Debates of Oct. 18th, 1999

Child Tax Benefit

[Guy St-Julien, Liberal, Abitibi, QC]

Mr. Speaker, according to Michel Girard, a journalist for La Presse , the Government of Canada increased the child tax benefit by $15 a month effective last July 1.

This represents an additional $60 million in assistance to families in Quebec. But only $10 million of it actually made its way into their pockets.

The government of Lucien Bouchard decided to cut its provincial allowance by $50 million. Of the 660,000 families in Quebec that receive the family allowance and the federal benefit, only 103,800 saw their income go up following the federal increase.

What did Quebec City do with the $50 million it netted by cutting its provincial allowance by the same amount as the federal increase? It put it into day care services.

Today, the government of Lucien Bouchard is cashing in on children's benefits.

Canadian Handball Team

[Pauline Picard, Bloc, Drummond, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last July, four young members of the Canadian handball team from Drummondville took the gold medal at the UBAE grand prix in Barcelona and placed fourth in La Coupa Interamnia in Teramo, Italy.

Martine Gélinas, Stéphanie Gagné, Catherine Brunelle and Marie-Christine Gélinas surprised everyone, because they have only been playing this sport for two years.

In addition to maintaining a rigorous training program and keeping up their studies, they had to find the money to pay for their trip. It would be a good idea if Heritage Canada were to provide basic funding to all sports federations to assist athletes. The unflagging support of their trainer and their parents played a vital role in the young women's success. Their outstanding determination deserves our recognition.

Bravo to all four, and good luck in the next competitions.

Right Hon. Pierre Elliot Trudeau

[Steve Mahoney, Liberal, Mississauga West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is with great privilege and honour that I pass on 80th birthday wishes to Canada's 15th prime minister, the Right Hon. Pierre Elliott Trudeau.

First elected as a member in 1965, Mr. Trudeau served as minister of justice under the leadership of Prime Minister Pearson. A dashing, charismatic politician, he was elected leader of the Liberal Party of Canada in 1968 and in April sworn in as Canada's 15th prime minister.

During 16 years of Trudeaumania, he reformed Canada. The government passed the Official Languages Act, fought the separatist terrorists in Quebec during the October crisis and introduced the metric system in Canada. He was devoted to national unity in opposition to the separatist goals of the Parti Quebecois.

On behalf of the Government of Canada, I wish to extend birthday greetings to a truly remarkable man and wish him many, many more.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

[Grant Hill, Reform, Macleod, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the pink ribbon I am wearing today represents breast cancer awareness month. This serious illness devastates vast numbers of women across Canada. Let me note some positives in this field.

New genetic research now allows us to detect the gene in some families where the risk of breast cancer is predictable. This opens up preventive steps and surely prevention is better than treatment. Regular self-examination, new diagnostic technology and early intervention are all positive developments here in Canada.

In my work as a doctor, I have seen personally the tragic effects of breast cancer. I wish to pay tribute to the efforts of health professionals and volunteers, who are working to reduce the incidence and the terrible consequences of this serious disease.

International Day For The Eradication Of Poverty

[Raymonde Folco, Liberal, Laval West, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday was the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

The objective of eradicating poverty, on which efforts must be focused every day, is an important part of our concerns if we wish to provide everyone with an improved quality of life.

Eradicating poverty must also be among the concerns of all governments, all organizations and all corporations. Each of us has a duty to help the most disadvantaged members of our society.

Let us hope that, with the new millennium fast approaching, each of us will be able to say that we have personally contributed to this objective, this societal necessity, of eradicating poverty as quickly as possible.

Fisheries

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

Mr. Speaker, by now most Canadians are aware of the crisis facing our non-native and native fishermen in Atlantic Canada.

Since the Marshall decision was handed down by the supreme court, the fisheries are in a state of confusion and fishermen are angry at the lack of leadership shown by the Liberal government.

I now understand why the government is negligent in its responsibility to thousands of fishermen and their families. It is, I believe, so that the DFO can institute the individual transferable quota system known in the fisheries committee as ITQs. These would in effect transfer the access of the lucrative lobster fishery from thousands of independent fishermen and their families to the control of a few corporate identities, similar to what was done to the groundfish stocks in Atlantic Canada, thus destroying the hopes of thousands of families in their communities throughout Atlantic Canada.

I would like to fire this shot over the DFO's bow: Please do not institute the ITQ system on lobster stocks.

Doctors Without Borders

[Yves Rocheleau, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last Friday, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the organization Doctors Without Borders, which has been providing international medical assistance for the past 28 years.

