Fall 2000

Dear Constituents,

I hope that you all had a safe and enjoyable summer season and that all is well with your families.

By far the most important event for me this summer was to receive a phone call from the Prime Minister's office and be informed that I was to be appointed as the new Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada. The opportunity to take on more responsibility was most welcome and I have been working very hard to become knowledgeable about a very diverse cabinet portfolio. You will find an article inside which describes how my job has changed and what responsibilities come under the department of Public Works and Government Services.

During the summer, I was also asked to represent the Parliament of Canada at the OSCE Assembly in Romania and a brief write-up is included herein. On the cover of this report, I am pictured at one of the sessions during the Assembly. In this report, I have also included a variety of articles which may be of interest. You will find features on the significance of Vimy Ridge, the work and purpose of Big Brothers, the statistics on Crime in Canada, the facts about Diabetes and the risk of Telephone Fraud.

I also wrote about the United Nations honouring Canada for the 7th year in a row as the best country in the world in which to live. For myself, and I believe most Canadians, it is a special recognition which makes us very proud of the quality of life we have achieved.

The honour doesn't mean that we can stop working on improvements. We need to continue to improve our health care system, to alleviate the problems of homelessness and poverty, to ensure the healthy outcomes of our children and to improve our economy and lower the tax burden.

Politically, there have been a number of developments since my last report and speculation about the timing of the next General Election is commonplace. Under our constitution, elections must be held at least every five years but rarely do governments go into the fifth year. The last election was held in June 1997 and many are guessing that there will be an election by next summer. The timing may also be affected by the fact that next June there is the Census which is taken every 10 years.

Both the next General Election and the Census will require the services of a large number of Canadians. Members of Parliament will be asked to provide lists of persons who would like to be considered for various jobs. These jobs are mostly part-time and training is provided as necessary. If you would like to be considered for a position, please send me a note with your full name, full address with postal code and home telephone number. Just a reminder that no postage is necessary when you are sending mail to any Member of Parliament. Once details are available, I will send them out to interested constituents.

Finally, I thought you might be interested to know that my work on the issue of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome has made some progress. Over 1,500 copies of my book and 10,000 copies of my FAS poster have been requested. As well, on September 9th, I was honoured to be the special guest speaker at National Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Day in Toronto. Further details are available on my internet site at www.paulszabo.com.

I hope that you find this householder of interest and I would welcome your comments and suggestions on its contents or other issues which are of importance to you.

Sincerely,

Paul Szabo

In June, the Unknown Canadian Soldier was laid to rest at a new memorial in Ottawa. The journey started at a very moving ceremony at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in France.

The Vimy Memorial stands on Hill 145 which is the highest point on Vimy Ridge. It had been a vital part of the German defence but on April 9, 1917, Canadian forces took the Ridge except Hill 145 which fell three days later. The victory did not come without a cost. Out of 10,602 casualties, 3,598 Canadians gave their lives. The victory at Vimy Ridge was a turning point for the Allied forces in the First World War and brought honour and pride to our young nation.

Designed by Canadian sculptor and architect Walter Seymore Allward, the Vimy Memorial took 11 years to build. It rests on a bed of 11,000 tonnes of concrete reinforced with hundreds of tonnes of steel. The towering pylons and sculptured figures contain almost 6,000 tonnes of limestone and carved on the walls are the names of 11,285 Canadians who were killed in France and whose final resting place is unknown. Altogether, 66,655 Canadians died in the First World War.

The 100-hectare park surrounding the Memorial has been largely reforested to prevent erosion. Today's visitor will find the ground pock-marked with shell holes from artillery bombardment. Trenches and subways or tunnels have also been restored and preserved and the visitor can picture the magnitude of the task that faced the Canadian Corps on that distant dawn when history was made.

The Canadian National Vimy Memorial is open to the public all year round from sunrise to sunset and is free of charge. For more information about Vimy or other Wars in which Canadians fought, you can visit the Veteran's Affairs internet site which is at www.vac-acc.gc.ca or contact my office for publications.

In August, I was pleased to be appointed by Prime Minister Chretien as the Parliamentary Secretary ("PS") to the Minister of Public Works and Government Services Canada ("PWGSC"), the Honourable Alfonso Gagliano.

As a PS, my role as a Member of Parliament changes substantially in Ottawa but not in Mississauga. In Mississauga, I continue to run a full service office to care for the needs of the constituents. My staff is very experienced and can handle most issues which come to their attention. When I am in Ottawa, they are also in daily contact with me to consult as necessary and to schedule appointments for constituents.

