Debates of April 26th, 1994

The Economy

[Some hon. members]

More, more.

[Preston Manning, Reform, Calgary Southwest, AB]

Mr. Speaker, we are getting question period reversed here. We will be happy to answer the questions.

In seriousness, the Prime Minister did not answer my simple and direct question. I will repeat it. All we are looking for is a straight answer. Could the Prime Minister assure members of the House that if they were to reduce the spending estimates presented to them in committee the government would accept those reductions and not regard them as an expression of non-confidence in the government's budget?

I ask this not just on behalf of committee members on this side of the House but on behalf of members on all sides of the House.

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is all come and go in the committee and make the recommendations and get the recommendations. We would be happy with that. That is why we have committees. It is very easy to make a big statement here.

Whenever I suggest areas where we could cut, members of the Reform Party say we should not cut. They should make up their minds. They are obsessed with only one or two programs, such as bilingualism. They would not reduce the deficit with that one. Later on when we are faced with those who want to separate from this country they will blame me because I did not want to have a policy to keep the country together.

[The Speaker]

I am starting to get that old feeling again.

Election Act

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister. The Quebec director general of elections, Mr. Pierre-F. Côté, has recognized yesterday that the Prime Minister and his ministers are not bound by the provisions of the Quebec Election Act, and those governing election expenses in particular. This means that the Prime Minister and his ministers can spend as much as they want during the election campaign without having to account for it, while other federal members of Parliament, including the Bloc Quebecois members, have to comply with the legislation.

My question is as follows: Does the Prime Minister undertake, on behalf of all the members of his government, to abide by the spirit of the Quebec Election Act during the next election campaign, as requested by the Quebec director general of elections, for the sake of democratic fairness?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I have not read the report in question. Are you afraid that I will go and campaign in Quebec?

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Saint-Maurice, QC]

Good. I will certainly find opportunities to let the people of Quebec know that it would be disastrous if the separatists were to be elected.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Saint-Maurice, QC]

And that would not cost a fortune. I can assure this House that I have no intention of abusing my privileges as Prime Minister of Canada during the election campaign. I will respect the wishes of the people of Quebec. Of course, opportunities will arise for me and my ministers to express our views. But do not worry, we will not go overboard. However, we will continue to represent the government, and as such, we have the right to speak in any province during an election. We will avail ourselves of that right. I think

that, unlike Mr. Parizeau, Mr. Johnson does not need the support of the federal party to win the election.

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we hope the Prime Minister will come and discuss the real issues in Quebec. But we do not want have to pay out of the tax dollars we send to Ottawa for the Brinks' trick he pulled off with Trudeau and his friends in the old days.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

I would like to ask the Prime Minister if he can promise not to launch large scale government advertising campaigns that could serve the interests of his federalist ally in Quebec. Can he promise not to waste public money for purely partisan purposes?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member can promise me that not one single member of the Bloc Quebecois or their constituency office staff will take any part in the election, that they will carry out their duty as members of Parliament and remain in Ottawa during the election, then I too will stay in Ottawa. That is a promise.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Saint-Maurice, QC]

So, if they do not agree at this time-

No, no; that is it. Because the 54 members from the Bloc Quebecois have staff working for them who are paid by the federal government to deal with problems concerning the federal government, and they should not be promoting the separation of Quebec using federal funds.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

Theme Park

[Elwin Hermanson, Reform, Kindersley—Lloydminster, SK]

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

In addition to the $20 billion in spending cuts that we tabled, we have a very practical example. Yesterday the Prime Minister referred to vast private sector support for the patronage theme park in his riding.

I would point out to the Prime Minister that Hydro Quebec, which is supplying almost all of the so-called private funding, is a provincial crown corporation. In fact the taxpayers of Canada and Quebec are contributing almost all of the funding for this boondoggle.

In light of the fact that this theme park is almost entirely funded by public funds and not the private sector, will the federal government withdraw its support for this doomed project?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the report that the member is using was published two years ago. After that it was reviewed and downsized and the provincial government and the federal government agreed to develop this park. It is a project that the community has been working on for a long time.

If it had done it through the infrastructure program, the federal government would have paid one third. Through this system it is paying less than 20 per cent. Just from the construction we will most likely get more than our share in income tax and other taxes that the project will generate.

[Elwin Hermanson, Reform, Kindersley—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, it is really disappointing to see the government with its blinders on. The report by the Federal Bureau of Regional Development on this project claims that the revenue generated by visitors to the park will be less than half of what is projected. The cost of maintaining the facility will be almost $900,000 per year higher than projected and to run the park properly it might have to triple its payroll.

The evidence indicates that this patronage park will run deficits every year.

I ask the Prime Minister whether his government is prepared to bail out this money pit year after year, or is the Prime Minister prepared to show some leadership and pull the plug on the boondoggle-no more federal funding?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the member is making the case. I just said that the document he is looking at was prepared in 1992. The project has been cut down to a more manageable level. The group has been told very clearly by the Quebec government and by the federal government that if it cannot make a go of it, it will not be able to come to us later on.

The local community is dedicated and committed to making it work and I am convinced it will work. We are making a small contribution compared to what Hydro Quebec is making. Hydro Quebec is very independent from the government; it is run completely separate. Ask any MLA and they will tell you.

Transport Canada

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

Mr. Speaker, we learned from a working paper drafted by Transport Canada that the minister of Transport is considering eliminating 14,000 jobs by privatizing several activities and going as far as privatizing all activities conducted by the Canadian Coast Guard.

Can the minister confirm that he is about to downsize its department by eliminating 14,000 jobs?

[Douglas Young, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, the budget includes a marketing process for Transport Canada operations.

We will examine all the activities the department is responsible for and carry out consultations which will enable us to still provide Canadians with safe, but also efficient services. The hon. member will be informed as soon as the decision is made.

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

I have a supplementary question, Mr. Speaker. Can the minister confirm that his government will privatize the Coast Guard, hence decreasing the competitiveness of ports along the St. Lawrence Seaway and forcing shipowners to look for someone to foot the bill, which will come to about $200 million a year?

[Douglas Young, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, we have heard from the Official Opposition and from other parties in the House that we need to put our financial affairs in order, that we have to address all of the areas of government where there is a possibility of reducing costs and being more efficient.

We are going to look at the entire ambit of activities for which Transport Canada is responsible, including the coast guard. We are going to be very careful at maintaining what we think is our fiduciary responsibility of providing security for Canadians in all modes of transport. But we are going to look at all possibilities in consultation with provinces and with the clients that we have to serve.

We have not made any decisions on this except to do the very best we can in making sure that we provide an effective, integrated Transport Canada policy in all areas that we are responsible for.