Peter Stoffer

[Employment Insurance Act, September 18th, 2000]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-493, an act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (persons who leave employment to be caregivers to family members).

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to present the third part in my trilogy on health care reform.

This bill will recognize those caregivers, in most cases those people in what is called the sandwich generation, who look after their children and infirmed individuals, their parents.

Any individual who has looked after a mother, father, uncle, or anyone through the later stages of Alzheimer's knows exactly what this bill would do. The bill would allow people who need to take a year off work to access EI funds for up to 52 weeks in order for them to stay at home and look after their infirmed relatives. Relative is defined within the bill itself.

We do many things for the front end of a person's life, through maternity or paternity benefits, however we do not do anything at the back end of a person's life. This bill corrects that mistake.

I hope that this bill will be part of the sweeping changes throughout Ottawa and that all parliamentarians will carefully review this great piece of legislation and will support it not only to save taxpayer dollars in the health care system but to help people as well.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Criminal Code, September 18th, 2000]

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the New Democratic caucus I would like to extend our warm greetings to all members of parliament, their families and the new pages who are with us for this session. We wish them the best of luck. I send my personal congratulations to all and hope that everyone had a great and relaxing summer with their families and are ready to get down to the nation's business.

It gives me great pleasure to speak on this very important matter. I thank the member for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast for raising it. I am speaking in favour of this bill not necessarily to contradict my good friend from the riding of Sault Ste. Marie, but to understand why we are doing this.

On a historical note, this is the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. It is the 50th anniversary of the Korean conflict. It is the 90th anniversary of our navy. It is the 75th anniversary of the legion. It is the 55th anniversary of the liberation of my country of origin, Holland. Those anniversaries and special dates could not have been accomplished without the assistance of the Canadian people and their military forces at those various stages of our history.

One certain fact is that Canadian children and students know very little about military history. In fact, when veterans go before school kids, usually during the week prior to Remembrance Day, they are astonished at the lack of knowledge Canadians have about their own military history and the individuals who fought so bravely and gallantly in those battles.

Approximately 120,000 Canadians, mostly the same ages as the pages who are here with us, are buried in over 72 countries around the world. There is a historical cenotaph in Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia built from 72 stones. Those stones represent every country in which we have a military person buried, having died as a result of peacekeeping missions or conflicts. Those individuals died so that we could live in freedom, so that individuals such as ourselves could stand in the House of Commons to voice our opinions and battle with words instead of with fisticuffs. That is what democracy is all about.

I attended the 38th annual dominion convention in Halifax. A lot of the veterans said that the greatest homage is, “We shall not forget them; they shall be remembered”. The truth is that a lot of Canadians do not remember because they do not know.

This bill could enable young people and future generations to understand what Canada and its people went through in those battles of yesteryear. We hope and pray that we never have to go through those types of conflicts ever again as a nation, but I do know that our military would be ready at a moment's notice if there were conflicts around the world that needed to be settled.

The unfortunate part is that most Canadians are forgetting. The gatherings for Remembrance Day ceremonies are becoming larger and larger, but that is due to veterans, their families and the legion.

The issue is quite clear. If we do not allow family members or relatives to carry on proudly with the wearing of their uncles', their fathers' or their brothers' medals, that history may be lost. Those medals could eventually end up in a nice cedar box somewhere in someone's attic and left alone and forgotten. The history will be gone forever. That would be a tragic loss.

Some of the nation's most important battles were Vimy, Dieppe and other areas throughout the world. How many people really know the part that Newfoundlanders played in the war effort? They know in Newfoundland, but not many people around the country know that Newfoundlanders fought before it became a province of Canada. When we mention this to young people they say “Oh, really”. They did not know this and it is most unfortunate.

When I went to Holland for the 50th anniversary of its liberation the Dutch children knew more about Canadian history than Canadians do. That is a disgrace. That is very shameful. When this is mentioned to veterans, for example at the Camp Hill hospital in Halifax where many of our aging veterans are living out the last days of their lives, they are very sad and remorseful with the fact that Canadians forget them. Even though we stand up every Remembrance Day and say we will not forget, the reality is that time passes and memory lapses. This bill will bring the memory forward and continue to keep it alive.

My mother, father and oldest brother were liberated by Canadians. My father has now passed away, but on behalf of my family and all Dutch citizens around the world I would like to say thanks once again to the Canadian military and the government at that time for intervening in order to rescue us and allow us to come to this country and live in peace and freedom.

I promised my father and all military people that I would never forget. I have passed it on to my children so they will never forget, but there is no guarantee that they will pass it on to their children. There is no guarantee that other children will remember the sacrifices made by our military personnel. This bill is one way of encouraging the memory of the very brave and valiant soldiers, the men and women throughout our country, who have passed on to their glory with God.

I encourage all members of the House to carefully consider this bill and understand that there are differences of opinion. There is no question there were differences of opinion when World War II veterans wanted to get into the legion and World War I vets were hesitant about that. There were differences when the Korean vets came back to Canada as to whether or not it was actually a war and whether they could get into the legion. There is debate as to whether or not current serving military personnel, RCMP officers or firefighters, for that matter, can enter the legion.

The legions know it is a sin that they are unfortunately slowly closing down in smaller communities. They are changing their requirements for entry on a regular basis strictly for survival. Some of the larger legions in the larger centres are doing quite well, but they are struggling as well in some cases. Entry was changed for me to become a legion member. My father served in the Dutch resistance but does not have any medals to show for it. If he did, I would be very proud and honoured to wear those medals on Remembrance Day or at other special ceremonies.

If the government looks at the bill carefully and understands the historical aspect of what it is trying to do, I am sure it would reconsider and show support for this very important legislation.

On behalf of my family and the New Democratic caucus we will support this initiative and will continue to debate it as it goes along.

[Criminal Code, June 13th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise in the House today to discuss the concern that is on the minds of every Canadian when it comes to safety on our roads and highways.

Before I start my preamble today, I would like to give a warm welcome to all those veterans and legion members who descended upon Halifax for the 38th Dominion convention. They had a wonderful parade on Sunday in the pouring rain. It was great to see Haligonians come out in pride to say thank you to the veterans and to the legion members for the continuing great work they do on behalf of our elderly veterans across the country. We are going to give a special tip of the salt and pepper cap to all those people across the country.

Also, I am wearing my tall ships pin today. I invite all members of parliament, their staff, anyone in the viewing audience and in Ottawa to come on down to Halifax between July 19 and 24 to witness the greatest gathering of tall ships in the history of our country, a great mariner nation.

Back to the subject at hand, when it comes to impaired driving, I do not think there is one Canadian or one parliamentarian who would not agree that this is something that we should not even be discussing in the new millennium. Impaired driving is a scourge and a curse in our society. Through proper education and enforcement hopefully we can reduce it or eradicate it completely. However, it does absolutely no good to put in all the toughest regulations possible if there is not proper enforcement.

Many communities in my riding never see a police officer for days. I am sure it is the same right across the country in the rural parts of the nation. The cuts to the RCMP and to provincial and municipal police forces have really put our roads in jeopardy not only in terms of impaired drivers but unsafe drivers right across the country.

If we are going to eradicate this problem and save lives, we must encourage the federal government and all provincial governments to reinvest in our law enforcement officers so they can have not only the proper safety checks on the road, roadblocks and everything else at New Year's and on special holidays but throughout the year. Spot checks are a great way of deterring the general public from drinking and driving.

Another problem is the lack of public transportation. There is absolutely no excuse for someone to drink and drive. Absolutely no excuse at all. In many cases an individual may have a bit too much to drink and because there is no access to public transportation, or quick access to it, that may encourage the individual, albeit not rightly of course, to think that because they cannot get a ride home and a cab is too expensive they will chance it and drive. We have to take that type of thinking away from the people who patron our taverns, bars and lounges, or who drink in their homes or their neighbours' homes. We have to encourage them to use public transportation or hire a cab if they are going to have a few drinks.

I have to give credit to the Brewers' Association of Canada. Over the last few years it has been very proactive in encouraging its customers who drink spirits, wines and beers to drink responsibly. Kudos go to that association for taking the lead approach in that regard, but there is much more it could do. It could start by putting voluntary labelling on bottles. Or, if it refuses to do that voluntarily, it could become mandatory that labelling be put on beer bottles, liquor bottles and so on to encourage people not to drink and drive. That is my personal point of view.

We have quite graphic advertising planned for cigarettes and I believe we should have the same on liquor bottles. I do not necessarily mean pictures, but a warning saying “Please do not drink and drive”. That would go a long way in encouraging people to understand that when they drink, getting into a vehicle is the worst thing they could possibly do.

MADD, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, is a wonderful association which reaches across this country. It deserves all kinds of kudos. I would go so far as to say that the individuals involved with MADD deserve the Order of Canada for all the great work they do in bringing this issue to the attention of all members of parliament and all legislatures across Canada. This organization brings awareness to this very terrible aspect of our society.

Statistically it is true that impaired driving charges have decreased through proper education and through efforts of organizations like MADD and the Brewers' Association of Canada. Those organizations encourage and educate all people in our society to not drink and drive. However, it still happens and there are many more things we could do.

Our enforcement people need adequate resources. We have heard enough excuses about budgetary cuts. If someone dies because of budgetary cuts, why the hell were those cuts made in the first place? There is a cause and effect to budgetary restraints and cuts. I am not saying we should operate on deficits for the sake of operating on deficits, but if essential services like policing are cut in Canada that will have an effect on road safety. We have many concerns about home invasion in rural communities. We also have problems with carjackings, drugs coming into Canada through our ports, poor morale in the RCMP and the municipal and provincial police forces, which are a direct cause of the cuts these departments have had to face.

All of the police officers I have met love to do what they do. They love to serve their country in their capacity as law enforcement officers. Unfortunately, the support they receive from the federal and provincial governments is not adequate. That has to change. I believe if we can change the thinking of all governments at all levels and work co-operatively together with law enforcement agencies we could reduce drunk driving. It is difficult to control 31 million people and their individual behaviour, but we could reduce drinking and driving even more.

It is most unfortunate that the member for Prince George—Bulkley Valley was unable to get unanimous consent to have this legislation passed quickly. As the House knows, we will be rising possibly this Friday or next week. I would encourage this government and all members of parliament to put aside their political differences and move to quickly pass this bill. It would be the right thing to do. We must do everything we can to protect our children, our families and anybody visiting Canada who travels on our highways and byways, regardless of which political party we belong to.

I encourage all members of parliament to support this initiative and to do it quickly so that we can protect lives on our streets in Canada.

[Income Tax Act, June 7th, 2000]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-486, an act to amend the Income Tax Act (expenses incurred by caregivers).

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise in the House to introduce this bill which I personally named the Pearl Fleming bill. Pearl Fleming was a woman who weighed over 100 pounds when diagnosed with an illness. She died when she weighed well under 100 pounds.

Her husband, instead of institutionalizing his wife in her final year, brought her home and cared for her in her last year there. The expenses he incurred in terms of oxygen, new equipment, a new bed, et cetera, were not tax deductible.

This bill would enable her husband and many other people in the future to claim medical expenses incurred by caregivers for ailing family members in order to deduct them as tax deductible expenses.

I am sure, after careful consideration by every member of the House of Commons, this legislation will sweep through the country like a strong wind and receive accolades and support from all members of the government.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Human Resources Development, June 6th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank the Canadian Alliance for paying attention to New Democratic Party press conferences. I also wish to thank the Minister of Human Resources Development for personally apologizing to Mrs. Parry of Ottawa when an HRDC official inadvertently dipped into her account.

I have a question for the minister. Those types of headlines scare seniors across the country. Can she assure members of the House of Commons and Canadians from coast to coast to coast that this was an isolated incident, that it is not a systematic problem throughout her department, and that it will never happen again?

[Cape Breton Development Corporation Divestiture Authorization And Dissolution Act, June 5th, 2000]

Madam Speaker, it is the second time in three hours I have had the opportunity to rise in defence of Cape Breton miners. Mind you, my hon. colleagues from Bras d'Or—Cape Breton and Sydney—Victoria seem to do an extremely good job on their own in defending the interests of Canada and workers within the Cape Breton area.

My number one concern is that the member of the New Democratic Party from Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar understands the situation completely and wholeheartedly but the Minister of Natural Resources who comes from Saskatchewan does not even have a clue as to what is going on. Why is that? Why is it that the minister displays such arrogance toward Cape Breton people that it permeates throughout the entire Liberal caucus and over to members of the Canadian Alliance, the Bloc and the Conservative Party who have been very silent on this serious issue.

One story I have not yet told in the House is that my father worked in the coal mines of Holland. After the war he was an electrician and worked in the coal mines in the south of Holland in the territory of Limburg. In the late 1950s and early 1960s Holland decided to shut down the coal mines. The answer at that time was outmigration. For thousands of people, including my mother, father and six of us, and I was just eight months old, the only answer was to leave the country.

My father was a POW during the war. Holland was liberated by the Canadians. The 55th anniversary of the liberation of Holland is this year and there will be a big celebration in Halifax from June 10 to 14. That was a little plug for my veteran friends.

My father always said that with a military like that, imagine what kind of country it is. In 1956 we came to Canada. During the 1950s, 1960s and 1980s we prospered and did very well as a large family. If my father were alive today, he would hang his head in shame over what the Liberals are doing to the people and the miners of Cape Breton.

The amendments the two members from Cape Breton have put forward are very simple and reasonable. They are almost identical to amendments Jean-Luc Pepin proposed in 1967, as we heard the hon. member for Sydney—Victoria say. They are almost word for word what one of the famous Liberals said back in the 1960s.

What do the Liberals of the year 2000 say? There is complete silence. They obey like lapdogs and sheep. I know most of them are not. I know most Liberals personally and they are very independent thinkers and fight for their constituents as well. But when it comes to legislation like this, they become lapdogs and sheep in the hands of one individual.

That individual is the Minister of Natural Resources. He has displayed his arrogance on every single question when it comes to Devco. His attitude is one of resistance, not one of help, understanding or anything else.

As the hon. member for Sydney—Victoria has stated very clearly, the Liberals have a very simple task to do. Ask the minister tomorrow or whenever they get the opportunity, will Cape Breton coal be used in Nova Scotia power? It is a very simple question.

We want to have economic opportunities. The people of Cape Breton have a right to economic opportunities, as do all Canadians from coast to coast coast. As the hon. member for Sydney—Victoria pointed out, it may very well be imported coal that fuels the power for Nova Scotia. That does not make any sense at all.

The hon. member for Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar pointed out that in Berlin the Prime Minister was talking about the Canadian way and how we have a public pension and everything else but he forgot to mention that it was the Liberal government through forced legislation with closure that took the $30 billion surplus from the superannuation fund. That superannuation money belonged to all current and retired members of the public service. That $30 billion was taken in a flash. The money belonged to retired judges, military personnel, RCMP, public service workers and anyone who has ever worked for the public service. The money was taken by the Liberals to use at their bidding.

It is very similar to what the Liberals did with the EI legislation which also hurt the people of Cape Breton. They took that money in a huge surplus. Of course, the Canadian Alliance's position in its 1997 document was to give it back to the employers, forget the workers and just give it back to the employers.

The New Democratic Party is here to ensure that all parties, especially the government, do not ignore the workers and the plight of the families of Cape Breton. I can tell anyone listening out there and our fans in the gallery here that if the government can do it to Cape Breton, it can do it to any other spot across the country. Why? The precedent will have already been set.

Let me remind the government that the people do not want its pensions. They do not want a handout. They do not want buyout packages. They do not want to sit around. They want to be able to work, just like every other Canadian across the country. All they are asking the centrally based and centrally thinking government to do is to get out of the Windsor to Quebec City corridor and send a committee down to Cape Breton to listen to the stories and the truth. It would hear about the impact of the government's decisions on Cape Breton's people, families who have been there for generations and generations.

I am the New Democratic Party's critic for fisheries and oceans. I have seen what former Conservative and current Liberal policies have done when the enactment of DFO policies hit the inshore fishermen of Nova Scotia, and all of Atlantic Canada for that matter. It was absolutely devastating.

We all remember the 1992 cod collapse when 40,000 Atlantic Canadians were forced onto the welfare and assistance rolls and their livelihoods were taken away. What was the answer? Corporatization of a public resource, the fish stocks, and the system of ITQs, individual transferable quotas, given away to corporations, many of them large financial contributors to the Liberal Party over the years. If we connect the dots and follow the money, we will see exactly why the decisions of the Liberal Party have been made.

For the life of me, I cannot understand for one second why a backbench Liberal would not accept the rational amendments in Groups Nos. 2 and 3 in order to have Cape Breton representation in the bill. That is all we are asking for, for them to have representation when decisions are made. They do not like decisions being made in Ottawa. They want decisions that are made for the people of Cape Breton by the people of Cape Breton. That is common sense and, I would say to the Prime Minister who is now in Windsor, it is the real Canadian way.

It is too bad that the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Official Opposition, the leader of the Bloc, and Mr. Joe Clark of the Conservative Party collectively did not have the backbone and spine of our leader the hon. member for Halifax. If they did, they would understand exactly what is going on.

As the member for Winnipeg North Centre said about the tragedy of what is happening to health care in this country, the only solution for the Liberals, the Canadian Alliance and the Conservative Party is to privatize it, just like they did to the fish stocks. Again when the dots are connected it will end up in their corporate friends' hands.

I must say it is unfortunate that the Atlantic caucus of the Liberal Party came up with something called “Catch the Wave”. In it was a shipbuilding policy. They have been snooping in on NDP caucus meetings again because we have been fighting for that as well. It is another example of how the Liberal Party again has constantly ignored the issues which affect Atlantic Canada, my new home province of Nova Scotia and the beautiful island of Cape Breton.

There was a gentleman here before, a 17 year member of the Liberal Party, named David Dingwall. Where is David right now? Whoops, he lost. There was another member, and I am sure a lot of Liberals are very appreciative of the fact that Mr. Doug Young is now gone. When we speak to a lot of the Liberals, they are very pleased that man is gone, along with his arrogance which he displayed to the Canadian people and Atlantic Canada.

I only have one minute left but I just want to say this one last time and I say it practically on bended knee. I cannot get down because I will be ruled out of order. To my friends in the Liberal Party and to members on this side of the House, especially to my friends in the Canadian Alliance, the Bloc and the Conservative Party, please have a good night's sleep tonight. I ask them to look into their hearts and support the amendments brought forward by our two Cape Breton representatives. I assure everyone that things will go much smoother in Cape Breton if such a thing is done.

I have appreciated the opportunity to speak once again on behalf of the wonderful people of Cape Breton.

[Cape Breton Development Corporation Divestiture Authorization And Dissolution Act, June 5th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, what do the federal Liberals and the Alberta Tories have in common? They are able to take large groups of workers and band them together into civil disobedience. The health care workers of Alberta had to use civil disobedience to get a fair contract from the Alberta government. The Cape Breton coal miners, who had to go underground in the coldest part of the year, suffered indignities by this government through the riot goons that it brought forward. Instead of consultation, it brought pepper spraying RCMP officers to stamp them out. It did not work. With the courage and dignity that only Cape Bretoners have, they forced this government into binding arbitration. We saw the agreement that was made the other day.

This binding arbitration is a slap in the face to the government, especially to the Minister of Natural Resources who said that under no circumstances would this package be reopened. Again, he was wrong and the Liberal party was wrong. All the government had to do was deal in good, open and transparent faith and it would never have gone this far.

Before I was politely interrupted by my colleague from Cape Breton, I wanted to say that the government's economic policies are dividing people ever so greatly. The government looks after its friends in the Liberal Party. I encourage everyone in the Liberal Party to take a trip to Cape Breton and see the famous Ding Wall. I do not mean David Dingwall. I mean the Ding Wall itself. He spent a lot of money to build a rock wall in the middle of a town. It is an absolute fiasco. It is an embarrassment to all Nova Scotians that this person, who was the Minister of Health at that time, could advocate spending a million taxpayers' dollars for a rock wall in Cape Breton. I know there are a lot of rocks in Cape Breton, but most of them were in that minister's head for that kind of expenditure.

What should have happened to that money and what should happen to the rest of the funding is that it go toward the care and fair treatment of Cape Breton coal miners and their families for long term economic growth in that beautiful part of the province.

The government calls for change. We all call for change. What I ask all members of the opposition parties and the government to do is to remind themselves of the people who are looking for small change on the streets. There are more and more people doing that on a daily basis. They are turning to charities looking for more and more help. I cannot help but say how proud I am, as an Atlantic Canadian, that Atlantic Canadians throughout the four provinces banded together and raised over $3.6 million for the IWK Grace Telethon, again showing the generosity and spirit of Atlantic Canadians when it comes to people in need.

