Brenda Chamberlain

[The Canadian Flag, April 12th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, while our country is made up of people from different cultures, backgrounds and histories, we are united under certain symbols we hold close to us.

One of those symbols is our flag. Our flag is displayed throughout the Parliament buildings. I am pleased to see so many members of Parliament displaying the Canadian flag in their offices. While some may also display the provincial flag the Maple Leaf is always prominent.

The flag reminds us that first and foremost we are Canadians. While we represent our individual ridings we do so in this national forum for the good of all Canadians.

The pride we feel when the Maple Leaf is raised during the Olympic Games is a reminder of how important our flag is for all of us. We should never forget how much our flag means to us and what it symbolizes to the world. I encourage every member to display our Canadian flag proudly.

[Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Suspension Act, 1994, April 12th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the member across the way said that this is a costly process, and this side of the House quite agrees with that. People in general and certainly in my riding of Guelph-Wellington have expressed deep concern at the cost of the process and how much will be gained.

The other issue that the member across the floor has talked about is the fact that this would create more government. For us to create more government at a time that people feel we should not be moving in that direction is not responsible.

I do not believe we are taking the position-I certainly am not-that we do not think people should be involved. People should be involved. People have been involved at the local level from riding to riding. Many people have talked to me on this issue and expressed concern. They wished that the government would take a leadership role in deciding what should happen with this issue. We have attempted to do that.

I believe my role when I was elected was to be a leader, to show leadership and to make decisions supported by concrete facts, information building, public information being included in that communication process. I am comfortable with the direction the government is moving in.

The charge by my hon. colleague about Liberal stronghold areas being protected is not so. I cannot agree with that. That would not be the reason I would look at not supporting this amendment. The reality is that many members-I would put myself in this category-find themselves living outside the actual area that they represent. It seems odd to me that there would be decisions and directions moved in this manner.

Another colleague of ours finds part of his farm in one riding and his house in another. This does not seem reasonable. I hope the member across the way knows that some of the boundaries that were proposed are not credible. They do not make sense.

To have a situation in which we would have public input on every single area, 295 ridings or perhaps more-my colleague talks about maybe 300 or 304 ridings, I do not know where this process would end-is not a good thing at this time. The points of view are varied but in general there is wide support for the government.

I will speak on behalf of Guelph-Wellington and the information that I have received from my constituents. It is that this process, the way it was first initiated, was quite a hodge-podge. They are comfortable with us as a government saying no to this process in the manner that it has been proposed. They are concerned about cost and they are concerned about more government.

My colleague has indicated that is the question. That would be the result of the process we are embarked upon at this time. I would say this to members. From my point of view and from what I have been able to gather from public input, from talking to people, they are comfortable with this decision.

This is exactly what the Reform Party wants us to do, listen to our constituents and find out what they truly want us to do. In acting on that I am comfortable on this topic at this time.

[Translation]

[Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Suspension Act, 1994, April 12th, 1994]

Yes, I am, Mr. Speaker. Could I ask the Chair a question? When you say am I on debate, what exactly is it that you would like for me to do?

[Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Suspension Act, 1994, April 12th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, to my hon. colleague across the way, first he mentioned the fact that it is more costly. There is no issue here. The reality is if we proceed-

[Excise Act, February 22nd, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to mention that the marking of individual cigarettes was a Guelph based idea. It came from a gentleman named David Kennedy who is not the city treasurer, I would note. He is an individual citizen who is working very hard along with my constituency to find positive solutions for our problems in government. I really want to thank him.

I would also like to make mention of the anti-smoking program that we are talking about initiating. I would like to ask the hon. member if associations such as the lung association may be contacted to help us in this educational process. It may already have many good ideas or many educational components in place. In order not to have a duplication of services, perhaps organizations like this could help us in our anti-smoking campaign.

I would ask the hon. member if he would comment on that.

[Supply, February 21st, 1994]

We will see. The people have spoken very loudly and clearly on our platform. It is important for members of the Reform Party to recognize that those are the wishes of the people.

The hon. member for Calgary Southwest the other day spoke on this same point. I really feel we are elected to learn and to seek out information to which perhaps people at large do not have access. When the Reform leader spoke he said that they would educate them, that they could institute an educational process. I worry about that. I worry about an educational process that a certain party would institute to educate Canada in referendums.

I really feel strongly. The question I want to put to the member is: Does she not feel comfortable in making decisions with the information she gets from her constituents by phone, by meeting with them in public meetings, or by any of the ways that are available? Is she is not comfortable with that information-

[Supply, February 21st, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I am concerned. The hon. member for Calgary North said that we do not do what people think and want during elections and asked whether what they think and what they want count. I take great exception to that. I was elected to do exactly that. Most Liberals were elected this time around because we offered a balanced perspective.

The Reform Party, as popular as it may seem to be in the western part of Canada, has not taken a great surge in the rest of Canada. As we know it is not a true party of Canada. It truly is a regional party.

[Literacy, February 16th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, illiteracy is an everyday reality for many Canadians. It is estimated that one in four Canadians has little or no literacy skills.

I am pleased that Guelph-Wellington has several groups committed to ending illiteracy.

Illiteracy crosses all income brackets and costs an estimated $14 billion annually, both directly and indirectly. We know that job creation is the key to our economic renewal. However, with little or no literacy skills the task of retraining for some will be impossible.

More important, the social and economic ramifications of this silent disability are tremendous and the amount of lost potential is staggering.

I urge this government to continue to make literacy a priority. We must help illiterate Canadians acquire the skills to ensure that they will become the best that they can be. We need to make literacy a fundamental right for all Canadians.

[Supply, February 10th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, to the member for Fraser Valley East I say I do not disagree with a lot of things that were said. However I do have some areas I would like clarified. The member talked about improved attitude and changes of direction.

When we investigate why the attitudes are not good, if we take that premise, it is fair enough to say that sometimes our public servants have portrayed that attitude. There has been a past history from the House that has really fostered that and I get fairly concerned when the member talks about contracts not being renewed. I would hope that would not be the sledge hammer he would be attempting to use in this new government. That is really a wrong direction. It goes back to when the Conservatives talked about issuing all of our public servants running shoes if they did not like the way things were done. That is really wrong.

It is very important that we in some way start to change direction, change attitudes, talk about a monitoring program. That would be a good thing; also putting a strong strategic plan in place. I believe that we are part of that process.

I wonder if I could have a bit of clarification on the contract renewal.

[Sexual Abuse, February 9th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I recently received a letter describing a Guelph constituent's ordeal of sexual abuse. Surviving sexual abuse is a day to day struggle often faced with pain, guilt and grief. Fortunately many have the support of family and friends. All survivors need our support.

Survivors of sexual abuse who decide to pursue their ordeal through the courts should be treated with compassion and respect.

All Canadians pay a great price when we deal with the effects of sexual abuse. For example, many young offenders are victims. Unfortunately too often it is a cycle that continues from generation to generation. Our justice system must recognize and respond to the needs of both the victim and the offender.

I urge the Minister of Justice to recognize that our decisions must reflect a system that is just and fair.