Debates of Feb. 15th, 1995

Social Programs

[Judy Bethel, Liberal, Edmonton East, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the premier of Alberta recently received a B-plus grade from the Fraser Institute for his government's approach to fiscal management and deficit reduction in my province. In its eyes he is an honour student.

However in another report card, one given by the people of Alberta, the premier received a failing grade for his approach in cutting essential services. The disapproval is growing. Some 69 per cent believe changes in health care services have been brought about irresponsibly while 67 per cent disapprove of how the province has handled cuts in education.

Albertans, like all Canadians, support leaner and more efficient government but they will not accept an assault on their most valued and essential services. The premier's approach may be praised by a few but it is not a responsible one in the eyes of many.

The federal government on the other hand will act responsibly in the upcoming budget by controlling spending and reducing waste. However we refuse to sacrifice the things that Canadians value most for the sake of a few accolades.

Quebec Seniors' Federation

[Maurice Godin, Bloc, Châteauguay, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Quebec seniors' federation or Fédération de l'âge d'or du Québec celebrated its 25th anniversary yesterday. On this occasion, its president, Mr. Philippe Lapointe, reiterated the FADOQ's commitment to participate in the important discussions on sovereignty and on the reform of social programs, in which the Fédération was quick to support the students.

Seniors are currently taking part in the vital process of consultation on the future of Quebec. Every day, the Commission des aînés meets with many seniors who come to voice their questions, fears and aspirations.

Mr. Lapointe said the FADOQ would follow the debate closely. The Bloc Quebecois is delighted by the calm and watchful attitude of the FADOQ and hopes that its members will participate actively in the consultation process so they may define the country they helped build.

Western Economic Diversification

[Cliff Breitkreuz, Reform, Yellowhead, AB]

Mr. Speaker, over the years western economic diversification has sunk taxpayers' money into all kinds of projects: the Custom Gourmet Coffee Shop, Dave's Pizza, Imperial Oil. Even Novatel had the pleasure of receiving taxpayers' dollars courtesy of WED.

Today taxpayers can take delight in knowing their hard earned dollars are going to yet another worthy project, the Artificial Reef Society of British Columbia. WED is loaning $160,000 to this group so it can buy a ship from DND. It wants to use government money to buy a government ship so it can be towed out to sea and sunk.

What an investment. To top it off this group claims it will pay WED off by selling salvaged boat parts. We hear old boat parts are selling like hotcakes. WED will be repaid its $160,000 in no time flat at the used boat flea market.

Canadian Flag

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House of the visit to Ottawa today by Mrs. Cathy Ingram, a teacher at the Fellowship Christian School, and her students from the city of Waterloo. I am pleased they are in Ottawa today as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of Canada's maple leaf flag.

As a former refugee who came to Canada with my parents, brother and sister in 1957, I now have the privilege of represent-

ing the constituency of the federal riding of Waterloo. I bear witness to the idea of compassion, sharing and equity that Canadians represent and what our flag symbolizes.

Our flag represents a beacon of hope in a troubled world, a world that is too often torn by strife based on ethnic, race, religious and national intolerances.

Let each and every one of us appreciate the model that Canada represents and commit ourselves to working together to enhance what we have built-Canada.

Dr. J. A. Doiron

[Wayne Easter, Liberal, Malpeque, PE]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to honour the life of a great Canadian and former Lieutenant-Governor who passed away recently.

Dr. J. A. Doiron was one of the first Acadians on Prince Edward Island to serve as the Queen's representative as Lieutenant-Governor.

Dr. Doiron was a true patriot both to his country as well as to his Acadian heritage. It was his belief that to understand the heritage of all Canadians was the first step in building a strong Canada. He took pride in serving as one of the only bilingual dentists on Prince Edward Island and was a member in many island francophone organizations. Dr. Doiron received honorary doctoral degrees in humanities, laws and the social sciences.

Perhaps one of his proudest moments was receiving the Order of Canada in July of last year. Dr. Doiron was a true gentleman, was loved by all who knew him and will be missed dearly by his family, friends and all Islanders.

National Biomass Ethanol Program

[Julian Reed, Liberal, Halton—Peel, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on December 21, 1994, the National Biomass Ethanol Program was announced committing up to $70 million in contingent loan guarantees to ethanol producers.

On behalf of the ethanol task force, I wish to thank the Prime Minister, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and the Minister of the Environment for their commitment to making domestic ethanol production a reality.

This program has already inspired nearly $300 million in private investment for two ethanol plants in Ontario alone. These plants are expected to create 1,500 construction jobs, 150 permanent jobs and add $175 million annually to the local economies of Chatham and Cornwall.

As the name of the program suggests, this is a national program and all of Canada will benefit from this announcement. Canadians will now be able to use renewable, clean air fuel which is domestically produced from Canadian biomass.

