Michael Savage

[Supply, November 16th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, I am very pleased to speak to these estimates. I am delighted that one of the first things that I did as a member of Parliament was to conduct a round table in my community with the Minister of Canadian Heritage. Her competence, passion and commitment shone through and made a big impact on the people of Dartmouth--Cole Harbour and Halifax.

I am pleased to have the opportunity to speak to the Government of Canada's collaborative approach and commitment to sport and physical activity in Canada. The best illustration of this approach is the work that we are doing to prepare for the Olympics and the Paralympics in 2010 in Vancouver-Whistler.

As the recent throne speech said, these winter games are an opportunity to reinforce participation in sport by Canadians at the highest level and in our communities. The games are also much more than that. In just a few short years Canada will have a chance to showcase our commitment to excellence.

Of course, sport is about teamwork. Only through teamwork involving all Canadians, and I mean all Canadians from coast to coast, can we ensure that Canada will win gold in 2010.

The federal government is not alone in this. Canada's sport system is based on partnerships, and its sustainability relies on the full support of governments at all levels, sport organizations, the private sector, communities and volunteers. We all have a role to play because hosting these games will result in tangible benefits for Canada's developing and high performance athletes and to the country as a whole.

Our government's commitment to creating a lasting legacy will mean more than state of the art sport and training facilities. The legacy will be the expertise that is developed among officials and volunteers. It will be the pride Canadians will feel in themselves, their communities and their country. It will be the stories we will share as a nation for generations to come.

The games will also give Canada an opportunity to demonstrate to the world not only our sport excellence but our commitment to innovation, our distinctive culture and our values, values like cultural diversity and inclusion. The cultural component of these games, which will include a strong emphasis on the cultures of our first nations people, is already shaping up to be nothing short of spectacular.

Over the next six years the 2010 games undoubtedly will heighten Canada's interest in sport and physical activity. This brings me to one of the primary goals of our government's policy for sport: getting more Canadians involved and taking part in sport and physical activity and ensuring that the barriers to participation are reduced. This means involving more new Canadians, more young people, more economically disadvantaged people, more persons with disabilities, more aboriginal people and especially aboriginal children and youth.

As a member of Parliament I have seen the tremendous benefits of sport enjoyed by young people in my own riding. Participation in sport improves their health and fitness. It teaches them important lessons about life. It bolsters their confidence and self-esteem and builds friendships and social skills. I have seen how sport can improve the lives of people whose circumstances have put them on the margins of society. We must ensure that everyone has the opportunity to enjoy sport.

My colleagues in the government and I intend to work hard to remove the barriers to participation faced by the groups that I mentioned a moment ago, such as persons with disabilities, youth at risk, teenage women and others. We are operating from the deep belief that sport has the ability to transform lives. I know this belief is shared by many colleagues on all sides of the House. It is our duty to make sure that it is understood by all Canadians.

This belief is directly related to our government's priorities, as announced recently in the Speech from the Throne, including strengthening Canada's social foundations. Sport has a unique and important role to play. After all, our communities really come to life on the soccer fields and the baseball fields, at the hockey rinks, the tennis courts, sailing clubs, swimming clubs and rowing clubs, where people of all ages and walks of life come together in activities that help them lead healthy and more productive lives.

One of my passions and one of the reasons I strove to be appointed to the Standing Committee on Health is my belief that our cherished health system, our pride and joy, is only sustainable if we can develop a national wellness strategy, one of the chief components of which will be sport, because sport and indeed physical activity bring people together.

I remember someone telling me the other day of a bike ride he took here in Ottawa during which he saw different people playing cricket, ultimate, tennis, horseshoes and basketball, not to mention other cyclists, in-line skaters, joggers and people walking their dogs, all at different times. The more Canadians involve themselves in physical activity and sport, encourage the volunteerism embodied in sport, ensure that we have an ethically based sport system and give our top athletes the support they need, the more we make Canada a leading sport nation.

In doing this, we reap the benefits of a healthier population, stronger communities and a broader base of participants who will ensure long term excellence in sport for our nation. We can do these things by building on the commitments already laid out in the historic Canadian sport policy, the blueprint for the future of sport in our country.

