House of Commons Hansard #111 of the 36th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was war.
Ken Epp Reform Elk Island, AB
Mr. Speaker, let me put the facts on the table. Our plan has the approval of no less than economist Robert Mundell, a Nobel prize winner, who said that it was a very good and workable plan. Furthermore, we ran the econometric model, the same model the finance minister uses with his plan to parliament, WEFA—
The EconomyOral Question Period
The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)
The hon. secretary of state.
Jim Peterson LiberalSecretary of State (International Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, of course it will cost us a fortune and what it will do is really hurt the middle class and benefit unfairly the very rich.
Let me quote: “I think Canadians have become used to a progressive tax system where the higher your income, the higher the rate of tax you pay. There are certain basic expenses of life one has to go through and it is a lot easier to do it at $250,000 than $50,000. From that perspective a flat tax is inequitable. It is not progressive”. Who said that? Ernie Eves.
Gordon Earle NDP Halifax West, NS
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the U.S. announced plans to phase out Dursban, a widely used household pesticide, because it is a known threat to children's health. The government would rather wait and hope the chemical company that makes millions in sales will volunteer to stop production on its own accord.
Does the Minister of Health not think Canadian children deserve the same kind of protection from their government as the U.S. has given to its children?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, American and Canadian authorities are working closely together in this regard. The American withdrawal from the market is voluntary and has been negotiated with the company.
We were negotiating the same agreement with the manufacturer in Canada. It was in place until two days ago when the manufacturer reneged on it. As a result, we are to impose unilaterally, using our authority as a government, that the product come off the market. When we finish the scientific work to uphold that approach that is the step we will take to protect the health of all Canadians and particularly children.
Gordon Earle NDP Halifax West, NS
Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for his answer. It sounds like that is a very positive move.
I would indicate that the city of Halifax is planning to assist its children to live in a healthy, safe community by looking at a bylaw which hopefully will be passed to ban the use of pesticides near playgrounds, hospitals and sources of drinking water.
Last month the House of Commons environment committee asked for a phase-out of cosmetic use. The minister's own party policy is to ban cosmetic use of pesticides. Has the minister any further plans to reduce any chemicals other than this one?
Allan Rock LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, we will do what is necessary to protect the health of Canadians and particularly children.
Let me emphasize to the member that the government has discretionary power under the act. As in the case of the product which the member mentioned in his first question, where there is science to indicate that the products are a threat to the health of Canadians we will act to get them off the market.
Jean Dubé Progressive Conservative Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Mr. Speaker, several of my fellow citizens told me that the changes made in 1995 to the eligibility rules for the tax deduction for persons with disabilities make it very difficult, if not impossible, to benefit from that deduction.
Is the Minister of National Revenue prepared to recognize this fact and will he consult his colleague, the Minister of Finance, to correct this unfair situation for persons with disabilities and thus give them the means to improve their quality of life?
Don Boudria LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, the system to which the hon. member is referring has been in existence for several years. All the members of this House have constituents who, at some point in time, benefited from that tax deduction, which is provided for persons with a severe handicap.
Each application is reviewed very objectively by the department, to make sure of course that those who are entitled to the deduction benefit from it. The files are reassessed periodically for the benefit of Canadians and to take into account any change in people's health.
Jean Dubé Progressive Conservative Madawaska—Restigouche, NB
Mr. Speaker, following the 1993 federal election, former transport minister Doug Young transferred to his own riding funds that had already been earmarked for the major highway project in the riding of Madawaska.
This is a very important project for the region's economic future.
Can the Minister of Transport tell us whether he intends to undertake negotiations with the Government of New Brunswick to reach an agreement, so that this highway can become a reality?
Highway ConstructionOral Question Period
Thunder Bay—Atikokan Ontario
Liberal
Stan Dromisky LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Transport
Mr. Speaker, I would like to announce to the House that negotiations have been ongoing for a lengthy period of time, with the co-operation of all transport ministers and governments from each and every province, on the development of a national highway policy.
Marlene Jennings Liberal Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine, QC
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food knows very well that trade is the lifeblood of our Canadian agriculture and agri-food industry.
That being said, I would like the minister to tell the House how our Canadian government intends to assist the Quebec sector in exporting its products around the world.
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, we were pleased to make use of some programs in Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada for food promotion yesterday.
We announced to Club Export, the export arm of the industry in Quebec, a $1,3 million contribution and to maple producers in Quebec support to the extent of over $750,000 for their industry to promote maple products out of Quebec under the wonderful trademark of Maple Mark.
