Economic Policy  I have had the privilege to go to countries that actually have this type of taxation system. They have it not by choice but through corruption an an inadequate way of collecting taxes. Many of the countries in South America often have a similar system. There one finds a small group of wealthy people who pay very little tax.

Whistle Blower Human Rights Act  Speaker, the purpose of the bill is to protect the members of the public service of Canada who disclose in good faith reasonably well-founded allegations of wrongdoing in the public service to a supervisor or to a public body. These could be reports of waste, fraud, corruption, abuse of authority, violation of law or threats to public health or safety. While promoting the dignity and human rights, I believe that public officers have genuine public trust as evidenced in the annual report of the Information Commissioner of Canada.

First Nations Land Management Act  It has become a breeding ground for practices that can best be described as unethical and at worst corruptive. For example, all elected public officials in Canada, beginning with the Prime Minister and going right down to municipal officials, publicly report their salaries and expenses on a regular basis.

Manitoba Claim Settlements Implementation Act  He thought I sounded like I was saying that all chiefs and councils across the country were corrupt. I do not believe that is the case, although we did hear from all eight reserves in the Lakeland constituency of very serious claims about money not being allocated properly. Whether that constitutes corruption or not I guess is a matter for debate.

Manitoba Claim Settlements Implementation Act  I have sat here and listened day after day to speaker after speaker trying to convince everyone that aboriginal people are corrupt, mismanage all their funds and some even wear expensive jewellery. I even heard allegations that aboriginal leaders are dressing too well, that they are rich and people on their reserves are poor.

First Nations Land Management Act  I had a young man come into my office with a lot of documentation regarding mismanagement and corruption on his reserve. I looked at the papers and realized he had a solid case. I went with him to the RCMP and had it look at the evidence. The RCMP said there was solid evidence that something was wrong.

Criminal Code  In 1993, as the result of the Butler decision, parliament passed Bill C-128, an act to amend the criminal code and the customs tariff (child pornography and corrupting morals). Its aim was to amend the criminal code to expressly prohibit child pornography. In the Butler decision, which was given in 1992, the supreme court had to decide on the constitutionality of the definition of obscenity as set out in section 163(8) of the criminal code.

Organized Crime  The article goes on to state: In 1998, RCMP Superintendent Ben Soave, who heads the Toronto-based organized crime squad, warned organized crime groups are trying to corrupt politicians and police with bribes and blackmail. They are a threat to our national security. In other countries this statement would have been sufficient to appoint a royal commission in order to find a solution to this dangerous problem.

Organized Crime  In other countries such as the United States, France, Italy and Russia there are laws that try to improve the tools the police and judiciary have at their disposal to help them fight organized crime. For example, our neighbours to the south have the RICO Act, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, which targets four violations related to infiltration of businesses by gangsters. About fifty offences are clearly mentioned in that legislation and offenders are liable to a life sentence or twenty years in prison.

Organized Crime  The 1998 solicitor general's report confirmed that organized crime was responsible for the illegal entry into Canada of approximately 16,000 people annually; money laundering in excess of $10 billion a year, which costs Canadians in excess of $10 billion a year; attempts to influence or corrupt public officials which is expected to occur in Canada and in fact even commented on by the new commissioner of the RCMP; and the illegal entry into Canada of persons claiming refugee status who subsequently become involved in organized crime activities.

Organized Crime  For example there is legislation in the United States, the RICO act which talks about racketeering, influence and corrupt organizations. This type of legislation is exactly what is needed in this country. I know this is something of which the minister is aware, has heard much and probably read much about.

Organized Crime  Recently the new head of the RCMP, Commissioner Zaccardelli, said members of organized crime were trying to corrupt and threaten parliament and other Canadian institutions. Crime is everywhere. As I said at the beginning of my speech, I am a member of the subcommittee. I heard what other members did not hear.

Committees Of The House  I would ask my hon. colleague why he thinks it is that committees, such as the one on sport in Canada, have continued to see their importance and independence diminished and marginalized by a government that centralizes all power in the hands of the cabinet and the Prime Minister. Does my colleague agree with the famous aphorism of Lord Acton that power tends to corrupt and that absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely?

Standing Orders And Procedure  We are, except for the executive branch, an impotent institution. It has been said before and it is an often quoted parable by Lord Aitken that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. It is easy to say that. Most of us probably agree that that is the case at least to a certain point. Let me give a graphic example of this truism in action.

Supply  If this happened in the private sector it would be called fraud, it would be called criminal, it would be called corruption and the people would be thrown in jail, nothing less. Let me show the arrogance of all this. Day after day we watch the government members not try to correct it, laugh at it, make fun of it and ridicule it.