Lost his last election, in 2000, with 41% of the vote.
Committees Of The House March 5th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. During his submissions the hon. member said that this report represented the beginning of a harmonized GST across the country.
That is a misstatement of fact, given that several provinces have made it very clear they do not intend to harmonize their provincial tax with the GST.
Privilege March 5th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health makes a very persuasive argument about the devastating impact of cigarette smoking. I noticed an ad in a newspaper today entitled "Let's Sponsor the Health of Our Kid" which went on to state a number of facts.
It said that in Canada each year 256,000 young people start smoking on average at age 14. Half of these young people will smoke all their lives. One in every five deaths is caused by smoking. Smoking related diseases cost the Canadian health care system $3.5 billion. As many as three million Canadians alive today will die from tobacco related causes.
If that in fact is the case, if that is the impact of cigarette smoking in Canada and if the minister is being sincere, surely cigarettes ought to be banned. The importation and sale of cigarettes should be illegal.
The ad goes on to ask the reader to support anti-tobacco legislation. That is misleading. Bill C-71 is not anti-tobacco. It does not ban or prohibit the importation and sale of cigarettes, cigars or any other form of tobacco.
If the government and the Minister of Health were making this case in terms of the devastating impact of cigarette smoking, if one in every five deaths is caused by smoking and smoking related diseases cost the Canadian health care system $3.5 billion, to be consistent they have a legal and moral responsibility to ban tobacco. By simply banning advertising on sport cars and at cultural events is not good enough.
The Minister of Health is either sincere or, as he said earlier today, he should go all the way as opposed to huffing and puffing.
Points Of Order February 19th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, I think it would be more appropriately phrased as a point of privilege than a point of order.
Points Of Order February 19th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, the fact is the budget documents were available in the lobby. There were people in the lobby who are not members of Parliament. I had two people with me who were not
members of Parliament and who had the budget document15 minutes before the minister started speaking.
Points Of Order February 19th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order with respect to the practice of budget secrecy. The delivery of yesterday's budget represents a marked departure from the practice that has been followed in the House for many years, certainly since I was elected to Parliament.
Many of the provisions in the budget were announced by the government in advance of the minister's speech yesterday. Moreover, it has been the practice over the years that the budget documents themselves not be released until the minister rises to his feet in the House.
Yesterday the budget documents were available approximately 15 minutes before the minister rose to his feet. People had the opportunity to obtain the documents and to release them.
Mr. Speaker, I ask that you review this matter because it is an important principle. The reason we have budget secrecy is to ensure that no individual or groups of individuals are able to profit from advance information they might obtain concerning an upcoming budget.
In the past, finance ministers have been forced to resign where a budget leak has occurred because of the sanctity of the principle. I submit also it impinges on the privileges of members of the House when information is released prematurely. The reason why the budget was released at 4.30 p.m. yesterday is because the stock markets had closed.
Mr. Speaker, I would like you to review this matter. I would also like you to review the whole concept of the budget lock-up. I and a number of other people found it disconcerting that the media were reporting what was in the budget before the Minister of Finance had finished reading his speech.
Surely the lock-up should be extended until after the Minister of Finance has completed his speech to the House so that all Canadians have equal opportunity concerning the release of the information. It is patently unfair to the minister and to the House that the media should be reporting the contents of the budget before he is finished his speech.
Petitions February 12th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, the second petition relates to the Young Offenders Act.
Mr. Speaker, as a lawyer and as a Speaker, you know that there is considerable concern in the country with respect to the provisions of the Young Offenders Act. It is felt that the Young Offenders Act does not adequately deal with crimes committed by people under the age of 18. Accordingly the petitioners call upon this Parliament, this government in the precious few days that remain before the next general election campaign, to bring in some meaningful amendments to the Young Offenders Act so that Canadians across the country can regain some of that lost respect and support for the criminal justice system.
Petitions February 12th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate your kindness.
Over the last three years I have introduced petitions containing the names of tens of thousands of Canadians who have supported the repeal of section 745 of the Criminal Code, the provision that allows convicted killers to apply for early release or to have their parole ineligibility reduced.
Again, I would like to present petitions. I should note that I am flanked this afternoon by the hon. member from Trinity-Spadina and the hon. member for Calgary Southeast, both of whom support the repeal of section 745, together with the petitioners on this particular petition.
Employment February 5th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Deputy Prime Minister. In the last election campaign the Liberal Party promised to create jobs and, in fact, was given a mandate to create jobs. Three years later the unemployment rate is still at 10 per cent and there are over a million and a half Canadians unemployed.
In her heart does the Deputy Prime Minister believe the promise to create jobs has been fulfilled? Can she indicate whether she can feel the pain and anguish of unemployed Canadians not being able to pay rent or to put food on the table? If she does, what does she intend to do-
Prisons And Reformatories Act February 4th, 1997
I will vote yes on this matter, Mr. Speaker.
Nuclear Safety And Control Act February 4th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of non-partisanship I will agree with my colleagues.