Marlene Jennings

[Criminal Code, April 16th, 1999]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today and to take this opportunity to speak to Bill C-440, introduced by the hon. member for Pickering—Ajax—Uxbridge.

I have to say this bill strikes a chord with me just like it does for many Canadians. All opinion polls in Canada show clearly the great trust Canadians have for our police forces throughout Canada. These polls show a level of trust that is perhaps one of the highest in the western world.

The issue of fleeing the police is one that our Criminal Code does not address sufficiently. I think my colleague from Leeds—Grenville, who just finished speaking, stated it quite eloquently when he described how the Criminal Code dealt with individuals driving motor vehicles whom the police were attempting to intercept; what happened when accidents occurred, when injuries were caused and in some cases death; and how the Criminal Code was unfortunately lacking in that regard.

Bill C-440 is an act to amend the Criminal Code with respect to using a motor vehicle and failing to stop for a police officer, or in legal terms flight, as has already been mentioned by other members on both sides of the House.

As has already been stated, the act of fleeing often leads to death or injury to the individual committing it, to the police officers who are trying to fulfil their lawful duty to protect the public, or in many cases to innocent bystanders who just happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

At first view the bill may seem to be the product of common sense. It is to me and, as we have heard in the House, to many other members. To some it may even appear to be odd that our Criminal Code should already have a provision to deal precisely with this. It does not.

I have had personal experience, not by having been injured by someone fleeing the police and driving a motor vehicle, obviously not by having been killed, but in my former life before entering politics I was deputy commissioner for police ethics for the province of Quebec. In that role, for over nine years I had to deal with a significant number of complaints from families who had a family member who was a victim or was killed because of the precise event that is described in this legislation and which this bill attempts to deal with. They were very upset that the police did not bring stronger criminal charges against the individual who was operating the motor vehicle and was attempting to flee police who in the performance of their lawful duties were attempting to intercept them.

As deputy commissioner I had the legal obligation to inform those complainants time after time that unfortunately the police and the justice department had done exactly what they were lawfully authorized to do under the Criminal Code in the manner in which they dealt with that suspect who had fled. It was very difficult to have to tell a family who had had a family member injured or killed that that was the only way in which the justice department and the police force could deal with the individual who had caused that injury or death.

It is not something I enjoyed doing, obviously. It is one of the reasons why I am very happy to support the bill of the member for Pickering—Ajax—Uxbridge.

I want to come back specifically to the bill. It has been mentioned in the House that since 1991 at least 39 people have been killed under the circumstances that this bill addresses. Thirty-nine people are a lot. Were these cases of dangerous driving, or was there more to it? Most people in Canada think that when someone is driving at speeds that pass the legal limit in an attempt to flee police officers who are within their legal right to intercept them goes beyond what we would consider to be dangerous driving.

It is also clear when someone is not interested and is not willing to stop when a police officer attempts to intercept them and they know it is a police officer. We are not talking about someone who thinks it is an unidentified car that is attempting to intercept them. They have no idea. They may think a car jacking is under way and they attempt to save themselves. We are not talking about those circumstances.

We are talking about circumstances where the police are clearly identified and the individual operating the motor vehicle knows beyond a reasonable doubt that it is a police officer who is attempting to intercept them and that individual continues to attempt to flee or refuses to stop. Those are the circumstances we are talking about. We cannot term that as simply dangerous driving. It goes beyond that. It is wilful disrespect and disregard for human life, which is something no Canadian shares.

We talk a lot about Canadian values. One of the highest Canadian values is precisely the respect and regard for human life. We can link it with what I said when I talked about the fact that poll after poll after poll has shown that Canadians enjoy a high trust of our police services. The very act of wilfully fleeing a police officer in the lawful performance of his or her duty in attempting to intercept an individual requires the strongest response on the part of our government, on the part of Canadian society and on the part of our institutions, including our justice institutions, through our Criminal Code.

It would be very difficult to find an ordinary Canadian on the street who would say that this bill is not justified and that this bill does not really address the issue and who would not support this bill.

I would like to take this opportunity to commend the Canadian Police Association for its support for this bill.

I am not aware if the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police supports this bill, but I have to say, knowing many police chiefs across Canada, I believe I could be safe in saying that there is probably support for this bill.