Chiapas

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

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Quebecois is delighted at the decision by the Mexican president, who ordered the army, yesterday, to stop its offensive action in Chiapas and who proposed a truce to the rebels of the Zapatista National Liberation Army.

We hope that the resignation of the governor of the state of Chiapas will help bring peace once again to the region.

Let us hope now that the Mexican government will take whatever steps are required to improve the appalling living conditions of the Indians in the state and that it will succeed in changing the region's political and economic structures in the near future, so that the claims of the people of Chiapas may be defended fairly within the law. By proposing to bring a return to peace and avoid armed confrontation, the Mexican government is giving us hope for the future.

Dangerous Offenders

[Jim Abbott, Reform, Kootenay East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, on Sunday, February 12, 1995, 2,500 citizens of Surrey, B.C. braved the elements to join Mr. and Mrs. Steven Carpenter's walk in memory of their daughter Melanie who was tragically slain in early January.

Today in my riding, the citizens of Cranbrook, British Columbia are conducting their own march in support of the Carpenter family and to speak out against early parole of dangerous offenders. The march is spontaneous. It is grass roots. I commend the efforts of my constituents and only wish I could join them.

Fernand Auger, the suspected assailant of Melanie Carpenter, only served two-thirds of his sentence and was obviously not rehabilitated, let alone ready to be released into society.

The Liberal government has shown in the past that it is not interested in listening to the concerns of Canadians. I therefore implore the justice minister to listen to the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who are worried for the safety of their families and support my Reform colleague's Bill C-240 which would prolong the detention of these high risk offenders.

The Budget

[Len Taylor, NDP, The Battlefords—Meadow Lake, SK]

Mr. Speaker, as we approach the release date of the federal budget, Canadians are expressing some very strong opinions about what should be and should not be contained in that budget.

One thing we should not overlook in this process is that the current emphasis on expenditure cuts will leave people living in rural areas of Canada more adversely affected than their urban neighbours.

If the emphasis remains where it is today, the reduction in rural services, which began with former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney's cuts and closures to post offices, will continue in transportation and rural support services. For example, the national highways program is threatened, the rail system is under attack and rural local airports have lost support.

Rural residents will find that they have to go further and spend more money to maintain their quality of life because of these and other cuts.

The policies expressed and implied by the federal finance minister are not being delivered in a fair or even handed way and Canadians should take note of this.

Canadian Armed Forces

[Gordon Kirkby, Liberal, Prince Albert—Churchill River, SK]

Mr. Speaker, over the past number of weeks Canadians have expressed abhorrence concerning videotaped hazing rituals and other deplorable conduct that has occurred within our military service.

The reputation of the Canadian military has been significantly harmed by these revelations. To suggest that these activities are innocuous or nothing more than male bonding essential to teamwork is an affront to dignity and common sense.

What we have witnessed is human degradation, racism and other completely unacceptable activities. The Minister of National Defence has acted prudently, expeditiously and decisively in order to send a clear message from the bottom to the top of the military establishment that these activities are a disgrace to our proud military tradition and that they will not be tolerated now or ever.

I commend the minister and those within the department who are working hard to restore integrity and professionalism in the military and to restore its now tarnished image.

Dr. George Stanley

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Fredericton—York—Sunbury, NB]

Mr. Speaker, as a New Brunswicker, I am pleased to pay tribute today to Dr. George Stanley.

Dr. Stanley is a former Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick and a key player in designing the Canadian flag.

During Dr. Stanley's tenure as dean of arts at Canada's Royal Military College in Kingston, he drew a design of a maple leaf placed on a red and white background. This design Dr. Stanley modelled after the college's own flag.

On February 15, 1965, the maple leaf was raised over Parliament Hill. To quote Dr. Stanley:

A flag is more than a means of identification. It is the embodiment of what a country stands for: It is the symbol of the ethos or spirit of a people, its aspirations, its will to live and its determination to play its role in history.

How true are those words, Mr. Speaker. I add that our flag is also the symbol of unity, one that speaks for all the citizens of Canada.

Reproductive Technologies

[Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral, Bloc, Laval Centre, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a decision handed down by the Ontario Court highlights the need to adopt legislation to establish the legal and ethical framework for new reproductive technologies. After separating from his wife, a man was declared the legal father of a female child, although the child was conceived by artificial insemination from an unnamed donor.

In the absence of legislation on new reproductive technologies, the judge gave priority to the child's interests, but there is nothing to say that this will always be the case.

This situation points to the important impact of new reproductive technologies on the people who use them. The government has not yet stated that it will soon introduce a bill to prevent potential abuses in this area. Is it waiting for a mockery to be made of children and parents' rights before taking action?

Canadian Flag

[Bob Ringma, Reform, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Mr. Speaker, 30 years ago, I was moved by a ceremony at the Citadel in Quebec during which the Canadian flag was hoisted for the first time.

