MEMBERS' STATEMENTS
HUNTING IN ALGONQUIN PARK
This committee, like many members of this House, is very concerned that the minister proceeded with little or no consultation before his 18 January decision to allow unlimited hunting and fishing in the park and unlimited access for motorized vehicles and motorboats by the members of the Golden Lake Indian Band in Algonquin Park.
At the recent Toronto Sportsmen's Show the committee distributed over 8,000 leaflets petitioning the government to rescind this NDP initiative.
Today I would like to formally present to the minister on behalf of the committee this small portion of these signed leaflets. I am sure that many more have been received by the minister's office as well as that of the Premier.
AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE
Every member of our society has the potential to become an innocent accident victim. Currently the unfair and discriminatory insurance legislation created by the former Liberal government denies thousands of innocent victims the fundamental right to sue for pain and suffering. That is why the present government must honour its commitment to the people of Ontario to restore the right to sue for innocent accident victims.
Even more sadly, this government, which promised voters last summer that it was committed to restoring the right to sue, may break that promise. These victims were important during the election campaign, but now the government is choosing to relegate them to a vacuum in our society where they will be forgotten and denied their fundamental rights.
The Premier must ignore his no-tort troika on the front bench and exercise true leadership. He must restore the right to sue immediately for the innocent accident victims of Ontario.
ANNIVERSARY OF LAMBTON FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE
The founding meeting of the federation was held in April 1941 and in the years to follow several of the county's commodity organizations were formed, such as wheat, hog, sugar, egg, honey and vegetable producer groups.
The early federation pioneered the Lambton Film Council that took a film projector and National Film Board movies to one-room schoolhouses between 1946 and 1969. To provide health care insurance to farmers, the federation was involved in the early formation of the Lambton Co-Operative Medical Services Organization. The county federation action in 1968 led to a decision by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture to withhold property taxes, which in turn led to property tax rebates. This has saved farmers considerable amounts of income in the years following this accomplishment.
Currently the federation has 1,100 members, which amounts to about one third of the farm population in Lambton county. Some of the interests of farmers that the Lambton Federation of Agriculture is working on this year are the new tree-planting bylaw, presenting briefs to our local politicians, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture tent at the 1991 plowing match and the never-ending canvassing for members to keep the organization strong and effective.
The county of Lambton is very fortunate to have such a dedicated and productive organization working for the best interests of the farm community in Lambton and in Ontario.
TWINNING OF AURORA AND LEKSAND
The visits combine social, athletic, governmental and business elements. This year, for example, a minor hockey team from Leksand has played a number of games with Aurora and other area hockey teams and, I might add, has done very well.
The Swedish group is led by the vice-mayor of Leksand, Lasse Nyburg, and last week he and Mrs Ingrid Sohlin of the Swedish delegation visited the Legislature in Metropolitan Toronto. While here, other members of the delegation are looking at how our system of local government works and at a number of environmental issues.
I want to congratulate Mayor John West, members of his council, members of the Aurora legion and all those who helped to organize this exchange. The twinning of towns and cities from country to country is an important way of building better understanding between peoples of different nations.
At the welcoming brunch given by the town on Easter weekend, it was clear that even after just a few days, new friendships were being made and old ones cemented. We must never underestimate the power of people to build strong bridges through programs such as the Aurora-Leksand twinning program. May they have many, many more.
RICHARD BRENNAN
Richard was named new gallery president this morning by acclamation. This marks the second year in a row that the election for president has been uncontested, a fact which leads me and many of my elected colleagues in this chamber to wonder just why the press gallery is so afraid of a good, old-fashioned election campaign.
That aside, I think the change at the helm of the press gallery today is a significant one. Richard's election, following on the heels of outgoing, two-term president Leon Korbee of CKCO-TV in Kitchener and CJOH-TV in Ottawa, shows once again the importance of regional media outlets at Queen's Park.
While we have to admit that our regular question period committee meetings would be lost without our morning dose of the Toronto daily press clippings, I think we all recognize the role that the regional press at Queen's Park plays in lending a fresh perspective to the news around us. In fact, it is the regional recorders here at Queen's Park on whom many of us rely.