I am someone who is known both within my riding and beyond its boundaries in matters of justice to be a proponent of prevention, rehabilitation and in the last resort, retribution. However, I feel that this is a bill which needs to be supported. This is a bill whose time has come and I support it.

As I conclude my remarks on this, Madam Speaker, I believe you would find consent in the House to have the motion for second reading of Bill C-440 deemed adopted, allowing said bill to proceed to committee.

[Benny Farm Veterans Housing Complex, April 16th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to recognize and congratulate three heroes in my riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine.

At about 9.30 a.m. on Thursday, March 11, 1999, residents of one of the new buildings in the Benny Farm Veterans Housing complex were alerted to a fire in a ground floor apartment at 3500 Benny.

Janitor Deszo Bogdanyi; co-ordinator of technical operations, Patrice Bouvette; and maintenance man, Robert Gadbois, all members of the maintenance staff of Canada Lands Corporation, were able to guide everyone to safety.

While one woman was left with severe burns and many apartments were flooded, residents were quick to credit these three men with the prevention of further injuries and damage, thanks to their quick, efficient and selfless actions. The new building's cement walls and extensive sprinkler system were also instrumental in helping to contain the fire.

For these three men to enter that burning apartment in total darkness and dense smoke to rescue a wheelchair bound woman and her unconscious husband is truly a deed of heroic proportions.

I congratulate them.

[The Late Edmund Tobin Asselin, April 15th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I rise with great pride and sadness in this august Chamber to pay tribute to a man who was a great Canadian, a fellow Quebecer, and a former member of parliament for the riding of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in the city of Montreal.

Edmund Tobin Asselin, known as Eddy Asselin to many, represented Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in the House of Commons in the early to mid-sixties. He died of a stroke at the age of 78 on Wednesday, March 24, 1999.

The dashing MP, businessman and lawyer had politics in his blood. His father, Joseph Omer Asselin, was the chairman of Montreal's executive committee. His mother, Beatrice, started the Canadian Prisoners of War Relatives' Association after her 20 year old son, Edmund, was captured during World War II.

Upon his returning home after being liberated by the allies from a German prisoner of war camp, the young flight lieutenant humbly called his mother the only hero in their family for creating a way for families to keep in touch with war prisoners.

Also, his younger brother Patrick represented an eastern townships seat which had formerly been held for 30 years by their maternal grandfather, E. W. Tobin.

Mr. Asselin's daughter, Nicole Asselin, said:

He was more than a politician. He was a man with a very big heart. He was charismatic and charming, and had a joie de vivre, a love of life and of food and of people. He loved to take care of people. He wasn't a receiver. He liked to give.

Eddy Asselin cut his political teeth at Montreal's city council in the 1950s. In 1962, after 12 years as a Montreal city councillor, Asselin handily won his NDG seat and headed to Ottawa to become part of the Pearson government, along with another first time Montreal MP named John Turner. He was easily re-elected in the election of 1963.

However, Eddy Asselin's career as an MP was destined not to last as long as many of his colleagues. He spent his few years on Parliament Hill tackling the problems facing growing urban areas, such as his own riding, but chose not to seek re-election in 1966.

After leaving political life Eddy Asselin finished his law degree at the age of 40 and set up his own law practice. He was eventually appointed to the bench as a municipal court judge.

In his younger years he was a star football player at Loyola College. He continued to promote and support amateur athletic associations throughout his lifetime.

Eddy Asselin is survived by three daughters, three sons and his fourth wife, Carmelle. The funeral service, manifesting the celebration of his life, took place on Saturday, March 27, 1999, at the Armstrong Funeral Home in Dollard des Ormeaux.

I am really honoured to speak on behalf of all the residents of my riding, especially those in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, to say how much we will miss Eddy Asselin and how proud we are of the way he represented our riding. We also want to say, as his daughter put it, that he was a great Canadian and a great Quebecer.

[Bloc Quebecois, April 15th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the separatists have just released a series of documents they call “chantiers” or works in progress. In these new documents they hold doggedly on to their determination to break apart our country of Canada.

