Jim Hart

[Petitions, November 23rd, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have a petition today signed by residents of Okanagan Falls in my riding. People from Calgary, Grande Prairie and Slave Lake, Alberta, as well as several other communities in western Canada, have also signed the petition.

The petitioners are opposed to further legislation for firearms acquisition and possession. They are asking Parliament to provide strict guidelines and mandatory sentencing for use or possession of a firearm in the commission of a violent crime.

I would like to mention that thousands of people are adding their names to this petition which is being circulated in western Canada. To date I have delivered 829 names to the House. I concur with the petitioners.

[Petitions, November 22nd, 1994]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, constituents of my riding of Okanagan-Similkameen-Merritt are adding to the growing number of people who are concerned about the intrusion of government into the rights of ordinary, law-abiding citizens.

This intrusion is in the form of adding to the already stringent gun control legislation in Canada. Canadians are clearly saying that we have a crime problem, not a gun problem.

The petitioners are calling on Parliament to oppose further legislation for firearms acquisition and possession, and to provide strict guidelines and mandatory sentencing for the use or possession of a firearm in the commission of a violent crime.

I agree with and support the petitioners and urge the government to reconsider its position.

[Apex Ski Resort, November 21st, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, this situation is reaching near-boiling point and something is going to happen unless the minister takes immediate action.

This dispute over the Apex resort is only a symptom of a deeper long-standing problem. This year federal government funding to the Penticton Indian Band is more than $2.5 million. In spite of denials by the band, some of this money is being spent to pay those manning the illegal blockades $10 an hour. Meanwhile the 250 employees at the resort are paying a terrible price and some have to draw UI at the taxpayers' expense.

Will the minister of Indian affairs immediately suspend all funding transfers to the Penticton Indian Band, as he did recently with the Lower Similkameen Band election dispute, until the illegal roadblocks are removed and the band sits down at the bargaining table?

[Apex Ski Resort, November 21st, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, for almost three weeks now three Indian bands have illegally blocked the road to the Apex ski resort near Penticton, British Columbia. Two hundred and fifty people have been denied their right to work. The owners of the resort are facing financial ruin and the 300 homeowners in the Apex area are subjected to daily harassment.

Feelings in the non-native and the native communities are running high and the battle lines are being drawn in a dispute that I fear is headed for violence. Yet the minister of Indian affairs has refused to act.

Will the minister live up to his constitutional responsibilities and take immediate action to end this dispute peacefully?

[National Child Day, November 18th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, every day innocent and defenceless children become victims. Murder, rape, kidnapping and violent assault are threatening our youngest Canadians.

In my constituency of Okanagan-Similkameen-Merritt eight cases of violent assaults on children are currently pending. In one case a previous sexual offender who repeatedly molested a young child was apparently released on his own recognisance. This slap in the face only adds to the agony suffered by the victim and the family. The abduction and murder of eight-year old Mindy Trann has raised loud cries of outrage throughout the Okanagan. These offensive and disgusting violations must stop.

The Canadian justice system must take steps to ensure the safety of our children. Offenders convicted of crimes against a child should serve their sentences without parole. Previously convicted offenders charged with a crime against a child should be kept in jail without bail.

Sunday, November 20 is National Child Day. I call on the government now to protect families and keep our children safe.

[Social Security Programs, November 17th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I enjoyed the speech of the hon. member for Burin-St. George's. It is always interesting listening to him speak.

He mentioned the UI program. I would agree there have to be some changes for the UI program to continue. Of course the Reform Party has been talking about making the program actuarially sound. I would like his comments on that.

The member also raised an example of a UI situation. I would also like to bring to the attention of the House a situation in my own riding of Okanagan-Similkameen-Merritt which happened recently. We had a terrible forest fire in the Penticton region that devastated the area for quite some time over the holidays, our peak tourism season. God bless the people who came out to fight the forest fire. They were there to ensure the fire did not spread much farther than it did. We lost in the neighbourhood of a dozen homes; it could have been a lot worse.

Recently a company that does a controlled burn each year on a contract basis in the Merritt region went to the unemployment insurance people and said it needed some people to help with the controlled burn. Strangely enough the same people who fought the forest fire in Penticton were the people that year after year participated in the controlled burn. This year he could not get those people to come out. The UIC said that these people had been asked and they said: "No, we have had it with fires and working in the forests. We can do much better if we stay on UI for this period of time". This is an excellent example of abuse in the system.

What would the member do? What would be his suggestion to alleviate this situation?

[Petitions, November 17th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, today I have a petition signed by 158 constituents of the riding of Okanagan-Similkameen-Merritt. The number of people who are opposed to additional legislation for gun control is growing.

The petitioners are calling on the House assembled to oppose further legislation for firearms acquisition and possession and to further provide strict guidelines and mandatory sentencing for the use or possession of a firearm in the commission of a violent crime. I agree with my petitioners.

[Penticton Indian Band, November 14th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I bring to the attention of the House a very serious situation. For the past two weeks the Penticton Indian band has blocked access to the Apex mountain ski resort in my riding. This is just the latest in a series of roadblocks by the band since 1990. Each time it happens a major source of winter employment is further crippled by the flames of conflict that are fanned on both sides.

We need a lasting solution to the underlying historic problems in this situation if we are to prevent a conflict such as we witnessed at Oka. For two weeks I have repeatedly tried to contact the minister of Indian affairs to discuss with him the concerns of my constituents, both native and non-native. To date he has not seen fit to respond, while with each passing day the crisis edges toward irreconcilable conflict. I challenge the minister to be a help rather than a hindrance in this situation. His inaction will only make a resolution more difficult.

I call upon him to help bring the parties together and to be part of the solution rather than a part of the problem.

[Remembrance Day, November 4th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, next Friday in cities, towns and villages across this land Canadians will gather to remember our war dead and to give silent thanks for the years of peace bought with their sacrifice. Those brave men and women gave up their families and homes to fight Canada's wars, many of whom never saw this land again.

This is a special year of remembrance for those who fought in World War II. Along with our veterans we will honour those who gave their lives for democracy and freedom 50 years ago.

In the peace and tranquillity of this land, this exceptional country, war may seem far removed. Let us remember that our peace was bought with the blood of our sailors, our merchant seamen, our soldiers and our airmen.

I call on all Canadians on November 11 and during this special year of remembrance to think of those who are not with us here today because they found this country to be something worth fighting for, something worth dying for.

We must never forget.

[Privilege, November 2nd, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a question of privilege.

Yesterday in this Chamber the Deputy Prime Minister quoted from a letter I wrote to the Minister of Canadian Heritage regarding the concern of one of my constituents without my prior knowledge or permission or the prior knowledge or permission of my constituent.

Mr. Speaker, in your deliberations as to whether what I raise today constitutes a prima facie question of privilege, I ask that you consider the following. Beauchesne's 6th edition, citation 115 reads:

A question of privilege must be brought to the attention of the House at the first possible opportunity.

Because breaching the right of a member of Parliament is a serious matter, before taking it any further I undertook to obtain the transcript record of what transpired yesterday. I also undertook to consult the legal counsel of the House regarding what had occurred.

The Deputy Prime Minister and by making the aforesaid letter available to her the Minister of Canadian Heritage breached confidentiality and in so doing interfered with my ability to function as a member of Parliament.

By breaching confidentiality the minister has called into question whether or not issues on which my constituents ask my assistance will be made public.

Mr. Speaker, I ask you to find this to be a prima facie question of privilege. If you do so find, as is the usual practice of this House as described in Beauchesne's 6th edition, citation 118, I will move that this question of privilege be referred to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs.