Raymonde Folco

[Quebecers' Fête Nationale, June 15th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, January 17, 2000 marked the fifth year anniversary the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rebbe Menachem M. Schneerson, as head of the Hassidic movement Chadad Lubavitch and of international Judaism.

Fifty years is a jubilee, biblically associated with freedom and redemption; freedom to practise and propagate one's faith and beliefs, freedom from oppression and freedom from self-imposed limitations.

The Rebbe's objective was to promote education, and in particular to inculcate a conscience and a moral ethic based on the authentic and immortal values of the Bible.

The Rebbe inspired a generation of leaders who have impacted the world with over 3,000 educational and outreach institutions globally, of which over 50 institutions are in Canada.

The Lubavitch community has proclaimed the week of July 1 to 7, 2000 to mark the sixth anniversary of the passing of the Lubavitch Rebbe, Lubavitch Week in Canada.

[Committees Of The House, June 15th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank those present in the House for giving me this opportunity.

I have the honour today to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Joint Committee on Official Languages.

Pursuant to Standing Order 108(4)( b ) of the House of Commons and section 88 of the Official Languages Act, a consolidated statute of Canada, your committee is conducting a study on the application of part VII of the Official Languages Act, and has decided to table an interim report.

[Petitions, June 14th, 2000]

Madam Speaker, I wish to table a petition signed by 92 rural mail carriers who live in my riding of Laval West and surrounding regions in the Province of Quebec.

These persons feel that the Canada Post Corporation Act deprives rural mail carriers of the right to a collective agreement. They are therefore asking parliament to repeal subsection 13(5) of the Canada Post Corporation Act.

[Parental Leave, June 14th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, we are proud of the national program for maternity and parental leave.

This program has demonstrated its value for 30 years and is now in the process of being enhanced. The revised program will be ready this year. Indeed, as early as at the end of the year 2000, parents will receive a bigger cheque and, more importantly, lower income families will be eligible for a supplement under that program.

We invite the Quebec government to build on the national foundations to provide an even better program if it so wishes.

[Job Creation, June 13th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, Statistics Canada announced an unemployment rate of 6.8% for April, the lowest level since April 1976.

In the past 12 months, the number of full time jobs has increased significantly—by 3.1%.

These performances are encouraging. They clearly indicate that the climate remains favourable for investors.

Canada is a country of choice to create jobs and develop projects for all regions. This picture also means that the Liberal government's economic and financial policies are producing solid results. Nearly two million new jobs have been created under the Liberal government since it took office in 1993.

This is a particularly fine job creation performance.

[The Homeless, June 6th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, on June 2, the Canadian government announced that $56 million would be allocated over a three year period to deal with the issue of homelessness in Quebec.

With a budget of $305 million, the community action partnership initiative is a key component of the $753 million national campaign launched by the federal government to help the homeless.

That program must be really effective, since even the Quebec Minister of Health was pleased with this announcement. There are 12,666 homeless people in Montreal alone. The Canadian government cares about providing these people tools to help them help themselves and improve their quality of life.

This initiative will help us elicit the Quebec government's co-operation, so that we can unite in our efforts on behalf of those who need help.

[Immigration And Refugee Protection Act, June 1st, 2000]

Prove it.

[Immigration And Refugee Protection Act, June 1st, 2000]

Madam Speaker, I really wonder whether the hon. member for Edmonton—Strathcona and I read the same bill.

All in all, his understanding of the bill strikes me as rather minimal. Since he mentions the fact that he is an immigrant, I am proud to say that I am no longer one—I am now a Canadian. I will therefore speak as a Canadian, but one who knows what immigration is because I have been through it myself.

I would like to pick up on a few points. I should say that there are so many errors and misunderstandings about Bill C-31 on immigration and refugees that it is simply not possible to touch on all the points raised by the member.

But there are four I would like to examine, the first being the fact that this bill is intended to strengthen immigration, people's plans to immigrant to Canada.

We know, for instance, that the minister has already concluded co-operation agreements with international agencies throughout the world for the specific purpose of stopping illegal immigration to Canada, not when these people land illegally in Canada, but at the source.

We also know that the minister has already travelled, to the People's Republic of China for instance, precisely in order to try to negotiate agreements with the government of that country to dry up illegal immigration to Canada at the source. I believe that the hon. member for Edmonton—Strathcona has forgotten these points, which are to my mind very important ones.

I would also like to mention that there have been some very extensive consultations on this bill, and on Bill C-16 on citizenship. We know that the minister and her predecessor in the House of Commons both held consultations across Canada. From speaking to a good many of my constituents, since my riding contains a large number of Canadians who were born elsewhere, I know that they are extremely pleased with this bill the minister has introduced, and totally support it.

When the hon. member for Edmonton—Strathcona speaks of there having been consultations which the minister did not heed, I have to object. I can see that my constituents are very pleased.

I would like to remind this hon. member, who benefited from generous legislation, who was able to come here to Canada with his family and who perhaps was able to bring in other relatives, that Canada is a generous country. We do not want illegal immigration, but we do want to continue our tradition of generosity toward people, be they refugees or immigrants, to welcome them and later welcome their relatives when they want to bring them over.

There is room here in Canada. We are all from somewhere else. Either we or our parents or great-grand parents came from another country and we want to continue that great tradition of which Canadians are proud and for which we are known throughout the world.

[Francophone Entrepreneurs In Western Canada, June 1st, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State for Western Economic Diversification.

Could the secretary of state explain what his department is doing to meet the needs of francophone entrepreneurs in western Canada?

[The Late Maurice Richard, May 29th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, we were all terribly saddened to learn of the death of Maurice “Rocket” Richard. He is mourned by his family and friends, and by hosts of admirers.

This man who wore the Montreal Canadiens' sweater for so many years was a symbol and an inspiration to many. He gave his heart and soul to hockey during his entire career. He has left an unforgettable mark on several generations of Canadians and was their inspiration.

For 18 years, the Rocket roused the passions of fans with his deeds, which rose far above the ordinary, and in his playing and in his courage he incarnated the hopes and aspirations of French Canadians.

His great qualities and his exceptional talent will reserve for Maurice Richard an important page in our national history.