Philip Mayfield

[National Defence, June 2nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, Canada is hosting thousands of visiting airmen in Exercise Maple Flag at Canadian Forces Base Cold Lake. Reports indicate that our participating CF-18 aircraft are obsolete and do not meet the technological standards of other nations participating. The Hornet's cockpit technology is 20 years out of date.

Will the minister explain to Canadians why after seven years of promises the Liberal government is unable to provide Canadian forces with the modern equipment that they so desperately need?

[The Economy, May 12th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the best measure of a country's economic progress in international terms is in the value of its currency.

When the Liberals took office in 1993 the Canadian dollar was worth 78 cents U.S. This morning it is worth 67.25 cents U.S., a decline of about 14%, and see-sawing back and forth, struggling for even this poor performance.

Could the Minister of Finance tell Canadians why even in the midst of the economic boom of the past several years he has not been able to protect the value of the Canadian dollar?

[Governments, May 12th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, some members of the public accounts committee have just returned from Washington, D.C. after meeting with officials of the U.S. government, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the Inter-American Development Bank. The discussions were about increasing government's transparency and accountability and about supporting parliamentarians working to make their governments accountable to their people.

There is a great desire for governments to do what they were elected to do and to spend taxpayer money for the greater good of all the people. Our government in Canada, however, does not seem to share this desire for transparency and accountability. In fact, the treasury board is now gathering its resources to further limit the flow of information to parliament in the name of increased efficiency. We all want efficiency, but not at the expense of democracy and a fully accountable government.

I call on the Government of Canada to listen to those who know from firsthand experience the need for open and accountable government. Canada belongs to all its citizens, not the government. Give the people this respect.

[Immigration And Refugee Board, May 5th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, the 1993 Liberal red book stated “We will establish strict guidelines for merit in government appointments”. It is seven years later and nothing has happened, nothing has changed. Bill C-31 dictates that members of the Immigration and Refugee Board will continue to be appointed by the minister, that is, through patronage.

Will the minister explain to Canadians why she refuses to move to a system of open competition and merit in choosing members of the IRB? Why does she continue this disreputable system?

[Petitions, May 3rd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by citizens of Quesnel, Williams Lake and Lillooet, British Columbia, calling upon the government to withdraw Bill C-23 as an inappropriate intrusion and discriminatory in extending benefits based upon a person's private sexual activity, while excluding other types of dependency relationships.

While this bill is still before the Senate, I regret that this petition has just come to my hand after passage through the House of Commons.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2000, April 13th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate and thank my colleague for bringing to light the information in his speech.

It was interesting as I listened to him to reflect on some of the promises the finance minister has made. He will increase federal spending by something over $86 billion over the next five years. It is amazing he would put that expense on Canadians. It is almost $3,000 per Canadian, to increase spending to that level. At the same time I hear my colleague talking about the tragedy in Victoria with the closing of the children's intensive care unit.

How would my colleague rectify this situation? It is impossible to imagine that expenditures can be raised and still cut services at the same time and at the level that the Liberals are doing it. I ask my colleague to describe a situation which he sees would not only improve the situation for Canadians but would provide the services they need as well.

[Division No. 1258, March 30th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my Liberal colleague for his obvious dedication to this topic and his knowledge of it.

He mentioned our information commissioner, Mr. Phillips, as being one of the important thinkers on this subject, and I agree.

There was a time when we were concerned, as Mr. Phillips said, about personal knowledge being carried back and forth across the continent. There has been very little attempt that I know of to protect, as he has suggested, this right of a person to private knowledge.

The technology grows in both directions. It was not that long ago that I first heard about identity theft and had it explained to me. Now identity theft is something I hear about fairly regularly. I am wondering, in light of this, if the hon. member sees in this legislation any of the fundamental tools which are necessary to protect people from great damage to their personal lives and to their families.

I think this is fairly specific and very important and I would like to hear the hon. member's comments about how this bill might help protect people.

[Division No. 1258, March 30th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate and compliment my colleague on his discussion of the Senate amendments to the bill.

He mentioned that the federal government in dealing with this issue had not been very co-operative in discussing it with the provinces that have the broad jurisdiction, in particular with issues of privacy. However there are privacy issues that come under the federal government. I am thinking of federal institutions such as banks and interprovincial communications, protection of personal property and lists that are transferred through lease, loan or sales agreements.

Could my colleague comment on the federal government's dealing with privacy issues relating to federal institutions?

[Division No. 1258, March 30th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I did not major in mathematics but I cannot count anywhere near 20 people let alone 20 Liberals listening to this wonderful speech. I think it would be a good idea if this gentleman's colleagues were here to listen to what he has to say.

[Division No. 1258, March 30th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The member continues to attempt to make points but the Speaker of the House has indicated that in this Chamber our party will be known as the Canadian Alliance. I would expect that kind of respect.