CANADA VOLUME 133 S NUMBER 017 S 2nd SESSION S 35th PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Wednesday, March 20, 1996 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 959 HOUSE OF COMMONS Wednesday, March 20, 1996 The House met at 2 p.m. SENTENCING Mr. Art Hanger (Calgary Northeast, Ref.): Mr. Speaker, _______________ whatever happened to truth in sentencing of criminals? In Canada unfortunately the most obvious truth about prison sentences is that Prayers they are a fiction. For instance, section 745 allows criminals sentenced to life _______________ imprisonment the eligibility for release only 15 years into their sentence. It is a sure bet for criminals because 78 per cent of those The Speaker: As is our custom, we will now sing O Canada, who apply for parole under section 745 are granted early release. which will be led by the hon. member for Winnipeg Transcona. Using section 745, child killer Clifford Olson can apply for parole in August this year. [Editor’s Note: Whereupon members sang the national anthem.] I speak on behalf of a growing majority of Canadians who _____________________________________________ believe that early release should only be considered for truly first time non-violent offenders. Canadians are telling justice officials to bring back the principles of truth in sentencing. You do the crime, you do the time. STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS Clearly section 745 must be repealed. On behalf of Canadians, I urge the justice minister to do so without delay. [English] * * * FLAT TAX Mr. Alex Shepherd (Durham, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, the Reform LABRADOR Party embraces a flat tax. This is at a time when multimillionaire Mr. Bill Blaikie (Winnipeg Transcona, NDP): Mr. Speaker, the Steven Forbes has been rejected even by the far right of the United prospective privatization of services at the Five Wing Base in States in his attempts to convince the American people the logic of Goose Bay, Labrador will be a needless blow to Labrador. These this tax. are not the policies of careful and responsible economic manage- ment that the economy of Labrador so needs and expects of the A tax which would lower taxes to those earning more than federal government. $200,000 while increasing the taxes of already overtaxed middle class people earning between $35,000 and $65,000 is the agenda of Liberals and Reformers have a lot of buzzwords for downsizing the Reform Party. Robin Hoodism in reverse. Taking from the less federal government services. Whether we call it privatization, wealthy and giving to the wealthiest is the agenda of the so-called commercialization, contracting out or alternative service delivery, Reformers. it all boils down to the same thing: fewer jobs, lower pay, fewer benefits and greater insecurity. What else would a flat tax do? It would not tax interest. The banks will be very supportive. It will eliminate lower rates of The Liberals have called on the private sector to be responsible income taxes for small and medium size businesses. So much for employers and to do its best to provide steady, secure employment. the Reform Party’s job creation programs which will reduce small Behind this rhetoric the Liberals themselves are mimicking the business employment while lining the coffers of financial institu- worst corporate offenders with their self-defeating downsizing. tions. New Democrats join with the citizens of Labrador in demanding Reform thinking on flat tax is the same as those who thousands a federal government that sets an example of responsible economic of years ago believed in a flat earth, the neanderthals of tax reform. citizenship. 960 COMMONS DEBATES March 20, 1996 S. O. 31 CESO INTERNATIONAL SERVICES CANADIAN ARMED FORCES Mr. Jake E. Hoeppner (Lisgar—Marquette, Ref.): Mr. Speak- Mr. Andrew Telegdi (Waterloo, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I rise today er, last week my colleague from the Okanagan brought forth a to pay tribute to the outstanding volunteer efforts of Mr. Frederick motion to encourage this Parliament to think carefully about how it Harttrup of Waterloo. defines sedition. This was precipitated of course by the outrageous actions of the Bloc defence critic who invited members of the Mr. Harttrup, accompanied by his wife Olive, recently travelled armed forces to switch their allegiance in the event of a yes vote. to Trinidad to advise a government owned forestry company on This was not a job offer. This was an invitation to desert the production techniques and total quality management. Canadian Armed Forces. Canadians have expressed disbelief that a government could Mr. Harttrup made recommendations pertaining to log supply tolerate such an offensive and potentially dangerous act. Attempt- and quality, sawmill flow systems and layout and the operation of ing to undermine the loyalty of the