House of Commons Hansard #52 of the 36th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was ice.
Monte Solberg Reform Medicine Hat, AB
Mr. Speaker, in the 1986 federal budget the then finance minister Michael Wilson slapped a 3% and 5% surtax on every Canadian taxpayer, calling it a temporary deficit reduction measure.
Does today's finance minister agree with this 3% and 5% deficit reduction surtax? Should it be eliminated immediately now that the books are in balance or is he prepared to continue with what amounts to a $3 billion rip-off of Canadian taxpayers?
Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, it is probably perfectly reasonable for the hon. member to attempt to establish a position at this time.
We will be bringing down a budget in the not too distant future at which time the government's budgetary plans will be revealed. We do not have to take a back seat to this party or any other on reducing taxes. We reduced them for families with children. We reduced them for people with disabilities. We reduced them for students. In each and every case this member and his party opposed those tax reductions.
Monte Solberg Reform Medicine Hat, AB
Mr. Speaker, I am sure the finance minister will want to explain to Canadians their position on the GST, whatever it is this week. Income tax was a temporary measure 80 years ago.
Now the finance minister is trying to weasel out of the fact that their government is prepared to continue to keep the 3% and 5% temporary taxes introduced by the Tories.
We want to know why the government is not prepared to loosen the burden for Canadians who are suffering under this huge $3 billion a year rip-off.
Paul Martin LiberalMinister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, what I guess we would like to know is why the hon. member would swallow himself whole. Before Christmas all we ever heard was taxes, taxes, taxes.
Now, all of a sudden, the percentage of taxes to be cut has changed. His obsession with taxes has changed. No longer is he interested in taxes. In fact, he is even suggesting to one of his members from Manitoba that provincial income taxes should go up.
One member from Alberta would suggest to compensate for the CPP that personal taxes go up. When is this Reform Party going to understand that we are going to reduce taxes? We do not want to increase them the way they do.
Pierre Brien Bloc Témiscamingue, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.
Yesterday, Daniel Johnson, the leader of the Liberal opposition in Quebec, clearly stated that it was up to Quebeckers alone to decide on the wording of the referendum question.
Does the Prime Minister agree with this clear statement by his main federalist ally in Quebec, the very individual he recognized as the leader of the No camp in 1995?
Stéphane Dion LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, the National Assembly obviously has the right to put whatever questions it wishes. The Government of Canada, in Mr. Ryan's opinion, has the power to determine whether it believes that Quebeckers wish to cease being Canadians.
Mr. Ryan says we have the power, we say we have the obligation, and the court will tell us whether we have the right.
Pierre Brien Bloc Témiscamingue, QC
Mr. Speaker, by stubbornly going ahead with the Supreme Court reference, will the Prime Minister or his minister admit that he is in the process of losing all his federalist allies, including the leader of the 1980 No camp, Claude Ryan, and the leader of the 1995 No camp, Daniel Johnson, and that now his only allies are the Reform Party, the Equality Party and Guy Bertrand?
Stéphane Dion LiberalPresident of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
Mr. Speaker, many Quebeckers think that the last question was unclear, that the procedure was unclear. We even know that it was fraudulent, that the Quebec government wanted to use our savings as Quebeckers, up to $17 billion of our savings, to try to prop up markets shaken by secession.
We have nothing to learn about democracy from people who have lied to Quebeckers.
Mike Scott Reform Skeena, BC
Mr. Speaker, eight months ago the minister of Indian affairs invited aboriginal Canadians to write her personally about their concerns. She promised confidentiality.
When Bruce Starlight wrote, that promise was broken and the letter was leaked directly to Chief Roy Whitney, the subject of the letter.
Yesterday the minister admitted that this may be a breach of the oath of secrecy. My question is, who did the breaching? Was it the minister and her office or was it Roy Whitney's golfing buddy, the Prime Minister?
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, I made it clear in this House yesterday that I have asked for an investigation of the process of this letter and how it travelled through my department.
Indeed, I am outraged that the letter was received by Chief Whitney, but we have a process in place to review this.
My question is how does the hon. member think anyone can take him or his party seriously about the issues of aboriginal people when what they want to do is cut a billion dollars out of the budget of the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development?
