Jim Jones

[Year 2000 Problem, June 12th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, a serious situation exists in the marketplace today. It is so serious that it undermines the race against the clock that government and industry have been waging against the year 2000 millennium bug. Incredibly it is still possible for consumers to unknowingly purchase Y2K non-compliant computer products.

My question is for the Deputy Prime Minister. Will he agree to set a date for Y2K compliance of all computer hardware and software devices and incorporate it into the Canadian Standards Act?

[Supply, June 9th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Are we not supposed to be debating Motion No. 1 which is on justice and not on the overall budget?

[Year 2000, June 8th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the rats are fleeing the ship. Mr. Rummell left to avoid being the government's scapegoat when it ends up losing the race against the clock.

The millennium bug is a serious problem and the government needs to get it together within its ranks.

My question again is for the Prime Minister. Will he commit today to take personal responsibility and ownership when, 561 days and 9 hours from now, his government proves to be inadequately prepared for the next millennium?

[Year 2000, June 8th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the government's chief information officer, Mr. Paul Rummell, quit his job over the weekend to move to the private sector. This move comes in the middle of the millennium bug battle, the largest technology project Canada's government has ever seen.

Mr. Rummell would have had to prepare a report on the status of the project for his successor. Will the Prime Minister release this report to the public?

[Government Of Ontario, June 8th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to mark the third anniversary of the election of the Ontario Progressive Conservative government.

The accomplishments of this government are numerous: a 30% tax cut to be fully implemented on July 1, a full six months ahead of schedule; the largest 12 month job creation initiative in the province's history with 265,000 net new jobs between February 1997 and February 1998; a balanced approach to the deficit will see it eliminated by fiscal year 2000-2001; an economy which is growing faster than any of the G-7 industrial countries.

Lately Mike Harris has been the victim of savage attacks by the Prime Minister and his finance minister. The reality is they just cannot accept that it is possible to cut taxes, reduce the deficit and create jobs when your government is both progressive and conservative.

[The Year 2000, May 14th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, today's Y2K report states that Canada's major trading partners, specifically the Asian market, are falling far behind in the year 2000 implementation. The Prime Minister should also be aware that in the last two days the Canadian dollar dropped by more than half a cent largely due to the problems in Asian markets.

Will this government push in the G-8 meetings that all countries, regardless of economic or commercial interest, focus on making the Asian market aware of and comply with this immediate deadline?

[The Year 2000, May 14th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, many experts consider Canada to be a leader in the year 2000 problem from a global perspective. This problem is immediate, urgent, underestimated and spread worldwide. Currently every company and government is going at it on their own.

My question is for the Deputy Prime Minister. At the upcoming G-8 meetings will the Canadian government propose to take the lead and set up a global Y2K battle plan?

[Royal Canadian Mint, May 7th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, if Westaim were located in a Liberal riding we would not be having this debate right now.

In some countries when governments decide to take over certain industries it is referred to as nationalization. Others might refer to it as expropriation. The fair minded could legitimately call this political pork barrelling.

Will the minister agree to table a full listing of other industries his government has in its cross hairs so that these businesses can prepare for the onslaught?

[Royal Canadian Mint, May 7th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, since 1993 the Liberals have had a policy that government should not compete with private industry where business is better able to provide the service.

Yet today the government has introduced a bill that will put the Royal Canadian Mint into direct competition with Westaim, a successful Canadian company, and jeopardize the future of 120 workers.

My question is for the minister of public works. Is it now the policy of your Liberal government to use federal borrowing power to destroy successful Canadian companies?

[Supply, April 23rd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. Will the parliamentary secretary put his question? He has been going on long enough.