Debates of Feb. 15th, 1995

Taxation

[Preston Manning, Reform, Calgary Southwest, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after weeks of telling this House that he could not reveal the contents of the budget, the finance minister appears to have spilled the beans to his provincial counterparts and the national media. He indicated yesterday that he intends to raise taxes on corporations and so-called better off Canadians.

At what levels of household income does one become a better off Canadian and therefore a target for a tax increase?

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

Mr. Speaker, the discussion we had yesterday with the provincial finance ministers, which was actually the second because we had one prior to the last budget, was very worthwhile. It is really part of making federalism work when finance ministers can sit down and basically off the record exchange views and build a common consensus. It was very good.

I did not go into complete detail. What I did was provide the broad outlines, and they did as far as I was concerned.

The point I made yesterday in terms of taxes was that I pointed out what I thought was a reasonably perceptive glance into the obvious. However, I will draw it to the member's attention again. We are going to close loopholes. To the best of my knowledge it is not the poor in this country who are utilizing loopholes.

[Preston Manning, Reform, Calgary Southwest, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance of all people must understand the impact of tax increases on the economy. If tax levels or other charges paid to governments are increased, one effect is to drive capital, jobs and companies out of the country.

Canada Steamships, for example, which is owned by prudent and patriotic people, has registered a number of its vessels under foreign flags of convenience to no doubt avoid paying astronomical registration charges, et cetera.

Does the minister not agree that there will be a flight of capital, companies, jobs and productive individuals out of Canada if they are the targets of tax increases in the next budget?

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

Mr. Speaker, I would suggest to the leader of the third party that if he wants to go into the details of any company with which I happen to have had some association all he has to do is talk to the Ethics Commissioner who would be delighted to lay the whole thing out in front of him.

I would also suggest that if the leader of the third party wants a lesson in international taxation I am sure that some of his colleagues might explain it to him so that he might begin to understand it.

There is no doubt that any country must be competitive in its tax policies. I can assure the hon. member that we are not the party that brought in 39 tax increases in a row. We are the party

that in the last budget dealt very fairly with the whole question of taxes. I do not believe that corporate Canada is so shaky that making the tax system fairer is going to make it leave the country.

[Preston Manning, Reform, Calgary Southwest, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the present premier of Ontario was chosen as citizen of the year in Buffalo, New York because his tax and spend policies drove so many companies across the line to Buffalo, New York.

Is it the aim of the finance minister to become citizen of the year in Panama by including tax increases in his next budget?

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

Mr. Speaker, it is not the height of my ambition to stand up in this House and defend the current premier of Ontario.

All I can say to the hon. member is that he is obviously a far greater expert on taxation in Panama and so I will let him answer his own question.

Gun Control Bill

[Pierrette Venne, Bloc, Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Justice.

After stalling for over five months, the Minister of Justice finally decided to table his gun control bill. This bill represents a retreat from the government's original intentions, especially with regard to handguns.

Since the minister claims to be settling an urgent social problem, why must we wait at least eight years for his bill to have an effect?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows full well that this legislation has the support of the vast majority of Canadians, particularly Quebecers.

As I mentioned yesterday, I am disappointed at the approach she is taking to this initiative. I would call upon the hon. member to stand with this government in support of this legislation to see it enacted as soon as possible.

In the meantime, let me address the specific questions asked by the hon. member. With the enactment of this legislation commencing in January of next year the registration system will be under way. Two years after that the registration of firearms will commence. By reason of incentives for early registration we fully expect that registration will be in place within two or three years of the undertaking of the program, which I think is an objective for which we should all work together.

[Pierrette Venne, Bloc, Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, are we to understand that this eight-year delay is the price the minister had to pay for the support of his Liberal colleagues and the cabinet?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, the implementation of the registration program is timed and organized as a rational and sensible approach to the implementation of such a program on a national scale. It is the way it should be done to be done properly.