The Government of Canada invests $120 million a year in initiatives designed to get more Canadians involved in sport and to support high-performance athletes. This investment is leveraged by our partnerships throughout the provinces and in the communities, ensuring that citizens and athletes get the resources they need to achieve their objectives.

There is still more that we can do.

Canadians understand the value of sport and physical activity in our society. The Government of Canada, along with our partners, will work hard to make sure that more Canadians, regardless of circumstance, can realize the benefits.

As we look ahead to Vancouver and Whistler in 2010, we must remember to cheer on our athletes who make us so proud as they serve as our ambassadors to the world. Their long road to excellence has meant a life of great personal sacrifice in time and money but also in terms of human relationships, career choices and on so many other levels for these athletes, athletes like Stephen Giles from my community of Dartmouth--Cole Harbour, who announced after the Athens games this year that he would be resigning from sport. He has inspired so many other athletes in my community and in the province of Nova Scotia. We need to recognize and honour that commitment.

Finally, we also need to acknowledge the importance of coaches to the success that Canadian athletes enjoy and ensure that we have world class coaching to back up our world class athletes. We will do it all and more in our efforts to make Canada a leading sport nation.

In that spirit, Mr. Chair, I would like to ask a question of the Minister of State for Sport. The minister recently announced an additional investment of $30 million for sport in Canada. I would ask the minister to tell the House what these funds might be used for.

[Volunteerism, November 15th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to fundraising excellence by the Robertson-Surrette Group of Nova Scotia for the wonderful Izaak Walton Killam Hospital in my community.

In 2002 the Robertson Surrette Group agreed to be presenting sponsor of the IWK's premier fundraising dinner for three years. They decided that it would be a unique idea to have young people provide the entertainment at the gala and they christened it the “Great Big Gig”.

Over the past three years they have raised over $350,000 and the work has been done by the employees at the firm.

Young artists like the Cottars, Gary Beals and J. P. Leblanc have thrilled the guests over the years and have laid a foundation for Tom Smith and his team from Timber Mart who have agreed to be the presenting sponsor for the next three years.

Volunteers are the heart of our community. I congratulate Mark and Angela Surrette, Jeff Forbes and all the team at the Robertson-Surrette Group for the great work that they have done on behalf of Atlantic Canada's children.

[International Interests in Mobile Equipment (aircraft equipment) Act, November 15th, 2004]

Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member, my colleague and associate from Nova Scotia. I did not have to be Kreskin to know what question he was going to ask me in the House here today. I can assure him of my full support for government initiatives that will help shipbuilding. It is one of the most important industries where I come from.

He mentioned the Coast Guard. It is my belief that we need to seriously reinvest in our Coast Guard, including hundreds of millions of dollars in new equipment. That will get my full support.

This bill is not about subsidies. It is not about investing in industries. It is about making the aerospace industry more competitive. While we have opportunities in shipbuilding, at the very least this member, who also was at the international aviation and aerospace show with me in September, will see that this will make it easier for the growing aerospace industry in Nova Scotia.

[International Interests in Mobile Equipment (aircraft equipment) Act, November 15th, 2004]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to offer my support during third reading of this important legislation. I wish in particular to briefly highlight the anticipated benefits of adopting the proposed international interests in mobile equipment act.

It is clear that we all agree that a strong competitive aviation industry is an important component of Canada's economy in the upcoming century. Adopting the bill will help the Canadian airline and aerospace industries compete more effectively in the global economy by facilitating their access to capital markets. It is for this reason that both the industry and leaders support the bill and it is apparent that most members of the House do as well.

On March 31, 2004, Canada signed the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment and the protocol to the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment on Matters Specific to Aircraft Equipment.

Extensive consultations with interested parties were held throughout the process. Representatives of the Canadian industry were present and participated in many of the meetings leading up to the diplomatic conference in Cape Town as well as the meeting that formally adopted the instruments.

