Nick Discepola

[Pre-Budget Consultations, February 1st, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I would like first of all to congratulate our colleague, the member for Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot, on his speech. I agree with many of his concerns, some of which I also mentioned in my own presentation.

I feel the member for Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot missed a great opportunity. Since he is the critic for finance, I listened carefully to what he had to say but his statement remained very general; I would have hoped for something more precise. I share his views, particularly in the areas of research and development and small businesses.

As I said before, he had the perfect opportunity to make his point and I would have hoped for more concrete and precise statements.

As regards my riding and my beautiful province, I get frustrated when I hear day after day the B.Q. and the P.Q. say that the problem with the economy of Canada and of Quebec is that the federal system no longer works, that the problem with the rate of unemployment in Quebec is that the federal system no longer works.

Today for the first time in the history of our Parliament, we had a perfect opportunity to say something concrete.

I repeat my question to the member for Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot: If ever Quebec were to become independent, what percentage of the tax burden, and especially the debt, and what percentage of unemployment insurance and other social systems would it be just for Quebec to take on, according to him? Is it not better for all Quebecers and all Canadians to work together towards building a better country and a better province?

[Pre-Budget Consultations, February 1st, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question. Being in small business myself, having founded a small business in 1976, I had the misfortune of having to deal with financial institutions.

I have talked to many small business people. Every single one of them without a doubt-and the majority has seven or eight employees or less-is prepared to hire one or two employees if given access to capital. Instead of investing and putting their hard earned life savings on the line, they would like to invest through proper access to business loans to introduce new projects they have in mind.

If we could encourage small businesses to take the initiative on their own to put forth projects they have had on the backburner for many years, we would go a long way toward creating the jobs desperately needed in the country.

[Pre-Budget Consultations, February 1st, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned before about 60 per cent of my riding is rural. During the campaign I had the opportunity to meet with many dairy producers as well as grain producers. I must admit it rarely surfaced during my campaign. Many dairy producers are quite satisfied with the supply management system and it works very well.

With regard to grain producers they are desperately in need of other sources of prospects for development products. The main project we have in mind, not only for the area of Vaudreuil, is a task force on ethanol development as was mentioned yesterday in the House. I think that would benefit Canadians, especially those in rural areas.

I have not experienced the management problem but I thank the hon. member for the question anyway. If he has any ideas I would not mind discussing them with him.

[Pre-Budget Consultations, February 1st, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the Minister of Finance on his initiative in making the budget preparation an open and consultative process that allows Canadians from coast to coast the opportunity to be heard and, more important, the opportunity to be consulted prior to the adoption of the budget. I hope it is reflective of the way future budgets will be prepared by all ministers of finance.

I was considering what I would do if I were minister of finance. I would ask myself the questions: How did we get into this mess in the first place and, more important, how are we going to get out of it? Canadians from every walk of life know full well that the state of the economic mess that has been collectively created must be addressed.

My first recommendation to the minister is to tell Canadians the exact state of the Canadian economy. Canadians have a right to know the state of their fiscal house.

The people of Canada and of Quebec know vigorous action is needed. Greater Montreal, which used to be a prosperous city, has been hard hit economically. Many plants have closed their doors. The unemployment rate, especially among young people, has reached unacceptable levels, and the percentage of families living below the poverty line is climbing steadily.

It is high time we got back to basics. We have to learn to live within our means, to respect every dollar that is earned and do more with much less.

Our government's aims and objectives are well known. We want to encourage economic growth and job creation, we want to protect those who cannot protect themselves and above all we want to reduce the deficit.

How to tackle the challenge? It is important not to go in for stop-gap, temporary solutions. On the contrary: our approach must be balanced, rapid and complete. And above all we must take care not to hurt the burgeoning economic recovery.

We must launch an unwavering attack on the deficit, all the while balancing our revenue sources, carefully reducing our expenditures and bolstering the economy so as to increase the growth now anticipated to reach 3 to 4 per cent.

