[English]
[Translation]
National road safety week, which is sponsored by the Canada Safety Council, aims to raise awareness of road safety issues and promote safe driving practices.
[English]
Because 1996 marks the 15th anniversary of operation life saver, the focus of road safety week this year will be on the need to reduce the high annual number of grade crossing accidents across the country.
Operation life saver, sponsored by both the Railway Association of Canada and Transport Canada, works in co-operation with the Canada Safety Council and provincial organizations to promote rail safety.
Operation live saver's mission is to make people aware of the dangers associated with level crossings, grade crossings and the dangers of trespassing on railway properties.
[Translation]
Studies show that many drivers are unaware of just how dangerous railway crossings can be. They do not understand how fast trains move, or how long it takes them to come to a stop.
[English]
Operation life saver produces printed materials, films and audio-visual presentations. It assists in driver education activities and also hosts special events aimed at promoting greater awareness of rail safety.
Mr. Speaker, like you, many of the hon. members with children will be encouraged to know that operation life saver targets educational activities toward youngsters who use railway property as a short cut to school or to a playground.
[Translation]
Transport Canada has been a proud supporter of operation life saver for many years, and hon. members will be pleased to hear that the federal governement intends to contineu supporting this valuable program well into the future.
[English]
On another related topic, it is also my very great pleasure to announce the federal government has reached agreements with eight of the provinces and the two territories to continue the implementation of the National Safety Code. The last agreements are with the two remaining provinces for signature.
The National Safety Code was developed in 1987 by the federal, provincial and territorial governments to encourage trucking safety. It is to promote efficiency in the motor carrier industry and to ensure consistent safety standards in this area across the country.
[Translation]
The code covers such topics as commercial vehicle maintenance and inspection, hours of service, trip inspection reports, driver-examiner training, and the implementation of a national driver's license.
[English]
As part of this announcement, the Government of Canada will provide the provinces and territories with $20 million over five years to help put the National Safety Code in place.
This funding is a good human and financial investment. The National Safety Code will help reduce commercial vehicle accidents. That means fewer deaths and fewer injuries on our highways.
It will also help to ensure Canadians remain competitive by applying common standards across the country instead of the patchwork system of rules and regulations we have had in the past.
[Translation]
I would urge all members of this house to support national road safety week, specifically the efforts under way by this governement and others to reduce railway crossing accidents and strangthen commercial vehicle safety.
(1210 )
[English]
I urge all hon. members to take heed of the message of road safety week and drive safely.
[Translation]
Mr. Paul Crête (Kamouraska-Rivière-du-Loup, BQ): Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak today in this House to bring attention, as the minister has, to national road safety week, to be celebrated in Quebec and Canada May 17 through 23, 1996. Since arriving in Ottawa, the official opposition has always made it its duty to support and promote issues around highway safety and safe driving.
I have listened to the federal Minister of Transport's speech with interest. We share his concerns, and we support his desire to reduce the number of motor vehicle accidents. We share his belief that improved safety is an excellent thing.
We were, however, a bit surprised to hear what the minister had to say on behalf of his government. Today he is trying to blow his own horn, to pass himself off as the great defender and promoter of road safety. As recently as last week, however, in response to a question by my colleague from Lévis on restoration of the Quebec bridge, he stated as follows: ``The deterioration of the bridge, including the part on which vehicles drive, is due mainly to car and truck traffic- Motor traffic in the province of Quebec is the responsibility of the Quebec transport department; it is not a federal responsibility''. Now today he is giving us a speech on road safety. We also need to see what that means in day to day reality.
The decrepit state of the Quebec bridge is beginning to be a threat to driver safety. The federal minister turns a deaf ear to any question of accepting his responsibilities and restoring the Quebec bridge, in conjunction with Canadian National and the Government of Quebec. We see this as contradictory to the speech the minister has just finished.
Where road safety is concerned, I would like to raise a constitutional aspect which is very likely to pose an increasing threat to the safety of drivers and the general public. As you know, the Canadian Constitution recognizes rail transportation as a federal responsibility, while highway safety within each province is a provincial one.
