Mac Harb

[Supply, June 6th, 2000]

Madam Speaker, my colleague stood to attack government programs in areas of high unemployment. He stood to attack the government for assisting people with disabilities. He stood to attack the government for assisting first nations people. He stood to attack the government for trying to assist over 300,000 young Canadians across the country who benefit from government services and programs.

All the rumbling that has taken place from my colleagues on the other side has nothing to do with the issue at hand. It has to do with the mere fact that they wanted to shut down government operations when it comes to the government trying to assist those who are in need. They wanted to shut down the programs, and they are on the record as saying that over and over. The bottom line is there is a philosophical difference between what we stand for and what they stand for.

The House of Commons is the best public inquiry in the country. It is right here where for over eight months they had the floor of the House of Commons to make their case day after day after day.

There is no case. They have nothing to show. Of all these allegations that $1 billion were missing, there were in fact six overpayments totalling $3,229 in the 16,971 projects that were reviewed and of this amount $803 have been recovered to date. We are talking about approximately $2,500 being missing. Frankly my colleagues should be ashamed of themselves for standing on the floor of the House of Commons to request a public inquiry into something that has already been in the public domain for eight months and more. Now they want to spend $20 million as we have spent on other inquiries.

At the end of the day the conclusion is fairly clear that no one has benefited from these programs except the people who need it the most, the disabled, young Canadians and people who are unemployed in different parts of the country. The bottom line is that these guys do not want to see the government functioning. They do not want to see the government assisting people who are in need.

[Supply, June 6th, 2000]

Madam Speaker, my colleague can ramble on for the whole day, but the agenda of that political party is to get rid of government support for people in high unemployment areas. I want him to stand and tell 30,000 Canadians who are in high unemployment areas that he wants to cancel programs and assistance that are provided to the private sector to create jobs. I want him to tell the 15,000 Canadians with disabilities who have benefited from these programs that he wants to cancel them. I want him to tell the over 300,000—

[Infrastructure, June 5th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the President of the Treasury Board.

In the Speech from the Throne, the government indicated its intention to invest in infrastructure. Would the minister consider supporting local initiatives, such as convention centres or local bridges, as part of this infrastructure initiative?

[Income Tax Act, June 2nd, 2000]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-483, an act to amend the Income Tax Act, the Members of Parliament Retiring Allowances Act, the Public Service Superannuation Act and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superannuation Act (dependent beneficiaries).

Mr. Speaker, this is a fairness bill dealing with people who have passed away that worked for the government or in the private sector. If they do not have a spouse, their pension would in this situation go to an individual who is dependent on them.

In a logical sense this is a fairness bill whereby if people do not have a spouse or a child, they would be able to identify one dependent person to be their beneficiary. It applies to both the private and public sector.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Oil And Gas Ombudsman Act, June 2nd, 2000]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-482, an act to establish the office of Oil and Gas Ombudsman to investigate complaints relating to the business practices of suppliers of oil or gas.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is the result of a lot of frustration across the land when it comes to gasoline prices. Consumers across Canada are feeling helpless.

The bill would create an independent body whereby an ombudsman would be put in place with the authority to investigate and look into allegations of price fixing or wrongdoing within the industry. It would have a wide ranging mandate and would report to parliament on a regular basis as well as to the Competition Bureau.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Income Tax Act, June 2nd, 2000]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-481, an act to amend the Income Tax Act (tax credit for mental or physical impairment).

Mr. Speaker, this bill would make it easier for those who take care of an individual with either a physical or mental impairment. It would create a provision within the Income Tax Act for a portion of the remuneration paid by the taxpayer to another person who is performing those activities to be a deductible amount.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Criminal Code, June 2nd, 2000]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-480, an act to amend the Criminal Code.

Mr. Speaker, this bill deals with legalizing prostitution. It would allow a municipality that wishes to legalize prostitution to do so. In fact it would allow a municipality to license establishments as places of business where prostitutes may legally perform their trade.

Prostitution per se is not illegal but communication for the purpose of prostitution is illegal. This amendment to the criminal code would make it easier for municipalities that wish to legalize prostitution to do so.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Homelessness, June 2nd, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, some time ago the Minister of Labour responsible for homelessness delivered a statement on behalf of the government committing $753 million to fight homelessness. Can she give us an update today in terms of what has happened on that file?

[Petitions, May 31st, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by people who call on parliament to ask the government to remove the landing fees imposed on refugees and immigrants coming to Canada.

[The Middle East, May 31st, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in honour of peace and the recent pullout of Israel from Lebanon.

I want to ask His Excellency, Dr. Assem Jaber, Ambassador of Lebanon to Canada, to convey our best wishes and congratulations to Lebanon. This is a momentous occasion since it brings an optimistic close to decades of frustration and confrontation.

The pullout of Israel from Lebanon provides a momentum for peace in the Middle East. Now the people of Lebanon can turn, and should turn, their attention to improving their quality of life.

Our world can no longer afford the cost of war when for the price of one bullet we can feed a child.