The real changes in my work relate to my duties in Ottawa. As a so-called back-bencher, my work in Ottawa was primarily to serve on the Finance and Health Committees of the House of Commons, to participate in a wide variety of caucus activities and to pursue Private Member's legislative initiatives. As a PS, my work in Ottawa changes to primarily supporting and backing-up the Minister of PWGSC. This includes responsibilities such as answering questions for him during Question Period in Parliament and delivering speeches and representing him on official business in Canada and around the world. The position also required that I be sworn in to authorize me to speak on behalf of the government and be given security clearance to authorize my access to information on a confidential basis. Similar to Cabinet Ministers, I was also required to arrange my personal affairs to comply with conflict of interest guidelines of the Government of Canada.

On September 6th, I was sworn in as a PS. Since that time, I have had detailed briefings on all areas of responsibility affecting my Ministry and these will continue on a regular basis. In addition, I will receive daily briefings on current and emerging issues which may come up at Question Period or on other occasions on which I am representing the Minister.

The Ministry of Public Works and Government Services Canada is one of the most diverse portfolios in the Government. The following is a brief overview of its responsibilities:.

• Operates central purchasing for the Government of Canada. Annual purchases are about $8 billion and involve over 50,000 contracts.
• Manages all government telecommunications, information management and information technology.
• Provides property, accommodation and building management services for Parliament and Government of Canada departments.
• Provides project management for major construction and restoration projects of Canada's heritage and historic sites.
• Manages the development and implementation of sound environmental practices for government operations and activities.
• Provides the banking and disbursing services of all public monies for the Federal Government. This includes over 195 million payments to Canadians for items such as pensions and other benefits.
• Provides a broad range of other services to government departments including financial administration, compensation administration, translation services, management consulting, auditing, standards development and certification, publishing, central freight, travel and transportation management and crown assets disposition.

Public Works and Government Services is also responsible for several Crown corporations and departmental agencies including:

• Canada Information Office which provides accurate information about Canada to its citizens and the rest of the world.
• Canada Lands Company Limited which creates value from surplus government properties through timely sales and development, and manages holdings of certain properties owned by the Government of Canada.
• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation which is the Government of Canada's housing agency and is active in such areas as mortgage insurance, housing assistance, research and information transfer, assisted housing and housing export promotion.
• Canada Post Corporation which serves Canadians, businesses and organizations with secure delivery of over 10 billion letters and parcels throughout Canada each year.
• Defence Construction Canada which provides contracting, contract management and environmental project management services to assist with the construction programs of the Department of National Defence.
• Old Port of Montreal Corporation Inc. which manages recreational programs on Government of Canada owned urban waterfront properties in Montreal.
• Queens Quay West Land Corporation which manages Federal Government funding which is provided to the Toronto Harbourfront Centre.
• The Royal Canadian Mint which produces all Canada's coins as well as coins for 14 other countries at its facilities in Winnipeg. At its Ottawa facility, the Mint produces Canadian and foreign collector coins, custom medals and precious metal investment products. They also provide gold refining and assay services.

With this broad range of responsibilities, Public Works and Government Services Canada has established a number of customized communication links. Its Toronto telephone number and Internet address are 416-512-5500 and www.pwgsc.gc.ca . You may also find the following links to be of interest:

• Information Canada which provides information on every department, agency and Crown Corporation in the Government of Canada 1-800-622-6232 or www.canada.gc.ca
• Contracts Canada which provides information, assistance and registration on doing business with the Government of Canada 1-800-811-1148 or www.contractscanada.gc.ca
• Other useful contacts are detailed on the main Internet site.

This summer, I had the opportunity to meet with representatives of Big Brothers of Peel. I was most impressed by the organization's efforts to promote a healthier and safer environment for children thereby permitting them the opportunity to develop into responsible and caring adults.

A Big Brother

• Is a man 18 and over who spends a few hours per week with a young boy from a male-absent home;
• Can be from any walk of life and has the time and interest to spend with a boy;
• Is carefully screened and provided with some basic training before being matched with his Little Brother;
• Shares a variety of interests with his Little Brother and will develop a rewarding friendship.

A Little Brother

• Is a boy between 13 and 17 years of age who comes from a male-absent home;
• Is an average kid who just needs some male companionship and to know that he can count on his Big Brother to be there for him;
• Shares similar interests with his Big Brother and enjoys watching videos, washing the car, bike riding and just being together.

