Mac Harb

[Petitions, September 22nd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, this petition is signed by grandparents who as a result of death, separation or divorce of their children are often denied access to their grandchildren by their guardians.

Legislation in several provincial jurisdictions, including Quebec and Alberta, contains provisions to ensure the right of access of the grandparent to their grandchildren.

The petitioners would like parliament to support private member's Bill C-340 regarding the rights of grandparents to have access to or custody of the children.

[Canadian Wheat Board Act, June 10th, 1998]

Rubbish.

[Canadian Wheat Board Act, June 10th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I have never seen anybody who stretches the imagination as much as the member for Wild Rose. We have somebody here from the New Democratic Party who has shown once again how the member for Wild Rose has stretched the truth to the limit.

The member refused to stand up tonight in order to apologize to the House. He has disgraced the House one more time. If he has the audacity and the true honour of a member of the House he would apologize not to me but to the House of Commons and to the taxpayers of this city and this country.

[Canadian Wheat Board Act, June 10th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Obviously the member for Wild Rose has had a few minutes of wild times. Last night in our debate the member for Wild Rose at 9.45 stood up in the House of Commons and not only on the record but off the record called us liars. A number of my colleagues, including the member for Wentworth—Burlington, heard him.

[Supply, June 9th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the member has nothing to say on the issue. Every time the Minister of Justice has introduced a measure to protect victims, members of his party voted against it.

Why is he against gun control as a measure to protect communities? Why is he against the initiatives of the government which deal with the protection of our society and with the prevention of crimes in our society? Why is it that I only hear doom from this member and his colleagues over and over again and about the terrible things that happen in our society? Never once have they proposed something that is tangible, that is positive, to deal with the problems at hand.

Our society is in good hands. For four years in a row crime has decreased. What does he have to say to that?

[Supply, June 9th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I cannot believe what I have been hearing. My colleague from Wild Rose has been complaining about his sexuality. I want to say that there is some quick help on the way. Viagra is just about to hit the waves here. He may have an opportunity to re-examine this issue. We heard a lot of rubbish from him tonight.

There is a great difference between this party on this side of the House and his party on the other side. We are a party that looks toward the future with optimism. That party on the other side looks to the future with pessimism. It lives in the past. It does not look forward, it looks backward. It has absolutely no vision. Every time we hear one of these guys speak, we get depressed. We feel absolutely terrible.

The member for Wild Rose is the same guy who wanted to tie 10-year old children upside down and beat them to discipline them. That is his definition of law and order. It did not matter what the child did. He wanted to put the child behind bars. That is his way of disciplining. His way of dealing with law and order is to jail them.

For the Reform Party there are two classes of people. They are either law-abiding citizens or they are criminals. It does not matter. The Reform Party views all who are accused as criminals. Look at its famous bill of rights which clearly states that. Look at its opposition to the charter of rights and freedoms. It opposed the charter of rights and freedoms because it gives the people the right to be protected by law in Canada. The member for Wild Rose stood up over and over again in the House of Commons to attack the government on issues of law and order and the protection of victims. When the Minister of Justice introduced legislation in the House—

[Canadian Nurses, June 5th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have a great deal to offer the world. Just look at the Canadian Nurses Association and the excellent work it is doing in developing countries.

Following CIDA's mandate to strengthen civil society organizations and satisfy basic needs, Canadian nurses have provided assistance to 25 developing countries over the past 15 years. Projects range from promoting the professional development of nurses to encouraging nurses to take a leadership role in the primary health care of the community.

I would like to congratulate Jane MacDonald, a health educator from the Centretown Community Health Centre, for her work in Ecuador. As well, I would like to congratulate Janet Mann and Anne-Marie Lanctôt for their dedication to strengthening the role of nurses in Ethiopia.

I join with my colleagues to thank every Canadian who has volunteered their time and expertise in helping those in need around the world. Congratulations on a job well done.

[Supply, June 1st, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I never heard so much rubbish in my entire life. This has to be the most regressive mathematics or antiquated theory I have ever heard in my entire life.

What is it that they are asking? Are they saying that if we were to charge retail taxes we should renovate supermarkets across the country? Or, if we were to charge taxes on gasoline we should fix up the pumps, bridges and roads? If we were to do this our government would not be able to function. Society as a whole could not function.

The member and his party have to remember that if today we are charging for insurance policies we are not spending it because the economy is doing well. What would happen if tomorrow the economic situation changed and we had a downturn in the economy? Is he saying that we should tell every employee in the country that we are sorry but the pot has run out of money because the Reform Party stood in the House of Commons and asked us to spend all the surplus we accumulated over the past three years during good times? Should we say that it is a bad time they will not be given anything at all? What a depressing approach these guys have come up with. It is absolutely terrible.

They are complaining about the government trying to get its house in order when it comes to the insurance policy governing CPP, the insurance policy when people retire in the future. They are telling us that we should not do that: How dare we provide Canadians with the proper insurance policy so that if they want to retire in the future there will be a little money for them. They are saying it is terrible for the government to provide a proper policy and proper protection for the people of Canada in the future.

Is the member telling the youth, people and workers of Canada that today the government should spend all the money it has in terms of surplus? Is he telling Canadians who are working today that tomorrow if they do not have work and there is no more money left in what he is calling a pot, which is not a pot because it is general revenue, not to expect anything from the government? If that is the case he had better not stand up at all.

[The Family, May 15th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, today is International Day of Families. The United Nations initiated this day to encourage everyone from every community around the world to celebrate the importance of families in our lives.

The family plays a vital role in the well-being of humankind. Throughout much of the developing world the family is the sole support for its members. For these people, the family is their society and their strength.

In Canada we enjoy an excellent social support system, but nothing could be more important than the support of our families. The relationship between parents and children, brothers and sisters, grandparents and grandchildren should be celebrated today.

This holiday weekend is an excellent opportunity for all families to get together. I encourage all Canadians to plan activities and celebrate with their loved ones.

[Youth, May 8th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State (Children and Youth).

While Canada's unemployment rate continues to drop many people remain concerned about the high unemployment rate among youth and about providing young Canadians with the opportunity to access quality education.

Could the secretary of state tell the House what she is doing to assist young Canadians?