Dear Constituents,

In my last householder, I mentioned that my term as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister responsible for Public Works and Government Services was expiring at the end of the summer. Unexpectedly, the Prime Minister asked me to stay on until the end of the year.

On the cover I am pictured with some of the people I worked with showcasing the Government of Canada's computer software systems to communicate with individuals and businesses on virtually every aspect of government.

I have also been asked to serve on a new Standing Committee responsible for Estimates and Government Operations as well as to remain as a member of the Transport Committee. In the New Year, I expect some changes to my Parliamentary responsibilities.

In this householder, you will find a number of articles which I have written on matters which I hope you will find of interest. They include updates on the business of Parliament and on Stem Cell research plus features on John McCrae, Health, Voter Turnout, Governors General and the Environment.

The agenda in Parliament has been very full and I appreciate the thoughtful input I have received from so many constituents on a wide range of subjects. Knowing your views helps me to do a better job representing you in Ottawa.

As the year comes to an end, I hope that you and your family have a safe and happy holiday season.

Sincerely,

Paul Szabo

From our Family to yours,
we hope that you have a peaceful
and joyous Christmas season
and a very Happy New Year

Paul and Linda with their daughter Whitney (bottom right), their son Aaron with his new bride Pam (top left) and their daughter Reagan and her fiancé Marc (top right).

In September, Parliament prorogued, or terminated, the First Session of the 37th Parliament of Canada. To commence the Second Session, a new Speech from the Throne was given on September 30, 2002 to outline the plans of the government for the balance of this Parliament.

The Speech from the Throne sets out the government's plan to address the key issues facing Canada today, including measures to:

• Continue to balance our budgets and keep reducing the debt;
• Modernize the health-care system to meet the needs of Canadians today and in the future;
• Help children and families break out of poverty and ensure children have a good start in life;
• Improve the life chances of Aboriginals;
• Tackle the challenge of climate change and better protect the environment;
• Build competitive cities and help the communities to attract and retain talent and investment;
• Create a new partnership between government and citizens, based on greater transparency in public institutions and a renewed focus on responsible citizenship; and
• Continue to work to ensure the security of Canadians and to further reduce the global divide between the rich and poor.

Bills which were still in process at the end of the First session have been reinstated to the same point in the legislative process and therefore no work has been lost. These include the following Bills which have passed the House of Commons and are in the Senate:

• The Species at Risk Bill
• The Canadian Environmental Assessment Bill
• The Pest Control Bill
• The First Nations Governance Bill

Other Bills reinstated and still being considered by the House of Commons include:

• The Human Reproduction Bill
• The Specific Claims Bill
• The Cruelty To Animals Bill
• The Public Safety Bill
• The Nuclear Safety Bill
• The Canada Pension Plan Amendments Bill
• The Copyright Bill
• And The Amateur Sport Bill

New legislation to implement commitments in the Speech from the Throne include:

• The legislation establishing First Nations financial institutions;
• Legislation to protect children and other vulnerable members of society from exploitation;
• A national sex-offender registry;
• A family law package modernizing our divorce laws to promote the interests of children;
• Modernize citizenship laws;
• A new framework for the Archives and Library of Canada
• An ethics package including measures on an ethics counselor, lobbyists and political financing;
• Creation of a Code of Conduct for all Parliamentarians;
• An environmental assessment framework for the Yukon;
• The release of 92 year-old census records;
• An update on the Canada Airports Act;
• Update of income tax conventions with other countries;
• Ratification of the Kyoto Protocol.

The Royal Commission on Health Care and other studies on the future of our health system will also receive significant consideration as we prepare for the next Budget which is expected in the Spring.

John McCrae was the author of the world famous poem "In Flanders Fields". Born in Guelph, Ontario on November 30, 1872, he became a Doctor of Medicine. In 1899, he joined the army to fight in the South African War. He resigned his commission in 1904 and returned to Ontario to practice medicine.

On August 4, 1914, Canada declared war on Germany and he again joined the army. He was appointed Brigade-Surgeon to the First Brigade of the Canadian Forces Artillery. In April 1915, John McCrae was in the trenches near Ypres, Belgium in the area traditionally called Flanders. Some of the heaviest fighting of the First World War took place there during what was known as the Second Battle of Ypres.

On the day before he wrote his famous poem, one of McCrae's closet friends was killed in the fighting and buried in a makeshift grave with a simple wooden cross. Wild poppies were already beginning to bloom between the crosses marking the graves.

Soon after he wrote "In Flanders Fields", McCrae was transferred to the Canadian General Hospital in France where he was Chief of Medical Services. During the summer of 1917, he was suffering from severe asthma attacks and bronchitis. In January 1918, he became very ill with pneumonia and on January 28th, he died of both pneumonia and meningitis. John McCrae was buried with full military honours in Wimereux Cemetery just north of Boulogne not far from the fields of Flanders.