Being a Big Brother is a chance to make a real difference in someone's life, especially yours. While the boys gain confidence from a reliable and consistent male presence, the men get to enjoy being a kid again and experience the rewards of making a friend.

Big Brothers also have created the Mentoring Program which involves as little as 1 hour per week and the Couples for Kids Program where couples are matched with a child. For more information, you can call them at 905-459-3373.

From 1996 to 1999, Canadians lost more than $35 million because of telephone fraud. Most scams target seniors; in 1999, three quarters of victims of fraud were aged 60 or older.

Telemarketing is the selling of goods or services over the telephone - everything from magazines to carpeting. It also includes soliciting funds for charities. This activity is legal but may involve dishonesty.

New laws were put into place under the Competition Act to protect Canadians from dishonest telemarketers. The laws clearly define deceptive telemarketing as person to person calls that are used to make false or misleading representation in promoting the supply of a product or business interest.

The best way to deal with telephone fraud or telephone scams is to beware. This includes watching out for the classic signs such as:

• An offer that sounds too good to be true or is available for a "limited time";
• A request for cash or a money order in advance to pay for something or to join a contest;
• Any instructions that require calling a 1-900 number;
• A caller that asks for private financial information; and
• A telephone call from an unknown "official" looking for detailed personal information.

To avoid being a victim of a telephone scam, check out the caller by requesting information about them and getting a call-back number or references. Also, take care when giving out confidential personal information, especially banking or credit card details. If in doubt, always remember that it is safest to just hang up. If you suspect that you or others are victims of any criminal scheme, you can get information at http://competion.ic.gc.ca or report suspicious incidents by calling the Competition Bureau at 800-348-5358 or by electronic mail at compbureau@ic.gc.ca.

For the seventh year in a row, the United Nations has ranked Canada the best country in the world in which to live because of our quality of life. The annual Human Development Index rates the ability of 174 countries to provide their citizens with a high quality of life which includes a decent standard of living, literacy and a long and healthy life.

The report showed that life expectancy at birth and school enrollment in Canada has gone up in the last year while the long-term unemployment rate and percentage of Canadians living in poverty has gone down.

This recognition is a great honour of which we should all be very proud. When it comes down to it, improving the quality of life for its people is the most important responsibility of any government. That is why we need to continue to strengthen our economy by making crucial investments in health care, social programs, post-secondary education, research and innovation. Since 1993, over 2 million new jobs have been created. More Canadians are working than ever before and the unemployment rate is the lowest it has been in almost a quarter century.

Lessening the tax burden on Canadians is also an important priority. That is why the 2000 Budget announced a 5-year tax reduction plan which will deliver $58 billion in cumulative tax relief to Canadians. As a result of these reductions, a two-earner family of four with an income of $60,000 will save over $500 in the first year and over $1,500 in the fifth year. In addition, the maximum annual payments under the Canada Child Tax Benefit were increased by $250 per child as a result of measures included in the last two budgets.

As Canada's economic performance continues to improve, we can all look forward to more initiatives to improve the quality of life of all Canadians so that we remain the best country in the world.

Crime hurts not just its victims but all Canadians. As such, we expect our criminal justice system not only to deal properly with criminals but also to deter crime in the first place. Canada has earned international respect and admiration for the high degree of peace and order that we enjoy. Yet, because we live in a media age and are bombarded by details of the most terrible crimes, we often lose sight of that fact.

In July, Statistic Canada released the figures for 1999 and once again the crime rate has fallen. This was the eighth year in a row that the crime rate has fallen and it is now the lowest it has been in 20 years. Excluding drug and traffic offences, the number of criminal incidences fell by 5%. Violent crime was down by 2% while property offences dropped by 6%.

Youth crime continues to be an important priority area for Canadians. It was therefore good news to see youth crime drop by 7% for law breakers between 12 and 17 years of age. Violent crimes declined by 5% and property crimes declined by 11%. As well, the drop in the number of young people charged marks the fourth consecutive year of decline and the largest year over year drop since 1984. In 1999, the Youth Criminal Justice Act was introduced to replace and improve upon the Young Offenders Act. The new Act represents a major change in the way Canada deals with the problem of youth crime. It promotes the values of accountability, respect, responsibility and fairness by protecting the public by preventing crime; ensuring meaningful consequences for the full range of youth crime and by rehabilitating youth so that they can turn their lives around.