Doctors Without Borders was founded by three young French physicians in 1971, at the time of the Biafra crisis. The founders wanted to assert their independence from traditional medical organizations in order to be able to denounce the atrocities going on before their eyes with all the vigour born of youth.

Since then, Doctors Without Borders has been involved in humanitarian endeavours in an impressive number of conflicts and disasters, in particular the war in Lebanon in 1976, the terrible famine in Ethiopia in 1980, the earthquake in Armenia in 1988, and most recently the war in Kosovo.

As one of the founders said recently “After nearly 30 years of activities, we are not sure that speaking out always saves lives, but we do know that silence kills”.

Our heartiest congratulations to Doctors Without Borders for its contribution to the ideal of peace and the elimination of suffering in the world.

Madam Justice Louise Arbour

[Claude Drouin, Liberal, Beauce, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like the house to congratulate Louise Arbour, who was born in Montreal, who is the former prosecutor of the international criminal tribunal, and who is now a supreme court justice.

Madam Justice Arbour received the highest honour at La Presse 's 16th excellence gala, when she was named personality of the year. She also won the award in the “courage, humanism and personal accomplishment” category.

All agree that under the leadership of Louise Arbour, international justice took a giant step. Indeed, Louise Arbour showed unprecedented determination in prosecuting people suspected of war crimes all over the world. She did a great job in conditions that were sometimes unstable and very difficult.

Canada and the whole world are grateful to Louise Arbour for having shown such leadership in issues as complex and difficult as those of Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia. International peace and justice are greatly indebted to her.

Congratulations to Louise Arbour and to all award winners at the gala.

Fisheries

[Mark Muise, Progressive Conservative, West Nova, NS]

Mr. Speaker, this past weekend hundreds of non-native fishers and their families converged in Yarmouth to express their anger over the federal government's handling of the fishing crisis.

Despite the minister's claim of having a solution in hand on Friday, we discovered there was no such solution, which was why he had to appoint an independent negotiator.

West Nova fishers have very little faith in the government's ability to find a solution to this crisis. Why should they?

The minister of Indian affairs said that we were overemphasizing the crisis. After all, winter was setting in, not many people would be fishing and nobody's livelihoods are at stake. For his part, the fisheries minister said that he wants a long term solution before the next fishing season in the spring.

Obviously these gentlemen do not realize that the most lucrative lobster fishery is set to begin in West Nova at the end of November. Our fisher's livelihoods are at stake and I think they have a right to be concerned.

Why will the government not take the crisis seriously and immediately implement short term solutions that would at least see all fishers respect pre-established fishing seasons in the name of conservation?

Women's History Month

[Reg Alcock, Liberal, Winnipeg South, MB]

Mr. Speaker, October is Women's History Month. This year, Women's History Month pays special recognition to the contribution of francophone women in Canada's history.

One francophone woman who is making history today is Julie Payette, the first French-speaking Canadian female astronaut. Julie has been accumulating honours and awards of excellence since college. She is a wonderful role model for young women, proudly proving that there are no limits to what we can achieve.

Although her formal education is in science and engineering, her contribution to the arts is also noteworthy. She is an excellent pianist and has sung with a number of choirs both in Canada and abroad. Furthermore, Julie speaks French, English, Spanish, Italian and Russian.

In June 1992, the Canadian Space Agency selected her as an astronaut and four years later she began training as a mission specialist at the Johnson Space Centre in Houston, Texas.

This past May, Julie Payette climbed aboard the space shuttle Discovery and headed for the International Space Station.

The success of her recent 10-day mission on the shuttle Discovery and at the International Space Station is a source of pride for all Canadians. She is also an inspiration to young women across Canada, encouraging them to follow their dreams in pursuing careers in non-traditional work.

Taxation

[Preston Manning, Reform, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the government's first act of the new millennium will be to raise taxes. On January 1, Canada pension plan premiums will rise by $2.3 billion and bracket creep will pull hundreds of thousands of Canadians into higher tax brackets, which is not exactly a cheery way to enter the new year. We now have poverty groups, family groups, small business associations and even the banks calling for a substantive tax cut.

Why is the government to start the new century with a tax hike instead of a tax cut?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the preamble to the hon. member's question is totally false. We will be starting the new millennium with tax cuts.

However let us deal with the issue of the Canada pension plan. It is under the joint stewardship of the provinces and the federal government. The provinces and the federal government came together and decided to preserve the Canada pension plan for countless generations to come.

The issue before the Canadian people is what the Reform Party has against the Canada pension plan. Why does it want to see it disappear and why did it vote against it?

