Mac Harb

[Health Care, December 9th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, my constituents of Ottawa Centre, as well as Canadians, remain deeply attached to the core values found at the heart of health care and they want health care to remain a publicly funded and operated system that offers universal service to all Canadians.

Last week I received a call from one of my constituents who grew up in P.E.I. at the time when health care was provided on a private basis and based on a person's ability to pay. He reminded us that our society has already experienced private health care and that any return to the past would effectively end the principle of universal health care for all Canadians.

On behalf of Ottawa Centre, I thank the Prime Minister for taking this excellent initiative and adopting a long term view to preserving our health care system. I also congratulate Mr. Romanow for a job well done.

[Religious Celebrations, December 6th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, Muslims all over the world began the celebration to mark the end of the month long fast of Ramadan. On the same day, Jews all over the world are celebrating the last day of Hanukkah. It is a time to focus especially on families, on sharing, on values and on community building. It is a time to work toward peace and harmony. What a powerful symbol for these two religions.

I would like to offer my best wishes to Canadian Jews on the end of Hanukkah and my best wishes to Canadian Muslims on Eid Mubbarak.

[Western Economic Diversification, December 3rd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, could the Secretary of State for Western Economic Diversification tell the House why we need his department when Industry Canada already has a mandate for all of Canada when it comes to the industrial sector?

[Finance, December 2nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the President of the Treasury Board.

Both the Auditor General and the public accounts committee have called on the government to adopt full accrual accounting in its reporting to Canadians. When can we see some action on this issue?

[Agriculture, November 29th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian producers are currently receiving only 70% of their share of the federal program for income that helps Canadian farmers. Could the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food tell the House when those farmers could expect the balance of the funds to come to them so they can feed their families turkeys like my other colleagues were asking?

[Hiv-Aids, November 29th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, this is Canadian HIV-AIDS Awareness Week. Launched in 1991, the goal is to increase awareness of HIV-AIDS, challenge HIV-AIDS related stigma and discrimination, and promote prevention efforts.

The United Nations AIDS agency reported that 42 million people are living with HIV and 3.1 million people have died of AIDS this year. In Canada today more than 50,000 Canadians are living with HIV or AIDS. The epidemic is not over, but the UN AIDS agency reports that prevention programs work. Countless Canadians are working hard to develop new and better HIV prevention programs, and at fostering understanding and support for people living with and affected by HIV-AIDS.

I ask all hon. members to join me in saluting them and to wish everyone involved a very successful Canadian HIV-AIDS Awareness Week.

[Softwood Lumber, November 26th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, today the executive director of the Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports, the lobby organization that has sued the Government of Canada and industries, alleging that we are subsidizing softwood, is now alleging that the Government of Canada is in fact dragging its feet and it is not interested in a negotiated settlement despite the fact, they are claiming, that our American counterpart wants to have a negotiated settlement.

I want to ask the Minister for International Trade if he could respond to these allegations and tell the House whether or not the government is prepared to go through a fair process.

[Health, November 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, health care is a major concern for constituents in Ottawa Centre as well as across the country. The Romanow commission has gone across the country to consult with Canadians on how to improve the health care system and their priorities for health care.

Could the Minister of Health give us an update in terms of the recommendations of the Romanow commission? When will those recommendations be made public and when will the minister table them in the House?

[Tom Flanagan, November 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I learned this week of the passing of former Ottawa Police Chief Tom G. Flanagan. His distinguished career began in 1951 and continued until his retirement in 1993 after having served 40 years as chief of police.

Chief Flanagan had a remarkable sense of duty that was proven throughout his career. In 1958 he was awarded the Queen's commendation for brave conduct and in 1980 the Governor General's Star of Courage. After retirement Tom continued to give his time freely in the service of Canada as an active member of the Military Police Complaints Commission. Tom was both a great friend and a devoted public servant, and he is without a doubt a loss to Canada.

I ask all members to join me in expressing our deepest sympathy to the Flanagan family in this difficult time. He will be greatly missed.

[Parliamentary Reform, November 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I will not use words that are not parliamentary, but sometimes it is tempting.

The opposition parties move in droves in voting against government initiatives and government policies, unlike what happens on this side. There is a lot more freedom on this side than there is on the other side, because this side is a liberal side.