Debates of March 2nd, 1995

Job Creation

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, not only does the Minister of Finance's budget target the poor once again, it offers nothing to stimulate employment. The minister himself implicitly recognizes that fact, since he predicts no improvement regarding the unemployment rate, which currently stands at 9.7 per cent for Canada and 12 per cent for Quebec.

Not only does the budget include no job creation initiatives, it delays the infrastructure program, the only measure announced in the previous budget to stimulate employment. The infrastructure program, which was initially designed as an emergency measure to stimulate employment following the recession, will now be spread over five years.

One cannot help but wonder if the minister lives on a different planet. Is he not aware that, to get back to the pre-recession employment level, close to 800,000 jobs must be created in Canada? It is time for the minister to get to work on that.

Immigration And Refugee Board

[Art Hanger, Reform, Calgary Northeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, today with no notice to either the press or the opposition, the immigration minister announced that in the IRB, single members will replace panels, a treaty is under way with the U.S. to

stop refugee claimants at the border, and cost savings, if any, will go to overseas selection of refugees. That is amazing.

In our paper on refugee determination, we called for only one person to hear claims. We called for denying the hearings to those who had travelled through the U.S. We called for inland cost savings to go overseas. I am glad this minister read our paper. If he really wanted to reform the process then he would stand up to special interests, scrap the IRB and restore some real common sense and accountability to the system.

Today's announcement will not make the system more accountable. It does not guarantee that the world's highest refugee acceptance rate will go anywhere but up. It does not do what needs to be done. That is altogether typical of the immigration minister: lots of talk but no real reform.

Cuvée 1995

[Walt Lastewka, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Cuvée 1995 is a three day celebration of Ontario's excellence in wine making. This weekend from March 3 to 5 wine makers and wine lovers from across the province will come to Niagara for the special celebration of Ontario wines.

The excellent reputation of Ontario wines continues to spread around the world. Ontario wines have received many international awards. Our own colleague, Gary Pillitteri, won a silver medal for Riesling best buy at the World Wine Championship in Chicago.

Last year, Cuvée 1994 presented a record number of wines for tasting from 30 of Ontario's wineries. This year promises to continue the great tradition which is now in its seventh year.

I invite all Canadians to Niagara to taste the excellent wines of Ontario.

[The Speaker]

I am sure the hon. member inadvertently mentioned the name of another member of Parliament. Sitting members of Parliament should be referred to by their riding.

The Budget

[John Cannis, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, one of the most distressing responses that came out pursuant to our budget was the intellectual dishonesty which emanated from the premier of Ontario and his finance minister. Their answer to the budget was to inform the citizens of Ontario that it will result in fewer health benefits and fewer hospital beds, even though Mr. Laughren admits the hit means a meagre 2 per cent cut in provincial spending.

I was dismayed to hear this, but not surprised. It reveals the NDP mentality whose knee-jerk reaction is to punish the people of Ontario for electing a federal Liberal government, a government which has a post-budget approval rate of 63 per cent, an all-time high.

This does not have to be. We are giving the provinces the power to develop and apply solutions to their regional problems as they see fit. If they are not content with the amount of dollars given, let them tighten their belts as we are doing ours. However Premier Rae wants to tighten other people's belts. He would prefer to cut down on hospital beds but gives no thought to cutting his own government's waste and especially so-

Members And Pages Hockey Game

[Warren Allmand, Liberal, Notre-Dame-De-Grâce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday we held the annual pages versus MPs hockey game. On this occasion the MPs won back the Challenge trophy which they had lost to the pages in 1993. Some Reform members suggested this was due to the fact that there were no longer any Conservatives with the team.

The game was notable in that this was a rare occasion when Liberals and Reformers co-operated in a winning effort. I must say it was also notable for the good spirit between the pages and the members.

The pages are to be congratulated for their great effort and for their accomplishments at gender balance. Several women played for the pages while none played for the MPs, although invited to do so.

Our thanks go to the members from Kindersley, Prince George, Macleod, Nickel Belt, Prince Albert, Halifax West and Algoma who all played an active role in the victory.

