House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 44% of the vote.
Treaties Ratified In 1998 April 12th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I am pleased to table in the House, in both official languages, 47 treaties that came into force in 1998, a list of which is also tabled.
As we have done previously, I am also providing to the Library of Parliament CD-ROMs which contain electronic versions of these treaties in order to provide wide accessibility to the text and reduce the paper burden.
Bloc Quebecois April 12th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, yesterday we were treated to another example of Bloc Quebecois incoherence and twisted logic. The leader of the Bloc is concerned about Canada's international reputation. From the leader of the party mandated to break up Canada, this takes a lot of gall.
Before he starts giving lessons, the leader of the Bloc Quebecois should think back to the comments made by his own boss, Lucien Bouchard, who, last week while still in France, attacked Canada on the quality of its democratic life. This is the same Lucien Bouchard, who has said in the past that Canada is not a country, but a prison.
Let's get serious. On the subject of Canada's international reputation, the Bloc has nothing to offer but crocodile tears.
International Circumpolar Community April 11th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, the February 18 legislative elections in Iran profoundly changed the balance of political power in the country. The reformers of President Khatami won a majority of the seats. Canada congratulates the people of Iran for honouring the democratic spirit of the elections and voting in such large numbers.
We think the electoral process was open and fair and that it truly reflected the democratic will of the Iranian people. Results indicate that Iran is turning toward a more democratic system based on the rule of law and far removed from the ideological inflexibility of the past. With the presidential elections and the municipal elections in March 1999, this makes three times there has been a heavy pro-reform vote by the people of Iran.
Canada hopes that the path the Iranian people has chosen will make it possible to renew connections with Teheran and to ensure the ongoing reintegration of Iran into the international community. The government of President Khatami has done a great deal to improve its relations with its Arab neighbours and has turned to the West in hopes of expanding its relationships still further.
Canada has adopted a policy of limited engagement toward Iran, which restricts official visits between the two countries to the deputy ministerial level. The reason for the policy was Canada's concerns with Iran's human rights position, as well as its support of international terrorism, its opposition to the Middle East peace process and its support to groups that reject that process, and its search for weapons of massive destruction.
Although we are greatly encouraged by the outcome of these elections, we are now waiting to see improvements in these strategic areas of concern. We have seen some progress as far as human rights are concerned; the Baha'i are now allowed to register their marriages, thus improving the status of their children. The government has, moreover, declared that it will hold a public trial for the 13 Iranian Jews and others who were arrested a year ago and charged with spying for Israel and the United States.
Canada has made it clear to the Iranian government that the suffering of these individuals is still of considerable concern to it, and that it did not see its way clear to normalize relations between the two countries as long as Iran had not resolved the situation to Canada's satisfaction.
International Circumpolar Community April 11th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise to speak to this motion.
I would like to thank the member for Churchill River for giving the government an opportunity to speak to our ongoing recognition and support of the many challenges and opportunities facing Canadians in northern communities.
To respond adequately to my colleague from Churchill River I feel that I should first say something about the government's vision and agenda for the north.
In the widest sense our long term objectives for the north parallel the goals we have for other parts of Canada and reflect the broad themes of “Gathering Strength—Canada's Aboriginal Action Plan”. These are as follows. First, democratic, effective, and accountable governments give their citizens input into the decisions that most directly affect them.
Second, individuals and communities, whose fundamental rights are protected, under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms for example, receive services and programs comparable to those received by Canadians elsewhere, but their diversity as northerners is safeguarded and encouraged.
Third, prosperous local economies develop in a dynamic and sustainable way, strengthened by the knowledge and research needed for success over the long term.
Fourth, fiscal relationships provide governments with the resources and stability needed to act effectively in the present and to plan for the future.
This government's vision includes ensuring the protection of aboriginal rights and that market-based economies with conventional regulatory structures are adapted in the north. Real progress is being made. Aboriginal and non-aboriginal groups are communicating better and with the settlement of claims and agreements on self-government the groundwork is being laid for even more progress and co-operative institution-building in the future.
On the international front, our previous preoccupation with asserting sovereignty over the north has been replaced by a more productive and positive focus on encouraging circumpolar co-operation.
Concrete steps have been taken toward these goals with indigenous participation in international forums such as the Arctic Council and the work of the Canadian Polar Commission.
Since 1991, the Canadian Polar Commission has played a critical role with respect to monitoring, promoting and disseminating knowledge of the polar regions; contributing to public awareness of the importance of polar science to Canada; enhancing Canada's international profile as a circumpolar nation; and recommending polar science policy direction to the government.
The commission's commitment to promoting the development and dissemination of knowledge of polar regions has been evident through the commission's participation in the interdepartmental committee for the Northern Science and Technology Strategy, and through the efforts to foster the advancement of traditional knowledge.
Furthermore, the commission's work with respect to enhancing Canada's profile as a Circumpolar Nation through its involvement with the International Arctic Science Committee and the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research has, indeed, been invaluable. The point of all this is to highlight the fact that we have an excellent vision and agenda for the north that is producing real benefits for northerners and for the country as a whole.
