Madam Speaker, I am pleased to participate in the debate on Bill C-3 at the second reading stage where we are called upon to discuss the principle of legislation. There will be ample opportunity in committee to examine some of the critical questions that members have raised, but here we are talking about the principle of Bill C-3, which refers to equalization as a concept.
I listened with interest while some people suggested they did not like the idea of equalization. To me this is somehow speaking against motherhood. It is fundamental. It is enshrined in our Constitution. It has been a Canadian way of life since 1867, formalized in 1957, where we formed the Canadian family.
We acknowledge that from time to time there are parts of Canada where economically things are thriving more than in other areas, but there has always been this generosity of spirit, this willingness to assist and co-operate. If province x seems to be doing better for the moment it will share some of its wealth and prosperity with some other parts of Canada that perhaps are not experiencing that same prosperity or wealth. This seems to me to be what Canada is all about.
Essentially Bill C-3 extends the principle of equalization for another five years. We will be seeing the $8.5 billion we will be spending in equalization payments this year go from the have to the have not provinces. It will expand over the years at about 5 per cent annually to reflect the realities of Canada. We feel that in principle this is something we endorse. When I say we I am referring to my colleagues as New Democrats. That is what we are talking about today, the principle of this legislation.
That does not mean we do not have some questions and some concerns that we want to raise, but I want to put it on the record because I know my constituents would like to know who is getting what. When the three have provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario decide to share their wealth with the rest of Canada it breaks down as follows: the Northwest Territories will receive about $910 million; Prince Edward Island will receive $164 million; Nova Scotia will receive $880 million; New Brunswick will receive $995 million; Manitoba will receive $854 million; Saskatchewan will receive $522 million, which I am sure my hon. colleague here will be pleased to hear; and Quebec will receive $3.8 billion. It seems to me this is an equitable effort in distribution.
I listened with interest to some of my friends from the Bloc who feel, for a variety of reasons, that this is not appropriate. I look forward, particularly in committee, to hear the ways and means they will select to make this, in their mind, even more equitable.
As a British Columbian, we are pleased to participate in this sharing program. We are pleased to extend a hand, to share the wealth that is generated in British Columbia with other parts of the country. I know that my colleagues will be pleased if I say a few things about what is going on in British Columbia.
Recently the province of Alberta went through some very painful exercises provincially to deal with some of the economic realities that confront that part of Canada. We have seen other provincial governments take very serious steps at addressing their fiscal realities, one might say in some part of the country brutal steps when it comes to dealing with various social programs.
We have not had to do that in British Columbia. Not only are all of our social programs intact but expanding. Education and health care will see a 3 per cent increase this year. Since November 1991 we have seen an increase of 91,000 new jobs. We have seen economic growth this past year of over 3 per cent. Exports were up by more than 16 per cent last year. Housing starts are up more than 10 per cent. Retail sales were up by almost 9 per cent in 1993. This, however, is an important one, the level of business confidence. This is a good barometer, a good litmus test to see how the world is feeling about a particular area of the country. Capital investment intentions were up 6 per cent for 1992-93, four times the national average. In other words, the business community has confidence in the economy of British Columbia and are prepared to invest their money.
I have a booklet here that just goes on and on, pages and pages of all the positive initiatives being taken by the provincial government. I want to simply refer to one interesting graph. There is a lot of talk about the global economy and how we must be part of it and how the future is our ability to participate globally. It points out that for Canada as a whole about 80 per cent of exports go to a single country, the United States of America. This has been a reality from the very beginning and something that we simply acknowledge as a fact of life. Good-
ness, why would not the majority of our trade be with such a large neighbour to the south with such easy access?
This is why some of us have had difficulty understanding why the past government and now this government is so anxious to increase that unless the ideal would be to have 90 per cent of the trade with the United States. When entering into the FTA and NAFTA the explanation was that this would provide even more trade, increased exports and so on to the United States.
We have to ask ourselves where in the world would we find a country that says that if we put 80 or 90 per cent of our eggs in one export basket it is a wise policy. Perhaps there are some. I am not aware of any. Perhaps some of my colleagues would be able to share their views on that with me. From British Columbia's perspective, 49 per cent of exports from that province go to the United States. One of the major areas is softwood lumber.
What is the major area of harassment in terms of the FTA and NAFTA? It is softwood lumber. Even in the one major export B.C. has to the U.S., with it being 49 per cent of our trade, we have had nothing but trouble since day one. The FTA and NAFTA have done nothing to relieve that continual harassment and hassling.