Federalism

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Verchères, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the statements made yesterday in the Outaouais by some supporters of federalism are beyond comprehension.

How can the mayor of Hull, Yves Ducharme, seriously claim that the loss of 14,000 jobs in the Outaouais, as announced in Monday's budget, will stimulate the economy, after saying to the Commission sur l'avenir du Québec that independence would be catastrophic because it would result in job losses in the public service? How ironic!

The chairman of the Outaouais urban community, Marc Croteau, went even further by claiming that the federal budget would force the region to diversify its economy. Either these gentlemen do not understand anything about the economic issues in their region, or else they are trying to fool the public by

promoting federalism in the Outaouais to further their own interests.

The Budget

[Jim Silye, Reform, Calgary Centre, AB]

Mr. Speaker, just when the province of Alberta gets its own fiscal house in order, the Liberal Party of eastern Canada has once again swooped in and hammered her taxpayers.

The elimination of the public utilities income transfer tax is nothing more than a selective tax grab against Alberta's private sector which will raise gas and electric bills for all Albertans. The Minister of Natural Resources has truly shown us that Ottawa has become her primary residence. It is blatant partisan political endeavours like this that make Calgarians now question the closure of CFB Calgary.

Was this an economic decision in the best interests of the country or a political cheap shot at a city that sent six Reformers to Ottawa? Calgarians want to see the books. Show us this is truly a money saving measure and not a lesson for not voting Liberal.

Like all Albertans, Calgarians are prepared to tighten their belts as long as it is fair. As a reminder to the Prime Minister, no matter what the Liberals do politically to the west, Alberta will keep sending fiscally responsible Reformers to Ottawa.

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the red book says: "Canadians with young families need a support system that enables parents to participate fully in the economic life of the country. That is why the availability of child care is an economic issue".

That is what the red book says. That is what the government promised the people of Canada. However, was child care even mentioned in the budget? Not a word. Now with the decision to proceed with block funding to the provinces, the federal government relinquishes what little influence it has to encourage the provinces to invest in child care.

Also, by slashing billions of dollars from provincial transfers, the government has reduced the ability of the provinces to offer quality child care. This is tragic. What does this say about a country that has turned its back on its children?

Children are our future. Young people are our future. Was the term youth even mentioned in the budget? Unfortunately not. Foreign bond traders and currency speculators may be happy with the budget, but what has the government done to our children and our youth, especially those in need?

Order Of Canada

[Stan Keyes, Liberal, Hamilton West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, last night I had the honour of witnessing the appointment of John V. Basmajian to the Order of Canada as well as the promotion of the Right. Hon. Ellen Louks Fairclough within the Order of Canada at Rideau Hall.

Ellen Fairclough is widely respected and admired for her outstanding political, social and cultural contributions to Canada. In addition to representing my riding of Hamilton West in the House of Commons from 1950 to 1962, her appointment to the position of Secretary of State in 1957 made her Canada's first woman cabinet minister.

Professor Emeritus at McMaster University, John V. Basmajian greatly influenced generations of physicians in training. In addition to inventing several widely used medical devices, he is also a pioneer in the area of electromyography, which had a significant impact on the development of biofeedback techniques used for rehabilitation following injury to the central nervous system.

I know all members of this House will join me in honouring two outstanding Canadians: Professor John V. Basmajian, OC and the Right Hon. Ellen Louks Fairclough, PC, OC.

Health Care

[Beth Phinney, Liberal, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the finance minister for maintaining in his budget the high level of national standards of our health care system. Although the member for Yukon stated yesterday in this House that the government had no intention of maintaining national standards in our health care system, nothing could be further from the truth.

Fears by the New Democratic Party of pending doom in the upcoming provincial elections should not encourage them to distort the honest truth about this government's commitment to health care in Canada. The Minister of Finance has made it clear in his budget that "the conditions of the Canada Health Act will be maintained. Universality, comprehensiveness, accessibility, portability and public administration of the Canada Health Act are fundamental for this government".

