Gurbax Malhi

[Petitions, February 18th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have the honour to present a petition.

The petitioners draw the attention of the House to the fact that some individuals are marrying Canadian citizens or permanent residents for the primary purpose of entering Canada as a member of the family class. Since fraudulent marriages of convenience cause pain to innocent spouses, the petitioners request that Parliament encourage the government to consider introducing a three year conditional period for sponsored spouses.

[Literacy, February 17th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, Thursday is literacy day and Canada's literacy challenge is enormous.

According to a recent international adult literacy survey, almost half of Canada's adult population is functioning at the two lowest levels of literacy defined by the survey. That is about 10 million people from the age of 16 and up.

What it means is that these people are likely struggling in our knowledge based society. If you cannot read well, how do you help your kids with their homework? If you cannot read and write well, how do you get a good job?

I call on fellow members in the House to take our literacy problem very seriously. Our economy, our kids and our future as a country all hinge on building up our literacy skills.

[Petitions, February 11th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have the honour to present the following petition.

The petitioners draw the attention of the House to the fact that some individuals are marrying Canadian citizens for the primary purpose of entering Canada as a member of the family class.

Therefore the petitioners pray and request that parliament encourage the government to consider introducing a three year conditional period for sponsored spouses.

[Citizenship And Heritage Week, February 11th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, February 9 to 16 is Citizenship and Heritage Week.

This annual celebration of Canadian citizenship and heritage allows us to show our pride for Canada and to share common values.

This year on Heritage Day the Government of Canada will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the United Nations universal declaration of human rights. This document inspired our own Charter of Rights and Freedoms which upholds values that Canadians cherish: the dignity of the individual, the rights of children, fairness, equal treatment and democratic participation.

I ask all my fellow members to join in the celebration of a rich past. We want to ensure a bright future for the greatest country in the world.

[Automotive Industry, December 2nd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's automotive industry is booming. Production of cars and car parts continues at a record pace this year. Continued success in the automotive industry is extremely positive for the Canadian economy.

Chrysler Canada for instance employs some 3,500 people in my riding of Bramalea—Gore—Malton and around 14,000 people nationwide. As well, Chrysler now hopes to create 1,300 new jobs at its Bramalea assembly plant by working in co-operation with Human Resources Development Canada.

It is innovative partnerships like Chrysler's proposal that will allow Canada's workforce to compete in the global markets of the 21st century.

[Personal Bankruptcies, November 20th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, though Canada is experiencing firm economic growth, personal bankruptcies are at record high levels, reaching 79,631 in 1996, a 22 per cent increase from 1995, according to Industry Canada.

It is our duty to ensure that everyone, including women, students and self-employed Canadians, enjoy the benefits of Canada's strong economic growth.

One way we can come to the aid of honest Canadians currently facing a growing mountain of personal or small business debt would be to enforce tougher penalties for those who abuse the bankruptcy process.

To that end, the government should consider setting up a special investigation unit to stop such abuses.

[Committees Of The House, November 5th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament.

[Drunk Drivers, October 30th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, each day in Canada tragedies are caused by drunk drivers. According to the Mothers Against Drunk Driving more than four Canadians per day are being killed by alcohol-related crashes.

While an individual's decision to consume alcohol is a private matter, driving after taking alcohol or other drugs is a public matter. Nobody is safe from the harm drunk drivers can cause families and friends. We saw that last August when the world witnessed the tragic results of a car crash in Paris that claimed the life of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Finally, I would like to ask my fellow parliamentarians to make this issue an immediate priority.

[Petitions, October 1st, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I have the honour to present five petitions, all of which are identical in form and content.

The petitioners pray and request that Parliament amend the Criminal Code of Canada to set the age of consent at 18 years of age to provide protection from exploitation and abuse.

[International Day Of Older Persons, September 30th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, it is with appreciation and admiration that I pay tribute to the millions of Canadians celebrating the international day of older persons.

We set aside October 1 to increase public awareness of the tremendous contributions older Canadians continue to make to Canadian society. By caring for our elders we can teach our youth to be compassionate and caring.

The international day of older persons reminds us that every Canadian, regardless of age, has a right to participate fully in community life. They have a right to live fulfilling, independent lives and to travel about freely. In all cases, they have the right to be treated with dignity.

I encourage all of my colleagues to work toward achieving these goals, not just on October 1, but each and every day of the year.