Debates of Nov. 1st, 1995

Canada Post

[The Speaker]

If this continues, we are going to be into marriage counselling. Put the question please.

[Dick Harris, Reform, Prince George—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Does the minister feel there may be an appearance of conflict of interest, given the relationship of the individuals involved in this deal?

[Réginald Bélair, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Public Works and Government Services]

Mr. Speaker, given the fact that the hon. member alluded to the Perez-Clermont affair, it should be mentioned again in this House that the matter is in court and it would not be advisable at all to comment on such a situation.

Domestic Violence

[Bonnie Hickey, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday Newfoundland's select committee on children's interests heard how devastating domestic violence can be for children. There is the horror suffered by one family when a woman was stabbed 33 times by her husband and left for dead.

Could the Secretary of State for the Status of Women tell the House what action the government has taken to help eliminate violence against women?

[Sheila Finestone, Liberal, Secretary of State (Multiculturalism) (Status of Women)]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague's question demonstrates quite clearly the tragic incident that two-thirds of the cases of domestic violence, homicide, involve women. The government is well aware of the concerns around sexual harassment and race and concerns with respect to the effect of violence on women.

We have acted to address these instances with the firearms control legislation, with the elimination of extreme drunkenness as a defence, with the increased effectiveness of the peace bond, with legislation on criminal harassment or the stalking issue, and with the sentencing reform that includes tougher sentences against hate and abuse of positions of trust, recognition of gender persecution, the whole question of the dangerous offenders and DNA.

The government has moved to ensure there will be safe streets, safe homes and a safer workplace. We shall move some more in this area.

Welfare Recipients

[Francine Lalonde, Bloc, Mercier, QC]

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

On October 26 the minister, in an attempt to confuse the Bloc Quebecois, said in this House, and I quote: "In August I received a document from the Government of Quebec that pointed out the number of people on welfare had been reduced, not increased". He forgot to mention that between August 1994 and August 1995, the number of welfare recipients increased by 20,000, and that at least half of this increase was due to cuts in unemployment insurance.

Is the Minister of Human Resources Development satisfied that thanks to his cuts in unemployment insurance, Quebec has at least 10,000 people more on welfare?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development and Minister of Western Economic Diversification]

Mr. Speaker, I have with me the actual detailed statistics from the Government of Quebec which show for example, that between the month of June and July there was a net decrease of 4,000 people on the welfare rolls. It continued to go down to the point where there was a reduction of 7,000 people on the welfare rolls over that four-month period.

That was acknowledged as well by Premier Parizeau in the National Assembly where he again admitted that there had been a decline. He took some satisfaction from that figure. So did we.

It puts into question the continued allegation by the Bloc Quebecois that these changes have resulted in increased welfare rolls. How can we have an increase when the numbers are going down?

[Francine Lalonde, Bloc, Mercier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it is time the minister understood the basis for these statistics. The increase in the number of people on welfare is calculated from year to year. And from year to year, we see 20,000 people more on welfare. I would like to table this report in the House after a while.

Does the minister acknowledge that it is entirely unacceptable that, during a period of so-called prosperity, the number of people on welfare in Quebec increases by 20,000 in a single year, as the minister prepares to introduce new reforms that will increase this number considerably?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development and Minister of Western Economic Diversification]

Mr. Speaker, during the past year specifically in the province of Quebec-and I do not want to exclude actions we have taken in other provinces-with the changes we introduced last year to the unemployment insurance system, we brought in a special family benefit that enabled over 130,000 Quebecers, primarily women, to receive an additional $1,000 per year over and above their normal payment.

In addition we signed an agreement with the Government of Quebec because we believe in co-operating to help those on low income, especially those with families. It was an $81 million special agreement this summer with the Government of Quebec that would provide an income top up for 27,000 families on low income. This once again demonstrates that when we work together we can finally do something as a government to help people who really have needs.

National Defence

[Jim Hart, Reform, Okanagan—Similkameen—Merritt, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Defence. We are over $550 billion in debt and every day I ask questions pertaining to the minister's serious mismanagement of his portfolio.

Information I have received today indicates that the minister is purchasing 150 quill pens in black velvet cases. They are engraved in gold with the words Minister of National Defence, for the price of approximately $2,000. This is pure balderdash. Could the minister explain the expenditure to Canadians?

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

Mr. Speaker, this is an Order Paper question. If the hon. member would like a pen, I will send one over.

[Jim Hart, Reform, Okanagan—Similkameen—Merritt, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is because of this incompetence that we are $550 billion in debt. I would like to ask the minister: Could you please send me a pen so I can hold it up to Canadians-

[The Speaker]

I appeal to all hon. members to direct questions through the Chair. I do not know if the minister heard the whole question or if he would like to answer.

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

Mr. Speaker, no reply is necessary.

The Economy

[Harold Culbert, Liberal, Carleton—Charlotte, NB]

Mr. Speaker, I was delighted to learn this morning that we had reached our 1994-95 deficit reduction target.

During the 1993 election campaign we proposed bringing our finances under control in a balanced fashion while building economic growth and jobs in Canada.

Will the Minister of Finance tell my Carleton-Charlotte constituents and the House if we are still on target for next year and still to reach our interim deficit reduction goal of 3 per cent of GDP in 1997?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance and Minister responsible for the Federal Office of Regional Development-Quebec]

Mr. Speaker, I assure the hon. member that we are on target. Deficit reduction is an essential component of our job creation plan because deficit reduction means lower interest rates and lower interest rates mean more jobs for Canadians.

I assure him that we will hit our interim target of 3 per cent. I assure him that we will hit this year's target of $32.7 billion. I am delighted to say to him that not only did we hit our target for 1994-95, we in fact beat it by $2.2 billion.

[Bill Blaikie, NDP, Winnipeg—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, my question is also for the Minister of Finance and concerns the Conference Board of Canada report of a week or so ago, which indicated that productivity and profits are up but that wages are standing still.

Given that this is exactly the kind of economy critics of globalization and free trade predicted would be the case with this new kind of economy, what does the Minister of Finance intend to do about it? Is this the desired state for the Canadian economy? Or, does the government have some plan to make sure that at some point not just profits and not just productivity but wages and the standard of living go up for ordinary Canadians?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance and Minister responsible for the Federal Office of Regional Development-Quebec]

Mr. Speaker, I am sure there was a bit of a slip when the hon. member asked his question. I am sure he realizes that productivity is an essential element to increasing our real incomes in the country.

From 1973 on, for about 20 years, we had declining productivity throughout the western world and that is why real incomes went down.

Nonetheless the hon. member's question is to the point. That is why there is so much effort on this side of the House to increase Canadian skills, to increase Canada's involvement in the newer economy, to make sure that Canada is not only toiling in those industries where other countries are more competitive because of lower standards of living but that we are the most modern economy possible to create.

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, maybe I could ask for the consent of the House in order to table, on behalf of the Leader of the Opposition, the preliminary report on the results of the counting of Monday's votes. I ask for the consent of the House.

[The Speaker]

Is there unanimous consent for the document to be tabled?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would also ask for the consent of the House on behalf of my colleague, the member for Mercier, to table statistics on welfare recipients, as compiled by the Quebec department of manpower and income security, to help the Minister of Human Resources Development. I ask for the consent of the House.

[The Speaker]

Is there unanimous consent?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.