both official languages, the government's response to one petition presented during the first session.
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On behalf of the minister responsible for the francophonie, who will be with us in this House next week, I am pleased to mark this event.
Canada's involvement in the francophonie is a an essential element of its foreign policy.
The francophonie is a forum in which all Canadians, and especially our 8.5 million francophones, can affirm their sense of belonging and develop their culture. It is also a forum that highlights the solidarity between the 49 member states and governments.
At the francophonie summit in Benin last December, the Prime Minister outlined Canada's priorities within this forum for the next few years. First, consolidate francophone institutions. Second, define the francophonie's policy on conflict prevention.
In this context, I want to acknowledge two actions recently taken by Canada. At the Bordeaux conference, Mr. Pettigrew's proposal to create consultation committees on Burundi-a country ravaged by civil war-was approved in order to bring back peace.
Also, as a result of the work done by the Association des parlementaires de langue française in Haiti, my government made a commitment to maintain a peacekeeping force in that impoverished country. It was a difficult situation, but Canada has remained steadfast in its solidarity.
The Prime Minister, the Minister for International Co-operation and myself will have the honour of welcoming President Préval to Canada later this week.
Finally, as a third priority, Canada wants to put the francophonie on the electronic highway. Its access to and presence on the Internet are an essential part of keeping French alive and well in growth industries.
Canada is in the vanguard of new communication technologies. That is why we will host a conference on this subject very soon.
Finally, I would like to say a few words on the francophonie's huge impact within our borders.
Like their counterparts in many French speaking countries, French-Canadians speak the same language but with different accents.
I am thinking, of course, about Quebecers, who set the tone for our French culture. I am also thinking about the Acadian and other francophone communities across Canada who, by deciding every day to speak French, give the Canadian francophonie its full significance.
I am proud to say that the legislature in my province of Manitoba will soon inaugurate a monument in honour of Louis Riel, which recognizes the legacy of those men and women who were leaders of the Canadian francophonie. They are still inspiring us today.
I wish all French speaking nations and all francophiles in our country a great Journée internationale de la Francophonie.
Mr. Stéphane Bergeron (Verchères, BQ): Madam Speaker, it is with great honour and pride that I rise today on behalf of the Bloc Quebecois to draw attention to the Journée internationale de la Francophonie.
This day is especially important for all Quebecers and all francophones in the rest of Canada, whose collective future is necessarily tied to that of la Francophonie as a whole.
Listening to the Minister of Foreign Affairs tell us proudly that 8.5 million Canadians are French-speaking, I could not help but reflect on the sad situation in which francophones outside Quebec find themselves.
If today we are celebrating this memorable day, this does not necessarily mean that we must ignore the bad position the French language is in everywhere else in Canada. Contrary to what the Prime Minister said, there are no longer one million Canadians outside Quebec for whom French is the language spoken at home, but only 640,000.
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In actual fact, there are not 8.5 million people in Canada who still speak French at home, but only 6.3 million. That is 2.2 million fewer than suggested by the minister, if you exclude those who barely know the language.
In relation to the total population, this also represents a decrease in the francophone population in Canada as compared to 1981.
Instead of getting better, the situation of the French language outside Quebec is deteriorating. No wonder that the minister is trying to embellish reality, when in fact francophones outside Quebec are being assimilated at an increasing rate. The rate of assimilation is even as high as 75 per cent in British Columbia. We are pleased-
An hon. member: It can't be soon enough.
Mr. Bergeron: Madam Speaker, I must tell you that I just heard one of our friends from the Reform Party make a rather uncalled-for remark to the effect that it cannot be soon enough, that 75 per cent is not enough.
We are pleased to learn that a monument in honour of Louis Riel will soon be unveiled in the minister's home province. One can wonder however if the importance attached to la Francophonie by the government in that province is not limited to just that, monuments.
In Manitoba, the rate of assimilation of francophones is 50 per cent. The minister should not be proud, he should be ashamed.
More than 25 years of official bilingualism did not stop the assimilation of French speaking people outside Quebec. As well, there is no indication that, in Quebec, the relative percentage of French speaking people will be maintained. The irresistible attractive force of English in North America weighs more heavily than the progress made by the French language among allophone communities.
Moreover, the use of French in the scientific field is very problematic. Scientific research at the international level is done in English. No one can deny that. Indeed, English is by far the dominant language within the scientific community.
Nevertheless, this does not keep us from hoping that French will eventually be used more in the field of science. This is why we must increase our efforts to ensure that our scientists can spread the achievements of the Quebec and French speaking scientific community throughout the world.
Our researchers obviously have a responsibility to teach and to work in French.
As for the information highway, we are pleased that both the Quebec and the Canadian governments intend to be very active regarding French content. Let us hope that the Cotonou summit, in Benin, will have definitely put the French speaking world on the information highway.
Finally, French speaking states must also try to stop the erosion of the French language within international organizations. The challenge is, of course, to avoid letting English truly become the only language of communication at international forums.
