Mr. Speaker, inasmuch as this is my first opportunity to speak to the Chamber in 1998 I wish you and my colleagues in the House the very best for 1998. I look forward to a very productive year in parliament.
Bill C-28 is another example of a caring Liberal government. In the measures included we see numerous initiatives to make our tax system fairer. We agree we have a way to go, but it is under the leadership of the prime minister and the government that we are able to bring forward effective changes which little by little will bring us to a point where Canadians will feel their tax system is fair. All participants in the economy will be giving what they can and receiving what they need.
The bigger message in the legislation is that the government is prepared to show leadership despite some very mixed messages that we hear from the opposition.
I could not help but notice, in listening to the previous speaker, that on the one hand the Reform Party might want the federal government to get out of many areas of jurisdiction in which it has traditionally been involved.
For example, the social system, the health system and the post-secondary education system as Canadians know are funded partially by federal transfers to the provinces. The Reform Party would begrudge any involvement by the federal government in any of those areas.
It says that sometimes but I also hear that the federal government should be involved. I happen to be one who believes the federal government has a rightful place in the three great pillars which constitute the social aspect and the social democracy in which we live: education, the social welfare system and health. I would in fact rather see us more involved than less involved.
Bill C-28, in exhibiting our desire to be fairer with all Canadians, is an indication that we would like to be fairer in our relationship with the provinces and ideally with municipalities in delivering very important social programs.
Let us consider the announcement late last fall wherein the federal government offered to the provinces an increase in what is called the Canadian health and social transfer. The amount of funds to be transferred under the cash transfer to the provinces was to be increased to $12.5 billion. In combination with the tax points the provinces have it would certainly give the provinces the flexibility and the funds they need to deliver effective health, education and social services.
I travel quite a bit across my large riding of Algoma—Manitoulin. I know, speaking for a moment about the health system, that great change is taking place in Ontario which is being felt very graphically in rural Ontario. Small rural hospitals of varying sizes in places like Elliot Lake, Thessalon, Wawa, Hornepayne and elsewhere certainly need the province of Ontario to come forward with a vision.
Without wanting to criticize any province, it is important that the vision at the provincial level be guided by a national vision so that Canadians from coast to coast can feel that they are indeed Canadian regardless of where they live. The services to which they have access should be the same regardless of income level or the region in which they live.
Recently I had a chance to travel in central and northern British Columbia. Some of the rural health issues there are almost identical to the health issues faced by smaller communities in rural northern Ontario.
Many of my colleagues and I believe the federal government should have a stronger place in the areas of education, health and social services.
I am not suggesting that we should take away any authority from the provinces, but initiatives such as the prime minister's millennium scholarship fund are examples of how the federal government can show leadership in partnership with students in this case and with the provinces.
Too many challenges are facing the country for us not to have a national vision in such important areas as health, education and social services. Citizens around the world look at Canada and wish their countries were like Canada. First they see how we have traditionally cared for each other.
We cannot stay still. We have to keep improving our nation. We have to keep improving the place that each of our citizens has in this great nation.
When any federal government in Canada looks to the future—and in this case it is the Liberal government—it has to be a future where the national vision is reflected appropriately throughout the regions and the provinces.
In some cases there must be special recognition of particular circumstances in a region. However no citizen, be they of Nova Scotia or British Columbia, should feel they do not have adequate and full access to the values and benefits of being Canadian.
When we talk about health we must first talk about the health of the economy. If it were not for the fact the government was capable of dealing with a massive deficit that it inherited when it was first elected in 1993, there would be no opportunity or reason today to be debating what we can do with our health, educational and social services systems.
We need to ground all these programs, all these values, in a strong and healthy economy. The federal government at all times must show leadership. In showing that leadership we have been able, in partnership with Canadians who have joined in the sacrifice, to turn an important corner in the history of our economy.
When interest rates remain at historic lows it is a benefit to citizens, to consumers. It is also a benefit to the provinces which in their own right are dealing with their deficits. As my colleague suggested, and rightly so, the best tax break we can provide to Canadians is low interest rates. Those who need it the most will benefit the most.
I emphasize the government has exhibited month in and month out that it is a caring government. It displayed that throughout the last parliament and will continue to do so throughout this parliament as we approach the next millennium. A caring government attempts to balance the needs of all citizens regardless of their station in life.
I encourage my colleagues on all sides of the House as we enter the first months of this new parliament to consider that Canadians want a strong central government. My constituents have told me that time and again. They do not want an overbearing federal government which dictates to the provinces and to others what it thinks is right. They want a strong central government which is willing to lead, willing to listen, and willing to act on a consensus when a consensus is reached. They do not want a government which sits around, dithers, hems and haws, and waits for something to happen.
Canada is the best country in the world because past governments, mostly Liberal governments, have responded to the best of what is Canada and to the very best of what it is to be Canadian. We will continue to do that. Certainly there will be a few bumps along the road. From time to time we will make mistakes. I am sure we would all agree with that. By and large the greatest thrust of our progress will be for the benefit of all Canadians.
I certainly support the prime minister in his initiative on the millennium scholarship fund. I believe we need to be directly involved more and more with Canadians when it comes to health, education and social services. I do not want to take anything away from the provinces, but I believe the provinces need a strong federal government that is willing to guide, lead and preserve from coast to coast to coast the best of what is Canada.