Monte Solberg

[Apec Summit, October 6th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister mentions Linda Tripp. In the U.S. they have DNA tests. Here we will have to start administering IQ tests. Mr. Speaker, in case—

[Apec Summit, October 6th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, this is incredible. First the minister cannot remember who he spoke to, what their gender was, what the person said, and then, like in a soap opera, the 24-hour amnesia passes and all of a sudden he discovers that the mystery passenger was his good friend.

That does not even pass the laugh test. Why does the minister not quit the charade and just resign?

[Supply, October 5th, 1998]

Madam Speaker, to the member, is it not true the Liberal government slashed transfers to the provinces by about $7 billion in the last two years, 35%, and closed more hospitals than all the provinces combined?

Given that, does it not make sense to try to work with the provinces as we proposed in the new Canada act?

[Employment Insurance, October 5th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the only debate going on is in the member's head. This is absolutely incredible. The finance minister is supposed to be a sound money manager, Mr. Fiscal Prudence, but now in order to balance the budget, he has to rely on raiding the EI fund.

How did the minister manage to bungle the economy so badly that he has to rely on workers and employers to bail him out? How did that happen?

[Employment Insurance, October 5th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the government should get its story straight on the economy. A month ago we had the finance minister saying do not worry, it is okay, he has a steady hand on the tiller. Now it is every man for himself and we have the sorry spectacle of the finance minister pushing women and children out of the way as he runs to the EI lifeboat.

Instead of threatening Canadians, why does he not just obey the law and return the EI funds to workers and employers?

[Employment Insurance, September 30th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, it is time for the Prime Minister to wake up. The dollar fell dramatically today. The economy shrank for the fourth month in a row. We know the government has been in a coma for the last six months.

What we want now is for the Prime Minister and the government to wake up and give that $7 billion overpayment back to workers and employers.

We know what they said in the red book: It is small business that creates jobs in this country. Why do they not follow their own advice?

[Employment Insurance, September 30th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I simply want to point out that 95% of businesses in Canada today are small businesses, a group that the Prime Minister and the Liberals across the way say they support. Now we want to see them prove it.

Statistics Canada is reporting today that economic activity has fallen for the fourth straight month in a row. I know the Prime Minister wants to wish that away, but the reality is that the economy is starting to slow down.

Why does the Prime Minister not move today to stimulate the economy by returning that $7 billion EI overpayment to workers and small businesses?

[Employment Insurance, September 29th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, instead of trying to change the law to raid the money they are not entitled to by law, why do they not just obey the law and give that money back to workers and employers? Obey the law.

[Employment Insurance, September 29th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, what the Prime Minister is saying is that the end justifies the means and they will break any law they have to in order to get their hands on taxpayers' money.

Mr. Speaker, if the government cannot—

[Employment Insurance, September 29th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the government is calling for a debate to cover up its planned raid on the $6 billion EI overpayment. We are no more entitled to debate the raiding of the EI fund than we are entitled to debate the raiding of the Prime Minister's own personal RRSP. The EI fund is not his money to spend. That is what the law says.

Why does the Prime Minister not respect the law and give workers and employers that money back? Respect the law.