Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral

[Immigration Act, March 17th, 1994]

Members of the Official Opposition have, on many occasions in this House, pointed out the considerable contribution made by new Quebecers and new Canadian citizens to the building here of a pluralistic society open to the world. A large number of people from every part of the world have made Quebec and Canada riches with their cultures and their skills.

Incidentally, the composition of this House mirrors the Canadian mosaic as many members, in addition to being Canadian citizens, also have deep ties to their or their parents' native countries. On Canadian soil, it has been proven that there is a place and a warm welcome for people who choose Quebec or Canada, be they from Europe, Asia, Africa or Latin America. But their new lives do not erase their strong attachment to their friends and families still scattered all over the globe. These ties are essential and their value must be recognized by any civilized nation by amending legislation to make it fair and humane.

We believe that, if passed, Bill C-219, the bill to amend section 9 of the Immigration Act before us today, will make it easier for non-Canadian relatives of Canadian citizens and permanent residents to obtain visitors' visas. This bill is a legislative amendment which is both fair and humane.

The members of this House know that, depending on the planned duration of their stay on Canadian soil, certain people must obtain a visitor's visa from a Canadian embassy abroad.

To be granted entry, people requesting permission to come into Canada must meet a number of requirements. They must hold a valid passport and return ticket. They must also state the reasons of their visit. In other words, foreign visitors who apply for a visa to come into Quebec or Canada and visit with relatives must prove that they are genuine visitors and comply with the provisions of the Immigration Act and Regulations. They must also prove to the visa officer handling their application that they have enough money to support themselves while in Canada and that they fully intend to return to their country of origin.

We agree with the law that people who want to Quebec or Canada for a visit must have sufficient financial resources for the cost of living in Canada. This provision stands to reason, since the length of the stay is usually one to six months, with the possibility of extending it once in Quebec or another province.

However, figures from the Department of Citizenship and Immigration for 1992 indicate that Canadian visa offices abroad have rejected over 100,000 applications. The majority of these applications, Madam Speaker, were made in Third World countries and certain Eastern European countries.

Are visas actually denied mainly on financial grounds? It may very well be so. As the movers of this motion, we think it is immoral and totally unjustified to assume that less wealthy visitors who come from these countries would not act in good faith.

Consequently, it is important that persons applying for a visa who are not well off have their applications examined by an official much in the same away as applications from persons who are more financially secure are considered, if indeed members of their family in Quebec or in Canada or members who are permanent residents are prepared to put up a bond or surety.

Some people may object to this bill on the grounds that increasing the number of visitor's visas only increases the number of refugee claimants. They will point to recent figures released by the Department of Immigration which show an increase in the number of refugee claims made by persons entering Canada with only a visitor's visa.

Our answer to them must be that whether in possession of a valid visa or falsified papers, persons fearing persecution for political, religious, ethnic or other reasons have rights which are recognized under international law, notably under the Geneva Convention to which Canada is a signatory.

Madam Speaker, it is neither a crime nor immoral to seek refuge in a country which respects human rights.

In conclusion, the members of the Official Opposition, who believe in the fundamental values of Quebec society, values such as generosity and open-mindedness, will unequivocally support Bill C-219. The amended Immigration Act will show even more respect for the citizens of this country who, through their differences and their work, enrich our society.

[Immigration Act, March 17th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, it is certainly not a coincidence that Bill C-219, whose purpose is to amend section 9 of the Immigration Act, is being discussed today, March 17, St. Patrick's Day. Wishing a happy holiday to Canadians and Quebecers of Irish descent is a privilege for me as one of my ancestors on my mother's side came from green Erin. To my Irish compatriots, in particular those from Quebec, who are proud of their roots and their culture, I am pleased to wish a most enjoyable holiday.

[Bilingualism Bonus, March 11th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Solicitor General. Yesterday, the Federal Court of Appeal ordered the federal government to pay bilingualism bonuses of $800 a year to qualified officers of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. It is estimated that the government now owes up to $4,000 to more than 3,000 officers as well as retired officers of the RCMP.

Does the Solicitor General intend to abide by the unanimous decision of the Federal Court of Appeal and pay the bilingualism bonus to qualified officers of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police?

