House of Commons Hansard #128 of the 37th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was military.
John Manley LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, did the member not listen to the answer? Does he not exactly understand the promise that was made? We committed to do exactly what was promised in the health accord in January.
We have improved the debt situation. We are no longer the worst country in the G-7, even though we are still not the best. The debt is a major burden for future generations and we have to continue making progress in this area as well.
Pierre Paquette Bloc Joliette, QC
Mr. Speaker, when Roy Romanow suggested creating structures like the Health Council, the government obviously thought it was an excellent suggestion, since it followed through on it.
Can the Minister of Finance explain why he is not as eager to follow Mr. Romanow's recommendation to go to the contingency reserve, if necessary, for the $2 billion he promised the provinces and Quebec?
John Manley LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, we made a promise and we are going to keep it. It is still on the table. Today is September 26. It is not January. We will see in January how much of a surplus we have.
If possible, we will give the provinces money. But first, promises must be kept on both sides.
Loyola Hearn Progressive Conservative St. John's West, NL
Mr. Speaker, while the new Liberal leader is gallivanting around the country promising new money to the urban centres, rural Canada is under attack.
HRDC has announced it will be cutting funding to the Newfoundland-Canada Labour Market Development Agreement on October 3. This agreement has an annual budget of $130 million, which is directly aimed to rural communities in Canada. At the same time, rural post offices are being stamped out and lighthouses are in the dark as to their future.
How can government justify this double standard in this great country?
Diane St-Jacques LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, the department's mandate is to enable people to acquire the necessary skills for their own economic and social development. Naturally, I would like to state clearly that the department is not reducing financing for the labour market partnership program. Rather, the issue is whether or not the program funds should be used to pay the salaries of Canada Economic Development officers.
Loyola Hearn Progressive Conservative St. John's West, NL
Mr. Speaker, the government is pushing and pulling at the same time, and there is another expression similar to that.
Right now, infrastructure in Canada is crumbling. It will take $400 million to bring the wharfs up to standard, and now the Newfoundland-Canada Labour Market Development Agreement is soon going to be out the window.
Will the minister responsible for HRDC immediately reconsider cutting the labour market development agreement and put $130 million into an area where it can do good, not only for the government but--
Human Resources DevelopmentOral Question Period
The Deputy Speaker
The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources Development.
Diane St-Jacques LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Human Resources Development
Mr. Speaker, even though we are aware of the importance of Canada Economic Development, its activities are managed by regional agencies such as the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. We have adopted a collaborative approach in order to ensure that the province and the regional economic councils properly understand the requirements of the program.
Pat Martin NDP Winnipeg Centre, MB
Mr. Speaker, as a left wing MP I have just about had it with all of this unite the right stuff.
First the Liberals elect the most right wing leader in their party's history, and now the flirting is leading to heavy petting between the right light and the ultra right wing extremist party. I for one do not think much of the direction that this Parliament is going in.
Will the Deputy Prime Minister show Canadians that he has not completely capitulated to this right wing drift, and will he stand with us today and denounce the privatization of health care and the building of private hospitals? Just what has he done--
HealthOral Question Period
The Deputy Speaker
The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health.
Jeannot Castonguay LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health
Mr. Speaker, as you are well aware, the Canada Health Act is there to ensure that all Canadians receive the health care they need, at public expense. I am trying to understand what is meant exactly by all this talk of privatized health care, when we know very well that the Canadian health system is there for all Canadians who need care, and this will continue to be the case.
Dick Proctor NDP Palliser, SK
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food knows that most of the 500,000 government and taxpayer dollars resulting from one mad cow went to Alberta feedlot operators. It helps explain why farmers in other provinces are beginning to liquidate a portion of their herd. In fact, a former agricultural economist and current leader of the Alberta Liberal Party said:
This program has to be the worst thought-out support program of all of the ag support programs I have studied in 35 years of ag policy work.
