House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 1993, with 51% of the vote.
Family Income June 15th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question.
The statistics he refers to ended in 1993. There was an election that year and since that time there have been some half million new jobs created in the country. The statistics for 1994, the first year of our mandate, will show a substantial rise in family incomes in Canada.
Ways And Means June 13th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 83(1), I wish to table a notice of ways and means motion to amend the Customs Act and the customs tariff and to make related and consequential amendments to other acts.
I ask that an order of the day be designated for the consideration of this motion.
Gross Domestic Product June 1st, 1995
Mr. Speaker, I remind the hon. member that the GDP in the first quarter of this year rose, it did not fall. In only two months of the quarter there were minor declines in the GDP.
These numbers do have variations and they are not indicative of a recession as yet. I remind the hon. member that our economic programs are on course.
Compcorp May 15th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question and for his interest in financial institutions legislation.
Perhaps the hon. member is aware that I made remarks in Toronto recently on the question of Compcorp. I recognize it has been effective. If they will make some adequate changes to Compcorp we will certainly consider not proceeding with our policy protection board.
The four conditions I set out at the time are: revised corporate governance for Compcorp; greater access to privately financed resources; the capability of levying higher assessments if necessary; and, finally, to ensure the ability to arrange going concern solutions. These are the minimum changes that we would require from Compcorp and we would hope the private sector would answer those concerns.
Ways And Means May 10th, 1995
moved that the ways and means motion to amend the Excise Tax Act and the Excise Act tabled in the House on April 25, 1995, be concurred in.
The Economy May 5th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, it is quite possible for the hon. member to gather economic statistics that are negative. However, there are a lot of positive things as well.
The member talks about slowing employment. Let me remind him that over the last 12 months 338,000 new jobs have been created in this country. The rate of GDP has been expanding. Exports were up 25 per cent in the first part of this year. Our deficit numbers for last year came in well below our target numbers.
If the hon. member's question was whether or not we would support his balanced budget amendment, the answer is no.
The Economy May 5th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member has made some interesting points.
I point out to him however that our interest rate levels are below the levels that were in the budget. Economic growth is running in the first two months of this year at about 5 per cent above last year's numbers. Our deficit numbers are very much on target. The contingency reserves are not in any sense endangered by the present economic slowdown.
Ways And Means April 25th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 83(1), I wish to table a notice of a ways and means motion to amend the Excise Tax Act and the Excise Act, and I ask that an order of the day be designated for consideration of this motion.
Life Insurance April 24th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question.
As the hon. member knows, such decisions are taken by the insurance companies. He should take it up with them. It would not be appropriate for the government to decide on classifications and appropriate risk assessments. That is a private sector decision which insurance companies make.
The Budget March 24th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, I note that Newfoundland has been successful in balancing its budget. It is the first time it has done so since 1949. It has taken a long time. The most recent government has taken several years to do so.
This government, however, is going to do it in rolling two-year targets. We are going to keep to our target and get the budget balanced much more quickly that way than by pursuing the wild dreams of the Reform Party in the budget that it put forward that had no content.