This somewhat artificial division poses serious problems.
As you know in rail transportation, the government's inaction has forced many businesses to use trucks rather than trains to ship their goods.
The same situation could well arise with the new policy of fees for coast guard services the federal minister of fisheries has just announced. All transportation sectors interact. The effect of the policy is to drive many maritime carriers to American ports, requiring goods destined for Quebec and Canada to be transferred by truck.
Because the federal government has failed to finance, manage and develop the rail system properly and because it is proposing an unfortunate policy of charging for coast guard services, private firms have found alternate ways to make their deliveries. The increased number of trucks on the roads of Quebec and Canada is largely the cause of the deterioration in the state of the roads, threatening public safety particularly.
The arbitrary division of powers in the transportation sector therefore prevents our having an integrated national transportation policy. With intermodality increasingly popular, the obsolescence of Canada's Constitution may well threaten our road safety. I think this is the message we must bear in mind during this national road safety week.
Of course we must support initiatives such as operation life saver, but we must recognize that, if transportation is to be modernized, Canadian and Quebec firms will have to acquire modern equipment and set aside the antiquated aspects of the Constitution to permit an integrated national standard on transportation and thus greater road safety.
In closing, I would repeat our support for National Road Safety Week and encourage everyone to drive carefully.
[English]
Mr. Dick Harris (Prince George-Bulkley Valley, Ref.): Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today in response to the minister's statement and acknowledge the proclamation of national road safety week in Canada, May 17-23. National road safety week,
which is sponsored by the Canadian Safety Council, is to raise the awareness of the need to promote safer driving habits. In particular, this year the national safety week is featuring Operation Lifesaver, which focuses on grade crossing accidents. It is being co-sponsored by the Railway Association of Canada, Transport Canada and the Canadian Safety Council.
(1215)
I could continue to talk about the virtues of national safety week and, in particular, the minister's statement today regarding the high annual number of grade crossing accidents. I appreciate what the minister is doing. Certainly no one could say that it is not an excellent project. However, I would like to take this opportunity to speak about my recent parliamentary activities with respect to the terrible carnage taking place on our highways as a result of impaired drivers.
I would like to address my remarks, in particular, to the Minister of Transport. I know he shares the concerns of millions of Canadians who, on a daily basis, see in their newspapers, in the electronic media and hear from their friends about this terrible crime. They are touched every day by crimes committed by people who choose to drink and drive. They kill over 1,400 people every year on our streets and highways.
I know the number of accidents that occur on an annual basis at grade crossings is a huge concern. We have to do everything we can to decrease those statistics.
This might be a starting point for the government. Perhaps I can encourage the minister to join with this side of the House in supporting Bill C-201. The government could join with Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, Canadian Students Against Impaired Drivers in Canada and Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving in supporting Bill C-201. Locally there is the Nepean community council against impaired driving. The Canadian Police Association and other groups are crying out for the government to implement measures that express zero tolerance to people who even think of getting into their cars when they are impaired.
That would not be hard to do. It could be reflected easily in our criminal justice system. Penalties could be brought in like those in Sweden. Sweden has very liberal drinking laws, but its criminal justice system says that if a person drinks, gets behind the wheel of a vehicle and is caught, his or her driver's licence is suspended for life and the vehicle seized. Why cannot we reflect zero tolerance such as that?
The tragedies that occur at the hands of drunken drivers make the accidents that occur at grade crossings pale by comparison. If the government can take the initiative to proclaim May 17 to 23 as national road safety week and pay special attention to accidents which occur at grade crossings, why does the Minister of Justice stand speaker after speaker in the House to oppose Bill C-201?
I will close by saying that I appreciate what the minister and the government is trying to do but, for God's sake, let us go further to address the impaired drivers who kill in this country.
[Translation]
[English]
Mr. Speaker, also I have the honour to present the 18th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, regarding the membership and associate membership of various standing committees.
