Debates of May 12th, 1998

Poverty

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the Bloc Quebecois is being very selective in his reading of the press clippings prepared for him, because I said many other things about child poverty.

In particular, I said that it was a priority of our government, and that we had earmarked $1.7 billion for the new national child benefit, a partnership with the provinces for improved programs and services.

We are giving the provinces $25 billion under the CHST. We have increased child care deductions and further reduced Canadians' taxes—

[The Speaker]

The hon. leader of the Bloc Quebecois.

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

Mr. Speaker, I will go on with the list.

Does the minister realize that he is the one who is making poverty worse by slashing EI, by being complacent, by allowing the surplus in the EI fund to climb to scandalous heights, despite the crying needs of the public? Does he realize that the reason there are poor children is perhaps because there are poor parents?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, putting the economy back on track means taking decisions that are sometimes difficult. But we were also bold enough to propose EI reforms, which have also had a favourable impact in a great many cases.

For instance, we have amended EI to include a family income supplement for low income claimants with children. Claimants receiving the family income supplement are exempt from the intensity rule.

We have made it possible for those receiving EI to earn up to $50 without losing their benefits.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this same Minister of Human Resources Development, through his reform of employment insurance, together with the Minister of Finance has created the greatest poverty in Canada.

How can he be so insensitive as not to recognize that, by denying over 60% of the unemployed the benefits of the employment insurance plan, he is making hundreds of people poor in Canada every day?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, with what is happening to poverty among children and because of where the people we are talking about come from, solutions must be found, and we in the government are looking for them.

We have made major reforms just so that parents will be able to go back to work more easily. We are providing active employment measures with substantial budgets to enable parents to return to the labour market, because the best guarantee against poverty is not unemployment insurance, but employment.

[Paul Crête, Bloc, Kamouraska—Rivière-Du-Loup—Témiscouata—Les Basques, QC]

Mr. Speaker, given his attitude in the matter of the Atlantic groundfish strategy, does the Minister of Human Resources Development understand that he is once again condemning thousands of fishers in eastern Canada to poverty?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, the Atlantic groundfish strategy was our government's initiative in 1993 in response to the crisis people were facing in Atlantic Canada.

We are working very hard at the moment, this is a complex problem. We are looking for long term solutions to make sure people can earn a living with dignity and for a long time. This is what interests us on this side of the House, not petty politics.

Nuclear Testing

[Bill Blaikie, NDP, Winnipeg—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Deputy Prime Minister. I am sure many Canadians were glad to see that the Canadian government deplored the detonation of nuclear bombs for testing in India yesterday. Many Canadians also deplore the way Canada contributes to the nuclear arms race through the export of nuclear reactors.

Is the government prepared in this context to reconsider its commitment to the export of nuclear reactors, in particular those being considered for Turkey in the near future?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we are not pursuing a nuclear program aimed at helping any country develop nuclear arms. More important, Canada has decided to recall its high commissioner to India for consultation in protest against the nuclear testing.

[Bill Blaikie, NDP, Winnipeg—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, this kind of action would have more credibility if we were not committed to exporting the technology to make bombs. I ask the minister whether he would give more credibility to the Canadian position by finally showing some leadership within the context of Canada's membership in NATO and questioning the nuclear doctrine of NATO which holds that some countries should continue to have nuclear weapons forever. When will he seek the abolition of all nuclear weapons no matter what country has them?

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, Canada has not provided any nuclear information to India since the early 1970s, so there could not possibly be a link between the unacceptable tests recently carried out by India and what Canada has been doing. With respect to the hon. member's point, I will certainly take it as a representation.

Sugar Quotas

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, in 1995 the government bowed to U.S. pressure and agreed to lower our sugar quotas into the U.S. from 35,000 tonnes to 5,000 tonnes. After pressure from the sugar industry and the all-party sugar caucus we got it back up to 10,000 tonnes but the U.S. can ship 100,000 tonnes into Canada.