[Supply, March 8th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, I listened carefully to my hon. colleague who provided a detailed presentation of the many problems faced by women. I was surprised to hear him say, in reference to some of my colleagues' remarks, that this government did not have to take any advice from the Official Opposition, if I understood correctly, since Quebec was the last province to enfranchise women. I want to remind my hon. colleague that the right to vote, both in Canada and in Quebec, was won by women who valiantly fought for it and that it was men who granted that right.

Of course, in those days, Quebec was going through what historians called the dark ages, but I want to point out that since 1960, since the quiet revolution, Quebec has progressed by leaps and bounds, to the extent that impartial, and often enlightened, observers recognize in Quebec a leader in many areas.

Since today is International Women's Day, let me highlight a few measures in favour of women, such as the lump sum payment at birth, the preventive withdrawal of pregnant women from the workplace, and the right for these women to receive their salary in the meantime. There are many more measures I could tell my colleagues about, but I am sure that other members have comments to make. So, in conclusion, I would add that the day Quebec holds the reins of its destiny, women there will receive their faire share in accordance with their contribution to society.

[Supply, March 8th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, according to the most recent statistics available, in 1991, there were 1,883,140 families in Quebec. Of that total, 268,000 were single parent families and, of those, 82 per cent were headed, as you have guessed, by women.

In Canada, the situation is similar; Statistics Canada data indicate that one family out of seven is a single-parent one. Women who are heads of single-parent families are more likely to be poor than men or women living in any other types of families: nearly 62 per cent of them live below the poverty line. In 1990, female single parent families had the lowest income, on average $26,906-gross income of course-compared to $42,953 for single parent families headed by men. The incidence of poverty in single parent families headed by women is clear. Within a mere two years, the income of these families has dropped by about $3,000.

Single mothers must often take on complete responsibility for the physical, material and psychological well-being of their children. Such a reality explains why the recent trend reveals that some important changes have occurred in the social fabric of Canada and Quebec.

According to Statistics Canada, being a single parent usually results from the failure of a marriage and from child care being entrusted to the mother. These mothers are often younger and their education level lower than that of fathers who head single-parent families. These young mothers must work to support their children and therefore, have to leave school. They cannot acquire the necessary skills to get good quality jobs and consequently, cannot hope for a better income. They find themselves limited to low quality types of jobs.

According to the National Action Committee on the Status of Women, a staggering number of unemployed single mothers were living on a gross annual income of barely more than $12,000. These are 1991 figures. Everyone will agree that this is well below the poverty level.

Almost all the available income of these women came from the state, in the form of family allowances, unemployment insurance benefits, social assistance, retirement pensions and other types of benefits.

Poverty is a vicious circle which is very difficult to break without outside help, particularly if you are a woman who is a single parent and who must work to ensure her survival and that of her children. Yet these women are most likely to find underpaid jobs. They are classic victims of the precariousness of employment and the division of work, a modern calamity for a society in constant evolution which strikes young workers and women.

Another economic burden supported by single mothers is the excessive cost of housing. According to Statistics Canada, 54 per cent of single parent families were renting the dwelling in which they lived. The rate is much lower for men who are heads of single parent families, since it is around 37 per cent. What is alarming is the fact that 56 per cent of single parents who are women spend more than 30 per cent of their income on housing, while, and so much the better, only 32 per cent of single parents who are men spend the same proportion of their income on housing.

Today, on March 8, we must acknowledge that the situation of women is tragic. The era of collective impoverishment has very much arrived and the question is how long it will last. In the meantime, Canadian women are paying the price. Everyone in this House agrees that poverty is a problem which must be solved. We must go to the root of that problem right now. The government has not only a political and administrative responsibility, but also a moral responsibility towards Canadians. Wishful thinking, white books, sham policies and political programs which turn from red to blue with every possible nuance no longer have their place in 1994.

This government can, if it wants and especially if it so believes, show the way by facilitating access to education and employment for single mothers, and that includes, among other initiatives, the setting up of a national day care network which would be primarily available to those families who need it the most. And, Madam Speaker, as you know, these families are the ones headed by women.

Another measure could be taken to improve the financial situation of single mothers. An increasing number of women are being economically discriminated against because of a provision of the Federal Income Tax Act concerning the taxation of support payments made to the parents who are given custody of the children and who are women for the most part, as we well know. We will not have to mention it anymore, since it is becoming so obvious. Right now, the tax reform undertaken by the government does not address the issue.

The principle according to which any deductible amount for the payer, that is the ex-husband, is added to the income of the recipient, that is the single mother who has custody of the children, dates back to the 1940s. At that time, Madam Speaker, we were both quite young.

