Debates of May 6th, 1994

National Defence

[René Laurin, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the minister of National Defence. A $365 million contract for the procurement of heavy logistic vehicles ending in 1995 has been entered into with UTDC providing that this company guarantee economic spin-off estimated at 156,6 million dollars. However, when the last vehicle was delivered, in May 1992, only $16,7 million had accrued to the government.

Since that contract is almost over, could the minister of National Defence tell us why that company has not met the federal government requirements with respect to the $156,6 million economic spin-off that had been promised?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of National Defence and Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I am somewhat amused the Bloc Quebecois, a party that campaigned in the federal election campaign for reduction of defence expenditures by 25 per cent, is so preoccupied with defence contract matters.

With respect to the specific question the hon. member raises, I should tell him that about 50,000 contracts are let at national defence. There are about $2 billion to $3 billion worth of acquisitions on the go at any one time.

I do not have the details to answer the hon. member's question, but I am sure like many of the questions that party has posed in the House it is based on false premises. However I will get the answer to satisfy him.

[René Laurin, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, since the minister of National Defence is not able to answer my question today, could he tell us when a report on the nature of the economic spin-off will be available?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of National Defence and Minister of Veterans Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, again I will get that information for the hon. member.

National Revenue

[Bob Mills, Reform, Red Deer, AB]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Revenue.

Recently we learned that the overseas tax credit, a tax initiative for Canadians working abroad, is not applicable to Canadians who work for foreign based companies. This tax credit allowed foreign companies to hire qualified Canadians, thus providing us with jobs and foreign income that was spent in Canada.

Could the minister explain why he did not grant an exemption to foreign companies already receiving the credit so that they could maintain foreign income, Canadian jobs, and that the revenue and jobs would not be lost?

[David Anderson, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, as I understand the law that would be beyond my powers.

[Bob Mills, Reform, Red Deer, AB]

Mr. Speaker, that is a very hard answer or non-answer to take.

While jobs have been lost, while investment has been lost and now because the department is going back to 1991, people are actually going to lose their homes. It is very difficult to understand why the minister cannot explain his policy. I would ask him to examine this again and come back to the House with an answer.

[David Anderson, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, I will certainly accept the suggestion of the hon. member to re-examine the case. As I explained in my response to the first question, I understand this is in fact something that is beyond my powers because the law is written in a certain way.

As members of the House know, the Minister of National Revenue is very circumscribed in what he can do by laws made by Parliament.

I do feel, however, that it does show a substantive difference between the attitude of the two parties, ours and theirs. On this side we definitely believe that laws should be followed by ministers as well as by other people.

[Randy White, Reform, Fraser Valley West, BC]

Amend the law, change the law.

[David Anderson, Liberal, Victoria, BC]

On the other side I have been urged to ignore the law. I find that to be a significant difference between our two parties.

Agriculture

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

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Agriculture. The minister recently came back from an economic mission in Asia.

Can he tell us what the positive economic benefits will be for the Canadian farming industry following his visit to China, in particular?

[Ralph Goodale, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, the diplomatic and trade mission that has just been concluded to Japan, Korea, China and Hong Kong involving the Governor General, myself and a number of Canadian agri-food business leaders was a significant success for Canada.

We were able to conclude certain transactions during the course of our travels. More important than that, we have laid significant foundations and opened some new doors for future business and trade for Canada in the Asia-Pacific region which is the fastest growing economic zone on the face of the earth.

The opportunities include obviously the grain trade, wheat, barley and malt, canola, alfalfa, livestock, animal genetics, animal husbandry, livestock feeds, agriculture technology, education and training, potash, fertilizer, value added in the food-

Presence In The Gallery

[The Speaker]

I wish to draw the attention of members to the presence in our gallery of the Hon. Pierre Paradis, Minister of Environment and Wildlife of Quebec.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

Government Response To Petitions

[Peter Milliken, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to certain petitions.

National Adoption Awareness Month Act

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

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-246, an act respecting National Adoption Awareness Month.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to present to this House a bill to recognize November as National Adoption Awareness Month.

November has traditionally been recognized as National Adoption Awareness Month even though this has not been the case in legislation. Furthermore the province of British Columbia by proclamation of the premier does recognize November as being Adoption Awareness Month.

I am pleased to present this bill today. I am pleased to indicate that this bill is presented with the support of the Adoption Council of Canada.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)

Income Tax Act

[Jim Silye, Reform, Calgary Centre, AB]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-247, an act to amend the Income Tax Act (child care expenses).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to try and correct an injustice we found through the Income Tax Act in its efforts to drive and dictate social policies.

The Income Tax Act currently discriminates against stay at home parents because the child care expense deduction is only available to families who pay institutions to look after their children. Because stay at home parents are not a "discreet and insular minority" the courts have ruled they do not qualify for a child care expense deduction.

The purpose of this bill is to amend the Income Tax Act to allow parents to choose the method of child care and allow the deduction of a fixed amount as child care expenses of $5,000 up to age 7 or $3,000 between ages 8 and 14, regardless of the income of the parents and of the amount of child care expenses actually incurred.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)

Business Of The House

[Peter Milliken, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I think you will find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That, on Tuesday, May 10, 1994, the House shall continue to sit after 6.30 p.m. for the purpose of considering government business Motion No. 12 in the name of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, provided that the Chair shall not receive any dilatory motions or quorum calls and that, when no additional member wishes to speak, but in any case no later than 10 o'clock p.m., the Speaker shall adjourn the House to the next sitting day.

(Motion agreed to.)

[Peter Milliken, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I think you also will find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move:

That, notwithstanding any standing order, the sitting of the House on June 6, 1994 shall commence at two o'clock p.m.

(Motion agreed to.)

Petitions

[Lee Morrison, Reform, Swift Current—Maple Creek—Assiniboia, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I have yet another petition from constituents of mine requesting that section 745 of the Criminal Code of Canada be repealed. I would like to table this pursuant to Standing Order 36. I do concur completely with the petition.

[John Maloney, Liberal, Erie, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today I have the solemn responsibility pursuant to Standing Order 36 to table a certified petition.

The petition prays for more severe penalties for those convicted of violent offences, the release of names of those young offenders convicted of murder, sex crimes and other violent assaults and the automatic transfer to adult court for those young offenders charged with sex crimes and murder.

The petition results from the fatal shooting of Carrie Lynn Pinard in the summer of 1992. The Pinard and Racine families of Welland who are with us today in the gallery have worked hard to bring this issue and this petition to the government's attention.

It is sad that such a petition has to be brought to the attention of the House. It is significant that over 54,000 people have signed it.

[Morris Bodnar, Liberal, Saskatoon—Dundurn, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions identical in form today both asking that section 745 of the Criminal Code be repealed by this Parliament.

[Francis Leblanc, Liberal, Cape Breton Highlands—Canso, NS]

Mr. Speaker, it is my honour and duty pursuant to Standing Order 36 to present a petition on behalf of numerous residents of my constituency.

They join many others in Canada in urging the Government of Canada to make definite changes to the Young Offenders Act in order to prevent more serious crimes from happening and to provide the protection for the innocent persons of this country.

The petition is motivated by the tragic murder earlier this year of Mr. John Jarvis of Whitehead, Nova Scotia. The first signature on the petition is that of his widow, Mrs. Reta Jarvis, who herself was shot during the same incident.

Questions On The Order Paper

[Peter Milliken, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

[The Speaker]

Shall the remaining questions stand?