House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2000, with 40% of the vote.
Committees of the House April 19th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade.
Pursuant to the order of reference of Friday March 22, 2002, the committee proceeded with the examination of Bill C-50, an act to amend certain acts as a result of the accession of the People's Republic of China to the Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization, and agreed to report it without amendment.
Multiculturalism April 19th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, in the aftermath of September 11, Canadians banded together to implore their fellow citizens to refrain from committing acts of violence against members of the Muslim community. Six months later, I am saddened that I must rise again to condemn recent acts of hatred against members of both the Muslim and Jewish communities across Canada and in my own riding.
These deplorable acts undermine our national values of tolerance and understanding. Canada is known throughout the world as a place where people of diverse backgrounds coexist peacefully and indeed are enriched by the varied cultures which surround them.
Canadians must set an example for the world, that it is possible for people of any nation to live side by side, peacefully and without fear. Canadians are proud of our multicultural heritage and there has never been a better time to embrace our diversity and with it our strength as a nation.
The Prime Minister April 17th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, last night the Prime Minister was awarded the 2002 Statesman of the Year Award by the prestigious East-West Institute.
From time to time, we realize that the international community holds Canada and Canadian values in great respect. The Prime Minister provided us with a fine example.
Yesterday, the Prime Minister said “By honouring me tonight you are really honouring Canada. [I have used] my office to put forward on the international stage values that are profoundly held by all Canadians: tolerance, democracy, internationalism, peace-building, respect for human rights and the rule of law”.
All Canadians can feel justifiably proud about the progressive role that we play internationally. I congratulate the Prime Minister for projecting our unique voice and values on the world stage.
Pest Control Products Act April 15th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in support of Bill C-53, the pest control products act.
The bill is very important not only for the reasons the minister has put forward but also for many other reasons. This is far-reaching legislation. For the first time we have seen something which in a sense will have a direct impact on our community. Municipal politicians in the city of Ottawa are speaking in support of the bill, which is something we do not often see.
The bill will help ensure that our children get special protection from health risks posed by pesticides. To do so the government is enshrining in legislation the requirement to incorporate a modern risk assessment concept including additional safety factors to protect our children.
From a health and environmental aspect the bill requires that any aggregate exposure to pesticides from food, water, residential use and the cumulative effects of pesticides that act in the same way be assessed from here on in.
Another extremely important component about the bill is that the government is continuing to make strides to increase the protection of the health of Canadians. The newly introduced pest control products act will provide special protection for children and pregnant women, will facilitate sharing test data with other regulators and health professionals and will require older pesticides to be periodically re-evaluated.
It is exceptionally important for parliament to pass the bill as quickly as possible so it can be implemented.
I congratulate the minister on this initiative. As well, I congratulate all of the community interest groups who have written to the government and to our offices asking for the speedy passage of the legislation. I do not want to take up any more time except to say that I hope it passes quickly.
Foreign Affairs April 15th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, during a recent parliamentary visit to Colombia, I had the pleasure of meeting with a number of our dedicated Canadian diplomats working overseas.
Take Derek Kunsken, for example. He is the second secretary at our embassy. In addition to his full time job, Derek spends endless hours volunteering at la Fundacion Renacer. This is a non-profit group operating in Colombia with the specific purpose of getting prostitutes who are minors off the streets and into educational programs.
Funded by Colombia, diplomats from the Canadian and British embassies offer their spare time to la fundacion and other humanitarian efforts.
I applaud the efforts of Derek Kunsken and our foreign service officers who make a special effort to represent the very best of Canadian values abroad.
Middle East April 12th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, the violence in the Middle East has escalated and civilians continue to lose their lives. I deplore war and violence and call on Canada and the United States, and the international community, to accelerate their active roles to provide a safe environment for the peace process to continue.
It must be a peace that is just, comprehensive and lasting, and that can guarantee the right of both people to live in harmony, safety and security. The continuation of violence and terror can only result in the loss of more innocent lives.
We are fortunate in Canada to live in a society that protects the rights of individuals to live without discrimination based on religion or place of origin. I deplore the acts of hate against Muslim institutions after September 11. I also deplore the recent acts of hate against the Jewish community centre and temple in my community. These types of acts are meant to undermine our Canadian values.
I call on all community and spiritual leaders and on our law enforcement officers to be proactive and vigilant. I join with my colleagues in calling for an immediate ceasefire and a resumption of peace talks in the Middle East.
