Debates of Nov. 16th, 1999

Agriculture

[Jake Hoeppner, Reform, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, farmers are suffering the worst cash crunch of the century.

Century farms are going bankrupt. Stress is causing family break-ups. Could the agriculture minister explain why the necessary help is withheld from these farmers under the guise of tough love when they are the most efficient and productive farmers in the world?

[Lyle Vanclief, Liberal, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows very well that in the last 12 months the federal government has put forward nearly $1.1 billion as well as made a number of changes to existing safety net programs.

We are working very hard with the provinces. We are encouraging the provinces to participate fully with their 40%. We are working with the safety net advisory committee and we are making as much contribution. We will continue to look for continuing and further ways to assist those in rural Canada and to assist the agricultural industry.

Goods And Services Tax

[John Nunziata, Independent, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the finance minister a question about the GST. In the 1993 campaign the Liberal Party promised to scrap and abolish the GST. In May 1996 the Minister of Finance apologized for not being able to keep the promise because of the difficult financial situation the country was in.

Now that the Minister of Finance and the country are awash in cash, now that he is rolling in the dough, will he keep his promise to scrap the GST? At the very least, will he use the surplus to reduce the GST?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows full well that is not what was said. In any event, a House of Commons committee went across the country for two years. It met with consumers. It met with small business. At the end of it all, the recommendation was that in fact we continue with the situation as is because it would cause much less disruption.

That is not the hon. member's real point. His real point is that we should now begin to spend money, money, which we may not have in five years, and that we should return to a deficit. That this government will never do.

Privilege

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

Mr. Speaker, during oral question period, the Minister for International Trade made defamatory and slanderous comments that are unworthy of a person like him. I was surprised to hear him tell me and my colleagues that we do not like immigrants.

While he insists that there was a question mark at the end of his sentence, such a comment is unworthy of him. He should not make jokes about such a statement. The minister is usually more serious than that.

This is a serious accusation. The minister's remarks had nothing to do with the question.

Also, on a personal note, there are immigrants in my immediate family and they are true Quebecers.

The minister is now pretending to play the violin. He is prepared to make all sorts of gratuitous accusations—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

Order, please. This is definitely not a question of privilege, but the minister is here and, if he wishes to reply, I will give him a few seconds to do so.

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, on the question by the Bloc Quebecois on immigrants' right to vote, I asked “You do not like immigrants?”—with a question mark—meaning that in this country landed immigrants have the right to vote.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[Pierre Pettigrew, Liberal, Papineau—Saint-Denis, QC]

I asked him whether he did not like immigrants because one could wonder. A landed immigrant in this country is entitled to vote. However, if my question upsets him to this extent, I would suggest that together we consider this matter as a society.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

Order, please. This is certainly not a question of privilege, as I said, and I hope that in such debates the members will chose their words very carefully. So, this part is over.

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

I rise on a point of order, Mr. Speaker.

[The Speaker]

Is this another point of order? Because this was not a question of privilege

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

I rise on a point of order, Mr. Speaker. If I understand correctly, we just have to do as the minister does: hurl any old insult and then hide. If this is the case, we will do the same—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[An hon. member]

With question marks.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

Order, please. This point is over.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. In an effort of co-operation I would like to ask for unanimous consent to propose the following:

That notwithstanding any standing order or usual practice the House return for the remainder of the present sitting to the consideration of the supply proceedings in the name of the hon. member for Brandon—Souris proposed earlier this day.

[The Speaker]

Does the hon. member have permission to put the motion before the House?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[The Speaker]

The House has heard the terms of the motion. Is it agreed?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.