Balancing these elements demands that Canadians undertake a thoughtful evaluation of the expectations of government. In turn government must be politically brave. We must be frugal and the mismanagement of public funds must be halted. We must go after every single dollar of savings, and duplications of services must be eliminated.

What must be the priority of the Minister of Finance? In my humble opinion the only priority is one of jobs, jobs, jobs. Government alone cannot create jobs. It must however generate and foster an environment under which the private sector can grow in order to better create those desperately needed jobs.

Government must develop a climate fostering competitive advantage. All the while it must maintain a healthy social environment.

I believe our government is on the right track with the recent signing of the NAFTA and the GATT. Canada is now well poised squarely within the new global marketplace, offering opportunities that will allow business and industry to take advantage of the new international markets.

These agreements are a good start, but I ask the Minister of Finance to live up to the government's commitment to assisting small and medium sized business. Time and time again small business has created 85 per cent of new jobs. The time has finally come to act. If the Minister of Finance wants those desperately needed jobs then the government must give those

900,000 entrepreneurs access to desperately needed capital. The requirement for personal guarantees for small business loans must be removed immediately.

The riding of Vaudreuil, which I have the privilege of representing, is composed of both rural and urban areas. The main activities of the rural part of my riding centre on corn, dairy farms and poultry breeding.

Grain producers in Vaudreuil have taken the initiative of setting up an ethanol fuel producing plant that will be financed by the business community as well as the producers themselves. Besides being a clean and environmentally friendly fuel, ethanol will assist in increasing corn production in the region, helping by the same token farmers in my riding who are in dire straits.

Such a factory would give direct full-time employment to 300 people, and its construction would create 600 jobs. The only impediment is the fuel tax, which would have to be eliminated if ethanol is to become an economical alternative to gas for automobiles.

It is very easy to increase the taxpayer's fiscal burden. But I would like to warn the Minister of Finance against the lure of easy money and urge him not to increase income tax for Canadian men and women, as they are already paying the highest taxes in the industrialized world. A report published in November 1993 by the OECD shows Canada's unenviable position among the Group of Seven; for the last three years, Canadian families have known the highest income tax increase as well as the sharpest decrease in net income.

The Minister of Finance must, therefore, look elsewhere for new revenues. Or else, and this is quite feasible, he could reduce expenditures in different fields, by restructuring the machinery of government and the way in which services are delivered.

In my opinion, the first thing to do is demand that each department justify its budget. A reward system evaluating the performance of administrators in each department should be set up. We could then estimate the savings and costs linked to the new guidelines, as well as the amount of red tape required.

We must put a stop immediately to the spending spree that several departments embark on when March 31 looms near, at the end of every fiscal year. However, let us reward thrifty administrators and penalize big spenders!

We must approach governmental services in a new way, which does not mean that government should relinquish its role or give up delivering services which Canadian men and women have come to expect from it.

Better co-operation between the three levels of government-federal, provincial and municipal-would eliminate all the waste caused by the duplication of services. The idea is not to take away any power, but to identify clearly the level of government best qualified to manage an area of jurisdiction in the most economically efficient way, with the full co-operation of the other levels of government.

By eliminating bureaucratic duplications and overlappings, we would save money at all levels. First, individuals and businesses would have to deal with less levels of government, thereby reducing their administrative costs. Second, doing away with some costly departments would mean immediate savings for taxpayers and governments alike. Third, co-operation between the federal and provincial levels of government would increase the efficiency of services provided and produce economies of scale which would entail enormous potential savings without jeopardizing the quality of those services.

Other areas I would urge the Minister of Finance to look at would be in the reassessment of all government assets: tracts of land, buildings, commercially competitive enterprises and other assets that are no longer central to the needs of restructured government.

I encourage the Minister of Finance to introduce debts bonds in which Canadians could participate, knowing that every dollar they invest would go directly to reducing the debt. With domestic borrowing interest payments will flow back into the Canadian economy thus allowing the government to reduce its external debt and retain better control of its own economy.

