Sheila Copps

[Young Canada Works, April 22nd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I find it incredible that the member should question this. If we are looking for summer ambassadors for Canada, there is nothing unusual in asking them to write a 250 word essay on "what Canada means to me".

Heritage Canada's program is Young Canada Works, and when we look for ambassadors for Canada, they should naturally have some knowledge of their country, which is still called Canada.

[Young Canada Works, April 22nd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, when you work for Heritage Canada, it is obvious that you must also belong to Canada.

[Culture, April 22nd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member claims that the decision is based on politics, when in fact we said clearly that any decision made by Telefilm to give a grant for any project should be made independently. Now, the separatists are asking us to interfere.

If they want us to respect the cultural institutions' autonomy, as we do, then they should not ask us to overrule a decision which was made strictly on the basis of artistic criteria, not political ones.

[Culture, April 22nd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I made it clear to the Quebec Minister of Culture that the government does not make political decisions regarding artistic issues.

I find it confusing that the same people who accuse us of interfering with cultural decisions asked us last week to overrule a decision made by Telefilm. If we follow the principle of non interference, then we have to do it consistently, including the fact that Telefilm made its decision on the basis of artistic criteria, which has nothing to do with politics.

[Employment, April 22nd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, the Reform Party is publicly decrying the government for making investments in very important job creation issues. However, just before question period the member for Edmonton Southwest slipped me a note asking if he could get a $40,000 government grant for someone in his constituency.

[Employment, April 22nd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I find it slightly hypocritical on the part of the Reform Party-

[Employment Insurance, April 22nd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, this is an unfortunate situation, and the one to blame for the welfare cuts in Quebec is not the Government of Canada but the Bouchard government.

[Government Spending, April 22nd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, once again the member's facts are all wrong. Included in the figure that he is putting forward is a significant amount of money spent under manpower transfers which is currently going toward job creation.

[Government Spending, April 22nd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, as usual the member has it all wrong. There is no armoury in my riding.

[Banff National Park Management Plan, April 17th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the Banff National Park management plan.