Deepak Obhrai

[Canadian Parks Agency Act, March 19th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to respond to the hon. member's question.

He is right, I said hope. I did not give a full commitment about that. I do hope the government will not build this thing up with a patronage appointment. Please do not do it.

He is right regarding the question about whether this agency is going to consult people. It has the ability to consult people and to talk to Canadians. There is the question of who has the input over this. There is still a bureaucratic tangle over there. Some will say they do not trust those people.

At least here we have an arm's length agency hopefully that Canadians can have an input in. It is accountable to Canadians. Hopefully it will put down the user fees and will address the environmental issues and other things that concern us with reference to running a smooth parks network in this country. That is important to us. Parks are a natural heritage. We have parks here that are world heritage sites. We are custodians of these parks for the people of the world.

[Canadian Parks Agency Act, March 19th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to voice my support for Bill C-29, the Canadian parks agency act. While it is rare that we see eye to eye with the government on issues, I feel that partisanship must be cast aside when good ideas emerge. This rarely happens on the other side though.

Canada is a country filled with natural wonders. Our natural environment is as much a symbol of our country as are the maple leaf and the beaver. From Riding Mountain National Park in Manitoba to Glacier National Park in British Columbia, our parks are national treasures.

I represent the riding of Calgary East, a stone's throw away from the beauty and splendour of Banff, Jasper and Yoho national parks. I can say that Calgarians and indeed all Canadians are extremely proud of their national parks.

People come from around the world to take in the beauty of our country. In fact, our national parks and sites attract over 24 million visitors yearly and contribute over $2 billion annually to the economy. While dollars do matter, we should not let this alone determine our commitment to preserving our parklands.

It is my hope that this bill will allow our national parks to flourish while at the same time dramatically reducing the amount of government resources needed to administer them.

Bill C-29 calls for the creation of a new agency, the Canadian parks agency. Nine times out of ten I cringe when I hear of the birth of yet another bureaucratic monolith. This usually means that the Canadian taxpayer is on the hook to pump in maximum dollars for minimum results.

However, in this case I see some merit in the establishment of the Canadian parks agency. Let me explain why.

Parks Canada is currently responsible for our country's 38 national parks and, among other things, 131 national historic sites. It manages over 225,000 square kilometres of Canada's natural and cultural heritage and employs roughly 5,000 people.

At present responsibility for Parks Canada falls under the Department of Canadian Heritage through the Secretary of State for Parks who reports to the heritage minister.

The new agency will remain accountable, through the minister, to Parliament. Perhaps the most significant change will be that the new proposed agency will be able to raise and keep its own revenue. This will no doubt contribute to more efficiency and will hopefully lead to a decrease in the fees Canadians pay to gain access to our national parks.

I have heard on numerous occasions from my constituents that the costs of visiting places like Banff and Jasper are too high. The user fees keep going up and up, discouraging Canadians from visiting the national parks to see their own heritage. We have an obligation to the people of Canada to make it as affordable as possible for families to take advantage of this beautiful country.

It is nice to see that once in a very long while the government gets it right. In this instance the Liberals have acknowledged that self-sufficiency in government is the right route to take.

The Canadian parks agency will be able to raise and keep its own revenue. It will have access to $10 billion for parks and historic sites. Normally this is where the taxpayer alarm would sound. Another $10 billion of people's hard earned money will be spent? However, in this instance any funds drawn from the $10 billion account will be repayable to the crown with interest from revenue generated.

As well, third party operators will be permitted to administer certain facilities. Outsourcing to private business will improve service, increase revenue and deliver improved efficiency. This new financial independence will allow the revenue generated to flow back into the parks and sites. This in turn will allow for the establishment and expansion of new initiatives. What this means is that new parks will be created and those already in existence will be better maintained. This is how the government should work when it comes to areas such as this.

The agency will be able to bargain directly with its employees. The CEO will have the authority to appoint employees and establish terms and conditions of employment for agency staff. Hopefully this will afford the agency the flexibility to develop a human resource regime which is more responsive to the agency's operational requirements.

In terms of accountability, the agency will fall under the minister of heritage. She, in turn, will be accountable to Parliament.

Moreover, the Canadian parks agency will fall under the Access to Information Act. The auditor general will be able to audit the agency at his discretion.

Bill C-29 also commits the agency to hold consultations on a biannual basis. This will allow Canadians to share their views on the agency's program and to participate in the management direction. This is especially important because we have to be very careful that development is also balanced with the environmental requirements to maintain the parks. The maintaining of our environment is also very important.

The agency will consult directly with parties that may be affected by any new fees. This hopefully will bring more reasonable fees for Canadians to enter into the national parks.

The bottom line is that Parliament, the auditor general and, most important, the Canadian people will be able to hold this new agency accountable. What we have is a bill asking for the creation of an agency that will be fully self-sufficient, more efficient, more flexible and fully accountable.

It is also my hope that this new agency will contribute to the maintenance and enhancement of Canada's natural environment. This will ensure that future generations will be able to enjoy the many natural wonders that Canada has to offer.

I was proud to be in this House supporting the legislation introduced by the government which established the Saguenay marine park, the first marine park in the world. It was my pleasure to support that bill. I firmly believe that we have a moral duty to preserve Canada's natural environment.

In closing, the official opposition is committed to having our national parks and heritage sites administered in an accountable, efficient and cost effective manner. For the reasons outlined above I see little reason why I should not support Bill C-29.

[Fisheries, March 13th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the minister of fisheries.

First, this government forgot Christmas and Easter on the heritage calendar. Now we have been harpooned. This government has announced that the Prince of “Whales” is coming to town.

Is there something this minister should be telling us about Moby Dick? Is this some secret code name for a plan to finally stop U.S. overfishing off the west coast?

