CANADA Debates of the Senate 1st SESSION . 38th PARLIAMENT . VOLUME 142 . NUMBER 81 OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Tuesday, July 5, 2005 ^ THE HONOURABLE DANIEL HAYS SPEAKER CONTENTS (Daily index of proceedings appears at back of this issue). Debates and Publications: Chambers Building, Room 943, Tel. 996-0193 Published by the Senate Available from PWGSC ± Publishing and Depository Services, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0S5. Also available on the Internet: http://www.parl.gc.ca 1684 THE SENATE Tuesday, July 5, 2005 The Senate met at 2 p.m., the Speaker in the chair. All these measures are in addition to the $1 billion Farm Income Payment Program announced in March 2005 to help Canadian farmers deal with immediate cash flow pressures due to Prayers. record low farm income. Producers of cattle and other ruminants are expected to receive over $300 million under this Farm Income Payment Program. SENATORS' STATEMENTS In addition, a further $80 million is provided in Bill C-43 for the disposal of specific risk material; and $10.2 million is provided to AGRICULTURE AND AGRI-FOOD support genetic improvement of breed animals. Canada, supported by the provinces and industry, continues to GOVERNMENT MEASURES make all possible efforts toward the opening of international TO RELIEVE PROBLEMS IN INDUSTRY markets for Canadian beef producers. Hon. Jack Austin (Leader of the Government): Honourable Some Hon. Senators: Hear, hear! senators, Senator Gustafson, Senator Fairbairn and Senator St. Germain are among the very active members of the Senate who have focused their interests on our agricultural situation, and VISITORS IN THE GALLERY have continued to request information as well as make representations. I would like to add something to the responses The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, before recognizing I have previously made. Senator Jaffer, I would like to draw your attention to the presence in our gallery of guests of Senator Jaffer, His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and other guests. As is well known, the May 2003 finding of BSE in Canada radically changed the environment in which cattle and other Welcome to the Senate of Canada. ruminant sectors operate. Access to our largest market, the United States, closed for a time. However, on strong Hon. Senators: Hear, hear! representations from the federal government, the provinces, in particular Alberta and Saskatchewan, and many industry groups, the United States Department of Agriculture reopened the border SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR later in 2003 to packaged boneless cuts of Canadian beef from animals younger than 30 months. However, the U.S. market continues to remain closed to live cattle and other ruminants from Hon. Mobina S. B. Jaffer: Honourable senators, today I rise to Canada as well as to meat products from animals over the age of call your attention to the visit of a great and talented man, His 30 months. Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. He is a spiritual leader whose message of compassion, commitment to society and cosmic understanding of life has impacted on the lives of millions On September 10, 2004, the Government of Canada took worldwide. measures to assist the Canadian livestock industry in ensuring longer-term viability. A federal investment of $488 million was Sri Sri is the founder of the Art of Living Foundation, a United provided to help expand Canada's processing capacity, and to Nations non-governmental organization. He is the inspiration create new demand for value-added products. behind numerous humanitarian organizations focused on service and the promotion of human values. He says, ``Service is the expression of joy and love. Ask yourself, `How can I be useful to Senator St. Germain and Senator Gustafson have been those around me and to the whole world?' Then your heart starts concerned about the policy dealing with older animals. A new to blossom and a completely new level of life begins.'' program called Herd Management for Older Animals was announced on June 29, 2005 by Andy Mitchell, Minister of Today, Sri Sri reminds us that the great spiritual traditions have Agriculture and Agri-Food. The program is designed to provide common goals and values. He encourages people from all for the selective culling of older animals. This program will be on religions and cultural traditions to come together and celebrate. a 60/40 cost-share basis with interested provinces. His love, practical wisdom and whole-hearted dedication to service inspire people everywhere. With limitless compassion and Additional funding of $17.1 million is being expended to grace he brings a whole new dimension to spirituality, infusing it develop Canada's slaughter capacity with the goal of processing with a sense of celebration and joy. 100 per cent of the country's livestock production. In particular, changes will