Elsie Wayne

[Points of Order, March 19th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, during question period I referred to a letter of which I have a copy. I now seek the agreement of the House of Commons to table this document in the House.

[Government Contracts, March 19th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.

Last February, David Lutz, a Hampton, New Brunswick, lawyer told all his staff to become members of the Liberal Party to protect his firm's lucrative contract with the federal Department of Justice. In a memo to staff, of which I have a copy, Mr. Lutz wrote:

...our number one client here is the Federal Department of Justice. We keep this business as long as John and I maintain high profiles in party activities.

I ask the Prime Minister: Is it his policy for the government to award contracts based on party involvement and not on who can or has the ability to do the job?

[National Defence, February 27th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I am glad today to see that members of the Canadian Alliance want the Sea King replaced, especially when they were against it in 1993.

Just last week the Canadian search and rescue EH-101 helicopters proved their superiority in a record-breaking ocean rescue. Now today we have the tragedy and embarrassment of the 40 year old Sea King crashing on the deck of the HMCS Iroquois , injuring two people and delaying the mission to which the Iroquois was assigned.

Will the minister get off his butt today and take the politics out of this--

[National Defence, February 26th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, in the latest attempt to silence its critics, the government has recently decided to cut the $75,000 annual grant to the Conference of Defence Associations. All members from both sides of the House know of the invaluable contribution that the CDA makes to the defence community and the powerful criticisms it has levelled at the government for its treatment of the armed forces.

My question for the Minister of National Defence, how can the minister possibly defend cutting this annual grant when all the CDA has ever done is speak for those who guard our freedom? We need its advice and the minister needs its advice.

[Senior Citizens, February 25th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in the House to speak on behalf of the seniors of Canada.

In the budget that was brought down last week there was no mention whatsoever of the seniors in Canada. Our phones have been ringing off the wall because the seniors in this country are going to be the largest percentage of our population in just a few years.

I was stopped on the street this past weekend in my riding of Saint John, New Brunswick, by a senior who said “Elsie, I have to have some help. They have once again increased my rent and I cannot afford this because my Canada pension is not being increased”. This senior also said that housing was needed.

CMHC used to build housing for the seniors. It is not there anymore.

There is absolutely nothing for the seniors in this budget and the government should be ashamed of itself.

[National Defence, February 20th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, in the budget the Minister of Finance committed to providing $950 million to the Canadian Forces, however it costs the Canadian Forces more than $32 million a day to function even at currently reduced levels. The money the minister provided is enough for the Canadian Forces to operate for 29 days.

Will the minister admit that he has shortchanged the military in this budget and commit to providing the funding the forces need to do its job? Or is he still hiding in the washroom?

[National Defence, February 20th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of National Defence confirmed what many have suspected, that he is looking at eliminating Canada's Leopard tanks after previously suggesting that such an idea was crazy.

How can the minister make arbitrary decisions on what capabilities the Canadian military will require before undertaking a full review of defence and foreign policy?

[The Budget, February 19th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, my city of Saint John, which is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, has never ever been in the mess that it is in today.

The city has lost over 20,000 people since the Liberals came into power. The city has lost its shipyard where the frigates were built. The city has lost its sugar refinery which was closed down by the government. The city does not have VIA Rail. As mayor I cut the ribbon at the new train station six months before I came to Ottawa . I cannot believe that the government does not have a vision like it should have.

How does the member see the government treating cities? Is Saint John, New Brunswick, the only city that is being treated in this manner, or is this the way the government treats all the cities across the nation?

[National Defence, February 13th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the defence minister last week stated that changes would be made to SISIP, the flawed insurance program that covers our men and women of the armed forces. This is comforting news to those currently serving, but what about the veterans injured who will still receive no benefits for their injuries because this decision is not retroactive?

Will the defence minister advise the House today what plans are in place to compensate the veterans previously injured who received no benefit from SISIP? Those who lost both legs, both arms, their hearing and their eyes.

Will he tell us today what he plans to do?

[Veterans Affairs, February 13th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, for several months now I have been asking questions about Canadian veterans who were exposed to mustard gas testing during World War II. The U.S. has just announced that it will compensate its veterans who were involved in these experiments.

Last week the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence stated that he was looking at the American initiative.

While I am pleased to see that our government is finally acting, why must we wait to study the American decision? Did the parliamentary secretary's response indicate that had the Americans not taken this decision the Canadian government would have done nothing? Are we not old enough to stand on our own two feet, admit our mistakes and correct them without guidance from the U.S.? Why not make our own decisions and let the Americans study ours?

After 58 years of frustration, is it not time to compensate these veterans who gave so much for this country during the dark days of World War II? Providing these veterans with compensation is the least we can do, considering what they did for Canada.