In concluding, I would like to emphasize the urgent need for solidarity between Quebec, francophones in Canada and other French speaking nations around the world.
Our commitment in Haiti is a step in this direction and is to be commended.
Finally, I wish to point out that Quebec's sovereignty is now more obvious than ever to other countries in the Francophonie. There is no doubt that francophone countries have understood that the situation has evolved and that sovereignty is now only a question of time.
The close results in the last referendum have given additional moral weight to Quebec, the weight of a state that will soon become sovereign. Quebec will therefore play an increasingly important role in the international Francophonie. It has, furthermore, been named rapporteur for the Francophonie until the summit to be held in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 1997.
On behalf of the Bloc Quebecois, I wish a memorable day to all those who cherish this beautiful language.
[English]
Mr. Bob Mills (Red Deer, Ref.): Madam Speaker, before I start my response, it is our position that we examine our membership in all organizations and certainly the francophonie is one of those.
I have listened to the minister say many wonderful things about the francophonie. I hope the minister's optimism is justified but I certainly have some doubts. My doubts really started last year during the francophonie conference in Benin when the member countries failed to condemn dictators as the Commonwealth had done during the meeting in New Zealand. Nigeria had been expelled from the Commonwealth because of its abusive government. This was action, not like what we saw in Benin.
At the Benin conference there was no action. There were not even strong words for the dictators of the world, some of whom are members of the francophonie. This made me wonder what this organization really does. Is there ever productive action or just an endless series of conferences that provides good photo opportunities for politicians? Is the francophonie about unveiling statutes and making warm, fuzzy speeches when it should really be getting things done? Is that not what international organizations are supposed to do?
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Canada spends millions of dollars every year on the francophonie, but where was the francophonie when it came time to bail out Haiti, one of its members? Again there was no action. Instead Canadian taxpayers had to open their wallets to save the day. Why?
When the minister talks about the upcoming visit of the Haitian president to Montreal, I am surprised he can talk about it with a straight face. On the final weekend before the byelection in the riding with the highest concentration of people of Haitian origin, can the minister really pretend this has something to do with francophonie solidarity? It is about getting Pierre Pettigrew elected, plain and simple.
In the future the francophonie must shed its current image of an expensive forum where dictators mix with democrats to have
banquets and stage photo opportunities. This does nothing for the citizens of the member countries.
There are many poor people who live under repressive regimes and they deserve to have the francophonie working for their interests. These people need action, not meetings, discussions and political rhetoric. If the francophonie can provide this action, good, but the time for change is now, not five or ten years from now.
Being a forum for solidarity is no longer enough. The francophonie must become a functional tool to strongly press for democracy, peace and human rights.
Mr. Bill Blaikie (Winnipeg Transcona, NDP): Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I wonder if I could have the unanimous consent of the House to respond on behalf of the NDP to the minister's statement.
[Translation]
The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais): Is there unanimous consent?
Some hon. members: Agreed.
Mr. Blaikie: Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to respond on behalf of the New Democratic Party to the statement by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. I would like to add my own best wishes to the francophones in Canada and around the world on the occasion of this Journée internationale de la Francophonie.
In the new world order, or more accurately the new world disorder, feelings of solidarity, of shared roots, of world citizenship have given way to relationships that are purely commercial. In that context it is most timely to celebrate international ties between cultural and linguistic communities such as those developed by the French speaking countries and communities. In our market driven world, we should cultivate communities, and the francophone world community helps us in that vital task.
[English]
Like the Commonwealth, the francophonie can and does play an important role not only in the cultural development of member states but also in their political development. Canadians look to the francophonie, like they do to the Commonwealth, as an agency that can play a creative and positive role in the challenging task of building an international community in which basic human and democratic rights are respected everywhere.
However, the francophonie has a way to go before it fulfils that kind of role in the way the Commonwealth has in the past, for instance with respect to South Africa. I share the urgings of a previous speaker that the francophonie needs to take a stronger stand with respect to human rights in its member states.
The minister mentioned Louis Riel. As a Manitoban I second his sentiments that a francophone was the founder of our province. The francophone parish, the parish of Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption, was a founding element of the community I come from, Transcona.
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In 1911 it was francophones from St. Boniface and from Quebec who came to Transcona and helped found the community. They are a vital part of it today. Their school formed the nucleus around which a very successful French immersion program was built in Transcona. It created an opportunity to learn French and also the French culture because it was an institution that grew out of the French speaking community in Transcona.
[Translation]
Allow me to again express my best wishes to all of the francophones of Canada, the francophones of Quebec, the Acadians, the Franco-Manitobans in my own riding of Winnipeg, and all other French speaking Canadians.
If the House gives its consent, I intend to move concurrence in the ninth report later this day.
He said: Madam Speaker, I am pleased to table this bill in the House today, which proposes to amend the Income Tax Act to convert the child care expense deduction to a tax credit and to extend the same value of tax benefit to those who provide care in the home to their preschool children.
