Debates of Feb. 8th, 1995

Western Economic Diversification

[The Speaker]

Many times in the past we have quoted great writers. I would ask the hon. minister if he would withdraw the word "liars" used in that context. Would you please withdraw that word.

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, seeing that it is a saying I learned at my mother's knee, I would certainly not want to have it refer to that specific member. I was using it as a general philosophical saying.

[The Speaker]

My colleagues, we cannot go from quoting great writers to our mothers' lullabies. Would the minister withdraw forthwith.

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I certainly withdraw any specific reference or any interpretation that the hon. member was a liar.

I will seek to refer to Bartlett's quotations-

[The Speaker]

Perhaps the hon. minister would go directly to his answer.

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Winnipeg South Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, just to answer the hon. member directly, I would first point out that in this past year, if one looks at the geographical allocation which of course we do not do because we have been promoting a strategy that tries to look at projects on a pan-western basis to benefit all regions, the province of British Columbia received close to 50 per cent of all funding coming from western diversification.

One member alone who happens to be a Reform Party member received upward of $37 million in one grant. He takes the cake for having the largest allocation of any member. I congratulate the hon. member for his effectiveness. However, when we make city to city comparisons, I would also like to say to the regret of my Manitoba colleagues the city that benefited most per capita from investment from western economic diversification was the great Queen city of Saskatchewan. I compliment the members of that area.

United States Entrance Fee

[Ghislain Lebel, Bloc, Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. By proposing in its budget to levy a tax or entrance fee of $3 per vehicle and $1.50 per person entering the United States, the American government stirred up unanimous opposition in Canada and in Quebec, where such a tax is felt to be utterly contrary to the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Can the Minister of Foreign Affairs tell us how the U.S. government reacted to the protest made by Canada through its embassy in Washington?

[Roy MacLaren, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated to the House yesterday, we have raised this issue with the United States trade representative. We did so last week and we have done so more formally with the State Department. Our protests have been duly noted, but the response has been generally that the proposed measure has no chance of passing through the U.S. Congress.

Indeed it was only today that U.S. Senator Gramm of Texas said the proposal was as dead as Elvis Presley.

[Some hon. members]

He is alive, Roy.

[The Speaker]

It is always easier for me if I can see the person's face when the response is over.

[Ghislain Lebel, Bloc, Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I think the Governor General's cocktail party has gone to some people's heads.

However, I would like the minister to get up again and tell us what retaliatory measures he intends to take if the U.S. government insists on imposing a tax which would affect Canadians crossing the border? I want the minister to answer like a man.

[Roy MacLaren, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, the question is hypothetical to a degree.

We do not anticipate that this tax will be imposed. If it were to be, there may be measures we can take to respond to such an action on the part of the United States government.

I would say again to the member opposite that it is our impression it is most unlikely that proposed tax will be applied.

Research Grants

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

Mr. Speaker, someone over here said that we should research our questions a little more. I have a long disgusting list of Liberal research grants at my disposal.

My question is for the Minister of Finance who is making great sport of assuring the Canadian people in foreign money markets that his government is serious about fiscal responsibility.

Is he aware that the Ministry of Industry recently approved a grant of $33,800 for the study of major league baseball in Detroit: "The Detroit Tigers, 1945 to 1992"? Can he explain to beleaguered taxpayers how spending their money like this is more important than lowering taxes?

[Jon Gerrard, Liberal, Secretary of State (Science]

Mr. Speaker, I believe the hon. member is referring to grants under the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, an independent arm's length body that has done a great service to university researchers and has provided a very important foundation for knowledge in the country.

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

Mr. Speaker, have we changed finance ministers in this government?

Perhaps the question was not fair to the finance minister so I will give him another opportunity to explain it. If he feels it is too tough, perhaps he could explain the $13,000 grant given by the Ministry of Industry to study "Yankee Seamen: A Mariners' History of Massachusetts".

Will this be useful to Canadian industry or is the government researching what happened the last time the people revolted against unfair taxation in Boston harbour?

[Jon Gerrard, Liberal, Secretary of State (Science]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to reiterate. The Reform Party has singled out individual components of what has been an extraordinary effort over a long period of time for the culture of this country supporting efforts in the universities, supporting the development of knowledge which has made a major contribution to the economy and to the well-being of Canadians.

Status Of Women

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

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

According to persistent rumours, the next budget will reduce government funding for women's groups, which is causing concern among many women's groups, including the Fédération des femmes du Québec.

Does the Minister of Finance intend to continue the policy of the previous federal government by once again reducing government funding for community agencies that help women?

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

Mr. Speaker, as I said repeatedly, I do not intend to release the contents of the budget, in this House or elsewhere, before the appointed time.

However, I can assure the hon. member that the next budget will be very fair and that we are fully aware of the need to deal fairly with women's needs.

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would nevertheless like to warn the minister about the impact of such cuts.

Does the Minister of Finance realize that by cutting funding to these groups he will put their survival in jeopardy, when these agencies play a unique role in promoting women's rights and improving their living conditions?

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

Mr. Speaker, I can inform the hon. member that yes, we do realize that. We made that clear in the last budget, and we will do so again in the next one.

White Paper On Financial Institutions

[Brenda Chamberlain, Liberal, Guelph—Wellington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday some Liberal colleagues and I talked about the future of the white paper on financial institutions.

I wonder if the secretary of state could give us an idea of when this paper will be released. This was extremely important for many people in my community who have a great interest in this particular issue.

[Doug Peters, Liberal, Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for her question.

I will be tabling a set of proposals, a white paper, on extending the safety and security of Canada's financial institutions. I will be doing so tomorrow.

The proposal is the result of some major consultations with the Department of Finance and others. On tabling the proposals I will be asking Canadians, those institutions that are affected and

Canadians generally, for submissions to the Department of Finance on that white paper.

Taxation

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

Mr. Speaker, this government still refuses to rule out tax increases in the upcoming budget. This should come as no surprise considering the Liberal's spending habits. For example, the minister of national decadence has had his Toronto office-

[The Speaker]

Order. I would encourage all hon. members to address each other with decorum. I would ask the hon. member to withdraw the word decadence.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am sorry the spending habits of the Liberals influenced my speaking. I withdraw that comment.

Mr. Speaker, $500,000 spent to refurbish the offices in Toronto, subsidization for posh houses for military brass and paying for their golf vacations in Florida. The minister of furnishings and oceans, not to be outdone, has spent millions of dollars on new equipment for his department and tens of thousands of dollars for his own office.

How on earth can the Prime Minister expect Canadians to cough up more tax dollars? Does he believe, as the hon. member from Broadview-Greenwood believes, that Canadians will simply roll over and pay?