[Preston Manning, Reform, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the minister is avoiding the issue. The statements in the Speech from the Throne about tax relief are half-truths. Over the same period that the government promises $16 billion in tax relief it increases taxes by $18 billion for a net increase in taxes of $2 billion.

I ask the government again why it is starting the new millennium not with genuine tax relief but with a tax hike.

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, once again the hon. member simply does not know the facts. With the tax cuts of the government over the course of the next three years we have more than covered inflation or bracket creep. Those are real tax cuts on top of that.

The real issue before the Canadian people is not the bogus arithmetic of the Reform Party. It is why does it not come up with a plan Canadians can believe in, one that does not hide an agenda and is not opposite to the basic values of Canadians.

[Preston Manning, Reform, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the finance minister has notes in his margin that say “argument weak, yell like hell”.

The facts are these. When workers look at their paycheques the taxes are increased, not decreased. When a mother looks at her family budget at the end of the month she has less money to spend because of the minister's taxes and not more. Businesses are going to the United States and not staying here because of the tax policies of the minister.

Why after six years of broken promises should Canadians believe the minister when he says that now he will decrease taxes?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I guess Canadians should believe the government because we know the facts and the hon. member obviously does not.

Real disposable incomes in Canada have not only stabilized but now for the first time in over a decade they are beginning to rise. The hon. member is wrong. Unemployment in the country is now at its lowest level in over 10 years.

If the hon. member would like to see a perspective on the Canadian economy and the net result of what the government has done, I would simply ask him to look at the Royal Bank report which came out today. It basically says that the country is cooking on all cylinders.

[Monte Solberg, Reform, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I do not know if the country is cooking on all cylinders but I do know that taxpayers are getting roasted thanks to this finance minister.

On January 1, bracket creep will raise taxes by a billion dollars. That is according to the finance department's own books. He should listen to his own finance department. He always talks about reducing taxes but all of his actions are to increase taxes.

If the finance minister really has the courage of his convictions, why will he not eliminate bracket creep on January 1?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member simply ought to take a look at reality. The reality is that our tax cuts have taken care of bracket creep and much more.

However, he does not have to believe me. Let me simply quote that “the taxation arrow is now pointing in the right direction, down. It behoves us then to offer a polite nod of thanks in the direction of the federal finance minister”. I hate to say it, but that is what he said. He goes on to say, for all the lecturing Ralph Klein did in the mid-1990s about how Ottawa needs to get its budgetary books in order like we did at the time, Klein and Day have been left in the dust by Ottawa. That is the Calgary bunch.

[The Speaker]

I remind hon. members not to use any props in questions or answers.

[Monte Solberg, Reform, Medicine Hat, AB]

Mr. Speaker, it will be noted how the finance minister always runs away from the question. For someone who is pursuing the leadership of the Liberal Party that is not a great quality. I suggest maybe he wants to focus on the question this time.

My question is again for the finance minister. He knows this is the case. On January 1 taxes will take another $1 billion out of the pockets of Canadians; 85,000 Canadians will join the tax rolls for the first time. If he really believes in tax relief, why does he not begin with a tax cut on January 1? Why will he not eliminate bracket creep?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that on January 1 taxes are going down. Taxes went down on July 1. Next year they are going down $3.9 billion. Since we have taken office EI premiums have gone down $4 billion. That is what they are going down. A substantial increase of $1.8 billion in the child tax benefit, that is money that will be found in the pockets of middle and low income Canadians with children.

The fact of the matter is that taxes have gone down every year since we have balanced the budget and they will keep on going down.

Audiovisual Productions

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

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, the Minister of Canadian Heritage said in this house that she did not know that members of her staff or of her department were aware of the investigation into CINAR, a Montreal production company.

A few minutes later, she told the media that her deputy minister knew about the investigation. Given that she had the whole weekend to do so, the minister must surely have checked things out.

Could the minister confirm that no other person from her department or from any organization accountable to her department was aware of that issue?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, I said just about the opposite of what the hon. member is claiming. I said that my office had no information on this issue and that I presumed that my department was aware of what was going on, since it had already arranged for a meeting with the police.

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

Mr. Speaker, since the minister is definitely responsible for her department and the organizations that are accountable to her, my question to her is as follows. Is she aware that one of the names used by CINAR in the movie Chassé croisé is allegedly that of Thomas LaPierre, the son of Laurier LaPierre, who is the chairman of the board of Telefilm Canada?

[Sheila Copps, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, on Friday, the hon. member made accusations, following which I asked the RCMP to investigate. I hope he will let the RCMP conduct its investigation and shed light on the whole issue, instead of saying falsehoods here in the House.