Debates of the Senate (Hansard)
Debates of the Senate (Hansard)
1st Session, 38th Parliament,
Volume 142, Issue 4
Thursday, October 7, 2004
The Honourable Daniel Hays, Speaker
- SENATORS' STATEMENTS
- ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
- Conflict of Interest and Post-employment Code for Public Office Holders
- Transport and Communications
- Fisheries and Oceans
- Agriculture and Forestry
- Human Rights
- Banking, Trade and Commerce
- National Finance
- Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources
- Speech from the Throne
- Statutes Repeal Bill
- Canada Transportation Act
- Supreme Court Act
- Judges Act
- Copyright Act
- Transport and Communications
- Fisheries and Oceans
- National Finance
- Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources
- Banking, Trade and Commerce
- Agriculture and Forestry
- Notice of Motion to Authorize Committee to Continue Study on Present State and Future of Agriculture and Forestry
- Notice of Motion to Authorize Committee to Continue Study on Development and Marketing of Value-added Agricultural, Agri-food and Forest Products
- Notice of Motion to Authorize Committee to Engage Services
- Notice of Motion to Authorize Committee to Permit Electronic Coverage
- Inequities of Veterans Independence Program
- QUESTION PERIOD
- ORDERS OF THE DAY
THE SENATE
Thursday, October 7, 2004
The Senate met at 2 p.m., the Speaker in the chair.
Prayers.
The Late Lieutenant Chris Saunders
Tributes
The Hon. the Speaker: Before we proceed with further business, I would ask honourable senators to rise and observe a minute of silence in memory of Lieutenant Chris Saunders, whose tragic death occurred October 6, 2004, while serving his country on the submarine HMCS Chicoutimi.
Honourable senators then stood in silent tribute.
Hon. Jack Austin (Leader of the Government): Honourable senators, yesterday we learned of the tragic death of Lieutenant Chris Saunders on the HMCS Chicoutimi in the North Atlantic on its maiden voyage to Canada. Lieutenant Saunders' death is a terrible loss for the Canadian navy and the Canadian Forces as a whole, and for that the nation mourns.
Anyone knowledgeable about submarines is aware of the great risks undertaken by those who must work and live in such a specialized environment. It requires an enormous amount of courage to accept the life of a submariner. They are acknowledged by all in the Canadian navy as a distinct class of servicemen for the unusual risks and responsibilities that they assume in the service of our country.
Canadians owe these servicemen a great debt for the peril they place themselves in on our behalf. When Canadians learned of the death of Lieutenant Chris Saunders, we were shocked and saddened by the tragic news. It is events such as this that remind us all of the dangers faced on a daily basis by the courageous men and women who serve in our Canadian Forces.
The Saunders family bears the unspeakable loss of a husband, son and father. In the face of such a great loss, it is impossible to convey properly our appreciation and sorrow for the sacrifice made.
The government and people of Canada are grateful for the assistance of the British Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy in helping to secure the safety of the men on board the HMCS Chicoutimi. Our thoughts, prayers and hopes are with the Canadians receiving medical treatment.
Hon. Noël A. Kinsella (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, I join with the Leader of the Government in expressing the sympathy of the Senate of Canada at the loss of Navy Lieutenant Chris Saunders, a combat systems engineer on board HMCS Chicoutimi.
Lieutenant Saunders came from my province of New Brunswick. I join in a special way with the people of the Kingston peninsula, his home region, in mourning his passing.
Having had the experience of being on board the HMCS Corner Brook, I can certainly appreciate the difficulties faced by all crew members. Those aboard the HMCS Chicoutimi demonstrated the highest levels of bravery, sound judgment and resolve during a harrowing time and I commend them for their work.
Honourable senators, submariners are special members of the Canadian navy. Their role is a difficult one, but one for which we are grateful. They are stewards who guard our waters and contribute greatly to the protection of our country and our allies.
Honourable senators, allow me to quote from The Submariner's Prayer:
We beseech Thee to keep in Thy sustaining care all who are in submarines, that they may be delivered from the hidden dangers of the deep.
Grant them courage, and a devotion to fulfill their duties, that they may better serve Thee and their native land.
Though acquainted with the depths of the ocean, deliver them from the depths of despair and the dark hours of the absence of friendliness and grant them a good ship's spirit.
Bless all their kindred and loved ones from whom they are separated.
When they surface their ships, may they praise Thee for Thou art there as well as in the deep.
Fill them with Thy Spirit that they may be sure in their reckonings, unwavering in duty, high in purpose, and upholding the honor of their nation.
May Lieutenant Saunders' inestimable contributions be recognized by all honourable senators and all Canadians.
I extend my sincere condolences to Lieutenant Saunders' wife, Gwen, his two young children and all family and friends. We are truly sorry for their loss.
Visitors in the Gallery
The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, I draw your attention to the presence in our gallery of a delegation from the People's Republic of China made up of members of the Committee of the National People's Congress, specifically the Chairman of the Education, Science, Culture and Public Health Committee, the Honourable Zhu Lilan, who is accompanied by the Honourable Wu Dexin and the Honourable Chen Zhangliang.
On behalf of all honourable senators, I welcome you to the Senate of Canada.
Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!
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SENATORS' STATEMENTS
The Late Timothy Joseph (Tim) Ryan
Hon. Sharon Carstairs: Honourable senators, on Saturday morning I will join with Manitobans of all walks of life, but particularly with countless Liberals, as we pay tribute to Timothy Joseph (Tim) Ryan at his funeral to be held in St. Boniface Cathedral. I am deeply honoured to have been invited by his family to be an honorary pall bearer for this special man.
An Ottawa Valley Irish Liberal, Tim made his life in Winnipeg in 1965 and remained there until his death this week. He dedicated himself to his community at many levels. Tim spent 25 years as the President of the St. Boniface Mohawk Senior Hockey Club, chasing the Allan Cup. Between 1976 and 1986, he raised millions of dollars for the Manitoba sports community. He was the Executive Vice-President of the Pan-American Games held in Winnipeg in 1999. Tim was a founding director of the Manitoba Learning Centre, an organization for children with learning disabilities, and he raised funds for the Knowles Centre, which specializes in the treatment of disturbed children. He was a long-term advocate for those suffering from epilepsy, and he worked on behalf of street kids.
However, it was as a Liberal that I knew him best. He served as the President of the Liberal Party in Manitoba and as the Chief Financial Officer of the Liberal Party of Canada in Manitoba. He was a candidate, a party activist, a campaigner at all levels, not the least of which was his fierce support of our present Prime Minister, the Right Honourable Paul Martin.
Above all, he was a man of great courage. For the last eight years, Tim struggled with throat and esophageal cancer. Time after time, he would go from chemotherapy to radiation. I would hear the news that Tim was in poor shape, yet Tim would rally. When asked how he was doing, he would always reply, "I'm doing fine."
In my final conversation with Tim about two weeks ago, after he entered the palliative care unit at St. Boniface Hospital, he and I discussed his wife, Dianna. "She has been a brick," he said, and indeed she has been.
To the brick and to the children, Shelagh and Brendan, I offer my greatest sympathies.
Justice
Racial Profiling
Hon. Donald H. Oliver: Honourable senators, before the resumption of Parliament, it had been 117 days since we had last gathered here in the Senate. I regret that I must call your attention to another case of racial profiling in Canada. It involves Kevin Khan, a 29-year-old real estate broker, whose only crime was that he was a young Black man driving an expensive Mercedes Benz. This case produced a landmark decision in the Ontario Court of Justice and received headlines across the country this summer.
Police allege that Mr. Khan was "driving erratically" when they pulled him over to search his vehicle in October of 2001. However, in her decision released on September 15, 2004, Ontario Court Justice Anne Molloy ruled that Mr. Khan had not been driving erratically on the day he was stopped by police but that "the reason Kevin Khan was pulled over and searched was because he was a young Black man driving an expensive Mercedes." She also ruled that the search of Mr. Khan's Mercedes was illegal because it was motivated by racial profiling.
The defendant's attorney, Mr. John Struthers, stated the following outside the courthouse:
Never before, to my knowledge, has a judge ever said, "This man was stopped because he was Black and driving a nice car" and no other reason. This is the first driving-while-Black case in Canadian legal history.
In her 23-page ruling, Judge Molloy also referred to the 1999 case involving former Toronto Raptors star DeCovan Brown, which I spoke about in the Senate on February 4, 2003. In that case, Judge Brian Trafford agreed with Mr. Brown's attorneys that the police stopped him "because he was a Black man driving an expensive vehicle." Just like Kevin Khan, DeCovan Brown's only crime was "driving while Black."
In February of this year, I spoke in the Senate about another landmark ruling in the case involving Nova Scotia boxing legend Kirk Johnson. In 2003, the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission ruled that, without doubt, "the practice of racial profiling was being carried out by members of the Halifax Police Department."
