House of Commons Hansard #130 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was agency.

Topics

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Reform

Gary Lunn Reform Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC

Mr. Speaker, yes I will withdraw them. I am sorry, I did not hear you.

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

The Speaker

The member will go directly to his question.

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Reform

Gary Lunn Reform Saanich—Gulf Islands, BC

Mr. Speaker, we would like to know when the member for Gander—Grand Falls in Newfoundland has been promised his Senate seat?

FisheriesOral Question Period

2:30 p.m.

Saint-Maurice Québec

Liberal

Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted when the Reform Party tells me that I have very good members of parliament. I invite Reform to do it on a daily basis. It can say that for everyone on this side.

The member was a great chairman of the committee. He has done a great job. He is a great friend of mine. I want him to sit in the House of Commons because even the Reform Party loves him like we all do.

Montreal Convention CentreOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Réal Ménard Bloc Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, QC

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the secretary of state responsible for regional development.

The secretary of state is hiding behind the infrastructure program when it comes to explaining his failure to act on the Montreal Convention Centre issue. The fact is that priorities in terms of infrastructure were set by the Quebec Liberals in 1993 but, in 1997, only $20 million was allotted to such projects.

Will the secretary of state act on the consensus that exists in Montreal, where everyone wants the convention center to be expanded? Will Ottawa pay up, and pay up now?

Montreal Convention CentreOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Outremont Québec

Liberal

Martin Cauchon LiberalSecretary of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec)

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to see that the Quebec government voted yesterday to go ahead with the expansion of the convention centre, after missing the boat the first time, with the infrastructure program.

I must say, however, that I am a little surprised at their attitude, because I spoke with Minister Perreault on Tuesday afternoon. They certainly went to great lengths to keep things quiet.

In any event, I am pleased with the decision made by the Government of Quebec on behalf of all Montrealers; it will take a great deal of pressure off us. I do hope that, as a prelude to further co-operative efforts, this project will lead to a solution at the national level.

Montreal Convention CentreOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Bloc

Réal Ménard Bloc Hochelaga—Maisonneuve, QC

Mr. Speaker, the minister is asleep at the switch on this issue. I want to ask the real ministers from Montreal: Will they intervene to get Ottawa to do its part? Will the ministers from Montreal stand up and pay their share of the bill now?

Montreal Convention CentreOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Outremont Québec

Liberal

Martin Cauchon LiberalSecretary of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec)

Mr. Speaker, I sincerely think that, if ever there was a government that has done a lot for the Province of Quebec and the greater Montreal area, it is the Liberal government on this side of the House. Since 1996, we have invested more than $1 billion.

Montreal Convention CentreOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Some hon. members

Oh, oh.

Montreal Convention CentreOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Liberal

Martin Cauchon Liberal Outremont, QC

We also intervened in a number of—

Montreal Convention CentreOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

The Speaker

We are having a tough time hearing the answer. The hon. secretary of state has the floor.

Montreal Convention CentreOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Liberal

Martin Cauchon Liberal Outremont, QC

Mr. Speaker, I was saying that, if there is a government that is omnipresent in the Montreal area, it is the Liberal government on this side of the House. Since 1996, we have developed a policy to support Montreal in key sectors, helping Montreal position itself and helping to maintain or create nearly 26,000 jobs.

However, the lack of co-operation and partnership we saw yesterday is unfortunate. I find this sad and I hope Quebeckers will come up with a solution—

Montreal Convention CentreOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

The Speaker

I am sorry to interrupt the hon. secretary of state. The hon. member for Edmonton North.

Employment InsuranceOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Reform

Deborah Grey Reform Edmonton North, AB

Mr. Speaker, there is a list of groups who say that the EI overpayment should go back to the workers and the employers who paid them in the first place. That group includes small business, labour and now the province of Ontario has come onside today saying that this money must go back. But the law says that that money must go back to those people who paid it.

I would like to ask the finance minister if he is willing today to do something really new, really brave, really different, and that is to obey the law.

Employment InsuranceOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

LaSalle—Émard Québec

Liberal

Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, the government has obeyed the law, number one. Number two, we are in a very volatile economic situation. The IMF has talked about the possibility of much more widespread depression than even we see now outside of our borders.

It is very important that the opposition and Canadians understand that we have to keep our powder dry. We have to proceed with caution. We will reduce EI premiums, as we will reduce income taxes as we will invest in health care as our priorities. We must do that taking into account the international situation. To do otherwise would be irresponsible.

