Jan Brown

[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, March 1st, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Canadian Heritage.

Yesterday Tony Manera, the president of the CBC, resigned because the Liberals broke their red book promise for stable multi-year funding to the CBC. Manera says that in the next three years the government plans to cut $120 million more from the CBC than the $45 million that was stated in the budget.

The minister has a secret agenda about the future of the CBC which he has failed to disclose. Why has the minister failed to provide this information to Canadians?

[Petitions, February 28th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I rise before this House once again to present the 17th petition in this course of action undertaken on behalf of constituents who wish to halt the early release from prison of Robert Paul Thompson. April 11, 1995 is the date set for the parole hearing.

The petitioners I represent are concerned about making our streets safer for our citizens. They are opposed to the current practice of early release of violent offenders prior to serving the full extent of their sentences.

The petitioners pray that our streets will be made safer for law-abiding citizens and the families of victims of convicted murderers.

[Questions On The Order Paper, February 27th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. On February 20, 1995 I brought a point of order pursuant to Standing Order 39 regarding a question that I placed on the Order Paper on September 30, 1994.

The hon. member for Kingston and the Islands was gracious enough to respond to my request. He indicated that I would have the answer to my question by the end of last week. It is 150 days now since I have placed my question on the order paper with no result.

Also, with all due respect to the member for Kingston and the Islands who chastised me for not going to the Library of Parliament for the information, may I tell the hon. member that the annual reports to which he referred me are bordering on useless they are so vague.

Once again I would like to place these questions on the Order Paper for 1992 and 1993: What was the total amount of funds received by individuals and groups from the Canada Council? Who were these individuals? For what specific projects did they receive funding? How much did they receive?

[Petitions, February 27th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I rise before the House once again to present the 16th petition in this course of action undertaken on behalf of constituents who wish to halt the early release from prison of Robert Paul Thompson. April 11, 1995 is the date set for the parole hearing.

The petitioners I represent are concerned about making the streets safer for our citizens. They are opposed to the current practice of early release of violent offenders prior to serving the full extent of their sentences.

The petitioners pray that our streets will be made safer for law-abiding citizens and the families of the victims of convicted murderers.

[Petitions, February 24th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I rise before the House once again to present petition number 15 in the course of action undertaken on behalf of constituents who wish to halt the early release from prison of Robert Paul Thompson.

April 11 is the date set for the parole hearing. My colleague from Surrey-White Rock-South Langley shall be in attendance with me at this hearing.

The petitioners I represent are concerned about making our streets safer for our citizens. They are opposed to the current practice of early release of violent offenders prior to serving the full extent of their sentences.

The petitioners pray that our streets shall be made safer for law-abiding citizens and the families of the victims of convicted murderers.

[Taxation, February 24th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, in readiness for the forthcoming federal budget angry Canadians have put forward a strong message of no new taxes and no tax increases. They mock a government that is proving incapable of making the necessary and difficult decisions associated with spending reductions.

Taxpayers rightfully point the finger at government excesses: bloated MPs' pensions; waste, fraud and abuse in the bureaucracy; continued funding of special interest groups; and, the holy of holies, the CBC gorging itself annually on a $1.1 billion subsidy.

Canadians across the country are demanding that our spend crazy government get its act together to bring some sense to our

overtaxed economy. Canadian taxpayers believe it is time they were given a break considering they now spend more in taxes than they do for lodging and food.

What are we getting in return? No one is sure. Our taxes keep going up; government services are in decline; and our debt is doubling every 10 years.

Heaven help the faint-hearted politicians who are not listening and believe that Canadians are much too passive to roll up their sleeves and take to the streets. There is nothing more in their faces than thousands of Canadians sending Liberal tax spenders a message: We have had enough. We have nothing more left to give.

[Petitions, February 22nd, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, my second petition is signed by 106 people living in Alberta. These people are against the taxation of dental plan benefits.

These petitioners believe that such a taxation will prove to be a discouragement to those seeking preventative dental treatment. They pray that Parliament not betray their trust by taxing health.

[Petitions, February 22nd, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to present today. The first is part of my initiative on day 13 to present petition 13 which is the desire of constituents to halt the early release from prison of Robert Paul Thompson. April 11, 1995 is the date set for the parole hearing.

The petitioners I represent are concerned about making our streets safer for our citizens. They are opposed to the current practice of early release of violent offenders prior to serving the full extent of their sentences.

The petitioners pray that our streets will be made safer for law abiding citizens and the families of the victims of convicted murderers.

[Questions On The Order Paper, February 20th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order pursuant to Standing Order 39, I placed a question on the Order Paper on September 30, 1994. That was 143 days ago.

As the question required a detailed response, I did not request that the answer be provided within 45 days as the Standing Orders allow.

I am seeking information on grants from the Canada Council. The government has failed to provide the information requested and the Canada Council is already exempt from access to information requests. Now it appears to be exempting itself from usual parliamentary procedures and the expectations of this member of Parliament.

In these times of government restraint taxpayers are demanding that government funds be used responsibly so it is my role to ask questions to ensure that this happens. However someone has chosen not to answer the question. Why is this information being hidden from Canadians?

One hundred and forty-three days is an unacceptable length of time to respond to my question which I shall pose again:

For 1992 and 1993, what was the total amount of funds received by individuals and groups from the Canada Council, who were these individuals, for what specific projects did they receive funding and how much did they receive?

[Petitions, February 20th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I rise before this House on day 11 to present petition No. 11. These petitions are being presented on behalf of constituents who wish to halt the early release from prison of Robert Paul Thompson. April 11, 1995 is the date set for the parole hearing.

The petitioners I represent are concerned about making our streets safer for our citizens. They are opposed to the current practice of early release of violent offenders prior to serving the full extent of their sentences.

The petitioners pray that our streets will be made safer for law-abiding citizens and the families of the victims of convicted murders.