Honourable senators, I am, frankly, embarrassed to have to again call your attention to injustices toward Blacks in Canada, but now the time for studying racial profiling should be over. I need your help and support in urging the government to immediately introduce legislation affirming that racial profiling is illegal and morally offensive and must be stopped.
Women's History Month
Hon. Catherine S. Callbeck: Honourable senators, this October marks the thirteenth consecutive Women's History Month, which was established to recognize the women who have played a vital role in our Canadian heritage.
This year's theme is, "Yes, We Are Persons," a most appropriate theme as October 18 marks the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Persons Case. Seventy-five years ago, five Canadian women — Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney and Henrietta Muir Edwards, now known as the Famous Five — challenged conventional thinking and made legal history when they asked the Supreme Court of Canada to answer the question: "Does the word "person" in section 24 of the BNA Act include female persons?"
The Supreme Court of Canada spent five weeks debating the question, only to decide that the word "person" did not include women. The five women, refusing to accept this decision, appealed the Persons Case to the Privy Council in England which, in those days, was Canada's highest court. On October 18, 1929, Lord Sankey, Lord Chancellor of the Privy Council, announced the decision "that the exclusion of women from all public offices is a relic of days more barbarous than ours. And to those who would ask why the word 'person' should include females, the obvious answer is, why should it not?"
This was a landmark victory in the struggle of Canadian women for equality. The Famous Five achieved not only the right for women to serve in the Senate but their many contributions also paved the way for women to participate in other aspects of public life.
The efforts of the Famous Five represent a model of courage and perseverance. On October 18, we celebrate their achievements and the achievements of all women in the assertion of women's rights.
World Teachers' Day
Hon. Ethel Cochrane: Honourable senators, I rise today in recognition of World Teachers' Day which was celebrated on October 5. It is an occasion when we acknowledge the important role that teachers play in our own society and in communities around the world.
This year's theme is "Quality Teachers for Quality Education." One of the key messages in this theme is the need to recruit and retain quality teachers. As honourable senators know, the need is great, especially now as many senior teaching professionals near retirement.
In my own province of Newfoundland and Labrador, as in most other provinces, the average teacher dedicates more than 52 hours per week to school related activities. The data on the workload in schools indicates that tasks assigned to today's teachers are definitely increasing. A study of teachers in Prince Edward Island in 2001 found that, compared to five years earlier, full-time teachers perceived that they were spending significantly more time on school related activities. These activities include student discipline, administrative tasks, resource development, modifying curriculum and meeting with parents.
Perhaps it is not surprising that, according to a recent report by the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers' Association, many school districts in the province are experiencing difficulty attracting and retaining qualified teachers. What is startling is their data. For instance, the attrition rate for new teachers, that is, those with less than five years' experience, is 33 per cent, and almost half of new teachers in the province say they are considering leaving their current positions due to factors that relate to heavy workload, stressful teaching environments and lack of opportunities for advancement and pay increases.
Honourable senators, I am well acquainted with the virtues and challenges of teaching, and I must say that I am disheartened by these statistics.
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Clearly, society needs to focus more attention on the great contributions teachers make in our communities. Few jobs are as critical to the success and the development of our country as teaching. Our teachers are the front-line workers who provide for the academic, the social and the emotional needs of our youth.
We must do what we can to ensure that teaching is a viable career option. We must take every opportunity to encourage young Canadians to invest their energies and abilities in this highly important career.
Honourable senators, as many of you know, teaching is often a thankless task, but I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate teachers across the country on their great achievements and contributions to their communities. I thank them sincerely for answering the call to this vocation and for the hard work and sacrifices they make every single day in the name of education.
Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!
Mental Illness Awareness Week
Hon. Jane Cordy: Honourable senators, this is Mental Illness Awareness Week. The campaign slogan for this year is: "Face It. Mental Illness Concerns Us All." Indeed, mental illness and mental health does concern each and every one of us.
The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, chaired by Senator Michael Kirby with Senator Marjory LeBreton as deputy chair, has been studying the issue of mental health and mental illness and will be issuing a report within the next few months. For those of us on the committee who have listened to heart-wrenching testimony by clients of the mental health system and their families, this issue is extremely important, as it should be for all Canadians.
This week allows us to raise awareness of the issues concerning the treatment and care of those who are mentally ill in our communities. It is also an opportunity to help reduce and, hopefully, to eliminate the stigma of mental illness and to change attitudes regarding mental illness.
Honourable senators, yesterday, I had the pleasure of attending the second annual National Champions of Mental Health luncheon. Six Canadians who have made a difference in the area of mental illness were honoured by the Canadian Alliance of Mental Illness and Mental Health. The award winners were Dr. Stan Kutcher, Guy Latraverse, Bill Mussell, the Honourable Andy Scott, Anna Maria Tremonte and the Honourable Michael Wilson. They have each played a major role in the promotion of mental health, and I would like to congratulate and to thank these individuals.
I was particularly pleased that one of the honourees was Dr. Stan Kutcher from Nova Scotia. Dr. Kutcher is Associate Dean, International Medical Development and Research at the Faculty of Medicine at Dalhousie University. He is also head of the International Section of the Department of Psychiatry and is an expert in the area of child and adolescent psychiatry. Dr. Kutcher is a renowned and leading figure of research, education and clinical community services, not only in Nova Scotia and Canada but also around the world. He is currently doing work in the area of mental health with the World Health Organization.
As a Nova Scotian, it is my pleasure to recognize Dr. Kutcher and the other recipients who were the 2004 Champions of Mental Health.
War in Sudan
Hon. Consiglio Di Nino: Honourable senators, this past summer, the world witnessed the escalation of yet another act of madness in yet another African country. Unspeakable atrocities are occurring every day in the Darfur region of Sudan as the Islamic Janjaweed militias, bent on ridding the region of its primarily Black African residents and with the complicit approval of the government, are killing, raping and driving refugees into camps along the border of neighbouring countries. The conflict has already killed at least 50,000 people and displaced 1.4 million men, women and children.
As the Ottawa Citizen reported on Tuesday, the death toll could rise sixfold by the end of the year — hitting 300,000 — because of the continuing conflict and the worsening food shortages among refugees. More than 1 million people in Darfur face severe malnutrition. When refugees stray out of their camps to forage for food, the men often face death and the women risk rape at the hands of the militias.
This is not the first time we have seen this type of tragedy in Africa. Africa has seen bloodshed for a very long time. Before Sudan, our headlines talked about the horrible conflicts in Rwanda and in Somalia, as well as other places. They also talked about evil despots, such as Uganda's Idi Amin, who visited tortures and atrocities upon his people while the world watched and went about its own business.
We must ask ourselves why such genocidal acts continue unchecked. Is it because it is Africa? Is a Black life worth less than a White one? Why does the UN continue to allow these types of atrocities and bloodshed to occur without early intervention? Why must the international community be pushed and prodded and wait until tens of thousands are brutally butchered before getting involved?
We have all heard the so-called reasons, all the excuses, and yet, eventually, the world intervenes, and rightly so.
Honourable senators, I believe we have a moral obligation to help keep safe our fellow human beings, particularly innocent victims. Is it time to re-examine whether our international institutions as they are currently constituted are up to the task? Is the United Nations dysfunctional? Must it be radically reformed so that it can address these kinds of challenges effectively and in a timely manner?
Not so long ago, the idea of the UN took shape. The League of Nations had failed. The creation of the UN Security Council, with its five permanent veto-holding members, was a novel idea that allowed the UN to exist and to flourish. We now need to re-examine that system, as well as other institutions, with a view to finding new ways that will help us to effectively deal with the world's problems, particularly to put an end to the brutal atrocities we have witnessed.
We cannot just stand back and do nothing. Canada can, should and, indeed, must take a leadership role.
[Translation]
ROUTINE PROCEEDINGS
Conflict of Interest and Post-employment Code for Public Office Holders
Tabled
Hon. Jack Austin (Leader of the Government): Honourable senators, on behalf of the Prime Minister, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, a copy of the Conflict of Interest and Post-employment Code for Public Office Holders, amended under section 72.01 of the Parliament of Canada Act.
Transport and Communications
Report Pursuant to Rule 104 Tabled
Hon. Joan Fraser: Honourable senators, pursuant to rule 104 of the Rules of the Senate, I have the honour to table the first report of the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications, which outlines the expenses incurred by the committee during the Third Session of the Thirty-seventh Parliament.
(For text of report, see today's Journals of the Senate, p. 37.)
Fisheries and Oceans
Report Pursuant to Rule 104 Tabled
Hon. Gerald J. Comeau: Honourable senators, pursuant to rule 104 of the Rules of the Senate, I have the honour to table the first report of the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, which outlines the expenses incurred by the committee during the Third Session of the Thirty-seventh Parliament.
(For text of report, see today's Journals of the Senate, p. 38.)