A Liberal government created our national health care program and we continue to earn the trust of Canadians by ensuring the continuation of this program.

National Unity

[Brent St. Denis, Liberal, Algoma, ON]

Mr. Speaker, more good news from Algoma riding.

Recently, a group of students from Elliot Lake Secondary School led by teacher Lindsay Killen invited Canadian high school students to write the leader of the Bloc Quebecois and the premier of Quebec to express their desire for a strong and united Canada. So far, the response has been tremendous. The group has received positive feedback from students across Canada.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of welcoming a delegation from Elliot Lake with over 1,000 letters from area students regarding their views on the importance of national unity and their love for Quebec.

I want to send a heartfelt thanks to the Bloc members for Portneuf, Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot and Québec Est, who graciously received these letters on behalf of their leader. They greeted the students with respect and sincerity. I was pleased with the open, caring and honest exchange of viewpoints on the issue of the future of our country.

This positive initiative demonstrates the youth of our country are genuinely concerned about the future of Canada. I salute the students of Elliot Lake Secondary School for their efforts in promoting national unity.

Referendum Debate

[Jean H. Leroux, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. members of the Bloc Quebecois condemn the remarks made yesterday by Senator Jean-Louis Roux during "Le Point" on the French network of the CBC.

It is simply horrible that this senator from Quebec should make a comparison between the seeming disinterest in sovereignty shown by certain artists in Quebec and the silence of German intellectuals during the Nazi regime in the 1930s.

This comparison is completely wrong and absurd and is a stinging insult to Quebecers of every stripe who are engaging in the debate on Quebec sovereignty in a free and democratic manner.

In stating that he would leave Quebec in the event of a "yes" in the referendum, Senator Jean-Louis Roux is repudiating his fellow Quebecers who are trying to establish a country for themselves through democratic means. It is sad and disappointing.

Political Party Finances

[Elwin Hermanson, Reform, Kindersley—Lloydminster, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to report to the house that the Reform Party of Canada, the party that firmly believes in fiscal responsibility, completed the year 1994 with a surplus of close to $400,000.

I would also like to report that the Reform Party added the $400,000 to existing cash reserves in excess of $1 million. That is over $1 million in the bank, unlike the Liberal Party which finished 1994 with a debt of $2.5 million.

At the end of 1993 the Liberal Party, the party that is now taking inadequate steps toward federal deficit reduction, ran up its own operating deficit of $789,400.

Unfortunately, members may be confused by a newspaper account which recorded only a selected distorted portion of the Reform Party's financial picture.

Let me assure all Canadians that the Reform Party remains strongly committed to deficit reduction. The bottom line on our balance sheet proves it.

Reform Party

[John Harvard, Liberal, Winnipeg—St. James, MB]

Mr. Speaker, prior to budget day, the government received a lot of free advice from the Reform Party on how to tackle Canada's debt and deficit. It still rings in our ears: Get your spending under control. Eliminate the deficit.

We now learn the Reform Party itself has slipped into the red. It is the truth. Scout's honour, cross my heart and hope to die. The Reform Party is running a deficit. The party which preaches frugality has been spending more than it earns. It has failed to balance its books. It cannot control its urge to spend.

Wait until the people back home get the news. What will their constituents think when they learn the Reformers' motto: Do as I preach, not as I do. The hypocrisy, the betrayal.

Perhaps Reform MPs need another telephone town hall. Take heed Reformers or you might just hear that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

Canada Games

[Pierrette Ringuette-Maltais, Liberal, Madawaska—Victoria, NB]

Mr. Speaker, during the Canada Games in Grand Prairie, Alberta, the New Brunswick judo team earned a total of eight medals, with the male team placing second in the country.

With their determination to succeed and train in their sport, they displayed their fine talent and agility.

I would like to congratulate the judo team from the Northwest, in particular, Bruno Volpé, gold medallist; Denis Cyr, Sylvain Collin, Marco Volpé, silver medallists; Danny Beaulieu, Madeleine Bossé, Jérémie Lepage and Magalie Paquet, bronze medallists.

