House of Commons Hansard #66 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was union.
Rahim Jaffer Reform Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Mr. Speaker, my family and I own a small coffee shop near the University of Alberta, so I know firsthand the problems of youth unemployment. Most of our employees are students but when payroll taxes go up I have to look for ways to reduce expenses. That usually means another hard working young person is out of a job.
When will the minister realize that job killing payroll taxes are robbing young people of a future? When will the government wake up and smell the coffee?
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member should know that payroll taxes have been reduced. We reduced payroll taxes by $1.4 billion starting January 1 when we reduced the employment insurance payments by employers and employees.
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères, QC
Mr. Speaker, on the shipowner-legislator issue, we learned last week that it was not until the matter was raised by the Bloc Quebecois that the advice of the Prime Minister's ethics counsellor was sought.
I have a very simple question for the Prime Minister: What good is the advice of an ethics counsellor when it is sought after the fact?
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, they are trying to attack the Minister of Finance instead of his actions. This explains why the members of the Bloc Quebecois have asked only one question on the economy since the House resumed sitting.
They had a single goal: to destroy the finance minister's credibility. They did not and will not succeed.
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Verchères, QC
Mr. Speaker, I suggest the Prime Minister should come to the House more often, he might hear our questions on the economy.
Is the Prime Minister basically telling us that the reputation of the man who is about to table the federal budget depends only on the advice of an official appointed by him, paid by him and accountable to no one but him and who basically says what he wants him to say?
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, now they are attacking the ethics counsellor, who appeared before the House committee to clarify his position and his actions.
They cannot attack the Minister of Finance on what he has done. I checked; as far as I could see, they have put only one question on the economy since the House reconvened. They are trying to destroy the Minister of Finance.
Again, the Minister of Finance is a man of integrity and honesty, who has the confidence of the Prime Minister. He will make an excellent budget speech today and this smear campaign will not take away from his merit.
Darrel Stinson Reform Okanagan—Shuswap, BC
Mr. Speaker, Florence Shannon from Tappen in my riding of Okanagan—Shuswap is a senior citizen. She pays so much tax and has such a small pension that she wrote to the Prime Minister through me. I quote:
Thank you for dictating to me how I must spend my money. This means I do not have your permission to own anything. Thank you for making my old age like living in hell.
Will the Prime Minister tell Mrs. Shannon and other senior citizens why he is treating the taxpayers' surplus as if it was his own money?
Tony Valeri LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, let us be perfectly clear. The government need not take any lessons from the Reform Party on taxes.
We are the government that with the support of Canadians has battled down a $42 billion deficit, which is the only reason why today we are able to talk about a potential fiscal dividend. It is because of the actions of this government, and we will continue on that front.
Jim Pankiw Reform Saskatoon—Humboldt, SK
Mr. Speaker, if the nation's finances are in the black today it is because Canadian taxpayers are in the red.
A constituent of mine, Robyn McGregor, is a single mother struggling to make ends meet because of the high tax policies of the government. Her 11 year old son Nathan requires dental work, but high taxes means no trip to the dentist.
Why is it so easy for the Prime Minister to say no to relief for taxpayers like Robyn but to say yes to lavish spending by his cabinet ministers?
Tony Valeri LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I invite the hon. member to make sure that he is here at 4.30 p.m. so that he can stand and applaud the budget of the government and the speech of the Minister of Finance.
Michel Gauthier Bloc Roberval, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Canadian Heritage.
The media commented at length on the insulting remarks made by Don Cherry toward Quebeckers, on the CBC network.
Does the heritage minister disagree with Mr. Cherry's comments? If so, will she express her disagreement to the crown corporation?
Sheila Copps LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, I know Don Cherry well and I do not always agree with him, particularly when he talks about Jean-Luc Brassard who, after all, is a world champion and has been known around the world for years as one of the best skiers.
Having said that, I want to ask the hon. member a question. Given that Canada won 15 medals at those Olympic Games, our best ever, why would the Bloc Quebecois not congratulate the Canadian athletes for their achievements?
Michel Gauthier Bloc Roberval, QC
Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to forgive the minister. We have been congratulating our athletes during Statements by Members since last week, but as the minister was in Nagano, she could not possibly know that.
The minister is using an easy way out to avoid answering the question, even though she herself said, the day after the referendum, that Radio-Canada should change its tune and stick with its mandate.
Does the minister not agree that she should intervene and express her strong disagreement? Now is the time to defend Quebec.