armed forces is completely the saw show and the planer mill. beyond the pale in a democratic country. Mr. Harttrup is one of 7,000 Canadians who have volunteered The Liberal government tried to ignore this matter and it watered their time through CESO International Services. Since its founding down the Reform motion to the point where it had no teeth. If the in 1967, CESO has been providing volunteer advisers to businesses defence minister had been doing his job, this matter would not have and organizations in Canada’s aboriginal communities, developing required a special intervention. countries and emerging market economies in central and eastern Europe. CESO volunteers are skilled Canadian men and women, We hope this has served as a wake-up call to this government. usually retired, who willingly share their lifetime of practical experience with those who need it. * * * To Frederick Harttrup and to all the CESO volunteers, we SPRING express our appreciation and we send them our thanks. Mr. Ted McWhinney (Vancouver Quadra, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, as the poet said: * * * Winter’s rains and ruins are over, And all the season of snows and sins: The days dividing lover and lover, The light that loses, the night that wins: RACISM And in green underwood and cover Blossom by blossom the spring begins. Hon. Warren Allmand (Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Lib.): Mr. D (1405 ) Speaker, March 21 is the first day of spring. It is also the international day for the elimination of racial discrimination. We bring spring greetings and the daffodils which some mem- bers are wearing from Vancouver where spring began some time This year’s symbol for this day is the crocus, the first flower of ago. We also bring greetings from radio station CKNW, home of spring and the symbol of a fresh start. This campaign encourages open line hosts Rafe Mair, Bill Good and Gary Bannerman. Canadians to break free from the darkness of ignorance into the light of tolerance and respect. * * * Thirty-six years ago on this day a peaceful march against apartheid in Sharpeville, South Africa turned into a massacre. All RACISM too often since then this tragedy has been repeated in different Sharpevilles around the world. These incidents may not always kill Mrs. Eleni Bakopanos (Saint-Denis, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, to- the body but racial discrimination destroys the soul and the morrow marks the International Day for the Elimination of all self-esteem of the victim. Forms of Racial Discrimination. It is a day for Canadians to reflect on the harm racism causes in our communities and to think of what we can do to make Canada a more tolerant society. We in Canada take for granted our peaceful lifestyle, our reputation as a kinder, gentler nation. Yet we have our own less [Translation] violent Sharpevilles in many parts of Canada. Each time we deny the cultural reality of our neighbour, denigrate his language or her At this time last year, I really believed we had made progress in costume, we commit an act of discrimination. this area. However, the racist remarks and accusations made by the March 20, 1996 COMMONS DEBATES 961 S. O. 31 Bloc and the PQ during the referendum, and especially those organizations that mirror the strong francophone presence outside uttered by the former premier of Quebec, have only increased la Belle Province. I am thinking in particular of the Ottawa campus racial tensions in Quebec. Worse yet, the new premier of Quebec of La Cité collégiale, the University of Ottawa, the many primary never distanced himself from his predecessor’s racist comments. and secondary schools for francophones and immersion students, the Centre francophone de Vanier, the Richelieu service clubs, the [English] Patro in Lowertown, Montfort Hospital, the regional ACFO, the Caisses populaires, and so on. Part of the solution is admitting that you have done something wrong. By refusing to apologize for their behaviour the Bloc and I urge all French-Canadians to be proud of their mother tongue the PQ are saying that it is okay to make remarks like this and that and to contribute to its development. people will eventually forget anyway. I have not forgotten and I am still waiting for an apology. * * * * * * [English] [Translation] IMPAIRED DRIVING Mr. Dick Harris (Prince George—Bulkley Valley, Ref.): Mr. THE FRANCOPHONIE Speaker, last night during debate on my private member’s Bill Mrs. Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral (Laval Centre, BQ): Mr. C-201 which deals with impaired driving causing death, the Speaker, in 1996, the economic, scientific and political reality of Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice cited in his the Francophonie is 49 countries on five continents. remarks a letter from a member of MADD Canada which stated six reasons not to support my bill.