[English]
Agriculture and Forestry
Report Pursuant to Rule 104 Tabled
Hon. Joyce Fairbairn: Honourable senators, pursuant to rule 104 of the Rules of the Senate, I have the honour to table the first report of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry. This report outlines the expenses incurred by the committee during the Third Session of the Thirty-seventh Parliament.
(For text of report, see today's Journals of the Senate, p. 39.)
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Human Rights
Report Pursuant to Rule 104 Tabled
Hon. A. Raynell Andreychuk: Honourable senators, pursuant to rule 104 of the Rules of the Senate, I have the honour to table the first report of the Standing Senate Committee on Human Rights, which deals with the expenses incurred by the committee during the Third Session of the Thirty-seventh Parliament.
(For text of report, see today's Journals of the Senate, p. 39.)
Banking, Trade and Commerce
Report Pursuant to Rule 104 Tabled
Hon. Jerahmiel S. Grafstein: Honourable senators, pursuant to rule 104 of the Rules of the Senate, I have the honour to table the first report of the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce, which deals with the expenses incurred by the committee during the Third Session of the Thirty-seventh Parliament.
(For text of report, see today's Journals of the Senate, p. 40.)
National Finance
Report Pursuant to Rule 104 Tabled
Hon. Donald H. Oliver: Honourable senators, pursuant to rule 104 of the Rules of the Senate, I have the honour to table the first report of the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance, which deals with the expenses incurred by the committee during the Third Session of the Thirty-seventh Parliament.
(For text of report, see today's Journals of the Senate, p. 41.)
Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources
Report Pursuant to Rule 104 Tabled
Hon. Tommy Banks: Honourable senators, pursuant to rule 104 of the Rules of the Senate, I have the honour to table the first report of the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources, which deals with the expenses incurred by the committee during the Third Session of the Thirty-seventh Parliament.
(For text of report, see today's Journals of the Senate, p. 41.)
[Translation]
Speech from the Throne
Address in Reply—Termination of Debate on Eighth Sitting Day—Notice of Motion
Hon. Bill Rompkey (Deputy Leader of the Government): Honourable senators, pursuant to rule 58(1)(h), I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I shall move:
That the proceedings on the Order of the Day for resuming the debate on the motion for an Address in reply to Her Excellency the Governor General's Speech from the Throne addressed to both Houses of Parliament be concluded on the eighth sitting day on which the order is debated.
[English]
Statutes Repeal Bill
First Reading
Hon. Tommy Banks presented Bill S-5, to repeal legislation that has not come into force within 10 years of receiving Royal Assent.
Bill read first time.
The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this bill be read the second time?
On motion of Senator Banks, bill placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading two days hence.
Canada Transportation Act
Bill to Amend—First Reading
Hon. Tommy Banks presented Bill S-6, to amend the Canada Transportation Act (running rights for the carriage of grain).
Bill read first time.
The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this bill be read the second time?
On motion of Senator Banks, bill placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading two days hence.
Supreme Court Act
Bill to Amend—First Reading
Hon. Anne C. Cools presented Bill S-7, to amend the Supreme Court Act (references by Governor in Council).
Bill read first time.
The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this bill be read the second time?
On motion of Senator Cools, bill placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading two days hence.
Judges Act
Bill to Amend—First Reading
Hon. Anne C. Cools presented Bill S-8, to amend the Judges Act.
Bill read first time.
The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this bill be read the second time?
On motion of Senator Cools, bill placed on Orders of the Day for second reading two days hence.
Copyright Act
Bill to Amend—First Reading
Hon. Joseph A. Day presented Bill S-9, to amend the Copyright Act.
Bill read first time.
The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this bill be read the second time?
On motion of Senator Day, bill placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading two days hence.
Transport and Communications
Notice of Motion to Authorize Committee to Engage Services
Hon. Joan Fraser: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I shall move:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications have power to engage the services of such counsel and technical, clerical, and other personnel as may be necessary for the purpose of its examination and consideration of such bills, subject matters of bills and estimates as are referred to it.
Notice of Motion to Authorize Committee to Continue Study on Media Industries
Hon. Joan Fraser: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I shall move:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications be authorized to examine and report on the current state of Canadian media industries; emerging trends and developments in these industries; the media's role, rights, and responsibilities in Canadian society; and current and appropriate future policies relating thereto;
That the Committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than Friday, June 17, 2005; and
That the papers and evidence received and taken on the subject and the work accomplished during the First and Second Sessions of the Thirty-seventh Parliament be referred to the Committee.
[Translation]
Notice of Motion to Authorize Committee to Permit Electronic Coverage
Hon. Joan Fraser: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I shall move:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Transport and Communications be authorized to permit coverage by electronic media of its public proceedings with the least possible disruption of its hearings.
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Fisheries and Oceans
Notice of Motion to Authorize Committee to Permit Electronic Coverage
Hon. Gerald J. Comeau: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I shall move:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans be authorized to permit coverage by electronic media of its public proceedings with the least possible disruption of its hearings.
Notice of Motion to Authorize Committee to Engage Services
Hon. Gerald J. Comeau: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I shall move:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Fisheries and Oceans have power to engage the services of such counsel and technical, clerical, and other personnel as may be necessary for the purpose of its examination and consideration of such bills, subject matters of bills and estimates as are referred to it.
[English]
National Finance
Notice of Motion to Authorize Committee to Permit Electronic Coverage
Hon. Donald H. Oliver: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I shall move:
That the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance be authorized to permit coverage by electronic media of its public proceedings with the least possible disruption of its hearings.
Notice of Motion to Authorize Committee to Engage Services
Hon. Donald H. Oliver: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I shall move:
That the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance have power to engage the services of such counsel and technical, clerical, and other personnel as may be necessary for the purpose of its examination and consideration of such bills, subject matters of bills and estimates as are referred to it.
Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources
Notice of Motion to Authorize Committee to Engage Services
Hon. Tommy Banks: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I shall move:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources have power to engage the services of such counsel and technical, clerical, and other personnel as may be necessary for the purpose of its examination and consideration of such bills, subject matters of bills and estimates as are referred to it.
Notice of Motion to Authorize Committee to Study Issues Related to Mandate
Hon. Tommy Banks: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of Senate, I shall move:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources be authorized to examine and report on emerging issues related to its mandate:
(a) The current state and future direction of production, distribution, consumption, trade, security and sustainability of Canada's energy resources;
(b) Environmental challenges facing Canada, including responses to global climate change, air pollution, biodiversity and ecological integrity;
(c) Sustainable development and management of renewal and non-renewable natural resources, including water, minerals, soils, flora and fauna;
(d) Canada's international treaty obligations affecting energy, the environment and natural resources and their influence on Canada's economic and social development; and
That the papers and evidence received and taken by the Committee during the Third Session of the Thirty-seventh Parliament be referred to the Committee;
That the Committee report to the Senate from time to time, no later than June 30, 2006, and that the Committee retain until September 1, 2006 all powers necessary to publicize its findings.
Notice of Motion to Authorize Committee to Permit Electronic Coverage
Hon. Tommy Banks: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I shall move:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources be authorized to permit coverage by electronic media of its public proceedings with the least possible disruption of its hearings.
Banking, Trade and Commerce
Notice of Motion to Authorize Committee to Continue Study of State of Domestic and International Financial System
Hon. Jerahmiel S. Grafstein: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I will move:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Trade and Commerce be authorized to examine and report upon the present state of the domestic and international financial system;
That the papers and evidence received and taken on the subject during the Thirty-seventh Parliament and any other relevant Parliamentary papers and evidence on the said subject be referred to the Committee; and
That the Committee submit its final report no later than December 31, 2005.
Agriculture and Forestry
Notice of Motion to Authorize Committee to Continue Study on Present State and Future of Agriculture and Forestry
Hon. Joyce Fairbairn: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I shall move:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry be authorized to hear from time to time witnesses, including both individuals and representatives from organizations, on the present state and the future of agriculture and forestry in Canada.
That the papers and evidence received and taken on the subject during the Third Session of the Thirty-seventh Parliament be referred to the Committee;
That the Committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than December 23, 2005, and that the Committee retain until January 31, 2006 all powers necessary to publicize its findings.
Notice of Motion to Authorize Committee to Continue Study on Development and Marketing of Value-added Agricultural, Agri-food and Forest Products
Hon. Joyce Fairbairn: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I shall move:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry be authorized to examine the issues related to the development and marketing of value-added agricultural, agri-food and forest products, on the domestic and international markets;
That the papers and evidence received and taken on the subject during the Second and Third Session of the Thirty-seventh Parliament be referred to the Committee;
That the Committee submit its final report to the Senate no later than December 23, 2005, and that the Committee retain until January 31, 2006 all powers necessary to publicize its findings.