In part because of his poem's popularity, the poppy was adopted as the Flower of Remembrance for the war dead of Britain, France, the United States, Canada and other Commonwealth countries. McCrae House, the cottage in Guelph where he was born, has been preserved as a museum and garden of Remembrance.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days to ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

John McCrae - December 8, 1915

Reducing your risk of getting certain types of cancer and other diseases is just one of the reasons why you hear so much about cutting back on fat. The Canadian Cancer Society advises us to cut the fat in our diet back to 30% of our calorie intake.

The average woman needs about 1900 calories per day. If 30% of these calories are from fat and each gram of fat is equal to 9 calories, that amounts to 63 grams of fat per day. Similarly, the average man needs about 2700 calories per day. If 30% of these calories are from fat and each gram of fat is equal to 9 calories, that amounts to about 90 grams of fat per day.

Not all of us is going to be exactly like the average man or woman, but the 63 or 90 gram fat level is a guideline to aim for. If you are younger or very active, you need more calories and can get away with a few more grams of fat. But, if you are older or not very active, you won't need as many calories and therefore you should not eat as much fat.

Here is a range of food types which should give you an idea of the fat content:

• 3 oz. or 90g of trimmed meat - beef or pork 8g of fat, lamb 11g of fat and veal 6g of fat.
• Deli type meats - a hot dog 11g of fat, slice of ham 2g of fat and 2 slices of bacon 6g of fat.
• 3 oz. or 90g of poultry - white meat no skin 3g of fat, dark meat no skin 5g of fat and dark meat with skin 10g of fat.
• 3 oz. or 90g of fish - salmon 10g of fat, tuna canned in water 1g of fat and tuna canned in oil 9g of fat.
• Meat Substitutes - one large egg 5g of fat, ½ cup of most common nuts or seeds 40g of fat and one Tbsp of peanut butter 8g of fat.
• Milk Foods - 8 oz. of homo milk 9g of fat, 8 oz. of 2% milk 5g of fat and skim milk has no fat. 1.5 oz. or 45g of cheese 15g of fat, ½ cup of cottage cheese 5g of fat, ½ cup of rich ice cream 15g of fat and ½ cup of sherbet only 2g of fat. One Tbsp of Cream (10% BF) has 2g of fat.
• Grains and Pasta - most breads, cold cereal, rice and pasta only have traces of fat. A hot dog bun has 2g of fat and ½ cup of granola has 12g of fat. Muffins 12g of fat, donut 6g of fat and a piece of fruit pie 18g of fat. Most crackers have 1g of fat per cracker.
• Table Fats - 1 Tbsp of all oils have 14g of fat. 1 Tbsp of butter, margarine or mayonnaise has 11g of fat and 1Tbsp of sour cream has 3g of fat.
• Fruits and Vegetables - ½ medium avocado has 14g of fat but all other fruits and vegetables only have traces of fat.

Now for the good stuff:

• 1 cup of macaroni and cheese 23g of fat
• 1 slice of quiche lorraine 48g of fat
• 1 serving of lasagna 35g of fat
• A 55g bag of potato chips 20g of fat whereas pretzels have only small traces of fat
• 4 cups of air popped lightly buttered popcorn have 22g of fat whereas microwaved regular popcorn has only 5g of fat.
• One 55g chocolate bar has 20g of fat.
  " Two pieces of fried chicken have 26g of fat.
• Two slices of pizza with the works have 26g of fat but vegetarian slices only have 13g of fat.
• 6 chicken nuggets 19g of fat.
• Fish and chips 30g of fat
• One Big Mac 44g of fat & one regular fries 12g of fat.
• One fast food chicken sandwich 33g of fat.
• One frozen dinner 19g of fat.

The Canadian Cancer Society has some excellent heath literature.

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)

The last federal election saw the lowest voter turnout since Confederation. Only 61% of eligible voters exercised their right and this downward trend should be of concern. It should be noted that similar trends have been experienced at the provincial and municipal levels as well. Some leading political scientists decided to do an analysis and divided the electorate into four age groups:

Pre Baby-boomers - born before 1945 (56+ yrs old)
Baby-boomers - born between 1945 & 1959 (42-56 yrs old)
Generation X - born between 1960 & 1969 (32-41 yrs old)
Post Generation X - born after 1970 (18-31 yrs old)

The results found that those over 31 years of age actually had a stable voter turnout rate. However, Canadians born after 1970 had a voter turnout rate that declined to create a 30-point gap between the oldest and youngest groups. This is twice the 15-point gap that existed between these groups in 1993. Canadians over 41 years of age were most likely to vote whereas those under 42 were least likely to vote. There is a concern that younger Canadians may continue to avoid the polls as they get older and therefore, the overall turnout rate could continue to fall.

The researchers found that the two most important factors affecting turnout were the level of political interest and the level of political knowledge. The more interest people expressed in politics and the better informed they are, the more likely they are to vote. On every politically related question, the youngest group scored lower than the oldest and in almost every case they scored significantly lower.

