If I may, I will try to convey, over the shouts of the official opposition, the messages sent to the minister by members of the business community.
The message from small businesses regarding regional development is clear. They told us: "First, cut government spending; second, stop subsidizing businesses; and third, eliminate overlap; reduce the paper burden and the red tape; and give us the
strategic information we need to meet the challenges of technological change and globalization of our markets".
Now that is progressive. That is the new approach to regional development. This is what the Federal Office of Regional Development intends to do. It will work in partnership in order to target promising development sectors. I must point out that the office has already taken action on a number of occasions in Quebec and throughout Canada. We target small and medium high tech business and, when we target high tech in partnership, we are targeting an area of the future. We are targeting an area that will mean the creation of quality, worthwhile and long lasting jobs, which will improve Canada's economy and make us a strong competitor both nationally and internationally. This is basic for small and medium size business.
I was listening to my colleague earlier talking about training. I find it hard to believe today that people can talk about isolating themselves as regards manpower training. In an era of free trade when there is talk of a World Trade Organization, we should be looking to band together to better train our labour force, make it a quality one. This is what Quebecers want. A quality labour force is a dynamic one that puts Canadian business at the peak of competition. As a dynamic labour force, it also attracts investments. This is the plan of the present government and this is what we will continue to do.
We are talking about a dynamic approach attuned to what people want. I was listening to my colleague earlier attacking reforms to social programs by the Department of Human Resources Development. You will permit me to say that I find such comments disgraceful, given that the new direction the Minister of Human Resources Development is taking is fundamental not only for workers, but for Canadian society.
Let us take the example of the human resources investment fund, which will come into effect in April 1996.
This fund, which in my opinion is quite a marvel, meets the very needs of the public. During several months, Canadians told us: "We want training programs that are firmly grounded in reality. We want training programs which are much more flexible". Again, I would point out to the Chair that I am trying to be heard over all the hollering of the Bloc Quebecois members.
Canadians want training programs which are much more flexible and truly in tune with their needs. The Human Resources Investment Fund meets all of their expectations. It really reflects the real situation out there. When I hear the Bloc Quebecois and the Parti Quebecois telling Quebecers that these parties should have control over manpower training so that they can hide what they are doing, I cannot help but think that they are not realistic and are ignoring what is going on at the international level.
We must train our workers in order to become extremely competent. This requires partnerships, team work and co-operation with the private sector, which is exactly what the Human Resources Investment Fund is all about. Earlier, some members said that the Canada social transfer would lead to decentralization. I do not know which way to turn anymore.
When we were considering social reform, the members of the Bloc Quebecois hailed the Canada social transfer as a miracle. They wanted us to decentralize and transfer everything to the provinces. That is what we did in the finance minister's budget. Through the Canada social transfer, we handed a number of programs over to them. Now that this has come to pass, they are trying to distort the truth by saying that the Canada social transfer is tied to the unilateral setting of national standards by the federal government.
I think that we did not read the same document. We live in a country, and I think it is normal to have national standards across the country. During the consultations on social program reform, people in Quebec and throughout Canada also told us that we should indeed have national standards. The people also told us-in Quebec, too-that they did not want these standards to be set unilaterally by the federal government.
The Canada social transfer is a classic example of progressive federalism, of co-operative federalism, of a federalism that does not represent in any way the status quo advocated by members of the official opposition, members of the Bloc Quebecois.