The 1999 overall reduction in crime was led by large declines in Quebec 7.8%, Ontario 7.4% and British Columbia 4.9%. The fast growing Greater Toronto Area, which includes Mississauga, also saw crime fall by 8% making it one of the safest places to live in Canada. Unfortunately, there was no decline in impaired driving.

Special personal messages of congratulations may be requested for those Birthdays and Anniversaries listed below. As these events are very important occasions, you may want to request a message, when applicable, from Her Majesty The Queen, the Governor General and the Prime Minister of Canada.

Greetings from Her Majesty the Queen are available for 100th Birthdays and every 5th year thereafter, and 60th Wedding Anniversaries and every 5th year thereafter. Please note that copies of birth certificates and marriage certificates are required by Government House for messages from The Queen.

Birthdays

75th and over - message from the Prime Minister

90th - 99th - message from the Governor General

100th and over - message from Her Majesty The Queen (copy of birth certificate required)

Wedding Anniversaries

25th and over - message from the Prime Minister

50th - 59th - message from the Governor General

60th and over - message from Her Majesty The Queen (copy of marriage certificate required)

Please complete this form to inform us of the occasion and return it postage free to my Constituency Office.

From July 6th to 10th, I had the opportunity to join an all-party delegation of Canadian Parliamentarians to the 9th Annual OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) Parliamentary Assembly in Bucharest, Romania. Canada has a vital interest in addressing the lingering threats to stability in Europe and our earned respect internationally gives us an important opportunity to play a leadership role in promoting stability in a volatile world.

The Assembly is comprised of Parliamentarians from global democracies and their discussions cover Political Affairs and Security, Democracy and Human Rights, Economic Affairs, Science, Technology and the Environment. My role was to participate in the General Committee on Political Affairs and Security. Specifically, Canada was promoting the rule of law and combating corruption. Recently, Canada had passed legislation on money laundering We are now the 12th country to fully comply with OSCE guidelines and we hoped to encourage other countries to accelerate their legislative efforts.

At Committee, a major resolution effectively condemning terrorism in conflicts, such as Chechenya, successfully passed. Arguing that the concurrent condemnation of human rights violations was equally important, I appealed to the Assembly to re-open the resolution. This required unanimous consent of the delegates and I was pleased to receive the consent to argue my point. In brief, I argued that civilization must first be civilized and that respect for sovereignty rights should not undermine the importance of respecting human rights. The amendment passed unanimously by the Political Affairs Committee and was reported to the full Assembly where it again passed without opposition. As a consequence, the amendment was incorporated in the final report titled the Bucharest Declaration. Needless to say, it was very satisfying to me to actively participate in my first foreign affairs assembly on behalf of the Parliament of Canada.

Diabetes is the leading cause of death by disease in Canada. Over 2 million Canadians have the disease and at least $9 billion is spent annually on treating diabetes and its complications. This disease is incurable but left untreated, it can lead to other serious health problems.

There are three main types of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and occurs when the pancreas produces very little or no insulin. The body needs insulin to use sugar for energy and 10% of diabetics have Type 1.

Type 2 diabetes affects almost 90% of diabetics. It occurs when the pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin or when the body doesn't effectively use the insulin that is produced. Type 2 usually develops in adulthood.

Type 3 is gestational diabetes. This is a temporary condition that occurs during pregnancy and affects two to four percent of all pregnancies. In these cases, both the mother and child are at greater risk of developing diabetes later in life.

Left untreated, high blood-sugar levels associated with diabetes can slowly damage small and large blood vessels. Complications can also result. Heart disease is three to six times more common in people with diabetes and blindness, kidney disease and impotence are also more prevalent.

Several factors increase your risk of developing diabetes. These include obesity, inactivity, family history, over 45 years of age or having given birth to a large baby (over 9 lbs). The symptoms of diabetes include frequent urination, changes in appetite, extreme fatigue, blurry vision, unusual thirst, unexplained weight loss, irritability or tingling in the hands or feet. Complications can be delayed or prevented with careful management. The first step is to see your doctor if you have any of the symptoms.

Visit us on the Internet: www.paulszabo.com

Mississauga Office Hours: Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Appointments can be scheduled during office hours or other arrangements can be made by calling the office.

Constituents may write to any Member of Parliament or Cabinet Minister postage free. Simply address your envelope to the particular Member, c/o House of Commons, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6. Your views and suggestions are important.