CANADA VOLUME 133 S NUMBER 277 S 1st SESSION S 35th PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Wednesday, December 13, 1995 Speaker: The Honourable Gilbert Parent CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) The House of Commons Debates and the Proceedings of Committee evidence are accessible on the Parliamentary Internet Parlementaire at the following address: http://www.parl.gc.ca 17623 HOUSE OF COMMONS Wednesday, December 13, 1995 The House met at 2 p.m. 3TC was discovered by Biochem Pharma in Montreal and developed by Glaxo Wellcome. This is a Quebec achievement of _______________ which the whole scientific community can be proud. Prayers I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Biochem Pharma for _______________ its research efforts of the past few years. They have not been in vain. I hope that this breakthrough will open the door to other The Speaker: As is our custom, we will now sing O Canada, discoveries that will not only significantly improve the quality which will be led by the member for Halton—Peel. of life of people with AIDS but also cure them. [Editor’s Note: Whereupon members sang the national an- * * * them.] [English] _____________________________________________ AIDS STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS Mr. Garry Breitkreuz (Yorkton—Melville, Ref.): Mr. [English] Speaker, last week the chair of the Reform family caucus tabled a dissenting opinion to the national AIDS strategy report. She MR. DWIGHT MCMILLAN says that the Liberal government’s education and prevention programs actually increase the health risk of Canadian youth by Mr. Bernie Collins (Souris—Moose Mountain, Lib.): Mr. promoting sexual activity. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise in the House today to pay tribute to Mr. Dwight McMillan, longtime coach of the Research conducted in the United States by the U.S. naval Weyburn Redwings. research laboratory revealed that the HIV virus is 60 times For 35 years, Mr. McMillan has brought the community of smaller than a syphilis bacterium and 450 times smaller than a Weyburn, Saskatchewan a great deal of national honour and human sperm. recognition in the sports arena. Both in hockey and in baseball, Analysing test results conducted by the U.S. Centre for his contributions have brought him two national titles and he has Disease Control, which tested leakage rates of latex condoms, participated in other national finals on several occasions. doctors have discovered a 78 per cent HIV leakage rate. As one As both a player on the original Redwings hockey team and U.S. surgeon put it, the HIV virus can go through a condom like later as the most successful coach in the history of the team, Mr. a bullet through a tennis net. McMillan has shown all of Canada the expertise and fine character of Weyburn’s sporting teams. It is the height of stupidity for the government to be spending millions of dollars to spread the lie that condoms protect Congratulations to Mr. McMillan as he is honoured by the city Canadians from contracting AIDS. Its politically correct ap- of Weyburn on December 29. proach is actually aiding and abetting the spread of this deadly disease. * * * [Translation] * * * AIDS CONTROL CHILD LABOUR Mr. Réal Ménard (Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, BQ): Mr. Mr. Charles Hubbard (Miramichi, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, Speaker, Tuesday, December 12, 1995 will go down in history as today I would like to draw the attention of the House to the a day of achievement and hope in the fight against AIDS. journey of a young man from Toronto, only 12 years of age, Yesterday, Health Canada’s Drugs Directorate approved, as Craig Kielberger, who left this week for the Far East to visit part of a priority review process, the use of 3TC with Retrovir in India, Pakistan, Thailand and other countries that use child the treatment of AIDS infections. labour. 17624 COMMONS DEBATES December 13, 1995 S. O. 31 Very often countries in the western world are appalled at In 1982, the award winning film called ‘‘If You Love This human rights violations and the denial of political freedom in Planet’’ shocked the world by revealing that there were already these backward countries. enough nuclear weapons to destroy us all 14 times over. Labour standards, and especially the abuse of young children This Parliament and this government face some difficult in nearly slave–like conditions must be of serious concern for all questions. Should this country be selling uranium to countries Canadians. As a trading nation, and as consumers of products that produce and unleash nuclear weapons on the world? Should manufactured under uncivilized conditions, we must some- it be allowing the planes of countries doing these things to land where draw a line in the sand against those who profit from such and use our country on the way