Larry McCormick

[Children, October 22nd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, in your great city of Kingston this past September a conference, Healthy Children—Healthy Communities, was staged to identify strategies to increase the awareness of and to initiate a call to action for children's health and well-being. Hosted by the Southeastern Ontario District Health Council as a part of its larger Children's Wellness Initiative, it attracted participants from the fields of education, employment, recreation, economics, social services, justice, health and government.

Keynote speakers included renowned medical researcher and early childhood development expert, Dr. Fraser Mustard; Dr. John Wootton, Executive Director of the Office of Rural Health for Health Canada; and our eminent colleague and children's issues advocate, the hon. member for Don Valley West.

Conference participants urged that children be the first priority on all governments' agendas for the new millennium.

Children were indeed a main focal point of the Speech from the Throne. In response, our Prime Minister emphasized that we have no higher priority as a government. “The best place to start is with Canada's children. If we want the brightest future possible for our country, we must ensure that all of our children have the best possible start in life”.

[National Rural Health Strategy, June 8th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, this morning the rural caucus of Liberal MPs presented to the Minister of Health a report on the development of a national rural health strategy. The report calls for a co-ordinated and sustained focus on health care in rural Canada. Will the minister be acting on the concerns of rural Canadians in adopting the recommendations of this report?

[Whig Standard, June 4th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased for the opportunity to recognize the Kingston Whig Standard as the oldest continuously published daily paper in Canada.

The Whig has served well the interests of the people of the vibrant historic city of Kingston and surrounding areas. The Kingston Whig Standard has provided me with a daily account of local, national and international news and happenings for many years.

The many excellent reporters and columnists, led by publisher Fred LaFlamme and joined by the Whig Standard community editorial board, inform, provoke and entertain us all.

The Kingston Whig Standard has won many distinguished awards nationally and internationally for journalism and photographic achievements.

I am sure none of these are more valued than the 150 year record of service to eastern Ontario. On behalf of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, who is the member of parliament for Kingston and the Islands, myself and our constituents, I send hearty congratulations and best wishes for ever success into the future.

[Kingston Community Credit Union, June 3rd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, today I wish to congratulate and recognize 42 years of community action and support by the Kingston Community Credit Union.

This year the Kingston Community Credit Union was honoured with the Ontario Credit Union Charitable Foundation award for demonstrating continued exemplary achievement in promoting charitable activities to improve the social well-being of the community's citizens. The credit union's donations of money and time contribute significantly to the work of organizations such as the Kingston School of Art, Literacy Kingston and the Alzheimer Society.

I extend special congratulations to CEO G. Blake Halladay who was honoured with the Gary Gilliam award for social responsibility for his work to promote the credit union as a socially responsible investment alternative.

Credit unions offer an example of how financial institutions can show their commitment to the communities they serve and foster relationships of mutual financial and social investment. Bravo to the Kingston Community Credit Union, an exemplary financial institution.

[Canadian Beef, May 13th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

Canadian beef is recognized as top quality beef and enjoyed around the world. Canadians question, why will the Europeans not accept our beef?

[Earth Day, April 22nd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, today, April 22, is Earth Day. It is a day to remind us that we are stewards of this beautiful planet.

The environment significantly affects our quality of life. Every human being needs clean air and water, and safe food to live. We need a biodiversity of species to help the earth, itself, sustain life.

Earth's wealth of resources are vast, with energy and raw materials to fuel our economies. However, in 100 short years we have learned the hard lesson that these resources are also finite. Today, 86% of Canadians think cleaning up the environment is good for the economy.

Rural Canadians know the value of a healthy, natural environment. From the coastal communities who harvest sea life, to the 1.9 million Canadians employed in agriculture and agri-food, our food supply relies on a renewable, healthy environment.

With grassroots-oriented programs like the Millennium Eco-Communities and the Natural Legacy 2000 initiative, the federal government wants the 20 million-plus Canadians who annually participate in nature related activities to continue growing.

On Earth Day, let all Canadians renew our commitment to a healthy earth. By example, let us teach our children to value and respect it.

[Canada Book Day, April 20th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, this Friday, April 23, is Canada Book Day, the largest single day celebration of reading and book buying in Canada. It is also a day to celebrate Canadian authors. Communities throughout our country will participate in events, including book giveaways, contests, award announcements, readings and author signings.

World Book Day was declared by UNESCO in 1995 and since then has been celebrated all over the globe. Our contribution, Canada Book Day, is organized by the Writers Trust of Canada, a national charitable organization dedicated to the advancement and nurturing of Canadian writers and writing.

The federal government supports Canada Book Day through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program.

Books are windows into worlds, real and fictional, revealing our souls, our fears and our aspirations. They challenge us to learn about ourselves and to be better for it.

On Canada Book Day, I invite my constituents and all other Canadians to read a book, share a book, or give a book to someone. Spread the written word and celebrate Canada's literary wealth.

[Labour, April 14th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, a recent article in the Globe and Mail stated that Canada holds the record for the most strike activity in the G-7 industrial countries.

Will the Minister of Labour acknowledge if this information is true or not?

[Supply, April 13th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, alienation is certainly the word of the day and the password of the Reform Party.

We are in this Chamber talking about this foolishness of the motion that was put forward today. The Prime Minister even urged the Reform Party to put forward a motion on Kosovo today if that is what it wanted, but instead we are debating alienation. It is what members of the Reform Party know. So often they seem to look at the dark and dismal side of life, rather than what most Canadians enjoy.

Alienation is the only thing that the Reform Party knows. How else could one explain the blatantly anti-Quebec ads that party ran in the last federal election.

I think back to the time of the referendum in Quebec. People phoned my office and I talked to people on the streets, people who voted for the PC party, people who voted for the NDP, people who voted however they voted and they were all concerned about keeping this country together, but this party understands alienation.

The Reform leader has admitted that the Reform Party in its present form cannot form government because it alienates too many Canadians. Perhaps the best name for the new party would be the Reform alienation party. Now it appears that the Reform leader has managed to alienate at least 12 of his own members. Having run out of normal Canadians to anger and alienate he has turned to his own caucus.

I have a serious question to ask the member from cow town, which is a great town. I love Calgary. It is one of the finest parts of Canada, located in the foothills. I love all parts of this country. I have travelled it for the last 50 years. I drove it for 40 years before I came to this Chamber and I respect all of its parts.

My question for the member is: Do they not share the desire to represent the issues of all Canadians? This is a party that wants to alienate and be a regional party. I am proud to be a member of a party which represents all Canadians.

[Supply, April 13th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's task force was very well received across Manitoba, always a warm reception by the wonderful people of western Canada.

We held public sessions in several ridings, in several centres across Manitoba. We started in Winnipeg and we went north. We were in several ridings. Actually we were in ridings that were represented by at least three parties in the House. We were not there to lobby one group or another. We were there to listen to Canadians.

I tell my colleague who just spoke that we are a party that represents all parts of Canada. We did not just target ridings held by one group of people. Is this not evident in the results in the Windsor—St. Clair byelection yesterday? We got more votes. I feel for some parties because they will not even get back their deposit.

Does this byelection result not reflect the fact the Reform Party is a very regional party that is just unable to break out of the confines of representing a few people?