Yet some time ago Quebec Premier Lucien Bouchard said that the idea of sovereignty was still at the early stages. It seems to be time this project was shelved.

The Bloc is coming back with the same idea, the separation of Quebec from the rest of Canada. The separatists ought to bear in mind that Quebeckers have twice rejected that option.

[Jeunesses Musicales Du Canada, April 14th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, this year marks the fiftieth birthday of Jeunesses musicales du Canada. This event will be celebrated in a number of events throughout the year, including one last Monday evening at the Montreal Casino.

Jeunesses musicales du Canada was founded in 1949 by Gilles Lefebvre, Anaïs Allard-Rousseau and Joseph Lemieux. The objective of this member organization of Jeunesses musicales internationales is to develop a taste for music in young people.

In addition, thanks to its pivotal role in the creation of a world orchestra directed by the greatest conductors of our time, Jeunesses musicales du Canada offers our top musical talents the opportunity to hone their craft alongside musicians from many other countries.

On the occasion of its fiftieth anniversary, we owe a vote of thanks to the visionary Canadians who have thus made a contribution to the development of Canadian culture.

Many happy returns, Jeunesses musicales du Canada.

[Casinos On Cruise Ships, March 25th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, thanks to the action of the Canadian government, cruise ships operating casinos may continue to do so until they are within five nautical miles of port.

Previously, they had to shut down casino operations as soon as they entered Canadian territorial waters, or in other words at Anticosti Island.

This amendment to the Criminal Code, which came into effect on March 15, will allow casinos on cruise ships to continue to operate in Canadian waters.

I would point out as well that the ports of Quebec City and Montreal draw some 75,000 cruise ship passengers annually, and they generate tourist revenue of close to $12 million.

[Ginette Reno, March 16th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to add my congratulations, and those of all Canadians, to Ginette Reno, who is to be honoured this afternoon at the Rendez-vous de la Francophonie, with a reception hosted by the Minister of Canadian Heritage.

Ginette Reno's career is a good illustration of Canadian cultural richness and diversity. Her success has gone far beyond the borders of Quebec, to English Canada, Europe and the United States. Her recently released album in English has earned her a nomination for the 1999 Juno Awards in the Best Female Vocalist category.

Canada has a number of good reasons to be proud of the exceptional accomplishments of Ginette Reno, and to pay her homage at the Rendez-vous de la Francophonie, this week.

Thank you, Madame Reno.

[Canadian Economy, March 12th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, there is good news about the economy this morning.

Statistics Canada announced that the number of jobs increased in February, which means that we are still on the road to economic recovery.

These results follow seven consecutive monthly increases and they bring to 1,620,000 the number of new jobs created in Canada since we took office in 1993.

The unemployment rate remained unchanged from January, at 7.8%. This is the lowest rate since June 1990. It should be noted that we are talking about an increase in the number of full time jobs here.

In short, Canada is well managed. The federal government's economic and financial policies are working. Results clearly show that we must stay on this road to economic growth.

[Economic Growth In Quebec, March 9th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I want to counter something that will most certainly be part of the Quebec Minister of Finance's next budget.

The sovereignists often claim that Canadian federalism is stifling the economy of Quebec. According to a study carried out by the CIBC, the economic growth in Quebec is likely to be higher than the Canadian average in 1999.

In addition, this performance should enable Quebec to get its unemployment rate down below the 9% mark by the year 2000.

The sovereignist government ought to think twice before it blames the federal government for everything that is wrong in the world. It ought instead to be building bridges of co-operation between the two levels of government, in the interests of all Quebeckers.

[Canadian Space Agency, March 3rd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, on March 1, the Prime Minister of Canada helped the Canadian space agency celebrate its 10th birthday.

Canada has every reason to be proud of this concrete example of excellence in a sector which generates over 5,000 jobs throughout the country and revenues of $1.2 billion, 45% of this from exports.

Since its creation, the Canadian space agency has spared no effort to maintain a national vision of space, and this has culminated in our developing lead roles as experts in such areas as robotics and computerization.

Quebec, the Montreal region in particular, holds a special position in this field, both nationally and internationally.

I wish the Canadian space agency a long life, and look forward to our young people having the opportunity to become members of this skilled team working toward an even greater program focussing on—