Yvon Charbonneau

[Division No. 1323, May 29th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to respond to the question the hon. member has asked concerning the serious situation in Vancouver's downtown east side.

I would like to remind the hon. member that the purpose of the Canada's Drug Strategy is to reduce the ill effects of alcohol and other drugs. In addition, the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and the hepatitis C disease prevention, community-based support and research program are working with injection drug users, and the organizations providing them with support, to prevent the transmission of blood-borne pathogens.

Federal-provincial-territorial committees representing the drug industry, the HIV/AIDS community, correctional services, justice, and public health have pinpointed injection drugs as a priority problem. These committees are working together to determine the best ways of addressing this situation in Canada in a co-ordinated and multi-jurisdictional manner.

Health Canada has contributed to the development of a resource centre for drug users in Vancouver's downtown east side and is participating in a partnership under the Vancouver agreement among all three levels of government.

Health Canada will also be providing support to the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre and to community activities with a particular emphasis on aboriginal women who are at risk of contracting HIV and those who have AIDS.

With respect to what has been done in Europe, I wish to assure the House that Health Canada is looking at the experiences of other countries in order to consider the possibility of applying their conclusions to the Canadian context.

In conclusion, Health Canada will continue to encourage, facilitate and increase public participation in a dialogue based on objective information concerning the best ways of addressing this health problem and serious social issue.

[Canada-France Parliamentary Day, May 10th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to draw to the attention of this House that today is the third Canada-France parliamentary day, organized under the auspices of the Canadian group of the Canada-France Inter-Parliamentary Association, in co-operation with the Fédération canadienne France-Canada, the Embassy of France, and the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Once again this year, the day will begin with a symposium on “Cultural diversity and the new technologies”, at which French and Canadian experts will exchange views and hold discussions with participants.

There will also be a working meeting between the Canada-France federation and our parliamentary group, and the day will close with a dinner at which the Secretary of State for the Francophonie and the Ambassador of France will speak.

As hon. members can see, France and Canada are collaborating closely to promote cultural diversity in a changing world characterized by new technologies and the globalization of trade exchanges, within the enhanced Canada-France Action Program signed in December 1998 by the prime ministers of France and of Canada.

[Interparliamentary Delegations, May 9th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian group of the Canada-France Interparliamentary Association, which attended the meeting of the Standing Committee of the Association in Paris from March 6 to 10, 2000.

[Red Cross And Red Crescent, May 8th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to inform the House that today, May 8, is World Red Cross/Red Crescent Day.

This day celebrates the humanitarian work of millions of Red Cross/Red Crescent volunteers worldwide.

The Red Cross provides assistance to countless victims of conflict and disaster. Last year alone, the Canadian Red Cross Society helped victims of earthquakes in Turkey, Taiwan and, just recently, in Mazambique.

In honour of the millennium, the international family of the Red Cross is celebrating the theme, power of humanity. This theme encapsulates the guiding principle of all Red Cross work which is the rehabilitation of people suffering the consequences of war, violence, natural disaster and malnutrition.

Please join me in recognizing the Canadian Red Cross Society for its work and in wishing a very successful World Red Cross/Red Crescent Day.

[Health, May 4th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the latest budget has testified to the government's desire to assume its responsibilities in the field of health care.

We have invested more. We have made commitments for the medium term. We have also told our provincial and territorial partners that, if we have an agreement on the priorities for the future, there will be further investment in the area of health care.

I fail to see why the Canadian Alliance health critic is asking this question.

[Prime Minister's Visit To The Middle East, May 2nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's visit to the Middle East is a major Canadian investment in peace and co-operation in this region of the world.

Having had the privilege of accompanying the Prime Minister, I urge members and all interested observers to rise above the impression left by the local media coverage and focus on the real meaning of this mission.

Never before had a Canadian Prime Minister found the time or been bold enough to visit this area of the world, although it has played a major role in the genesis of our civilization and has seen more than its share of wars and problems of all sorts.

On behalf of the Canadian people, our Prime Minister wished to convey a message of compassion and encouragement, of friendship and co-operation with these peoples, who have for too long been plunged in insecurity.

Relying on UN resolutions, the Prime Minister had but one concern: to express the support of Canada for a global, lasting and real solution negotiated by the parties.

We must be glad that this mission, which was much appreciated by our hosts, was successful in establishing solid lines of co-operation and friendship between Canada and these Middle Eastern nations.

[Mental Health Week, May 1st, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to tell the House and the people of Canada that the week of May 1 to 7 is mental health week. This year's theme is “Workplace stress can throw you off balance.”

Given that 43% of Canadian adults aged 30 or over feel overwhelmed by their work, their family responsibilities or their financial obligations, it is clear that reducing work related stress will have a positive impact on thousands of people.

Statistics Canada estimates that $12 billion is the cost of work time lost annually due to stress.

The Canadian Mental Health Association has created activities across the country to promote wellness in the workplace. I ask the House to join me in wishing the Canadian Mental Health Association a very successful Mental Health Week.

[French-Speaking Minority Communities, April 6th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health announced on Tuesday the creation of the Consultative Committee for French-Speaking Minority Communities.

Under section 41 of the Official Languages Act, the Government of Canada has an obligation to enhance the vitality of the English and French linguistic minority in Canada. The creation of this committee is an important step, honouring the global commitment made in this regard.

One of the priorities of the minority official language communities is access to health care services. There is no doubt that this committee will be attentive to the comments of these communities.

It will play a major role in bringing together the representatives of the French-speaking minority communities, Health Canada, Canadian Heritage and the provinces.

Dr. Hubert Gauthier, the head of the St. Boniface general hospital, will co-chair the committee with Marie Fortier, the associate deputy minister at Health Canada.

[Francomania, April 5th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to congratulate the team at www.francomania.ca, who have just won an award, the Mérites du français dans les technologies de l'information 2000, in the category of Internet site in French and encouragement of the use of French in cyberspace. This is one of the awards given by the Office de la langue française of the Government of Quebec, as part of the festivities for Francofête 2000, the week celebrating French and the Francophonie.

Francomania doubly deserves congratulations, for it also won the Grand Prix Boomerang in December 1999 in the category of Internet site, cultural product. Francomania was created at the time of the 8th Francophone Summit in Moncton and the Year of Canadian Francophonie, by and for young francophones aged 16 to 25.

This recognition of the excellent work done by this team is a victory for the development of the Internet in French, an honour shared by its partners: Radio-Canada, the Department of Canadian Heritage and Industry Canada.

[Canadian Cancer Society, April 3rd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to remind the House that April is the Canadian Cancer Society's campaign month. Each year the campaign starts with daffodil days on April 6, 7 and 8.

Last week the Governor General of Canada, who is an honorary patron of the Canadian Cancer Society, officially launched this year's daffodil campaign at Rideau Hall.

In 1998 the employees and volunteers of the Canadian Cancer Society collected over $5 million through the sale of daffodils, which, since the 1950s, have represented, like suns, the hope that cancer may one day be beaten.

I hope that my colleagues in the House of Commons will join me in supporting the daffodil campaign of the Canadian Cancer Society, a volunteer organization operating for the past 60 years.