Maurice Dumas

[Old Age Security, December 4th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Human Resources Development. After tabling a UI reform package that is really an extensive cutback program, the Minister of Human Resources Development is about to table an old age pension reform that goes along the same lines.

Will the minister admit that, after his all-out attack against unemployed Canadians, he is about to do the same thing to seniors?

[World Aids Day, December 1st, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, today is World AIDS Day, and I would like to make parliamentarians, Quebecers and Canadians more aware of the importance of this day.

No one should and no one can afford to remain indifferent to the seriousness of this disease and the physical and psychological suffering it causes.

Unknown until the end of the seventies, the AIDS virus has, in many western and developing countries, become public health problem number one. In 1993 the World Health Organization estimated that more than 14 million people throughout the world were or had been infected by HIV, and 7,000 people have died of AIDS in Canada.

It is still very important to educate the public about the risk of HIV infection. This terrible disease continues to strike down individuals of all ages, irrespective of gender or sexual orientation.

We must not give up in despair. We must persevere in our search for ways to wipe out this disease, because this is the only message of hope-

[Department Of Human Resources Development Act, November 23rd, 1995]

Madam Speaker, I stand today in this House to address Bill C-96, an act to establish the Department of Human Resources Development and to amend and repeal certain related acts.

The bill gives a legal basis to the Department of Human Resources Development in order to extend the powers of the Minister of Human Resources Development.

Thus, by this bill, the minister is given the power to circumvent provincial powers in order to establish direct links with local organizations or such other persons as he considers appropriate. With increased federal intrusion in social and employment programs, and most particularly, in manpower training, all social or employment related sectors are likely to be affected by federal action. Consequently, by getting new powers, the minister is interfering with provincial jurisdiction.

In the powers, duties and functions of the minister outlined in clause 6, it is specified that he exercises his power

-with the objective of enhancing employment, encouraging equality and promoting social security-

in matters over which Parliament has jurisdiction.

Clause 20 provides that the minister, within his powers, duties and functions,

-may enter into agreements with a province or group of provinces, agencies of provinces, financial institutions and such other persons or bodies as the Minister considers appropriate.

In the old legislation, the minister only had the power to enter into agreements with a province or group of provinces.

In clause 31.3,

The Commission may authorize any person or body-to exercise powers or perform duties and functions of or delegated to the Commission.

In the old legislation, it could only delegate them to "officers or employees or classes of officers or employees of the Commission or, where the Minister approves, of the Department", in section 18.3. It thus has a delegation power equal to the minister's.

Quebec partners in the labour market have long recognized the need to repatriate to Quebec federal responsibilities and budgets for manpower.

The 1989 employment forum was a major step concerning this claim. In December 1990, the Quebec Liberal government official-

ly demanded that all federal budgets, including UI funds, allocated to manpower programs be transferred to Quebec.

The Quebec government hastened to create the Quebec manpower development society or SQDM so that labour market partners could work together to manage all manpower development programs in Quebec.

Bill C-96 increases the federal presence and encroaches on provincial jurisdiction by allowing the federal government to approach organizations, municipalities and individuals directly, without going through an intermediary.

The bill gives the minister, among other things, greater powers to intervene in income security matters for children and seniors. This opens the door to the privatization and contracting-out of certain programs, including unemployment insurance and the Canada pension plan.

As spokesman on seniors organizations for the official opposition in the House of Commons, I am outraged by the June 12 tabling of the document from the Department of Human Resources Development, which questions the universality of old age pensions.

On Thursday, October 26, my colleague, the hon. member for Mercier and official opposition critic on human resources development in the House of Commons, said this: "The old age pension plan, the guaranteed income supplement, the spouse's allowance, the pension income tax credit, and the age tax credit will be combined into a single assistance program. Seniors' eligibility for this program will be based on their income".

The hon. member for Mercier also had this to say about the reform: "It is not only the end of universality for the old age pension that is at stake. What this government wants is to base the amount of the pension cheque on family income. This will affect mostly women and threatens their financial independence. The planned reform would also affect those who already receive their pensions, despite what the Prime Minister of Canada had suggested".

It is obvious that the end of universality for old age pensions marks a significant setback for Canadian and Quebec society, for women, and for all those who have a right to expect a minimum of financial security in the future.

Quebec also has the dubious honour of having the highest rate of poverty among seniors over 65 years old in all of Canada. This analysis was made by the senior citizens council. The old age security pension remains the main source of income for seniors, and elderly women in particular. I spoke many times in this House to denounce the federal government's planned cuts to old age pension, especially those to be announced after the October 30 referendum in Quebec.