Supply March 18th, 2002
Whether we are talking about the provinces or about the citizens in all the provinces, whether it is municipalities or MPs, like my colleagues, at the end of the day, we all have opinions and visions; we all have ideas; we all want different things in different places. It is important, therefore, to have infrastructure programs, and this is why the government has implemented various infrastructure initiatives.
I hope that, as soon as we have the details, my colleague will co-operate with the minister responsible and the government to ensure visible results in his area and to create jobs.
Supply March 18th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, my colleague mentioned several things. I do not know if I will have enough time to answer, since I only have one minute left.
I will mainly focus on the last point, that is, infrastructure. I am convinced that the member will agree that federal investments in infrastructure are outstanding.
Supply March 18th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, before I answer, my distinguished colleague from Quebec brought an interesting point to mind. Perhaps my colleagues in the Bloc who put the motion before us today want to pass a message to their Quebec colleagues on this side of the House that it is time to go to the people of Quebec and ask for another mandate to see whether the people of Quebec agree with what my hon. colleague is proposing to the House.
My hon. colleague asked a question about missing money. There is a myth in the public domain about the EI fund. Allegedly there is a separate box sitting somewhere into which the money goes and into which someone could come and tap the account.
The reality is that there is no such account per se because every dollar that comes to the government goes into the general revenue fund. On an annual basis when the government does its budgeting plans it looks at what it has received in terms of income and what it has in terms of expenses.
The myth in the public domain that we are sitting on some huge surplus in the EI fund is frankly totally inappropriate. It is my hope that somehow we come to a non-partisan understanding that there is no such thing. There is the general revenue fund, period. There is no money missing anywhere.
Supply March 18th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, my colleagues in the Bloc applauded my colleague in the NDP. That is because they have two completely different agendas.
My colleague in the NDP posed an important question. However I would remind her of when the NDP government was in power in Ontario. She knows full well it is easier said than done. Members in opposition can call on the government to do all kinds of things, but when it comes to governing we must take our responsibilities seriously.
We saw what happened when the NDP was in power in Ontario. The government moved from a positive fiscal situation to a huge deficit in excess of $60 billion a year. The province of Ontario was literally wrecked. I am not surprised that as a result Ontario is seeing the kind of ravaging that is taking place under the Tory government of Mike Harris. In part he claims to be repairing the damage done by the NDP. Members can see the rationale. If we go to the NDP at the extreme left of the political spectrum we could wreck the government. If we go to the extreme right of the political spectrum we could ravage the province.
Another case in point where the NDP governed, supposedly with heart, is the province of British Columbia. The province was one of the richest in Canada. Sadly, as a result of its NDP government British Columbia is one of the have not provinces. I say this in all fairness and not to pick on my colleague. Her question is a legitimate one. It is imperative to recognize we have gone through a difficult time. It is also important to recognize the difficult time is behind us. We must now look ahead.
In the nineties when we came to power we acknowledged we had to make cuts. We started at home. With the exception of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development every department of the Government of Canada has seen cuts. We had to clean house. We had to prepare for the next century. Otherwise we would not need this debate. We would not have money to pay for even the basic and necessary expenses of our citizens.
We had to go through a difficult time so we could have a bit of a surplus. Now we are in a position where we can start investing in the future of Canadians. During the difficult times when we had a deficit none of my colleagues on the opposition side were asking for anything more than for the government to continue to work to establish a fiscal balance. We have done that because Canadians told us they wanted a fiscal balance. They wanted a healthy economic situation and we have done that.
Now we are saying we must work with Canadians to improve on the services we are providing. Mr. Romanow's report is being made public. We asked Canadians to give their input because we are Liberals. Being a Liberal means always having an open mind to ideas and looking ahead to the future. We do not close the doors and say we know it all. We never claimed to know it all. If there are recommendations that will improve the health care system and the services we provide to Canadians we will surely follow through with them.
My colleague knows full well the government is committed to social justice. She knows full well the government has a heart and responds to the needs of Canadians. We have turned a corner. We are in a situation where we can use some of the dividend for which Canadians have worked so hard and invest it in the future of Canadians. That is why we are securing to the provincial governments the transfer payments and tax points we have already committed to them. We will continue to work with the provincial governments and territories to ensure the federation truly works.