If the House gives its consent I intend to move concurrence in the 18th report later this day.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
tween Canada and the Republic of India and a convention between Canada and Ukraine, for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
Mr. Goodale: Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the House that in accordance with Standing Order 73(1), it is the intention of the government that this bill be referred to a committee before second reading.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
(1225 )
[English]
The Deputy Speaker: Is there unanimous consent?
Some hon. members: Agreed.
(Motion agreed to.)
That the following change be made to the membership of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs: the hon. member for Fraser Valley East for the hon. member for Calgary Centre.The Deputy Speaker: Does the hon. member have the unanimous consent of the House to move the motion?
Some hon. members: Agreed.
(Motion agreed to.)
The petitioners call on Parliament to establish national policies to control and contain instances of myalgic encephalomyelitis, fibromyalgia and multiple chemical sensitivities in Canada and to ensure care, treatment, comfort and dignity for persons afflicted with these diseases.
The petitioners state that everyone who counsels a person to commit suicide or who aids or abets a person to commit suicide is guilty of an indictable offence and liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 14 years.
They ask Parliament not to repeal or amend section 241 of the Criminal Code in any way and to uphold the Supreme Court of Canada decision of September 30, 1993 to disallow assisted suicide or euthanasia.
The petitioners request that Parliament not amend the Canadian Constitution to remove the rights of denomination classes of persons to operate their own schools and to refer the problem of educational reform back to the Government of Newfoundland.
(1230 )
The petitioners call on Parliament to prohibit the raising of funds within Canada for supporting the war against the democratically elected government of Sri Lanka by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, already declared a terrorist organization; to ensure adequate surveillance and prosecution of members of the LTTE front organization and other supporters in Canada who are engaged in fund raising, extortion, passport racketeering, smuggling of narcotics and all other forms of criminal activity.
Also, to investigate LTTE front organizations and support groups in order to bar them from operating in Canada; to fully live up to the international legal obligations imposed on states in combating international terrorism; to fully co-operate with the legally elected government of Sri Lanka, which maintains the most cordial relations with Canada, in eradicating the Tamil Tigers terrorist network in Canada.
I am pleased on their behalf to present this petition to Parliament in the hope Parliament will do something to assist them.
The petitioners call on Parliament to consider the advisability of extending benefits or compensation to veterans of the wartime merchant navy equal to that enjoyed by veterans of Canada's World War II armed services.
I have much pleasure in presenting this petition and ask that it be referred to the appropriate department.
In the first the petitioners pray that the government proceed immediately with amendments to the Criminal Code that will ensure the punishment given to anyone convicted of causing death by driving while impaired carries a minimum sentence of seven years and a maximum of fourteen years as outlined in private member's Bill C-201 sponsored by the member for Prince George-Bulkley Valley.
This issue is of such consequence in the country today that we all must take it seriously.
[Text]
Question No. 32-Mr. Hoeppner:
Regarding the 1992 Deloitte & Touche special examination and subsequent report on the Canadian Wheat Board, how exactly has the Canadian Wheat Board addressed the criticisms contained in that report alleging that: (a) there is no evidence of an ongoing formal Corporate strategic plan or process; (b) departmental planning resulting in annual operational plans generally does not exist; (c) senior management job descriptions are out of date, incomplete or non-existent; (d) no formal budgeting process does not exist for the Finance and Accounting expenditures department; (e) no formal strategic marketing plan exists; (f) the marketing function lacks focus and coordination; and (g) agents
emphasize that their relationship with the Canadian Wheat Board are not sound/positive business relationships?Hon. Ralph Goodale (Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.): In 1991 the Canadian Wheat Board initiated a formal process to ensure it is properly structured and staffed to meet future challenges, demands, opportunities and threats. It engaged Deloitte & Touche Management Consultants to conduct a comprehensive operational review, the findings of which suggested there were considerable areas of strength in the CWB at that time. The report also recommended that management undertake and implement a number of initiatives to address the identified deficiencies and concerns.
