House of Commons Hansard #33 of the 35th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was budget.

Topics

Walter OstanekStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Liberal

Walt Lastewka Liberal St. Catharines, ON

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to congratulate a great Canadian and a member of my St. Catharines constituency, Mr. Walter Ostanek.

Walter Ostanek, better known as the polka king, received a second Grammy Award in New York last week. Walter Ostanek and his band won best polka album for Accordionally Yours .

As the member of Parliament for St. Catharines, I am pleased and proud to congratulate Mr. Ostanek on his success at the Grammys. Those of us from St. Catharines have known of Mr. Ostanek's talent for many years. His dedication to the pursuit of excellence is exemplified by this most recent achievement in the international music industry.

Congratulations to Walter Ostanek and his band.

Congregation Of Notre-Dame-Du-Bon-ConseilStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Bloc

Gilbert Fillion Bloc Chicoutimi, QC

Mr. Speaker, a century of teaching will be the theme of the centenary celebrated this year by the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Conseil, the only religious community founded in Chicoutimi. Theirs is a history of dedication which deserves our attention.

The Congregation has helped educate residents of the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean area, since 1894, without interruption. The sisters also extended their ministry to Charlevoix and the North Shore. Finally, they have also worked in various countries in Africa and in Chile.

I would therefore ask all members of this House to join the people of Chicoutimi in wishing the Sisters of Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Conseil a happy and prosperous centenary year.

Decorum In The HouseStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Reform

Allan Kerpan Reform Moose Jaw—Lake Centre, SK

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my colleagues in their efforts to maintain a true sense of decorum in this House.

I recently encountered many Canadians who were saddened and angry over remarks attributed to certain members in the House, one of whom alleged that some of us do not like Indians and then apologized. Television cameras recorded yet another member of the House calling other members racists.

My constituents have told me they are disappointed when members of the House malign each other. They are distressed that their House of Commons is in danger of being brought into disrepute by any member hurling abusive language about so freely.

The BudgetStatements By Members

March 9th, 1994 / 2 p.m.

Liberal

John Murphy Liberal Annapolis Valley—Hants, NS

Mr. Speaker, the budget is a key element in a much larger process, one that began last fall when Canadians told us they wanted a government that treated jobs as a priority.

We have listened. We have made sure that the changes are sensitive to those with the greatest need. With the changes to the unemployment insurance, for example, low income Canadians with dependants will receive increased benefits to 60 per cent. Also, small businesses have been telling us that if we reduce UI premiums, if we just give them a chance, they will create work for Canadians.

Now we have delivered. This must be seen in tandem with other actions we have taken to create jobs such as the infrastructure program, targeting of $800 million to innovative federal-provincial employment projects, a youth core, a youth internship project and our $1.9 billion support package for Atlantic Canada.

It is clear that this government is keeping its promise to Canadians.

Dr. Margaret ArkinstallStatements By Members

2 p.m.

Liberal

Karen Kraft Sloan Liberal York—Simcoe, ON

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to a great woman, Dr. Margaret Arkinstall.

I had the pleasure of meeting her just over a year go in my town of East Gwillimbury.

Dr. Arkinstall obtained a degree in medicine from the University of Toronto and set up practice with her husband, Dr. Bill Arkinstall, in Hearst, Ontario in 1931. They travelled by horse and cutter to look after people in lumber camps and remote homesteads.

Dr. Arkinstall was not only a medical practitioner at a time when it was rare to see women in medicine, she also wrote books. In addition, Dr. Arkinstall volunteered her time to the United Church Women's Missionary Society. Since 1948, Dr. Arkinstall has lived in East Gwillimbury with her family and practised medicine in Newmarket.

Dr. Arkinstall was awarded the first East Gwillimbury Citizen of the Year Award for her extraordinary contribution to the community.

I want to celebrate the contribution Dr. Margaret Arkinstall has made to Canada, her community and the advancement of women. Dr. Margaret is truly a great Canadian.

International Women's WeekStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Marlene Cowling Liberal Dauphin—Swan River, MB

Mr. Speaker, this is International Women's Week. As the only farm woman on the government side of the House, I would like to pay tribute to all of the rural farm women of Canada.

All of those women have over the years made a tremendous contribution to the social, cultural and economic life of rural Canada.

I would like to particularly highlight the contributions of the Women's Institute movement. The Women's Institute is an educational organization for personal development and community action. This is the mission statement of the Women's Institute. It is for this reason that it exists today and has existed for 96 years.

Tribute To André VigerStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Bloc

Maurice Bernier Bloc Mégantic—Compton—Stanstead, QC

Mr. Speaker, today I am proud to pay tribute to one of my constituents in the Eastern Townships, Mr. André Viger, who is well known nationally and internationally and was recently inducted into the Terry Fox Hall of Fame.

