Debates of Oct. 24th, 1997

Search And Rescue

[John Richardson, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, I want to make one correction. That was 550 miles the EH-101 would have gone. That was not within the range from the platform to get to those ships and you know that.

[The Deputy Speaker]

The parliamentary secretary will please address the Chair.

[John Richardson, Liberal, Perth—Middlesex, ON]

Yes, Mr. Speaker. The member knows that. In fact we have picked up 10 survivors. One is critical and the other is not so critical. We are flying them into hospitals. We are moving as quickly as we can to close the gap and continue searching for bodies in the Atlantic. It is a heroic effort—

[The Deputy Speaker]

The hon. member for Dewdney—Alouette.

Goods And Services Tax

[Grant McNally, Reform, Dewdney—Alouette, BC]

Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister is here in Canada he does not like to talk too much about the GST. It is no wonder, after all he did promise to scrap it, kill it and abolish it. However yesterday in England the Prime Minister was actually bragging about how much he likes the GST.

Which is it? Is it a tax he grudgingly collects, or one that he brags about to tax collectors around the world?

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, this is a tax as all members know that we inherited from our predecessors. I must admit that I was very proud as the chair of the finance committee to have had the opportunity to review 20 alternatives to it.

We have made numerous changes to that tax. We have taken a lemon and made lemonade.

[Grant McNally, Reform, Dewdney—Alouette, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister seems to have forgotten that because he wants to adopt the tax as his own. In fact the Prime Minister tells the world he loves the GST and yesterday he actually said “We introduced it”. He wants to take credit for it.

Which Prime Minister should hardworking Canadians and hardworking taxpayers believe: the 1993 version who hated the GST, or the 1997 version who tells the world how much he loves it?

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)]

And this, Mr. Speaker, is coming from the party that is on record for praising our efforts at harmonizing the GST. This is the party that worked with us constructively to ensure that we had a more competitive tax system. This is the tax that, harmonized in the Atlantic provinces, is being bragged about by the premiers as offering a competitive advantage to those who have not harmonized.

If they want to get rid of the $18 billion without blowing our deficit to pieces, let them tell us how.

Correctional Service Of Canada

[Ghislain Fournier, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Solicitor General of Canada.

In his letter of October 2, the Solicitor General of Canada said that he did not believe it necessary to hold a public inquiry within the Correctional Service of Canada. Labour Canada did an evaluation and concluded that there was no risk for employees.

My question—

[The Deputy Speaker]

The Solicitor General of Canada.

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, as I have mentioned a number of times in this House, the protection of our employees is of paramount concern and is an ongoing concern. Management and the Union of Solicitor General Employees are working together constantly in the interests of their protection.

[Ghislain Fournier, Bloc, Manicouagan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, why is the minister refusing to hold a public inquiry, when the life and safety of correctional services officers and the public are involved?

[Andy Scott, Liberal, Solicitor General of Canada]

Mr. Speaker, we have a number of instruments available for monitoring situations and investigating situations, and the safety of our employees is of paramount concern.

Health Care

[Grant Hill, Reform, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister has promised, and I quote from him this week in the House, “a guarantee to the provinces for cash as it relates to medicare”. Now from finance documents we find that is not quite true. There is a $171 million shortfall in those cash transfers.

Where is the missing money for medicare?

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, it is very simple. We intend to bring legislation before the House which will reflect our commitment to have a CHST cash floor of $12.5 billion. Until that legislation has been passed, that cannot be included in the estimates.

[Grant Hill, Reform, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the promise is there, a promise made by the minister across the way. This is not a promise to me nor to my party. It is a promise to people like Bill Prentice who has been waiting for a hip replacement for two years because the OR is closed. That money would go toward opening the OR for Bill Prentice. There is probably somebody in the gallery with hepatitis C who is waiting for a compensation package.

My question again, where is the missing money for medicare?

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, Secretary of State (International Financial Institutions)]

Mr. Speaker, as I said to the hon. member, as soon as the legislation is passed it will show up in the accounts on that basis.

I take it that the representation of the hon. member is a commitment by his party to grant unanimous consent when we bring that legislation before the House.

Railway Transportation

[Antoine Dubé, Bloc, Lévis, QC]

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

The moratorium on railways along the St. Lawrence river to Lévis ends December 1. We learned yesterday that the minister has not yet made a decision in this regard.

Would the minister agree, in light of the importance of this issue to meet with the agencies concerned and to hold public hearings on the subject?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, we are looking at a number of options for rail service across the country. On the matter of the Lévis station, no decision has yet been made. I will gladly consider any idea or opinion my colleague or anyone else might have on the subject before I make my decision.

[Antoine Dubé, Bloc, Lévis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I note the minister has not made a decision, but how is it that his colleague, the Secretary of State for Agriculture and Agro-food, and Fisheries and Oceans announced this week with great fanfare in Le Soleil that the Lévis station would close on December 1?

Is the Minister of Transport still in charge of the department or is it his colleague?

[David Collenette, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, I am the Minister of Transport.

Search And Rescue

[Jim Hart, Reform, Okanagan—Coquihalla, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the dedication of Canada's search and rescue personnel is undisputed. It is the best. The dedication of this government's commitment toward search and rescue is also undisputed. It is the worst.

In 1993 the Liberals exploited the purchase of new helicopters and this exploitation has cost lives.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence stand in this House today and defend the inaction of this government on the helicopter fiasco?

[John Richardson, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of National Defence]

Mr. Speaker, that supercilious sort of sham reasoning is belied directly by the facts. This helicopter would not have had the range to reach from Hibernia to the existing site.

[An hon. member]

Wrong.

[John Richardson, Liberal, Perth—Middlesex, ON]

That is right. The other fact is to wait for the announcement on the helicopters.