Debates of Jan. 20th, 1994

Schindler's List

[Dan McTeague, Liberal, Ontario, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the film "Schindler's List" depicts what can occur when racism is permitted to go unchallenged or, even worse, ignored.

The increased incidence of racism and hate propaganda in Canada, as well as the tragic events in Eastern Europe, demonstrate that the atrocities of the Second World War related in the movie cannot be viewed as an isolated event or a historical aberration.

The horrors of the past could be repeated-in fact they have already been repeated-if we do not fight racism. MCA Universal gave me the authorization to show, for the benefit of all parlementarians, the movie "Schindler's List" this evening. We, the legislators representing the various regions of our country, have the obligation, towards our voters and towards all Canadians, to support the efforts of those who fight against racism, both here and throughout the world.

I would like to thank MCA Universal for their support and I also wish to thank my colleagues in this House and in the other place.

Los Angeles Earthquake

[Sarkis Assadourian, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on January 17, 1994 at approximately 7.30 a.m. eastern standard time a severe earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale struck the city of Los Angeles.

Due to the severity of the earthquake over 25,000 people were left homeless, 45 are dead and over 2,000 are injured.

I wish to express my great sense of sorrow to these individuals and at the same time urge the Prime Minister on behalf of this House to convey our condolences to President Clinton and the victims of the disaster.

No doubt in the near future when we know the full extent of this earthquake we will know more about this tragedy.

Inter-City Products Canada Limited

[Jane Stewart, Liberal, Brant, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is with great concern and regret that I announce a plant closing in my riding of Brant.

Today Inter-City Products Canada Limited is closing its Elgin Street plant in the city of Brantford. Three hundred men and women will be looking for employment come tomorrow. Inter-City has been part of our community for 45 years. It has had to rationalize and downsize as a result of today's economic climate.

Our local Canada Employment Centre and the Industrial Adjustment Service are working with the company and with the union to support the employees. But I would encourage our ministers to continue to push hard with the infrastructure program in Ontario, with the initiatives that we have in support of small and medium-sized business and to develop new opportunities for our young people.

Brant needs this and so does Canada.

Canadian Blue Berets

[Jean-Marc Jacob, Bloc, Charlesbourg, QC]

Mr. Speaker, like my colleagues, I wish to take this first opportunity to congratulate you on your election as Speaker of this House.

I would like to draw your attention to a situation which, I am sure, is a matter of concern to all members of this House. I am referring to our Canadian Blue Berets who are doing an exceptional job of peacekeeping and promoting peace on the international scene.

I would like to express, on behalf of Quebecers and Canadians, some very serious concerns about their safety. I would therefore ask the government to provide guarantees that any NATO intervention would not have the effect of jeopardizing the safety or endangering the lives of 150 Blue Berets trapped at Srebrenica, most of whom are from CFB Valcartier, located in Charlesbourg, my riding.

Winter Games

[Raymond Lavigne, Liberal, Verdun—Saint-Paul, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate you on your election as Speaker of this House, and I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the people in Verdun-Saint-Paul, including Pointe-Saint-Charles, for placing their trust in me for the next four years.

I want to thank all the people of the riding of Verdun-Saint-Paul including Pointe-Saint-Charles for the mandate they have given me for the next four years.

Today the Canadian Olympic Association announced simultaneously, in Montreal and Calgary, the membership of the Canadian team. I would like to salute these 105 athletes, the best in the country, 31 women and 74 men, with a large representation from Quebec, who will represent Canada at the Lillehammer Winter Games in Norway next February.

I want to take this opportunity to congratulate our athletes and their coaches, parents and families, and all those who helped train our Olympic team.

Let us celebrate and wish them the best of luck.

Throne Speech Debate

[Ed Harper, Reform, Simcoe Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to raise an issue of concern to millions of Canadians regarding the activities in this House yesterday.

Much to my disappointment the focus of the affairs of this place yesterday was on the constitutional future of Quebec. The three parties in this House each said during the recent election that the economy and getting Canada back to work would be the number one item on the agenda of this Parliament.

As a member from the province of Ontario, I would remind hon. members that the time will come when the Quebec-Canada issue will rise on the agenda. Until that time on behalf of Canadians in all provinces, the unemployed and those faced with uncertain futures, this House must concentrate on economic and social issues.

Agriculture

[Rose-Marie Ur, Liberal, Lambton—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the single largest industry in my riding of Lambton-Middlesex is agriculture, producing nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars worth of product in 1991.