The convention and protocol will establish an international framework for the financing of aircraft equipment. Within this framework, the value of the aircraft would be used as security for payment, much like a mortgage or a lease. Adopting legislation to implement the convention and protocol will reduce the financial risk to creditors, allowing them to make greater levels of financing available for the purchase of aircraft. This could translate into lower costs for airlines purchasing or leasing aircraft, which would enhance their competitiveness and strengthen the airline and aerospace sectors. The expected result is a direct positive impact on airline earnings, investment and overall profitability.

Among the benefits of implementation is greater security for creditors, an increase in the global competitiveness of the Canadian aerospace and airline industries, and very important, maintaining jobs in Canada and spinoff effects for various regions within Canada.

If Canada were to ratify the convention and protocol and adopt implementing legislation in a timely manner, Canadian purchasers would be able to benefit from reduced exposure fees. For example, the U.S. export-import bank is offering a one-third reduction in its exposure fee to companies whose home states have signed, ratified and implemented the convention and protocol before September 30, 2005. This offer recognizes that reducing uncertainty translates into lower costs. This kind of advantage would contribute to the industry's competitiveness.

As the Canadian aviation industry becomes more cost competitive, the benefits could be passed on to consumers through increased airline services and lower fares. A healthy aviation industry will of course translate into more jobs for Canadians. As airlines become more competitive and grow, they will expand their workforce. This has spinoff benefits for the aircraft manufacturing sector. The airline and aerospace manufacturing industries generate many high paid specialized jobs. The importance of such jobs and their spinoff effects in the economy cannot and should not be ignored.

In the west, Alberta and western Canada will benefit from WestJet's increased competitiveness. As the home of Air Canada, Jetsgo, Pratt and Whitney Canada and Bombardier, Quebec will no doubt enjoy a boost in its economy.

The reason that I am pleased to stand today is that CanJet and Pratt and Whitney Canada in eastern Canada will provide a positive economic impact for eastern provinces. Nova Scotia is one of the provinces that fully supports the bill and is ready to adopt the protocol and convention. It will assist our growing aerospace industry.

Nova Scotia is more known for shipbuilding, another industry that we must keep our eye on and for which we must ensure support. However, the aerospace industry has grown in Nova Scotia and it sees great potential for further growth.

Smaller airlines across the country will also enjoy the benefits created by the convention and protocol. In addition, aircraft manufacturers and their numerous subcontractors throughout Canada will be positively affected by the increased certainty that this will provide.

Bill C-4 is an important step toward strengthening Canada's aviation industry which will generate competitive and other spinoff benefits right across the country.

[Supply, November 4th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, the benefit does not only come from this accord, but the millions of dollars that go into health care which is so badly needed in Nova Scotia, where we have needs such as home care and palliative care that are not met in Nova Scotia as they are in other provinces.

I would also agree with him that my father, the former premier of Nova Scotia, did inherit quite a fiscal mess but never complained about it. Wherever he is now, and I have a good idea where, he is probably smiling and passing a nod to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance.

[Supply, November 4th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I do not want to second guess the strategy of the Premier of Nova Scotia. It sounds like an admirable suggestion to me but that is not necessarily for me to say. I think the premier has handled himself with great class so far.

[Supply, November 4th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member of a couple of things. I have great respect and admiration for Premier Hamm. We may be on opposite sides of many issues but his motivation, his belief and his commitment to the province of Nova Scotia is beyond reproach in my view.

That is why I commend him for his comments over the past week or so and those of Minister Clarke saying that they were optimistic that this will result in a very positive outcome for Nova Scotia.

This, after all, is $640 million for Nova Scotia over the next eight years. It will also include other developments should Panuke come on shore. There is no reason that Panuke could not be included in this deal. This deal is good for a minimum of eight years. It will be reviewed at that point in time. I believe it will be renewed because it is in the best interest of Nova Scotia. I also think it is in the best interest of Newfoundland and Labrador. I absolutely do endorse it.

[Supply, November 4th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the Minister of Finance for ceding me some of his time. I would like to acknowledge the great regard that we in Nova Scotia have for the work that he has done on this file, as well as the work that has been done by our minister in Nova Scotia, the hon. member for Halifax West. I would also commend the premier and energy minister of Nova Scotia who have sincerely tried to come to a sensible conclusion to this issue.