The bill will also recognize the honourable profession of managing the family home and caring for preschool children and eliminate in part the tax discrimination against families that make the choice to stay together and to provide direct parental care.
The bill represents not only a starting point but I believe a turning point whereby family values return to be a significant priority in this place.
If the family were strong, the deficit would be gone.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
He said: Madam Speaker, it is snowing today in Ottawa but the daffodils are up in my riding of New Westminster-Burnaby and we have some here today supplied by the radio station CKMW from my riding.
It is a pleasure to introduce the bill to the House. Too often following a serious crime we learn the offender has a long criminal record. We need some common sense crime prevention. This bill would imprison an offender for an indeterminate period of time should they be convicted of a second serious personal injury offence.
At first glance opponents of the bill say it resembles the three strikes and you are out laws currently be used in several U.S. states. However, this bill avoids the shortcomings of the American model. Stealing a pizza or painting one's name on a bridge or even writing a bad cheque, although hurtful and socially disruptive, are not examples of a serious personal injury offence as defined in the Criminal Code.
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This amendment would operationalize the existing Criminal Code sections and protect the community from the few offenders who are causing the majority of serious crimes and who are unwilling to reform.
The way the law currently stands there is little deterrence for repeat offenders who commit serious personal injury offences. This bill goes to the source of the problem for the safety of the public. Most important, it places the victim's concerns before those of the offender.
I encourage all members to support this bill.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
He said: Madam Speaker, first I would like to thank my hon. colleague from Athabasca for seconding this bill.
The Divorce Act is discriminatory. It leaves non-custodial parents, usually fathers, out in the cold. I know some very good fathers who always pay child support but can no longer afford to see their children because their mothers have taken them to live a considerable distance away.
Statistics show a direct correlation between access and non-compliance. Non-custodial parents who get to see their children are more likely to make their payments. However, custody now goes to one parent unless an application for joint custody is made. It should be the reverse.
Joint custody of and access to one's children should be automatic unless it is not in the children's bests interests. Today I am tabling a bill to amend the act to make joint custody automatic.
The recent controversy over child support payment taxation should not detract from the most important issue to children. In most cases that issue is not dollars and cents but guaranteed access to both parents.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais): Is there unanimous consent to move the motion?
Some hon. members: Agreed.
(Motion agreed to.)
Mr. Paul Zed (Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.): Madam Speaker, I have a second motion. If the House gives its unanimous consent, I move:
That, the following change be made to the membership of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs: Pagtakhan for Bélanger.The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais): Is there unanimous consent to move the motion?
Some hon. members: Agreed.
(Motion agreed to.)
The petitioners want adequate income, appropriate health care and affordable housing. I believe they reflect the opinion of most seniors in Canada.
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The petitioners would like to draw to the attention of the House that managing the family home and caring for preschool children is an honourable profession which has not been recognized for its value to our society.
They also state that the Income Tax Act discriminates against families who make the choice to provide care in the home to preschool children, the disabled, the chronically ill or the aged.
The petitioners therefore pray and call on Parliament to pursue initiatives to eliminate tax discrimination against families who decide to provide care in the home for preschool children, the disabled, the chronically ill and the aged.
The petitioners would like to bring to the attention of the House that the consumption of alcoholic beverages may cause health problems or impair one's ability, and specifically that fetal alcohol syndrome and other alcohol related birth defects are 100 per cent preventable by avoiding alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
The petitioners therefore pray and call on Parliament to enact legislation to require health warning labels to be placed on the containers of all alcoholic beverages.
It calls on the federal government to recognize that Canadians are paying approximately 52 per cent of the cost of a litre of gasoline at the pumps in the form of government taxes. The petitioners do not want to see an increase in taxes in the federal budget because of this high tax. I am happy to present this petition on behalf of my constituents.
Mr. David Chatters (Athabasca, Ref.): Madam Speaker, I rise in accordance with Standing Order 36 to present a further 2,400 names to the much larger petition asking Parliament not to increase the excise tax on gasoline.
I realize it is irrelevant to the recent budget, but certainly relevant to next year's budget. I am pleased to present them.
The petitioners ask us to assist to bring an immediate ceasefire and peace with justice in that part of the world.
I am pleased to point out that their diligent effort has paid off. These petitioners request that Parliament not increase the federal excise tax on gasoline and strongly consider reallocating its current revenues to rehabilitate Canada's crumbling national highways.
[Translation]
[English]
The petitioners therefore call on Parliament to amend the Canadian Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.
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The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais): Shall all questions stand?
Some hon. members: Agreed.
The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais): Shall that agreed?
Some hon. members: Agreed.
[Translation]
The Acting Speaker (Mrs. Ringuette-Maltais): I wish to inform the House that because of the ministerial statement Government Orders will be extended by 15 minutes.
Since today is the last allotted day for the supply period ending March 31, 1996, the House will now proceed as usual to consideration of supply bills. As is our custom, do hon. members agree that this bill should be distributed now?
Some hon. members: Agreed.