Debates of March 23rd, 1998

Export Development Corporation

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

The hon. member for Repentigny.

Multilateral Agreement On Investment

[Benoît Sauvageau, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, as time goes on, more and more people are developing concerns about the eventual outcome of the clandestine negotiations on the MAI.

Even the Liberal faithful expressed concerns about it at their convention, pointing out once again the enormous implications of the negotiations.

Since the MAI will impact upon provincial jurisdictions in many ways, does the Minister of International Trade intend to call the premiers together to discuss the various aspects of the agreement before it is signed?

[Sergio Marchi, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal delegates had a great convention and are solidly behind our leader and our government.

There were two resolutions on the MAI. The first was to exclude culture from the negotiations for the purpose of Canadian culture, which is exactly what our government is doing. The second resolution was to ensure that we are engaging Canadians.

Again, the party is clearly in sync with its government.

[Benoît Sauvageau, Bloc, Repentigny, QC]

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister of International Trade submit his government's position on the MAI to the House for debate, as soon as possible, so that it can be discussed before it proceeds any further?

[Sergio Marchi, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, where has the member been? A couple of weeks ago we had a six-hour parliamentary debate in this House. Not only did I participate, but members of Parliament from all sides of the House participated.

Secondly, we have had a parliamentary report.

Thirdly, we have given speeches publicly as well as at committee outlining the whole position of the government. Obviously he is the only member in the House who is not aware of the government's position.

Liberal Convention

[Monte Solberg, Reform, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the public should be aware that it was the Reform Party which proposed that supply day motion, just so the member knows.

This weekend the Liberals were busy patting themselves on the back, conveniently forgetting about the economic trouble spots in the country, such as British Columbia. In case Liberal members do not know, British Columbia is a large mountainous area just to the west of Calgary.

I should point out that B.C.'s economy has slipped from first in the country to tenth. We have a situation where business and consumer confidence is at a new low and the federal government has absolutely bungled the fishery.

What specific plan does the government have—

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

The hon. Minister of Finance.

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, it is very clear the degree to which the Liberal Party convention is representative of Canadians from coast to coast to coast given the fact that it has dominated the debate. I am glad the debate on the Liberal convention has been able to bring some life to the shadows and the darkness that exists on the opposition benches.

I would simply point out that there were over 300 delegates from British Columbia.

[Monte Solberg, Reform, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, obviously everyone who voted for them was there.

I point out that the minister obviously has no plan for the people of British Columbia. If there is any province in the country that needs broad based tax relief it is B.C. High federal and provincial taxes are making it impossible for B.C. to compete with the United States and the Pacific rim.

Why will the government not introduce broad based, substantive tax relief to help the people of British Columbia and all Canadians?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, again because this convention represented a broad centre of the country and not the extremes, what happened was, yes, there was support for tax reductions and, as the Prime Minister said, they will come.

However, there was also support, as we have just seen, for health care, for resolving the problems of children in poverty and for dealing with the fundamental social fabric of this country. This is all because British Columbians, like the rest of Canadians, have a broad view and understanding of the needs of this country, unlike the narrow extreme views expressed by the member opposite.

Canadian Ambassador Jacques Roy

[Daniel Turp, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

At Nice, France on March 12, Ambassador Jacques Roy made the following statement: “People must realize, however, that francophones represent only a small minority of Canadians”.

Do these words by the ambassador represent the opinion of the Canadian government?

[Lloyd Axworthy, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I would point out one basic fact that may have escaped the hon. member. There are over one million francophones outside Quebec as well as several million in Quebec itself.

The difference between his party and ours is that we treat all francophones equally, with equal respect, right across the country. That is the difference between his approach and ours.

[Daniel Turp, Bloc, Beauharnois—Salaberry, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Foreign Affairs ought to be embarrassed by Ambassador Roy's words.

He ought to be embarrassed as well by the ambassador's actions when he came to Quebec to support Canadian unity and boasted of the important role francophones play in Canada, while now back in France he is relegating francophones to the ranks of a small minority.

How can the government explain this doublespeak by its ambassador to France?

[Diane Marleau, Liberal, Minister for International Cooperation and Minister responsible for Francophonie]

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of the work the ambassador did here in Canada. He represents us very well.

I would venture the opinion that, instead of trying to crush the francophones outside Quebec, the Bloc ought to be encouraging us a little. We have done an extraordinary job and will continue to do so.