Canadian Armed Forces

[Jack Frazer, Reform, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the news reports today that Lieutenant Colonel Alan Stephens, Commander of the Canadian Logistics Battalion in Croatia, was on Saturday relieved of his command for inappropriate conduct. Will the minister provide the House with the details of this incident as he knows them?

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

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member obviously knows that with respect to the privacy of the individual concerned, while investigations are pending I cannot make any comment.

[Jack Frazer, Reform, Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I am still looking for information.

The Royal Kingston Curling Club hosted the Labatt Tankard competition over the weekend. For no apparent valid reason, a team of five Canadian forces video technicians spent three days on full pay and allowances filming the event. As a result, they were unable to film military activities for which they had been scheduled.

Can the minister explain to the House the rationale which has a military video team filming a civilian event at the expense of a valid military commitment?

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

Mr. Speaker, I think Canadians are getting sick and tired of this line of questioning.

The Canadian Armed Forces not only discharges its very noble efforts outside the country but assists many Canadians, worthy causes and communities in local events across this country. They just assisted with the flag ceremony outside the House of Commons.

I really do not want to politicize this too much, but is the Reform Party saying that the Canadian Armed Forces has no business helping communities with their local events? Is that what he is saying?

National Defence

[Jean-Marc Jacob, Bloc, Charlesbourg, QC]

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

Yesterday in this House, in responding to a question I asked him, the Minister of National Defence did not seem to know about the Eagle River exercise, which is nothing but a sumptuous fishing trip at Canadian taxpayers' expense.

Did the Minister of National Defence make inquiries and can he assure us that there was no Eagle River exercise or any other similar activity in 1994?

[English]

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

Mr. Speaker, one of the reasons I said this should be put on the Order Paper yesterday is that I could not believe the hon. member was asking a question about a facility that was closed two years ago and before this government came into power.

As far as I am concerned that facility is closed. The province of Newfoundland has indicated some interest in taking it back. That is all I have to say.

[Jean-Marc Jacob, Bloc, Charlesbourg, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I still think that the minister did not answer my question. I asked him if there had been other similar activities. I did not get an answer.

Did the Minister of National Defence issue directives to Canadian Forces officers forbidding them to organize activities similar to the Eagle River exercise and, if so, will he table them in this House?

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

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure to which activities the hon. member is referring, but I will certainly take this as a representation and draw it to the attention of the chief of defence staff.

Sports Canada

[Hugh Hanrahan, Reform, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Sports Canada receives $64 million a year to help Canada's athletes. Unfortunately a paltry 8 per cent or approximately $5 million of that $64 million actually reaches Canadian athletes. Over $42 million is being spent to administer a huge, cumbersome sports bureaucracy.

My question is for the Minister of Canadian Heritage. Is Sports Canada there to benefit the athlete or the bureaucracy?

[Michel Dupuy, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, our colleague presumably must have been listening to my speeches. I have said repeatedly that I consider the athlete should have first priority. And I have done more than say it. We are in the process of putting into place a sports funding and accountability framework that will ensure at long last that the athletes receive the rewards they deserve.

[Hugh Hanrahan, Reform, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians want action, not more studies. Will the minister act to rectify the gross mismanagement in Sports Canada?

[Michel Dupuy, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I already gave the answer. We are acting. We are putting policy into place with no more studies but action from now on.

Blood Supply System

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health.

The minister herself claims that everything is now being done to ensure the quality of blood products and the safety of the blood supply in Canada. But we learned that the Canadian Bureau of Biologics has yet to approve two factor IX products used to treat haemophilia B.

How can the minister justify that these products, which are purer and of higher quality than existing products, have not been approved by the Canadian Bureau of Biologics after more than two years?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, we have taken the necessary steps, i.e. the steps that can be taken at this time to ensure the safety of the blood supply system, and we will continue to do so.

This does not mean that we are closing the door to new developments or new measures. If you have any information that may help us, by all means, share it with us and we will act on it.

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, does the minister realize that, because these drugs have not yet been approved by the Canadian Bureau of Biologics, some doctors have to use lower quality products to treat haemophilia B? Does she not realize that?