Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to the motion put forward by the hon. member for St. John's West. For those Canadians watching these proceedings on television, I would like to read the motion that is currently before us:
That in the opinion of this House the government should become actively involved in the Voisey's Bay nickel project, specifically to speed up the settling of native land claims and to expedite the completion of all environmental studies.
The hon. member certainly has more faith in the federal government than I have. I understand his frustration at the seemingly endless process of study and negotiations and more study and negotiations. However, I would never have thought I would hear anyone on the opposition side of the House looking to the federal government to expedite anything.
The victims of tainted blood have been waiting for over a year for compensation. We could ask them what they think of the government's ability to be expeditious. Newfoundlanders in particular have not been served well by the Liberal government. The TAGS program has been a disaster for Newfoundlanders and was a band-aid solution in place of real reforms of the cod fisheries.
The Hibernia project has been another Liberal failure. Not one oil manufacturing job will be created in Newfoundland as a result of the project.
Churchill Falls is another example. Newfoundland lost $1 billion a year as a result of a do-nothing Liberal government that refuses to give Newfoundlanders a fair deal.
The seal hunt has also been systematically destroyed by the Liberal bureaucratic red tape that has prevented the export of seal projects around the globe.
These are four good reasons why we should not invite the Liberal government to get involved in this project. Newfoundlanders are better served by negotiating on their own terms.
Furthermore, the Voisey's Bay project has been stalled and delayed, not because there has not been enough government interest in the matter but because there has been too much. This is no longer a business venture. It is a three ring political circus.
Let us look at the players already involved in this project. Inco Limited is involved. As it is the private sector company ready to take on the risk of the project it will be the one creating the wealth and the jobs. It will be the one jumping through the political hoops trying to please the various stakeholders involved in the project, many of whom have very legitimate concerns that must be addressed.
I applaud the patience of Inco's president, Scott Hand. It seems that Canadian entrepreneurs have unfortunately had to become politicians and spin doctors. That is the new cost of doing business in the Canadian economy and more federal intervention, as is proposed in the motion, is not the solution.
I take this opportunity to encourage Mr. Hand to continue to negotiate with the province. The Newfoundland people want this project, need this project, and are ready and able to make this project a success.
The Labrador Inuit Association and Innu nation are also involved in the negotiations, representing the interests of the first nations people in the area. They have been active participants in the creation of a 200 page study of the project that contained over 100 recommendations. On the basis of this report, it looks as if the Voisey's Bay negotiations may have been given a second life and a second chance.
The land claim concerns and benefit agreements brought forward by these groups are currently being considered by Inco. The environmental study has given the company a conditional green light to proceed.
The premier of Newfoundland is also involved in this matter. While Brian Tobin is working for the people of Newfoundland, I believe he can learn a lesson from Alberta about creating economic growth. In Alberta we are working to remove the barriers impeding economic progress and development. In Newfoundland they are erecting new ones.
If my hon. colleague from St. John's wants to be of some assistance to his constituents, and I know he does, he should ask Mr. Tobin a simple question: Is Newfoundland open for business? Nobody questions where Mr. Tobin's loyalties lie. I would however question his commitment to liberalizing the Newfoundland economy to encourage domestic and foreign investment.
The answer to the Voisey's Bay project and economic development in general is not further political meddling. We need to see the development of sensible and workable environmental policies that allow for sustainable economic growth.
Environmental regulations are another tax on Canadian businesses. While many of them are necessary, others are not. There is a balance that must be struck.
We also need to address the first nations land claim issues according to fair and equitable guidelines, but this must be done on a comprehensive basis so that it does not continue to be a never ending barrier to economic development in the country.
Politicians and lawyers have hijacked land claim issues and it is the grassroots Inuit or other aboriginals who have suffered. I once again applaud the author of the motion for allowing debate in the House on the Voisey's Bay project. However I do not believe he will find a solution through this arrogant and out of touch Liberal government.