David Dingwall

[Tobacco Act, March 4th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleagues opposite for that round of applause. I think the tone has been hit by the Leader of the Opposition when he talks about reasonableness.

The fact is the chairman of the Standing Committee on Health heard all the various groups make representation. It was a result of their recommendation, which his party was a part of, that this government had heeded the suggestion of the hon. member, giving him an implementation period.

I want the hon. opposite to reflect on this: "My name is Eric Carsley. My wife, my companion, my best friend for 23 years, died two years ago at the age of 45 from lung cancer that was caused by her smoking". That man is from the province of Quebec. This government stands solidly behind children and people across the country to fight tobacco consumption in this country.

[Tobacco Act, March 4th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, members of all political parties in the House have to listen quite carefully to what the Leader of the Official Opposition says on the subject matter.

So that we have all the facts I will share with my hon. colleague opposite that 36 of the medical associations in la belle province de Québec are in support of the legislation; 24 public health networks in the province of Quebec support the legislation; 140 hospitals in the province of Quebec support the legislation; and 27 anti-tobacco groups in the province of Quebec support the legislation.

When the hon. member stands in his place let him remember that in the province of Quebec in excess of 200 municipal units support the provisions of Bill C-71.

[Tobacco Act, March 4th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member opposite for his question. The fact of the matter remains that over the last number of months we have been very reasonable and very comprehensive in the legislation we are putting forward.

As I am sure the hon. member knows and knows only too well, there is no banning of sponsorships. There is no banning of sponsorship promotion. In point of fact it was his party and this leader who stood in their places and supported the principles on second reading which included the restrictions on sponsorships.

[Fight Against Aids, March 3rd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, yes. we have embarked on a consultation process with various stakeholders, including the advisory group to the minister, on the issue of AIDS and the difficulties that it provides our citizens.

We were hoping to raise the matter in a larger forum with provincial governments as well. As the hon. member knows, funding for the second phase is not due to terminate until March 1998. We have some time in which to line things up in the proper way.

We are giving careful and due consideration to the suggestions that a variety of groups are making, including the hon. member opposite.

[Cloning, March 3rd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, the substance and the purpose of the bill to which I referred is to address the kinds of concerns that he has raised.

I only hope that members can focus on this subject matter in a non-partisan way and have it passed expeditiously in the House so that the kinds of fears that he has raised will not continue in this country at least.

[Cloning, March 3rd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question because it is a serious and a substantive one.

Members will recall that we introduced legislation to deal with the very subject matter to which the hon. member referred. It is in committee at the present time. The legislation has two phases, phase one and phase two. If we could get the co-operation of the various political parties I am certain we could move in a very expeditious way to have that legislation pass through the House of Commons as well as the upper house.

[Hospitals, March 3rd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, again the hon. member from the Reform Party is somewhat negligent with the facts.

As a result of the economic policies of the government, we have saved provincial treasuries in excess of $1.6 billion on interest rates alone. In addition, for this fiscal year we have provided the provinces $8.6 billion in revenues for equalization.

Because of the Minister of Finance's budget of not this year, but last year, the government has provided not only a cash floor but a minimum of $25.1 billion to the provinces for the purposes of social programs.

[Hospitals, March 3rd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, the thesis promoted by members of the third party is totally inaccurate.

If one were to read the comprehensive report of the national forum, a body which was appointed by the Prime Minister, it clearly said that Canada has the second most expensive health care system in the world, that our health care system is not underfunded, and that the problems with our health care system have more to do with management than anything else.

[Tobacco Bill, March 3rd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, we are now seeing what a leadership campaign is all about.

The hon. member opposite forgets to put a few facts on the table: 40,000 lives each and every year from tobacco consumption; over 14,000 in the province of Quebec. I ask the hon. member opposite and the hon. member of the Bloc Quebecois to stand up for once and support the young people and the children of this country.

[Tobacco Bill, March 3rd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I can well understand my colleague's concern for support of the arts and cultural groups in this country.

As the hon. member and as his colleague fully know, there is no banning of sponsorship promotion. There is a restriction of sponsorship promotion.

It would be nice in this House if members of the official opposition could stand in their places and voice their concerns, as they have on this issue, when it comes to the health and care of young children in this country. I wish they would stand with children on this issue.