Bob Mills

[Health, October 3rd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, during question period today the foreign affairs minister suggested that he had called my office any number of times to get the list of people we are talking about.

We have been in our offices from 7.30 a.m. until about 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. every night and he has—

[Foreign Affairs, October 3rd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, we have a Canadian, Mr. Ron Reddy who has called us. He has called the embassy over there. He has been told to stay in his hotel room. We talked to him last night in Amman. He says that the situation is very tense over there. This government has shown little regard for the safety of Canadians.

This morning we have received over two dozen phone calls in our office alone from concerned Canadians about the safety and integrity of this travel document. Can the minister tell these Canadians and any Canadians travelling internationally what he is doing to prevent this—

[Foreign Affairs, October 3rd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, in question period yesterday it was obvious the government has no grasp of the situation involving the use of Canadian passports by attempted assassins. First it told us they were forged, then maybe they were stolen. The department has not seen them yet. This government has not told this House anything concrete about this issue.

We have a real name and a real passport. Will the government tell us what it is doing about this or should we just call the media?

[Foreign Affairs, October 2nd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, the very competence of our foreign affairs department is being called into question.

A week after a major incident takes place the government is telling Canadians that it does not really know what is happening. Either that is true or our foreign affairs department is inept.

Which of those two options is true?

[Foreign Affairs, October 2nd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I have travelled extensively and I know the value of the integrity of the Canadian passport.

We are told that there are boxes of these passports being used by other countries. I have just been contacted by a frightened Canadian in Jordan who says that all Canadians are in danger of repercussion. He was told by the Canadian embassy in Jordan to stay indoors for his own safety.

What is the Canadian government doing to protect Canadians travelling abroad?

[National Unity, September 30th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, that just proves the point we are trying to make. The government is not prepared to deal with the Canadian unity battle.

A foreign leader rolls out the red carpet and the government does nothing. Why is the government always dropping the ball when it comes to the future of our country?

[National Unity, September 30th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has known for months that Lucien Bouchard was going to France to get support for Quebec sovereignty.

The government is always a step behind. It refuses to be proactive. Has the Prime Minister even talked to President Chirac in the last 24 hours? If so, what did the president say?

[Petitions, September 30th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present to Parliament a petition signed by 54 people in my riding of Red Deer, Alberta.

The petitioners and I support a call on Parliament to urge the federal government to join the provincial governments to make the national highway system upgrading possible.

[Access To Information Act, September 29th, 1997]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-217, an act to amend the Access to Information Act (disclosure of results of public opinion polls).

Mr. Speaker, today I am introducing this Reform bill dealing with the rights of Canadians to know what their government is pulling on them. It is a bill that says Canadians have the right to know where their hard earned but easily spent tax dollars are going.

The bill would force the government to disclose the results of all public opinion polls to the public. Under today's system the government does not have to do this.

The government only releases the results of public opinion polls when it wants to. This is a blatant disregard for the rights of taxpayers. I believe those who pay for the survey must be allowed to see the results of the survey.

If the Prime Minister wants to keep the results of his public opinion polls to himself, he should pay for the public opinion poll himself.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Budget Implementation Act, 1997, April 22nd, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, the answer to that would be a minimum of $10 billion in increased debt. As that goes up our ability to service it becomes less and less. Again, that is the big problem that will hang over us along with the other problems Canadians will face in the 21st century.