House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2000, with 54% of the vote.
Young Offenders Act November 7th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, steps were taken pursuant to the law, which provides for the names of potentially violent people being released to be provided to police authorities.
It is up to the local police authorities, in light of local privacy laws, to make decisions with respect to the releasing of names. We are encouraging provinces to work out protocols for the releasing of that information. We hope there will be a national system across the country before too long.
The Late Yitzhak Rabin November 6th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, like millions of people in Israel and around the world, I was shocked and saddened to learn of the tragic death of Yitzhak Rabin Saturday afternoon.
I was shocked because his death came just after he had spoken and sung for peace at a rally of 100,000 Israelis. I was shocked because his murder was completely inconsistent with the way of life in Israel, where this kind of violence has not been a means of dealing with political differences. It has not been a part of the life of that democratic country. I was shocked and also saddened that Prime Minister Rabin's own life, so filled with achievement and service, had been cruelly ended before his main work could be completed: the work of making peace between Israel and all its neighbours.
Yitzhak Rabin proved he could be successful as a leader in making war. He was proving he could be equally successful as a leader in achieving peace. He had made war to protect his country, but he wanted and preferred peace for Israel and all the peoples of the Middle East.
It has been said that Yitzhak Rabin was a martyr for peace. Therefore, the best way to honour his life and his memory is to make sure that his work for peace continues and is successfully concluded.
Just after this government took office, two years ago last week, its first official visitors were Yitzhak Rabin and his wife. I, together with my wife, had the honour of officially welcoming them to our country. At that time, in talking with him all too briefly, I was struck and impressed by his mixture of firmness, resolve, personal modesty, and his commitment to achieving his goal of peace for Israel with its neighbours.
There is a word in Hebrew that is used as a greeting. It is also used to say goodbye and at the same time it signifies peace, that most sublime of human conditions. Unfortunately we cannot extend a greeting to Yitzhak Rabin on this earth again, but we can say goodbye by using that word which had come to mean more to him than almost anything else. We can say shalom. Shalom Yitzhak.
The Kaddish prayer said by Jewish mourners concludes with these words: "He who maketh peace in his high places, may he make peace for us and for all Israel".
I want to express my since condolences to Mrs. Rabin and the family of Yitzhak Rabin.
To Mrs. Rabin, to her family, to the people of Israel and to all people of goodwill everywhere, I conclude with the traditional Hebrew words of sympathy and condolence:
Hamakom y'nahaim etkhem b'tokh sh'ar availai tziyon veeyerushalayim.
May the Lord comfort you with all the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police November 6th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, I do not think the House would want the report to undermine in any way the security measures for the Prime Minister's residence. So, as I just said, I will do what I can to disclose the content of this report, but it may be impossible to release all the information, at the risk of undermining the security measures. I think that priority must be given to the security measures required to protect the Prime Minister and his family.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police November 6th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, a complete review of the security measures to protect the Prime Minister and the official residences is currently under way.
Security measures have already been tightened, and once this review is completed, I will receive a report, in light of which we will take all the measures required to prevent such incidents in the future.
Security Of Prime Minister November 6th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, the report is going to be made to me by the commissioner. I will review it. To the extent that information can be made public without undermining security, I will certainly attempt to bring it forward to this House.
I can also confirm to this House that enhancements and improvements to the security at 24 Sussex have already been made. The RCMP and the government are not waiting for the report before making necessary improvements in security.
Above all, this incident is shocking and dismaying. It is unacceptable. As far as I am concerned, everything possible will be done to make sure it never happens again.
Security Of Prime Minister November 6th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, I have already pointed out that this incident is totally unacceptable.
The commissioner of the RCMP had a press conference earlier today and expressed his shock and dismay at what happened.
Obviously a full investigation has not been completed. It would appear that the RCMP officers on the site did not follow procedures. Instead of moving immediately to the house, they surrounded the house before going in and arresting the person who had broken into the house and placing him under control.
Security Of Prime Minister November 6th, 1995
Madam Speaker, this is a very unfortunate situation.
I met with the commissioner yesterday and discussed it with him again this morning. I can confirm that I have asked for a full investigation and he has agreed that such an investigation be carried out into the security of the Prime Minister and that of all official residences.
A full investigation is being carried out into this incident by a senior officer of the RCMP not connected with the management of the security system. The purpose of this investigation is not only to find out what happened but to make sure it does not happen again.
Violent Criminals November 3rd, 1995
Mr. Speaker, at this point the individual in question is wanted for questioning. Charges have not yet been laid against him.
The hon. member is jumping to conclusions which may or may not turn out to be correct. At the same time he is raising an understandable concern which I share. However the point he is making with respect to the absolute abolition of mandatory supervision does not fit in with reality. The best way to help ensure further offences do not take place is to have people under a form of supervision and controlled release into the community so that they will not do things that are likely to lead to further offences. Most cases of mandatory supervision turn out well and tragic incidents are the exception rather than the rule.
There is a provision in the law whereby if a person is considered to be likely to carry out further offences and certain conditions are met the case can be referred to the parole board for a hearing which can lead to the person's detention to the end of sentence. Unfortunately the conditions were not met because the person's original conviction was not for one of the offences in schedule one or two.
The hon. member calls for changes in the law. This can certainly be considered. If we present changes to the law I hope he will co-operate in ways that protect public safety rather than simply making a lot of noise about it.
Violent Criminals November 3rd, 1995
Mr. Speaker, my hon. friend in beginning his question said that the individual in question was on parole. The person in question was not on parole. He had not been released pursuant to any decision of the parole board.
Instead, as the hon. member said later in his question, the individual was on mandatory release. The conditions in the law for the automatic sending of the person's case to the parole board for a detention hearing had not been met because the person's original offence did not involve crimes of violence or drugs.
With respect to the basic point he is making, most of the people on mandatory release are not involved in further offences. Experience has shown that a controlled period of supervision at the end of a sentence is the best way of ensuring that there are not further offences, something I hope the hon. member will support. I hope he will support measures designed to avoid further offences rather than steps that might create more.
Young Offenders Act November 3rd, 1995
Mr. Speaker, this information is available to and used by law enforcement agencies. The hon. member's suggestion is one that can be given active consideration in the course of the wide ranging and urgent review of young offenders provisions currently under way in the justice committee.
I urge my hon. friend and his colleagues to take that review seriously and participate in the hearings so we will have a good result in the interests of all Canadians.