House of Commons Hansard #62 of the 35th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was taxes.

Topics

TaxationOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Reform

Preston Manning Reform Calgary Southwest, AB

Mr. Speaker, you can reduce taxes without increasing the deficit if you reduce spending.

What we are trying to get at is the connection between tax relief and job creation. Let me put my question another way. Yesterday one of Asia's top bankers, Mr. David Li, told a conference that Canada was an unattractive place to invest Asian capital because of high taxes, public debt and unnecessary government regulations.

In other words, Mr. Li and his clients are reluctant to invest more in job creating activity in Canada because of our high tax and spending level.

My question to the Prime Minister is this. What does he have to say to Mr. Li and thousands of other investors like him who refuse to invest more in job creating activity in Canada until they see lower taxation and spending levels?

TaxationOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

LaSalle—Émard Québec

Liberal

Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance and Minister responsible for the Federal Office of Regional Development -Quebec

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the Reform Party is absolutely right when he says-

TaxationOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Some hon. members

Hear, hear.

TaxationOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Liberal

Paul Martin Liberal LaSalle—Émard, QC

I do not blame members for clapping. They do not have much chance.

TaxationOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Some hon. members

Hear, hear.

TaxationOral Question Period

2:20 p.m.

Liberal

Paul Martin Liberal LaSalle—Émard, QC

I'm sorry, Mr. Speaker, you can clap too. I take it back, Mr. Speaker. I withdraw.

TaxationOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

The Speaker

I do not want the hon. minister to withdraw. I want him to get on with it.

TaxationOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Liberal

Paul Martin Liberal LaSalle—Émard, QC

Suitably admonished, Mr. Speaker.

It is for that reason that in the most recent budget we did not increase taxes. We recognize the burden that Canadian taxpayers face. At the same time it is the reason that one of the essences of the unemployment insurance reform being undertaken by the Minister of Human Resources Development was in fact not only a freeze of the anticipated increase in unemployment insurance premiums brought in by the previous government but an actual rollback next January 1.

The leader of the Reform Party referred to an intervention by a Hong Kong banker. May I just say that the International Monetary Fund last week said that Canada was going to lead all of the G-7 countries, either be number one or number two, in terms of growth and employment and it was going to be leading in low inflation. The fact is that the International Monetary Fund said that this country is creating jobs at a rate that it has not seen in a long, long time.

TaxationOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Reform

Preston Manning Reform Calgary Southwest, AB

Mr. Speaker, contrary to what the Prime Minister said yesterday, it was the Minister of Finance who said a while back in this House that taxes are a cancer on job creation.

Millions of hard pressed Canadians are looking for a light at the end of the tunnel. They are looking for tax relief before they will spend more or invest more in job creating activities.

My question for the government is this. The government professes to have a target for deficit reduction. Does the government have a target for tax relief? Can the Prime Minister or the finance minister tell Canadians when they can expect real tax relief from this government?

TaxationOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

LaSalle—Émard Québec

Liberal

Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance and Minister responsible for the Federal Office of Regional Development -Quebec

Mr. Speaker, the exact quote was that payroll taxes are a cancer on job creation and our target is next January 1.

Purchase Of Properties At OkaOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Bloc

Maurice Dumas Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau, QC

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. In a letter sent on December 20, 1993 to owners of houses located south of highway 344 in Oka, the minister wrote: "I can assure you that I am paying particular attention to this very complex issue." Five months later, these families are

still waiting for concrete action from the government, since the evaluation of these houses was completed on December 15, 1993.

My question is this: How can the Minister of Indian Affairs explain such a delay in buying the properties located south of highway 344, when he has had all the information needed to settle the issue since December 15?

Purchase Of Properties At OkaOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Sault Ste. Marie Ontario

Liberal

Ron Irwin LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

Mr. Speaker, I had what I thought was a very fruitful meeting with the APIK members. I just came from it. I have a statement that they have agreed to.

[Translation]

I promise to meet as soon as possible with Mr. Christos Sirros and APIK representatives to solve the problems of the properties located south of highway 344 and four enclaves and the security of that territory.

I hope that satisfies the hon. member.

Purchase Of Properties At OkaOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Bloc

Maurice Dumas Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau, QC

Mr. Speaker, five months later, still nothing, despite the special attention that the minister says he is giving these desperate people.

