Sarmite Bulte

[Epidermolysis Bullosa, October 26th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to raise awareness about EB. EB refers to epidermolysis bullosa, a group of rare and devastating genetic diseases characterized by extremely fragile skin and recurrent painful blisters. To date there is no cure for EB.

Despite the physical limitations that can be caused by EB there is no impairment of intelligence. Many EB sufferers excel at work and in the classroom.

The Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association of Canada, also known as DEBRA, is seeking to develop a national registry of EB sufferers, raise awareness of the disease and encourage Canadian research into EB. Many of the problems of EB sufferers can be overcome with the support of a well informed and caring community.

For this reason I seek to bring attention to EB and encourage research and efforts to care for those who suffer from this devastating disease.

[Criminal Code, October 20th, 1998]

Madam Speaker, I am here this evening to address Bill C-219 proposed by the hon. member for Wild Rose.

Unlike the member for Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, I am not here to talk about funding, lack of funding, deficits or cuts.

I would first like to applaud the member for the concern he has brought to Canadians about the problem of automobile theft. However, like the member for Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, I am an attorney. One of the first things I learned in law school is that before one cites one part of the act one should read the entire act.

I would like to support the parliamentary secretary for justice and also the hon. member for Berthier—Montcalm. I will not repeat what they have said. However, I would first like to look at the legislation itself to let Canadians know that the Liberal government and the Criminal Code as it exists today protect us.

The hon. member's bill provides for a new indictable offence. He talks about the use of a stolen motor vehicle and its relation to any offence.

Bill C-219 is proposed to be put in as section 334.1 of the Criminal Code which is immediately after section 334 which deals with the punishment for theft. We have talked about that already today.

Punishment is twofold under section 334. If my car, which is an old car and is ready for the junkyard, is stolen and it is under $1,000 the person who steals that car has committed an offence but it is under $5,000 so it is a summary conviction offence. If the car of one of my neighbours up the street, a brand new car, is stolen and it is worth more than $10,000 it is subject to an indictable offence. Our Criminal Code does take into account the seriousness of the offences.

Immediately after 334.1 comes 335 which deals with what we commonly know as joyriding. This is one of the things the hon. member raised, the problem of joyriding and the fact that a lot of young people tend to take cars for joyrides.

What section 335 talks about is taking a car without the consent of an owner. The hon. member's bill talks about using. Does that mean without consent? Does it mean with consent? What does it actually mean? I think when we are drafting legislation we need to look at the language very carefully. Under section 335 the act of joyriding is a summary conviction offence, not an indictable offence.

The hon. member mentioned that we have a lot of youth crime. Perhaps I have missed something but youth crimes are dealt with under the Young Offenders Act and punishments for youth are dealt with in the Young Offenders Act. I do not quite see how Bill C-219 would deal with the alleged problem we have with 14 year olds.

We look at this bill as trying to get all people involved as parties to an offence. Under section 2 of the Criminal Code any person who actually commits an offence, does anything to aid a person to commit an offence or abets any person committing an offence is guilty of an offence.

In addition, persons who have a common intention to carry out an offence or what could end up an offence are also guilty of an offence. So already the person who happens to be using the car while an offence is being committed, but we are not sure if that is indictable, summary, or hybrid, is already taken care of.

The other thing that Bill C-219 tries to address is attempting to commit an offence. Canadians will think it is a good thing we are doing something to get those people who are attempting to commit an offence but again this matter is dealt with in section 463 of the Criminal Code. Once again it makes a distinction between indictable offences and summary conviction offences.

If a person is attempting to commit a crime that is an indictable offence then an indictable punishment will apply. If they are attempting to commit a summary conviction offence then a summary conviction penalty will apply.

Bill C-219 talks about flight following the commission of an offence. Section 23 of the Criminal Code already deals with punishment where a person has attempted to commit an offence and then is an accessory after the fact. Moreover, if the person is an accessory after the fact to murder then that is an indictable offence.

It is terrible when people are killed, as the hon. member pointed out, but the Criminal Code already deals with these provisions.

Under section 249 the dangerous operation of motor vehicles is dealt with. It does not make any distinction whether the car has been stolen, whether it is owned, whether it is with consent or without consent, whether the person is under or over 14. It deals with punishing people who dangerously operate any motor vehicle.

If that dangerous operation of a motor vehicle involves bodily harm there is also a more serious offence and should that dangerous operation of a motor vehicle end up causing death, those provisions are dealt with strongly.

I commend the hon. member for his concern about automobile thefts but the provisions are already present in the code. I concur with my colleagues on sentencing. The whole area of sentencing must be looked at within the act itself.

Under section 718 of the act the purpose and principles of sentencing are clearly established for all Canadians to see. Many issues are dealt with and perhaps the most important one, as my other colleague said, is accumulative punishment which is something that should be left to the discretion of the court.

In light of these comments and concurring with the parliamentary secretary and the hon. member for Berthier—Montcalm, I urge members not to support Bill C-219.

[Women's History Month, October 19th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, October was designated women's history month by the federal government in 1992. I rise in celebration of women's contributions to Canadian history and Canadian society.