When we put questions to the HRD minister in the House, he laughs them off and always seems to have all the answers. To listen to him, you would think that he is graced with papal infallibility. On September 26, as the official opposition's critic for seniors organizations, I asked Prime Minister of Canada if he could confirm for Quebecers and Canadians in general that his government's old age pension reform was actually ready but being put off until after the referendum so seniors would not know how extensive the cuts awaiting them were.

At the same time, I pointed out to the Prime Minister that his Minister of Foreign Affairs had clearly stated that the federal government would definitely not touch old age pensions, which is in total contradiction with his finance colleague's announcement, in his February budget, of an old age pension reform.

Of course, as could be expected, the federal government did not announce any cuts before the Quebec referendum. I must point out that the federal labour minister and minister responsible for the government's no campaign in the referendum also departed from the tradition federal Liberal line in reassuring a concerned lady by saying that the pension system would also be maintained under the Quebec sovereignty bill.

On September 21, I had questioned the Minister of Finance about the review of the Canada pension plan, pointing out to him that it was obvious that he and the HRD minister were waiting until after the referendum to let the axe fall on the old age pension program.

The Parti Quebecois made a firm commitment to maintain the old age pension program in a sovereign Quebec. In fact, clause 11 of the draft bill on Quebec's sovereignty states that pensions and supplements payable to the elderly shall continue to be paid by the Government of Quebec according to the same terms and conditions.

Unlike the federal government, Quebec will be able to fund this program through tax moneys recovered from Ottawa. It should be pointed out however that the old age security program is funded through taxes levied by the federal government in Quebec and across Canada. On the other hand, the Quebec pension plan, QPP for short, is funded through premiums paid by Quebec employers and workers. With the QPP, Quebec already has all the administrative structures needed to keep providing the old age pensions currently paid by Ottawa out of Quebec taxpayers' taxes when Quebec becomes sovereign, which should not be long in coming.

Bill C-96 is the federal government's way of interfering in and creating more overlap with provincial jurisdictions. Areas coming under the responsibility of the minister would include old age security programs, and the Bloc Quebecois cannot support such a bill.

[Poverty, November 9th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, Quebec and Canada are living through hard times and face a growing problem of poverty. When the number of people on welfare is increasing to record highs, the population is entitled to expect energetic employment measures from the government.

The Canadian economy is faced with a major structural problem, one which requires immediate action from the government. Elected as it was on promises of job creation-job, jobs, jobs-this government has not shown any imaginative solutions except to centralize power in Ottawa and attack those who are already the worst off. The sole response the government offers is an empty legislative menu. Nothing for employment, nothing for social problems, nothing for the economy. Enough of this. The population demands that the government finally start governing.

[Holding Another Referendum, November 3rd, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is once again working to reduce the powers of the Quebec National Assembly, duly elected by the people of Quebec. This is 1980 revisited. The member for Saint-Maurice wants to use the defeat of the referendum to silence sovereignists and prevent them from holding another one.

In learning that he would not recognize a slim yes vote, we realized his contempt for democracy, but we would never have imagined his considering restricting the democratic rights of his own people. If this is how the Prime Minister of Canada responds to the 49.4 per cent of the population of Quebec that voted yes last Monday, Quebecers will do everything they can to retain their right to speak freely on their future. Let the Prime Minister just try to muzzle Quebecers; they will have an answer for him.

[Grandparents Day, October 25th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this House to speak in support of Motion M-273 put forward by my colleague, the hon. member for Don Valley

North, to designate the second Sunday in September of each year as "Grandparent's Day" in order to acknowledge their importance to the structure of the family in the nurturing, upbringing and education of children.

As the official opposition's critic for seniors organizations, I have always supported similar initiatives to designate a national grandparents' day, because seniors' organizations across the country, and in my riding of Argenteuil-Papineau in particular, are in favour of this kind of acknowledgement.

Grandparents play a crucial role for their grandchildren, providing a degree of stability and continuity that is so essential to them. Unfortunately, the situation is sometimes complicated by mariage breakdown and remarriage, with values often being disrupted in the process. But grandparents can help insofar as they are able and available during the transition period.

Seniors and grandparents can be instrumental in improving cohesion within the family. Grandparents act as the thread connecting the past, the present and the future. Many teenagers feel they stand alone against the problems of daily living. In 1993, in Quebec, seniors from Le Pélican seniors club, in co-operation with the Villeray local community service center, in Montreal, and the Regroupement inter-organismes pour une politique familiale au Québec, founded La Maison des grands-parents, or grandparents' house.

