Ken Boshcoff

[Fort Frances Citizen of the Year, November 29th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to congratulate Joyce Gosselin on being named Citizen of the Year of Fort Frances, Ontario.

Ms. Gosselin is truly deserving of this recognition. She was a participant in the 2004 Special Olympics Canada Winter Games and was chosen as a snowshoeing competitor for the World Games in Nagano, Japan, this coming winter. In October, she was declared Female Athlete of the Year by Special Olympics Ontario.

However, her athletic prowess is not the sole reason she deserves special mention. This lady is a tower of strength when it comes to supporting her community through volunteer efforts.

She has raised thousands of dollars for various charities and is a regular participant in events for the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society, as well as the Terry Fox Run and the OPP Special Olympics. In her spare time, she helps the Salvation Army, works at the Christmas Dinner and coaches children's basketball.

Our whole community sends her best wishes as our ambassador to the Olympics in Japan.

[Ukraine, November 24th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the hon. member for Etobicoke—Lakeshore.

At the end of World War I, my mother, a very young girl, and her family left the province of Galicia in Ukraine and boarded a vessel. They went to England to be processed. They eventually found themselves in Fort William, now known as the City of Thunder Bay. She and thousands of families of Ukrainian and Polish ancestry started their new lives in this country of their choosing.

My mother's future husband, as it turned out, quite romantically was also on that very same boat. He, a strapping lad of 14 who left Bulgaria and walked across Europe at the end of the war, and she, a young girl of 10, actually did not meet until 10 years later. I can only imagine the sparks when they found out that they had come to this new land together on the same boat.

People such as these built this country. Literally, our ancestors, these immigrants, completed and expanded our railways. They laboured on our first transcontinental highway. They came here to a better life and they built this country.

Eighty-five years after they left, Eastern Europe discovered the world of democracy, which blessed many countries after the fall of the Berlin Wall. It has been brief and the road has not been so smooth, but countries such as Ukraine have embraced the democratic route, as awkward and as cumbersome as it sometimes may seem. But they have made it.

Canada was the first country to recognize Ukraine as a new nation, only a very few years ago, and today we must be the first nation to stand with our democratic cousins.

Canadians all over our nation are encouraged by the show of solidarity demonstrated tonight in this House. It confirms that although we argue sometimes over the fine points and sometimes over other points, when it comes to survival of the democratic process we will stand together.

It is very difficult not to get emotional over the precarious brinkmanship occurring at this very moment in Ukraine. It is actually quite frightening. That is because each and every one of us shares the benefits of the Ukrainian legacy and heritage in this country. We are familiar with it. We are bonded with it.

Ukrainian culture in Canada is as fundamental to our way of life as breath itself. The spiritual and the artistic contributions are significant. We all love the food, the dances and the music. These are all things we have grown to love. Our work ethic, compassion and pride in nationhood, all of these are gifts of people of Ukrainian descent. And now they need us.

Tonight this House stands united. It is a very proud moment in Canadian democracy. Our beacon of unity must shine on those threatened with having their power cut off, with having their water supply ended, with their transit system stopped, with all of those amenities that we take for granted now in very precarious brinkmanship and in freezing weather. Democracy truly is very much at risk.

This is our time as Canadians. It is so pleasant to see this House, each and every speaker and all four parties speaking with one voice, reinforcing each other and standing strong. In my community and my riding, in the Ukrainian presence, everyone is feeling the same anxiety as we are, whether it be in the churches, in the community halls or the organizations, again, the societies that helped to build this country, each and every one of those organizations is feeling this stress.

Tonight we have this opportunity to make the strongest possible statement. I am very glad that we can see people standing together to do so.

Today the Deputy Prime Minister did not speak only for the government from the standpoint of the fact that all members of the House rose to applaud her statement. Her words are certainly worth repeating, because they really do emphasize the Canadian position. The Deputy Prime Minister said:

Considering the allegations of serious and significant electoral fraud from international and Canadian election observers, the Government of Canada cannot accept that the announced results by the central election commission reflect the true democratic will of the Ukrainian people. Therefore Canada rejects the announced final results.

The Government of Canada calls for a full, open and transparent review of the election process. Canada will have no choice but to examine its relations with Ukraine if the authorities fail to provide election results that reflect the democratic will of the people of that country.

In summary, before I turn this time over to the hon. member for Etobicoke--Lakeshore, let me say that this is our moment to reflect. It is also Canada's moment to commence a whole series of actions that will reflect the needs of those people over the ocean. They are looking to us for help. I know we will not fail them. Canada will be there for Ukraine.

[Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, November 17, is World COPD Day.