Notice of Motion to Authorize Committee to Engage Services
Hon. Joyce Fairbairn: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I shall move:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry have power to engage the services of such counsel and technical, clerical, and other personnel as may be necessary for the purpose of its examination and consideration of such bills, subject matters of bills and estimates as are referred to it.
Notice of Motion to Authorize Committee to Permit Electronic Coverage
Hon. Joyce Fairbairn: Honourable senators, I give notice that, at the next sitting of the Senate, I shall move:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry be authorized to permit coverage by electronic media of its public proceedings with the least possible disruption of its hearings.
Inequities of Veterans Independence Program
Notice of Inquiry
Hon. Catherine S. Callbeck: Honourable senators, pursuant to rule 57(2), I give notice that on October 19, 2004:
I will draw the attention of senators to the present inequities of the Veterans Independence Program.
QUESTION PERIOD
National Defence
Fire on HMCS Chicoutimi—Safety of Submarines Purchased from United Kingdom—Request for Inquiry
Hon. W. David Angus: Honourable senators, yesterday I questioned the Leader of the Government in the Senate about the dramatic maritime calamity involving our navy submarine, HMCS Chicoutimi, stranded in the turbulent seas of the North Atlantic Ocean without power following a frightening fire on board whilst the submarine was submerged, causing injury to nine crew members.
The kindly leader surprised me by trivializing the tragedy with what I felt were rather offensive words. "Stuff happens," he said, more than once. At the time I felt that this just was not good enough.
[Translation]
That is simply not good enough under the circumstances.
[English]
Today, honourable senators, we know that one heroic crew member, 32-year-old Lieutenant Chris Saunders of Halifax, has died of his injuries, leaving his wife, Gwen, and their two young sons, who will never know their father. We also know that two other brave crew members have been hospitalized for treatment of their injuries in Sligo, Ireland. We understand one of them is now in critical condition in the intensive care unit of the hospital.
The other 54 crew members remain on board, apparently totally exhausted and in deplorable conditions, battling the elements in the best traditions of the Royal Canadian Navy, trying to save their ship until professional salvors can take charge of the rescue operation and a relief crew can be airlifted to the scene.
Honourable senators, our hearts and deepest sympathy go out to the family of Lieutenant Saunders, as do our prayers for the safety of the two hospitalized seamen and their colleagues still aboard the Chicoutimi.
Based on what the Leader of the Government knows now of this tragic maritime casualty, would he still characterize the matter with the words "stuff happens"? How does the Government of Canada justify having taken the risk of sending brave, young Canadian sailors to sea in bargain-basement, old-fashioned submarines that were mothballed by the British navy more than 10 years ago?
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Hon. Jack Austin (Leader of the Government): Honourable senators, if any one is trivializing this question, it is Senator Angus, who turns a tragedy at sea into a partisan political question.
I want to quote from General Hénault, who said, "A fire like this can happen aboard even spanking new ships. These things happen." What I said yesterday was the same thing: "These things happen." I was using jargon, I admit, but simply to say the same thing. No trivialization was intended.
I also do not believe that the decisions of the navy with respect to the procurement of these submarines should be treated as a political decision by the government. The navy submitted to the Government of Canada that submarines were required for its mission and the government accepted its recommendation. The navy indicated that these submarines would be suitable to that mission and the government accepted the navy's recommendation.
Senator Angus: Honourable senators, the saga of the Chicoutimi is front-page news across our land. It is the leading story in all the media. Military experts are being interviewed on whatever TV channel one cares to watch. They are calling for a full-blown inquiry into Canada's acquisition of these Victoria-class submarines from Great Britain, all of which have been beset by a worrisome number of problems from the outset, to say nothing of the fact that the program is very late and substantially over budget — by more than 25 per cent, I understand.
Will the government leader please confirm that a formal inquiry into this obviously serious matter will be established without delay?
Senator Austin: Honourable senators, the navy has indicated that it will carry out an inquiry into the tragedy that took place. I feel certain that such an inquiry and examination of whether these vessels were suitable in the first instance will inevitably follow.
Senator Angus: I am pleased to hear that response. It is true that military accidents can happen, but not always in such dramatic fashion and with the res gestae that surrounds this situation. This is of great concern to Canadians. We once had a proud reputation as a first class and effective peacekeeping nation with a full complement of skilled and well-equipped military personnel. This reputation has been sullied repeatedly in recent years.
When will we properly equip our military with modern state-of-the-art ships, helicopters, planes, tanks and other materials and stop exposing our brave young military men and women to the hazards inherent in using defective and out-of-date gear and equipment?
Senator Austin: Honourable senators, I would reply by saying that we have a fine military, a proud military, one that the government will defend. The government has provided — that is, the government of the present Prime Minister — $7 billion in commitments to capital acquisitions for the military in addition to its normal operating budget. My honourable friend might give thought to the helicopter contract that has already been allotted, to the troop transport vessels that have been allotted, and to the armoured carriers that are being purchased, as well as a number of other capital equipment requirements.
Honourable senators, technology in the military business changes rapidly and is extremely costly. I believe that this government's record under Prime Minister Martin is an excellent one in supporting the military.
Hon. Noël A. Kinsella (Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, would the minister advise this house why the HMCS Chicoutimi was attempting to cross the Atlantic Ocean with no Canadian escort? This submarine had not been "sea trialed" and was coming to Halifax to undergo a retrofit. Why was a Canadian frigate or destroyer, with the appropriate helicopter on board, not escorting that submarine?
Senator Austin: Honourable senators, if that is a relevant question, I am sure it will be asked during the inquiry that I have stated will be conducted by the navy.
Senator Kinsella: Honourable senators, the navy inquiry is important, but there is also the question of the Minister of Defence and his responsibility for the navy. This acquisition may have been recommended by the navy, but the minister must assume responsibility for everything that occurs. The navy attempted to send that submarine across the Atlantic without an escort. However, they escorted the Victoria to Panama and up to Esquimalt, and it had been retrofitted in Canada.
The size of the crew should also be reviewed. I do not think we will find that the number of fixed berths on that type of submarine meets the size of the crew.
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Senator Austin: Honourable senators, I feel confident in saying that the decision to release the HMCS Chicoutimi from the Scottish shipyard and take responsibility for it was taken on the navy's own judgment. The question of escort was made on the navy's own judgement. The Minister of Defence does not become involved in operational questions.
Purchase of Submarines from United Kingdom—Request for Inquiry
Hon. Marcel Prud'homme: Honourable senators, coming back to what I said yesterday, I am glad that the new deputy chair of the Banking Committee raised that issue this morning. This is something that has been bothering me since 1995. At that time, I obtained information from an informant. I am usually sceptical about that kind of information, but given my past interest in military matters, someone called and asked that I pay attention to how this great sale of the year came about. That is what I said yesterday and repeated to Senator Carstairs and Senator Fairbairn, who was kind to take my question, and then I asked the same of Senator Graham and others.
Many top officers in the navy retired and became lobbyists for various firms. I am not accusing anyone, but I do not think Canadians will be satisfied if the navy conducts an inquiry on things that happen in the navy. I will ask the minister again today — and I am sure others will as well — to pay attention to how this great deal of the century came about. At that time, I said that we bought lemons, and someone who knew about this said they would be lemons passed on to Canada. I use that same expression even though I am not an expert.
Will the minister see to it that we will not be satisfied solely with an inquiry conducted by the navy? The navy can ask first what happened, but, following that, there must be further inquiries to satisfy Canadians, especially now that one Canadian has been lost. I know that members of this house join me in offering condolences to the family of this Canadian who served Canada well. This tragedy affects us all.
Is the minister able to tell us today that we will wait for the navy's report but that, if need be, there will be further inquiries?
Hon. Jack Austin (Leader of the Government): Honourable senators, Senator Prud'homme is urging the proper course. We should wait to obtain the results of the inquiry by the navy. As I said, a question with respect to the acquisition of the submarines will be relevant to the inquiry, and we will see where we go from there, if need be.
Foreign Affairs
Financial Commitment to Global Fund for HIV/AIDS—Involvement of Lead Singer of Rock Group U2
Hon. David Tkachuk: Honourable senators, on May 12, 2004, Ottawa received a high-profile visitor by the name of Paul Hewson. If you are not a fan of a certain rock group, you would not realize that I am talking about Bono of the Irish band U2. Bono was in Ottawa just days before the federal election was called. He held a joint press conference with Paul Martin regarding Canada doubling its financial contribution to fight HIV/AIDS from $35 million to $70 million, although these funds are not expected to kick in for another year and a half. How much did Mr. Hewson, or Bono, get paid to participate in the press conference on Wednesday, May 12, 2004? For what expenses — receipted and not receipted in this day and age — was he reimbursed?
Hon. Jack Austin (Leader of the Government): Does the honourable senator have information to give the chamber that the person known as Bono was paid or received reimbursement of expenses? Does he have facts to bring to the chamber?
Senator Tkachuk: I am asking a question. I would hope the Leader of the Government would have the facts.
