Jag Bhaduria

[Business Studies Competition, March 22nd, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate seven high school students from my riding who recently were named to represent Ontario at DECA, the premier academic competition in North America for high school business students.

The Markham students who qualified through the provincial competition are Maha Hussain, Julie Ward, Alyson Pownall, Seung-Oh Chung, Ian Tien, Chris Vollmar and Rebecca Habashy. These elite students will now compete for top honours at the North American competition to be held in St. Louis, Missouri from April 28 to May 2.

The competition in St. Louis will feature 10,000 of the best business studies students across America. It is a showcase for student achievement and progress. These Markham students will compete in a series of oral and written examinations in numerous academic areas.

On behalf of all members of the House I wish these students success. I am quite sure these young women and men will represent our country well in the competition.

[Jamel Twins, March 15th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to extend my congratulations and appreciation to Mr. S.G.P. Jafry, a prominent member of the South Asian community, and to the Scarborough Muslim Association. Mr. Jafry was the fund raising co-ordinator respon-

sible for raising over $175,000 to offset the costs of surgery and care of the Jamel twins.

These 2-year old children arrived from Pakistan last November to have extremely delicate surgery. Since birth they had been joined at the head. On January 23, 1995 a 23-member team of surgeons at the Toronto Hospital for Sick Children performed over 15 hours of surgery.

There have been only 30 such operations performed worldwide and in 60 per cent of the operations only one of the children survives. Young Hira Jamel survived but her sister Nida did not. On behalf of the House, I wish to convey my condolences to the Jamel family. I am sure everyone is hoping for a full and complete recovery for young Hira Jamel.

[Interest Rates, March 1st, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, now that the federal government has tabled its 1995 budget, a tough budget that will suit the wishes of international investors, it is time to get down to the serious business of controlling our financial destiny.

The federal government must instruct the Bank of Canada to bring the effective interest rate down from the present superficially high level. A lower interest rate will result in increased job growth for Canadians. It will greatly assist small and medium sized businesses.

Interest rates should be brought down by at least 2 percentage points. One result of this move would be lower interest payments to foreign investors. Another would be that small and medium sized businesses could afford to borrow money for expansion, thereby creating jobs.

We need a made in Canada interest rate. We have to control our interest rates in order to achieve a balanced budget in the long run.

[Petitions, February 27th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table two petitions signed by the constituents of Markham-Whitchurch-Stouffville.

The petitioners call on the government to declare 1995 as a tax freeze year to show leadership to all Canadians, not to increase the tax burden on middle and low income working Canadians and to reduce the deficit by cutting wastage and by reducing the overall expenses of every government department by at least 5 per cent.

[Banks, February 22nd, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, this morning four national banking institutions raised their lending rates in reaction to the Bank of Canada's rate hike yesterday to a one year high of 8.38 per cent.

Just as last week when Moody's Investors Service put Canada's AAA domestic bond rating on a credit watch, now our own institutions have shown a complete lack of understanding of our deficit problem. It is extremely shocking and saddening when our national institutions do not have the patience and presence of mind to wait for the budget.

Maybe the finance minister will slash the budget drastically to control the deficit. I fail to understand why the bogeyman of inflation created by the previous government is being resurrected once again.

With inflation presently running low, there is no need for higher interest rates. The increased rates will hamper job creation and hurt small businesses, as it will thousands of Canadians who have to renew their mortgages this year.

It is time for the Bank of Canada to initiate systems policies-

[Taxation, February 7th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, for 15 months now Canadians have supported the federal government's policy of deficit reduction and job development. We are all acutely aware of the impact these policies will have on the economic development of Canada.

Now with the impending budget Canadians are getting nervous because deficit reduction targets will not be met. They are nervous because of strong rumours of proposed tax increases in the budget.

Low and middle income Canadians have been taxed enough. They have been burdened by government mismanagement and excessive spending for too long.

I have proposed a solution to the Minister of Finance, a solution that every low and middle income earner in Canada will support. The solution is to designate 1995 a tax freeze year for low and middle income earning Canadians. It is time for the federal government to show leadership on this matter.

[Department Of Canadian Heritage Act, December 15th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, I will be voting nay.

(The House divided on the motion, which was negatived on the following division:)

[Department Of Canadian Heritage Act, December 15th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, I will be voting nay.

[Department Of Canadian Heritage Act, December 15th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, I will be voting nay.

(The House divided on the motion, which was negatived on the following division:)

[Department Of Canadian Heritage Act, December 15th, 1994]

Madam Speaker, I will be voting nay.

(The House divided on the motion, which was negatived on the following division:)