David Collenette

[Division No. 339, March 15th, 1999]

moved that a ways and means motion to amend the Income Tax Act, to implement measures that are consequential on changes to the Canada-U.S. Tax Convention (1980) and to amend the Income Tax Conventions Interpretation Act, the Old Age Security Act, the War Veterans Allowance Act and certain acts related to the Income Tax Act, be concurred in.

[Ways And Means, March 10th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 83(1), I wish to table a notice of a ways and means motion to amend the Income Tax Act to implement measures that are consequential on changes to the Canada-U.S. Tax Convention, 1980, and to amend the Income Tax Conventions Interpretation Act, the Old Age Security Act, the War Veterans Allowance Act and certain acts related to the Income Tax Act.

I am also tabling an explanatory form of notes. I ask that an order of the day be designated for consideration of the motion.

[Agriculture, March 10th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, we have asked the various stakeholders to comment on the Estey report. We are now evaluating those comments and will be in a position to have cabinet discussions soon.

This government accelerated the review by one year. We appointed Justice Estey who was universally accepted by everyone in the industry. He has come forward with a very thoughtful plan that can serve as a basis for true reform in western grain transportation. I would hope that the Reform Party will join us in that effort.

[Agriculture, March 10th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, the statutory review on western grain transportation is moving along well. Discussions are going ahead.

We have received a lot of stakeholder input that will help cabinet evaluate the response to Justice Estey's report. Certainly the views of the Canadian Wheat Board will be considered along with the views of other stakeholders.

[Quebec City Airport, March 9th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I was advised there had been a misunderstanding, and we have corrected the situation. I regret the inconvenience to the hon. member.

[Canada Marine Act, March 8th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, positions under the Canada Marine Act or the seven positions of the port authorities are nominated in consultation with users. The names that he just raised came through that process.

Mr. Russell served as the previous chair. He served with distinction and was nominated by one of the user groups. It is obvious that he would be a choice for the new chairman. He was not appointed by us as chairman, he was elected by the new board.

[The Budget, February 17th, 1999]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. We cannot sit here and listen to the hon. member directly cast aspersions on the Prime Minister and his constituency.

[The Budget, February 17th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I did not intend to speak but after hearing the outrageous comments of my friend from Kings—Hants I felt compelled to do so. Transport is my game but I have a night job, trying to look after some of the interests of the government in Canada's largest city. There are 4.6 million people in the greater Toronto area. We are particularly sensitive to the plight of the homeless in that city and in other cities across the country. I take umbrage at my friend for saying there is nothing in this budget to deal with homelessness. He obviously has not read the budget.

I believe this is the first time there has been a specific mention of this plight in any document of a budgetary nature in Canadian history. I think that took great courage on the part of the Minister of Finance. We at the federal level or at any level of government do not want to own this issue.

This is an issue that has to be dealt with by all levels of government. All Canadians have a stake in dealing with the plight of the homeless across the country.

Let me tell the House what this government has done in the past to deal with this issue. We have the youth employment strategy. We have the RRAP to fix up residential housing. We have made facilities such as armouries available in Toronto and in other cities.

In this budget $11.5 billion has been allocated for health care. Thirty per cent of the homeless on the streets of cities like Toronto are people who have mental illnesses and who can be institutionalized. It is up to the provinces. It is up to people like Mike Harris, their soul mate, to say we now have the money, the money has come through health from the federal government, we can deal with this issue.

One last point is that the Mulroney government put the cap on the old Canada assistance plan. What that meant to the wealthiest provinces like Alberta, B.C. and Ontario was that they were restricted in the amount of money they spent on social services. We are lifting the cap on the CHST and that means Mike Harris and everybody else can now start to treat the homeless as a priority, as they should.

[Road Safety, February 16th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, this is not just a concern to people in the greater Toronto area but to all Canadians, given the fact that this is a winter country.

On February 1, I was pleased to approve a new and comprehensive standard for snow tires that has been developed by Transport Canada in consultation with the North American tire manufacturing industry.

This standard will ensure that Canadian consumers can identify and purchase tires designed to provide a higher level of traction in Canadian winters. This shows how the government in particular is concerned about road safety.

[Jean-Lesage Airport, February 9th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, there is a policy on national airports, and this policy works well. We are currently discussing the future of this airport with the people of Quebec City, and I think it will have a great future.