Debates of Oct. 10th, 1997

Aboriginal Affairs

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health is responsible for delivering uninsured health benefits to aboriginal communities across the country. Some six million claims are made every year for prescription drug usage in those communities.

It is true this problem has been known for 10 years. Throughout that time the health department has worked with provincial authorities and with the first nations to address the problem.

By the end of this year, December 31, we will have in place technology across the country to help pharmacists detect abuse and to reduce the problem the member refers to.

Employment

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

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

Despite of all the cheer leading we heard this morning, Canadians woke up to the cruel reality that unemployment is stuck at 9%, a level which it has been at or worse for the past 84 consecutive months. To top it off, the Minister of Finance says that he will have to increase interest rates and kill off more jobs.

Does the minister want to be remembered as the Minister of Finance or as the notorious killer of Canadian jobs?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has been in the House long enough to know that he is speaking nonsense.

We have embarked on a very steady process of job creation. The comments of the minister earlier on youth unemployment is something all Canadians can take a great deal pride in.

He also knows that last week long term interest rates and mortgage rates came down to a record level. The monetary stimulus the Bank of Canada has provided over the course of the last four years is paying off.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[Nelson Riis, NDP, Kamloops, BC]

Mr. Speaker, how can the Minister of Finance stand there, let alone his colleagues cheer, when we have 1.4 million unemployed people? There is a 9% unemployment rate, continuing month after month after month, 64 consecutive months at 9% or worse, and he says the government is doing a decent job. That is simply not right.

Will he at least tell the Governor of the Bank of Canada that he will not tolerate an increase in interest rates? He knows the recovery is consumer led and that even a half per cent increase will result in that being thwarted.

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that when we took office over 200,000 jobs had been lost for the previous three years prior to 1993. Since we have taken office the private sector has created over a million jobs.

Why is the NDP arguing against the very same policy that Labour brought in when the new Labour government was elected in England? Is it because the NDP is back somewhere in the 14th century and refuses to recognize the necessity to evolve?

[Jean Charest, Progressive Conservative, Sherbrooke, QC]

Mr. Speaker, every time we ask the government about the plight of the unemployed, people who are out of a job and who are looking for some hope, all we get is warmed over rhetoric from the previous campaign, blaming the previous governments, blaming provincial governments, blaming the private sectors, or quoting statistics to people who are actually looking for some hope and a job.

The Minister of Finance just told the member of the NDP that his assertion was nonsense. Let me quote to him what the Minister of Finance said when in opposition and there were rising interest rates. He said, and I quote—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member on his supplementary question.

[Jean Charest, Progressive Conservative, Sherbrooke, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance said young Canadians would begin to ask themselves if there was a future for them in this country.

What is the jobs policy of a government that allows interest rates to increase when it is not necessary, has high UI premiums and has CPP premiums that will take $11 billion out of the economy and hurt jobs? What is the job policy of the government?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I would be delighted to tell the hon. member what our jobs policy is.

When his government was in power, 370,000 full-time jobs were lost. Since we have taken office 900,000 jobs have been created.

When his government was in office, real disposable income was down by 8%. Since we have taken office it is going up.

When his government was in office net worth per household was stagnant. Since we have taken office it has gone up by 6.8%.

Their government did not produce; our government has produced.

[Some hon. members]

Hear, hear.

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Vancouver Kingsway.

[Sophia Leung, Liberal, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Canadians have a grave concern over—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

Is the hon. member in her seat?

[Some hon. members]

No.

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Go to your seat.

[The Speaker]

The hon. member will go directly to her question.

[Sophia Leung, Liberal, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Canadians have grave concern over the recent incident in Jordan. The elite—

[The Speaker]

We will come back. The hon. member for Dartmouth.

Human Resources Development

[Wendy Lill, NDP, Dartmouth, NS]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Human Resources Development. This week the Public Service Commission reported the efforts to bring employment equity to those with disabilities were going in reverse. There are now fewer persons with disabilities in the public service than there were 10 years ago.

Yesterday the supreme court ruled that disabled and deaf persons have a right to effective communication when receiving health care. The government has a clear obligation to Canadians with disabilities to take immediate action to respond to these challenges.

When will the government announce a plan to address the employment and access problems that face disabled Canadians?

[Marcel Massé, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for Infrastructure]

Mr. Speaker, the government deeply cares about people with disabilities. It is part of our various plans to try to increase their numbers in the public service.

In the last report we indicated that we increased the number of various visible minorities, but unfortunately in the area of the handicapped we have to make even greater efforts in future years.

Public Works

[Gilles Bernier, Progressive Conservative, Tobique—Mactaquac, NB]

Mr. Speaker, it was said in the auditor general's report the other day that there are now over 20,000 credit cards loose in federal government offices.

The report indicates that the regulations governing the use of these cards are not properly enforced, meaning there is nothing to prevent civil servants from spending taxpayers' money on personal items or from lending their government cards out to friends.

Will the minister of public works bring in proper controls to ensure there are no abuses of taxpayers' money?

[Marcel Massé, Liberal, President of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for Infrastructure]

Mr. Speaker, the government welcomes the auditor general's report on this issue. The report also mentions there is no significant amount of damage or loss at the present time but there is certainly room to strengthen the framework and the controls.

In November 1997 the Treasury Board will issue the best practices guide for departments about acquisition cards.

Foreign Affairs

[Sophia Leung, Liberal, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, could the Minister of Foreign Affairs tell us what commitment he has received from the Government of Israel regarding the illegal use of passports?