Richard, who it seems has left no newspaper unturned in his effort to put a Richard Brennan byline in every print outlet in this province, will, I am sure, bring his down-home Brantford good sense to the position of president.
I hope all members of the House will join me in congratulating Richard and other members of the Queen's Park press gallery executive, Randy Rath, Paula Todd, Jill Troyer and Emilia Casella.
1340
ALCOHOL AND DRUG ABUSE
The council therefore is introducing a policy of limited tolerance with respect to the use of alcohol and drugs in its community. The policy will address the various aspects of substance abuse and will include intervention and treatment strategies, control measures, community awareness programs and the development and enforcement of appropriate bylaws and codes of conduct. In addition, band funds will not be used to sponsor or promote events where alcohol or drugs are available and band programs and community organizations will be encouraged to hold community events and activities that are alcohol- and drug-free.
I hope all members of this House will join me in congratulating the chief and council for taking this very important self-initiative and commend their leadership and commitment to improving the quality of life on the Chippewas of Sarnia reserve.
CANADIAN FORCES OVERSEAS
However, a major and vital part of Canada's contribution may not be as well known to all; that is, the men and women of the air transport group at Canadian Forces Base Trenton located in my riding of Quinte. During the last eight months they mounted the largest airlift in modern Canadian Forces history. Some 2,000 men and women of the air transport group in Canada and more than 450 aircrew and groundcrew, principally from Trenton, were deployed to Germany, the Mediterranean and the Gulf. These people airlifted Canadian Forces personnel and equipment almost halfway around the world, sustained them with daily flights and are now completing their redeployment home -- nearly 15,000 flying hours in all.
These unsung heroes were literally the first Canadians into the Gulf and will be the last out. They worked extremely long hours under very challenging conditions: under threat of chemical and biological attack, were scudded and were required to fly air-refuelling, resupply and communications missions in a complex and difficult air environment, which as we know included thousands of combat sorties per day.
I am proud to represent the many men and women of Canada's air transport group at Canadian Forces Base Trenton, whose outstanding effort certainly contributed to the coalition victory and helped free Kuwait.
PLANT CLOSURE
It is no secret that the prime reason for closures such as Tridon's is Ontario's weakened economic grip on the competitiveness in our marketplaces. Since the NDP came to power, with its determined unwillingness to assist companies with their heavy tax burdens, even more plants are now closing. For example, Tridon paid about $400,000 last year with the employer health tax, and in addition it spent over $700,000 in workers' compensation costs alone.
Where was this government with needed tax breaks and other forms of assistance for companies like Tridon? In his throne speech, this Premier promised co-operation with all sectors in society. What he has created, however, is isolation and confrontation with that sector.
Where is the government's program for job retraining? The labour adjustment committee, started just last week, seven months after the closure announcement at Tridon, amounts to less than $200 per worker; 75% of the workers at Tridon are women and to date only 10 of the 550 workers have found other jobs, and they are concerned that these adjustment committees are inexperienced and they should be asked to react quickly with specific retraining programs and skill linkages. It is in this climate in this province that this government must focus its energies and its resources towards stimulating these companies, not confronting them during these economic times.
PLANT CLOSURE
This past Saturday the Minister of Northern Development, along with the Minister of Mines, joined me in Kapuskasing where we spent the day listening to and consulting with the mayors and reeves of the 14 towns making up the Northeastern Ontario Municipal Association about this situation. We also met with the representatives of the Spruce Falls Purchase Employees Group and members of a group called Friends of Kapuskasing. To finalize the day, we met with representatives of labour groups in Kapuskasing and surrounding area, as well as the local labour council. The community has shown complete solidarity in opposition to the massive layoff and has requested the Ontario government to do everything within its means to protect jobs in this small town under crisis.
I would like to thank the honourable ministers for their welcome participation, as well as other members of the cabinet, along with the Premier, for their ongoing efforts in finding a solution to this very serious crisis.
MEMBERS' PRIVILEGES
I have carefully reviewed the member's submission, the transcript of the broadcast in question, and the relevant parliamentary authorities and precedents and I am now in a position to report to the House.
