Jim Peterson

[Taxation, June 1st, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Fundy—Royal for his notice to me on this issue and for his very valuable ongoing input.

I know that some of these issues were addressed in the information bulletin put out by the CCRA. I also know there are ongoing issues such as, as the member mentioned, intergenerational transfers and the ability to deduct expenses incurred on the woodlot from other sources of income.

I understand there are ongoing consultations with the Canadian Federation of Woodlot Owners and with individual owners. I will be happy to keep the hon. member abreast of our discussions.

[Banking Sector, June 1st, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, that is not true at all. There is a proposal whereby small banks will have much more flexibility and this will help consumers and SMBs throughout Canada.

With respect to the National Bank and the Laurentian Bank, which have done very well, the minister explained that, in the case of a transfer of controlling shares, the interests of Quebecers would be taken into consideration.

[Banking Sector, June 1st, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, for the past year, we have tried to promote a system that gives much more flexibility to our banks, so that they are competitive at home and internationally.

The minister has said that, in the case of banks concentrated in regions or in special provinces, he will take into consideration the interests of the inhabitants of that region or province, i.e. in the case of the National Bank, the interests of Quebecers.

[The Economy, May 18th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, along with putting our fiscal house in order, we have addressed, with respect, the priorities of Canadians. In the past three budgets we have brought in tax measures, a 25% reduction. At the same time we have increased the investments in health care by a record 25%, another $2.5 billion in the last budget. In the previous budget we brought in $7.5 billion for students and for education.

[Banking System, May 15th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, as I have just said, this is a matter that is under the jurisdiction of the minister. In reaching this decision, he is going to take into consideration the interests of Quebec consumers, small and medium businesses and shareholders.

[Banking System, May 15th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the matter of bank ownership, Quebec banks in particular, is under the jurisdiction of the minister. As he has said in connection with all other bank mergers, acquisition is a matter of policy and of the well-being of all Canadians. When banks in a province like Quebec are involved, this is a matter involving the interests of Quebecers.

[Tobacco Products, May 12th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I think the hon. member has hit the nub of the problem.

We saw a number of years ago, when the prices were very high, how in some markets more than 50% of the supply came from contraband. Our position has always been that we would increase the taxes on cigarettes just as quickly and as much as we could, commensurate with the problem involving smuggling.

This is what we are doing. This is what we are doing in collaboration with the provinces. Enforcement is a very big concern.

[Day Care, May 12th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, if the question refers to a credit for charges that were not paid, this would be unreasonable.

[The Economy, May 12th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, what the hon. member failed to mention was that against all other currencies in the world except for the American dollar, the Canadian dollar is very strong.

The economic fundamentals in Canada over the past seven years have gone from a situation in which the Wall Street Journal has referred to Canada as being in the class of a third world country to what The Economist of London called the economic miracle of the western world.

We are very proud of the steps that we have put in place, tough though they may have been, in order to restore the fiscal—

[Giant Mines, April 14th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the issue of the shortfall in the workers' pension plan is one that the government takes very seriously.

We have been investigating and looking into it on behalf of the pensioners. We have brought a claim against the receiver. We are contemplating other possible action because when this type of thing happens to pensioners or people who will eventually be pensioners, we take it very, very seriously.

Along with the other members of parliament involved, including the member for Western Arctic, we are committed to pursue all possible avenues to making those pensioners whole.