Dick Harris Reform Prince George—Bulkley Valley, BC
Mr. Speaker, WEFA, an econometrics firm that the government uses to crunch its own figures, has clearly given a huge thumbs up to the alliance's 17% tax solution. As well, the Library of Parliament has also given its approval saying that it is indeed workable.
In the minister's statements where he slanders the alliance's plan, why does he continue to deny the credibility of WEFA and the Library of Parliament? Why does he do that?
Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I want to respond to the spokesman for the duplicitous alliance party. Under the Reform flat tax examples, a single taxpayer earning $30,000 would receive a $624 tax cut, while a single taxpayer earning $200,000 would receive, get this, a $22,150 tax cut.
Is it fair that someone earning almost seven times the income of a person earning $30,000 should receive a tax cut 35 times greater? No wonder the alliance party will go down the tubes whenever it has to face the public. It is there for the rich, not for the ordinary Canadian.
Francine Lalonde Bloc Mercier, QC
Mr. Speaker, having last week declared that its war with Eritrea was over, Ethiopia is this week resuming operations on all fronts, in what seems far more like all out war than border skirmishes. Because of the international community's lack of interest, negotiations are dragging out and there is a threat of greater famine.
In order for this border war to be brought to an end, is the Minister of Foreign Affairs prepared to propose to the UN Security Council that peacekeepers be sent in, or are we to conclude that these countries are too poor to merit the attention of the international community?
David Kilgour LiberalSecretary of State (Latin America and Africa)
Mr. Speaker, ten days ago, I was in Addis Ababa to plead the case for a ceasefire in the region, in order to save lives in Eritrea, and of course in Ethiopia as well.
I accept with great pleasure the feelings expressed by the hon. member and I am sure that all members of this House share them.
Rick Laliberte NDP Churchill River, SK
Mr. Speaker, on Wednesday afternoon representatives of the Grassy Narrows First Nations stood outside parliament and asked for sustainable and fair forest management. The communities recognize the good working relationship with Tembec but grave concerns about Abitibi were raised.
The provincial government and its allocation of clear-cutting are killing their traditional ways of life and land use. They spoke of poisons in their waters, on their lands and in their animals. Will the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development commit today to an investigation of these serious concerns?
Bob Nault LiberalMinister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development
Mr. Speaker, the member's question is a very important one. The issue of first nations people on their traditional territories and their relationship with provincial governments and with the private sector is one that is important to all of us.
I can confirm to him that the minister and our department have made resources available to the first nations in order for them to get to the negotiating table to resolve these issues where they should be resolved.
Mark Muise Progressive Conservative West Nova, NS
Mr. Speaker, could the Deputy Prime Minister tell us whether the CBC's decision to cut regional news programming by two-thirds is an attempt to make regional news programming less relevant to Canadians, therefore helping it to justify its future cancellation? Does he personally support the scaling down?
Herb Gray LiberalDeputy Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, I thought that the hon. member would come back to those articles written by the economists at McGill University about the previous Conservative government.
If he had done that I would have stated, and I will now, that over two million new jobs have been created since the Liberal government took office in 1993. Unemployment is 4.8% lower than the 11.4% the government inherited shortly after taking office in October 1993, the largest decline in unemployment under the leadership of any Canadian government in over 50 years.
Why did the hon. member not get up and ask me that question so I could have put those facts on the table, as I have done anyway?
Ovid Jackson Liberal Bruce—Grey, ON
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour. When will Canada ratify the International Labour Organization convention on youth and child labour?
Judi Longfield LiberalParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Labour
Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to inform my colleague and all members of the House that on June 6 Canada did indeed ratify the ILO convention on the elimination of the worst forms of child labour.
I would remind the House that because labour is a shared responsibility we need the support of all territories and provinces to ratify conventions. As such, the Minister of Labour is very pleased to congratulate and thank all ministers of labour throughout the provinces for their co-operation. In addition—
LabourOral Question Period
The Acting Speaker (Mr. McClelland)
The hon. member for Prince George—Peace River.
Jay Hill Reform Prince George—Peace River, BC
Mr. Speaker, I want to quote directly from the provincial health ministers' report that is due to be released later today:
—provinces and territories have responded to the financial pressures by more than backfilling the federal funding cuts and have added even more money to their health budgets. On the other hand, the report indicates the dramatic and long term reductions of the federal cash contribution both in relative and absolute terms.
Why will the government not live up to its commitment to provide adequate health care for all Canadians?