House of Commons photoWon her last election, in 1993, with 37% of the vote.
Petitions November 23rd, 1994
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36 I wish to present some petitions on behalf of grandchildren and grandparents in Canada asking Parliament to amend the Divorce Act to grant standing before the courts to argue for continuous access for grandparents to their grandchildren.
Patronage November 23rd, 1994
Mr. Speaker, does this sound familiar: "As this tired, old government drones on toward an overdue election the list of promoted hacks and bagmen grows even longer and so does the odour of nepotism, patronage and payoffs. In recent days we have witnessed an orgy of Tory patronage that defies imagination"? Only last year this was said by my hon. colleague for Kingston and the Islands in response to Tory patronage appointments.
It is amazing how going from opposition to government shortens the memory. I guess that explains the decision to appoint two more senators for nothing more than pure patronage. This is an obscene affront to democracy. It just goes to show the extent to which the Liberals are really concerned about restoring honesty and integrity in our political institutions.
Petitions November 22nd, 1994
Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have the honour this morning of presenting petitions on behalf of my constituents for the right of grandparents to gain access to their grandchildren through an amendment to the Divorce Act.
Petitions November 18th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I will be brief. Therefore, the petitioners request that we address the case at hand, the firearms legislation. Please replace it.
Petitions November 18th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am presenting a petition on behalf of British Columbians from all regions of B.C. on anti-firearms legislation.
I think the directions are so clear they should be read: "That Justice Minister Allan Rock is proposing anti-firearms legislation that will virtually do nothing to reduce violent crime, but will severely restrict the rights and freedoms of millions of innocent firearms owners, contrary to the very principles of justice".
National Child Day November 18th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I too rise to recognize that this Sunday is the second anniversary of National Child Day in Canada. It is a day as all days to listen to children, to respect them and to marvel at all they have to offer.
As 1994 marks the International Year of the Family this is also a day to honour the important role of the family in children's lives. Families are the place where nurturing and respect shape young lives, where identity, culture and values are passed from one generation to the next. Families are truly the cornerstone of society. They equip children with the tools they need to become caring responsible citizens.
For all this we owe the families of our country a great deal from children to grandparents. Let us not forget that grandparents can offer the unconditional love and understanding our children and grandchildren need.
Let us act now to create a better and brighter future for all children because they are our country's most valuable resource and because children matter.
Citizenship Act November 16th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I might ask you to help me out a little and let me known when my conclusion time approaches so I can maybe finish the sentence I am speaking.
I rise today to speak in support of my friend's private member's bill which deals with the growing problem of people coming to Canada just in time to give birth, their babies therefore gaining Canadian citizenship.
This bill would eliminate the conferring of Canadian citizenship on the baby unless one of the parents became a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada and an application is made on behalf of the child for it to become a citizen. The automatic conferring of citizenship would cease.
When I first was made aware of the situation of people coming to Canada to occupy our maternity wards to have children and then go back to their country of origin, I thought this to be an unusual state of affairs. It could be argued that Canadians should be flattered that people from other countries thinking so highly of Canada and the benefits which flow from Canadian citizenship that they will actually come to Canada to give birth.
As well, I understand that in the majority of cases people who are doing this pay for the medical care they receive. Therefore, what is the harm? The health care system is compensated. We should be flattered that people from around the world want to give their babies Canadian citizenship. It is difficult to argue that this is a method to ensure that 18 years hence the child will sponsor his or her parents into Canada as immigrants because the child, now 18, is a Canadian citizen.
I suppose there is a good chance this would eventually happen. I do not think this is the most grievous flow with the act as it is presently written. The Citizenship Act should be changed to that this practice of using Canada as a birth place of convenience stops. This practice should stop because to continue it is to make a mockery of the system we presently have in place by which people become Canadian citizens.
People come to Canada from all over the world. They come here for many reasons, but for the vast majority they come because Canada is a land of opportunity, a land of fairness and equality, a land where all are to be treated alike.
If this is true, and I believe it is, how do we reconcile the complicated procedure which immigrants and refugees have to go through to become Canadian citizens with the fact that a mother can come here for a few days, have a baby which automatically assumes Canadian citizenship and then leave? To my mind these two procedures cannot be reconciled and the latter must be eliminated.
Those who make a conscience decision to come to Canada and then to apply for Canadian citizenship do so because they have certain expectations about citizenship, what it is, what it means and what flows from it. These people understood what it means to be a Canadian citizen. They each must take an active part in building this country we all share.
A sense of being Canadian is something that can take time to develop. It means being part of a large family and as such it means assertion of certain rights and responsibilities that are based on our traditions and shared values.
Under the charter of rights there are certain guarantees that all Canadian citizens have: the right to vote in the federal and provincial elections, the right to be a candidate in federal and provincial elections, the right to enter, remain in or leave Canada, the right to earn a living and reside in any province, and minority language education rights.
Canadians also have other rights as citizens. They may have a Canadian passport. They may be considered first for some jobs. Along with these rights come responsibilities to strengthen our communities, participate in a political process, obey Canada's laws, eliminate discrimination and injustice, respect the rights of others, respect private and public property, care for Canada's heritage and support Canada's ideals.
Canadian citizenship today is I believe about all of us as citizens participating fully and equally in our national life. It is about promoting our national symbols and values and building a Canada where all of us can feel at home.
It is my belief that those who practice active citizenship strengthen our democracy, our national identity and our sense of responsibility for Canada, strengthen our relations with another, improve the quality of our institutions, help us deal with society's problems.
The oath of Canadian citizenship is taken by many people every year. It is a solemn declaration which places responsibilities on the person who takes it. It can only be taken after the applicant meets the following standards: is at least 18 years old, is lawfully admitted to Canada for permanent residence, has
lived in Canada for a total of three years in the four years immediately before applying for citizenship, can speak one of Canada's official languages, has enough knowledge about Canada including the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, is not under deportation order or in prison, has not been convicted of an indictable offence within the last three years and is not considered a threat to the security of Canada.
Even after meeting these standards, an interview must be held by a citizen court judge. I therefore urge all members of the House to support the bill to end the standard by which citizenship is dealt with in Canada.
Citizenship in my opinion should be used as a vehicle to promote an active critical participation in public affairs on the part of Canadians. Passage of this bill will show the world how seriously we value Canadian citizenship and all the benefits that flow therefrom.
Petitions November 4th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I am presenting more petitions on behalf of Canadian grandchildren and grandparents. It is long overdue and I sincerely hope that our government recognizes the urgent need to stop punishing a large percentage of our grandchildren by not allowing them access to their grandparents.
My private member's bill to grant grandparents continuous access to their grandchildren is soon to be debated in this House. I ask all members of this House to support our Canadian grandchildren.
Petitions November 4th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36 I would like to present two petitions, one on behalf of my constituents asking the government to ensure that present provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada which prohibit assisted suicide be enforced.
Points Of Order November 4th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, actually in my question I believe I was asking for clarification. I certainly hope no one is suggesting here in this House that I would question the honourability of any member, cabinet minister or anyone else.
I think my performance in this House in not quite a year here indicates the respect with which I treat others.