to their missions? practices. Seven years after the end of the cold war, the doomsday clock Today, let us salute Craig in his crusade, Free the Children is in danger of again being moved forward. I ask us all to take Campaign. Hopefully all of us can join with him in his venture. this season of peace to consider what we can do in this House to make sure that the doomsday clock does not take that disastrous * * * leap. [Translation] * * * VETERANS AFFAIRS [Translation] Mrs. Anna Terrana (Vancouver East, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, TOBACCO INDUSTRY the Canadian soldiers who served in Burma and elsewhere in Mr. Benoît Sauvageau (Terrebonne, BQ): Mr. Speaker, Southeast Asia in World War II have had to accept the fact that when she tabled her master plan to reduce tobacco use in most of these conflicts have been forgotten in the annals of our Canada, the Minister of Health indicated that broad consulta- war effort. tions would be taking place with a view to introducing legisla- While other battles made headlines, the fighting in Burma and tion in the spring. Malaysia went almost unnoticed. This, however, does not take Unfortunately, before tabling her plan, the minister did not anything away from the heroism of the Canadians who served in see fit to initiate serious consultations with the tobacco industry those countries. Our soldiers were brave and courageous. They on her government’s plans to severely regulate its activities. had to face not only the enemy but also scourges such as malaria, dysentery and many other tropical diseases. First of all, the minister would not discuss the code of ethics to be adopted by the manufacturers or the thrust of her master D (1405 ) plan. [English] She missed a great opportunity to make her intentions perfect- It is with great pride that I note the exploits of these brave ly clear to the industry, thus avoiding another court challenge on young Canadians which are now being commemorated in cere- her upcoming legislation. If that were to happen, Canada would monies across Asia. Their heroism is an inspiration, as is their once more find itself without a strategy to reduce tobacco use. commitment and faith in Canada. They served in the hope that In the meantime, following the Supreme Court’s decision, the when they return they would be granted the liberties that other tobacco industry would resume actively promoting its products Canadians enjoyed. through advertising. What a mess. Fifty years later, we know that their hopes were not mis- * * * placed. Those young Canadians contributed not only to our freedom, but to our dignity as a nation. [English] In a country that prides itself on equality and tolerance, there T’WAS THE YEAR BEFORE CHRISTMAS can be no better loyalty than that— Mr. Jake E. Hoeppner (Lisgar—Marquette, Ref.): Mr. The Speaker: The hon. member for Ottawa West. Speaker, T’was the year before Christmas, when all through the land, * * * The Liberals were shivering, their heads in the sand. Their pockets were hung by the chimney with care, NUCLEAR WEAPONS In hope that St. Martin would not leave them bare. The backbenchers all ready to jump into bed, Ms. Marlene Catterall (Ottawa West, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, While visions of gold–plated pensions danced in their heads. tomorrow members of Parliament will leave this House and But out on the Hill there arose such a clatter, return home to celebrate the season that has become around the The Reformers had arrived to deal with this matter. world the symbol of peace on earth. Yet one of our NATO The Liberals threw open their red book in a flash, We promise to hand out plenty more cash. partners continues to plan and execute the obscenity of testing But what to their wondering eyes should appear, nuclear weapons. Defeat in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Ontario so clear. December 13, 1995 COMMONS DEBATES 17625 S. O. 31 But lo and behold, Canadians will see, The Minister of Human Resources Development introduced More broken promises from these Liberals MPs. Reform is the party that will bring to this land, employment insurance programs. The Minister of Industry’s Hope for the future—one that is planned. Bill C–99, an act to amend the Small Business Loans Act, will Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good flight. continue to provide access to debt capital for small businesses that need it to expand and to create jobs. * * * Last week the Minister of Finance stated that the deficit for the 1997–98 fiscal year will be brought down to 2 per cent of RADIO CANADA INTERNATIONAL GDP. The goal is to eliminate the deficit based on a measured and responsible strategy. Mr. Svend J. Robinson (Burnaby—Kingsway, NDP): Mr. Speaker, yesterday the closing of Radio Canada International I would like to thank my constituents for participating in the was announced in Montreal.