Jim Peterson

[Special Import Measures Act, March 19th, 1998]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-35, an act to amend the Special Import Measures Act and the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act.

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

[Banks, March 18th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Scarborough East for his very important question and his leadership on this issue.

In response, last year we enacted that, subject to committee review, we will be proclaiming in September a law prohibiting coercive tied selling.

I understand the committee will begin its deliberations in April, but meanwhile let me be very clear: Canadians must not be subjected to coercive tied selling. If they are we want to hear about it. We will not stand for it.

[Ways And Means, March 17th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 83(1) I wish to table two notices of ways and means motions. The first is to implement a Kamloops Indian band tax on alcohol, tobacco and fuels. The second is to amend the Budget Implementation Act, 1997. I ask that an order of the day be designated for consideration of these motions.

[Insurance Industry, March 16th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, in our review of this proposed merger we will be looking at the competitive aspects. Those are very important. We will be looking at the impact on consumers. We are very concerned about the impact on jobs.

All of these things will be taken into consideration. I can assure members that we will be working with caucus members as well as the affected parties.

[The Budget, March 16th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the Reform Party does not criticize us for the first balanced budget in 29 years. They are not criticizing us today for the $2.5 billion that we are investing in Canada's young people.

No. All they can do is use complex accounting arguments to show that we federate up what our books disclose. This opposition is not opposing, it simply does not have an issue.

[The Budget, March 16th, 1998]

When this government took office, we found billions of dollars of undisclosed liabilities. We vowed to end that practice and we have.

[The Budget, March 16th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, talk about cooking the books.

[Employment Insurance, March 16th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what we have done. We have already cut taxes by $1.4 billion. That is a huge amount.

[Employment Insurance, March 16th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, it is obvious that we have cut cash transfers. At the same time, one must realize that we have increased the value of tax points. Increased equalization payments and lower interest rates have saved the Province of Quebec approximately $350 million over three years.

[Mutual Life Of Canada, March 13th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate this very important question from the member for Ottawa—Vanier. Job losses are of course a major concern to this government, particularly when we have a merger such as this.

In a review of this issue, let me assure the hon. member and all members of this House that the question of jobs will be of paramount concern to us when we talk to the companies. We will try to minimize job losses. We will try to ensure that there are generous severance packages for those who might lose their jobs or take early retirement.

We want to see retraining packages so that people can take advantage of the 4,200 to 5000 new jobs which are predicted—