremely important that Canada play a key role in the revitalization of the United Nations.
Would the hon. member care to comment on those two reviews, the defence review and the review of the United Nations.