Brian Tobin

[Trade, October 18th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, we expect to receive the panel's interim report tomorrow, October 19. I cannot comment on the contents of the report until such time as we see it.

On behalf of the government I want to make it very clear today, and members from the Montreal area will be most interested, that the Government of Canada nevertheless will stand firmly by the decisions we have made to assist Bombardier in the trade dispute it has had with Embraer. That means the provisions and the financing put in place to assist in the securing of contracts in the United States remain firm.

[Employment, October 5th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister repeatedly have said, the economy of Canada is fundamentally solid at its base.

As we have seen today, Statistics Canada has released a report which demonstrates that the unemployment rate for the month of September has remained the same as the previous month at 7.2%, notwithstanding these difficult times.

Further, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business has released its own survey today which shows that business confidence among small and medium sized enterprises remains strong as well.

We have some serious challenges, but we have an economy that is fundamentally strong and Canada will recover quickly if it comes down to it.

[The Economy, October 3rd, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, there are a lot of French professors on the other side of the House.

I appreciate all the help I have been getting.

The Government of Canada will bring forward a budget in good time. That budget will continue to build on the future of the country. As we have said over and over, as important as the security issue is today in this country, it is important to continue to invest in Canada's economy. The member will see that we are going to do exactly that.

[The Economy, October 3rd, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, we have had questions on the economy today which to my mind have not been realistic. There have been questions in essence asking the Minister of Finance if that minister is responsible for a downturn in the economy worldwide. We know we have a powerful, persuasive and excellent Minister of Finance, but surely nobody would blame a downturn worldwide on one minister in Canada.

We are doing our jobs. We have positioned Canada well. We will ride out the storm. We will recover quickly because we have made the right decisions.

[National Security, October 1st, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, unlike the member opposite and his party, members of the government are working together. That is why I have great confidence in saying that all of the measures that need to be taken are being taken by each of the respective ministers to install and restore confidence.

Of course the Prime Minister has raised this matter with the president. In fact traffic at the border is moving very well. If members opposite cared about the good of the country instead of trying to score political points, they would get behind the government on the actions we are taking today.

[Grants And Contributions, June 12th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, to go back and repeat, first, the member is asking for the government to give direction to the RCMP. Nothing could be more wrong than the government attempting to give direction to the RCMP.

Second, there is a specific act of parliament which prohibits me or any member of cabinet or the House from probing into the private and confidential affairs of Canadian business participants. It is against the law.

First he wants us to direct the law and now he wants us to break the law. I say it is time for him to go home.

[Grants And Contributions, June 12th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, we have said on this side of the House repeatedly that the RCMP is quite independent of government and ought to be independent of government.

If the member wants to consult the RCMP or give the RCMP advice about how to do its job, he should pick up the telephone and call.

[Grants And Contributions, June 11th, 2001]

Because, Mr. Speaker, we do not believe in hiring secret agents in the mould of Maxwell Smart. We do not believe in hiring handwriting experts.

We on this side have a plain, old fashioned, strong confidence in members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and we do not tell them how to do their job.

[Grants And Contributions, June 11th, 2001]

No, Mr. Speaker, unlike the party opposite we do not hire private investigators. We put these matters in the hands of the RCMP and we rely upon the professionalism of the RCMP.

[Shipbuilding, June 6th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I am surprised the member has now reversed herself. She is now in favour of the aerospace industry in Canada and she is now against a shipbuilding policy, because she is asking me for funds to ensure that workers never go back to work.

Our purpose is to put people back to work, to be competitive, to have a solid shipbuilding policy, not to close down shipyards.