Congratulations. Your perseverance in training in this sport has no doubt brought its rewards.

Pensions

[Ken Epp, Reform, Elk Island, AB]

Mr. Speaker, we have another example of a soft target in the much touted Liberal red book where it calls for minimal, no pain adjustments to the MP pension plan.

The government has now come up with a two-tiered plan which protects the old cronies of the Liberal caucus, just like the old cronies of the Conservative Party were coddled before.

While announcing a review of the pensions given to Canada's seniors, these fat cats are making sure that their gold-plated, over-rich, taxpayer super-subsidized pensions are kept intact. While all other Canadians are being asked to accept cutbacks and layoffs, Liberals like the Deputy Prime Minister will collect up to $2.7 million in their own special unemployment insurance fund.

Mr. Speaker, you will note that the Liberals have even failed to meet their soft red book target because of the whining and crying of these Liberals. What I really wanted to call them would probably be unparliamentary.

Canadians deserve better. It is time to end-

The Budget

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, in an interview on CBC radio, the Prime Minister tried to appease the wrath of the provinces by saying that they should take it as a compliment and a sign of trust that the federal government has decided to let them pay an additional $7 billion for health care, social assistance and post-secondary education. That takes guts, Mr. Speaker.

How can the Prime Minister have the arrogance to ask the provinces, especially Quebec and Ontario, to take it as a compliment that an additional $7 billion will be cut, which puts them in the unenviable position of deciding whether to cut services or raise taxes?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, several years ago, the provinces started cutting their programs for health care, social services and education, and we kept sending money to the provinces.

However, because of our present financial situation, we had to make cuts. They did and we are doing the same. Today, everyone has to put his financial house in order, both the federal government and the provinces.

For years, the Leader of the Opposition has been asking us to reduce the federal presence in these sectors. When we do, he says: Pay, but keep quiet. In a democracy, he who pays the piper usually calls the tune.

Since we did what they wanted us to do, he should be satisfied, and stop criticizing.

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister thinks the federal government pays the piper, but all it does is collect the money from the same taxpayer who, in the end, is stuck with the bill for these transfer payments.

Does the Prime Minister not realize that he has fooled nobody by dumping the deficit in the backyard of the provinces? This tactic has already produced a negative side, as is seen in the decision by the Dominion Bond Rating Service to put Ontario's credit rating under review following the federal budget cuts in transfer payments?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we prepared the budget to squarely face the fiscal reality of the nation. At the moment I know the Canadian people support the tough action the government took because it was the right thing to do.

[Lucien Bouchard, Bloc, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, will the Prime Minister be as frank as his Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs was yesterday in Quebec City, when he admitted that budget cutbacks mean that Quebec will have a potential loss of $3.5 billion three years from now, something his Minister of Finance refused to admit yesterday in this House?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, it is true that there will be a loss of revenue in some provinces. As in many other sectors in this country where we have made cuts, people will have less money. That is what management is. When we can no longer afford to pay, we have to cut, and that is what we have done. We did not walk away from our responsibilities. There are people who blame us, and we are prepared to take the blame, but on the other hand, I know the Canadian public realizes that this government has not neglected its responsibilities and that we have done what the people wanted us to do.

[Michel Gauthier, Bloc, Roberval, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the government wanted to make the $7 billion reduction in transfer payments to the provinces for post-secondary education, health and welfare look like a decentralization measure to demonstrate the flexibility of federalism. In a case of real decentralization a transfer of additional responsibilities is accompanied by the means to assume them, that is, tax points.

How can the Prime Minister have the gall to ask the provinces, as the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs did yesterday, to clean up their finances? He dumps an additional $7 billion charge on them and asks them to do for him the clean up job that he is incapable of doing in federal spending.

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we have in fact cut 19 per cent of federal government operations. Transfers to the provinces are cut, I believe, by 14 per cent. We were not as harsh on the provinces as we were on ourselves. I think the hon. member should recognize this. There is no difference between tax points and cash payments; they represent a transfer of resources from the federal government to the provinces.