Herb Dhaliwal

[Small Business, October 22nd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, as this is small business week, I want to speak on the importance of small and medium size businesses to the Canadian economy.

There are nearly 2.4 million small businesses in Canada. Small businesses account for 43 per cent of all private sector business in this country. Sixty per cent of Canada's economic output is produced by small business. Eighty-eight per cent of new job creation comes from companies that employ 50 people or less. These numbers are impressive.

Because we are aware of the crucial role these businesses play in Canada's economic health, we have taken measures to alleviate the burdens placed on them.

Since 1993, 20,000 new businesses have been created. We have worked toward reducing restrictive regulations, paperwork, taxation and duplication. We have improved access to capital, streamlined business registration and efficiency and provided more support services.

Thanks to initiatives such as the program for export market development, Canadian-

[Land Mines, October 8th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, worldwide there are more than 110 million active land mines waiting to explode. These deadly devices claim 10,000 lives every year and more than 16,000 people are injured annually.

Five hundred land mines explode weekly. The vast majority of victims are innocent civilians, often women and children. At the IPU Canada worked to pass a strong resolution to have a total ban on anti-personnel land mines.

I want to congratulate the Minister of Foreign Affairs who has taken a leadership role in convening a conference here and following it up in December.

I wish him the best of success to have a total global ban on anti-personnel land mines.

[Foreign Affairs, October 1st, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister of Foreign Affairs announced the opening of a liaison office in Punjab, India. I would like to congratulate him and let him know that this is being greeted with great enthusiasm.

Could the minister inform the House how the opening of this new office will serve both nations?

[Burma, June 14th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, in July 1995 Burma's military dictatorship, known as the SLORC, released pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest.

While many of us were cautious in our optimism, we took SLORC's release of the Nobel prize laureate to be a sign of good faith. Under SLORC's oppression, Aung San remains powerless to bring about any democratic change. Given the limitations imposed on her, she remains in essence a prisoner.

SLORC continues to thwart democracy by arresting its supporters, erecting road blocks and even disrupting train schedules. It will stop at nothing to prevent citizens from gathering in peaceful assembly or meeting to hear the democratically elected leader.

SLORC's oppressive authoritarian regime has not changed. I urge my colleagues to continue to challenge the ongoing human rights abuses in Burma and to encourage democratic reforms.

[Justice, June 4th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Justice.

Recently Vancouver proudly hosted a global conference sponsored by the International Centre on the Prevention of Crime. This conference gave rise to many excellent recommendations.

Considering Canadians spend $10 billion on the criminal justice system, could the minister tell the House if he intends to pursue any of the recommendations made at this conference?

[Jaswant Khalra, May 27th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific.

On September 6, 1995, Mr. Jaswant Khalra, a prominent human rights activist, disappeared from his home in Amritsar, India. When Mr. Khalra visited Parliament Hill last year, he expressed fear for his life to many parliamentarians. Mr. Khalra's family believe that he was forcibly taken by the police.

Could the secretary of state give the House an update on Mr. Khalra's fate and what action the Canadian government is taking on this issue?

[Fisheries, May 8th, 1996]

Could the minister inform the House of the results of these meetings?

[Fisheries, May 8th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, last week the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans travelled to Vancouver to meet with fishing industry representatives. While in Vancouver the minister announced the reinstatement of salmonoid enhancement programs in British Columbia. I congratulate him for that decision.

Over the past two weeks the minister has met with a number of stakeholders both here and in Vancouver. I thank him for taking the time to meet with many of these groups.

[Vancouver International Airport, May 6th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, recently Vancouver International Airport opened its new terminal which will accommodate international passengers and millions of people. This terminal is spacious, bright and efficient and all Vancouverites are proud of this addition to our city.

Buildings not only have to be architecturally beautiful but they also have to be functional and operate in an efficient way.

I would like to ask the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue to inform the House what steps customs have taken to serve users of this new, beautiful terminal.

[The Budget, April 15th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, first let me correct the facts. For every seven dollars cut there is only one dollar on the revenue side in action taken by the government. We have cut seven dollars for every one dollar of revenue whether it is through fees or in some other way. It is not accurate to say that most of the changes came about as a result of a change to the revenue side.

The approach this government has taken has not been to cut everything by 10 per cent or 20 per cent. We said let us look at government and see where we can improve, where we need to cut and where we need to add. Let us see where we need to add more money to government so that we have a core government, that we have an efficient government and we have a government that is working for the people of this country and not just a straight percentage cut everywhere. That is why we looked at the priorities of what is important for Canadians before we made the changes that we did in the budget.