Senator Austin: I wonder if the question is based on any facts at all.
Senator Tkachuk: Did the government pay Mr. Hewson or did it not?
Senator Austin: Honourable senators, I will take notice of the question, but I am interested in the fact that the honourable senator alleges that he does not have facts to give the chamber.
Senator Tkachuk: I never alleged anything. I asked a question. I thought we in the opposition had a right to ask a question and that the government should know the answer. If I knew the answer to the question, I would not be asking it.
According to The Gazette on May 12, 2004, page A-13, Prime Minister Paul Martin persuaded the U2 singer to come to Ottawa for the press conference. What advertising agency was paid by the Liberal government under the Prime Minister's direction to engage Mr. Hewson, or Bono, and how much money did that agency receive, including any commission or handling fee?
Senator Kinsella: That is a clear question.
Senator Austin: The honourable senator is asking a question of which I said I would take notice.
Senator Tkachuk: Will he take notice of both questions?
Senator Austin: Yes, both questions.
Senator Rompkey: Is that clearer?
Senator Robichaud: All your questions.
Human Resources and Skills Development
Application of Proposed Learning Bond Program
Hon. Marjory LeBreton: Honourable senators, the Speech from the Throne held a promise to introduce legislation implementing the Canada Learning Bond, which was previously announced in the last federal budget. The Liberal government says the learning bond will help low-income families save for their children's post-secondary educations. However, families receiving social assistance in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia may not be able to contribute to the learning bond without putting their provincial benefits in jeopardy. Welfare rules in those provinces do not exempt educational savings from being considered part of a person's financial assets when they apply for social assistance.
What is being done to remedy this situation? In other words, can the federal government assure us that the legislation it intends to bring forward will be to the benefit of all Canadian children from low-income families regardless of the province in which they may live?
Hon. Jack Austin (Leader of the Government): Honourable senators, that is a very good question. The first obligation of the federal government is to respect the jurisdiction of the provinces. Our second step will be to discuss with them the possibility of making the government's program more effective in all provinces of Canada.
Senator LeBreton: One would hope so because it could not be a plan to benefit all Canadians if certain provinces restrict someone from applying.
Aside from eligibility problems, the proposed learning bond may also prove ineffective for low-income families, as many of them simply cannot afford to contribute to educational plans for their children. Statistics Canada reported this summer that half of low-income parents are not aware of federal programs that allow them to do so. Could the Leader of the Government tell us how the government will help these families better position themselves to save for their children's education?
Senator Austin: It is to be desired that government programs that exist today are better known to Canadians who can make use of them. I will make inquiries to see what information programs the government may have to carry out that objective.
Senator LeBreton may have noticed that the government, over the last several months, has been reviewing its advertising and other programs that carry federal information to the Canadian public.
Finance
Bank Mergers—Comments by Minister of Industry
Hon. Donald H. Oliver: The Minister of Finance has responsibility for banking policy, and in recent years holders of that office have continually delayed announcing bank merger guidelines. However, while the Minister of Finance has not produced the guidelines, the Minister of Industry, David Emerson, was reported in The Globe and Mail on September 3 as saying:
We can't stop them from consolidating, or we're simply going to render them second-or third-level players in the world economy.
Could the Leader of the Government please advise whether the minister was simply freelancing or whether his comments reflect the current policy of the Government of Canada and, if so, when we can expect the guidelines?
Hon. Jack Austin (Leader of the Government): Honourable senators, on the subject matter raised by Senator Oliver, the Minister of Finance speaks for the Government of Canada.
Financing Small Business—Changes to Tax Policy—Comments by Minister of Industry
Hon. Donald H. Oliver: Honourable senators, The Province of September 28 reported the following:
Industry Minister David Emerson hinted yesterday that the government may offer tax breaks to encourage more small businesses to adopt the latest information and communications technologies.
The article goes on to state, "We need to assess how we can accelerate technological adaptation by the growing number of firms," referring to small- and medium-sized businesses. He continues, "Tax incentives and/or lower taxes may have a role to play here..."
Tax policy is also in the domain of the Minister of Finance. Could the Leader of the Government advise whether the Minister of Industry was speaking on behalf of the government and whether his comments reflect the position of the Government of Canada with respect to financing for small business?
Hon. Jack Austin (Leader of the Government): Honourable senators, it is common practice in the Westminster model that, while policy remains under debate, ministers of the Crown are allowed to express, with proper conditions, which I suggest Minister Emerson did, the possibility of policy development and direction.
Hopefully, that type of statement gives rise to expressions of interest or no expressions of interest so that the minister will know in what direction to make his efforts. I would suggest that the statement is well within the jurisdiction of the Minister of Industry.
Senator Oliver: My question was not whether it was within the jurisdiction. It was whether this statement now reflects the direction in which the government is going. It was a different question.
Senator Austin: I answered it by saying that the minister was making statements inviting public debate on a topic that may in the future be considered by the government.
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Health
British Columbia—Outbreak of Avian Flu—Response Procedures—Request for Inquiry
Hon. Wilbert J. Keon: Honourable senators, my question is for the Leader of the Government in the Senate and it pertains to avian flu. Honourable senators, serious questions have been raised about the federal response to the avian flu crisis in British Columbia earlier this year.
B.C. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Perry Kendall has said that, in its early stages, there were serious biosecurity breaches by the federal agencies that handled the crisis and that the province was lucky the disease did not jump from birds to humans.
Also, in an internal Health Canada report, an infection control nurse said that poor training and delays in disposing of dead birds had increased the risk of human infection. As a result of these reports, British Columbia has asked for a comprehensive review of the crisis.
Could the Leader of the Government in the Senate tell us if the federal government is planning a review and, if so, does he have any idea when such a review might occur?
Hon. Jack Austin (Leader of the Government): Honourable senators, I am not informed as to the state of that consideration. I will make inquiries.
As Honourable Senator Keon knows, the highest degree of risk existed in my province of British Columbia and I have a great interest in understanding the answer to the question.
Senator Keon: Honourable senators, one of the specific criticisms raised by the Health Canada report was that Canadian Food Inspection Agency workers were uncertain as to how to properly use their personal protective equipment, such as how to put on and take off their equipment when going on a break. This would seriously affect disease transmission.
When making his other inquiry, would the Leader of the Government inquire as to whether these people are in the process of being trained?
Senator Austin: I believe that Senator Keon and I would agree that, as a result of the outbreak of avian flu, a lot is being learned about how to protect workers who are working with endemic or pandemic situations. I will add that question to my inquiry.
Crown Corporations
Tax Breaks to Executives through Inflated Expense Claims
Hon. Terry Stratton (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, the Canada Revenue Agency does not allow employers to use inflated expense allowances as a way to deliver tax-free income. If an expense claim seems unreasonably high, it is taxable, unless there are vouchers or other acceptable evidence to defend the expense.
Yesterday in the other place, the Minister Responsible for Canada Post said that the Canada Revenue Agency will audit the expenses of André Ouellet's office over the last five years. The reports that Mr. Ouellet claimed $2 million in unreceipted expenses were somewhat hard to ignore.
In the private sector, the Canada Revenue Agency catches inflated employee expense claims when they audit the books of a business, causing the owner of, say, Joe's Hardware to think twice about using this as a way to deliver tax-free income to himself or his staff. Joe knows better than to claim an unreceipted $10,000 business trip. The tax department does not usually audit Crown corporations because they do not pay tax. This is a special case.
Could the Leader of the Government in the Senate advise as to whether there are routine safeguards to ensure that Crown corporations do not attempt to deliver tax-free income to their senior managers in the form of inflated expense claims?
Hon. Jack Austin (Leader of the Government): Honourable senators, I will be happy to provide an answer to that question at a later time.
Senator Stratton: Could the Leader of the Government in the Senate advise whether it is standard practice at Canada Post and other Crown corporations and agencies to issue T-slips when employees are paid unreasonably high sums for unreceipted expense claims and, if not, why not?
Senator Austin: I will add that to my inquiry and, hopefully, to my later answer.
Canada Post
Availability to Senior Management of Honour System for Expense Claims
Hon. Terry Stratton (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, Mr. Ouellet defended himself by saying that he followed the rules that existed when he joined the corporation, which did not require him to produce receipts. Would the Leader of the Government in the Senate advise as to who else at Canada Post did not have to produce one ounce of proof that their expense claims were valid and reasonable? Did the policy apply to Mr. Ouellet alone? Did the policy include the chairman, vice-presidents and so forth? How widespread was this honour system? Over the same period, how much was paid out to other senior managers in the form of unreceipted expenses? Will the Canada Revenue Agency audit go beyond the president's office?
Finally, would the Leader of the Government advise whether the government is planning a similar audit of the expense claims of the former Privacy Commissioner?
Hon. Jack Austin (Leader of the Government): Honourable senators, this question may be better dealt with as a written question under our rules. I will endeavour to answer it in due course.