Employment InsuranceOral Question Period

2:35 p.m.

Reform

Deborah Grey Reform Edmonton North, AB

Mr. Speaker, talking about being irresponsible in the volatile situation that we face right now, there are a lot of Canadians inside this House, both sides included, that say why in the world then would the finance minister yesterday at a conference lend credence to that and say that if he cannot keep his hands on all that EI overpayment, we are going to fall into a recession? That is volatile and that is irresponsible.

Why does the finance minister have to resort to these scare tactics? What good is the fear factor?

Employment InsuranceOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

LaSalle—Émard Québec

Liberal

Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, the member ought to get her facts right. That is clearly not what I said. The hon. member knows full well that is not what I said. What I said is that the IMF has said there is a recession building up outside our borders and we basically have to make sure that our financial strength is there to withstand the storm.

The real issue is if the Reform Party wants to do what it is now saying it wants to do, will it stand up and say that it is against more money for health care, it is against more money for small children, it is against broad based tax cuts, it is against retiring the debt? Is the Reform Party prepared to accept the consequences of its choices?

Pratt & WhitneyOral Question Period

October 1st, 1998 / 2:40 p.m.

Bloc

Francine Lalonde Bloc Mercier, QC

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

On August 28, Pratt & Whitney announced that it was laying off 900 employees, including 500 engineers, in its Longueuil research and development units because of federal government underfunding of the Technology Partnerships Canada program.

Does the minister realize that not only are these 900 jobs strategic ones for Quebec, but that what is at stake is Quebec's role, and Canada's role as a leader in—

Pratt & WhitneyOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

The Speaker

The hon. Minister of Industry has the floor.

Pratt & WhitneyOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Ottawa South Ontario

Liberal

John Manley LiberalMinister of Industry

Mr. Speaker, I admit that Pratt & Whitney's decision was a very regrettable one.

I wish to point out that we created the Technology Partnerships Canada program in the 1996 budget. It began with $150 million, and was subsequently increased to $200 million and then $250 million. Pratt & Whitney has received more than any other company since the program's inception.

Pratt & WhitneyOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Bloc

Francine Lalonde Bloc Mercier, QC

Mr. Speaker, I trust the minister is on top of this. If he is, he will know that not just Pratt & Whitney, but the entire aerospace industry supports these demands, because this is a high-growth sector.

I want to know whether or not the minister is prepared to do something concrete to prevent yet another economic catastrophe in the Montreal area?

Pratt & WhitneyOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Ottawa South Ontario

Liberal

John Manley LiberalMinister of Industry

Mr. Speaker, I am proud of our investments in the Montreal area. We have invested in Pratt & Whitney, Bombardier, CAE and, last week, in SPAR. We have created a sector in Montreal, in Canada that is tops in the world. I am very proud of what this government has done in the Montreal area.

Employment InsuranceOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Reform

Paul Forseth Reform New Westminster—Coquitlam—Burnaby, BC

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the finance minister said that he does not want to return the employment insurance over-collection to workers and job creators because he needs the money to save us all from a recession. He wants to spend it. It may be news to the minister but British Columbia is already in a recession and the over-collection that he sucked out of the B.C. economy did not help.

The minister knows full well that payroll taxes kill jobs. Why does the minister not do the right thing for B.C. and all Canadians and just cut the premiums now?

Employment InsuranceOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

LaSalle—Émard Québec

Liberal

Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance

Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt Canadians are very worried about the situation in British Columbia. It highlights the problems and the integration we have in the world economy and what is going on out there.

I am saying that caution and prudence are what have enabled us to eliminate the deficit. They have seen our productivity increase substantially and have brought our unemployment rate down from 11.5% to 8.3%. We want to continue with that approach. This is not the time to jump ship. It is not the time to panic. It is the time to stay the course and we intend to do so.

Employment InsuranceOral Question Period

2:40 p.m.

Reform

Paul Forseth Reform New Westminster—Coquitlam—Burnaby, BC

Mr. Speaker, if EI premiums were cut to their break even point as actuaries now recommend, then workers would have an extra $2.8 billion and small business would have $4 billion more to create jobs.

Instead of keeping it for his own political slush fund, why does the finance minister not just obey the law, help, not hinder, and return the money to the real job creators in this country?