Fred Mifflin

[Remembrance Day, November 6th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, 79 years ago on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month the guns of the great war finally fell silent. The war to end all wars was over. The toll in millions of lives lost was appalling. Nations were shattered as the flower of their youth lay slaughtered on the killing fields of Europe. And across Canada, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters wept at the loss of their loved ones.

We are fast approaching another Remembrance Day, a brief moment in time when Canadians pay homage to those young men and women who have given their lives in service to their country throughout this century. It is a time to remember those whose blood stains the soil of nations they have helped to liberate from tyranny and oppression.

It is a time as well to honour and to thank the families of those who died and the veterans still among us for their sacrifice and their commitment to peace. We are indeed privileged to have two of those individuals with us today, as you have recognized, Mr. Speaker: Mrs. Alice Taylor, this year's Silver Cross mother, and Victoria Cross winner, Sergeant Smokey Smith.

[Drinking Water Materials Safety Act, November 5th, 1997]

moved that Bill C-14, an act respecting the safety and effectiveness of materials that come into contact with or are used to treat water destined for human consumption, be read the second time and referred to a committee.

[Veterans Affairs, November 5th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, the bill was C-84. It was passed in July 1992.

The hon. member, when he refers to this government, should know that the main agitators for that bill were three members of the opposition party, which was the Liberal Party, and a member of the NDP. It was the initiative of those members which caused the government of the day to come across with a bill which basically allowed those brave merchant seamen to receive the same benefits as those veterans in uniform, including a veterans independence program—

[Veterans Affairs, November 4th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for a very timely question.

A little more than five years ago Bill C-84 was passed which made merchant seamen fully eligible for all veterans benefits. With the passage of this bill there was finally tangible recognition of the key contribution merchant seamen made to the success of the Allied victory and the freedom which we enjoy and celebrate today.

[Veterans, October 2nd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I can assure the hon. member that the dignity of veterans will be utmost and top priority for the government.

[Veterans, October 2nd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for the question. I know that she has worked hard, like all of us in the House, in support of veterans.

I have been asked to assure the House that this situation will be reviewed. Veterans affairs are always reviewed to see what can be done for veterans. We recently overhauled the review board and that basically cuts the time in half. We continue to review items of interest.

The hon. member knows that a few years ago we introduced a bill that looked after merchant seamen. We will continue to do this on a regular basis.

[Business Of The House, April 24th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 56.1, I move:

That on Friday, April 25, 1997 until members return from a ceremony granting the royal assent to a bill or bills, the House shall not adjourn for any reason except pursuant to a motion by a minister of the crown, provided that if no such ceremony has occurred by the ordinary time of adjournment the sitting shall be suspended to the call of the Chair, which may come for the sole purpose of attending such a ceremony, after which the House shall be adjourned to the next sitting day.

[Fisheries, April 16th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I find this very strange for a party that believes the federal government should get out of the environmental business altogether.

I would suggest that the only headstone in this agreement is the Reform Party.

[Fisheries, April 16th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for recognizing this milestone in Canadian history.

The hon. member asked who will benefit from this. The highlights of this are the following. There will be a B.C.-Canada council of ministers to co-ordinate the major salmon resource and habitat issues. There will be a Pacific fisheries resource conservation council like there is in Atlantic Canada. There will be a creation of a fisheries renewal advisory board which will include the stakeholders and community groups to improve co-ordination on habitat restoration and enhancement initiatives. There will be a funding of $15 million for each government over three years for habitat restoration. There will be a commitment by both governments to work co-operatively to reduce overlap and duplication and to improve efficiency on the part of everybody. That benefits the fish and the fishermen.

[Aquaculture, April 11th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is absolutely right that the report is finished. I have had a look at it. We are studying it and when we are ready to act, we will.