Debates of Feb. 16th, 1999

Chinese New Year

[Jim Jones, Progressive Conservative, Markham, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today marks the beginning of Chinese New Year, the year of the rabbit.

As we celebrate this momentous occasion on the Chinese calendar, I should note that on Saturday the Right Hon. Joe Clark and I joined with 2,200 members of the Chinese Canadian community in Toronto to support the dragon ball 1999, a benefit for the Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care.

This event was yet the latest example of the invaluable contributions made by Canadians of Chinese origin to our national way of life.

Despite having encountered obstacles of racism and discrimination in the past, Chinese Canadians nonetheless comprise one of the most loyal, dedicated group of citizens in this country.

In my riding of Markham I know firsthand the positive impact brought about by the Chinese Canadian community.

On behalf of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada I would like to wish all Canadians of Chinese origin much luck, prosperity and success in family and business.

Gung hai fay choy. Happy new year.

Stratford Festival

[John Richardson, Liberal, Perth—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Perth—Middlesex is the home of the world famous Stratford Festival. As many members of the House can attest, the festival is live theatre at its absolute best.

I invite all parliamentarians, indeed all Canadians, to visit the 47th edition of the Stratford Festival.

Come and enjoy the magic of Shakespeare's

The Tempest , sing along with West Side Story or risk your mortal soul with Bram Stoker's Dracula

. The festival has these and many other plays to delight and enchant theatre buffs.

I will soon be sending Stratford Festival programs to offices on Parliament Hill. All Canadians can get information on the festival by visiting its website or calling 1-800-567-1600.

I hope to see everyone at this year's Stratford Festival.

The Budget

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

Mr. Speaker, the budget will be handed down today shortly after 4 o'clock.

There is a reason why the budget is handed down after 4 p.m. and that is because Canadian stock markets close at 4 o'clock. Historically it was felt that if the budget was handed down before 4 p.m. certain individuals or corporations could gain a commercial advantage as a result of advance information that would be contained in the budget.

Last night CBC news reported as fact some items that might be in the budget later this afternoon. In today's print media several newspapers, including the

Sun and the Globe and Mail

, are reporting as fact items which are to appear in today's budget.

Mr. Speaker, I would ask you to review this matter to determine whether the privileges of members of parliament have been breached and also to ensure that ordinary Canadians are not disadvantaged by—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Delta—South Richmond.

Aboriginal Affairs

[John Cummins, Reform, Delta—South Richmond, BC]

Mr. Speaker, last September the auditor general advised the government to more carefully estimate the value of lands and resources being transferred under treaty.

His caution is especially relevant with regard to the Nisga'a treaty, where a study I commissioned by a respected economist and former member of the House, Robin Richardson, found the cost of the treaty to be $1.3 billion, almost three times the value placed on it by this government.

In undervaluing the lands and resources, the federal government burdens British Columbia with three-quarters of the cost of the treaty. That is a downloading of $652 million of federal costs on to the taxpayers of British Columbia.

There is no denying the inaccuracy of the government numbers. They now admit to underestimating third party compensation. They admit to placing no value on mineral resources, water resources, fishery and wildlife resources in the treaty area. The list goes on.

The Nisga'a deal is not a good deal when you do the numbers. The deal is a good deal only for the Minister of Finance because this government—

[The Speaker]

We will now go to oral questions.

Health Care

[Deborah Grey, Reform, Edmonton North, AB]

Mr. Speaker, judging by the news apparently yesterday was budget day. But it has done nothing to stop the Liberal Americanization of Canadian health care.

Because of Liberal cuts thousands of Canadians have to go to the States to buy treatment—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Edmonton North.

[Deborah Grey, Reform, Edmonton North, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I guess the truth hurts, the Liberal Americanization of the Canadian health care system. Two hundred thousand more Canadians had to stay home. They could not afford to fly south. They are the people in waiting lines here. That is the Liberal legacy.

Can the Prime Minister guarantee today that no more babies, no more cancer patients, no more MRI patients will be forced to go to the United States to buy treatment?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we said in August that we want to have a budget addressing the problem of health. I met with the premiers two weeks ago to discuss that. In exactly one hour and 58 minutes we will have the answer when the Minister of Finance reads his budget.

[Deborah Grey, Reform, Edmonton North, AB]

Mr. Speaker, the answer is this, and it sounded from the government benches that they know it. The Liberals are the sponsors of two tier health care. It is under their watch that governments have cut spending drastically. People are suffering right across the county because of government cutbacks for years.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[Deborah Grey, Reform, Edmonton North, AB]

Mr. Speaker, I will say it again. This government is the sponsor of a two tier health care system and the proof is watching the news every single night. This government has slashed funding to the provinces which are responsible for health care year after year.

Can the Prime Minister guarantee today that no more Canadians will have to fly to the States to buy medical treatment?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the government is helping provincial governments financially to operate the health care system. The managing of the health care system on a daily basis is done by provincial governments. We work in collaboration with them. That is why we had a very good meeting two weeks ago. Members will see in one hour and 56 minutes what the government intends to do for health care in the budget.

[Deborah Grey, Reform, Edmonton North, AB]

Mr. Speaker, there is not much surprise because the whole budget has been leaked to the national press. We already know what is in it.

It is knowledge, it is common fact that this government has forced Canadians to go on the longest waiting lines in history, that health care has been slashed in funding to the provinces. The Prime Minister can say he brought them here to Ottawa last week to be good to them but everyone in Canada knows the facts.

How can $2 billion in health care spending this year undo the damage that $16 billion in Liberal cuts have caused?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I repeat that the figures the member is using are not true at all. We have been obliged to cut everybody to make sure we have a balanced budget. For the last two years we have had a balanced budget. That is why Canadians and provincial governments pay much less for the interest rates on their debts, because we have balanced the books. That is why the Canadian people are quite happy to have a government with a very open process for budget discussion. It has been going on for six months and—

[The Speaker]

I would ask you, my colleagues, to be very judicious in the choice of words that we use, words like “not true at all”.

The hon. member for Prince George—Bulkley Valley.

Taxation

[Dick Harris, Reform, Prince George—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I will tell you why he has a balanced budget. It is because he has cut $16 billion out of health care since 1993. There have been $16 billion in health care cuts and he has raised taxes to hardworking Canadian by over $1,800 each since 1993.

This budget today is not a health care budget. It is not a budget for hardworking Canadians. It is a budget for the finance minister and his greedy tax collectors. That is what this budget is for. He has gutted health care. He is sitting on a large surplus. Why is he raising taxes again this year? Why?

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, 1.6 million Canadians have found new jobs in the last five years. Of course these Canadians are very happy to pay more taxes to the government rather than to be unemployed. Of course we have more revenues because we have had growth in the last five years and unemployment went down—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Prince George—Bulkley Valley.

[Dick Harris, Reform, Prince George—Bulkley Valley, BC]

I think he is finished, Mr. Speaker. He can only go so far with big whoppers. He should work at Burger King.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

Order. I would ask the hon. member to go directly to his question.