Debates of March 1st, 1995

Save Your Vision Week

[Bernard Patry, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Mr. Speaker, March 5 to 11 is "Save your vision week" in Canada. This is an annual event to foster public awareness sponsored by the Canadian Association of Optometrists.

This year's theme is: "Hope is in sight. Good vision and literacy: There is a clear connection".

Many Canadians are unable to read simply because they do not see well. Children do not learn to read if they cannot focus on the blackboard or on the words in a book. One child in six has a vision problem, which makes it hard for him or her to learn and to read. The key is prevention. Early detection of vision problems really helps improve literacy. It has been established that three quarters of adults with literacy problems also have vision problems.

I join, therefore, with the 2,800 optometrists in Canada to remind Canadians that good vision is a must for good reading.

Public Service

[René Laurin, Bloc, Joliette, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the president of the Public Service Alliance called upon his members yesterday to make a decision on a work-to-rule action and other pressure tactics to protest the public service cuts.

The Liberal government refuses to enter into a constructive dialogue with the Public Service Alliance. Yet the alliance has stated its willingness to join forces with the government to ensure better management of staff reductions and to maintain services to the public. In deciding against negotiations and partnership, the Liberal government is in essence denying the very principle of collective bargaining.

With a work-to-rule action by civil servants on its hands, the government is now reaping what it has sown. All Canadians and Quebecers will pay for the contempt displayed by the Liberal government.

Firearms

[Myron Thompson, Reform, Wild Rose, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize the mayor of Dauphin, Manitoba, Mr. Inky Mark.

This gentleman took upon himself to compile resolutions from approximately 200 municipal governments from all provinces and territories. These resolutions support the principle that all Canadians now and in the future shall continue to enjoy the lawful, responsible and safe use of all firearms.

He took these efforts upon himself because he felt the voice of the tax-paying, law-abiding citizen was seldom heard. He has consistently asked for the establishment of a national firearms advisory council whose members would be made up of a cross-section of non-partisan people.

I would like his message to be heard loud and clear and to pay tribute to his tireless efforts on behalf of responsible recreational firearms users.

Health Care

[Audrey McLaughlin, NDP, Yukon, YT]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has finally admitted with his budget that his government has no intention of maintaining national standards in our health care system. Today the Prime Minister was quoted as saying: "Social programs such as medicare will revert to meeting more basic needs as they did when they were started half a century ago".

Fifty years ago someone in my family suffered from a major illness. We were fortunate as a family that it only took us 10 years to pay off the bill. Fifty years ago others lost their farms and businesses for reasons of health and health expenses. Because of that they also lost hope for the future.

It is clear now that this government is intent on doing away with national standards with the national health care system. In fact rather than building Canada, the Prime Minister has con-

firmed today the government has set us on a course to dismantle this country.

Simcoe County Board Of Education

[Paul Devillers, Liberal, Simcoe North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to announce to the House that, as of next September, the Simcoe County Board of Education's intensive French language program will be offered at Bradford West Gwillimbury elementary school.

Five out of the six major centres in Simcoe county now offer a bilingual curriculum to their English speaking students. This year, over 500 elementary and secondary school students registered for the program, which is in its sixth year. I wish to congratulate the school board, its staff, and above all, the parents of Simcoe county for participating in this program and for their contribution to bilingualism in Canada.

The intensive French language program is another example of the importance placed on the French language in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada.

Michael Barnes

[Ben Serré, Liberal, Timiskaming—French-River, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today I rise in the House to congratulate Mr. Michael Barnes, a constituent from my riding of Timiskaming-French River.

Mr. Barnes is a teacher and historian who has chronicled the history of northern Ontario. This region is as rich in exciting history as any other in Canada but is often ignored by the majority of Canadians.

Mr. Barnes has researched our history from the early days of the gold camps and the construction of the railways. In all his works Mr. Barnes has celebrated the resilient and rugged people who came from across Canada and the world to settle and prosper in this bountiful region of our great nation.

