Debates of March 11th, 1998

Broadcasting Act

[Stan Keyes, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, permit me to respond to the hon. member for Halifax West on behalf of the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development.

In 1995 the federal government demonstrated considerable leadership with the announcement of its policy on aboriginal self-government.

The government is acting on the premise that the inherent right of self-government is an existing aboriginal right within our constitution. Our approach sets aside the legal and constitutional debates that have stymied process toward aboriginal self-government. Instead we are working to negotiate practical arrangements that give aboriginal communities the tools they need to exercise greater control over their lives and to make tangible improvements in their communities.

Aboriginal self-government will be exercised within the existing Canadian constitutional framework. This emphasizes that the goal of self-government is to enhance the participation of aboriginal people within Canadian society, not place them outside it.

For example, the federal government is committed to the principle that the Charter of Rights and Freedoms will apply to aboriginal governments just as it does to all other governments in Canada. It must also be emphasized that the responsibility of governments to be politically and financially accountable to their members applies to aboriginal governments no less than to others.

The issues surrounding self-government are multifaceted and complex. This was confirmed in the report of the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples. The Government of Canada agreed and responded with “Gathering Strength—Canada's Aboriginal Action Plan”. One of the objectives of this plan is to strengthen aboriginal governance.

The Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development has agreed to convene as soon as possible a federal-provincial-territorial meeting of ministers responsible for aboriginal affairs and national aboriginal leaders that will focus partners on concrete results.

Progress is being made. Self-government initiatives are under way in almost every province and territory in Canada, whether in the context of treaty discussions in British Columbia, through education negotiations in Ontario and Nova Scotia, in province-wide initiatives in Saskatchewan or other venues. As we attempt to complete this great unfinished business in our history, understanding and generosity will be required of all sides.

[Jean Dubé, Progressive Conservative, Madawaska—Restigouche, NB]

Mr. Speaker, the first part of the question I asked on November 24 called on the government to substantially lower EI premiums.

Since even the EI fund's actuary says that the fund could be sustained with $2 premiums, I still do not understand why the government is stubbornly continuing to block job creation with overly high premiums.

The government is congratulating itself on having lowered EI premiums by a paltry 10 cents in December. They are perhaps going to say they have lowered them from $3.30 to $2.70, but this is 1998. So we will be listening to what my hon. colleague has to say.

Payroll taxes, however, CPP and EI premiums, were $5.50 when the Liberals took office. They now stand at $5.90, or 40 cents more. And that is just the beginning, because with the CPP amendments, Canadians will be paying $11 billion more over the next five years.

It is hard to believe that the government could be so arrogant as to claim that employers and workers who will have to pay these additional premiums are happy with the situation.

The second part of my question dealt with the auditor general's mandate regarding the CPP investment board. His access to the board's books is limited to the information needed to audit the fund's general accounts.

He is not allowed to conduct value-for-money audits or check if the board abides by the law, and report his findings to Parliament. This is of great concern.

A few months ago, the auditor general informed Parliament of abuses within the Canada Labour Relations Board.

He will not be able to do the same regarding the CPP investment board, which manages the money of thousands of Canadians. The stakes are much higher. And yet, as elected representatives, we will not have a say.

[Bob Nault, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, first I want to say to the House and to the nation I am almost shocked that a Conservative member would stand in this place and criticize the government about EI and EI premiums.

Mr. Speaker, you will recall because you were elected in 1988, the same as I was, that during that period between 1988 and 1993 the government under Brian Mulroney, the party that the member now serves with, raised those premiums higher than any level in our history. In the middle of a recession no less it raised those premiums from $2.60 to $3.30, an insurmountable amount for any employer and employee to deal with. That is why I say to you and the people out there I cannot believe this member would even bring this subject matter up.

Let me make it very clear to the member that we are undertaking to reduce the premiums for employment insurance as rapidly as we can. In fact, we have reduced premiums in the employment insurance system four years running, the largest reduction in the history of the EI premium and EI system as a whole. There has never been any government that has reduced premiums every year for four years.

I will give another statistic. The reduction in the last budget for 1998 is the second largest since 1972. If the member does not understand that this government is fiscally prudent and if he does not understand what it means to have a surplus in the EI account for a rainy day, then he has a long way to go.

Before we are done we will continue to reduce premiums at a rate we believe is sustainable. We will make sure there is a surplus—

[The Deputy Speaker]

I am sorry to interrupt the hon. parliamentary secretary, but the time has expired.

The motion to adjourn the House is now deemed adopted. Accordingly, the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m., pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 6.48 p.m.)