Since the conclusion of the Uruguay round of GATT negotiations last December I have received numerous inquiries from concerned constituents who have expressed reservations about the continued state of health of Canada's supply management system. This system has benefited farmers and has provided consumers with a constant supply of high quality food.

Canada's tariff offers for agricultural products were tabled recently in Geneva. I am deeply concerned about reports that Canada's original tariff proposals for ice cream and yogurt may be lowered.

I would like to urge the Minister of Agriculture to ensure that the tariff levels and the mechanisms to enforce them provide effective controls for agricultural products.

Violence

[Roger Simmons, Liberal, Burin—St. George's, NL]

Mr. Speaker, we are told in the throne speech that steps are going to be taken to deal with violence against women and children. It is about time. The figures are absolutely terrifying.

One out of every two Canadian women have known violence firsthand. In four out of five cases it first happened when they were children. Six out of ten women in Canada fear for their safety and their lives if they walk alone in their own neighbourhood after dark.

Freedom of movement is a marvellous democratic ideal. However for millions of Canadian women it is not yet a reality. We can do better than that. We must. In this Year of the Family let us see to it by starting to put an end to violence against women and children.

Île D'Orléans Potatoes

[Michel Guimond, Bloc, Beauport—Montmorency—Orléans, QC]

Mr. Speaker, potato producers in the magnificent riding of Beauport-Montmorency-Orléans have suffered enormous losses in 1991 due to a virus. These losses amounted to about $546,000 for potatoes stored on the farm and close to $468,000 for potatoes stored at the wholesale level, which means more than a million dollars altogether.

Producers from Île d'Orléans have forwarded to the former Minister of Agriculture a complete file on the causes of these losses, on the amounts of money involved and on the compensation requested. The present Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food has received a copy of this file.

In the past, compensation was paid to Maritime producers who suffered similar losses. The uneven way Maritime producers and Quebec producers are treated is unacceptable. We demand that this issue be given the attention it requires and that potato producers in the Île d'Orléans be properly and promptly compensated.

Auditor General's Report

[Jean-Robert Gauthier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General can table only one report a year. This report on the strategic and operational management of the federal government is of extreme importance.

As do many Canadians, I believe that the time has come-to better understand what deficits and debt mean, to better manage department and agency budgets; to better inform Canadians on federal programs and their efficiency; to better amend our laws to make them more easily understandable-to seriously contemplate amending the Auditor General Act, to enable him to prepare not only one yearly report, but ad hoc reports which

would provide this House with the information required to manage the country in the best possible way.

Registered Retirement Savings Plan

[Sharon Hayes, Reform, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to address an issue of great concern to millions and millions of Canadians who are sincerely worried about their financial well-being in their retirement years.

It is no secret that previous governments have underestimated the financial reserves that will be available to retiring Canadians after the year 2000. That is why so many Canadians, many of whom voted for members on the government side, have been diligent about paying into their private registered retirement savings plans.

Yesterday in response to a question from the member for Calgary Centre the Minister of Finance would not guarantee Canadians that there would be no tinkering with the amounts Canadians are permitted to pay into RRSPs.

Canadians and this House need an unequivocal guarantee from this government that there will be no tinkering and no tax grabs or-

[The Speaker]

I regret the hon. member's time has expired.

Tobacco Smuggling

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Speaker, tobacco smuggling is not a victimless crime. When tobacco is smuggled taxes are lost, revenue is lost. Our country needs this revenue in order to fund social programs, lower the deficit and also of course to fund job creation initiatives.

There are even more important reasons yet why we want to curb tobacco smuggling. It is because the crime of selling and buying illegal cigarettes is associated with violence and disrespect for law. More sinister is the fact that the money from this activity ends up straight in the pockets of motorcycle gangs, the underworld and other undesirables. Those moneys are used to fund more crime, more violence, gun running and so on.

Let us all work together to put an end to tobacco smuggling in Canada.

Health Care

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in answer to one of my questions, the Prime Minister quite frankly admitted he was prepared to reduce health care expenditures, and I quote: "If we are able, working in co-operation with the provinces, to reduce the health care expenditures of all levels of government, then both the provinces and the federal government will save money."

We also know that the Minister of Finance is in Montreal, on the first day of a two-day federal-provincial conference with his provincial counterparts.

I would like to ask the Prime Minister if, considering his position on reducing health care expenditures, he has instructed his Minister of Finance to convince or indeed oblige his provincial colleagues to reduce health care levels in the provinces by agreeing to a reduction in provincial transfer payments.

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, as I have said before, it is in the interests of all levels of government to try to reduce spending in all sectors, including health care. If governments were able to reduce spending in this area, both the provincial governments and the federal government would improve their financial situation. If they do not succeed, expenditures will remain at the same level.

