The victory at the nine-day Scott Tournament of Hearts saw the Ontario team from St. Catharines emerge as Canada's team for the world tournament later this month in Hamilton.
After the victory Ms. Bodogh was quoted as saying: ``We knew when we put this team together we were going to win. We never thought about losing''. That positive energy and attitude is a great example to everyone in our country.
Congratulations to Marilyn Bodogh of St. Catharines for putting together a winning team for Canada. Good luck in the world championships.
Contrary to documentary evidence and the good reputation of government officials at the time, the politically predictable Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples condemned the move and recommended compensation. The Globe and Mail suggested that this would apply a retroactive morality, satisfying a need to assert the contemporary cant of political correctness.
Rather than engaging in historical revisionism and settling old grievances, imagined or real, the government would be better advised to focus on contemporary needs.
Hastings county is home to four fine cheesemakers: Eldorado Cheese, Ivanhoe Cheese, Maple Dale Cheese and Riverside Cheese. These cheesemakers make fine, distinctive products that I am proud to recommend to you.
In addition to the pleasure experienced by our taste buds, each company contributes to the local economy, from utilizing milk produced by dairy farmers, to providing jobs for production staff in their plants and jobs for retail staff in their stores.
The fine cheesemakers of Hastings county continue a long and esteemed tradition of fine cheesemaking in central and eastern Ontario.
I would ask hon. members to please join me in congratulating four Hastings county processors and the county of Hastings in gaining the designation of cheese capital of Canada.
Simon was hard working and dedicated not only to his family but also to his community. He was always deeply involved in community and farm organizations in the township.
His accomplishments were many, as a member of the Wawanosh Federation of Agriculture, the township council, township reeve, active in the Huron County Ploughman's Association, Huron County Milk Producers, Huron County Pork Producers, Huron County Holstein Association, the Knights of Columbus and the Blyth Fire Board, just to name a few.
Simon was also a lifelong member of the Liberal association and was honoured by a visit to his family farm by the Prime Minister during his 1992 tour of Huron county.
Throughout Simon's life he truly lived. He gave his best for his family, his community and his country.
At this time I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to his wife Beatrice and his family. He will be deeply missed by all those who were honoured to know him.
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Craig Keilburger, who is in the gallery today, has proven that there are young people in our society who take charge and empower themselves to become spokespeople for the young people in the world who are suffering from abuse and neglect.
I invite all parliamentarians to work together, along with Craig and Free the Children, to stop child labour in countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan and even our trading partner, Mexico.
The government has already launched initiatives that will work directly with countries to reinforce these programs but it is not enough. Through measures such as these, as well as labelling products that are made by children and increasing awareness in the Canadian public, we can make a difference in the lives of millions of children who live in servitude around the world.
Let us all applaud one of the heroes of Canada.
The first good news is that J.M. Asbestos will be investing $125 million in the development of an underground mine, thus guaranteeing 700 people work for the next 20 years.
The second is that Métallurgie Noranda has decided on Asbestos as the site of a $525 million magnesium plant, which will create some 375 direct jobs.
I wish, in closing, to express my congratulations to all concerned, particularly the President and CEO of J.M. Asbestos, Bernard Coulombe, without whom everyone agrees these two projects could never have seen the light of day.
Asbestos is being born again. We wish it every success in its return to prosperity.
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An organization of dedicated individuals works at the local, provincial and federal levels, committed to improving the lives of people with learning disabilities. The association provides the resources, education and tools necessary to assist children and adults with these problems to lead full productive lives. These courageous individuals, through their perseverance and the assistance of the volunteers at the Learning Disabilities Association of Canada, succeed at work, school and in the community.
Between 10 per cent and 15 per cent of Canadians have learning disabilities. Canadians with learning disabilities and the association joined together to show us the true meaning of co-operation, courage and dedication. I encourage Canadians to wear the lapel pin proudly as a symbol.
I ask my fellow parliamentarians today to join me in a salute to Learning Disabilities Month, and to those outstanding individuals with learning disabilities who strive for a lifetime of achievement and happiness.
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate a unique musical group from the Yukon who this week won the Juno for best music in the aboriginal Canadian recording category. Jerry Alfred and his group the Medicine Beat, Marc Paradis, Bob Hamilton, Andrea McColeman and Marie Gogo have travelled widely in Canada and their unique style of music has touched many Canadians. The Medicine Beat derives its music from traditional northern Tutchone songs. Jerry Alfred credits his father for encouraging him to continue the tradition of northern Tutchone music.
Bob Hamilton, the owner of Old Crow Recording, produced and also performed on their hit song Elsin Shon, his grandfather's song and the title of their CD.
Vancouver has a large community of Taiwanese, which is a great addition to the fabric of our society. They are serious participants in the life of our city and country. So are the Chinese, who have been in this country for over a century and who have worked hard, through difficulties and great challenges, to contribute a great deal, not only to Canadian multiculturalism but to the building of this great country.