The CWB has initiated a formal strategic planning process with a view to provide a greater focus on its long term activities and to ensure the organization is equipped to respond to change and opportunities. An external consulting firm has facilitated this annual planning process since that time.
The CWB has also developed an extensive quarterly planning and reporting process by the management of the organization's four directorates. This process is proving invaluable from both a management and performance measurement perspective.
To complement this planning process, the CWB in 1993 conducted a detailed environmental scan, which included a survey of employees, customers and producers. These activities have placed the CWB in a position to define areas needing change, particularly those pertaining to the CWB's interface with its employees, its customers, and with farmers. It has also since developed an action plan of strategic initiatives in three key areas.
The first is relationship with farmers. The pool return outlooks, estimated pool returns, farmer delivery contracts, farmer focus sessions, toll free telephone access to the CWB, and proposed flexible pricing options have all emanated from the strategic planning process.
The second is relationship with customers. The CWB has developed a number of value added, market service and market development initiatives. For example, the introduction of basis contracts for customers, for example in Japan, the U.S., the United Kingdom and Canada, resulted form the CWB strategy of increasing its focus on the customer. Infomation and findings from a comprehensive customer survey findings assisted the CWB in other customer services initiatives.
The third is relationship with employees. The CWB has established a formal human resources department and has introduced several related initiatives which focus on the employee, including a review of job descriptions at all levels.
Along with these strategic undertakings the CWB has undertaken to develop and implement a number of key corporate governance procedures and policy guidelines, some of which relulted from the Deloitte & Touche recommendations.
Since 1992 the CWB has established a formal audit committee. The audit committee's primary responsibilities are to oversee internal financial reporting and to review the objectivity of the annual external audit. The committee also determines whether management and auditors are responding appropriately to current business risks and allocating their efforts optimally. Special comprehensive auditing examinations are critical in ensuring that business practices are benchmarked against best practices of other corporations. The CWB audit committee performs a central role in strengthening communications between external auditors and CWB management responsible for the organizations's financial reporting.
The CWB has also implemented a comprehensive department by department audit process, which assesses department structure and procedures in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. Deloitte & Touche, which has previous experience with the federal auditor general's department and with government audit procedures, has assisted the CWB's internal audit department in this area. The integrity and effectiveness of the CWB audit committee is enhanced by the inclusion of the chairman of the CWB advisory committee as a member.
The CWB also developed a formal budgeting process, which is continually improved when and as necessary. This is priving to be a valuable management tool.
The CWB has historically developed an annual marketing plan which is updated throughout the crop year. In recent years this planning process has been enhanced by an expanded sales and market development division, which has an increased focus on the strategic planning aspects of grain sales. CWB sales plans, which include extensive detail pertaining to grain classes, grades, protein levels, projected selling prices and sales volume by destination, are updated on a continual basis in response to changing market conditions.
The CWB market development department has been expanded since 1992 and works closely with farmers, the CWB sales department, customers and other organizations such as the Canadian Grain Commission and the Canadian International Grains Institute. In addition to the co-ordination afforded by the above linkages, CWB market development efforts are increasingly guided by the development internally of long term grain import projections. These projections provide an indication of country specific and aggregate import requirements in terms of volume and quality, as well as the prospective Canadian share in each market. All this has enhanced the overall effectiveness of the CWB marketing effort.
In 1993 the CWB conducted a comprehensive review of its relationship with accredited exporters, which included individual exporters and the Shippers and Exporters Association. This review generated a number of recommendations and action items to improve the CWB's relationship with exporters, all of which have
been subsequently implemented. The CWB meets annually with the Shippers and Exporters Association to discuss a wide variety of subjects, including any concers. The CWB also meets annually with each accredited exporter for the same purpose.
[English]
Mr. Stan Keyes (Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Transport, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I ask that the remaining questions be allowed to stand.
The Deputy Speaker: Is that agreed.
Some hon. members: Agreed.
[Translation]
The Deputy Speaker: I want to inform the House that, due to the ministerial statement and the response from other parties, government orders will be extended by 14 minutes.