be made to the Loan Loss Reserve Program to In 1997, he founded the International Association for Human encourage investment in processing facilities, in particular those Values, an NGO located in Geneva. Its mandate is to foster, on a targeting older animals. The program will be extended through global scale, a deeper understanding of the values that unite us as December 31, 2007. a human community. July 5, 2005 SENATE DEBATES 1685 Underlying this mandate is a vision of a world where people can One final example, honourable senators, is the Antigonish celebrate their distinct traditions while having a greater Highland Games, held every summer in my province since 1863. appreciation of what we all have in common. For generations, the Scottish way of life — and my wife is a Scot — has been maintained in eastern Nova Scotia and Cape Breton His 5-H program is making a difference in the world through Island. The language, traditions, music, dances and songs of the service and social projects. It focuses on providing five goals. Gael, along with feats of strength and excellence, continue to They are health, homes, hygiene, harmony in diversity and human flourish at the Antigonish Highland Games. Every July, hundreds values. of musicians, dancers and athletes perform and compete in this grand festival, which is the oldest continuous highland games in He has initiated projects in 25,300 villages around the world, the world outside Scotland. bringing self-reliance to more than 2.3 million people. Traditionally, Nova Scotians have referred to the province's His simple message of love, practical wisdom and service tourism industry as ``our best kept secret.'' However, with over encourages harmony, and teaches everyone to follow their chosen $1.3 billion in total revenue generated in 2004 alone, it would religious or spiritual path while honouring the path of others. appear, honourable senators, that the secret is out. Sri Sri's gift to mankind is that he teaches us: Senator Mercer: Come, visit! A stress-free mind and a disease free body are birthrights of every human being. Neither at home nor at school have we learned how to handle negative emotions. The Art of CIVIL MARRIAGE BILL Living breathing techniques and meditation courses have helped millions around the world and empowered them with Hon. Shirley Maheu: Honourable senators, I take this unconditional joy. opportunity to salute our brother and sister legislators in the Congress of Deputies of Spain. On Thursday last week, Spanish Honourable senators, I know you will join me in welcoming this parliamentarians voted 187-147 to become the third nation to extraordinary man here today. legalize same-sex marriage. Henceforth, the citizens of Spain will enjoy a broad definition of marriage. A majority of lawmakers in Hon. Senators: Hear, hear! Belgium, Netherlands and Spain have been joined by a majority of members in our own House of Commons to proclaim that . (1410) cherry-picking in the field of human rights will no longer be tolerated. NOVA SCOTIA On Tuesday last week, the other place passed Bill C-38, SUMMER FESTIVALS AND EVENTS respecting certain aspects of legal capacity for marriage for civil purposes. The proposals in this legislation have been debated, Hon. Donald H. Oliver: Honourable senators, it is no secret that demeaned, demonized and delayed ad nauseam for many months. Nova Scotians love to celebrate, and when we celebrate we invite In fact, I believe that this proposal has had as thorough an the world. examination as any piece of legislation that I can remember in my 17 years of service in both Houses of Parliament. Every year, my home province of Nova Scotia hosts over 700 summer festivals and events. Today, I rise to share with Honourable senators, it is time to move on. There is nothing honourable senators some of the festivals that make Nova Scotia about this proposal that has not yet been said in both our official one of the most artistically diverse and creative provinces languages by anyone, anywhere in Canada. Clearly, this is in Canada. For instance, last month, from June 17 to 19, absolutely nothing new, or there is absolutely nothing new that approximately 40,000 people from around the world converged could possibly be said. on Dartmouth waterfront for Nova Scotia's Multiculturalism Festival. For three days, over 25 ethnocultural groups celebrated diversity through friendship, food and music. Let us move on. Let us provide and enshrine dignity and inclusiveness for all Canadians, and let us do it now! When the festival was established, 18 years ago, the show was staged in the ballroom of Dalhousie University. Over the last Some Hon. Senators: Hear, hear! 18 years, the multiculturalism festival has become the premier summer event in the province. MS. MARY DAWSON, Q.C. Another marquee event is the TD Canada Trust Atlantic Canada Jazz Festival that will be held this year from July 15 to 24, in venues throughout Halifax.