Women's history month coincides with the annual commemoration of the persons case of 1929. Five Canadian women fought for and won recognition of women as persons under the British North America Act. This gave them the opportunity to be appointed to the Senate.

In the words of Nellie McClung, one of the famous five women who fought and won that historic case almost 70 years ago, people must know the past to understand the present and face the future.

It is for this reason that we celebrate women's history month every year. Each October we recognize women's past achievements to instil a sense of pride in our historical origins and to provide role models for other women across the country.

It is an honour to rise and celebrate with Canadians the difference women have made in the past—

[Gemini Awards, October 7th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, this past weekend the 30th annual Gemini awards were held in Toronto. These awards honour all aspects of English language television production in Canada. On behalf of this House I would like to congratulate all nominees and award winners.

I would especially like to recognize the CBC for its outstanding achievement and commitment to excellence in Canadian television. Of the 67 Gemini trophies awarded, a total of 41 went to CBC shows and an unprecedented 11 went to TVOntario. This year the majority of prizes for the best and most innovative Canadian television programs were awarded to publicly funded broadcasters.

The Gemini awards are a wonderful tribute to the talent that exists both behind and in front of the cameras.

Once again, my congratulations to all nominees and award winners for their dedication to providing Canadians with excellent Canadian television.

[Aerospace Industry, September 30th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister for International Trade.

The Aerospace Industries Association of Canada, which just held its 37th annual general meeting in Ottawa, is very concerned about unfair competition on the world market. One example is a subsidy that gives a price advantage to regional jetliners manufactured in Brazil.

What is the government doing to ensure that Canada's aerospace industries are not undermined by Brazilian government subsidies?

[Trade 98, September 28th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to inform the House about Trade 98 which took place recently in Magog, Quebec.

Twenty-five leading women exporters were invited to work together with senior government officials to address trade barriers facing women entrepreneurs.

The focus of Trade 98 was to learn why export markets are not being tapped to their full extent by women entrepreneurs and to launch a national research program to address and remedy the situation.

This research is being undertaken by the trade research coalition which was established by the Minister for International Trade following the overwhelming success of last November's Canadian businesswomen's trade mission to Washington, D.C. Their findings will be the basis for trade policy discussions at next May's Canada-U.S. Women's Trade Summit.

As I have said many times in this House, women business owners are a major force in our economy today leading over 700,000 small and medium size businesses and employing in excess of 1.7 million Canadians. While this trend continues to grow, this government continues to work with women business owners.

[Walk A Child To School, September 23rd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize and salute the city of Toronto's first annual Walk a Child to School Day.

Today parents from my riding and throughout the city of Toronto took the time to walk their children to school.

By supporting today's walk, parents, teachers and children are addressing many of the important issues that our society faces. Today parents and teachers are promoting safer streets, stronger communities, healthier students and a cleaner environment.

While this special day may have started in Toronto, the idea has already spread and has captured the imagination and interest of parents across our country. Schools in Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa, Halifax and Surrey will also take part in this special day.

It gives me great pleasure to salute the organizers and the participants who today took the time and made the effort for our children and participated in the first annual Walk a Child to School Day.

[The Ukrainian Famine, June 10th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the Ukrainian community in my riding of Parkdale—High Park and Ukrainians worldwide are commemorating the 65th anniversary of the 1932-33 famine in the Ukraine. This famine is considered to be the largest famine of the 20th century and one in which some seven million Ukrainians perished.

In 1932, under Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, the Soviet Union dramatically increased its grain procurement. Wheat grown on Ukrainian farms was shipped to Russia and as a result many Ukrainians were unable to feed themselves.

Soviet leaders, backed by the military and secret police units, seized all food in an attempt to break the spirit of independent-minded Ukrainians. Large parts of the Ukraine were blockaded, with no food being allowed in and no one being allowed out.

Only after the fall of the Soviet Union in the 1980s did information on this terrible human tragedy come to the world's attention.

I join today with members of the Ukrainian community and all Canadians in recognizing and remembering this man-made famine that killed seven million Ukrainians.

[International Trade, June 4th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of International Trade.

There is growing public concern about decisions being made by international bodies without any accountability or transparency.

What does the minister plan to do to improve the process of transparency on trade issues at the World Trade Organization?

[Joan Chalmers, May 26th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to salute and acknowledge one of Canada's greatest arts patrons, Joan Chalmers.

Instead of receiving gifts last night at her birthday celebration, Ms. Chalmers took the opportunity to announce a $1 million donation to 21 of her favourite arts organizations. Ms. Chalmers described the donation as one family's attempt to keep the arts and artists of this country alive and vibrant.

Donations of this nature demonstrate the outstanding commitment to the arts by patrons like the Chalmers family who understand that for Canada's arts industry to thrive there must be a commitment from both the public and private sectors to work together in support of the arts.

Last night's announcement came at the Chalmers awards ceremony in Toronto which is funded through an endowment established in the 1970s.

Congratulations to all last night's winners and a heartfelt thank you to Ms. Chalmers for her leadership and longstanding commitment to the arts in Canada.