CANADA House of Commons Debates VOLUME 145 Ï NUMBER 050 Ï 3rd SESSION Ï 40th PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Thursday, May 27, 2010 Speaker: The Honourable Peter Milliken CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) 2993 HOUSE OF COMMONS Thursday, May 27, 2010 The House met at 2 p.m. Those beautiful days in 1955 were a celebration of the close relationships that saw St. John's filled with Portuguese vessels and fishermen for six months each year for over 400 years. Prayers The Portuguese fishing fleets and Portuguese fishermen who travelled across the Atlantic each year will continue to echo through history ever reminding the people of Newfoundland and all Canadians of this special period in their history and of their friends STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS who lived just across the sea. (1405) Ï *** [English] [Translation] FREE TRADE AGREEMENTS DENIS GOUGEON Mr. Jeff Watson (Essex, CPC): Mr. Speaker, following today's historic address by Mexican president, Felipe Calderón, I rise in the Mr. Luc Malo (Verchères—Les Patriotes, BQ): Mr. Speaker, in House today to reaffirm the importance of NAFTA to the flourishing celebration of the world expo, the Presences Festival International trading relationship on the North American continent. Composition Competition held the final concert in its three-year international competition in Shanghai, China. Granby native Denis Since NAFTA's implementation, merchandise trade between Gougeon won first prize with his piece entitled Toy (Music Box). Mr. Canada, Mexico and the United States has more than tripled, Gougeon is a composer and an associate professor of instrumental reaching $946 billion U.S. in 2008. Today, Canada, the U.S. and composition at University of Montreal. Mexico trade roughly $2.6 billion U.S. in merchandise on a daily basis. That is about $108 million U.S. per hour. The competition required that the composer interpret a folk melody with traditional Chinese instruments. Candidates were NAFTA has proven that liberalizing trade is an important tool in judged on their ability to blend these elements into a new piece of promoting transparency, economic growth and economic stability. It music. A Chinese melody, Wuxi jing, performed on bamboo flutes, has been such a success to the North American continent that was woven into Mr. Gougeon's composition. countries, such as Colombia, now also want to open their own markets to benefit from the economic prosperity on the North I am pleased to congratulate Mr. Gougeon for his composition, American continent. which won the international prize on May 4. The Bloc is proud to highlight amazing artistic performances by Quebeckers on the I call upon parliamentarians to do what is right for Canada and for international scene. Colombia and to pass the Canada-Colombia free trade agreement. Colombia is more than just its past civil injustices. It is time that *** those opposed to this agreement stop focusing on— [English] The Speaker: The hon. member for Davenport. ABORIGINAL HISTORY MONTH *** Ms. Jean Crowder (Nanaimo—Cowichan, NDP): Mr. Speaker, last year, this House voted unanimously to declare June as National PORTUGUESE FISHERMEN Aboriginal History Month. Mr. Mario Silva (Davenport, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, on this day in 1955, the Portuguese ship, Gil Eannes, sailed into the port of St. A declaration without action to back it up would be an empty John's, Newfoundland. promise, so I followed up on the NDP motion by contacting relevant federal departments and asking how they would observe Aboriginal Four thousand Portuguese fishermen in beautiful costumes carried History Month. a statue of Our Lady of Fatima up the hill to the Basilica of St. John the Baptist where it was erected as a gift to the people of St. John's Indian and Northern Affairs is promoting the month on its website from the fishermen of Portugal in recognition of the 100th and at National Aboriginal Day events and promises to further anniversary of the Basilica. develop new initiatives for June 2011. 2994 COMMONS DEBATES May 27, 2010 Statements by Members Parks Canada already had a strategic plan to increase the Ï (1410) representation of aboriginal history subjects in its national commemoration program of people, places and events of historical AGAINST THE ODDS significance. Three of those subjects are the following: designation Mrs. Cathy McLeod (Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo, of the Similkameen Spirit Trail in B.C., the Abenaki migration to CPC): Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to an extraordinary New France, and finally, Chief Peguis' role in the Selkirk settlement. constituent of mine, Al Trotter. Al is a retired lieutenant colonel with Those are three subjects I think very few Canadians know about. the Royal Canadian