Everyone will agree that our society has changed significantly during the last 50 years. The government must accept its responsibilities and reconsider this principle which greatly affects the financial security of single mothers. Those are only a few of the measures which could improve the financial situation of women, of their family and of all members of our society.

The wealth and the vitality of a society largely depends on its concern for the young. Healthy kids make for healthy families. The basic needs of an individual must be fulfilled for him or her to grow. Our young people need to be well-fed, to be well-housed, to have some place warm to go, and to be loved in order to grow and become reliable and happy adults.

During the Year of the Family, I think it is the responsibility of members of this House and of this government to do whatever they can to ensure all families in Quebec and in Canada enjoy the best health possible. I am convinced that on this day, March 8, our leaders have listened a bit more carefully to the needs of our society.

Madam Speaker, what I should have told you earlier is that, starting with my speech, our interventions will last ten minutes.

[Supply, March 8th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, it is on March 8, 1911, that for the first time ever, many countries decided to pay tribute to the courage and tenacity of women.

This acknowledgement of women's role in our society did not happen by chance; it was due to the relentless efforts of female pioneers who had decided to fight the poverty, inequity, and violence their sisters were faced with every day of their lives.

I want to salute the relentless efforts of these women who have been and are still fighting so that equality among human beings, men and women alike, may one day be a reality.

I want to wish all Quebec and Canadian women, and especially the women in my riding of Laval-Centre, a very happy day. They can count on my unfailing commitment to promote and fight for their rights. We still have a long way to go.

Women's economic situation, in Canada as well as in Quebec, is tragic. They are the first ones to be affected by the ravages of poverty, this scourge which has become rampant in our so-called developed society.

The situation is even more tragic for women who are single parents. More than anybody else, they bear the brunt of the present economic crisis.

We can only paint a rather dismal picture of the situation. Statistics and columns of figures show the extent of the problem. However, figures do not reflect the increasingly desperate situation of these families, these women who are fighting for their survival and their children's. Spurred on by the economic crisis, the government goes to war, but instead of targeting poverty, it targets the poor.

The latest budget speech and the planned reform of social programs are blatant examples of this. The government seems to remain insensitive to the plight of the hundreds of thousands of women who are the sole support of their family and who do not have a hope to make it without the government's help.

Very often, if they work outside their homes it is because financially they have to. It is to be able to survive that these women, who support their families, have to rely on the government's assistance. According to the latest figures-

[Collège Militaire Royal De Saint-Jean, March 8th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, can the minister tell us clearly what kind of savings the current government intends to realize by transferring activities from Saint-Jean to Kingston and can he give us some figures?

[Collège Militaire Royal De Saint-Jean, March 8th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, my question is for the minister of defence.

The government is using the fact that it must significantly cut Canadian military expenditures to justify the closure of the Collège militaire de Saint-Jean and the transfer of training activities to Kingston.

Does the Minister of National Defence not recognize that budget cuts are no justification for the government's decision since activities are not being eliminated, but merely transferred from Saint-Jean to Kingston?

[The Late Melina Mercouri, March 7th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, March 6, 1994, will always be a sad day for Greece, as well as for Quebecers and Canadians who value democracy, freedom and justice.

Melina Mercouri died yesterday after spending her life fighting oppression. Convinced of the importance of the influence of Greek culture, she also contributed to the international heritage and that of the French-speaking community.

A feminist with an exceptional destiny, as well as a woman of many talents who had a passion for life and justice, Melina Mercouri was sensitive to the survival of the French language in America.

On behalf of my colleagues, I want to tell Quebecers and Canadians of Greek origin that we share their grief and, like them, are proud of this great woman.

[Francophones, February 25th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, in addition to making disparaging remarks about the small region of Lac-Saint-Jean, the Prime Minister reminded us yesterday of how his education tour of Canada made him discover what Canada was really about.

What country is he talking about? Does the Prime Minister not realize that francophone communities outside Quebec are facing assimilation? These communities still have to fight to preserve their language and culture while often not even having access to post-secondary education in French.

The people of Quebec have no problem with going outside the province when they want to learn to speak English, but they know full well that true French education is only possible in a francophone environment.

What the Prime Minister is proposing for the students of the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean is a sprinkling of classes in French in a completely anglophone environment. That is the picture of Canada the Prime Minister is painting for francophones.