As a result of this agreement Lantic Sugar in Saint John, New Brunswick announced that it will be closing. This will put 240 more people out of work. What does the Prime Minister have to say to those 240 people, and their families, who will be out of work because this government freely sold out the interests of Canadians for its own convenience?

[Julian Reed, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, we always regret the closing of an industry. I also should point out that Canada has taken steps in recent years to make sure that there is a viable industry in this country. I am sure my hon. friend will understand the terms of the re-export program and the fact that Canada would lose sugar producing industries to a greater extent if we did not have it.

[Elsie Wayne, Progressive Conservative, Saint John, NB]

Mr. Speaker, we would still have our sugar industry if we had not undermined the whole sugar industry of Canada with the agreement.

Today those 240 people and their families are facing unemployment in a city where the unemployment rate is in excess of 13%. We have fishermen on both coasts wondering how they are going to support their families. Yesterday we had another report confirming that the poor are getting poorer because of this government's policy.

What is the Prime Minister going to do for these Canadians? When is the Prime Minister going to take responsibility for the consequences of his see nothing, do nothing government?

[Julian Reed, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I would welcome a suggestion from my hon. friend to improve the situation we presently have. We have worked very hard to make this agreement on the re-export program beneficial to Canada.

Trade

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, 17 Liberal MPs are flying with the Prime Minister on his latest junket, this time to Italy. No opposition MPs are going because this is not about government business. It is about Liberal party business. It is called taking care of favours. It is too bad the taxpayers are on the hook for the charges.

The Liberal MP for Niagara Falls said the trip is a great opportunity for him to make sales for his wine business. Why do taxpayers have to foot the bill so that this MP can make a personal profit?

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, not surprisingly the hon. member's numbers are wrong again. Let me give him the following information.

First of all Italy is the fifth largest economy in the world. It is Canada's 11th largest—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member across does not seem to know anything else about Italy other than the fact that it is shaped like a boot, by what he just said. I would like to think there are things more important.

We are talking about the relationship between two of the largest economies on the face of the earth. Italy is the 11th largest trading partner of Canada. We have asked MPs of Italian origin from all parties in the House to represent our country to enhance our trading and otherwise—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Fraser Valley.

[Chuck Strahl, Reform, Fraser Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, if the government wants to build strong relationships with Italy, which it should, this is the wrong way to go about it. I will tell him that.

What the Liberals have done is they have waited until parliament takes a break. They have hired an airplane and will load it up with good loyal Liberal backbenchers. They are toddling off for a vacation. There is nothing else, pure and simple.

Is it not true that this trip is not about building strong Italian-Canadian relationships? This trip is a reward for good loyal Liberal backbenchers.

[Herb Gray, Liberal, Deputy Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, what is the hon. member suggesting? Does he want the members to go away while the House is sitting? Is this not the proper use of the break? Furthermore if the hon. whip was interested in promoting Canada's trade with Italy, then he and the other opposition parties would not refuse to send their members as part of the delegation. Let them show their sincerity by taking part in this mission.

Poverty

[Christiane Gagnon, Bloc, Québec, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Deputy Prime Minister.

Poverty is on the rise in Canada and the government is still refusing to admit its responsibility in this phenomenon, which affects close to 18% of the Canadian population and more than 61% of single mothers.

Does the Deputy Prime Minister admit that the government bears a considerable portion of the responsibility for the rise in poverty because of the cuts it has made to the employment insurance program and to transfer payments to the provinces for health and social assistance?

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister of Human Resources Development]

Mr. Speaker, poverty is a difficult, challenging and complex phenomenon, and a priority for this government.

We are working as much as possible with the provinces and the provincial governments to contribute to a healthy economy which will enable people to earn a good living.

We have social programs in Canada that are working well. We have social programs that serve Canadians well and will be made even better in the coming years, now that we have reacquired some financial leeway.