At the core of my hon. colleague's motion today is his assertion that the government rigidly defines the north as only that territory which lies north of the 60th parallel. Let me be perfectly clear from the start. We, in fact, do not have one singular, inclusive definition of the north. I believe that I can best illustrate the government's position on this question with a few examples.
One of this government's programs administered to the north, for example, is the food mail program. This program is designed to make nutritious, perishable food more affordable in isolated communities.
In conclusion, for 1999-2000, the program's budget is $15.6 million. The program provides funding to Canada Post for transporting nutritious, perishable foods to isolated communities by air. This funding helps keep the cost of food down.
Group Of Twenty April 7th, 2000
This week, Finance Minister Paul Martin today announced that the second meeting of the Group of Twenty finance ministers and central bank governors will take place on October 24-25, 2000 in Montreal. The Group of Twenty is also known as the G-20.
Ministers and governors will review the global economic outlook and discuss ways to make the world less vulnerable to financial crises.
The G-20 was created in September 1999. It consists of finance ministers and central bank governors from 19 industrialized and emerging market countries.
The purpose of the G-20 is to ensure broader participation in discussions on international financial affairs among countries whose size or strategic importance gives them a particularly crucial role in the global economy.
We wish the participants good luck in their discussions.
Government Of Quebec March 29th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, for the second time in less than a month, we have learned that the Government of Quebec has apparently hidden the sum of $541 million since 1998.
In a special report released yesterday and covering the fiscal year ending March 31, 1999, the Auditor General of Quebec reported that the PQ government neglected to tell us that it had received the sum of $37 million from the federal government for farm income stabilization purposes.
These situations are beginning to cause some concern. Two weeks ago the talk was of $841 million allocated by the Government of Canada for health care, which Quebec had failed to use.
On behalf of my fellow citizens of Brome—Missisquoi, I say to the squirrelly PQ government “Give Quebecers the money they are entitled to”.
Tourist Events March 24th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, who has not yet heard of the internationalcrossing of Lake Memphrémagog, a marathon swim that brings together the world's best long distance swimmers, the Bromont International, an international riding competition, which just this week was awarded the Prix de tourisme des Cantons de l'Est, of the Orford classical music festival, of the Cowansville international street musicians festival, of the arts tour and of the Bedford and Brome agricultural fair, to name but a few.
The riding of Brome—Missisquoi is bursting with prestigious events that draw thousands of visitors annually. These events are what they are today thanks to the energy of the people of Brome—Missisquoi.
A tip of the hat to the organizers, who work tirelessly and resolutely to ensure the success of these events. I would also like to thank the people for their hospitality, which endows each of these events with a touch of the unique and irreplaceable.
I therefore invite my colleagues to visit the riding of Brome—Missisquoi. I am convinced they will have an unforgettable time there.
The Budget March 23rd, 2000
Mr. Speaker, thanks to the efforts of all Canadians, our country has entered a new era, an era of budget surpluses.
Canadians from all regions of the country will benefit from a budget that will ensure them of a great future. Our education system is unsurpassed, our social effort is continuing and our taxes will drop over the next five years. In addition to that, our researchers are innovating.
There are over 250 community futures development corporations in our small towns and villages. These corporations promote local economies. They also help small businesses.
Budget 2000 includes a $54 million envelope, over a three year period, to provide increased funding to existing CFDCs and to create new ones.
The CFDCs take various initiatives to develop and diversify local economies. They support small businesses by providing them with financial assistance, to a maximum of $125,000. They draft and implement strategic plans, in co-operation with other stakeholders.
Foreign Affairs March 16th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, the United States has not taken a decision yet to deploy a national missile defence system and Canada has not been formally asked to participate in an NMD system by the U.S. Consequently, it is a completely hypothetical question. We cannot yet take a position. There are still too many unknowns.
I have to add that the U.S. has confirmed that the deployment of a national missile defence system would require a change to the existing anti-ballistic missile treaty of 1972. The U.S. is pursuing discussions with Russia on this matter.
The Budget February 29th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, for a long time now, Canada has been urging Peking and Taipei to use peaceful means to resolve their differences.
We believe that the two parties should renew their dialogue as quickly as possible in order to arrive at a better understanding and thus reduce tensions in the region.
Canada continues to avail itself of opportunities to communicate its concerns. During a visit to Beijing on February 21 to 24, the assistant deputy minister for Asia-Pacific and Africa, Joseph Caron, emphasized Canada's concerns directly with the vice-minister of foreign affairs in Beijing. Our ambassador to China further underlined these concerns in a separate meeting with the vice-minister. In both of those meetings we stressed our concerns about the threat of military confrontation and strongly appealed for a peaceful and negotiated settlement. These concerns were also reiterated to the Chinese ambassador in Ottawa.
Canada's one China policy remains unchanged. We do have extensive economic, cultural and people to people contacts with Taiwan. We have used our informal channels to convey our concerns on this issue to Taipei.