CANADA VOLUME 137 S NUMBER 003 S 1st SESSION S 37th PARLIAMENT OFFICIAL REPORT (HANSARD) Wednesday, January 31, 2001 Speaker: The Honourable Peter Milliken CONTENTS (Table of Contents appears at back of this issue.) All parliamentary publications are available on the ``Parliamentary Internet Parlementaire'' at the following address: http://www.parl.gc.ca 23 HOUSE OF COMMONS Wednesday, January 31, 2001 The House met at 2 p.m. Chinese zodiac. The Chinese mystics reveal that the coming year, the Year of the Snake, holds many wonders in store for all of us. _______________ This is the year to toot your own horn. By bringing attention to Prayers your talents, you can win advancement and honour that will not only benefit you but all those you love. _______________ Each new year Canadians of Chinese descent are thankful to be D (1400) Canadians. They are thankful for the opportunity to be a part of this great country. Despite living through tough times in this country’s [English] history, they have survived to become successful in every facet of The Speaker: As is our practice on Wednesday we will now sing Canadian society. O Canada, and we will be led by the hon. member for Thunder In the Year of the Snake, mankind can expect greater internation- Bay—Atikokan and the hon. member for Mississauga West. al and domestic co-operation among governments. On a personal [Editor’s Note: Members sang the national anthem] level, a deepening spirituality will touch us all, making any efforts to strengthen ties to church and nature greatly rewarding. _____________________________________________ Mr. Speaker, to you and all members of this House, Happy Chinese New Year. STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS * * * [English] [Translation] MEMBER FOR PERTH—MIDDLESEX INTERNATIONAL AID Mr. John Richardson (Perth—Middlesex, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, it is a great pleasure to rise in the House today to thank the people Mr. Eugène Bellemare (Carleton—Gloucester, Lib.): Mr. of Perth—Middlesex for re-electing me for the third straight time. Speaker, there have been two earthquakes recently, first one in El I am proudly grateful to all my constituents for giving me the Salvador and then another in India. Canada was one of the first chance to serve them once again. I will do everything I can to be countries to react and to free up funds to organize emergency worthy of their trust. support. The Canadian International Development Agency was on the spot and did an amazing job. The action plan in the Speech from the Throne will create opportunity and ensure that all of our citizens are full participants I would like to draw particular attention to the key role played by in our economy and our society. It will help get children off to a the minister, who was in El Salvador and lived through the good start, it will help strengthen our communities and it will earthquake there. Happening to be in Latin America on a mission, strengthen our country. This is what the Liberal Party is all about. the minister did not hesitate to roll up her sleeves and get directly involved on site. I wish to reiterate my thanks to the people of Perth—Middlesex. With their support, I will continue to be a strong voice for them. * * * * * * CHARLOTTE BOISJOLI CHINESE NEW YEAR Ms. Diane St-Jacques (Shefford, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, yesterday Mr. Inky Mark (Dauphin—Swan River, Canadian Alliance): the performer, teacher, director and novelist Charlotte Boisjoli died Mr. Speaker, this week marks the first week of the new year of the in Notre-Dame Hospital at the age of 77. 24 COMMONS DEBATES January 31, 2001 S. O. 31 Born in Quebec City in June 1923, Charlotte Boisjoli began her government’s brutal repression of freedom of conscience in gener- stage career with the Montreal theatre company Les Compagnons al and of Falun Gong in particular. de Saint-Laurent. The Prime Minister will shortly be departing for China on a team Later on, she and her husband, Fernand Doré, founded the Canada mission. Team Canada missions are about trade, and I am Compagnie du Masque, which was extremely active a half-century sure that every member of the House will agree that free trade and ago. free enterprise promote human rights. Team Canada missions are also about aid, and aid to a tyrannical government can be inter- She will be remembered for her involvement in numerous stage preted by that government as an endorsement of and a subsidy for productions, as well as a variety of radio and television roles. its repressive actions. Charlotte Boisjoli was a woman who loved to get her teeth into a Canadian aid, and that includes any subsidized or preferential good script. Hers was a rare intensity in everything she undertook, trade, must