Another idea I would propose would be the tax lottery on gambling and winnings. I am sure every Canadian would be in agreement. Speaking of lottery, why not implement a Canadian debt lottery? It may encourage participation from Canadians who normally do not participate in lotteries. The proceeds thereof could be split between the Canadian and provincial debts based on an equitable formula.

In conclusion, economic and fiscal renewal in Canada will not be an easy task but it is far from impossible. Realistic options exist for new approaches to debt management, the administration of government and the framework it sets for economic growth. All we need is the political will and Canadians will follow.

[Speech From The Throne, January 27th, 1994]

Once again, I think the important thing for the youth of today is to get the training that they so desperately need. I do not think it is really my job as a member of Parliament to decide who delivers that service. I think it is incumbent upon our government to make sure that it is delivered and done with the most efficient cost possible and that we respond to the aspirations of the youth of today. We should not get into another quasi-constitutional debate on who has jurisdiction over what.

[Speech From The Throne, January 27th, 1994]

Mr Speaker, I could not agree more with the comments made by the hon. member. I think that when it comes to youth training programs and experience, it has always been my experience-having had in my other life a small computer business-that I was able to hire young students coming out of CEGEP, which is a pre-university entry program.

I must say that in hiring those young students I was able in my own humble way to give them the experience that is so lacking when one is trying to find permanent employment.

I think those kinds of programs are the initiatives that our minister, Lloyd Axworthy, is trying to put into place. What I am hearing from my two daughters who are in CEGEP is that once they graduate they cannot go anywhere. That is what our government has to do and what we have to respond to. Those are the needs of our youth. It is essentially this: "Give me the ability to get some experience and I will show what I can do as a youth". That is what I have done in my whole career and that is what I think we owe our youth.

[Speech From The Throne, January 27th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I think that our government has clearly stated its intention to review the entire subject of social programs, including job training.

As far as I am concerned, as the member for Vaudreuil, I think it is in the interest of all Quebecers and all Canadians to make sure that future programs are well structured and clearly meet the needs of the public in general.

It is also clear that our government did not take a stand against manpower training. What we said is that we were not prepared to sign the agreement immediately. We want to review the programs first, but I am fairly confident that the member will soon get the answer he was hoping for.

[Speech From The Throne, January 27th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I welcome this opportunity to support the motion on the address in reply to the throne speech and to explain how the government intends to dedicate its resources and energy to the future of our young people.

First, however, I want to thank those hundreds of volunteers and the people of Vaudreuil who elected me to speak on their behalf in this venerable institution, the House of Commons. I will represent them with great pride, integrity and a sense of purpose, to defend our common goals.

To my friends and fellow citizens from Kirkland, selected as one of the top ten towns in Canada, thank you for your confidence, your support and trust over the past ten years. I have been honoured to serve you in my capacity as councillor and mayor. I am now proud to include you in the new family of the riding of Vaudreuil where I hope to serve you with equal dedication.

I also want to express my love and gratitude to my wife Mary Alice, to our four children, Lisa, Laura, Michele and Marco, for their patience and unconditional support. They have been a true source of inspiration for me. To my parents, Domenico and Immacolata, thank you for teaching me the values and the importance of education and family values.

To you, Mr. Prime Minister, I would like to say that I admire your setting down a code of ethics for politicians, in order to restore the dignity of public office. Your great integrity is an example to us all. I thank you for it.

To you, Mr. Speaker, I offer my sincere congratulations upon taking up your new duties.

As a Quebecer, I always felt the opportunities for myself and members of my family were unlimited. Thirty-seven years ago, four Discepola brothers left the village where they were born, Volturara Irpina in the Campagna region in Italy, to settle in Canada with their families. Their dreams came true.

Today, their children include judges, one doctor, teachers, engineers and accountants. One of them even wandered off to become a member of the House of Commons. I do not know of any other place in the world, any nation, any country where this would have been possible.

The riding of Vaudreuil has many concerns and a number of priorities, but I have decided to use my maiden speech in the House of Commons to talk about the government's program for the future of our young people, because like all Quebecers and all Canadians, I am concerned about the future of my children and my children's children.

