Mr. Speaker, as a trading nation, Canada depends on our economic prosperity by having a healthy relationship with our trading partners. No relationship is more important to the economic prosperity of all Canadians than a strong relationship with our largest trading partner, the United States.
The decision, after months of dithering by a Prime Minister who has developed an international reputation as a professional ditherer, not to participate in the joint defence of North America is costing Canadians jobs.
While the Minister of Foreign Affairs, in responding to my question of March 9, tried to infer that it would be business as usual, Canadians do not believe this government for a minute when it suggests it will be business as usual.
Nancy Hughes Anthony, president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, states that many other members, particularly those in technology, defence and aerospace industries, are losing business and will lose the potential for future business. Business means Canadian jobs.
Mr. Thomas Donahue, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, confirmed that potential technology development and jobs associated with developing a knowledge based economy will not be available with the dithering by the Prime Minister on this and other important decisions that affect our relations with our largest trading partner.
With the massive increases in spending and taxes planned by the Liberal-NDP coalition, Canada is in no position to turn down opportunities for investment in job creation. A survey of Canadian business leaders by Compas Inc., sponsored by BDO Dunwoody and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, found that 71% of respondents believed that the decision not to lower Canada's high tax rate will hurt Canada's finances.
The last formal Liberal-NDP coalition resulted in double digit inflation with the resulting bankruptcies. People lost their homes because they could not pay the interest rates of 12% to 18% caused by the runaway spending.
Corporations do not pay taxes. People pay taxes, unless of course one is the Prime Minister and registers the companies in offshore tax havens to avoid Canadian taxation. Average Canadians, on the other hand, who do not work do not pay taxes.
It had to be an all-time low in the relationship with our largest trading partner when the link was made by the new Canadian ambassador to the United States that it was the dithering on the North American defence commitment that resulted in the border disputes regarding live cattle and softwood remaining unresolved.
The federal government's own declaration in its space policy framework states that the maintenance of Canada's sovereignty in the new world economic order depends on using the space program to assist in our transition to a knowledge based economy. Then, by its own admission, the Liberal government's indecision on North American air defence is one more threat to national security.
A local success story in my riding is E.T.M. Industries Inc. in Renfrew. The fact that the foreign affairs minister is unaware of companies like E.T.M. suggests that the decision not to cooperate with the Americans was not well thought out. It is another example of the type of table napkin diplomacy that has become the trademark of a Prime Minister who dithers.
E.T.M. Industries has developed a specialty market contributing to the space program. Companies like E.T.M. should be supported. While E.T.M. is not in a position today to state how much business would be lost, Canadians will never know how many jobs would have been created if Canada had decided to participate in the joint defence of North America.
The reason the Conservative Party put forward the motion for a full, open democratic debate on missile defence is that we felt it was important for Canadians to see in detail what was being proposed before any decision was made.
It would be an absolute tragedy if the $250 million Canadian space program collapsed as a consequence of the decision not to cooperate with the defence of North America. The Canadian space program has evolved around a niche strategy that heavily relies upon the United States. Canada makes no investment in a national launcher program or domestic satellite navigation system.