Why did the minister sign on to such a flawed, inequitable program that benefits a fortunate few at the expense of so many cattle producers?
Lyle Vanclief LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, it was certainly not the opinion of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association and representatives of all provinces.
The program was put in place in cooperation with the provinces and with the encouragement of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association in order to move fat cattle to market. Immediately after the May announcement, we were slaughtering about 25,000 cattle a week. By the end of the program, we were slaughtering 73,000 animals a week, which were more animals than we were slaughtering per week before we announced that we had an unfortunate case of one animal with BSE.
Monte Solberg Canadian Alliance Medicine Hat, AB
Mr. Speaker, as a right wing MP I am feeling kind of amorous right now.
Yesterday, the new Liberal leader made a budget announcement to the municipalities. He told them that they were going to get to keep their fuel tax revenues. Of course he did not say how much or where the money would come from or when. He said it would all have to be negotiated with the provinces. It sounds like he dashed it off on the back of a napkin.
Has the Minister of Finance been briefed on this plan, and if not, why not?
John Manley LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I would like to resist the temptation to comment on the amorous condition of the member for Medicine Hat. I do hope he stays on his side of the aisle though. However, I like him too.
What is important in discussing the plight of cities in Canada is the issue that has been repeatedly raised by them and by provincial governments as well, and that is the predictability of revenue resources for municipalities. We have tried to address that over the last three budgets with $7 billion of support--
TaxationOral Question Period
The Deputy Speaker
I hate to interrupt the love-in. The hon. member for Medicine Hat.
Monte Solberg Canadian Alliance Medicine Hat, AB
Mr. Speaker, that sounded like a pretty intolerant statement, I must say.
TaxationOral Question Period
The Deputy Speaker
Order, please. I wonder if we could get to the question. Let us try one more time. The hon. member for Medicine Hat.
Monte Solberg Canadian Alliance Medicine Hat, AB
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance is supposed to be charting the future economic direction of the country, but if he does not know what the heck is going on, if his current Liberal leader is not telling him what is going on, obviously he cannot do that.
Does the Minister of Finance get a briefing from the new Liberal leader on these things, or is he just kind of making it up as he goes along?
John Manley LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, I think it is pretty clear. There is one government at a time.
We have made clear, in our last budget, our commitment to Canada's municipalities with a further $3 billion commitment to infrastructure. Whether we calculate that on the basis of a percentage of existing revenues from a particular source, a dedicated amount of fuel tax, or whether we simply set it out as a sum that can be relied upon by the municipalities, the result is pretty much the same thing.
The result is a better opportunity for Canadian municipalities to rely on revenue in the future so that they can meet their infrastructure requirements.
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Mr. Speaker, the future prime minister has said more than once that he intends to get directly involved in municipal affairs by giving municipalities a portion of the gasoline excise tax. He also says he is looking for other ways to help them.
Could the Minister of Finance tell his next boss that the means are there and they are very simple? It is called the division of powers. If there is money for the municipalities, let him give it to Quebec and the provinces, which would certainly know how to invest it wisely where needed.
John Manley LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, as has been said in this House over the past few days, Canadians are concerned not only about the quality of infrastructure in Canada, but also about affordable housing. In Canada, the federal government has long been responsible for this.
The government has been doing this since 1994. We will be able to continue with these partnerships with all levels of government.
Mario Laframboise Bloc Argenteuil—Papineau—Mirabel, QC
Mr. Speaker, this is not about existing programs. The future prime minister has a new approach, which will be to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, however he wants, without any respect for the division of powers that has existed for over one hundred years.
Could the Minister of Finance also tell him that Quebec and the provinces do not share his enthusiasm?
John Manley LiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Mr. Speaker, as was the case with the first infrastructure program in 1994, if other levels of government do not want to take money from the federal government, they do not have to.
But we have already dedicated $7 billion, over three budgets, to fund municipal and strategic infrastructure in Canada; I think that all municipalities and all provinces were very happy to cooperate with the federal government on infrastructure.