Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak to the motions in Group No. 3. Naturally, I support the amendments proposed by the Bloc Quebecois to Bill C-70, an act to amend the Excise Tax Act and the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act.
In my earlier speech, I have already criticized the agreement between the federal government and the Atlantic provinces, which cost Canadian and Quebec taxpayers close to $1 billion. I also asked a bit earlier for the government to pay Quebec $1.9 billion, since that province has already harmonized its tax with the federal tax.
Under this bill, the GST will become the HST, the harmonized sales tax. But, despite its name, it is the same GST that the Liberals fought so hard against when they were in opposition. The Liberals, and in particular the current Prime Minister, promised to abolish the GST. They made this promise on television, with great enthusiasm, although recently, he tried to say that he had never promised to eliminate the GST. What is certain, because we saw it on television, is that in 1993 the Prime Minister said that he would indeed scrap the GST, that they would eliminate it. His colleagues, when they were in opposition, said the same. I have here a few examples.
On November 7, 1990, on page 15245 of Hansard , the member for Windsor, now the Solicitor General of Canada, said, in response to a question: Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are speaking for Canadians when they say the GST has to be stopped. If the Minister is interested in listening to Canadians, he will listen to the Liberals who are saying in this House, across the country and in the Senate that the GST must be stopped''. He added:
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Liberal senators, in accordance with policies announced by
the Liberals, voted in favour of an amendment that would exempt books and periodicals from the goods and services tax. However, the Conservative senators rejected this amendment". Then he asked his question: "My question for the Prime Minister is this: why does he claim to be listening to the country when he refuses to withdraw his GST and has the nerve to tax books? Why does he want to impose his GST? Why does he want to impose ignorance on this country?"
Now we know that the Liberals do not want to lift the GST except from certain books, not all books and periodicals, as the Bloc Quebecois has always requested, even when it did not constitute a party, and as is done in Quebec. Books and culture cannot be taxed.
To continue, on March 25, 1991, on page 18931 of Hansard , the same member for Windsor, now the Solicitor General of Canada, asked a question, using the following words: ``Will the Deputy Prime Minister admit that the government was wrong in applying the GST on books and on the economy, and set up this task force today?'' What a difference between that and what the Liberals are saying today.
Another well-known member at the time, now Minister of Canadian Heritage, said on March 25, 1991, at page 18927 in Hansard : ``Mr. Speaker, a tax on books is not going to do much for Canadian unity and Canadian identity''.
On December 13, 1990, at page 16668 in Hansard , another well-known member, now Minister of Health, said: ``They are signed by residents from the province of Nova Scotia, namely, the city of Halifax and surrounding areas. These residents petition the Government of Canada in their opposition to the goods and services tax, in particular as that tax applies to books, magazines and newspapers. All petitioners on these three petitions call upon the Government of Canada to withdraw the goods and services tax as it is an impediment to small business as well as to Canadian consumers''.
On December 4, 1990, at page 16171 in Hansard , another member, the member for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, now Minister for International Co-operation, said during tabling of petitions: ``Mr. Speaker, I have a petition which I would like to present pursuant to Standing Order 36. It is against the taxing of books and urges the government to abandon the GST, at least with regard to books, but preferably to abandon the GST altogether. Why stop there? Let us go all the way.''
Another well-known member, now Minister of Public Works, the hon. member for Sudbury, said that she wanted the government to carefully reconsider its position and at least change the goods and services tax if it was not prepared to scrap it.
The Liberals have always spoken out against the GST, especially to request that books, magazines and newspapers be exempt from this unfair tax. In the few minutes remaining, I would like to mention the concerns and disappointment of many Canadian citizens of various ethnocultural origins regarding changes in the tax treatment of Canadian pensions as they affect non-residents.
I was approached on the subject by representatives of various ethnocultural communities, and especially by the Portuguese and Greek communities. They wrote to the minister and met with officials of the Department of Finance to try and deal with the problem, so far without success. A 25 per cent tax on pensions is too much for elderly people on low incomes.
We all agree that we need a fair tax system. Major reforms are needed. However, compulsory and uniform taxation of the often very modest pensions paid to Canadians living their last years abroad is unacceptable. These elderly people are often subject to double taxation: by Canada and by their country of residence. This situation is becoming increasingly widespread, since a growing number of immigrants who are retired go back to their country of birth to live there.
From a strictly economic viewpoint, the return of an elderly person to the country of birth is a major benefit for Canada. In fact, after working and contributing to Canadian and Quebec society for many years, sometimes for most of their lives, these immigrants leave Canada and no longer depend on Canada but on their country of origin for medical care, social services, recreation, public services, etc.
On the other hand, it seems that more money comes into Canada in the form of pensions paid by other countries than leaves Canada in the form of Canadian pensions paid to non-residents. That is why we must deal with this problem as soon as possible. I urge the government to find a solution that is equitable.