be linked to human rights. If the persecution continues whether in a role or in life and its battles. there can be no room for Canada to give aid to China. This is the May I extend my most sincere condolences to the family and message that team Canada must take to China. friends of Madame Boisjoli. * * * All Quebec salutes this great artist and we can only hope that her great love of the theatre will live on in those who choose to follow [Translation] her career. POPULATION OF MADAWASKA—RESTIGOUCHE * * * Mr. Jeannot Castonguay (Madawaska—Restigouche, Lib.): LIBERAL PARTY OF CANADA Mr. Speaker, as the new member for Madawaska—Restigouche, it is with great pleasure that I thank my constituents for their trust. I Mr. Guy St-Julien (Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik, Lib.): pledge to do my best to represent them well at all times. Mr. Speaker, on November 27, 2000, the Liberal Party of Canada won an important victory. [English] Canada’s Prime Minister, the leader of our political party, I stand here today to thank my constituents of Madawaska—Re- managed the impressive feat of getting his government elected for stigouche who have given me the mandate to represent them in its third consecutive term of office. parliament. It is an honour to serve my constituents and the country and it is a duty I take seriously. The Liberal Party of Canada improved its results in terms of votes cast, and obtained more votes in Quebec than the Bloc Quebecois, which lost six members. * * * We owe this victory to Quebecers, of course, but also to our [Translation] Prime Minister, who has been able to rely on the unwavering support of his wife through these many years of political life. CHARLOTTE BOISJOLI AND PIERRE ROCHE In yesterday’s throne speech, the Prime Minister urged us to Ms. Christiane Gagnon (Québec, BQ): Mr. Speaker, the Bloc build the Canada of tomorrow on a strong foundation. He also Quebecois must sadly today signal the loss of two of Quebec’s urged us to build a world-leading Canadian economy. great artists: Charlotte Boisjoli and Pierre Roche. The Prime Minister has the full support of the Liberal team when A total artist, socially committed, but first and foremost an he calls on the people of Canada to share their prosperity, to fight actress, Ms. Boisjoli was a prime mover in Quebec theatre. against exclusion and to help children get the right start in life. D (1405) * * * Hers was the voice of Pépinot, to the great delight of children. [English] She also lent her talents to staging both in theatre and opera. HUMAN RIGHTS Pierre Roche was one of Quebec’s most prolific writer-compos- er-performers. His work and its performance will be immortal and Mr. Scott Reid (Lanark—Carleton, Canadian Alliance): Mr. become one of the jewels of Quebec’s rich cultural heritage. Speaker, I rise today to draw attention to the role that our government can play in helping to end one of the greatest human We thank Ms. Boisjoli and Mr. Roche for giving us moments of rights tragedies of our new century. I speak of the Chinese great emotional beauty. January 31, 2001 COMMONS DEBATES 25 S. O. 31 [English] and appropriately dealt with using sound science, but the threat of United States protectionism. INTERNATIONAL AID As a result of being wrongly banned from the United States Mr. Gurbax Malhi (Bramalea—Gore—Malton—Springdale, market and having taken action to protect the rest of Canada’s Lib.): Mr. Speaker, last Friday a massive earthquake on the scale of potato industry, P.E.I. producers have suffered extreme losses. 7.5 ripped through the Indian state of Gujarat, leaving tens of thousands homeless and killing others. The toll is 13,000 and I call upon the federal government to take strong action. Potatoes rising. Thousands of children and families are in need of emergen- originating in states with a record of potato related diseases should cy aid as they are without food, water, shelter and medical supplies. be subjected to the most rigorous scrutiny at the border. Soil testing The federal government has acted quickly by providing $3 million requirements similar to those required for us should be instituted in aid. for states. Finally, the federal government must come forward with an assistance program to deal with the financial hurt. I encourage the federal government to further its aid for the devastated region and to help foster international co-operation in * * * order to establish preventive measures so such natural disasters would not be as tragic in the future. THE ECONOMY I ask my colleagues to join me in encouraging and thanking Canadians for giving donations to humanitarian organizations to Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP): Mr. Speaker, in assist the victims of this terrible tragedy.