Multiculturalism  Mr. Speaker, millions of Canadians are living proof of this nation's commitment to offer opportunity to all of our citizens. It is the role of multiculturalism to ensure that all Canadians can participate fully and actively in the economic, social and political life of this count

United Nations Universal Declaration Of Human Rights  Madam Speaker, I am honoured to be able to participate in this very special debate to raise awareness of the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. My portfolio as Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and the Status of Women deals specifically

Status Of Women  Mr. Speaker, not only that but the critic also said that she did not think women needed special programs. This is a country in which 90 per cent of families headed by women are poor. This is a country in which one woman is shot every six days. The hon. member does not even unde

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation  Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Canadian Heritage has consistently spoken about the government's commitment to the CBC. Let us not forget that the government continues to fund the CBC to the tune of almost $1 billion. There is $200 million which is going into a production fund and

Multiculturalism  Mr. Speaker, that is an excellent question. I would like to state that first and foremost, the Race Relations Foundation is in keeping with a red book promise which we made. Second, multiculturalism is not about ethnocultural organizations. Multiculturalism is about how all the

Human Reproductive And Genetic Technologies Act  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to support Bill C-47, the Human Reproductive and Genetic Technologies Act, which seeks to preserve the dignity and the sanctity of human reproduction, and the dignity and safety of all. The bill seeks three objectives. Protecting the health and safety o

Status Of Women  Mr. Speaker, this award recognizes a very important day in 1927, a time when five women from Alberta challenged the fact that women could not go to the Senate because they were not considered to be persons. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled against them. They went to London where

Racism  Mr. Speaker, I am very glad that the member asked this question because that is the precise thing that we must continue to monitor in programs of multiculturalism. Although we do not have the racial tensions that go on in the United States, there are the same tensions in this co

Banff National Park  Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for an extremely well thought out and well articulated question. As the hon. member knows, on October 7 the Minister of Canadian Heritage announced that she would take immediate steps to implement some of those recommendations. She has put a

Women's History Month  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak to the House about Women's History Month. Women's History Month was created in 1992 by the federal government to foster greater awareness of the historical contributions of women to our society. The impetus for Women's History Mo

Divorce Act  Madam Speaker, that is an excellent question. Maybe I did not make my point clearly enough. I did not say that the money for child support was not money put in the hands of the non-custodial parent. It was not directed to the custodial parent. It was directed to the child. Of cou

Divorce Act  Madam Speaker, I find the hon. member's question to be so absolutely typical of someone who does not really understand. He has never been there and does not even understand the reality of the lives of divorced families and of children of divorce. This is the kind of statement th

Divorce Act  Madam Speaker, I am proud to stand in my place today to support Bill C-41 which amends various existing legislation to ensure that child support reforms become law. I am proud to do so because the Department of the Status of Women Canada and my predecessor, the hon. member for M

Controlled Drugs And Substances Act  moved: That the amendments proposed by the Senate to Bill C-8, an act respecting the control of certain drugs, their precursors and other substances and to amend certain other acts and repeal the Narcotic Control Act in consequence thereof, be read the second time and concurred

Criminal Code  Mr. Speaker, the hon. member asks a very interesting question. Not being a lawyer, I can say it is often very difficult to interpret laws. However, in many instances when a law is made or it is generic enough that it can affect people who in the course of their duties are doing