I would also like to acknowledge some of the great debate that has happened already today and would particularly reference the hon. member for Random—Burin—St. George's who has a very explicit and simple way of laying this out, in a way that everyone can understand because this is not generally an easy topic.

I appreciate the opportunity to speak today because it raises some key issues regarding the role of the federal government in supporting ongoing improvements in the quality of life for all Canadians no matter where they live in this country, and in my case particularly, in my province of Nova Scotia.

I would like to begin my remarks by asking members of the House to cast their minds back in time, just a decade ago, because we cannot look at the future and we cannot look at this accord in context without looking at the past. In 1993-94 Canada found itself in a very precarious situation. We found ourselves mired in debt and deficit, facing an annual shortfall of some $42 billion a year and a debt level that was growing out of control.

Likewise in Nova Scotia, an overwhelming debt and crushing annual deficits from a previous administration burdened our people, burdened our province, and burdened a newly elected provincial government. At the same time Canada's unemployment rate topped 11%. Both inflation and interest rates were high. Millions of Canadians believed they would never own their own homes or start a business. That was particularly true in Nova Scotia.

The situation was so bad that the Wall Street Journal referred to Canada as an honorary member of the third world. But what a difference 10 years can make. As we stand here today in the House, Canada has an economic and fiscal record unparalleled in the G-8. We have recorded seven consecutive budget surpluses, something that has never been done in the history of our country.

With the deficit eliminated, the government has been able to use its surplus moneys to reduce the national debt by billions of dollars. As well, the federal debt to GDP ratio stands at 41.1%, down from 68.4% in 1995-96, the lowest level in over 20 years. We are well on our way to meeting our target of reducing the debt to GDP ratio of 25%.

More than 156,000 new jobs have been created in the first nine months of 2004. Our unemployment rate now stands at 7.1%. In fact, we have had the best job creation record over the past year in the G-7. At the same time inflation remains well within the Bank of Canada's target range of 1% to 3% and interest rates are well below the levels they were a decade ago.

Perhaps the most telling evidence can be found when we look at the growth in Canada's standard of living. Since moving into surplus in 1997, our country has topped the G-7 list for growth and living standards. In fact, the statistics show the average standard of living for Canadians has increased at a faster rate in the past 7 years than it did over the previous 17.

As I said earlier, what a difference a decade can make. That difference makes these agreements possible that we talk about today. The question that needs to be asked at this stage is, how did we achieve that remarkable fiscal and economic turnaround in just a few short years? The answer is twofold: first, we must acknowledge the sacrifice and hard work of Canadians from coast to coast to coast who understood the need for our country to get its house in order. In some cases that meant short term pain. But I believe it has been alleviated by a long term gain in the form of a more stable and a more prosperous nation.

Second, our government's commitment to fiscal discipline and targeted spending in key areas made a significant contribution to ending the constant spirals of debt and deficits. Over this time period we have had to make some difficult decisions, many of which have aroused feelings of anger in some regions of Canada. Nevertheless, the wisdom of this course of action has been illustrated time and again in recent years.

Without a commitment to fiscal discipline, our government would not have been able to afford the largest tax cut in Canadian history in 2000. Our five year tax reduction package is worth over $100 billion, significantly lower in personal and corporate income taxes in a wide range of areas giving us a tax advantage over many of our international competitors, including the United States. That has been the critical point for encouraging new and expanding businesses to locate in Canada.

Tax reductions introduced since 2000 have removed one million low income Canadians from the tax rolls. Without our commitment to this discipline, our government would not have had the means to implement a host of programs aimed at bettering the lives of Canadians no matter where they lived.

We have raised benefits for low income children, provided support for caregivers of the elderly or the terminally ill, helped construct new housing for low income Canadians, and boosted funding for post-secondary education. It has been said before, but I believe it bears repeating, these are truly the fiscal dividends of our commitment to live within our financial means. These dividends benefit the people of Nova Scotia as they benefit all citizens of Canada. Nowhere is this more evident than in health care, identified as the number one priority of Canadians.