ORDERS OF THE DAY
Speech from the Throne
Motion for Address in Reply—Debate Continued
On the Order:
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Munson, seconded by the Honourable Senator Chaput, for an Address to Her Excellency the Governor General in reply to her Speech from the Throne at the Opening of the First Session of the Thirty-eighth Parliament.—(1st day of resuming debate)
Hon. Joseph A. Day: Honourable senators, I am pleased to participate in the debate on the Address in reply to the Speech from the Throne. I also wish to congratulate Senators Munson and Chaput for moving and seconding the Address in reply to the Speech from the Throne.
I should like to take this opportunity to discuss a few of the points raised by Her Excellency during the speech on Tuesday. I believe the concepts outlined by the Governor General will allow all parliamentarians to come together to build a shared vision for the future of our country and allow us to work together to turn that vision into reality.
[Translation]
I would like to discuss with you today the role the government will play with respect to community development. This is a multi-faceted role encompassing numerous government dossiers: social development, human resources, infrastructure, industry, regional economic development, public security and national defence in particular. The choices we make in implementing the measures announced in the Speech from the Throne will have considerable impact on future generations of Canadians.
[English]
Being from the region of Atlantic Canada, honourable senators, I was pleased to learn that we are continuing our effort to build healthy and sustainable communities, while taking into consideration the needs of society, the economy and the environment. Our larger communities face a number of pressures, including immigrant settlement, affordable housing, water, waste management and public transit delivery.
Honourable senators, in her speech, Her Excellency pointed out that she had visited a number of cities throughout Canada recently, including Saint John, New Brunswick. She found, "...remarkable, innovative projects for social renewal and individual commitment."
Some of the social challenges facing Saint John are currently being met by a collaboration of local organizations and residents, led by the Saint John Business Community Anti-Poverty Initiative, the Human Development Council and the Urban Core Support Network. Over two dozen organizations have come together to develop a community plan that will guide their efforts in substantially reducing poverty in the community over the next 10 years.
Therefore, I was pleased to hear Her Excellency state:
The Government is determined to foster the social economy — the myriad not-for-profit activities and enterprises that harness civic and entrepreneurial energies for community benefit right across Canada. The Government will help to create the conditions for their success, including the business environment within which they work.
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Collaborative involvement by the federal government and groups such as those volunteer organizations in Saint John and in other cities throughout Canada is critical, if we are to alleviate poverty and its associated social problems in our cities.
According to a 1996 census figure, 27 per cent of the Saint John population lives in poverty, while one in three children and youth lives in poverty. Saint John is not unique in this regard. This is the kind of challenge that lies ahead for our larger centres throughout Canada as we begin to implement the new agenda for cities and communities.
Having spoken of larger communities, it is important for us to remember as well our rural communities and their challenges. About half of Atlantic Canadians live in rural areas. Rural areas throughout Canada also face serious problems that threaten their very existence. For example, how to discourage our youth and qualified workers from leaving less populated areas to seek employment and riches elsewhere, and issues with regard to the level of health care available to residents in rural areas are but two of the many challenges being addressed by the Prime Minister's External Advisory Committee on Cities and Communities. It is up to us all to provide input and guidance to this committee.
In a speech recently delivered by the Honourable John Godfrey, Minister of State for Infrastructure and Communities, to the conference on the future of Canada's infrastructure, he noted that you cannot separate the discussion of the challenges facing our larger communities from those facing our smaller communities. Mr. Godfrey said that, if our larger cities fail to be globally competitive, our smaller communities will be affected. If our smaller communities fail, our larger communities will find themselves growing even faster with intensified social problems.
A clear example of this interdependence between urban and rural areas in Canada was recently revealed in New Brunswick when the pulp mill at St. Anne Nackawic ceased operation. The mill opened in 1969 and was the main employer in the town of Nackawic, located approximately one hour northwest of Fredericton. The mill's operations provided 40 per cent of the town's annual budget through property taxes. The mill directly employed nearly half of the town's population. In addition, it provided half of all forest product exports from the Port of Saint John, which handles the largest volume of forestry products on the Atlantic seaboard.
As a result, two of the shipping lines that offered regular service between Europe, Asia and Saint John are eliminating their service to Saint John. The port will now also lose other customers that they worked hard to attract to the port due to the regular visits of these lines. This could result in the immediate loss of 40 full-time longshoremen at the Port of Saint John.
We in the Saint John region faced similar challenges in the past when the federal government decided to open the St. Lawrence Seaway to winter shipping by the use of icebreakers, thereby eliminating a vibrant winter port activity in Saint John. We met that challenge, and we will meet this new one.
It is important to note that, on occasion, the policies of the federal government intended for one region of Canada can result in profound social and economic impacts on other regions. We must always keep that in mind.
The Port of Saint John is still a vital piece of transportation infrastructure that links New Brunswick and the Maritime provinces to worldwide markets. We will continue to work to attract business to the port that will have a positive effect on the economy of our region.
These efforts can be enhanced through the continued development of our transportation infrastructure where the federal government has and will continue to play an important role. It is vital that Atlantic Canada continue to modernize its highway system. Similar calls for support have been made in the past and much work has been done to improve the highway system in our region, especially in New Brunswick. However, this is not a time to rest on our laurels. Plenty of work remains to be done on the highway system in Atlantic Canada before the system can be considered comparable to that in other parts of North America.
To that end, business leaders and representatives from all levels of government in southern New Brunswick and eastern Maine have come together to form the Maine-New Brunswick Trade Corridor Committee. The aim of this committee is to improve highway connections throughout the region. Their initial goal is to work toward the creation of a modern and smart border crossing in southern New Brunswick to serve business and pleasure travellers for all of Atlantic Canada.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation, the current crossing connecting the town of St. Stephen, New Brunswick and the city of Calais, Maine is one of the top five Canadian gateways for personal vehicles crossing into the United States. In addition, it serves as one of the two main entry points for over $7 billion worth of goods annually that travel from the Atlantic region into the United States.
Honourable senators, as a result of many months of effort by many people, it was announced in November of 2003 that the federal and provincial governments would commit themselves to improving the two main border crossings in southern New Brunswick. Now we must ensure that these projects are completed promptly so that international trade between Canada and the United States will continue to grow and Atlantic Canada will prosper. With this development, businesses in our region will be able to expand while our communities retain their skilled workers who presently seek employment elsewhere, the majority heading to Calgary.
For the town of St. Stephen, the new highway border crossing will allow a diversion of traffic out of downtown, creating less noise and traffic pollution for the residents of that wonderful community. Moreover, it will facilitate safer, more efficient and secure border access points than those currently available.
Having a secure community is something all Canadians deserve. The Speech from the Throne continues to show that the Government of Canada is committed to developing the capacity to respond to emergencies and keep Canadians secure. This is important because, as the Governor General noted in the Speech from the Throne, "Communities are key to social goals and our economic competitiveness. They are the front lines in building a better quality of life."
To that end, steps have been taken to ensure that Canadians have a voice on those matters pertaining to the security of their communities. The creation of the advisory council on national security will provide confidential expert advice on issues relating to national security to the cabinet and, through the national security adviser — a newly created position — to the Prime Minister. The membership of the new council will reflect a diversity of individuals with expertise relevant to national security issues including intelligence, law and policy, human rights and civil liberties, emergency planning and management, public health emergencies, public safety, transportation security, et cetera.
Another forum where Canadians will be given the opportunity to enter into a dialogue with the Government of Canada on national security issues is the newly created Cross-Cultural Roundtable on Security. I know that Senator Jaffer has been very active in relation to this initiative. The round table will provide insights on how national security measures may impact Canada's diverse communities, while facilitating a broad exchange of information between the government and communities. It will also serve to promote the protection of civil order, mutual respect and common understanding among Canadians.
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Honourable senators, it is no coincidence that Her Excellency began her address by acknowledging the debt all Canadians owe to our veteran community. The Governor General noted that she is about to travel to Italy to commemorate the Italian campaign of World War II. I am pleased that that particular campaign has been noted. For so many years, it was almost the forgotten front in the Second World War.
She stated:
On these occasions, we are reminded of the huge debt we owe to those in uniform who have served this country — then and today. Our veterans connect generations and Canadians. As a country and as individuals, we gain in pride and in purpose from their deeds and their service.
Without a fully functioning military, we place our nation, our communities and ourselves at risk. That is why I am pleased to learn that the Government of Canada remains committed to increasing the Canadian Forces by 5,000 members, enhancing our capacity for peace and security support.
In addition, we will increase our Armed Forces reserve strength to 18,000 from 15,000, to give Canada new capacity to respond to domestic crises and international deployments.
It is our expectation that we will fulfil these commitments responsibly by giving the Department of National Defence the financial support required to equip and train their new recruits in the Canadian Armed Forces. A responsible supply of funding to support our Armed Forces will make them more effective. This increased effectiveness will assist the Canadian Forces in fulfilling both domestic requirements and foreign policy objectives.