On behalf of two of the finest people I have ever met in Cape Breton, two miners, one former miner and a current miner, Mr. Jose Pimentel and Mr. Vic Tomiczek, I want to say how hard they have struggled to keep their families going and how hard they have fought for the common workers and their common man.

It is not just the federal Liberals who are pounding away at Cape Breton coal miners, it is also what the provincial Tory Party is doing. In fact in the recent Nova Scotia election, Jane Purves, the minister of education for Nova Scotia, had a postcard campaign that very wrongly suggested that because SYSCO was open, that hospital beds in Nova Scotia would be closed. She very effectively and very meanly split and divided the mainland Nova Scotians with that of Cape Breton. I found it absolutely despicable that a woman of her talents could use such a low ball and low road campaign in order to get herself elected. I can assure the House that from this moment on we will be going after her in the next election to ensure her defeat.

The current minister of health for Nova Scotia also said, and I quote, “Possibly children with disabilities who need access to the IWK could rely on groups like the Lions Club or the Kiwanis or other service clubs to find their transportation needs to the Halifax Centre”.

This is from the so-called passionate, progressive Conservatives. There is nothing passionate and there is nothing conservative about it. It is meanspirited to balance their books on the backs of the disabled and on the backs of the needy. They are even recommending a program where they take away formula from children who require a special formula in order to digest their food. It is absolutely mean.

The Liberals have done the same. They refuse to negotiate in a fair, open and transparent manner with Cape Breton coal miners and their families or even to show respect for the two members of parliament from Cape Breton who stand in the House on an almost daily basis, who were in committee, and who brought forth very comparable amendments to adjust the reasonable debate that should be happening.

Canadian Airlines in its pension outfit has an employee trustee on the board. All Cape Breton is asking for is that we have the same. That is not a very unreasonable request. I am very proud to say that the federal Conservatives, the Bloc and the Canadian Alliance support the New Democrats in that initiative.

I can only hope that backbench Liberals can put pressure on the Minister of Natural Resources to say that a representative from Cape Breton absolutely should be on the board of trustees when it comes to pension liabilities. It only makes sense.

The distribution of the funds will be in Cape Breton. Would it not make sense to have people from Cape Breton on the board administering the fund? Why would we want someone from Toronto, Ontario, Saskatchewan or B.C., or anywhere else for that matter, administering a fund that is solely meant for Cape Bretoners?

Besides the pensions and the unfairness of the Liberals, Cape Breton miners in their heart of hearts would tell them: “Stick the pensions where the sun don't shine. Just give us work. We want to work and be able to look after our families”. Most Canadians from coast to coast to coast want the opportunity for gainful employment.

There is no reason in the world why there could not be gainful employment in Cape Breton for the miners, the SYSCO workers, and everyone else on that beautiful island. On that note I encourage members of the Liberal Party who have never visited Cape Breton to do so. If they did, their government would not be so meanspirited toward the pensioners, the miners and their families. By the way, some of the women will be coming to Ottawa to demand more fairness and justice for their husbands and families.

It is a sin that I as a member from Nova Scotia and a member of the great NDP caucus have to stand in the House to state the obvious to the government. The actions of the so-called newfound left leaning Liberals, as their Prime Minister is saying in Berlin, with their new Canadian way are talking about compassion, fairness, openness and transparency, speak louder than words.

When the Minister of Natural Resources is asked a question about Devco he almost looks like he is bothered by the question and wonders what he is doing answering these pesky question from the NDP on Devco? looks around with absolutely no interest at all and thinks that the issue has already been settled. That is a sin.

What should happen is exactly what happened with the pay equity debate. We had a minister, Marcel Masse, who showed complete ignorance toward the pay equity debate. He stood in the House time and time again and said that they would not deal with it. He was removed. We had another minister and within two months the pay equity issue was settled.

What should happen is the Minister of Natural Resources should step aside on the Devco issue. We should bring in a minister who is at least willing to listen, at least willing to understand the issues of Cape Breton, at least willing to sit down and talk with the two federal representatives from Cape Breton, not an unelected Senator Boudreau or unelected other people who are appointed by the government. The new minister could sit down and talk with the people of Cape Breton and the communities of Cape Breton to find out what the long term objectives should be for that beautiful island in the beautiful province of Nova Scotia.

In conclusion, I only hope and pray that the Liberal government will listen to the amendments brought forth by the two members from Cape Breton and that we move forward with a very positive resolution for the people of Cape Breton, especially its coal miners.