Air Force. He completed 44 missions in Germany, was then struck down, interrogated, sent to a German This is the start of a national project to bring aboriginal history to POW camp and eventually came home. the forefront in Canada. I encourage all members of the House to celebrate Aboriginal History Month in their ridings. Through perseverance and pure determination, Al made it out of Germany alive and after more than 40 years he has finally told his *** story. His book, Against the Odds, which he co-wrote with his ASBESTOS daughter, Leslie, has been published and is a must read for those wanting to learn more about what our veterans sacrificed and Mr. Terence Young (Oakville, CPC): Mr. Speaker, I rise today to accomplished for Canada. provide notice to victims of mesothelioma and their families who have not yet received compensation through provincial or corporate In Al's own words, “for our veterans, our gravest concern is that authorities. we don't want to be forgotten. 17,700 young men lost their lives in the Air Force in World War II”. This rare form of lung cancer attacks the lining of the lungs and sometimes the abdomen. Exposure could come from insulation in I want to thank Al for taking the time to write this important book. workplaces, in wall board and floor tiles at home, and even from the His story will ensure that our veterans will never be forgotten and it brakes of cars and trucks. is a great legacy for generations to come. Those without compensation should know they are not alone. *** Canadian victims and their families have an additional potential recourse because the harmful products containing asbestos in Canada [Translation] were manufactured in the United States. Thirty billion dollars are available for asbestos victims, even those deceased years ago, CYCLING TRAGEDY IN ROUGEMONT through U.S. settlement trusts. Mrs. Josée Beaudin (Saint-Lambert, BQ): Mr. Speaker, on May 14, a tragic accident on Highway 112 in Rougemont shattered the Inquiries can be made by calling Health Canada at 1-800-433- lives of several families in an instant. Six members of the Saint- 0395. Lambert triathlon team were on their way to Sherbrooke for a training session when they were hit by a truck. *** Christine Deschamps, Lyn Duhamel and Sandra De La Garza SATHYA SAI SCHOOL OF CANADA Aguilar were killed. All three were experienced members of the Mrs. Michelle Simson (Scarborough Southwest, Lib.): Mr. Saint-Lambert triathlon club, where they were training for Ironman Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the people of the Sathya Sai events coming up this summer. School of Canada who have joined us here today and are celebrating their 10th anniversary. This is the only school of its kind in North On behalf of my Bloc Québécois colleagues and myself, I would America and I am very proud that it is located in Scarborough, like to offer my sincere condolences to the families of the victims. Ontario. Our thoughts are with them in this terrible time. On Sunday, May 30, I will be participating in the eighth annual In closing, I would encourage motorists, cyclists and pedestrians Walk for Values organized by the school. I will join thousands of to be careful and vigilant on our roads. participants in the GTA to walk in the name of peace, non-violence, right conduct, truth and love. Since the walk's inception in *** Scarborough eight years ago, it has grown and this year will take [English] place in nine Canadian cities. In addition, walks will take place in 60 other countries around the world. G8 AND G20 SUMMITS I would like to congratulate and thank the Sathya Sai School of Mr. Gerald Keddy (South Shore—St. Margaret's, CPC): Mr. Canada for its efforts in reinforcing these values, not only here in Speaker, in just under a month, Canada will be hosting the world's Canada but around the world. most influential leaders at the G8 and G20 summits. Canada hosting two major summits back to back is unprecedented and we are June 6 Walk for Values takes place here in Ottawa. I encourage all honoured to host the world leaders and showcase Canada on the members to join me at this important event. world stage. May 27, 2010 COMMONS DEBATES 2995 Statements by Members We are on track to host secure G8 and G20 summits. We have a Ï (1415) comprehensive security plan developed by Canada's best experts in the field, but what does the Liberal leader say? He said that he was [English] “kind of ashamed” of Canada. I can assure all members that on this side of the House we are not GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES ashamed of our country. In fact, we are proud of Canada and I look forward to this unique opportunity to continue our leadership on the Ms. Olivia Chow (Trinity—Spadina, NDP): Mr. Speaker, using world stage. over $1 billion to host the G20 and G8 summits is so outrageous, it borders on indecency.