There is no simple solution to this phenomenon, but since those elected, at all levels of government, affect the lives of all Canadians, we should do all we can to engage young Canadians on the issues being addressed by our elected representatives.

Canada has a rich history and part of that history is our leaders. Parliament is comprised of the House of Commons, the Senate and the Governor General who gives Royal Assent to legislation among other parliamentary duties. We have had 26 Governors General since Confederation. The following is a list with their date of assuming office:

1. July 1, 1867 - The Viscount Monck
2. February 2, 1869 - The Baron, Lord Lisgar of Lisgar
3. June 25, 1872 - The Earl of Dufferin
4. November 25, 1872 - The Marquess of Lorne
5. October 23, 1883 - The Marquess of Landsdowne
6. June 11, 1888 - The Baron, Lord Stanley of Preston
7. September 18, 1893 - The Earl of Aberdeen
8. November 12, 1898 - The Earl of Minto
9. December 10, 1904 - The Earl Grey
10. October 13, 1911 - The Duke of Connaught & Strathearn
11. November 11, 1916 - The Duke of Devonshire
12. August 11, 1921 - The Baron, Lord Byng of Vimy
13. October 2, 1926 - The Viscount Willingdon of Ratton
14. April 4, 1931 - The Earl of Bessborough
15. November 2, 1935 - Baron, Lord Tweedsmuir of Elsfield
16. June 21, 1940 - Maj. Gen. The Earl of Athlone
17. April 12, 1946 - The Viscount Alexander of Tunis
18. February 28, 1952 - The Rt. Hon. Vincent Massey
19. September 15, 1959 - The Rt. Hon. Georges Vanier
20. April 17, 1967 - The Rt. Hon. Roland Michener
21. January 14, 1972 - The Rt. Hon. Jules Leger
22. January 22, 1979 - The Rt. Hon. Edward Schreyer
23. May 14, 1984 - The Rt. Hon. Jeanne Sauve
24. January 29, 1990 - The Rt. Hon. Ramon Hnatyshyn
25. February 8, 1995 - The Rt. Hon. Romeo LeBlanc
26. October 7, 1999 - The Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson

As time goes on, you are seeing more and more news about the subject of stem cells. Recently, a woman suffering from leukemia received stem cells extracted from the umbilical cord blood of her child which had been stored after the child's birth. Her disease is in remission and her immune system has fully recovered.

Stem cells are found in virtually every organ of the human body as well as from umbilical cords, umbilical cord blood, placentas and human embryos. They have the unique ability to be able to repair damaged cells and it is hoped that one day they will be used to treat Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, diabetes, cancer and a whole host of other illnesses and diseases.

No one is opposed to stem cell research. The real controversy is a matter of where they come from. Researchers always thought that stem cells from embryos were superior to stem cells from other sources. As such, they were prepared to overlook the ethical controversy surrounding destroying human embryos to get them.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota Stem Cell Institute have now found that stem cells in the bone marrow of adult humans are capable of becoming virtually every cell type that occurs in the human body. Since embryonic stem cells are subject to immune rejection and would require lifelong anti rejection drugs, it appears that the case for concentrating on non-embryonic stem cells has been well established. Notwithstanding, researchers continue to push for the use of embryos for research.

Parliament had been dealing with Bill C-56 on reproductive technologies for over a year. This bill has been reintroduced in the new session of Parliament as Bill C-13 and hearings before the Standing Committee on Health were resumed. It is expected that this controversial Bill could take several months to complete.

The TD Friends of the Environment Foundation is a non-profit organization, established in 1990, that provides funding support for local environmental initiatives that:

• Protect and preserve the Canadian environment;
• Assist young Canadians in understanding and participating in environmental activities in local communities; and
• Enhance partnerships among environmental organizations.

Since inception, the foundation has contributed in excess of $28 million in support of more than 12,145 environmental projects in communities across Canada.

Mississauga South has been a beneficiary of the Foundation's investments. In 2001, The Foundation contributed a total of $50,000 to more than 19 environmental initiatives. In 2002, Mississauga South received $46,000 for more than 27 environmental programs.

If you have an existing environmental project or a new environmental initiative in Mississauga that needs funding support, you may wish to contact the Foundation. There are over 110 local TD Friends of the Environment Foundation chapters across Canada and each chapter has a local advisory board, comprised of employees and customers, that reviews funding applications and makes recommendations for funding. Applications are reviewed throughout the year. For more information about the foundation you can visit their web site or call them toll-free as follows:

www.fef.ca

1-800-361-5333

OTTAWA OFFICE MISSISSAUGA OFFICE

Room 175 1684 Lakeshore Road West

Confederation Building Unit 20

House of Commons Mississauga, Ontario

Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6 L5J 1J5

Telephone: 613-992-4848 905-822-2111

Fax: 613-996-3267 905-822-2115

Email: szabop@parl.gc.ca szabop1@parl.gc.ca

Visit us on the Internet: www.paulszabo.com

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.