Ed Harper

[Petitions, November 8th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to rise in the House today and present a petition on behalf of 2,500 constituents of my riding of Simcoe Centre. The signatures were collected after the beating of a young girl by a gang of girls in the city of Barrie.

The petitioners request that Parliament pass legislation to strengthen the Young Offenders Act, including publishing the names of young offenders, lowering the age of application and transferring serious offenders to adult court. I support these petitioners.

[National Unity, October 30th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, today Canadians are watching and hoping for a strong no vote in Quebec. Reformers believe that no means not only no to the separatists, but no to the status quo as well.

We must all acknowledge the problems that have led us to this point, starting with the top down style of federalism that dictates to provinces and people, instead of bottom up grassroots democracy.

The problems of ever increasing taxes, the enormous debt, unacceptable levels of unemployment and a failing criminal justice system are the result of failed policies of the past.

Reform has recently published 20 proposals for a renewed Canada. Without constitutional change, we would give power back to the provinces in language and culture, in natural resources and manpower training.

We would give Canadians direct democracy through recall, referendum and free votes in this House.

I urge my fellow Canadians in Quebec to vote no today and in doing so, say yes to a renewed Canada.

[Federal-Provincial Relations, October 26th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, the message is not getting through. The separatists are wrong when they say Canada cannot change. Reformers want change, Ontario wants change, B.C. wants change and Nova Scotia wants change. By voting no on Monday Quebecers will open the door to building a new Canada, a stronger Canada, a united Canada.

Will the government assure Quebecers that a no vote means change? Will it assure the Government of Quebec?

[Federal-Provincial Relations, October 26th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, today at Queen's Park the Harris government introduced an all-party motion calling for decentralization, an end to the status quo and a shifting of federal power to the provinces.

It is proof that Canada wants change and, indeed, can change with a no vote on Monday.

Is the federal government open to this type of substantial change without constitutional amendments?

[Regional Rates Of Pay, October 23rd, 1995]

No.

[Government Policies, September 28th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting we should talk about the riot at Queen's Park. It was evident that many of those protesters were members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. Can the government explain why federal employees were rampaging at Queen's Park when they should have been earning their federally subsidized paycheques?

[Government Policies, September 28th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to speak about our province of Ontario, the forgotten province.

In June, Mike Harris and his common sense revolution were endorsed by the voters in Ontario. Mike Harris listened to the people of Ontario. He had the same message Reform did: Stop the madness of deficit financing, introduce a victims' rights bill and put an end to employment equity.

Can the Prime Minister tell the House when his government is going to start listening to the people of Ontario and stop this deficit financing, introduce a victims' rights bill and end employment equity?

[Cultural Property Export And Import Act, September 25th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Wild Rose for his question. Very simply, I would give it an extremely low priority. It would actually be below gun control, which is another waste of a minimum of $90 million of our hard earned tax dollars.

I find it appalling that we are dealing with issues such as this while the country is heading into bankruptcy. We are going deeper and deeper into debt and we are talking about tax credits to the rich. We are not dealing with the real serious problems we are facing as a nation. We are dealing with issues that should not even be in front of us at this time in the history of the country.

If we would do something about balancing our budget so that we can start offering some tax relief to the citizens of Canada we would see the economy grow and jobs being created. The overly

high unemployment level would then be reduced to something which is far more acceptable.

[Cultural Property Export And Import Act, September 25th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I must admit I have not seen this wonderful piece of art. Having it now described I do not think I will take the time to go and look at it. It is another example of the terrible waste of our tax dollars. Thousands and thousands of Canadians will never get to see it and many more of them would never want to see that kind of art. It is a tragedy that money is being spent in that area.

[Cultural Property Export And Import Act, September 25th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I will be pleased to address that. I am not surprised that it is not clear when somebody thinks that spending $1,000 or $500 of money we do not have makes sense. That kind of logic escapes me.

I am attempting to get across that the tax credit for these works of art is overly generous. We should be more generous in tax credits for the charities in our communities that are helping those who are in need. I thought I made that very clear. As I mentioned earlier, the mathematics on the other side escape me and their inability to grasp the seriousness of the debt position this government is in at the moment.