Northern Ontario and indeed Canada should be proud of Michael Barnes. I call upon all members of Parliament to join me in congratulating him today as he rightly becomes a member of the Order of Canada.

Lighthouse Keepers

[Jean Payne, Liberal, St. John's West, NL]

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to bring to the attention of this House a long and storied Canadian tradition, that of the lighthouse keeper. Recently, Transport Canada announced that the remaining lighthouse keepers in Canada would be replaced by an automated system.

Today I would like to speak about two historic and treasured stations located at Cape Spear and Cape Race in my riding.

Cape Spear, Newfoundland is the most easterly point in North America. It is where man meets the sea. The lighthouse station at Cape Spear, in operation since 1835, is still manned by a lighthouse keeper. Yet on the 160th birthday of this lighthouse, Transport Canada wants to have machine meet the sea at this historic point.

The second lighthouse, Cape Race located in southeast Newfoundland, has for decades been the reference point for European ships bound for the Americas. Since 1856 European ships have approached a manned lighthouse station at Cape Race.

I urge Transport Canada to re-examine its decision regarding the demanning of these lighthouses. One hundred and sixty years of history and tradition-

Immigration

[Richard Bélisle, Bloc, La Prairie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in a move of extraordinary cynicism, the Liberal government has decided to impose what amounts to an immigration tax. The members of the Bloc Quebecois deplore this virtual tripling of the fees required upon submission of an immigration application. In addition to the basic $500, an adult immigrant will have to pay a tax of $975 to have his application considered.

This government, which has loudly proclaimed its openness to immigration, which wants to boost its citizenship profile, which produces one overblown speech after another on Canada as the country of choice for immigrants, is practicing the exact opposite of what it preaches.

The message sent by this fee hike could not be clearer: Canada is no longer interested in taking in immigrants, and is particularly uninterested in those with low incomes. It has decided to close the door and exclude those whose contribution has been and is still so important for Quebec and Canadian society.

Vision Awareness Week

[Daphne Jennings, Reform, Mission—Coquitlam, BC]

Mr. Speaker, next week is Vision Awareness Week in Canada. It is an annual public awareness campaign sponsored by Canadian optometrists. This year's theme is "Hope is in sight. Good vision and literacy: There is a clear connection".

Can you imagine if all of us who wear glasses went without them for a day or even half a day? That would put us in the position of those I am addressing today.

Many Canadians cannot read well because they cannot see well. Children will not learn to read if they cannot focus on the chalkboard or on the words in a book. One in six children has a vision problem.

Not all vision problems are easy to detect, therefore the earlier problems are detected and corrected, the better. Prevention is the key. The fact is that three-quarters of adults with poor literacy skills also have problems with their vision.

As literacy critic for the Reform Party, I join Canada's 2,800 optometrists in reminding Canadians that good vision is necessary to become a good reader.

Interest Rates

[Jag Bhaduria, Liberal, Markham—Whitchurch-Stouffville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, now that the federal government has tabled its 1995 budget, a tough budget that will suit the wishes of international investors, it is time to get down to the serious business of controlling our financial destiny.

The federal government must instruct the Bank of Canada to bring the effective interest rate down from the present superficially high level. A lower interest rate will result in increased job growth for Canadians. It will greatly assist small and medium sized businesses.

Interest rates should be brought down by at least 2 percentage points. One result of this move would be lower interest payments to foreign investors. Another would be that small and medium sized businesses could afford to borrow money for expansion, thereby creating jobs.

We need a made in Canada interest rate. We have to control our interest rates in order to achieve a balanced budget in the long run.

International Women's Day

[Nick Discepola, Liberal, Vaudreuil, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this year, International Women's Day falls during our week off. That is why I rise today to pay tribute to all Canadian women from coast to coast.

Let us look around us. There are now 54 women sitting in the House of Commons. We have come a long way since Agnes McPhail became the first woman elected to the House of Commons in 1921; since the judiciary committee of the Privy Council finally recognized, in 1929, that women were persons in the eyes of the law; since Carine Wilson became the first woman appointed to the Senate in 1930.

