John Manley

[Airline Industry, November 19th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will know that there are many factors involved in the air industry. Perhaps he would like to advise U.S. carriers that somehow or other there must be spillover effect because they have been having some bad times as well.

The truth is that we do not agree with him that the general taxpayer should pay the additional costs of airline security, rather that people who use the airline services are the ones that should pay for it.

He should come clean and say that he wants people who never fly to pay for increased airline security.

[Kyoto Protocol, November 18th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the President of Mexico announces his leaving office six years before the fact, since he cannot run for another term. During his second term, the President of the United States announces his departure four years before leaving. Therefore, 18 months is not too long a period.

[Kyoto Protocol, November 18th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, it goes without saying that, in the Speech from the Throne, the Kyoto protocol is a priority for our government, and we have pledged to adopt it.

[Terrorism, November 18th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I point out to the hon. member for Calgary--Nose Hill that Mohammed Atta, the conspirator behind the September 11 destruction of the World Trade Center, received his visa from U.S. authorities six months after September 11.

[Terrorism, November 18th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition is confusing the issue of a citizen's consular rights, that is, rights to consular support in any circumstance, and the issue of whether or not there was substantive information that concerned this particular individual in the possession of U.S. authorities.

In the former, of course we will intervene in order to ensure that consular rights are respected. In the latter, we will not be prepared to comment.

[Terrorism, November 18th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, we would not in any circumstances of course disclose information of that sort, whether we had it or not, with respect to a particular individual.

Of course we raised issues regarding the consular rights of the individual involved, but in no circumstances would we confirm or make any comment on any information that we might have about an individual--

[Employment Insurance, November 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, normally, the rate for the following year is announced at the end of November. I presume that at the end of November, we will be announcing the premiums for 2003.

[Persons with Disabilities, November 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, our government's record indicates that we have increased support for individuals with disabilities. I am certainly prepared to meet with groups representing persons with disabilities.

[Budget Surpluses, November 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the member can look at our numbers. The prudence reserve is based mainly on the risk that interest rates might change. The closer the end of the period, the lower the prudence reserve. The other reserve, however, remains unchanged until the end of the year, in spite of economic or other changes. That is all very clear and transparent.

[Budget Surpluses, November 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the figures are all transparent. They are found in the forecast we submitted. Perhaps I could help the member study them. Simply put, we have before us the experience of the United States, which forecast a large surplus and is now running a large deficit. I would not want that to happen here in Canada.