Grandparents welcome their children and grandchildren in this house, which is a co-ordination centre for family action. The house's goals are to foster social involvement, help prevent problems inherent to disadvantaged and isolated families, and promote reconciliation and co-operation within and between families.

Then, other seniors from various golden age clubs in Quebec founded centres with similar goals. In my riding of Argenteuil-Papineau, teenagers from the Vert-Pré drop in centre in Huberdeau and seniors from the gold age association in Saint-Adolphe-d' Howard worked together on a self-help project.

In June 1993, the general meeting of the Quebec Federation of Senior Citizens came out in support of bringing grandparents and their grandchildren closer together. It was the federation's contribution to the International Year of the Family. There are also groups of caring grandparents in various regions of Quebec. The purpose of these organizations is to put grandparents or seniors, both singles and couples, in touch with families with young children.

Their goal is to promote intergenerational contact, to help and support young families, to recognize the experience of grandparents and allow them to play an active role in society. This description of some projects is not restrictive, and I urge all seniors to take the steps required to create similar projects.

As a representative of seniors' organizations, I have always sought to ensure that the government does not penalize seniors. I took part in the debate on Bill C-54, which has a special impact on seniors' pensions through the Canada pension plan and old age security. We in the Bloc Quebecois proposed a series of amendments to protect seniors, who would otherwise be penalized by Bill C-54. Unfortunately, these amendments were rejected by the government.

I also spoke to Bill C-232, an act to amend the Divorce Act. The purpose of this bill is to exempt grandparents from having to obtain special leave of the court to apply for an interim, standing or variation order with respect to custody of or access to their grandchildren.

I am personally very concerned about the old age pension reform announced by the government, which will take effect in 1997 and possibly earlier.

In 1994, the government announced the production of a document to be tabled. It delayed the release of that document, preferring to wait until after the Quebec referendum. Thanks to the hearings held by the Commission des aînés sur l'avenir du Québec, our seniors had an opportunity to express their views regarding their future. That consultation process showed that the concerns of seniors are similar everywhere in the country, and have to do with their social and economic situation.

We are all convinced of the major influence that grandparents and seniors have on the development of children and on the well-being of families. We must give grandparents the place that should be theirs in the family context, and we must make all Canadians aware of the importance of their role.

Grandparents are an essential source of affection, understanding and experience which strengthens the family. They must be integrated to the family life.

In conclusion, the official opposition supports the motion of the member for Don Valley North asking the government to designate the second Sunday in September of each year as Grandparents Day, in order to acknowledge their importance to the structure of the family in the nurturing, upbringing and education of children.

I thank the hon. member on behalf of all the organizations representing the elderly, and also on behalf of all grandparents, young and not so young, for emphasizing their contribution to our society.

Finally, I want to point out that, should Quebecers vote in favour of sovereignty on October 30, Quebec might also recognize the

contribution of its elderly and designate the second Sunday in September of each year as Grandparents Day.

[Interparliamentary Delegations, October 3rd, 1995]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, which represented Canada at the special session of the Inter-Parliamentary Council on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, held in New York on August 30 and September 1, 1995.

[Fight Against Aids, October 2nd, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, 40,000 people, including 25,000 in Montreal, took part in the walk against AIDS. The purpose of this third Farha Foundation walk-a-thon was to collect funds for those organizations that assist and support people with AIDS.

With serenity and respect, the procession observed a minute of silence to pay tribute to AIDS victims so that no one will forget them or forget that this disease is still causing too many tragedies.

Saint-Exupéry used to say that everyone was responsible for all. The walkers showed this kind of solidarity. As for the federal government, it is still waiting to assume its responsibilities and take real action against this disease. Will the federal government finally listen to reason? It is worth repeating that "everyone is responsible for all".

[Old Age Pensions, September 28th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, in describing old age pension reform, the latest budget talked about affordability, controlling financially sustainable costs and staying within our means.

Does the Prime Minister have the courage to say to us seniors today that the aim of his reform is to cut costs in the old age pension program and thus reduce the size of seniors' cheques?

[Old Age Pensions, September 28th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.

While the Minister of Foreign Affairs is visiting seniors' centres saying that his government will never touch old age pensions, the Minister of Labour said yesterday that the federal government was going to reform the Canada Pension Plan. What is more, the latest budget also announced a reform of the old age pension, a different program from the Canada Pension Plan.

Since his ministers are all mixed up, would the Prime Minister confirm once and for all that old age pensions will indeed be reformed, as the budget provided, and that this reform has nothing to do with the five-year review of the Canada Pension Plan?