House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2000, with 51% of the vote.
Canadian International Development Agency February 25th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table, in both official languages and on behalf of the Minister for International Cooperation, the list of companies supported by CIDA between April 1, 1996 and March 31, 1999, grouped by company, as requested in the House yesterday.
The Late Charles Schulz February 18th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, Charles Schulz entertained Canadians and people around the world for 50 years with his Peanuts comic strip.
He passed away at his home last Saturday, just as Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and the rest of the lovable Peanuts gang bid their farewell in newspapers across the planet. “Such an ending was as if he had written it that way”, said Canadian cartoonist Lynn Johnston.
As a caricaturist and visual arts teacher, I recognize the importance of this entertaining and educational means of communications Mr. Schulz gave us. The appealing characters in his weekly strip taught us many a lesson about life.
Thank you, Mr. Schulz, for having been a family member for nearly 50 years.
“You're a good man, Charlie Brown”.
Supply February 17th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the hon. member for MacLeod for his interest in the clarity bill. I have a question for him.
Does he believe that Canada should stay united? Does he believe in official languages, yes or no? I would like him to explain.
How it is that in the Standing Joint Committee on Official Languages the hon. member for MacLeod, as a representative of the Reform Party, voted against a proposal from the committee asking the province to designate as bilingual the national capital, the new city of Ottawa, which will be restructured by the year 2001. Why did he object to the city of Ottawa becoming bilingual?
Public Service Of Canada February 11th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, we need to reinforce our public service. We need to put an end to the employment freeze. We need to drastically reduce the practice of contracting out for temporary help. We need to considerably diminish the number of term and casual employees. Permanent employment is what we need to encourage young competent Canadians to choose the public service as a profession.
Hiring young professionals full time would provide the public service with highly qualified replacements, as well as safeguarding its professionalism and corporate memory.
It is vital for young Canadians to have the possibility of a career in the public service, if we are to maintain the quality of services to all Canadians in the years to come.
Points Of Order December 15th, 1999
Mr. Speaker. I ask for the unanimous consent of the House to table the second report of the Standing Joint Committee on Official Languages.
Montfort Hospital December 10th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, yesterday evening, more than 3,000 Franco-Ontarians from the national capital region gathered at the Cité collégiale to celebrate the legal victory of Ottawa's Montfort Hospital.
The Ontario divisional court recently ruled that the Montfort Hospital, the only French language teaching hospital in the province, is necessary to serve the francophone community, which knows how to stand up for its rights and survive.
Bravo.
Montfort Hospital November 30th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Ontario divisional court handed down its ruling on the reduction of services at the Montfort Hospital. In a unanimous decision, the court ruled that the Health Services Restructuring Commission's decision ignored the principle of protecting and respecting minority rights entrenched in the Canadian Constitution.
It is a great victory for all Franco-Ontarians and for all official language communities in Canada. It will serve as a precedent in future court cases, and sends a signal to those who are constantly trying to limit the strength and vitality of our communities.
I hope that the Government of Ontario will take action accordingly and look for ways of improving services to francophones in this issue and others. The survival of the official languages is what a united Canada is all about.
Elections In Haiti November 5th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, Canada, along with its friends in Haiti, is actively supporting the election process now under way. It is anxious to see a parliament restored to Haiti.
This week, the minister was in Haiti, where she announced $1.5 million in support for the legislative, municipal and territorial elections to be held in that country on March 19 and April 30, 2000.
The minister has also conveyed Canada's encouragement to President René Préval and Prime Minister Jacques-Édouard Alexis during her visit.
Division No. 52 November 2nd, 1999
Madam Speaker, Canada has a long tradition of responding to humanitarian emergencies resulting from natural disasters throughout the world.
This is done, depending on the nature of the disaster, through a variety of channels. These include financial assistance, emergency food aid, relief supplies and the deployment of disaster response teams from the Department of National Defence. For example, CIDA today approved $150,000 for shelter materials, emergency medical supplies and basic supplies for the victims of the cyclone in Orissa, India.
Now that the capacity for search and rescue is being developed within Canada, the Canadian International Development Agency is interested in exploring the notion that Canada further develop its international search and rescue capability as another way we can respond to humanitarian disasters.
On October 1, CIDA officials discussed the feasibility of future international deployments of the Vancouver search and rescue team with members of the team, the city of Vancouver and the Government of British Columbia.
The city of Vancouver indicated its intention to put together a proposal. The Government of British Columbia undertook to prepare a memorandum of understanding. We hope to receive these documents shortly.
In addition, as part of these efforts, the Government of British Columbia indicated that it would prepare, in co-operation with CIDA, Emergency Preparedness Canada, and the United Nations, a plan for the purpose of holding a simulation exercise to assess the Vancouver team.
French Language Television In Ontario October 28th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, I would like to read an excerpt from a telegram sent to TV Ontario in 1994.
It reads “Thank you so much for the essential role you play in the preservation and promotion of the French language. My sincere congratulations to you, on behalf of the Government of Quebec”. The telegram is signed Jacques Parizeau.
Today, the Bloc Quebecois is opposed to Ontario French language programming being broadcast in Quebec. What a contradiction.