David Collenette

[Multiculturalism, May 4th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. secretary of state admitted to a mistake. She made an apology and that apology was accepted by members of the House.

I would ask the hon. member to show some parliamentary decency and accept the secretary of state's apology.

We all make mistakes. Even the leader of the member's party has made mistakes. We have accepted the apology of the hon. secretary of state. I hope members of his party will accept the apology of his own leader.

[The Environment, May 4th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, we obviously share the grief for those people affected in North Battleford. This is becoming an occurrence that is all too common in Canada. It happened a year or so ago in Walkerton, Ontario.

The government believes that the improvement of our drinking water supply and sewage treatment is of utmost priority. That is why we have allocated $2 billion for infrastructure. In many of the provinces much of that money is being used for water purification. Hopefully we can use this kind of approach, working with the provinces, to have a long term solution to the problem.

[Highways, May 4th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member does not admit the fact that highways are a provincial responsibility. If he has a question about the quality of the surface of those highways in his province, he should go to the provincial ministers and asking them why they are not doing their job.

The federal government obviously wishes to assist with highways. We have done it for 80 years. We are doing it now, and we will put more money in as well in the future.

[Highways, May 4th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I could say a thing or two about that last remark, but I think I had better stick to the facts.

When I was in Edmonton last week I said unequivocally that we know there needs to be investment in Canada's highways. That is why the Minister of Finance allocated $600 million in the budget last year.

We all know we need more money but we also know there are other priorities facing the treasury. Hon. members opposite and the provinces want money spent on health care and many other worthy things, so obviously it is a question of priorities. I am hopeful we will get more money soon.

[Trucking Industry, May 2nd, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member refers to a recommendation from the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, which is an organization composed of all the provinces and the federal government that is responding to the trucking industry which wants a regularization of the trucking hours and an enforced rest period.

So hon. members of the House can give their views in this very difficult debate, I have asked the transport committee to study the issue on an expeditious basis. I believe the committee is about to agree to that. I would invite the hon. member to make her views known at that committee.

[Highways, May 2nd, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I want to remind the hon. member that highway building in this country is the responsibility of the provincial government. It is true that the federal government has been involved by use of the spending power for about 80 years and we still are.

The hon. member should take note that the Minister of Finance in last year's budget allocated $600 million toward highway construction, and those agreements are about to be negotiated.

[National Airports, May 2nd, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I must thank the member for promoting Montreal, thanks to the policies of this government.

I should also inform the hon. member that I am a member from Toronto, but I am a Canadian member and I speak for all Canadians.

[National Airports, May 2nd, 2001]

That is one of the reasons, but with this government's policy on national airports, I have confidence in the future of Aéroports de Montréal and the region of Montreal.

[National Airports, May 2nd, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, clearly the reduction in air traffic in Montreal over the past 25 years is a consequence of the political situation.

[Taxation, May 1st, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, this is a budget issue. We received $600 million in the last budget. I hope that there will be more money in the next budget.