One of those domestic requirements, and one that affects many communities in Canada, is the operation of the army reserves. The reserves currently have 130 units in 110 Canadian communities. As emergency response plans are developed and continually refined in various communities, it will be important for civilian organizations in those communities, such as the police, firefighters and emergency responders, to work along with the military units in those areas to train together in how to implement these emergency response plans. These exercises provide responders the opportunity to work out the glitches prior to actual emergencies.
The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Honourable senators, I regret to inform the honourable senator that his time for speaking has expired. Is the honourable senator asking for leave to finish his remarks?
Senator Day: Honourable senators, having but one page left of my prepared text, I would appreciate half a minute to conclude my remarks.
The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Is it agreed, honourable senators?
Hon. Senators: Agreed.
[Translation]
Senator Day: With innovation and determination, Canada's communities will be able to meet the challenges that confront them daily. As the Speech from the Throne indicates, the Canadian government will continue to take the necessary steps to help them in this task. Our government is resolutely focused on the future in order to ensure that communities are able to solve the problems of the present, while also continuing to grow.
[English]
Since Canada is a major world trading nation, our prosperity is linked to a secure marketplace that we must continue to preserve and enhance. Without this security, our prosperity and, indeed, our sovereignty are at risk. Our sovereignty must be secured so that we can continue to develop opportunities to build the Canada that we want, a Canada where all Canadians can live in peace and prosperity.
[Translation]
Hon. Laurier L. LaPierre: Honourable senators, I am pleased to participate in the debate on the Speech from the Throne, and I will raise some points that struck me as particularly important as far as the history of our country is concerned.
[English]
Of the seven commitments that will guide the actions of the Government of Canada on behalf of Canadians, one demands a special commitment from me and, I think, from every Canadian. It is that we must assist the Government of Canada to "recognize Canada's diversity as a source of strength and innovation."
In other words, I am of the opinion that in meeting the common and destined purpose of our country, every Canadian must accept the challenge of diversity that is embedded in the common history of our country, in the common history that we have lived since the beginning of our time.
This has led Canadians to ask two fundamental questions over and over again. How knowledgeable are we about Canadian history; and, above all, how much Canadian history is taught in our schools?
I am told that the jury is still out on these two matters. I should like to share with honourable senators the experience I have had over the past 10 years working with the Historica Foundation in interesting young people and students in the history of Canada through heritage fairs and other such methodologies so that they may be awakened to their country and delve into the history of it.
Many commentators have seen fit to inform us that, during the course of their schooling, Canadian students are not sufficiently taught about the developments and events in Canadian history. It is often stated that the young are as ignorant of Canadian history as are their parents and the adults and the politicians that surround them. To a large degree — except for the politicians — this is so.
However, this conclusion does not mean that the students and the adults, if I can speak for the adults, have not been exposed to the facts of our history. They have. The conclusion that the schools have abandoned Canadian history is not entirely valid.
What is valid is that in my pilgrimage to the schools in this country, which I visit constantly, by and large, schools no longer teach Canadian history as a distinct discipline as they once did. That may be a blessing in disguise. I recently visited British Columbia where I must have talked to 5,000 students in 35 different schools all over the province.
The way most of us were taught Canadian history was repetitive and boring. It is no wonder we all forgot it as we grew up.
As a report of the Historica Foundation points out, there has never been in the Canadian history curriculum a generally accepted nation building narrative of the Canadian past that shapes the Canadian history curriculum. In other words, we have never used history to build nationalism, to build "citizenshipishness." We have not done so, as the Americans have done, largely because we cannot have one history of Canada. This is why there is no one textbook on Canadian history. There can only be two histories of Canada, one written by an English speaking author and one written by a French speaking author, for the simple reason that the view of the country is so vastly different in accordance with the life of the two fundamental groups in our country.
That is all right because research has shown that, at one time or another during their schooling, students encounter the main elements of their history, but it is not presented to them the way we learned it, in chronological sequence in a specific grade level course. Therefore, we have concluded, along with the adults, that the children are not taught history because they are not being taught the way we were, which is absurd nonsense.
In such a circumstance, there is no doubt that this thematic approach destroys the chronological development that lies at the heart of history. However, there is absolutely no doubt that this thematic approach, as a report to the Historica Foundation pointed out, helps students make sense of what would be otherwise a mass of disconnected material.
Furthermore, history is, unfortunately, a prisoner of the bastard thing called "social sciences," a concept which is unintelligible to anyone who is intelligent and which is one we have borrowed from the American National Council of Social Studies.
.(1540)
The less I say about social studies and putting history into it, the more my life will be safe and not endangered. Suffice it to say that a historical understanding can only be achieved by making history a distinct discipline in the curriculum, like catechism. It must be a distinct discipline, and social studies be damned.
I talk quite a bit about the Historica Foundation because it is one of the greatest things we have in this country. I do not say that because I am on its board, but because it is essentially a very good thing. It was founded and led by the great Tom Axworthy.
Historica asked students their opinion of the subject and its importance. Regarding this question, the data accumulated suggested that the majority of our students do not see history as especially useful in the vocational sense. Inclined to view education instrumentally either as an adolescent rite of passage or as a step toward a job or future education, students tend to rate their subjects in terms of what they judge to be their material value. This does not necessarily mean that students dislike history, only that they do no not think it to be as vocationally useful as, say, mathematics or science. Researchers found that approximately two thirds of students found history interesting and agreed that it is useful for understanding the world in which they live.
Anecdotal evidence supports what common sense suggests: When students like history, it usually has more to do with the teacher who teaches it than with the subject matter. Therefore, the people who must be respected and assisted in our schools are the history teachers. Forget all the others; they are valueless, but the history teachers must be assisted.
How much history do our students know or do we as adults know? The answer to this question is not especially encouraging. As is well known, students perform badly on the basic tests of historical knowledge created by the Dominion Institute. They always fail. Despite the fact that the schools teach Canadian history, the students do not appear to remember it. The adults do not either. However, there is nothing new about this state of affairs, nor is it uniquely Canadian. Throughout the 20th century, surveys show that students remembered very little of the history they learned in school, regardless of the shape of the curriculum or the methods used by their teachers. More accurately, they retained relatively little of the factual information they were taught. It seems likely, however, that they did retain some broad general impressions. For instance, most Canadian youth and most Canadian adults, whether or not they can identify John A. Macdonald or assign a date to the execution of Louis Riel, know that the First Nations lived in what is now Canada for thousands of years before the arrival of the Europeans and that that fact has consequences. They know also that Canada was once a French colony, and that has consequences. They know that it was conquered by the British and was part of the British Empire, and so on throughout the broad strokes of the Canadian past, all of which have consequences for now and tomorrow.
It might be that this is as much as we can expect realistically from the schools. It is a matter of common experience that people forget most of the specific facts they are taught in school, regardless of the subject. That is a fact. As the famous historian George Wrong observed in the 1920s, "our education is what is left when we may have forgotten most of the facts which we have learned." This is perhaps especially true in the case of Canada, where Canadians, youth, due to the influence of American media and culture, rarely encounter any reference whatsoever to Canadian history in their everyday life. Students, especially in English-speaking Canada, grow up in an environment saturated in American culture so that the history they learn in school is rarely reinforced by the general culture in which they spend most of their lives.
The third question we asked was how well do and can students understand Canadian history. Nonetheless, surveys and everyday experience alike demonstrate that most Canadians and youth are conscious of being Canadians and do not want to be anything else. That is a good point. In addition, in comparison to the rest of the world, democracy is alive and well in Canada, and Canadians are obviously committed to democratic principles and values.
Given the ways in which the schools use history to teach citizenship, it seems reasonable to assign them at least some of the credit for this state of affairs. It is true that there are signs of what some are calling a democratic deficit, as evidenced by declining turnouts in elections, relatively low rates of participation in public affairs, gender and other inequalities and the like, but such problems cannot fairly be laid at the door of the schools, and it is simplistic to expect that the schools alone can solve them.
Nonetheless, researchers in Montreal and Toronto have suggested that at least half of the 15-year-olds they have studied did not find politics of any great interest. Ninety-five per cent of the adults do not find it very interesting either, or of great national interest, so I am not surprised that the youth do not. However, youth are committed to human rights, even though they were sceptical about democracy as a political system. Even so, in broad terms, and despite some gaps, it seems that students are learning the citizenship lessons that the schools use history to teach, even if they do forget the factual details of the past. It is easy to blame the schools for their failures, but to the extent that Canada is a society that works, the schools and teachers should be given some credit for that.
Now I will tell honourable senators about a game that has been developed, and I want you all to play when it comes on the market. It will amuse you, your grandchildren, your mistresses, your wives, your husbands and your children.
