House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2000, with 70% of the vote.
Tobacco Advertising October 29th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, the letter they sent in April was a stupid idea then and it is a stupid idea now. The minister actually admitted in public that he is uncomfortable with this decision.
It is interesting that the health ministers of England, Germany and France were also uncomfortable with race car ads. What did they do? They stopped them and their Grand Prix races are just fine today.
Why did the minister cave in to tobacco companies so that the health of our youth is affected?
Tobacco Advertising October 29th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, tobacco advertisers have quite a new friend in our health minister as he allows tobacco ads to be put on racing cars again. He does not think it is a very big deal. Let me read what one of the tobacco advertisers had to say. “This Formula One car is the most powerful advertising space in the world. It will carry your brand to 1.8 billion TV viewers in 102 countries”.
Since the health minister has publicly admitted that he knows this decision is not right, why has he caved in to the tobacco companies?
Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act October 28th, 1997
Madam Speaker, I was particularly intrigued by the comments of my colleague when he said that a billion dollars has been placed in a fund for economic development for aboriginals. It is inconceivable to me that that amount of money would not in fact have improved the lot of our native brothers and sisters. I would like to ask him what happened. Where did the money go? Could he explain so that the Canadian public would know not to go down the same road again?
Jacques Villeneuve October 27th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, yesterday Jacques Villeneuve became World Formula 1 Champion.
He is the first Canadian to win this great honour. His father's untimely death robbed him of the opportunity to win this prize. I had the opportunity to participate with Gilles in a competition on a circuit in Canada. He was a formidable driver, as his son is now.
Congratulations to the people of Berthierville, in Quebec. Congratulations to Canada. Congratulations to Jacques Villeneuve, the new world champion.
Health Care October 24th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, the promise is there, a promise made by the minister across the way. This is not a promise to me nor to my party. It is a promise to people like Bill Prentice who has been waiting for a hip replacement for two years because the OR is closed. That money would go toward opening the OR for Bill Prentice. There is probably somebody in the gallery with hepatitis C who is waiting for a compensation package.
My question again, where is the missing money for medicare?
Health Care October 24th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister has promised, and I quote from him this week in the House, “a guarantee to the provinces for cash as it relates to medicare”. Now from finance documents we find that is not quite true. There is a $171 million shortfall in those cash transfers.
Where is the missing money for medicare?
Health October 20th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, some people say that all Canadians are apathetic. Today I have an example that proves this is not true.
Kevin Crigger believes that natural supplements are too important to let bureaucrats artificially remove them from the shelves in Canada. He walked all the way from Dryden, Ontario to Ottawa for that issue. Thirteen hundred kilometres of blisters on his feet tell me whether he thinks this issue is important.
He is typical of many young Canadians who say that bureaucrats shall not be the ones who control health supplements in Canada without good reason. He knows that an informed consumer is a far better judge of our health care needs than some distant bureaucrat in Ottawa.
Kevin is in the gallery today. I salute him for his fortitude, his dedication and for his willingness to speak out.
Consumer Packaging And Labelling Act October 7th, 1997
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-239, an act to amend the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act (recombinant hormones).
Mr. Speaker, this bill is directed toward the ethical and health components of new technology. Genetic engineering is evident with bovine growth hormone. This bill would make certain that those individuals who wish to have the choice to use or not use milk produced in this way would have the product labelled. The bill has larger implications in terms of genetic technology in general. It will also look at labelling of other foods that are genetically engineered.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Health October 6th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, natural health products are very important to Canadians as a preventive tool. The federal government has been restricting choice in this area through three proposals, cost recovery, removing products arbitrarily from the shelves and the international Codex proposals.
The health minister has been inundated by letters on this issue. These irate citizens have influenced the minister. To his credit, he has reversed his stand on the one issue of cost recovery proposals. He still has a lot of work on this file, though, in returning to the shelves products that have been removed arbitrarily and also in shutting down these Codex activities.
Congratulations to the members of the public who took the time to write letters to the health minister on this issue. This is a victory for them. They know that an informed Canadian public is a far better judge of its health care needs than some distant bureaucrat in Ottawa.
Health October 1st, 1997
Mr. Speaker, there is quite a contrast here. In the States they listen to the warnings of scientists. In fact a much lower dose is available. They have sent out warnings to their doctors of the new findings. Both those reasons are for safety. Here in Canada the health protection branch is strangely silent.
Why would the minister allow politics and profits to take precedence over public safety?