House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2000, with 60% of the vote.
The Main Estimates March 2nd, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the estimates came out yesterday and guess what? Spending is up a whopping $8 billion for the next year.
Let us see what some of this money is being spent on. The human rights tribunal which, according to the auditor general already has trouble managing its money, doubles its budget from $2 million to $4 million.
The Senate, with two convicted senators, gets another $2 million, a 6% increase—
Royal Canadian Mint Act November 30th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I compliment my colleague from Elk Island for his thoughtful and disciplined look at this bill and the explanation he has given.
A number of thoughts came to my mind that I would like to raise for his consideration. He mentioned NavCanada coming out of Transport Canada. In that instance we see private pilots who will begin to pay $60 per year for their airplanes to use the navigation system. But they are not getting anything back for that. They are still paying the same amount of taxes on aircraft fuel.
Another instance is the post office. We have seen how that crown corporation has gone into the courier business in direct competition with other couriers. It has the advantage of being the only corporation that distributes first class mail. It has the resources of the government to compete.
There is a general thrust of the federal government taking more and more discretionary and using that power to open up a competitive force against private business. My colleague mentioned the discretion of the minister in this legislation to make decisions without reference to parliament. The other side to that kind of discretionary action is it diminishes the powers of the parliament which is directly responsible to the people.
This lack of discretion and this opening up of the competitive front against private industry is something that truly concerns me. It seems to work against the best interests of not only corporate Canada but individuals who are attempting to make a living and support their families and their children.
I would like the member to comment on this whole thrust of the government's increasingly taking more and more discretionary power and by the same token reducing the authority, responsibility and accountability of parliament to the Canadian people.
Year 2000 November 26th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the clock is ticking. There are just 400 days until the year 2000. Do we know if our government will be ready?
The federal government insists that it is doing all it can to prepare itself for the year 2000, but is it doing too little too late in trying to cure the millennium bug?
Only now are Canadians starting to realize the serious implications of the Y2K problem, but a recent Industry Canada survey shows that many people still feel the government will be ready in time. We know that will not happen.
Senior bureaucrats testifying before the industry committee say that parliamentarians can play an important role in raising public awareness of this issue. But how can we when the government is not providing an accurate picture of its own readiness?
We have seen little leadership from government ministers. They are all too willing to pass the buck. They offer no clear leadership or direction. How can government leaders say that they are doing all they can to be ready for the year 2000?
Supply November 19th, 1998
Madam Speaker, the partisan diatribe is quite disappointing today.
The provinces' difficulty is the prioritization of the cuts the government made primarily on their backs. Are those cuts to his liking?
I think of the fisheries department which has some 6,000 people employed, most of them in Ottawa. It has been a disgrace the way the fish stocks have been destroyed on both coasts.
Is this the kind of prioritization the federal government approves of, when people are not able to get into hospital and once they do get there they are not able to get the treatment they need?
Supply November 19th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his intervention. He talked about the partisanship of this debate. The opposition parties are for the most part challenging the government about its priorities in spending cuts.
It seems the federal government spending cuts have been made mostly off the backs of the provinces. Then the government comes back by saying it has given the provinces some tax credits. Now that the federal government has a surplus it says that the provincial governments can tax their citizens instead of the federal government doing so. This leads to a serious trickle down effect.
I will bring some examples from my constituency to the debate. I would like government members to listen to what is happening to some of the rural areas in Canada. A mother who went to the hospital to give birth told me there was one nurse there who covered the labour and delivery rooms and looked after the nursery. I have heard from people who have had to go to four doctors in the last year because the first three doctors had left the community. I have heard doctors say that they have come to the country at the request of boards but that when their temporary work permits expire they cannot reinstate them. The immigration department will not open the door for them because there is not a slot for more doctors. These are the consequences of such cuts to individual grassroots Canadians in rural constituencies—
Petitions November 19th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition from constituents throughout the Cariboo—Chilcotin riding.
My constituents are concerned about the prevalence of violent crimes committed by youth. They encourage parliament to enforce and encourage the enforcement of legislation already enacted so that this problem might be dealt with in a more equitable manner.
Aboriginal Affairs November 6th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, aboriginal people are speaking up. The First Perspective newspaper recently asked readers on-line “Do you trust your chief and council?”
They received numerous hits with the following results: yes, 13.6%; no, 77.3%; and maybe, 9.1%. The comments are even more illuminating. One example: “At first it was the white man giving us the shaft, and we could point our fingers at them and feel superior. But lo and behold, look behind you. Our own backyard seems to be gathering quite a bit of political garbage”.
An aboriginal lady recently told me “When the business suits talk to us now, all that has changed is that there is brown skin in them instead of white”.
The government has spent a lot of money to enhance the lives and circumstances of people on the reserves. Look at the result. The people most in need are still waiting.
Grassroots native people are fed up with mismanagement by their leaders. This must stop. The Liberal government must ensure accountable leadership which meets the needs of all people on reserves, not just the chiefs and band councils.
Year 2000 November 2nd, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the federal government claims most departments will be ready for the year 2000, but only most departments. What does this mean?
Nineteen departments are identified as having mission critical systems. These are systems where a problem like the Y2K bug will directly affect the health, safety, security and economic well-being of Canadians. These systems keep track of food inspection, security intelligence, air navigation, weather forecasting, search and rescue, and the pension plan.
Will the computer programs be ready for January 1, 2000? Hardly. In fact, recent government surveys show that the Department of National Defence is not ready for the year 2000. If our defence systems fail, the lives of Canadians could be at risk.
Canadians need to know how serious the Y2K problem is. It will affect our daily lives. The question now is how will we be affected? The government's repeated comments about making the necessary efforts are not realistic or responsible. Is the government too far behind to catch up? When will we know?
The government has done too little too late in addressing this urgent situation. So much is at risk, the government should be ashamed of itself.
2000 Problem October 30th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the government has said that it is on top of the 2000 computer bug problem and that it will be ready for the new millennium.
Recent Treasury Board surveys show that many federal departments will not be ready and that national defence is one of the very least prepared departments.
If the government is ready, why is the RCMP cancelling all leave between December 27, 1999 and March 15, 2000? Why is the government preparing to deploy tens of thousands of military troops in the new millennium?
Petitions October 23rd, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present to the House a petition signed by residents primarily from the area of Williams Lake. These petitioners request that parliament amend the Marriage Act so as to define in statute that a marriage can only be entered into between a single male and a single female.