John Manley

[Health, October 23rd, 2002]

Waste, Mr. Speaker? The lowest program spending as a percentage of our GDP in my lifetime, save for one year.

Waste, Mr. Speaker? The only country in the G-7 that is running a surplus and has done so five years in a row, the best record in our history.

He is talking about waste. He is talking about a country that has brought its deficit to GDP ratio from 6.2% to a surplus, that has brought its debt from over 71% to below 50% of GDP.

I cannot understand why he is not recognizing the good administration he has been witnessing from the other side of the House.

[Health, October 23rd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, we will review the Kirby and Romanow reports when they have been received and consider them appropriately.

[Airline Industry, October 23rd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the difference of opinion here is whether the users of the additional costs in the system should pay for it or whether it should be paid for by all taxpayers. There is no other source. We do not see it the same way. We think the people who are getting the benefit from the additional security in the airline system, namely the users of it, ought to pay for it.

I have said repeatedly that we will review the amount of the charge as we get sufficient data to deal with it and ensure that we adequately cover the costs involved in providing the security at the level that is now required.

[Airline Industry, October 23rd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, it is not surprising that a company would prefer taxpayers generally pay the cost of something instead of the users of its system. Why would they not? That is not exactly surprising.

I find it difficult to believe that this member believes that in the aftermath of September 11, all the reduction in passenger traffic on Canadian airlines is because of a fee that is, quite frankly, less than most taxi fares to the airport.

[Employment Insurance, October 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will know that the issue of determining the level at which premiums should be charged has been dealt with in the House and recommendations have been made by the finance committee in the past. I am currently reviewing the situation, which he knows is in effect for this year, but changes in the method will have to be contemplated for a permanent solution.

[Health, October 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I may not be as old as the hon. member but I can tell him that with the exception of one year the government's spending as a percentage of our GDP is the lowest that it has been in my lifetime.

We do not really have a spending problem when we look at it that way. In fact, the controls that we have had in spending over the last number of years have resulted in us being the only G-7 country that continues to run a surplus at a time when others, including our neighbours to the south, have turned surpluses into deficits. He ought to be applauding us.

[Taxation, October 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, there was an error. It was identified by the Auditor General. Where Quebec is concerned, however, instead of asking for $600 million to be paid back, we found a way not to ask the Province of Quebec for a single penny. It can therefore take 10 years, if it so desires, to pay back not a single cent.

[Taxation, October 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, we have a procedure for these kinds of situations, so that all the provinces are treated in a fair and equitable manner. Where Quebec is concerned, they do not have a single cent to pay back; so, it is not much of a problem for them.

[Taxation, October 21st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the surplus is not being hidden. In fact, we know that the federal government's debt load is twice that of the provinces.

Canadians everywhere will benefit from our reducing the debt. It is in the interests of all Canadians. This does not indicate any fiscal imbalance at all. In fact, we have done a good job of managing the books at the federal level.

[Taxation, October 21st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, we all know that forecasts are always difficult to make. Take the example of the U.S., where there was a $400 billion refund; now they have a deficit of $165 billion.

I am very proud of the fact that, here in Canada, we have a surplus and we have paid down the debt with this surplus.