Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Colleagues opposite know this will not wash with the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. I assure them of that.
If they really wanted to debate something that could be resolved quite easily they would have put some other subject matters on. They chose a particular contract, duly consummated between the Government of Quebec and the Government of Newfoundland. This has been adjudicated by the Supreme Court of Canada as being a binding, legal contract on the parties. What does the Reform Party do? It says it should be broken up. To hell with the Supreme Court of Canada.
What hypocrisy. What stupidity. What unbelievable arrogance on the part of the Reform Party to tell the people of Newfoundland and Labrador that the way to go is to break legally binding contracts.
The hon. member shakes his head. He says: "We are just looking for a new way to resolve this dispute", but he has not given one shred of evidence, one piece of constructive advice.
He disputes the government's position in dealing with this through the provision of internal trade agreements, which negotiations are being led by my very able colleague, the Minister of Industry, as well as the Minister of Natural Resources.
What is taking place here is nothing more than a sham by the Reform Party of Canada.
I thought its members might have talked about certain projects in the province of Newfoundland such as Hibernia, in which the Government of Canada has been involved. No, we have not heard from them on that initiative. They are probably against Hibernia, if the truth were known. If they are in favour of Hibernia, I would think the hon. member opposite would want to stand up to say he fully supports it.
Where are they on CFB Goose Bay? Where is the Reform Party on that issue? Silent. Not a word. Not a reference. No interventions relate to that. The base in Goose Bay, Labrador contributes about $128 million to the province's GDP. That was in 1992. It has probably increased substantially in recent years. It is a significant boost to the economy.
The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency is working with community groups intending to foster economic development in that region. Has the hon. member stood in his place and said we need more of that kind of assistance and intervention by the state? No. His colleague stands in the House to criticize minister after minister who is trying to make money available for the purposes of economic development.