As a winner of many awards, including Olympic gold medals in the wheelchair runners category, Mr. Viger is living proof that one's determination, qualities and potential are in no way diminished by physical disabilities.

With his positive attitude, André Viger is very involved in a number of associations in Eastern Townships that help the disabled maximize their potential.

I would invite all members of this House to join me in extending our warmest congratulations to Mr. Viger. Speaking on behalf of all Quebecers and all Canadians, we are very proud of what he has achieved.

The EconomyStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Reform

Paul Forseth Reform New Westminster—Burnaby, BC

Mr. Speaker, unlike the talk from the government, some American governors are promising jobs, jobs, but with a difference. The results are in. Business Week magazine says that states with low taxes clearly perform better than states with high taxes. Since 1985 job growth in low tax states has been 65 per cent higher than in high tax states.

There is a tradeoff however. Cutting taxes lowers the tax haul. The resultant faster growth still does not quite compensate for lost revenue and that is where the other necessary step comes in.

Politicians must also reinvent the delivery of services. That means privatization and deregulation to reduce the cost of social services. This is not ideology. It is the hard evidence of what works.

Arctic Winter GamesStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Jack Iyerak Anawak Liberal Nunatsiaq, NT

[Editor's Note: Member spoke in Inuktitut.]

The Arctic Winter Games, a week long celebration of northern peoples and cultures, were officially opened by the Governor General last Sunday at Slave Lake.

Held every two years, the games are an international event with teams participating from Greenland, Russia, Alaska, Northwest Territories, Yukon and northern Alberta.

These games are unique for emphasizing culture along with competition. The games logo of three interlocking rings symbolizes equally athletic competition, cultural exhibition and social interchange.

In these games opposing teams help each other. Caring for others and sharing experience and knowledge are values strongly held by aboriginal peoples, northerners and all Canadians.

I want to wish the participants well and thank them for reminding us of the benefits of our rich cultural diversity and our common values.

Judy LamarshStatements By Members

2:05 p.m.

Liberal

Gary Pillitteri Liberal Niagara Falls, ON

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today on the occasion of International Women's Week to remember a formidable woman and a great politician who opened the doors for many Canadian women to enter politics.

I am referring of course to the hon. Judy LaMarsh who entered this House of Commons as the member for Niagara Falls, the riding I now have the honour of representing.

Judy LaMarsh was responsible for some of the Pearson government's more innovative legislation. From 1963 to 1965, under her aegis as Minister of National Health and Welfare, the Canada pension plan was implemented and Canada's medicare system was designed. She also established the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada.

When Judy LaMarsh entered politics, fewer than 10 women were sitting in the House of Commons. Now, while I speak, I can see around me many women colleagues. I know we owe a debt of gratitude to pioneers like Judy LaMarsh.

International Women's WeekStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Hedy Fry Liberal Vancouver Centre, BC

Mr. Speaker, in honour of International Women's Week I would like to recognize two extraordinary women in my riding, women who overcame great odds to achieve success.

One is Barbara Binns, a black Jamaican born Canadian who has devoted the last 20 years of her life to improving the lives of women in developing countries and to combating racism in Canada.

She has achieved this by working through CUSO, Canada World Youth, CIDA and the United Nations. When in Vancouver she teaches an anti-racism course at Langara College.

She was recently chosen by OXFAM to be an observer in the upcoming elections in South Africa and was recognized last month by CIDA with an award for her work.

The second woman, Faye, will graduate this year with a B.A. in communications from Simon Fraser University. She is 53, a mother of six children and suffered 17 years of violent, emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her husband. She left penniless and took charge of her children and her own life to achieve this remarkable success.

I salute the courage of these women.

Mil Davie ShipyardsStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Bloc

Antoine Dubé Bloc Lévis, QC

Mr. Speaker, last week I took part in a truly exceptional event, namely the founding of a coalition of the main political parties in the federal riding of Lévis and the provincial ridings of Lévis and Chutes-de-la-Chaudière. The coalition, which was established to promote a business plan for MIL Davie shipyards, is composed, at the provincial level, of representatives of the Parti québécois and of the Quebec Liberal Party and, at the federal level, of representatives of the Bloc Quebecois, of course, the Conservative Party, the New Democratic Party and even the Liberal Party of Canada.

The members of this coalition are calling on the federal government to move quickly in awarding the contract for the building of a ferry to provide service between the Magdalen Islands and the mainland to MIL Davie and to give priority consideration to the development of a prototype vessel, commonly referred to as a smart ship, so that this company can weather the transition period until such time as commercial shipbuilding picks up again.

Child CareStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Reform

Jim Silye Reform Calgary Centre, AB

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my concern with the discriminatory nature of the Income Tax Act, particularly the child care expense deduction.