Why does the minister not solve the problem of these 25 families right now?

Purchase Of Properties At OkaOral Question Period

2:25 p.m.

Sault Ste. Marie Ontario

Liberal

Ron Irwin LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development

Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member knows that the former government purchased approximately 90 pieces of property which the Mohawks still have not taken over. Notwithstanding that, we allocated money for renovations and allocated money for a housing committee.

I dropped the precondition to negotiations that we would have to solve north of 344 before I would be prepared to bring a recommendation to cabinet. The meeting today was along those lines. Its progress is moving in the right direction.

I am very sympathetic to the problems that people south of 344 are facing. There is gunfire. I am not talking about a bit of gunfire. I am talking about thousands of rounds going off as early as last Saturday night. It is not a problem that they created. It is a problem that exists and a problem that we are prepared to solve.

I am glad the hon. member is inviting the federal government to go into Quebec and solve problems.

Canada Health ActOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Reform

Grant Hill Reform Macleod, AB

Mr. Speaker, "the Canada Health Act is the law of the land", to quote the health minister. My question is for the Prime Minister. Should the law of the land be applied equally to all Canadians?

Canada Health ActOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Saint-Maurice Québec

Liberal

Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Canada Health ActOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Reform

Grant Hill Reform Macleod, AB

Mr. Speaker, Ontario is ignoring a principle of the Canada Health Act by refusing to reimburse Canadians fairly if they get sick in the U.S.

Canada Health ActOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

The Speaker

Would the member please put his question.

Canada Health ActOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Reform

Grant Hill Reform Macleod, AB

This is specifically forbidden in the act. The Canada Health Act is unravelling.

Will the Prime Minister review the act, not to punish the provinces but to provide good health care for all Canadians?

Canada Health ActOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Saint-Maurice Québec

Liberal

Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, there will be a meeting in June of all representatives of the provincial governments, the federal government and other people involved in health care services in Canada. This meeting will be presided over by the Prime Minister.

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Bloc

Francine Lalonde Bloc Mercier, QC

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Human Resources Development.

Yesterday, this minister clearly indicated to this House that the Atlantic fishery workers unions had been consulted about the individual contracts that workers must sign, thus committing themselves to undergo training or do community work in order to receive their benefits. We checked and the unions were never consulted on this.

How can the minister reconcile the statement he made yesterday in the House with the confirmation that was given to me afterwards by the head of the fishery workers union, who said he had never been consulted on the issue of the individual contracts?

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte Newfoundland & Labrador

Liberal

Brian Tobin LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, I look forward to the opportunity to answer the member's question and in the process to set the record straight. I know the member is much interested in having the record set straight.

The straight facts are that all major unions associated with the Harvesters Council of Canada, all provinces of Atlantic Canada and the province of Quebec, all stakeholders on the private side, and literally everybody who moves, walks, talks, breathes and has any interest in the fishery, have been more broadly consulted by the Minister of Human Resources Development about this policy-and I might add by the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans-than on any other policy heretofore introduced by a government anywhere on the planet earth.

Yes, this is one of the matters that was discussed.

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Bloc

Francine Lalonde Bloc Mercier, QC

Mr. Speaker, no consultations were ever held on the individual contracts. Despite what the minister said yesterday and today, this is an extremely important issue as workers must sign contracts committing them to do certain things in order to receive benefits. This question was never looked at and the unions were not consulted on it.

Can the minister now promise to meet with them to discuss this issue before putting this system in place?

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte Newfoundland & Labrador

Liberal

Brian Tobin LiberalMinister of Fisheries and Oceans

Mr. Speaker, the question is a bit late because the Minister of Human Resources Development and the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans committed months ago, not only to the dozens of meetings we have already held but to the many more meetings that are to be held to ensure that the program is properly implemented.

Despite the very difficult and real circumstances, despite the impact on people's lives, from which none of us gets any joy or seeks any advantage, may I say that one of the reasons this has gone superbly well has been the completely open attitude, the flexible attitude, the caring attitude and the consulting manner of the Minister of Human Resources Development, and that will continue.

Indian AffairsOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Reform

Dave Chatters Reform Athabasca, AB

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

Can the minister tell us: Do rank and file aboriginal peoples in Manitoba really want self-government at this time?