However, I want to try. In fact, this House wants the entire public sector in Canada to reduce spending levels, and all sectors should be examined, including health care.

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, how is it possible for anyone to take seriously the commitment made by the government in the speech from the throne to the sacred principles of the universality of the health care plan when we heard the Prime Minister say, as he said yesterday, that he had made a decision to reduce the level of resources devoted to health care?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, there are some universal health care services existing, for example, in Europe where they spend less than Canada in relation to their GNP. In the United States they do not have universal medicare and they spend 14 per cent of their GNP. In Canada we spend 9 per cent.

I know of some countries in Europe that have universal medicare which applies to all their citizens and they spend 7 per cent to 8 per cent of GNP. If we could be as good as them everybody would be saving money.

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I notice the Prime Minister is more interested in monetary matters than in the level of health care to be offered to Canadians.

Does the Prime Minister realize that the situation is already very disturbing for health care recipients-in Quebec, for instance, and I am sure it must be about the same anywhere else in Canada, there is a five-month wait for heart surgery and three months for radiation therapy -and that by using his proposed transfer payments to the provinces to improve spending cuts, he will further extend delays that are already unacceptable?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Canada's health care services are administered by the provincial governments, and we contribute to the financing of these programs. The provincial government's own administration may decide what its priorities in this area will be, and that is each government's responsibility. Federal transfer payments are for us a way to ensure that health care services are available and universal across Canada. However, each provincial administration is responsible for its own budget priorities. The Constitution, in fact, gives the provinces jurisdiction over this area.

Fisheries Management

[Yvan Bernier, Bloc, Gaspé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since this is the first time I speak in this House, I would like to congratulate you on your appointment.

My question is for the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. Mr. Speaker, regardless of the successive federal governments, fisheries management has been short-term, short-sighted and chaotic-so much so that the Auditor General told us yesterday that Ottawa gave grants to fishermen who had died or did not qualify. Not only is the department unable to manage marine resources but it also seems to be unable to manage financial resources.

My question therefore is this: What specific short-term measures does the minister intend to take to put the management of his department's programs back in order, as the Auditor General asks, since, let me add, his 6,000 officials no longer have any cod to manage?

[Brian Tobin, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question and I congratulate him on his new responsibilities.

Let me first of all make clear that the member asks what action this government will take to put order in POWA programs. The Auditor General's report is an assessment of the previous administration's program, and the Auditor General himself has noted that most of the concerns that have been raised have been dealt with.

Furthermore, the notion that funds were paid to people who were deceased in my reading of the Auditor General's report is nowhere to be found, although I understand an official said at some point perhaps that was possible.

Let me advise the member that notices have been sent to 1,300 individuals asking for complete and full repayment. That process is under way. This government, when it delivers its program post May 15, will do so in a professional, competent and first class manner that I know the member himself will be happy to applaud.

[Yvan Bernier, Bloc, Gaspé, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my second question is when? When can fishermen in Quebec and Canada, who are now living in total uncertainty, have an idea of what the minister will do after May 15, when the Fisheries Adjustment and Recovery Program ends? Will we have the traditional improvisation from the Department of Fisheries, that is, a presentation on May 14? Let me repeat: When will the minister lift the veil of uncertainty? When?

[Brian Tobin, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans]

Mr. Speaker, I want to assure the member opposite that we will not have an improvised approach. We will have an approach that is very much the result of wide and complete consultation with all provincial governments affected, including the province of Quebec.

I had a meeting with fisheries ministers from all the Atlantic region in Quebec City a few weeks ago. My colleague, the minister responsible for employment programming in Canada, human resources, met last week with representatives of all harvesters in Canada, including the province of Quebec.

The purpose of these meetings is consultation: to listen, to reflect upon the advice that is being given, and to ensure that when a program is delivered in this country it is the result of broad based public consultation at the community level.

The Constitution

[Preston Manning, Reform, Calgary Southwest, AB]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister has repeatedly said that he does not want to reopen constitutional issues at this time and that the priority of his government is jobs and economic growth. Yet yesterday he and other Liberal members were repeatedly drawn into

heated exchanges with Bloc members on the constitutional future of Quebec.

There are millions of Canadians including Quebecers who want Parliament to focus on deficit reduction, jobs and preserving social services.

Is the Prime Minister abandoning his commitment to stay out of the constitutional swamp or is it still his resolve to stick to economic, fiscal and social priorities?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, my answer is yes to the second part of the member's statement.