Sheila Copps LiberalMinister of Canadian Heritage
Mr. Speaker, I said clearly that I do not agree with Don Cherry's comments. But it is also true that if I told Radio-Canada what to say, the Bloc Quebecois and the hon. member would be the first ones to condemn us for interfering in the affairs of Radio-Canada.
Inky Mark Reform Dauphin—Swan River, MB
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the finance minister.
Kyle is from my riding. He is 21 years old, currently unemployed. He is a seasonal construction worker and owes more than $25,000 in student loans. How can Kyle afford to live, let alone pay down his student loan? Kyle wants to finish his education and cannot wait for, as the media calls it, the little guy from Shawinigan memorial fund.
How will the finance minister put more money into Kyle's pocket rather than his?
Tony Valeri LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, in fact in less than two hours the Minister of Finance will bring down his budget and all these questions may be addressed.
Let me say this, Mr. Speaker. That is good news for the government. That is not good news for the opposition.
Ted White Reform North Vancouver, BC
Mr. Speaker, like many other urban ridings across Canada, North Vancouver is home to a lot of small businesses many of the owners of which work 14 hours a day, 7 days a week to fill the coffers of the finance minister. Often those owners take home less in pay to support their families than they pay in corporate and payroll taxes to this government.
Why is the Prime Minister dishing out more money for lavish and wasteful spending for his cabinet ministers when he should be giving tax relief to the small business job creators of Canada?
Tony Valeri LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I am not sure how long I can stand in my place and say this before the opposition members understand.
In less than two hours the finance minister will stand in his place and announce and read the budget speech. That is in fact what he will do. Again it will be good news for Canadians, perhaps not good news for the members of the opposition.
Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral Bloc Laval Centre, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Human Resources Development.
This morning, Statistics Canada once again confirmed the sharp drop in unemployment insurance recipients. Between 1996 and 1997, the number of unemployed decreased by only 4%, yet the number of persons drawing unemployment insurance dropped by 17%.
What is the minister waiting for to put an end to the most negative aspects of his so-called unemployment insurance reform?
Pierre Pettigrew LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, we have embarked on a major reform of employment insurance. This government is indeed concerned about the drop in the number of people in the system, a trend confirmed by the figures that have been released.
What I can say is that I have already asked my department to provide us with further detail on what that figure represents. If the opposition already has the answer, they are most fortunate. I believe that the nature of the figures has not been clarified. The EI eligibility criteria alone do not explain this phenomenon. There are other elements, and I want to understand them before I reach a decision.
Jacques Saada Liberal Brossard—La Prairie, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Canada is once again in a position to be named to the UN Security Council. Will the minister explain to the House how members in a non-partisan manner can assist in promoting Canada in this endeavour?
Lloyd Axworthy LiberalMinister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Speaker, in recent days we have seen how important the security council is to contributing to peaceful solutions. We believe that Canada has an opportunity to make a major contribution.
We have seen how much MPs have been useful in helping in the land mines issue around the world talking to their colleagues. I hope that we can count on the commitment of every single member of Parliament to help bring about the election of Canada to the security council so we can make a contribution to peace and security. I hope all the leaders will make sure that is endorsed.
Eric C. Lowther Reform Calgary Centre, AB
Mr. Speaker, the residents of my riding of Calgary Centre are concerned about the debt load that is being left to all our children. That debt was increased by $100 billion by this government opposite. Let us never forget that.
I asked the residents in my riding: What would you do if you were the finance minister? Seventy per cent of respondents said priority one is debt retirement.
Why is this government ignoring debt retirement as a priority and is stuck like an addiction on increased spending?
Tony Valeri LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, Canadians have waited nearly 30 years for what the finance minister may announce today. Surely the opposition can wait two more hours. Let me be very specific. The big hand is on the six. The little hand is on the four. Altogether, 4.30. I hope they are here to listen to the finance minister.
Reed Elley Reform Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC
Mr. Speaker, the Liberals across the way gloat but they gloat at the taxpayers' expense and all Canadians know that.
In my riding and in every community across this country there are families that are struggling to make ends meet. Year after year they see more of their income taken away in taxes. These are the people who balanced the budget, not the Liberals. They are the ones who will pay off the Liberal-Tory mortgage. Canadians deserve a break.
Why is the Prime Minister treating the taxpayers' surplus as if it was his own money and already blowing it on new spending?