John Manley

[Hockey, April 27th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I met earlier today with representatives of a number of Canadian cities that are homes to professional hockey league teams. I am happy to say to the member that nobody asked for subsidies for professional hockey players. There was a lot of concern expressed about the value that mayors in particular perceived there to be for their communities to have a team present. Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa and Montreal were represented.

I have agreed that I will continue to meet with representatives of the appropriate stakeholders in order to consider what can be done to ensure we do not lose all our hockey teams.

[Canadian Productivity, April 19th, 1999]

It is clear, Mr. Speaker, that the issue of productivity is an important one. It is vital to the Canadian economy.

We have already invested large amounts in the research and development sector, in innovation, in education, and in the millennium fund, which will help Canada prepare for the 21st century.

This is how we can prepare for the changes which are already beginning.

[Taxation, April 19th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, year after year we see the Reform Party refuse to support the kinds of measures we are taking. I think we have seen the Y2K bug in action over there.

Again and again we invest in innovation. We invest in research and development. We support university granting councils. We support R and D tax credits. We hear nothing from the Reform Party except more and more criticism.

As we grow our high tech sector we see the success not just of companies like Nortel, but of the myriad of others which have started in this region and others.

[Taxation, April 19th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I suggest to the hon. member that he take a few minutes after question period today and drive west with his two-bit tavern taunter over there to Nepean to look at the skyline around the Nortel campus, count the cranes, and he will get an idea just how quickly Nortel is leaving Canada.

[Taxation, April 19th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member seems to always sing the same note no matter what the score seems to indicate. He is intent on constantly portraying the country in the worse possible light.

My point is simple. Northern Telecom, one of our foremost companies, continues to invest strongly in the country, demonstrating its confidence that Canada is on the right track.

[Taxation, April 19th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, unlike what Johnny one note seems to sing, the fact is—

[Taxation, April 19th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I took the time this morning to talk to the president of Nortel who in fact informed me, as it should be evident to the hon. member, that it is because of Nortel's allegiance to Canada, not a lack of allegiance as the newspaper reports seem to indicate, that Nortel has the very strong presence it has in Canada.

The hon. member rightly cites the number of employees from Nortel that are here in face of the fact that about 7% of its sales are in Canada, together with a very important new investment that Nortel is making in the Kanata region for increased research and development. It is a demonstration of the continuing allegiance that Nortel shows to the country.

[Shipbuilding Industry, April 15th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I am always happy to sit down when I have the opportunity.

I say to the hon. member that although she continues to deny it, we have enhanced the shipbuilding policy that had been put forward by her party when it was in power by increasing the amount of support given by the Export Development Corporation.

I am prepared to work with the industry. The fact is when their party was in government it was incapable of coming up with a better policy.

[Shipbuilding Industry, April 15th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I did so about a month ago.

[Transport, March 25th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I do not want to further qualify the answer if the hon. member was satisfied with it except to say I hope that if changes are to be made, they are done by the time I next fly to Kelowna.