Debates of Feb. 17th, 1999

The Budget

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

I ask the hon. member for Port Moody—Coquitlam—Port Coquitlam to please keep his remarks down. The hon. member for Edmonton—Strathcona.

[Rahim Jaffer, Reform, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, small businesses represent 80% of the jobs created in Canada in spite of this governement's high tax policies.

Why is there nothing in this budget for Canada's largest employer and largest taxpayer, small business?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, the vast majority of the tax reductions in terms of the business community will be enjoyed by the small business community.

At the same time, $50 million has gone in to the federal bank for the purpose of supporting small businesses exporting in the high technology areas. A great deal of the support for research and development is for start-ups which are essentially small businesses.

When we look at the fact that we have eliminated employment insurance premiums for a vast segment of the younger population, when we look at—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Winnipeg—North Centre.

Health Care

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday Ontario Premier Mike Harris said that expanding home care is one of his priorities for the new federal health money.

But as members know, in Harris' Ontario corporate health care giants are taking over home care services. American corporations are already siphoning off profits that should go to our public medicare system.

Why will this government not take steps to guarantee that not one penny of the new dollars transferred to the provinces will go to line the pockets of private, for profit corporations?

[Elinor Caplan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, the member quite rightly identifies that it is the provincial governments that have responsibility for design, management, administration and delivery of health care services in their provinces.

The federal government, as guardians of the Canada Health Act, can ensure that the five principles of medicare are in place: universal access, reasonable access, portability, comprehensiveness and public administration. That is our responsibility. We take it very seriously and we leave the issues of delivery to the provinces.

[Judy Wasylycia-Leis, NDP, Winnipeg North Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I cannot believe this government is not more concerned about American for profit companies winning home care contracts in Ontario.

I cannot believe that this government is not more concerned about the threat to the Victorian Order of Nurses which has served this country well for over 100 years.

I want to know from the government why it is doing nothing and why there was nothing in yesterday's budget to preserve our public health system from this erosion to private, for profit companies.

[Elinor Caplan, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, I know the member, as a former member of a provincial legislature, would understand well provincial responsibilities in the delivery of health services.

If she has questions such as the one she just posed I suggest she take them to the provincial premier.

This government is concerned with the Canada Health Act and the five principles as I have outlined. We are also important funding partners and we lived up to our obligations yesterday with $11.5 billion cash, plus tax points, transferred to the provinces.

We have done our part. Now it is—

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Richmond—Arthabaska.

The Budget

[André Bachand, Progressive Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago, the social union agreement was signed, along with a document saying that any additional funding for health would be provided in accordance with the current legislation. Yesterday, when the budget speech was delivered, we found out that a third administrative body, a trust, will be set up to manage an amount of $3.5 billion taken from the current budget to be distributed to the provinces over a three-year period.

My question is for the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs. Was the establishment of that third administrative body discussed with the provinces during the negotiations on social union, yes or no?

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, I can tell the hon. member that the unexpected good news about the amount of the transfers, including equalization, came as a surprise to everyone and all Canadians should be pleased about this.

As for the trust itself, it will give the provinces greater independence and, so far, all the premiers have reacted very positively to this initiative. Let me say that, for my province in particular, the increase in transfers was totally unexpected. Quebec will be getting one third of the federal transfers.

This may come as a surprise, but it is definitely a very good one.

[André Bachand, Progressive Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this government is once again throwing a monkey wrench into federal-provincial relations. The minister did not answer the question.

A third administrative body will be created, while the provinces, including Brian's Newfoundland and Lucien's Quebec, will receive less money in the next budget than they currently do. This is the reality.

I am asking the minister whether or not the trust reflects the social union philosophy, and whether or not this government is throwing a monkey wrench into federal-provincial relations.

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I cannot resist answering. In fact, the provinces themselves asked us that the money be made available—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Saint-Maurice, QC]

One should recognize that even the premier of Quebec signed the agreement on health.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[Jean Chrétien, Liberal, Saint-Maurice, QC]

Yes, he did sign the letter that led to the agreement.

The provinces asked me to make sure that those which could use the money be able to do so as quickly as possible. This is why we chose to hold the money in trust. The provinces will then be free to use that money as they see fit and as needed over a three-year period.

Culture

[Jean Augustine, Liberal, Etobicoke—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Speaker, earlier today the cultural industries sectoral advisory group on international trade released a report entitled “Canadian Culture in a Global World: New Strategies for Culture and Trade”.

Would the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for International Trade tell us how this report would help us and protect our culture in a globalized world discussion?

[Bob Speller, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I want to confirm for the hon. member that the Government of Canada does welcome the report of SAGIT.

It provides an overview of the issues facing our cultural industries in the export area. It is also a good starting point for us to do some consultations with Canadians on these issues.

As a result the Minister of International Trade has sent this report to the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade as it looks at the upcoming WTO negotiations to try to get the views of Canadians across the country on this very important industry.

The Budget

[Jason Kenney, Reform, Calgary Southeast, AB]

Mr. Speaker, once we clear past all the smoke and mirrors accounting and spin from yesterday's budget, what do we find? Surprise, surprise. The taxes of Canadians are actually going up and not down as a result of yesterday's budget. That is because of the minister's annual payroll tax grab and bracket creep.

I have a very simple question. After all the bafflegab is taken out, why are taxes going up by $2.2 billion in this budget instead of down?

[Paul Martin, Liberal, Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, I am delighted at the end of question period to explain to the hon. member what in fact happened in the budget.

I will tell him: $16.5 billion in tax reduction over a three year period, $11.5 billion going back into the health care system, and $1.4 billion going into health research and other kinds of research.

Essentially what the government did was to invest in productivity, was to invest in the health care of Canadians and was to reduce their taxes. I thank the member for the question.

[Serge Cardin, Bloc, Sherbrooke, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday's budget contains $153 million for promoting culture and sports in Canada.

We checked with officials yesterday and were told that no amount had been set aside in this envelope for professional sports.

My question is for the heritage minister. Are we to understand that the government finally abandoned any plans to support professional sports teams, contrary to what was recommended in the Mills report?

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh.

[The Speaker]

The hon. member for Acadie—Bathurst.