I was impressed then, as I was two hours ago, to stand on the lawn in front of this building to participate again in a memorial to our flag of 30 years.

I would ask Canadians in this House to join me right now in singing

O Canada.

[The Speaker]

Colleagues, a little earlier in the House one of our members, as I said, was using a prop. He used the Canadian flag. I am very hard pressed to intervene at any time.

I am not sure the statements were designed for the singing of a song, but I am very hard pressed not to have you, the members of the Parliament of Canada stand and sing our national anthem. In keeping with this, I was going to wait until three o'clock, but I think I will proceed now.

I would like to introduce to members and to all of the citizens in Canada the two designers of our Canadian flag, Mr. Stanley and Mr. Matheson who are with us today.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

Transfer Payments

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Prime Minister said in this House that his government was preparing to offload financial responsibilities on the provinces without giving them sufficient resources, let alone tax points, to deal with this new development.

Would the Minister of Finance confirm that in his next two budgets, thus reflecting what was said by the Prime Minister, he is planning a wholesale shift of certain federal commitments to the provinces, without transferring the requisite financial and fiscal resources?

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

Mr. Speaker, yesterday we had an excellent meeting and some very useful discussions with the provincial Finance ministers. I presented them with the main parameters of the reforms we have in mind. First of all, I told them there would be no surprises and second, before anything is done affecting the provinces, we will first look at federal spending. I think the message was very well received and that these discussions came at the right time. I am very pleased with the meeting we had yesterday.

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, would the Minister of Finance agree that no matter how he intends to shift the burden of financial problems on to the provinces, nothing will change as far as the Canadian taxpayer is concerned, since if the federal government manages to lighten its debt load by transferring part of it or part of the deficit to the provinces, as far as the average citizen is concerned, the financial problem remains the same? Would he agree that is basically what his approach boils down to?

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

Mr. Speaker, the answer is, of course, no. We are not dumping our problems on the provinces. Yesterday's discussion was about the fact that we have a national problem, at the federal level and at the provincial level. The Quebec Minister of Finance agreed, incidentally. Upon leaving the meeting, he said there was a consensus on the need for all levels of government to work together. And that is what we intend to do.

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance may wish to refer to certain statements by the ministers, including the minister from Quebec who said that this approach would become a disaster for Quebec in 1996.

Would the Minister of Finance agree that his decision to postpone until next year the drastic cuts he intends to make in transfer payments to the provinces for social programs financing was made in order to avoid weakening the federal position on the eve of the referendum? Will he be frank and forthright and admit that major cuts are to be postponed until next year, for purely political reasons?

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

Mr. Speaker, in our last February budget, we made it very clear to the provinces that we intended to examine the matter of transfer payments in 1996-97. In other words, what we did yesterday was entirely in line with what we said in our last budget.

Second, what I did yesterday and my announcement about the one year postponement was something we promised in the red book, and I would advise the hon. member to read his copy again.

[Yvan Loubier, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, during his meeting with his provincial counterparts, the federal Minister of Finance carefully avoided discussing the issue of the GST replacement which, according to the commitment made in the red book, should normally be implemented next year. I would ask him to reread the red book, since the commitment was made in it.

My question is for the Minister of Finance. Will the minister concede that he refused to discuss the issue of reforming the GST because Alberta, and especially Quebec, want nothing to do with a national sales tax that would limit their freedom to tax when Ottawa is also preparing to reduce transfer payments to the provinces?

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

Mr. Speaker, the specific purpose of yesterday's meeting was to exchange points of view on budgetary issues because the federal government is getting ready to table its budget, and several provinces, for example Saskatchewan and Alberta, will also be tabling theirs very shortly. So, the meeting was quite short and its only objective was really to air viewpoints on the upcoming budgets.

Furthermore, I do not need to reread the red book; unfortunately or fortunately, I know it by heart.

[Yvan Loubier, Bloc, Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC]

Mr. Speaker, how can the Minister of Finance plan, on the one hand, to reduce the provinces' transfer payments, which will cause a shortfall in social program funding, and on the other, to shrink their tax bases by putting in place a Canada-wide sales tax which would replace provincial sales taxes? Can he explain this to us?

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

Mr. Speaker, in yesterday's meeting which I must say was very constructive all the provincial finance ministers without exception basically recognized that we have a huge problem at the federal level and at the provincial levels and that it is crucial we work together to solve it. That is really the spirit that animated the entire meeting.

As far as the sales tax is concerned, that was not the purpose of the meeting. I find it incredibly difficult given the tremendous desire of the business community and consumers across this country in every province, including Quebec-all one has to look at is the Conseil du patronat, the consumers associations in Quebec-that everybody in Quebec wants a national sales tax so that we can lower the cost and make it fair.

The only people I know who are against it are Bloc Quebecois members. Then again, they are against everything.