Ms. Diane St-Jacques (Shefford, Lib.)

Mr. Speaker, today marks the start of a very important period for all of our fellow Canadians of the Jewish faith.

Today they are celebrating Rosh Hashanah.

The high holy days are governed by the lunar calendar, so they fall either in September or October. The ten-day period starts with Rosh Hashanah, which marks the start of the Jewish new year, and ends with the fast for Yom Kippur, the day of atonement.

Canada's Jewish community is an important component of Canadian society.

On this important day, I take this opportunity in the House to express the heartfelt wish of all Canadians for peace at last in the Middle East.

Mr. Larry Spencer (Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, Canadian Alliance)

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Mayor Pat Fiacco on his outstanding win by acclamation of a second term as mayor of Regina.

This outstanding feat has been accomplished only twice before in Regina's history. Mayor Fiacco has thrown a political knockout punch. His extraordinary dedication and enthusiasm have earned him tremendous popularity with Regina residents, thereby eliminating all contenders.

Mayor Fiacco's “I love Regina” campaign is boosting the image of the Queen's city, raising the level of pride in the citizens and building enthusiasm in the business community.

The city of Regina has a low cost of doing business, some of the friendliest people in Canada and a lifestyle second to none.

As a long time resident of the city of Regina, I too take great pride in saying with Mayor Fiacco “I love Regina”.

Mr. Joe Peschisolido (Richmond, Lib.)

Mr. Speaker, this weekend, thousands of police and peace officers will gather on Parliament Hill to honour colleagues who have died in the line of duty.

They meet annually to keep their memory alive and to ensure that the magnitude of their sacrifice will never be forgotten.

This year a young officer from Richmond, British Columbia will be honoured. Jimmy Ng was just 32 years old and a six year member of the RCMP when he was killed in the line of duty in a motor vehicle collision last September.

Jimmy was a well-respected and dedicated police officer. His fellow officers paid tribute to his memory last weekend outside the Richmond RCMP detachment by unveiling a plaque in his name and his honour. His colleagues fondly remembered him as an officer who “led by doing and showing” and exemplified the RCMP's core values of honesty, integrity and professionalism.

Jimmy is truly missed.

Mr. Roger Gaudet (Berthier--Montcalm, BQ)

Mr. Speaker, today is the opening day of the seventh annual Journées de la culture, which are being held all over Quebec.

Over the next three days, everyone is invited to take part in numerous activities organized in various cultural centres. This wonderful event is only possible because of the over 5,000 participants willing to share their passion for culture.

The Journées provide all of us with an opportunity to experience a number of different facets of Quebec's rich cultural tradition, through visual arts, poetry, arts and crafts, history, and the performing arts. Participants will be encouraged to choose their means of expression, and as a result will be more aware than ever of the importance of recognizing and safeguarding the cultural diversity of Quebec.

Everyone is invited to take this opportunity to let out the artist that lies within them.

Mr. Tony Tirabassi (Niagara Centre, Lib.)

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my constituent, Chief Warrant Officer Paul Brown of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment, Army Cadet Corps., who was presented with the Duke of Edinburgh award by Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, last June 24.

The Duke of Edinburgh award is designed to help young people between the ages of 14 and 25 develop a sense of responsibility in themselves and their community by expanding their horizons. The award has evolved into one of the most comprehensive, personal achievement programs in the world.

Chief Warrant Officer Brown is presently studying business administration logistics at the Royal Military College in Kingston. A nine year contract that he signed with the Canadian military includes his four years at RMC and five years of work with a possible six month period overseas.

I want to congratulate him on this most prestigious award and I wish him the best of luck in all his future endeavours.

Mr. Brian Pallister (Portage—Lisgar, Canadian Alliance)

Mr. Speaker, the new Liberal leader is not really new. He has a record.

He wrote the red book of broken promises: the promise to eliminate the GST, broken; the promise of an independent ethics counsellor, broken; and the promise of a sex offenders registry, broken. In 1999 he voted for marriage and just the other day he voted against it.

He claims he will end the democratic deficit but he blocks attempts by rivals to sign up new party members.

