Wendy Lill

[Persons with Disabilities, December 6th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the minister's comments.

The government has promised a labour market strategy for the one in six Canadians with a disability in the last two throne speeches. It still has not happened and we still see the largest employment support program getting ready to expire.

I appreciate the minister's sentiment but I need to know as well as the groups that are working in this area, when will it happen? Will it happen before March, does the anxiety continue forever, or will we know ASAP?

[Persons with Disabilities, December 6th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the government likes to pat itself on the back on the improvement of jobs situation.

The fact is persons with disabilities have a 50% unemployment rate in this country and the government is about to let expire a very important disability support and wage subsidy program for vulnerable Canadians. The employment assistance for persons with disabilities program is said to expire in March. The current recipients need to know if the program will be renewed.

Will the government let that $193 million per year program continue into 2003-04 or should these groups--

[Supply, December 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, as a member of Parliament for Nova Scotia, let me say that we have grave concerns about funding for the health care system. The present per capita funding formula sends 90% of the increase in health care spending to Ontario, B.C. and Alberta.

Roy Romanow did call for changes to the funding formula to help the poorer provinces meet the health care needs of their citizens. My question is, when the minister meets with the first ministers tomorrow in Toronto, will the federal government put forward a recommendation that the former finance minister's funding formula, which discriminates against poorer provinces, be changed to meet the needs of these provinces?

[Supply, December 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, in the House last week, after the Romanow commission report was tabled, I asked the Minister of Finance a question about health care funding but I am not sure if he completely understood because, in my estimation, I did not get a sufficient reply.

Under the present per capita method of health care funding, which was put in place by the previous finance minister, nearly 90% of the increase in federal transfers in the last three years has gone to the have provinces, namely, Ontario, B.C. and Alberta. The poorer provinces, such as Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, P.E.I. and Nova Scotia, have received almost no increase in cash transfers.

Romanow has called for changes in the funding formula to help the poorer provinces meet the health care needs of their citizens. Does the member for Pictou--Antigonish--Guysborough agree with the need to change the funding formula that discriminates against citizens of have not provinces such as Nova Scotia?

[Research and Development, December 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Industry.

We welcome today's Supreme Court ruling that protects the public interest by rejecting the patenting of life forms. This is a clear message that we must do more to protect the public from the abuse of patent laws that put profits before people. We need a rock solid ban on the patenting of all life forms.

Will the minister commit to amending the Patent Act to make this happen?

[Health, December 3rd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the finance minister. Under the per capita method of health care funding put in place by the former minister of finance, nearly 90% of the increase in federal transfers in the last three years has gone to Ontario, B.C. and Alberta. The poorer provinces have received almost no increases.

Roy Romanow has called for changes to the federal funding formula to help the poor provinces meet the health care needs of their citizens.

Will the government change this funding formula that discriminates against the citizens of have not provinces like Nova Scotia?

[Persons with Disabilities, December 3rd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, today is the United Nations international day for people with disabilities. People with disabilities are able and willing to contribute to their communities with their hearts, their minds and their efforts. They simply need assistance in overcoming barriers to participate to their fullest potential.

Unfortunately, our society, including our governments, remains insensitive to their needs. As a very simple example, the UN still calls today a day for “disabled people”, a phrase that only defines a person by their disability. I call it a day for people with disabilities, because we should always see every person as unique and able in their lives.

This international day should be a reminder that Canadians with disabilities deserve respect and equal citizenship and it is our job as parliamentarians to make that happen. We should be a society that values their contribution, instead of one that throws roadblocks in their way.

Today, let us rededicate ourselves to the goal of equal social, economic and cultural opportunities for these valuable Canadians.

[Persons with Disabilities, November 26th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, last Thursday the entire House voted in favour of the NDP motion calling for the Department of Finance to withdraw proposed amendments to the Income Tax Act respecting the disability tax credit.

The minister avoided the vote then and now tells the House, when asked if he has withdrawn the amendment, that he is going to consult.

That is not good enough and I can tell by the faces of the members on his side of the House that it is not good enough.

Will the minister respect the unanimous decision and democratic will of the House of Commons and withdraw the amendment, yes or no? Is he willing to make a stand on the total democratic--

[Book Publishing Industry, November 20th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, today, as we applaud the winners of the Governor General awards, our government continues to undermine our book publishing industry.

This summer Canadian heritage allowed Amazon.com to enter the Canadian market. Today we learned that Distican has been sold to Simon and Schuster with Canadian heritage approval.

The heritage department is responsible for the Investment Canada Act as it pertains to the cultural sector.

Will the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell the House what steps she will take to stop the sell off of our book publishing industry and put teeth back into the Investment Canada Act?

[Supply, November 19th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for his comments and his support for our opposition day motion. I appreciated the comments he made about certain kinds of disabilities that are not being dealt with and are being completely left out of the disability tax credit system. One of them is MS, along with other illnesses which are of an intermittent nature.

I want to ask the member about his feelings with regard to the whole issue of mental illness. There is a lobby. The Canadian Mental Health Association is on the Hill today. We as a subcommittee on disabilities certainly heard a great deal about the issue of mental illness from the Canadian Psychiatric Association and persons who suffer from depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Again, mental illness is an intermittent kind of illness and is one that just falls between the cracks and does not get dealt with by the disability tax credit.

In my speech this morning, I mentioned a father who has three sons suffering from schizophrenia. This is a family tragedy. There is no question about that. Yet he is being asked to reapply for the disability tax credit. There are enormous costs involved in caring and supporting those young men in their lives and their difficult journey. I would like to know what the hon. member thinks about the issue of mental illness in the disability tax credit area.