Women have left their mark in all their fields of activity despite the obstacles that keep springing up in their way, simply because our society is still tainted by widespread and offensive sexism.

To our mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, colleagues and friends, to all women in Canada, I say thank you.

Rodger Dusky

[Joe Fontana, Liberal, London East, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute today in the House to Mr. Rodger Dusky from my riding in London, Ontario.

On February 16, Mr. Dusky received the Prime Minister's award for teaching excellence in science, technology and mathematics. This award recognizes teachers across Canada who have had a major proven impact on student performance and interest in these areas. Mr. Dusky was nominated for this award by one of his former students.

Mr. Dusky has been a teacher for 32 years and has been teaching science and chemistry at London Central Secondary School since 1987. Most notable in his achievements is "The Mentor Connection". This program twins high school students with professionals from the community in order to support and enhance the autonomous learning projects of the students.

This program has been a tremendous success locally. Mr. Dusky is presently in the process of trying to expand the program so more students can benefit from this unique opportunity. It is through these types of initiatives and teachers such as Mr. Dusky that our children have the skills and knowledge to effectively compete in the constantly changing workplace.

Quebec's Cultural Communities

[Patrick Gagnon, Liberal, Bonaventure—Îles-De-La-Madeleine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in the past two days, the Bloc member for Louis-Hébert and his colleague from Chicoutimi have missed their chance to make amends for the racist and discriminatory remarks they made about Quebec's cultural communities.

After their leader had rebuked them, these two members found nothing better to do than issue releases stating that they regret any embarrassment their remarks caused the Leader of the Opposition and any harm they have caused their colleagues in the Bloc Quebecois or those involved in building a sovereign, open and profoundly democratic Quebec.

The truth of the matter is that the two Bloc members are probably not sorry they made such blatantly racist and discriminatory remarks about our cultural communities; they are just sorry their party and the separatist cause may have been hurt by their remarks.

How can the people of Quebec believe in their plan for an independent, supposedly open and profoundly democratic Quebec, when in fact the very people responsible for promoting this plan, like the two hon. members opposite, have no regard for the most fundamental of principles?

We demand no less than formal apologies to be made in this House to our fellow citizens newly established in la Belle Province de Québec.

Federalism

[Maud Debien, Bloc, Laval East, QC]

Mr. Speaker, when he tabled his budget, the Minister of Finance said, with a smile on his face, that the era of flexible federalism had now arrived. However, we had to be suspicious of that smile, which was more akin to the kiss of Judas.

How can the minister be serious about flexible federalism when he is considerably limiting the financial margin of the provinces by reducing transfers, while at the same time maintaining national standards for welfare, health and post-secondary education?

After promising to reduce overlap and duplication between the two levels of government, the minister has now decided, despite all the opposition, to keep control over a sector as vital as manpower training.

In its editorial of today, Le Devoir says that current federalism ``manages without us and clearly declares itself to be imperial''.

This is what federalism has become.

Members Of Parliament Pensions

[Jim Silye, Reform, Calgary Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present the third instalment of the Liberal's copy Reform awards.

Today's winner is the member for Vancouver Quadra whose personal proposals for pension reform are suspiciously similar to the Reform blue book. At a time when the cabinet has approved a two tier pension plan that will make millionaires out of defeated politicians, it is indeed outstanding to have a government backbench MP suggest that the treasured gold plated pension plan be based on the principle of matching funds.

Imagine a Liberal actually saying that MPs should live by the same rules as other Canadians, collecting their pensions at age 65, or that they should be forced to tighten their belts like those living outside planet Ottawa. Reformers have been calling for these changes for four years.

I commend the member for Vancouver Quadra for joining our cause. I call on the Prime Minister to stop comparing his salary and pension with professional hockey players and start comparing it to those who actually pay his salary and pension, the Canadian taxpayers.

The Budget

[Robert Bertrand, Liberal, Pontiac—Gatineau—Labelle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last week, the Bloc member for Roberval was concerned by the decision of the American rating agency Moody's to put Canada's credit rating under review.