He is not a good manager. He inherited a robust economy which was none of his doing. He fudged the books by cutting health care and education transfers to the provinces and blamed them. He signed the cheques for the out of control billion dollar gun registry. He overcharged working Canadians by $45 billion on their EI premiums.

Only by Liberal standards would this be called good management.

Mr. Sarkis Assadourian (Brampton Centre, Lib.)

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise in the House and congratulate a constituent in my riding of Brampton Centre, Ms. Alecia Brown, who won the bronze medal at the Pan-American junior track and field championships in Bridgetown, Barbados.

Alecia is a student at Central Peel Secondary School and a member of the Brampton Track and Field Club. She earned the bronze medal for running the second leg of Canada's 4x400 metre relay.

I urge my fellow members to join me in congratulating Ms. Alecia Brown and wishing her success in her studies and in her promising career in track and field.

Mr. Rex Barnes (Gander—Grand Falls, PC)

Mr. Speaker, I have been recently informed that HRDC has decided to stop certain funding to zonal boards in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The labour market development agreement between the provincial and the federal governments expires in early October. This program has provided rural areas of the province with the expertise to develop longstanding employment so that rural areas are financially feasible.

The prime minister in waiting is promising new deals for cities. One has to wonder who will pay this price. People in rural areas know now who will be paying the price.

Eliminating funding from these zonal boards by changing the regulations for the labour market development program, the Liberal government is hurting the development of rural areas in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Ms. Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral (Laval Centre, BQ)

Mr. Speaker, next Sunday on Parliament Hill thousands of police and peace officers will pay homage to their colleagues who have died in the line of duty.

In the past year alone, six police and peace officers paid with their lives to ensure the safety and security of members of their communities.

On behalf of the Bloc Quebecois and speaking personally as well, I would like to tell the family of Sûreté du Québec corporal Antonio Arsenault of Laval, and all the families who have lost a loved one over the years, how much we share their sorrow.

Police and Peace Officers National Memorial Day gives us an opportunity to express our thanks and recognition of the supreme sacrifice made by all these men and women.

In such circumstances, the comfort words can provide is small. Know, however, that we stand beside you, in heartfelt solidarity.

Mr. John Harvard (Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia, Lib.)

Mr. Speaker, today three Canadians are going to receive the Carnegie medal in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. This prestigious medal is awarded to individuals who risk their lives to rescue other people from danger.

One recipient is George Haas, a farmer from Langenburg, Saskatchewan. Mr. Haas rescued two men when their truck overturned and became trapped in an ice covered pond, almost losing his own life in the process.

The second Canadian hero is William Gibb, who helped to break up a robbery in a store in Toronto and was stabbed and wounded in the struggle.

The third outstanding Canadian is Markham Bunnah from Calgary. He is being recognized for saving a man from the icy waters of the Bow River.

The Carnegie medal is inspired by rescue stories and was started in the United States in 1904.

These outstanding people and their selfless and brave actions illustrate how ordinary Canadians are capable of extraordinary feats when circumstances call for it.

On behalf of the House I would like to congratulate all three Canadian recipients of the Carnegie medal, true life heroes.

Ms. Wendy Lill (Dartmouth, NDP)

Mr. Speaker, Carol Shields, one of Canada's most loved writers, passed away this summer, leaving her husband Donald, her family, and thousands who counted themselves friends.

With her insight into human nature, Carol cut through pretension and lit up ordinary lives and brought dignity to them.

She began writing at 41 after her five children were in school and then wrote nine novels, many short stories, poetry and plays. Her books, such as The Stone Diaries , Larry's Party and Unless , won many prizes, including the Pulitzer, the Governor General's award and the Order of Canada.

Life in all of its complications was her material. When she was diagnosed with cancer it became just another part of life to understand, like child bearing, sex or choosing curtain fabric. In her last years, she brought together women from across the country in the book project called Dropped Threads .

Gay and straight, young and old, those dealing with loss, illness, joy, great love, memories, hopes and violence: in the midst of the stress in our lives today she got us talking to one another again and listening.

We thank you for that gift, Carol. We will keep the faith.