Calgarians Jim and Laurie Boland were recently told in Federal Court that a parent who chooses to be at home with their child is not entitled to the same privileges as those who pay for child care.

The Income Tax Act admittedly denies the Bolands equal benefit under the law, but because stay at home parents are not a "discrete and insular minority" they are not protected by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This legal discrimination must stop.

Parents should be free to choose the form of child care which best suits their situation as opposed to having government reward one choice over another.

In this, the International Year of the Family, it is my intention to introduce a private member's bill on the topic of equal child care assistance to all needy families, regardless of the type of child care they choose.

Irving WhaleStatements By Members

2:10 p.m.

Liberal

Patrick Gagnon Liberal Bonaventure—Îles-De-La-Madeleine, QC

Mr. Speaker, last week the Gagnon-Easter committee held two rounds of consultations on the Irving Whale , a barge which sank 24 years ago between Prince Edward Island and the Magdalen Islands. These were the first public hearings into the wreck of the Irving Whale . I would like to sincerely congratulate the 24 witnesses who appeared before the Gagnon-Easter committee, the associations, scientists, municipalities and individuals whom we heard from and who made their position known to us.

I would also like to praise the professionalism and excellent co-operation I received from my colleague, Mr. Wayne Easter, the hon. member for Malpèque, Prince Edward Island. This democratic exercise allowed us to travel to our respective ridings and to listen to the public's concerns about this ecological time bomb.

I might also say that we accomplished more than the Minister of the Environment, now the Leader of the Opposition, ever did more than three years ago.

Rogers CommunicationsStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

NDP

Simon de Jong NDP Regina—Qu'Appelle, SK

Mr. Speaker, with the takeover of Maclean Hunter by Rogers a monopoly has been created that will have a profound effect on Canada in the years to come. Never before in the history of Canadian cultural industries has a development of this magnitude occurred.

This one company will now not only control a string of newspapers, magazines and radio stations but it will virtually control cable. One individual through his company has become the private owner of the information highway in Canada, controlling who gets on and what we will see.

This is not a great day for the free flow of information and ideas, for competition and for the Canadian entertainment industry. This deal is a turning point in Canada's technological and cultural future.

It is simply not good enough for the government to hide behind the CRTC and the competition review panel. It must develop its own position.

I urge the government to establish a parliamentary committee so that there is an open process to determine what is in the nation's interest when it comes to the ownership of our information highway.

By-Election In Shefford RidingStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Liberal

Martin Cauchon Liberal Outremont, QC

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to say a few words about the recent victory of the Quebec Liberal Party in the by-election in the riding of Shefford. This victory was a major one because it was a victory for the Liberal Party over the Parti Quebecois, which is in fact the boss of the Bloc Quebecois, the Official Opposition Party. This by-election was important because it set the tone for the coming provincial elections in Quebec.

We were able to gauge the mood of the Quebec electorate. It is obvious that voters want to hear about the economy, but they also sent us a clear message that the development of Quebec is also tied to Quebec's membership in the Canadian Federation.

Vietnam War MemorialStatements By Members

2:15 p.m.

Reform

Grant Hill Reform Macleod, AB

Mr. Speaker, between 1958 and 1975 an estimated 40,000 Canadians joined the American armed forces, many of whom served in southeast Asia and the war in Vietnam.

In Washington, D.C. today the names of over 100 Canadians who were killed or missing in action are listed on the Vietnam war memorial. One of those listed is a close family member of mine, Paul Stuart Laverock.

On July 9, 1994 a Canadian coalition will be unveiling the Canadian Vietnam veterans national memorial dedicated to those Canadians who gave their lives and to those who are still missing in southeast Asia.

The plan is for this memorial to be located in Ottawa. However, to date no crown land has been volunteered for this small yet highly symbolic memorial.

On behalf of those Canadians killed and missing in Vietnam and thousands of Canadians who lost loved ones to the war in Vietnam, I call upon the government today to provide a suitable plot of crown land for this memorial.

Publishing IndustryOral Question Period

2:15 p.m.

Lac-Saint-Jean Québec

Bloc

Lucien Bouchard BlocLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Canadian Heritage.

The sale of Ginn Publishing to Paramount Communications of New York is causing much concern in Canada's publishing world and cultural industry. We are about to see yet another instrument for the expression of cultural identity taken over by foreign interests. In addition, the whole operation has a clandestine air to it. It appears to have been conducted in secret on the strength of a verbal agreement of unknown origin.

Will the minister reveal the identity of the person responsible for this sell out of our interests to a foreign publisher?

Publishing IndustryOral Question Period

2:15 p.m.