COPD is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and affects 714,000 Canadians, mostly smokers or former smokers, and is rapidly rising among women. Tragically, it is targeted to be the third leading cause of death worldwide by 2020.

People with COPD often struggle for every breath and have difficulty performing simple tasks such as walking up stairs. The burden on the health care system is enormous. It is now the fifth major cause of hospitalization in Canada.

There is no known cure for this chronic disease, but it is treatable and preventable. Lung association staff and volunteers work very hard in the area of prevention to educate young Canadians about the dangers of smoking. If young people never start smoking, chances are they will never contract this disease.

I encourage us as parliamentarians to support the work of the lung association. Its slogan says it all: “When you can't breathe, nothing else matters.”

[Telefilm Canada Act, November 15th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support the bill to amend the Telefilm Canada Act. The bill that would clarify Telefilm's mandate and provides for the corporation to carry on its current activities in the audiovisual industries, specifically film, television, and new media.

Because the bill is far more significant than just a simple housekeeping bill, I would like to take a few moments to describe these activities in more detail and show how they translate very concretely in the cultural lives of Canadians. One could say that the bill is overdue, but that would be cynical and we should be glad that it is here and we are dealing with it today.

Telefilm programs support the development and production of approximately 45 Canadian feature films in English and French each year. In an extremely competitive theatrical market, many of these Canadian films have posted remarkable successes, both critically and at the box office throughout the decades. In the seventies, The Rowdyman , La mort d'un bucheron , Black Christmas , and The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz all generated great reviews and returns on Telefilm's investments. More recently, Canadian films such as The Sweet Hereafter , The Red Violin , The Fast Runner , Les Boys , Hollywood/Bollywood , Séraphin , Mambo Italiano , and the Academy award winner Les Invasions barbares have confirmed an attentive and consistent audience at home for our films and raised our national share of the overall theatrical market to almost 5%, up from only 2% just a few years ago.

I know some members opposite are hoping for a feature on scallops and perhaps someone will come out of his or her shell and produce such a film.

In addition to fostering a national film industry of which we can all be proud, Telefilm has provided meaningful support to the television sector since the early 1980s. In recent years the crown corporation investments, through the Canadian television fund, have brought Canadians some of the most provocative and entertaining programming available anywhere, including Da Vinci's Inquest , Un gars, une fille , Road to Avonlea , Les Filles de Caleb , Million Dollar Babies , and North of 60 . I am sure that most members are familiar with, some more intimately than others, the irreplaceable This Hour Has 22 Minutes .

Another example many members will recognize is La Petite Vie . It was such a big hit that at one point more than half of all Quebeckers were tuning in to see it on a regular basis. More recently the miniseries Trudeau captivated record numbers of Canadians across the country, demonstrating just to what extent our own stories can bind this nation together. I know many members opposite really found that most enlightening.

Many of these television productions have won awards for their creators here in Canada, and some have even attracted audiences abroad. Da Vinci's Inquest , for example, is now broadcast in 45 countries on five continents. The format for Un gars, une fille has been sold and resold to 30 countries including Germany, France, Bulgaria, and Italy.

Telefilm has been involved in the new media sector since 1998. In addition to the new media content associated with television programming that are becoming more and more popular, such as Degrassi and The Toy Castle , Telefilm has supported the development and production of unique new film media content that Canadians and people the world over can access and enjoy, from interactive educational games such as Mia Mouse to databases full of facts about Canada and its diverse peoples.

In 1967, when Parliament created Telefilm Canada, Judy LaMarsh, then secretary of state, observed that, “Motion pictures are an important element in our cultural life. They should serve a national purpose and reinforce a Canadian identity”.

Technology has indeed evolved since 1967 and the activities of Telefilm Canada have kept pace with this evolution and has successfully ensured that more than just motion pictures serve a national purpose, and speak to our sense of identity.

The examples I have provided today should demonstrate just how important it is for the government to continue its support of audiovisual industries no matter how they evolve down the road. Simply stated, Telefilm is a cultural institution that encourages and promotes excellence. It has done so since 1967 and with this bill it will continue to do so.

I therefore ask the hon. members to support the motion to refer this bill to committee before second reading.

[Business Awards, November 15th, 2004]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce on its ninth annual business awards banquet. The event featured the presentation of 12 awards of recognition to members of the business community in the Rainy River district.

Of specific note are the recipients of the James Paul Award. The origins of the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce can be traced back to Mr. Paul who originated the Fort Frances Board of Trade in 1907. The award made in his name is given to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution helping the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce serve its community.

This prestigious award was presented to two worthy nominees this year: Mr. Kim Metke and Mr. Mel DeGagne. It is a distinct pleasure for me to acknowledge these shining examples of community spirit. My deepest thanks to Mr. Metke and Mr. DeGagne for their efforts, and to the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce for its significant community achievements.

