House of Commons Hansard #19 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was federal.
Peter MacKay Progressive Conservative Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS
Mr. Speaker, it is now clear that since February Kevin Benson has been a registered paid lobbyist for Onex and that he met with the Prime Minister's chief of staff, Jean Pelletier. He also met with the Minister of Transport to discuss the airline takeover.
Could the Minister of Industry now confirm that Kevin Benson, the Onex lobbyist, also met with his own deputy minister, Kevin Lynch, to discuss the suspension of the Competition Act?
John Cannis LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Industry
Mr. Speaker, I have been informed that the deputy minister of industry has never met with representatives of Onex or Canadian, neither before nor after the government decision of August 13, to suspend section 47 of the Canada Transportation Act.
Peter MacKay Progressive Conservative Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, NS
Mr. Speaker, it is curious because Kevin Benson appears to be the link between Onex and the federal government, and the Prime Minister conveniently cannot remember whether his own chief of staff met with Mr. Benson. Surely the Minister of Industry can tell us whether he did or members of his staff did.
The trail of direct contact between Onex and the Prime Minister goes through Kevin Benson. Why is the government showing such blatant favouritism toward one of the proponents of the Onex merger?
Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member's assertion is totally wrong. The government is not showing favouritism to Onex or any of the proponents. We are only ready to act and are acting in the interest of all Canadians.
Ken Epp Reform Elk Island, AB
Mr. Speaker, by the year 2000 Canada will have the second highest corporate income tax rate in the world. Only Japan's will be higher. Besides high corporate taxes, Canadian businesses face increasing contributions to CPP and the great rip off of excessive EI contributions.
Why does the finance minister not take for once the advice from his own advisers, do what is wise and prudent, and reduce corporate tax rates to keep industry, companies, professionals and workers in Canada?
Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the government has been reducing taxes and is focused on the needs of individual Canadians.
If the Reform Party wants to serve the interests of big business it can do that, but we will act for all Canadians, including small and medium size business and business generally.
Our focus is on individual Canadians. I am sorry the Reform Party has forgotten that priority and does not care about it any more.
Grant McNally Reform Dewdney—Alouette, BC
Mr. Speaker, the finance minister's own advisers are telling him to cut taxes for businesses. Canadians are calling out for tax relief as well. Yet the government continues to refuse to listen.
What is it that the government does not understand about reducing taxes for businesses to help the economy? Why does it not just go ahead and do that?
Roy Cullen LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, just last week the finance minister prepared the economic and fiscal update projecting surpluses over the next five years. In terms of corporate taxes he has asked the public to comment on what we should be doing with business taxes.
In terms of taxes on small businesses, Canada has the lowest taxes on small businesses in the G-7.
Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral Bloc Laval Centre, QC
Mr. Speaker, a few months ago, half of the Liberal cabinet paraded before the subcommittee on the status of the disabled to convince us of its good will.
Yet in Quebec close to 300 disabled people will be losing their jobs this week because of a $3 million shortfall in the opportunities fund for the disabled.
In light of the huge government surplus, will the minister commit to immediately taking the necessary steps to enable the disabled to continue their integration into the work force?
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, let me take this opportunity to recognize and thank the members of the subcommittee of the standing committee for the work that they have done in bringing all government departments together to appreciate the role that they can play in helping to reflect the needs of Canadians with disabilities in our policies and in our services.
I am looking forward to responding to the recommendations of the particular subcommittee in the near future. I hope the hon. member will continue to work with us as we focus on Canadians with disabilities ensuring that we have policies of inclusion and not of exclusion.
Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral Bloc Laval Centre, QC
Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what we are in the process of doing. There is an urgent problem in Quebec at the present time.
CAMO has applied for funding for the opportunity fund on several occasions, but the answer that was due in mid-October has still not been given.
Is the minister aware that, if the government does not come up with the required funding in the very near future, it will be responsible for the demise of a number of organizations devoted to integrating the disabled into the work force because of its carelessness?
Jane Stewart LiberalMinister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, I will be glad to look at any particular issues the hon. member wants to bring forward with particular projects. I do want to recognize the support that the Bloc is giving for the opportunities fund. It is a fund that has been established to support Canadians with disabilities. It is nice to hear that the Bloc feels that this is a wise investment for all Canadians including those in Quebec.
Inky Mark Reform Dauphin—Swan River, MB
Mr. Speaker, farm families in my riding of Dauphin—Swan River continue to call me to say they are going broke. Banks are foreclosing on farms daily in western Canada.