In September the Prime Minister and his provincial and territorial counterparts signed a deal that would provide an additional $41 billion in health care funding, in addition to the funding the government already invests each year for the health care of Canadians. We have created a solid blueprint for further progress and sustained funding to help reduce waiting times and to invest in new health care technologies. I hope and expect that we get serious about a national wellness plan to keep us healthy.

This new agreement will provide immediate and concrete benefits for the two provinces mentioned in the motion. Nova Scotia's share of federal health care funding will increase by $62 million in the current fiscal year and $91 million in 2005-06. That is not simply an abstract concept. It represents real increases in real dollars that could be used to address the health care priorities of Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia.

The new equalization framework agreed to by federal, provincial and territorial governments last week was also good news for both provinces. Specifically, Newfoundland and Labrador will see its equalization entitlement rise by $87 million this year and $187 million in 2005-06. The new equalization framework for Nova Scotia will see an increase of $151 million in 2004-05 and $182 million in the next fiscal year. These are impressive numbers.

I want to make one thing very clear. Our government wants to do everything within its power to provide both Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia with the moneys to which they are entitled to provide efficient services to its people. I want to make it clear that in the opinion of members on our side of the House that is exactly what the government's offer to Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia regarding offshore oil and gas is intended to do.

Offshore resource revenues are today owned and collected 100% by the governments of Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia with equalization payments coming on top of those. Let us not forget that the Government of Canada adds at least a further 30% bonus to offset equalization reductions due to offshore revenues. We are proposing to add a further 70% for a grand total of 100% in offsetting funds on top of the current 100% in provincial resource revenue. This scenario will remain in place for each of the next eight years unless a province's combined revenues from these four sources match the level of revenues of Ontario on a per capita basis.

This does not mean it will end in eight years. It can be discussed. It can be reviewed. It can be renewed. That is a fair deal. It is good for Newfoundland and Labrador and it is good for Nova Scotia. It is also good for the people of Canada. This agreement is fair and reasonable. I believe it shows that Canada does in fact work.

As a Nova Scotian I am proud that our national government understands our unique position. I am pleased that Premier Hamm and Minister Clarke are engaged in discussions that I believe will lead to an agreement. This process is working and Nova Scotians will benefit. Nova Scotia can move from a have not province to a have province, and that is the goal of all of us.

For these reasons and for those advanced by my other colleagues on this side of the House, I will not be supporting the motion.

[Arts and Culture, November 4th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, this weekend in Dartmouth, many friends and supporters of Wendy Lill will gather to honour and pay tribute to this remarkable woman, my predecessor as MP for my riding.

Many members in the House know of the hard work and dedication she exhibited on behalf of her constituents. Her tireless efforts to help the poor and the disadvantaged are causes we all should champion. Her support of the disabled is an indication of her deep commitment to justice and equality.

Arts and culture were her profession and her passion. While I am at home next week I look forward to seeing her latest play, The Fighting Days , the story of Nellie McClung, at Eastern Front Theatre in Dartmouth.

While we all have partisan roles to play, Wendy's work must be regarded as stellar by everybody. Those of us who believe we must do more for the disadvantaged and who believe arts and culture are core to our Canadian values, pay tribute to her.

My family members are big fans of Wendy Lill, as were my late parents. I hope all members join me in saluting Wendy Lill for her dedication and service to Canada.

[Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, November 2nd, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to add my voice in support of this important bill, Bill C-15, which would have a dramatic impact on my riding, which is on the coast of the Atlantic, but impacts on all Canadians.

I would like tell members about a silent disaster that occurs across the coastline of the Atlantic, something that happens every winter. Those who walk our beaches and monitor our species can tell us about this. I am talking about the disaster of 300,000 seabirds, maybe more, that die every winter because some ships discharge their oily waste at sea.

Those ships are not allowed to do it and there are laws against it but the fact is that illegal discharge to some shipping interests is easier than the legal way of disposing of waste. They would rather risk getting caught and paying the fine, which is low. They know the enforcement of the law is not as strong as it could be or should be.

What is this stuff they dump in our oceans off the coast of my very own constituency of Dartmouth--Cole Harbour?