Bitcasters and Historica have partnered on the world's first national history game. HistoriCanada is an immersive, interactive experience that allows players of all ages to create the destiny of the nation Canada. It allows those who play it to experience in a visceral manner the dynamics and the variables of nation building. It is not about memorization; it is about the experiential quality of actually being able to determine the outcome of your nation's history by playing the game as if you went back in time and became a settler in North America such as a French Canadian in the 18th century. With the HistoriCanada game, you are empowered to actually be one of the civilizations — French, English, native, colonist — in one of the most innovative educational methods available today. We are all aware of the power of computer games and the vast reach they have in our modern media diet, especially among our youth. HistoriCanada is a way for our youth to experience the history of our country in a fun and educational manner, without them ever realizing the game is actually a teaching mechanism.
I thought that I would tell honourable senators about the game so that you would be encouraged as I am. I have spent my life telling Canadians that they are ignorant of their history and will lose their country to the Americans if they do not wake up. Now, more and more, I am becoming convinced that we will not lose our country. It is not history that will make us hold on to the country, but our love of the country, love of its geography, and an understanding of the past, how we came to be where we are and why we are the magnificent and glorious nation that we have become. When we know that, we are strengthened in our fundamental belief that Canada is ours and that it must be an instrument for creating peace and harmony around the world. That is why we have been put on the most beautiful piece of land on the planet Earth.
.(1550)
Hon. Gerard A. Phalen: Honourable senators, I was pleased to hear in the Speech from the Throne of the government's commitment to the health care program. I should like to bring to your attention today the issue of Alzheimer's disease and other related dementias in an effort to focus our attention on this devastating disease and the need for research into its causes and cure, as well as the need for caregiver and community support. With this government's focus on health care, and this week's focus on mental illness, I am sure that we in this chamber will be looking at health care funding throughout the upcoming session. I want to ensure that research into this destructive disease receives the government's highest priority.
It is important to put the statistics regarding this disease into perspective. If you would all indulge me for a moment, if you were to look at six or seven colleagues at both your right and left, according to the statistics, and bearing in mind the average age of senators in this chamber is 65.25 years, at least one of these 13 people seated near you is already affected by Alzheimer's disease. With 105 senators, these statistics mean that eight of us may already have this disease. By the time we retire from this place at age 75, the odds will be even worse. One in nine of us will have Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia. Honourable senators, this means that by our retirement age at least 10 of us could already be affected by this debilitating disease.
When I look at my colleagues in this place and think that by retirement at least 10 of us could have Alzheimer's disease, I am saddened to think that this disease will relentlessly burn through one of the things we rely on to define ourselves — our minds. I am saddened to think that the key light of intelligence I see in the eyes of my colleagues will fade and eventually completely disappear.
With Alzheimer's disease, memory loss is the most prominent early symptom, followed by a slow disintegration of personality and physical control. As the disease progresses, some individuals hallucinate and suffer delusions. Some have seizures and, in the late stages, some will have challenging behaviours.
These statistics, although horrifying, still do not give the complete picture. In an attempt to explain the reality of this disease, I will quote a few passages from some Alzheimer's disease patients themselves who wrote for the Alzheimer Society of British Columbia's publication, People with Dementia Speak Out.
Sometimes I can't think what I'm supposed to do...how do I control the water temperature in the shower, use the bank machine, the VCR?
I arrived at the building my meeting had been held in for years, but I couldn't find the regular meeting room. A lady asked me if I was lost, but I wasn't. I just couldn't find the room.
Occasionally I have to pull over while driving because I can't remember where I am going or where I am now.
I should also like to quote for you from an article by Christopher Young, a former editor of the Ottawa Citizen, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease:
I tend to bark at my wife and bumble the computer. Reading, unhappily, does not appeal so much; it seems to take an unreasonable length of time to finish a book. Arithmetic has become virtually impossible without help.
Honourable senators, these short quotes give you only a glimpse into the reality of living with Alzheimer's disease. As horrible as this disease is for the afflicted, it is almost equally devastating for the family and loved ones. For every one person with dementia, the lives of over 10 people are significantly impacted.
Patti Davis, the daughter of Ronald Reagan, expressed it well in a February 2004 article in Newsweek when she said:
Alzheimer's is, quite simply, a wasteland. The only thing that loved ones can do is to try to reach into it, grasp whatever we can.
Fifty per cent of people with dementia live in the community and most have a family member providing for their care. Over 70 per cent of these caregivers are women and half are over the age of 60. Thirty-six per cent of them are over the age of 70. According to the Alzheimer's Society, caring for people with dementia is associated with chronic health problems among caregivers. Forty per cent of caregivers of Alzheimer's patients with moderate dementia report symptoms of depression.
Honourable senators, this past year saw this chamber pass Bill C-6, respecting assisted human reproduction and related research. Fortunately, due to this legislation, we in Canada now have a framework for stem cell research. Unfortunately, the United States has placed severe restrictions on stem cell research. In speaking out against the U.S. stem cell research restrictions, Ron Reagan Jr. said on a recent edition of Larry King Live: "This could be the biggest revolution in medicine ever, bigger than antibiotics, bigger than anything."
Stem cell research may well hold the key to Alzheimer's disease, but that may be many years away. In the interim, new drugs such as Aricept and Exelon have been approved to treat symptoms in people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. These medications slow down the decline of cognitive functions such as memory and language, but are not a cure for Alzheimer's disease as they do not affect the underlying degenerative process of the disease.
Honourable senators, until we have a cure, one thing we can do as senators is to be vocal to ensure that adequate funding is provided for research into this disease. The Alzheimer Society of Canada estimates the public cost, including home care, institutions, medications, community support and the medical team ranges from $9,451 to $36,794 per patient per year. This amounts to approximately $5.5 billion annually, yet the Canadian Institutes of Health Research reports that it provided only $13.5 million in 2001-02 for all research related to Alzheimer's disease. This amount is minuscule when compared to the $5.5 billion spent annually by Canadians to treat the effects of this disease.
There are currently approximately 425,000 Canadians affected by Alzheimer's disease. If we divide the $13.5 million in research funds by that number of individuals with the disease, it amounts to a mere $32 per person.
Honourable senators, we simply have to do better.
One of the priorities of the Alzheimer Society of Canada is the development of a national Alzheimer's strategy. I would encourage our government to continue its work on this important initiative as well.
On motion of Senator Stratton, for Senator Kinsella, debate adjourned.
Business of the Senate
Committees Authorized to Meet During Adjournment
Hon. Bill Rompkey (Deputy Leader of the Government), pursuant to notice of October 6, 2004, moved:
That, pursuant to rule 95(3), during the period of Friday, October 8 to Monday, October 18, 2004 inclusive, the committees of the Senate be authorized to meet even though the Senate may then be adjourned for a period exceeding a week.
Motion agreed to.
Official Languages Act
Bill to Amend—Second Reading
On the Order:
Resuming debate on the motion of the Honourable Senator Gauthier, seconded by the Honourable Senator Chaput, for the second reading of Bill S-3, to amend the Official Languages Act (promotion of English and French).—(Honourable Senator Stratton).
Hon. Terry Stratton (Deputy Leader of the Opposition): Honourable senators, if I may, I should like to make a few comments which have been provided to me by Senator Comeau.
Senator Comeau supports the principles and aims of the bill. The object is to clarify the obligations of the government in regard to the Official Languages Act. He feels it is, therefore, appropriate, as we do, that the bill should be referred to a committee for detailed study.
.(1600)
The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Are honourable senators ready for the question?
Hon. Senators: Question!
The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: It was moved by the Honourable Senator Gauthier, seconded by the Honourable Senator Chaput, that this bill be read the second time now.
Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?
Motion agreed to and bill read second time.
Referred to Committee
The Hon. the Speaker pro tempore: Honourable senators, when will this bill be read the third time?
On motion of Senator Gauthier, bill referred to the Standing Senate Committee on Official Languages.
Social Affairs, Science and Technology
Committee Authorized to Continue Study on State of Health Care System
Hon. Michael Kirby, pursuant to notice of October 6, 2004, moved:
That the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology be authorized to examine and report on issues arising from, and developments since, the tabling of its final report on the state of the health care system in Canada in October 2002. In particular, the Committee shall be authorized to examine issues concerning mental health and mental illness;
That the papers and evidence received and taken by the Committee on the study of mental health and mental illness in Canada in the Thirty-seventh Parliament be referred to the Committee, and
That the Committee submit its final report no later than December 16, 2005 and that the Committee retain all powers necessary to publicize the findings of the Committee until March 31, 2006.
Motion agreed to.
Adjournment
Hon. Bill Rompkey (Deputy Leader of the Government): Honourable senators, with leave of the Senate and notwithstanding rule 58(1)(h), I move:
That when the Senate adjourns today, it do stand adjourned until Tuesday, October 19, 2004, at 2 p.m.
Motion agreed to.
The Senate adjourned until Tuesday, October 19, 2004, at 2 p.m.