It is a pleasure to have this opportunity to explain what the government intends to do to ensure that our young people have a decent future.

Canada is proud that it can give its young people a wonderful place to grow up in. They enjoy the kind of life that is the envy of the whole world. Like the generations before them, these young people are looking for rewarding jobs, a comfortable standard of living and a satisfying family life. The ideals of youth have changed very little, although the circumstances have changed dramatically.

The recession, high youth unemployment and the prevailing uncertainty in the work force put enormous pressures on our youth, pressures that older Canadians have never had to experience.

Today, students who graduate with a high school graduation certificate and choose not to further their studies seriously limit their future. In the 1990s, 60 per cent of available jobs will require grade 12 education or better. It is evident that our youth are not very well prepared to penetrate the work place. Their lack of competency will have tremendous social and economic consequences for us all.

Science and mathematics are the two engines that power innovation and progress that in turn will determine our survival in the age of technology. According to international studies, Canadian high school students are barely average in science.

Compared with other OECD countries, Canada has a low percentage of graduates in science and engineering. There is no question that we must improve our performance. As the 21st century fast approaches, Canada must find the way to make its labour force more competitive. We believe that co-operation at all levels among governments, the provinces, management and labour will enable us to find solutions to our country's human resource needs.

Canada spends in excess of $55 billion per year on education and training. Of this total, $13 billion comes from the federal government, which represents 7.4 per cent of our Gross Domestic Product. This puts us well ahead of all OECD countries in this area.

Not only is this government determined to promote education and the acquisition of knowledge, it also wants young people to get the best possible training to fill the jobs of the future.

Despite the current high rate of unemployment among young people, some employers are still having trouble finding skilled workers. Serious gaps exist between school and the work world. With the emergence of new technologies, training in traditional fields has become outmoded. Many young people continue to opt for careers in fields which have become saturated, ignoring others in which workers are more in demand.

Within the context of the new economy, there is a shortage of training programs in emerging fields in which job opportunities are plentiful. I am thinking here, for example, about information technology and telecommunications.

Governments, labour and business leaders must join forces to revitalize our training system and create new apprenticeship opportunities geared to new, rapidly growing sectors of the economy.

This recession has dealt a harsh blow to the aspirations of our youth. After years of study and part-time work, they cannot find work, even with a degree in hand.

We have to come up with better solutions. It is clear that our country's social security safety net is not working in its present form and does little to encourage integration of young people into the labour force and develop their full potential.

The hon. Minister of Human Resources Development will be consulting with the Canadian public and working with the provinces to ensure that together we are able to adapt our social programs to the realities of the nineties. Our social security system is the envy of the entire world. Whether it survives and remains effective, however, will depend on its ability to adapt to the new labour context.

One of the options that the government is presently considering is the development of more and improved training programs geared to employment in order to ease the transition into the labour force for young people and help them acquire the skills in demand by employers.

The second option under review by the government involves setting up a program in which young people would have an opportunity to serve their community. The government has made a commitment in this area by announcing plans to create a Youth Service Corps to give young people who are out of work the chance to gain some experience.

The goal of the Youth Service Corps is not only to enhance the quality of life in our communities, but also to give young people back some hope and sense of accomplishment. Young people up to the age of 25 who participate in the Youth Service Corps will gain some on-the-job experience, have a head start on finding work and maybe even have a chance to break out of the vicious cycle of social dependency which destroys ambition and wastes talent.

The Minister of Human Resources Development is determined to improve the Canada student loans program. He will consider making some changes which would increase the amount of short-term assistance provided and will hold consultations with the provinces and the other interested parties.

The government also wants to increase the level of support provided to the co-operative education program which it sees as a way for students, the provinces, labour and business to work together to build a highly skilled workforce.

Canada's future rests with our young people who need an opportunity to become productive adults. In its pursuit of this objective, the federal government will vigorously support programs that enable young people to acquire the know-how to get good, well paid jobs and to look to the future with optimism.