The new money unveiled is nothing more than an attempt to save face. Fifty-nine per cent of Manitoba farmers who applied for AIDA were rejected. Close to 3,000 claims remain unprocessed.
How can the minister of agriculture assure farmers that the new money will get off the cabinet table and on to the farm kitchen table?
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, I can assure the member that all of the money will go through the process and the farmers will get it. I also remind the hon. member that the 1998 and 1999 AIDA program with the contributions of the federal and provincial governments will bring $580 million to Saskatchewan farmers in addition to the safety net dollars that are there and some $220 million to Manitoba farmers.
Chuck Cadman Reform Surrey North, BC
Mr. Speaker, the government is responsible for the RCMP funding crisis. The government ordered the long overdue RCMP pay raise to be taken from an existing limited budget and the RCMP had to cut service in a number of essential areas to compensate. We have now learned that a lack of funding is preventing the annual testing of members in the proper use of their firearms.
The largest RCMP detachment in Canada is in my riding and my constituents are fed up with this.
My question is for the solicitor general. How much longer is the government prepared to jeopardize the safety of police officers and Canadians?
Lawrence MacAulay LiberalSolicitor General of Canada
Mr. Speaker, I do not believe anyone in the House would question the competence of the RCMP. For my hon. colleague's information, 94% of the officers who were involved in the test passed.
Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Mr. Speaker, between now and 2003, the federal government will be slashing over $30 billion in transfers to the provinces to fund higher education, health care and income security.
Now that he has surpluses coming out his ears, will the Minister of Finance make a commitment to reinstate the social transfers so the provinces may provide their residents with proper services?
Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, it is interesting to listen to the Bloc Quebecois critic today, in the light of what Mr. Bouchard said.
This summer, at the first ministers meeting, Mr. Bouchard joined with the other premiers in supporting our 50:50 formula. If Mr. Bouchard supports this formula under which we agreed to cut taxes, reduce the debt and invest in the interests of all Canadians, why does the Bloc Quebecois persist in asking such questions?
Yvan Loubier Bloc Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, QC
Mr. Speaker, why is the Bloc Quebecois persisting? Because this government does nothing, and there are problems in the schools, in the hospitals and in the most disadvantaged families.
Will this government understand that this would take less than a fifth of the huge surpluses expected over the next five years to turn the situation around in the hospitals, in education and with those who are most disadvantaged in society? Do they understand that, or are they going to continue to play deaf?
Roy Cullen LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, it is incredible that the Bloc Quebecois is talking about news like that, when new jobs were created in Quebec in the month of October.
There were 33,000 new jobs in October in the province of Quebec.
If we want to talk about transfers, let us talk about the $1.8 billion additionally for Quebec via the CHST, $2.7 billion in the additional CHST transfers, $750 million a year in tax point increases and $2.8 billion in additional equalization payments.
Val Meredith Reform South Surrey—White Rock—Langley, BC
Mr. Speaker, the lumber industry in British Columbia has been told by its Asian customers that if shipments are delayed out of the port of Vancouver for more than one week, they will find suppliers elsewhere.
By the time the House sits again, the lumber industry's Asian markets may have disappeared. All the labour minister is prepared to do is to sit on the sidelines and watch to see what happens.
Why is the minister gambling with the future of Canada's lumber industry?
Judi Longfield LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Labour
Mr. Speaker, the government takes this issue very seriously.
I would tell the member opposite that the employer has invited the employees back to the table. This is a very sensitive situation. To deal in speculation at this point is not productive.
Deepak Obhrai Reform Calgary East, AB
Mr. Speaker, the export of petrochemicals, sulphur, potash, coal and the entire forest industry in B.C. depend on access to our ports.
Clearly the port closure will have a devastating impact on western and national economies. Foreign buyers will be forced to look elsewhere for suppliers. The Canadian consumer will pay the price for additional shipping charges from American ports.
Will the Minister of Labour act to develop a contingency plan, or will Canadian exporters and consumers be left to pay the price?
Judi Longfield LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Labour
Mr. Speaker, there is still time for a negotiated settlement.
I would remind the members opposite that 95% of labour disputes in the last year were settled without work stoppage and without back to work legislation.
This is a sensitive issue. Give the parties time to work it out.
Richard Marceau Bloc Charlesbourg, QC
Mr. Speaker, while Canada, through the Minister for International Trade, wants to champion the participation of civil society in the negotiations on the free trade area of the Americas, we noticed that, at the end of the Toronto meeting, NGOs had only had 90 minutes to express their views, while the business sector had had two days.
Why did Canada, which presided the meeting, not deem appropriate to give more time to NGOs and to civil society?