Section 37 of the Legislative Assembly Act, which enacts the common law rule of freedom of speech, provides as follows:
"A member of the assembly is not liable to any civil action or prosecution, arrest, imprisonment or damages, by reason of any matter or thing brought by him by petition, bill, resolution, motion or otherwise, or said by him before the assembly or a committee thereof."
This most fundamental privilege of members allows members to express their views in proceedings in Parliament without fear of an action for libel or slander. Although what constitutes a proceeding in Parliament may encompass circumstances beyond the formal transaction of business in the assembly or its committees, I am of the opinion that I would be extending the definition of privilege too far if the remarks of the member made in an interview outside the chamber some months after questions were posed and answers made in the House and possibly in changed or different circumstances were included.
I have also considered whether the sending of the solicitor's letter arising out of the member's remarks on the radio broadcast constituted an improper means of interfering with or influencing the member in his parliamentary conduct. The solicitor's letter cited by the member referred to legal proceedings contemplated against the member as a result of further repetition by the member of statements made in the radio broadcast or similar allegations made by the member outside the Legislature. This letter does not relate to a proceeding in Parliament and does not appear to be calculated to affect the member's course of action in the assembly or its committees. As such, I am of the opinion that it does not constitute an obstruction, attempted intimidation or intimidation of the member in his parliamentary conduct.
Therefore, in the circumstances in this matter, I find that a prima facie case of privilege has not been established.
I thank the member for Dufferin-Peel for providing me with advance notice of his concerns and trust that my ruling may offer some guidance to all members.
1350
ELECTORAL REPRESENTATION
Agreed to.
RICHARD TAYLOR
He served in the Legislature -- and I was a colleague of his -- from 1963 to 1967, representing the constituency of Timiskaming, and brought forward in a moderate, well-informed way not only the issues from the north and northeast, but had a clear understanding of many of the issues that we face even today.
He had extensive experience in the school board locally and the hospital board, and also was a very successful businessman as president of Taylor Hardware and one of the business people who really founded and expanded the northern telecommunication system.
I was very pleased indeed when he decided to enter the Legislature, and found working with him a great pleasure. As a matter of fact, we had a very close personal relationship and at one stage he acceded to my request to be chairman of a campaign committee in preparation for the election of 1967.1 had only entered the leadership a few months before that election campaign, rather unexpectedly and, I assure you, Mr Speaker, reluctantly. Dick was one of the many friends I had at that time who were prepared to come forward and assist. While that is just of peripheral interest to most of the members of the House, it is an indication of how much confidence I had in his judgement and his capability.
I would just say that from my point of view his service in the community and this House was honourable and effective, and from my point of view, I have lost a very good friend. He and his wife and family were well regarded here and, of course, in their own community, and I know that we extend our condolences to them.
I find myself at a bit of a disadvantage, as do other members of the House, I am sure, but I think it is very appropriate to perhaps remind the House of some of the interests of Mr Taylor as he worked so hard on behalf of his constituents from Timiskaming. So I would like your indulgence, Mr Speaker, to just read his words into the record as he himself read them in the speech from the throne on 10 February 1964, just to remind us that some things have not changed the way he would have liked and that it is our responsibility to continue on.
He said: "We in northern Ontario feel, and with considerable justification, that the rest of the province does not understand nor is it concerned with our development problems. We feel that only in so far as our natural resources can produce immediate revenues is the province as a whole interested."
He goes on in that throne speech debate to say, "We feel that the province listens only with one ear when northern problems are being discussed and, again, in Ontario it will only be by recognizing and understanding northern problems and encouraging northern development that our province will maintain its position as the leading province of our Dominion." The challenge is still there, and I think former members of this House and certainly Mr Taylor would be most appreciative of our ongoing efforts.
I would like to say, though, on behalf of our party, that we would like to extend our condolences to the family. In reading through the biography of Mr Taylor it was evident that he had a very colourful and exciting career in business, both in the telephone and mining sectors. I would suggest to all members that the four years that he spent here were, as we all hope, probably ones in which he dedicated a great deal of his time to the north and tried to make a contribution not only with respect to his own riding but with respect to dealings right across the province of Ontario. It is what we all hope we can do at the end of the day and I guess an expression that we all hope someone will pass on to us as well. So on behalf of our party, I would like to extend our condolences to the family at the passing of Mr Taylor.