House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2006, with 56% of the vote.
National Debt May 12th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, would the Minister of Finance agree that the way to stop wasting public funds-and I am thinking of the government's decision to spend $67 million on polls-would be to have a special committee analyse public spending item by item, as we have been asking since the beginning of the election campaign?
National Debt May 12th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, the state of the Government of Canada's public debt remains a matter of extreme concern, while the financial community has reached negative to the government's budget and deplored the timid expenditure reduction measures it contained. Neverthe-
less, the government insists on turning down requests for a much needed examination of all public spending.
My question is directed to the Minister of Finance. Considering that Canada's debt represents 84 per cent of GDP, while in other G-7 countries, with the exception of Italy, the debt represents less than 33 per cent of GDP, would the minister agree that the government should clean up public spending by eliminating waste and duplication?
Tax Havens May 11th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, all experts agree that the most recent budget provisions in no way solve the problem of tax evasion by Canadian companies.
Does the minister not agree that it is absolutely indecent to ask ordinary citizens to pay more and more tax, even if it breaks them, while conventions which he maintains with countries considered by the Auditor General to be tax havens cost the Canadian government hundreds of millions of dollars in tax evasion?
Tax Havens May 11th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, in his report, the Auditor General denounced some provisions of the Income Tax Act that allow big Canadian corporations to invest in tax havens and bring dividends back to Canada without paying a cent of tax. The problem arises because Canada signed tax conventions with several countries that are now considered as tax havens.
How does the Minister of Finance justify having countries like Barbados, Cyprus and Malta, tax havens recognized by the Auditor General, still on the list of countries with which Canada has tax conventions that unduly allow some Canadian companies to avoid taxes?
Unemployment May 6th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, with rising unemployment rates and the arrival, in April, of 66,000 new workers on the job market, does the Deputy Prime Minister not agree that the first six months of Liberal government are a failure, a deplorable and appalling failure when it comes to job creation?
Unemployment May 6th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, taking into account the population growth, does the Deputy Prime Minister realize that to get back to pre-recession employment levels, I do not mean full employment, just pre-recession employment levels, more that 900,000 jobs would have to be created in Canada?
Unemployment May 6th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Deputy Prime Minister.
This month, unemployment statistics were not deliberately leaked by the government because, unlike the March ones, they show that the unemployment rate went up by 0.5 per cent to reach 11 per cent. In Quebec alone, the situation is a lot worse with an unemployment rate which went from 11.7 per cent in March to 12.6 per cent in April.
Is it not time for the Liberal government to implement concrete and structuring initiatives to deal with unemployment, instead of sitting tight on the record of its first six months in office?
Patent Drugs April 29th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I hear the Prime Minister talking about a review of the prices charged and investments made by the pharmaceutical industry. It is also provided for in Bill C-91. We do not need to re-open that bill, a review is already planned. A body has been set up to monitor these things, so I put the question to the minister again.
Does the minister not agree that his intention to review the law has already hurt investment in research and development in Quebec and that his intended review has a much broader purpose than checking the prices of patented drugs or investments, which are already controlled by a body reporting to the Department of Health?
Patent Drugs April 29th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I withdraw the word "nonsense", but I simply used it to indicate that, when we talk about vocational training for example, we are told that it is nothing but one of Quebec's whims, and when we talk about drug patents, we are told that we are getting excited over nothing. Just last evening, Minister Tremblay called for government intervention and I reiterate minister Tremblay's request in that respect.
Could the Minister of Industry deal directly with the company that reconsidered a $50 million investment it was about to make in Quebec? Do you not think this would be a good way to reassure the pharmaceutical industry as a whole? These companies are seriously concerned at present, Mr. Speaker, about the irresponsible remarks the minister has made. So, I put the question to him.
Patent Drugs April 29th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, as usual, in response to serious questions, questions dealing with Quebec's economic interests, the Prime Minister and his ministers talk nonsense.