Debates of Dec. 12th, 1995

Advertising Of Tobacco Products

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, does the minister realize that, by taking action without first consulting the Supreme Court, she could drag us once again into a judicial saga that will cost us $7 million at the very least and all for nothing?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, it surprises me a little bit that the health critic for the Bloc Quebecois is more interested in protecting the tobacco companies than in working with us to ensure that we have the toughest and best legislative package possible, having taken guidance from the supreme court ruling.

Quebec Referendum

[Deborah Grey, Reform, Beaver River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, even the Quebec Liberals oppose any use of federal power to disallow a future referendum if the question is unclear. The Quebec Liberals said that. Today, Quebec Liberal constitutional critic Jean Marc Fournier said: "The Prime Minister should have more confidence in the good judgment of the people of Quebec".

The Prime Minister now says that the question will be clear. How can he guarantee that the question will be clear? What powers is he prepared to use?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

If everybody in Canada and in Quebec wants a question that is clear and everybody wants to work to that goal, we will achieve it. We will have to make sure that the question is clear. There will be enough pressure on the government to achieve that. I repeat that the next time the question will be clear and the people will know exactly what they are voting on.

[Deborah Grey, Reform, Beaver River, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister says that we are not to worry about it. The country is worried sick about the obsession the government has had week after week after week after the referendum. The point is we want to get on with jobs. The point is we want to get on with looking after the economy, but this Prime Minister has forced the House to be obsessed with this problem.

Plain and simple, why does the Prime Minister not cut his national unity losses, go back to the drawing board and consult Canadians in a nationwide referendum? If he has the faith in the Canadian people, why will he not consult with Canadians and the premiers, not just some of these people here?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we hope that some day the Reform Party will try to work with the rest of Canada to make sure that Canada stays together. That type of attitude is not helpful at all for the unity of the country.

The Constitution

[Suzanne Tremblay, Bloc, Rimouski—Témiscouata, QC]

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

Given the Prime Minister's answers to our questions and to those of the Reform Party leader, we realize that he does not know how to stop the constitutional circus that he put on the road a few weeks ago. Six weeks ago, according to the Prime Minister, Quebec was his homeland. One week ago, Quebec no longer had a culture and, since yesterday, it is no longer entitled to democracy.

Are we to understand that, in order to save his skin in the rest of Canada, the Prime Minister is prepared to do anything, even to threaten Quebecers with using everything within his power to keep them from achieving sovereignty?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is not very complicated. I simply asked the Bloc Quebecois and the Parti Quebecois to be honest and to say that they want to separate from the rest of Canada, pure and simple. They have the answer.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[Jean-Guy Chrétien, Bloc, Frontenac, QC]

The Bloc Quebecois is very honest.

[The Speaker]

Dear colleagues, I ask you to choose your words very carefully. We should never question honesty in this House. Therefore, I would appreciate it if members would using that word during question period, with the connotation given to it today.

As you know, some words tend to trigger a strong reaction. Consequently, I ask the Right Hon. Prime Minister to avoid using the word honesty with that connotation.

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

Mr. Speaker, I said that they should ask a clear and honest question. They will be the ones asking the question. All we want is a very clear question, and not one that tries to include all sorts of conditions to get people confused to the point where they do not know whether they are voting for or against separation. All we want is a clear question. If they want a suggestion, here is one: "Do you want to separate from Canada?" This is very clear and everyone will understand. There will be no problem. However, they know that they will lose if they ask a question like this one.

[Suzanne Tremblay, Bloc, Rimouski—Témiscouata, QC]

Mr. Speaker, should the hard line towards Quebec announced yesterday by the Prime Minister not be seen as a metaphor for his entire career, in other words, as consolidating his base in Canada while trying to crush Quebecers?

[The Speaker]

The question in and of itself is giving motive to why one person is acting one way or another. A question should be straightforward rather than asking or implying motive.

The question as it is stated is out of order. If the right hon. Prime Minister wants to answer it, fine; if not I pass from there.

[Translation]

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I will reply, because they do that all the time. If you happen to be from Quebec and you believe that Quebec's future is within Canada, they brand you as a traitor, but the fact is that French was able to survive in North America because of Canada.

The Economy

[Herb Grubel, Reform, Capilano—Howe Sound, BC]

Mr. Speaker, recently the dollar went down and the interest rate went up substantially. This is not exactly a ringing endorsement of the finance minister's proud announcement that his deficit elimination plan is on track.

Will the minister admit that drifting targets are not enough, that overspending $4 million an hour is too much and that markets and future generations of Canadians want him to do better like, for example, the eight provinces whose finance ministers he will meet tonight?

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows full well the reasons for the volatility in Canadian currency markets in terms of interest rates has an enormous amount to do with speculation of what action the Fed is going to take and what action a number of the European central banks is going to take. The hon. member knows it.

It is a tribute to the budgetary action taken by the government that the spread between Canadian interest rates has narrowed as much as it has.

[Herb Grubel, Reform, Capilano—Howe Sound, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the provincial finance ministers are complaining, with much justification, that the government has cut them more than it has cut

other federal spending. This is a typical Liberal approach to dealing with problems. Shift the burden, let someone else take the blame.

Will the minister cut other federal spending more, not just to restore harmony with his provincial counterparts but also to send the right signals to capital markets?

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

Mr. Speaker, when reductions in transfers to the provinces by the government were made, unlike previous governments there was a lengthy period of notice given. The fact is that we cut the provinces less than we cut ourselves. It was less than 2 per cent of provincial revenues.

If the hon. member will take a look at the Fiscal Monitor which came out today he will notice that program spending by the government is down and transfers to the provinces are up.

Child Tax Benefit Program

[Beryl Gaffney, Liberal, Nepean, ON]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Revenue. Under the child tax benefit program Revenue Canada's responsibilities are to calculate the amount of each benefit, maintain each account and respond to inquiries.

Revenue Canada now has the added responsibility of determining who is entitled to the benefit. Can the minister explain to the House how this change has improved the child tax benefit program?

[David Anderson, Liberal, Minister of National Revenue]

Mr. Speaker, before I respond to the question may I thank the hon. member for her consistent endorsement and championship of the problems and rights of children.

In response to her question, the integration of the program in one department is allowing us to maximize the efficiency and to improve our client services in a number of ways: first, by processing the child tax benefit applications at one stage instead of as was formerly the case; second, by eliminating the duplication of databases and the weekly transfers of information that previously took place between two departments; third, by simply reducing program costs and finally, by providing clients with a single point of contact.

Radio Canada International

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

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

On the weekend we heard that the federal government was preparing to shut down Radio Canada International. According to reliable sources, cabinet was to ratify this decision without waiting for the conclusions of the Juneau report which was to examine the mandate of the CBC.

Could the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell us whether he recommended or intends to recommend that cabinet change the mandate of the CBC so as to cut the services of Radio Canada International, before the Juneau report is even tabled?

[Michel Dupuy, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

No, Mr. Speaker.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, that was short and sweet.

Since the government accepted the recommendation by government members of the foreign affairs committee to make every effort to fully develop the potential of Radio Canada International, what explanation does the minister have for this alleged about-face?

[Michel Dupuy, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, there is no about-face. I have said in this House that the future of the CBC would be considered by the government in the course of a review of its mandate. We are waiting for the results of a study of the CBC's mandates made by a special committee. And we intend to determine the future of the corporation within that context.