The opposition member said in this House, and I quote: "The pressure from the financial community is a signal that the Minister of Finance should tackle the deficit problem by making massive cuts in government spending, which has to be the preferred approach, rather than raise the taxes of the middle class".

I am pleased to see that the wish of the hon. member for Roberval was largely met in Monday's budget.

I want to further reassure the member by reminding him of the comments made by his colleague, the official opposition critic for finance, on the CBC'S French radio network yesterday morning: "The economists and the financial community seem relatively pleased with this budget -and rightly so since, from a strictly financial point of view, Mr. Martin seems to be willing or able to reach his objectives-".

[The Speaker]

Regrettably, I must interrupt the hon. member. The hon. member for Scarborough Centre.

[John Cannis, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last Monday the Minister of Finance brought forth a trustworthy budget that will put our country in a new era of financial responsibility.

Not only do we feel this is a good budget for Canada, even the international community approved. Within two hours of the budget the dollar began to rise and the interest rates began to fall. These are signs of recognition that we are indeed on the right track. I am happy to add that most reasonable citizens have

come to realize this and have accepted the budget as truly a progressive budget.

One reasonable citizen, I am pleased to note, is the Reform Party's financial critic who was so approving he led the applause in the House. In fact at one time he gave the finance minister a standing ovation, an act earning him reproval from his Reform Party colleagues.

Reform Party members accused us of smoke and mirrors during our prebudget consultations while they spread false information throughout the country. Yet the budget shows Canadian citizens that we were listening.

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, in its budget, the federal government is downloading part of its deficit to the provinces by cutting $7 billion from transfer payments for social programs. As a result, Quebec alone will lose $650 million next year and $1.9 billion in 1997-98. The Quebec Minister of Finance roundly criticized the negative impact of a budget that will force the Quebec government to reduce services or raise taxes or both.

Will the Minister of Finance have the basic honesty to admit to the House that cuts in transfer payments mean that Quebec will have a shortfall of $2.5 billion three years from now, including $1.9 billion for 1997 alone, which is 41.7 per cent of total transfer payments for that year?

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

Mr. Speaker, we intend to sit down with the provinces to discuss how we will approach the changes in transfer payments. There is only one correct figure: In 1996-97, compared with this year, there will be a cut of $350 million.

If we consider the potential for eliminating duplication and overlap, I think this can be absorbed.

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I beg to differ with the minister on a matter as basic and simple as arithmetic. If the budget had not interfered with transfer payments this year, Quebec would have received $300 million more, according to the estimates for transfer payments. The minister cancelled the $300 million increase and cut an additional $350 million. According to what I learned in school, 300 plus 350 equals 650 million.

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

The Minister of Finance cannot count.

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

The minister tells us that as far as the $2.2 billion over a three year period is concerned, there is some uncertainty, since the $4.5 billion that will be cut in the third year will have to be distributed among the provinces, after negotiations with the federal government.

If there is any uncertainty, and in fact there is not, since the technical document published by the Department of Human Resources Development says this will be done on a per capita basis, and the minister says, on page 17 of the budget speech, that he will apply the same criterion-if there is any uncertainty, then it should be cleared up.

Yesterday and again today, the minister said that he was ready to meet the provinces the very next day. Perhaps the minister would like to tell us whether he agrees the provinces should be summoned immediately to a formal federal-provincial conference, where he would clarify the issues and tell us what the repercussions will be for Quebec?

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

Mr. Speaker, when I met the provincial finance ministers before the budget and we discussed the changes in transfer payments, I told them I would be ready to meet them as soon as the budget was brought down.

So the answer to your question is yes. In fact, I have already made that clear to the finance ministers. The Leader of the Opposition mentioned arithmetic. Well, there is a difference of at least one billion dollars between the figures quoted by the leader of the Bloc Quebecois and those quoted by the Quebec finance minister, so you will have to check with headquarters.

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I would appreciate a clear answer. I would like the minister to tell us whether he will immediately call a federal-provincial conference to discuss how the cuts in transfer payments will be distributed.