British Columbia Economy

[Jason Kenney, Reform, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, while the finance minister has been busy talking about Canada heading into a new golden age, B.C. has been headed into a recession.

Last month the B.C. unemployment rate was increased by a half a percentage point. B.C. property values are plummeting. B.C.'s economy has gone from the fastest growing to the slowest growing under this government's mandate.

What does this government plan to do about the emerging economic crisis in B.C., give British Columbians more transfer cuts, more taxes and more happy talk?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that the government is concerned, as are Canadians, about the state of the British Columbia economy.

That is why we reduced employment insurance premiums from $2.90 to $2.70 to help employment. We forgave employment insurance premiums for young Canadians between the ages of 18 and 24. We brought interest rates down. They are now at lower rates than they have been decades. We balanced the books and gave Canadians confidence in the future.

That is what British Columbians require. It is confidence in the future and they are getting it as a result of the actions of this government.

[Jason Kenney, Reform, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, here is a news flash for the finance minister. What British Columbians are getting from this government is a recession, more and more people out of work, more and more businesses going bankrupt, more and more people not able to make ends meet because of the tax burden.

B.C. has the highest marginal tax rates in North America, in large part because of the highest personal income tax burden in the G-7 imposed by this government.

What does this government do? It raises CPP by $10 billion. It threatens foreign investment through its foreign assets disclosure. It imposes a head tax on immigrants. It killed thousands of jobs.

When is this government going to stop delivering rhetoric to British Columbians and deliver a real economic plan through substantive tax relief, to give—

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)]

The hon. Minister of Finance.

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, because this country has been able to balance its books, the first of the G-7 countries to do so, we will be able to bring in $7 billion of tax relief over the course of the next three years.

What is happening is that the balanced policies of this government are giving this country a very strong financial foundation. What I would simply say to the people of this country is not to vote for extremes.

Chilean Refugees

[Gilles Duceppe, Bloc, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a group of Chileans in Montreal has been on a hunger strike for several days now. A number of people have been trying to find a solution to the situation that has prompted this strike, so that it can end.

Would the Minister of Immigration agree to suspend the deportations and to meet with a committee of Quebec leaders, as proposed by Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte and CSN President Gérald Larose, in order to try to find a humane solution, so that the hunger strikers can put an end to their protest?

[Lucienne Robillard, Liberal, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, at the present time, Chilean refugee claimants are receiving fair treatment that is in keeping with Canada's obligations. I cannot help but sympathize with the situation some of them are in at the present time.

I must, however, point out that I myself have been in contact with the Archbishop of Montreal. I have spoken with Monsignor Turcotte, and have made it very clear that we will do everything in our power to provide them with access to the various programs and recourses available under our legislation. There is, however, no question of giving them special treatment, or the right to permanent residence, outside the present legislation.

Health

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, if the Minister of Health is really sincere that health care is one of the key priorities for his government, then surely he can agree to a simple mechanism that would allow him and his government to report back to Parliament about the adequacy of cash transfer payments for health care and ensure that we have a mechanism for compliance to the principles of medicare.

Now that the minister has had a couple of minutes to compare his party resolution with our amendment, would he agree today here and now to support this mechanism?

[Allan Rock, Liberal, Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned to the hon. member's colleague, assessing the sufficiency of transfers, assessing everything this government does in support of health care is a continuous process in this government.

The reason we regard the amendment however well intended as unnecessary is it is part and parcel of this government's approach to health care and its responsibilities in that regard to monitor constantly whether the health care system and particularly the transfers for health care and related services are sufficient. It is indeed this government's intention to do exactly what the amendment proposes.

The Senate

[Val Meredith, Reform, South Surrey—White Rock—Langley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Deputy Prime Minister recently stated that the Prime Minister should be praised for appointing more women to the Senate.

In 1973 Thelma Chalifoux ran for the council in Slave Lake, Alberta, whose population was over 50% aboriginal and Metis. She lost that election to me.

Is the Prime Minister so paternalistic that he believes the only way a woman can hold public office is if he appoints them?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, all the hon. member has to do is take off her Reform blinkers, look at the government side of the House, see the women ministers, see the women MPs and know that women are recognized by the Liberal Party. They are recognized by the electorate in greater and greater numbers due to the leadership of this Prime Minister. Her assertions are absolutely false and she had better withdraw them as soon as possible.