[Cape Breton Development Corporation Divestiture Authorization And Dissolution Act, June 5th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, while I was listening to the eloquent debate brought on by the two members from Cape Breton, the member for Sydney—Victoria and the member for Bras d'Oir—Cape Breton, I wrote a quick little ditty of a poem for my friends in Cape Breton. I have not finished it yet but I thought I should start out my debate in this fashion:

It takes a brave man to mine the black ore To go deep in the earth and far under shore They start as healthy men when they are young They prematurely grow old with coal dust in their lungs They fight for fair pensions and employment they demand To raise their families on Cape Breton Island

That is a poem that I plan to send out to Cape Bretoners when I get it finished. It shows the passion brought to the House of Commons by my two colleagues from Cape Breton when it comes to standing up for Cape Bretoners, not just the coal miners but for the steelworkers, the fishermen and everyone who lives in that beautiful place on the planet.

The government and other opposition parties always talk about change and that we need to have change. I keep asking the government and opposition parties about the people who are on our streets asking for change, which is occurring more often.

This government's economic policies are dividing the rich and the poor even more. The middle class is eroding and more and more people are relying on charities, handouts and other avenues for their livelihood to get by on a daily basis.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2000, June 5th, 2000]

Madam Speaker, the current member for Saanich—Gulf Islands spoke about British Columbia. I grew up in British Columbia. It was a beautiful province then. It is still a beautiful province. I noticed that many people in his riding seem to do very well living in British Columbia so the government cannot be all bad.

I could also not help noticing that every time members of the Reform get up they talk about the best and brightest leaving the country. I see the member for Sydney—Victoria, the member for Winnipeg Centre, the member for Dartmouth, myself, even my good friend from Lethbridge in his own party, the other member from Calgary and the member from Surrey are still here. All the best and brightest have not left, as he stated

In all seriousness, his party is right when we talk about taxes, tax reform and what to do about taxes in the new millennium. Every time Canadian Alliance members talk about what they have done, what they will do and how it will be, I cannot help but think of their promise with regard to Stornoway. Their leader said he would turn it into a bingo hall, and quickly that promise was broken. I shudder to think how many other promises would be broken if they ever formed government.

I respect the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands as a former fisheries committee member. He never once mentioned the dreaded GST which all Canadians hate. Would he not join us in the New Democratic Party, not physically but in terms of policy, in reducing the GST? A break on the GST would be the fairest tax break for every Canadian from coast to coast to coast regardless of income.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2000, June 5th, 2000]

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the New Democratic Party on the federal side, we do wish to congratulate the newest member from St. John's West on his electoral victory. We welcome him to the House of Commons. He brings a certain dialect and flair to the House of Commons, as only Newfoundlanders and Labradorians can, and I thank him for that.

Although I do disagree with a couple of political statements he has made, I want to thank him for bringing up the issue of tourism and other things with regard to the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. We in Nova Scotia think we have a pretty good province to visit, too. I will make the hon. member a pledge. I will go to his province and visit if he will come to our province to visit as well.

He mentioned a couple of things about health care and the CBC. This is where I find that the Conservatives, sometimes in a campaign, will campaign from the left and govern from the right.

I believe in the party's 1997 election platform which stated that it would advocate further cuts to the CBC. The CBC cuts did not happen under just the Liberal Party. They happened when the Mulroney Conservatives were in power from 1984 to 1993. They started the cuts and the Liberals continued them. Does the hon. member agree with the 1997 platform of the Conservative Party of further cuts to the CBC?

I admire him and the member for St. John's East who went to the Friends of the CBC rally. I do hope they are able to change the way the Conservative Party thinks and stands up for public broadcasting in this country from coast to coast to coast.

The member's own party leader said that he supported Ralph Klein's bill 11 and that he also supported advocates of two tier health care in this country. We know that in Newfoundland and Labrador the majority of people when polled were dead against a two tiered health care system. Being a long term parliamentarian in his own provincial legislature, the member for St. John's West should know very clearly what a two tier health care system would do to the people of the outports whom he so eloquently defended right here in the House.

Does the member advocate further cuts to the CBC as his party's platform did in 1997? Does he support his party leader's approach to a two tier health care system in this country?