Mike Scott Reform Skeena, BC
Mr. Speaker, how can anybody take this minister seriously after this breach of confidentiality? The minister says that there is an investigation under way and a government employee is doing the investigating.
This smells more like damage control and whitewash than it does a proper and sincere attempt to get at the truth. Will the minister commit here and now to calling in the RCMP for a proper investigation?
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, let us be clear that the gentleman who is going to do the investigation is outside the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. He is a man who has 20 years of experience in security and review. He will do a complete and thorough job.
Again, if we want to talk about confidence, I have no idea how the hon. member opposite intends to build any kind of confidence with aboriginal people when what your party wants to do is cut $1 billion from education, housing and infrastructure for aboriginal people. It is an investment which you do not view as being important—
Indian AffairsOral Question Period
The Speaker
My colleagues, I would ask that you be sure to address the Chair in your answers and questions.
Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Mr. Speaker, Bill C-28 amends certain provisions of the Income Tax Act and proposes, among other measures, to ease the tax requirements for Canadian businesses that have subsidiaries involved in international shipping, in tax havens such as Liberia and Bermuda. Oddly enough, this tax saving measure would be retroactive to the 1995 fiscal year.
My question is for the Minister of Finance. Who asked him to make such an amendment to the Income Tax Act, and how many Canadian businesses will benefit from this measure?
Jean Chrétien LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I will answer the question because this is a very important issue.
I heard the comments made by Bloc Quebecois members, who are trying to question the integrity of the Minister of Finance. Let me say that this decision in no way puts the Minister of Finance in a conflict of interest situation.
The companies currently held in trust will not benefit in any way from the decision made by the Department of Finance to improve the tax system. Bloc Quebecois members are totally wrong to try to tarnish the reputation of the Minister of Finance.
Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Mr. Speaker, I simply asked a question. I did not tarnish anyone's reputation. And I expect a reply to my supplementary.
Can the Minister of Finance tell us if the few businesses that will benefit from this generous tax measure include Canada Steamship Lines, which is fully owned by the minister and which has a number of subsidiaries in Liberia and Bermuda?
Myron Thompson Reform Wild Rose, AB
Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that the Indian affairs minister has sent a message to the grassroots native people. She has told them to shut up and stop bothering her or they will end up like Bruce Starlight.
How many people had access to this confidential letter and who are they?
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member will wait, we will discover that as a result of the investigation.
The message that this party is giving to grassroots aboriginal people is that we believe in the existence of aboriginal rights. We understand that our role is to reflect those rights in Canadian society. Through our statement of reconciliation and our response to the royal commission, we have shown that we have a plan and a vision to build harmony, which is a breakthrough for aboriginal people in this country.
We see none of that in the platform of the party of the hon. member.
Myron Thompson Reform Wild Rose, AB
Mr. Speaker, I am afraid this investigator is a spin doctor. I do not think he is an investigator. It ought to be the police. Grassroots natives across this country know of the friendship between the Prime Minister and Chief Roy Whitney.
Can the minister tell the House that no photocopies of Bruce Starlight's letter went to any colleagues in cabinet or to the Prime Minister's office, yes or no?
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, we have a very strange pattern that has evolved as a result of questions from that party.
First of all, I would note that last fall the members for Dewdney—Alouette and Edmonton North were forced to admit that allegations they made in this House were false and without fact.
Today the member for Edmonton North is again smearing a former member of this House, with no truth and no proof.
Yesterday in the paper the member for Skeena had to admit that the accusations he is making about Chief Whitney are based on something for which he has no evidence to support.
Pierrette Venne Bloc Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transport.
In order to avoid total closure of the Victoria Bridge in Montreal, which would penalize the 40,000 drivers who use it daily, can the Minister of Transport make a commitment today to take all the steps necessary to—
Victoria BridgeOral Question Period
The Speaker
The hon. Minister of Transport has the floor.
David Collenette LiberalMinister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, we are involved in discussions at the present time with CN on the Victoria Bridge, and I remain optimistic that it will be kept open after March 1, to the benefit of everyone in Montreal.
Denis Coderre Liberal Bourassa, QC
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.
It is clear that the Canadian maple syrup industry, with its $120 million of business yearly, has been heavily affected by the recent ice storm.
Can the Minister tell the House what financial assistance is planned to compensate the maple syrup producers for damage to their trees, and what reassurances they can be given?