All ships generate waste oil that accumulates in the engine room bilges and drains down with the water. If we were to take a sample, we would always find there is oil on top of the water. The ship should separate out the oil with special separators. This is a special process that takes time. However, if the crew is pressed for time and speed, they may decide it is easier to pump it overboard at sea. They do this in the dark, in the fog, in bad weather and they do it away from port.

Discharging this waste legally in port costs up to several thousand dollars, but that is not a large amount compared to operating a ship or to port fees. Out in the ocean, though, if the ships is not caught, then it is free.

If the fines were higher, enforcement stronger and the chances of detection greater, the risk would be too great. We would provide the impetus to do the right thing.

Those who walk our beaches will tell us, and they have videos they can show us, that these birds wash ashore in large numbers. They are dead or else they are struggling to live.

A litre of oil may not seem like much, especially when dispersed over a large amount of ocean water, but a small drop the size of a quarter will do the deadly trick.

As a pinhole in a diver's suit might do the same kind of damage, the oil causes the natural defences of the birds to break down. The cold waters of the winter Atlantic seep in through that area and the birds begin to literally freeze to death.

This is not an incident from one winter. This has happened repeatedly. Volunteers along the coasts of the Atlantic and the Pacific do beach surveys on Sunday mornings and it is not uncommon for them to find anywhere from 1 to 15 birds on any given morning. The problem is not unknown to residents of the St. Lawrence or the Great Lakes. Some of these birds take days to die because they starve and freeze to death.

The waters of Atlantic Canada, including my riding where the problem is greatest, are an important crossroads for seabirds where productive marine waters support tens of millions of birds. They are also a stopping-off point for other species.

They are murres, puffins, dovekies and gulls, herring and great black-backed gulls, common eiders, Atlantic puffins, northern gannets, long-tailed ducks, common and red-throated loons, and double-crested cormorants. They are shearwaters and Albatrosses from the southern Atlantic. They are phalaropes, gulls, eiders and the eastern harlequin duck which is a listed species of special concern.

Our scientists now know that 80% of the dead birds found on the beaches of Newfoundland are dead because of chronic oil pollution. There is so much damage to so many species of wildlife and it is a preventable tragedy.

The legislation before us would address this problem by raising the fines under the Migratory Birds Convention Act to as high as $1 million for those who ignore our environmental laws. It would make these officers and operating companies and their directors accountable for their actions and help harmonize our approach with that of the United States where there have been consistently higher fines.

This act to amend the Migratory Birds Convention Act and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act would also provide clarity for enforcement officials, along with the owners and operators of vessels in waters under Canadian jurisdiction, including the 200 mile exclusion economic zone.

At this time we are able to say that none of the species I have talked about are at risk of extinction yet. However, how long will we be able to say that?

Our own government scientists say that it is clear that death by oiling at sea can significantly depress population numbers and population growth for long-lived seabird species, particularly when mortality levels are sustained, adults are impacted or species with small populations are affected.

Do we want to preside over the listing of some of these species when we could have done something about it, something that is so simple and would have such a large impact?

The legislation before us would send a message. It would tell those in the shipping industry who feel disregard for the species with which they share the ocean that we abhor what they are doing and that we will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law.

There are some in the shipping industry who feel it is deplorable that laws of Canada could be passed which could target individuals for acts of pollution and treat them like criminals in that they could be personally prosecuted.

People pollute; ships do not pollute. Marine pollution should not be equated to a parking offence. It is entirely appropriate that Canada demand that mariners and ship operators respect their own industry best practice policies and the laws of our nation.

It would tell the people of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Quebec, British Columbia and other coastline provinces that we too cherish the marine wildlife that makes us unique and enriches us all. It would tell Canadians that our environmental legislation meets the intent with which it was designed: to conserve and to protect.

Those are the messages we can send with action on the bill before us, action that can make a difference as early as the winter of 2005, as we are able to better detect those who break the law, as we are better able to prosecute those who we catch and as we are better able to deter others through large fines that do away with the practice of dumping oily waste as a cost of doing business.

As a member with a riding on a coast, I know we must do better but the bill affects all Canadians. Those are messages we can send, and I urge support for this simple approach that would do so much for our seabirds, for our oceans and for all Canadians.