Madam Speaker, I will address very briefly the particular motion that was just presented. I will put my interventions primarily in terms of our reasons for presenting the motions we wish the bill be amended to meet. I would like to focus and couch my remarks in terms of three principles.
First, there ought to be within legislation checks and balances to ensure openness, honesty and integrity on the part of government and on the part of the ministers who bring about the implementation of government policies.
Second, it is the marketplace that should determine winners and losers in business, not government.
Third, the government's role is to provide a level playing field so that competition can be equal, that there be fair administration and that the refereeing be done in such a way that the conduct of manufacturing, trade and commerce is in fact fair and equitable.
The result of these kinds of principles would be to develop confidence in business and government and of course in oneself. It would enhance international competitiveness for the nation and for individual businesses. Another consequence is the ability to meet the challenge of a new economy which is so necessary.
The Department of Industry is a major and very important department in this government. It has a wide ranging impact on the economy of this country and indeed on the jobs and on the welfare of many Canadians at all age levels. It is important that we recognize the significance of this department.
This legislation enshrines and should enshrine in this department as much scrutiny as possible so that we can determine precisely what is or is not meant in the particular clauses. This is why I wish to address these particular motions whereby we want to bring about certain amendments.
I wish to start with the amendment to clause 8(a). Our amendment proposes that clause 8(a) be deleted. Now clause 8(a) reads that the minister shall: "promote economic development in areas of Ontario and Quebec where low incomes and slow economic growth are prevalent or where opportunities for productive employment are inadequate".
The reason we would like to see that stricken from the clause is that in principle we object to the idea of regional development for a minister who has responsibility for all of Canada. There is a conflict of interest here in principle to begin with. One should not prefer one region of the country over another. Certainly that is implicit in this kind of provision.
Regional programs have proven to be preferential and the way in which certain pork barrelling projects have been created, many of them questionable and sometimes with disastrous results. The government being engaged in these types of things separates regions in one area of the country from another. That in itself is disunifying. It divides the country rather than brings it together, which is what we want to do. I personally and the Reform Party want to bring about equality rather than divisiveness. In order to accomplish that the provision in the act found in clause 8(a) needs to be taken away.
With respect to clause 9, our proposal is to delete the clause completely. That of course is the administrative, or if you like, the empowerment section which gives the minister the way in which he or she would implement the provisions found in clause 8(a). By eliminating that clause the minister would not have the authority to go into regional development specifically in Ontario and Quebec.
Our amendment with respect to clause 10 is simply an administrative one. If we eliminate clause 8(a) and we eliminate clause 9, then of course we have to make the consequential change in clause 10.
There is a confusion in the provisions of clauses 8(b) and 8(c). Upon initial reading it would appear that they would apply to clause 8(a) in terms of Ontario and Quebec. But upon a more detailed reading and in an in depth situation they could be
interpreted as applying to all of Canada. In that case the situation is such that the minister may now have full responsibility for the economic development in areas where there is low income or where jobs are not plentiful. He can then intervene in the particular business promotion in any area of Quebec.
Because of its lack of clarity it is suggested that this be rewritten in such a way that misinterpretation cannot take place. If clause 8(a) is deleted then the clarification becomes unnecessary because it is then obvious.
To conclude my remarks on these motions, this section on regional development does not uphold the three principles which I mentioned earlier. It does not inspire Canadians to feel that their government is open, honest and possessed of great amounts of integrity. It does not provide for a level playing field in the marketplace and it does not provide for a clearly refereed game.
It does not allow the marketplace to determine the outcome. In other words, it gives to the government and to the minister, in particular, the power to intervene and to determine who wins and who loses. Because these principles are not observed we must recognize that we should go ahead with these. I hope that all colleagues will recognize that certain changes to the act must be made.
I would like to add a brief word about the Bloc's amendment. If clauses 8(b) and 8(c) are interpreted to give to the minister the wide-ranging powers for all of Canada, to accept an amendment such as was proposed by the Bloc a moment ago would give to the lieutenant-governor in council in Quebec the right to approve or disapprove economic development in the rest of Canada which, as far as I am concerned, warrants only one word to describe it, and that is ridiculous.
We have to be very careful that we not divide the country. We have enough stress already and to do something like this adds to that stress. If there is one thing we want to do it is to build a strong Canada that is competitive in the world, a Canada that provides for the innovation of people, that provides for a level playing field, that allows the creativity of entrepreneurs and creators at all levels to succeed, and to do so in fair competition with other individuals across Canada. No one province, no one individual should have the authority to decide who wins, who loses, other than on a fair playing field where the referee is honest, has integrity, is open and where the things that matter come to the fore.
Therefore, I urge that the Bloc's amendments be defeated and that the Reform Party's amendments be supported.