Lost his last election, in 2000, with 22% of the vote.
Petitions February 11th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I have had a petition forwarded to me which has been duly certified indicating that in the opinion of the petitioners the Canadian National Anthem makes reference to the male sex and is therefore sexist. The petitioners request that the anthem be amended to avoid such terms.
Income Tax Act February 9th, 1994
Madam Speaker, the hon. member in his speech talked about tax and the most recent question was with respect to the broadening of the tax base. I would still like to know from the hon. member whether the privileged people in this country who have avoided tax for many years and accumulated not just some moneys but fortunes should continue to be exempt under the guise of no increased taxation.
Child Support Payments February 8th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, several of my constituents have brought to my attention their concerns that there is a grave problem with the taxation of child support payments.
Child support is paid for the benefit of the children, not the custodial parent. According to statistics, 60 per cent of single parent families live below the poverty line. Child support does not cover the cost of raising a child. However, for income tax purposes child support is considered part of the income of the custodial parent as opposed to the income of the contributing parent.
Therefore, I call upon the ministers of finance and national revenue to review this problem, to find a solution that will create greater equity between the custodial and contributing parents.
Social Security System February 3rd, 1994
Mr. Speaker, we have heard comments from the hon. member with respect to increasing spending on day care. One certainly cannot argue with that. As well we have heard discussions about not cutting social programs.
At the end of her presentation the hon. member indicated that the deficit should be cut, after talking about increasing spending, not decreasing spending.
My question for the hon. member is this. How does she believe that can be fulfilled, the cutting of the deficit without cutting spending, not expanding spending in other areas?
Agricultural Biotechnology January 31st, 1994
Mr. Speaker, Canada is a recognized world leader in the area of agricultural biotechnology. One of the leading centres for research and development in this area is in Saskatoon where major breakthroughs have been made in many areas of plant breeding and animal research.
However it has been brought to my attention by members of the industry that there are great problems in Canada in registering their new products. Registration rests solely in the hands of federal bureaucracies. What can take days, weeks or months in countries like the United States takes years in Canada. Such delays will result in Canada losing its leadership role in this field.
I urge the ministers responsible for this area to help maintain Canada's world leading role by removing many of the barriers to getting products to the marketplace.
Speech From The Throne January 27th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has made reference to certain quotations of former Prime Minister Trudeau indicating to the effect that he would not sell our goddamn grain.
The statement that he has attributed to the former Prime Minister is not accurate. The statement that was made by the former Prime Minister was: "Why should I sell your wheat?" He then proceeded to answer the question and told the western Canadian farmer as to why he would sell the wheat for the western Canadian farmer. I know this because I was there.
The hon. member commented about the agriculture minister being a lawyer but not a farmer. I am a lawyer too. I am also from a farm and I also own land. The agriculture minister, the hon. member for Regina-Wascana, is also from a farm. He understands Saskatchewan farm practices. He understands the agriculture industry in Canada.
The hon. member has also made comments about why sales of grain cannot now be made just across the border because of NAFTA and GATT, primarily NAFTA. Just sell grain across the border, sell all the grain we want into the United States. The United States is an exporter of grain except for one specialized commodity which is durum. Other than that they export. One state in the United States produces more wheat than the whole of Canada.
Speech From The Throne January 27th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, with respect to the comments of the hon. member, I come from the province of Saskatchewan where people cherish their independence very much and certainly do not appreciate the interference of government at most stages, including taxation, but I will not get into that.
Since most deaths occur in Canada on highways and not from the use of firearms, and many injuries in this country result not from the use of firearms but from the use of knives, are we not placing the wrong emphasis on further trying to control firearms? Are there not diminishing returns where further legislation will not result in further reduction of crime by the use of firearms?
Cruise Missile Testing January 26th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, the reason originally for the cruise missile testing in western and northern Canada was because the terrain of that particular part of Canada closely resembled that of the Soviet Union.
Since the Soviet Union no longer exists and since the war areas in the world have been comparable to that of Iraq, being deserts, would it not be more appropriate for cruise missile testing, rather than being in Canada to be in areas comparable to that in Nevada.
Foreign Affairs January 25th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, we have debated the question, exchanged ideas and listened to all other hon. members who have given their views with respect to these matters.
The purpose of the debate is to exchange and to formulate ideas. Hopefully if the hon. member has further comments with which he can convince other members on the other side of the House as to why his position is more favourable perhaps he can be convincing. That is the reason we are here today.
I can indicate that some of the comments, such as those made earlier today by the hon. member for Moose Jaw-Lake Centre were convincing. If the the hon. member who has just posed his comment has further comments that may be convincing I ask him for them.
Foreign Affairs January 25th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, because that was not a question but primarily a comment by the hon. member I have nothing further to add.