Both communities are distraught to hear that a serious conflict is taking place between their countries of origin, a conflict that may bring grief and sorrow to a lot of people whose goal is the welfare of their families and country.
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I would like to make mention of the government's efforts to create dialogue between China and Taiwan. Canada has always been considered a peaceful country, whose people have always been able to negotiate differences of opinion and reach compromise. We must avoid what has happened in other countries. Conflict must be avoided.
Our government must continue to offer its assistance to both China and Taiwan.
We have a few suggestions for prizes. Fifty letters to the editor gets you a pair of binoculars so that you can look for Conservatives in your desperate attempt for official opposition status. One hundred letters to the editor gets you a waffle iron. We all know how much Reformers like to waffle. With 200 letters to the editor, the leader's office would get six months of plumbing to stop those nasty leaks.
Sadly all of these gifts must be returned once they are received because we all know that Reformers never keep their promises. Once they are returned, Club R members will learn what every other Canadian already knows, there are no rewards to being a Reformer.
Justice Krever made 43 recommendations in his report on the blood system in Canada. Seven of those were aimed at the federal government. It has now responded to all seven.
Now the government is going even further. It is responding to the challenge of leadership. It is going to the provinces and territories where it will renew and redefine the blood system for the benefit of all Canadians.
More than 300,000 Canadians receive transfusions of blood and blood products each year. It is a vital element of our health system and one that demands care and attention. This government is placing on it the emphasis that it deserves.
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On Saturday, March 30, Jean-François will compete against champion spellers from 11 countries in America and Europe. The finalists will meet in the Quebec National Assembly's red room to take the dictation, which will be given by the songwriter Luc Plamondon.
The finalists were chosen among 37,000 secondary IV and V students from 168 schools throughout Quebec. This competition gets more popular with every passing year. This year, close to 6,000 people in Quebec competed in the Dictée des Amériques in the general public category.
Congratulations, Jean-François, on winning this round and good luck during the next one.
Forum, one really stands out: the March 17, 1955 riot that broke out after Clarence Campbell decided to ban Maurice Richard from the playoffs.
Today, the Bloc Quebecois wishes to pay tribute to the thousands of employees who worked at the forum in the course of those 72 years and thank them for their outstanding dedication. The forum will remain forever etched in the collective memory of Quebecers and Canadians, since it occupied a central place in our sports and cultural life.
These Canadians have been offended by the October 26 communiqué released by Her Majesty's loyal opposition. The Bloc Quebecois calls for Quebec members of the Canadian Armed Forces-
The Speaker: This matter is now before the House and I would rule that out of order.
-the present restriction on banks selling insurance will be maintained. The present framework for selling insurance through agents and brokers will be preserved. The white paper concerning this and all other aspects still under review will be released in the coming weeks.The reaction of members of the House and Canadians generally shows that this was one of the most popular measures of the entire budget.
This prohibition of banks selling insurance to their branches should be followed by a prohibition of banks entering into the automobile leasing market. Due to the role banks play in the financing of present leasing operations they would enjoy an almost insurmountable advantage over existing automobile leasing operations.
In 1994 banks financed over 40 per cent of car leases, giving banks the additional right to be commercial lessors. This would allow them an unfair advantage over consumers, as well as seriously disadvantaged private companies involved in the vehicle leasing market.
Members of Parliament from both sides of the House should ensure that this not be allowed to happen.
Over the past 72 years the Forum has had high points of cultural expression which link the diversity of our people.
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The forum was a place for all Montrealers, whether they were anglophones or francophones.
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Memories span the interests of many beyond hockey. There were events for every age and stage of life.
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Let us not forget the turning point of the 1980 referendum, the big ``rally of the Yvettes'', at which 15,000 women gathered to say yes to Canada and sing no to separation.
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We could also add fantasy and grace, spring and fall, at the Ice Capades and Ice Follies. Drama, hype, the big voice and rock and roll shows-
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-the joys of the circus for children, and so on.
Just as the torch was passed on from generation to generation of great Montreal Canadians hockey players, today, the forum's tradition is being handed on to the Molson Centre, a symbol of renewal. We are ready. We will keep on winning.
Aside from the minister's bizarre and outrageous comments, he has now taken to making blatantly false statements in the House, such as the one he made yesterday when he said that I had never raised the Nisga'a land claim issue in this Chamber.
He back-pedalled furiously when challenged and said he meant to say that I had never taken sides with the Nisga'a. He reveals himself. To him resolving native land claims is all about taking sides. Small wonder the editorial page of the Toronto Star recently described the Liberals thus: ``The federal Liberals are the walking dead. They seem vibrant but the centre is empty. Poke at them and you can feel the dry rot.''