Ms. Bonnie Brown (Oakville, Lib.)

Mr. Speaker, the Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre has launched a new training project to teach women and girls about personal security and assertiveness.

Called the Empowerment Project, the program will train rape crisis centre staff and others in how to instruct women and girls to avoid and fend off sexual assault.

This project was supported by the National Crime Prevention Strategy, the New Brunswick Department of Intergovernmental Affairs and the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Foundation. It will be used throughout Canada and some parts of the United States.

Frederictonians and indeed all Canadians should be proud of the program's creator, Mary Whiteside-Lantz, as well as Lorraine Whalley and her team at the Fredericton Sexual Assault Crisis Centre for this important work, work that will make a difference in the lives of women and girls throughout North America.

Mr. Ken Epp (Elk Island, Canadian Alliance)

Mr. Speaker, you would not believe how incredibly difficult this summer has been for the farmers. The closing of the U.S. border to the export of our beef is devastating the industry.

I am sure that the agriculture minister, the finance minister and both prime ministers have a total incapacity to understand the meaning of losing 85% or 90% of their income.

I have a large number of people in my riding who depend on the beef industry. I think of the Andersons, who operate a major feedlot and who are expecting their fourth child. Producing high quality beef is their livelihood and it is evaporating.

There are hundreds like them and this government seems to have no concern for them at all.

Imagine: these Liberals voted against an opposition motion to send a high level delegation to Washington and to make an extraordinary effort to reopen the border. Maybe the motion confused them, because it referred to the Prime Minister and right now we do not have one.

Mr. Gurbax Malhi (Bramalea—Gore—Malton—Springdale, Lib.)

Mr. Speaker, this morning cabinet tabled its response to the recommendations made by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology in its latest report entitled, “Opening Canadian Telecommunications to the World”. The endorsement by the government of the committee's recommendations is yet another example of hard work by parliamentarians.

This past April, the standing committee tabled a report in Parliament on Canada's foreign investment restrictions applicable to telecommunications common carriers. The mandate of the committee was to solicit views on Canada's foreign direct investment restrictions.

The recommendations contained in this report will help to improve investment and innovation in the Canadian telecommunications sector, provide better services to consumers and achieve the government's telecommunications policy goals.

This process is a perfect example of the way in which individual members really can make a difference on public policy.

Mrs. Carol Skelton (Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, Canadian Alliance)

Mr. Speaker, we have been asking the government for months about a marketing strategy for Canadian beef.

Public trust must be restored. Where is the public ad campaign to promote the beef industry and what is the government's plan?

Hon. Lyle Vanclief (Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.)

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows very well that through the work of the government and the industry it is being demonstrated very clearly that the Canadian beef product is completely safe. It has been recognized by other countries in the world by opening their borders in ways that have never happened before as far as receiving product from a BSE country goes.

That has also been recognized in the numbers. Canadian consumers purchased 62% more beef in July of this year than last year and 72% more in August than they did last year. The beef is moving and we just need to continue to work--

The hon. member for Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar.

Mrs. Carol Skelton (Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, Canadian Alliance)

Mr. Speaker, that is an excellent answer from the member whose government gives millions to millionaires and pennies to seniors.

Other livestock industries are being affected by the BSE scare: sheep, bison and cervids. Borders and markets must be opened and kept open for these Canadian products as well. Where is the government's plan for marketing alternative livestock?

Hon. Lyle Vanclief (Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Lib.)

Mr. Speaker, when the markets in the United States opened and when the markets in Mexico were opened those markets were opened in the very same way for the other ruminants, for all the other ruminants, as they have been for beef. The hon. member knows that. I am sure she read the press release. I am sure she read the information that is out there.

It is the science, it is the record of the Canadian beef industry and it is the work of our processing plants and the work of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency that have had recognition given to Canada that has not been given to any other country in the world. We will keep building on that.

Mrs. Carol Skelton (Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, Canadian Alliance)

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian livestock industry is going to change its name to Bombardier.

Canadian producers know that until our borders open to year round access to American feeder cattle the American border will remain closed to ours. This has been an issue for 10 years. Will the government agree to reverse its position and get all the borders open?