Laval West Québec

Liberal

Michel Dupuy LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage

Mr. Speaker, I think that those responsible are the officials who closed the deal with my full support as well as the support of my colleague, the Minister of Industry who is responsible for Investment Canada.

I explained the situation a couple of days ago. This sale resulted from contractual commitments, which have been confirmed by the highest legal authorities in Canada. We simply fulfilled these commitments.

We have been able to negotiate with the American buyers a series of commitments which will foster the publication and distribution of books in Canada.

Publishing IndustryOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Lac-Saint-Jean Québec

Bloc

Lucien Bouchard BlocLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, the highest legal authorities in Canada are the courts, mainly the Supreme Court, yet this government did not dare bring the case to court.

How can the minister attach so much importance to a promise which was carefully excluded from the written agreements, particularly in light of the fact that the government of the time had publicly committed itself never to sell this company to anything other than Canadian publishing interests?

Publishing IndustryOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Laval West Québec

Liberal

Michel Dupuy LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage

Mr. Speaker, to answer that question, I think I would have to go check the history of this issue. It is almost ancient history by now. Under the previous government, there was a policy that the leader of the opposition must be familiar with, the Baie Comeau policy, requesting from American concerns acquiring Canadian book publishing companies that they make sure that these remain under Canadian control.

At the time, it was understood-and deals were made under this policy-that if a policy change occurred, then purchases made by the Canadian government under this policy would be cancelled, and the property sold back to the American owner. That is the Baie Comeau policy.

Later on, the Conservative government decided to change its policy and, therefore, fulfilled the commitments it had made. That government has now moved to the other side of this House, and we are delighted about that, but we have inherited contractual obligations that we have to fulfil.

Publishing IndustryOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Lac-Saint-Jean Québec

Bloc

Lucien Bouchard BlocLeader of the Opposition

Mr. Speaker, let us be clear. What the minister is speaking about is a legal obligation based on something that does not exist. There is no possibility for any Canadian, for any court, to look at the document or instrument from which arises this supposedly existing obligation.

The truth is that instead of fulfilling his duties and role as guardian of cultural heritage the minister has yielded to pressure from an American lobbyist. It does not bode well for the future.

How can the minister justify his refusal to cancel this agreement given the fact this government and this Prime Minister have already cancelled a duly completed contract concerning Pearson international airport? Why has his courage failed him in this case?

Publishing IndustryOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Ottawa South Ontario

Liberal

John Manley LiberalMinister of Industry

Mr. Speaker, it is important to add some clarification to this issue since the Leader of the Opposition who we all know has great interest in Canadian culture seems to be implying that Canadian interests were somehow ignored in this.

I want to make it clear as the minister responsible for Investment Canada there were a number of implications to this complete transaction which should be well understood.

What was reviewed by Investment Canada was an indirect acquisition of an already foreign owned company, Maxwell Macmillan Canada, which was in receivership. Part of that transaction when approved by Investment Canada obtained from Prentice-Hall certain valuable undertakings with respect to the Canadian publishing industry, which I think are a net gain for Canada.

In the context of those undertakings for example we have commitments to ensure a strong development program for new and upgraded Canadian material for educational programs. We have ensured that primary distributors for imported consumer book lines which were valued at approximately $4 million in 1993 will be Canadian controlled publishers and agents. We

have ensured support to the Canadian publishing industry infrastructure by maintaining an integrated warehousing system. There are other undertakings that were obtained in the context of this transaction.

Simultaneously, as the minister has said, CDIC did dispose of its interest in Ginn as part of a verbal commitment made by the previous government. That commitment was one which we found in our review was not going to be met by any potential Canadian purchaser.

In the context of obtaining very significant commitments as part of the acquisition we feel it was a net benefit to Canada.

Publishing IndustryOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Bloc

Suzanne Tremblay Bloc Rimouski—Témiscouata, QC

My question is addressed to the Minister of Industry.

On February 14 Viacom, an American corporation, took control of the Paramount group in the United States. This transaction will have a major impact on the ownership of the Canadian cultural industry since Paramount is a major player in that sector in Canada. It controls among others, Prentice-Hall, Ginn Publishing, Maxwell Canada and has a major stake in the Famous Players cinemas.

Since the Viacom-Paramount transaction represents a major shift to foreign ownership of the Canadian cultural industry, will the minister ask Investment Canada to review this transaction as is his prerogative under the Investment Canada Act?

Publishing IndustryOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Ottawa South Ontario

Liberal

John Manley LiberalMinister of Industry

Mr. Speaker, again I am delighted the Bloc Quebecois is so interested in protecting Canadian cultural sovereignty. That is good news for Canada.

I might inform the member it is unnecessary for me to give the direction she is asking because the transaction as an indirect acquisition of these Canadian companies is reviewable by Investment Canada as a matter of law.