[Coast Guard, October 29th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the Canadian Coast Guard on the addition of its new search and rescue cutter, Cape Chaillon to Thunder Bay harbour station at Keefer terminal.

The Canadian Coast Guard search and rescue program commitment to serve and protect lives in the maritime environment has search and rescue crews working out of Thunder Bay harbour from April until December each year, out in weather conditions most of us would only watch on television.

I would at this time also like to commend the good men and women who crew vessels like the Cape Chaillon for their bravery and skill, and recognize their contribution to the safety and well-being of all Canadians.

[Supply, October 28th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, when we use the ship analogy, the first thing we have to understand is we have to keep the ship afloat. I believe this infusion of funds, as ballast, will certainly do that, not only for Thunder Bay and the member's riding, but for the entire country.

[Supply, October 28th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, the question is quite a good one because it clearly is on the minds of many Canadians throughout the municipal field.

There is no doubt that the question of predictability and determined amounts, including the fact that people want to know when these things will happen, have been front burner issues for municipalities and provinces. I believe the legislation and agreement go a long way in allowing provinces to answer those questions of predictability especially.

With the federal involvement, with the negotiations about to begin with municipalities on the gas tax and with the recent history of the $590 million allocated this year through the GST rebate, the federal government is getting involved. No matter what the legislative constraints may be, we will be there.

All through this debate, I have listened very keenly to the questioning. I have thought about how municipalities have been addressed. I feel very strongly that this type of increase in funding, the allocations that will stabilize the provinces and give more predictability to their own budget processes, will be most helpful to the municipalities.

[Supply, October 28th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Etobicoke North.

I am grateful for the opportunity to address the House on this motion. I believe it speaks to some important issues that are essential to the future of our Canadian federation. As my colleagues on this side of the House have already stated, the fiscal imbalance discussed in the motion by the opposition simply does not exist in the country.

The provinces have exclusive access to some of the fastest growing revenue streams in the country. More important, total provincial and territorial revenues have been far above those received by the federal government for more than 20 years. This trend is not expected to end any time soon. However, there are other reasons why the concept of the fiscal imbalance is a non-starter, not the least of which is the fact that the federal government will, over the next 10 years, provide an additional $74 billion to the provinces and territories through increased funding for health care and a new formula for both equalization and territorial formula financing.

Indeed, I would like to address the bulk of my remarks on a topic that has been very much in the news recently; the issue of equalization. This has been one of the pillars of our federation for more than four decades and it is another important argument against the idea that a fiscal imbalance actually exists.

To begin with, the equalization and territorial formula financing programs ensure that all Canadians, no matter where they live, have access to reasonably comparable public services. This commitment helps to ensure that all Canadians are treated equally from coast to coast. However, the provinces and territories have been complaining for several years about how the federal government funds the equalization and territorial formula and the planning difficulties that they have faced as a result of the year to year swings in the amount of payments they receive under these programs. These are legitimate concerns and the government has done everything it can to address them.

Just two days ago, Canada's premiers and territorial leaders agreed to the government's proposed framework for equalization. This new framework represents the most fundamental and sweeping changes in the program's history. The goal of this new framework is nothing less than to make payments to the provinces and territories more stable and predictable while significantly increasing the overall level of funding.

Over the next decade, this new framework will provide $33 billion more in equalization and territorial financing payments to the provinces and territories. That is quite an improvement, but the government recognizes that simply pumping more money into the system is just not enough.

We need to take a hard look at how the current legislation on equalization and territorial financing allocates money to the provinces and territories. That is why the new framework calls for a review to be conducted on how the legislated equalization and territorial financing levels should be allocated for the provinces and territories in the 2006-07 fiscal year and beyond.

Our government recognizes the need to ensure that all provinces and territories can offer the best possible services to their citizens. Equalization and territorial formula financing programs are clear evidence of our commitment in this area. The programs, along with health funding through the Canada health transfer, also offer clear evidence that the fiscal imbalance referred to in this motion does not exist in the country.

For those reasons and those that have been outlined by my colleagues, I cannot support the motion and would urge other members of the House to do the same.

[Municipalities, October 20th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of State for Infrastructure and Communities.

The elimination of the GST for communities has resulted in huge savings this year alone for all municipalities. In Thunder Bay alone, for this year there have been savings of over $1.5 million, yet many municipally elected representatives and their administrators, let alone municipal taxpayers, seem unaware of the significance of this action.

Municipal organizations from coast to coast asked for this and received it as part of the Prime Minister's initiative. Is there a way of having communities--