[Small Business Loans Act, March 13th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I would like my colleague from the Progressive Conservative Party to listen to what I have to say, as well the member from the NDP who never seems to have any solutions except criticizing.

Today I rise to voice my opposition to Bill C-21, an act to amend the Small Business Loans Act.

The purpose of this act is to extend the small business loans program to March 31, 1999 and to raise the government's liability under this program to $15 billion, a $1 billion increase. Few will deny the importance of small businesses. They symbolize the entrepreneurial spirit and the work ethic that have made this country what it is today. They are the engines of the growth of the Canadian economy.

In 1994 more than 98% of all businesses in Canada were small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. In 1995 the numbers indicate that small business accounted for over 40% of Canada's private sector economic output.

My wife owns a dry-cleaning store in Calgary. I am a junior partner. She has been operating this business for the last 15 years. I am an owner of a small international consulting firm. I was a business delegate with Team Canada to Asia. Therefore I know the struggle that small business owners go through just to make ends meet.

I also have firsthand experience in dealing with well intentioned but misguided government policies such as the small business loans program. This program does not successfully aid small business owners who truly need assistance.

The small business loans program has incurred a net loss estimated at $210 billion for loans issued between 1993 and 1995. Why? This program lacks accountability and clear objectives.

The banks are guaranteed the money at no risk to them if there is a default. Businesses will access more money than they can handle, thereby raising their debtloads. The government will try to look like a friend of small business by implementing this program. Lastly, enforcement is poor.

The auditor general, a non-partisan evaluator of government spending, has recommended that this government make a comprehensive evaluation of this program before it is extended. I agree with the auditor general because of the following reasons.

The Canadian economy is in a state of transition. No one would have expected in 1961 when the program was created the extent of change that would occur during the following 35 years. The Canadian economy has gone from being primarily based on the manufacturing sector to now being dominated by the service sector.

Who would have envisaged the growth of the high tech sector and the effects of the Internet in 1961? The Canadian economy and the business environment has changed and therefore the needs of small businesses have changed.

The current small business loans program does not take this into account. As well, the auditor general remains doubtful that the program's move toward full cost recovery will succeed. He suggests that careful monitoring and better systems to forecast the future performance of this program are needed. He also calls on this government to strengthen the program's auditing of potential borrowers.

The auditor general recommends that the department provide Parliament with information in order to allow us to assess whether this program is effective.

I have just listed several programs that both the auditor general and my Reform caucus colleagues share about the small business loans program.

We agree with the government on one thing, that we must encourage the growth of small business. This entails giving entrepreneurs access to capital.

While the Liberals feel that the inefficient and wasteful government programs will achieve this, the official opposition believes businesses will thrive if taxes are cut and bureaucratic red tape is reduced.

As one of those with experience in small businesses, I can attest to the havoc this government's excessive taxes and unnecessary bureaucratic paper work have on the small business community.

Business owners need the government off their backs. They need an economic environment which allows entrepreneurial spirit to excel. Let us start by reducing the tax burden that, simply put, kills jobs and profit.

Let us for the moment reflect on the tax burden for an average small business, the payroll taxes, CPP, UIC and WCB. While the objectives of this program are noble, government mismanagement has raised these premiums to very unacceptable high levels.

Then there is the business tax, a tax that is not tied to performance but to space occupation. Witness what happened in Toronto yesterday when small business owners were hit with huge tax increases.

Then we have the property taxes charged by the landlord through the operating tax, and finally the GST, a supposedly revenue neutral tax. Ask any small owner about GST. The GST came from their profits as competition and consumer resistance forced businesses to absorb this tax.

Therefore it is no coincidence that the provinces with the lowest provincial tax rates, Alberta and Ontario, are leading the country in job creation.

It is also no coincidence that the United States, whose taxes are considerably lower than ours, has an unemployment rate of under 7% and dropping while ours remains stuck at more than 9%.

The government had an ideal opportunity to show its commitment to the hundreds of thousands of small business owners of Canada by reducing the tax burden in the last budget.

Did the government do that? No. In fact it went the other way and compounded the problem by throwing more money at what can best be described as a band-aid solution.

Rather than setting up more rules government should be allowing entrepreneurs to keep more dollars in their pockets, which will allow them to hire the extra person they need.

Government interference in the marketplace discourages the development of alternative and innovative financing solutions for small business. At the same time there must be a re-evaluation of the way in which financial institutions lend money to small business.

The banks must show a human face to the thousands of struggling individuals who need that extra infusion of capital to kickstart their businesses. The major banks must realize that their monopoly carries with it certain social responsibilities and obligations. They must also take certain risks. Right now the risk is zero or, at the very least, ridiculously low. They are thriving in this economy. Profits are at record levels. They should be partners in our society and at least assume some burden.

Today with their record profits banks can afford to be partners. They should be joining those pulling the wagon of prosperity instead of merely riding on it. They must do this or risk losing their monopoly.

The dual process of reducing taxes and having banks deal more compassionately with small business owners will be mutually beneficial. Less taxes mean more profit. More profit means better loan risks. Better loan risks translate into easier financing. Easier financing brings about expansion and thus more employment. This is the route we should be following.

We have before us a government that now seeks to extend the small business loans program by one year. I could possibly commit to supporting this if the government initiated a thorough review of the program, just as the auditor general recommended.

However the government has added an additional $1 billion in liability despite the fact that the program has $1.3 billion remaining before it reaches its maximum limit of $14 billion. This $1.3 billion is adequate—

[Canadian Census, February 24th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday a young Canadian cried out when the Secretary of State for Multiculturalism rose to defend her government's racial census.

Millions of Canadians share this youngster's anguish. Despite this government's best efforts the citizens of this country want to be recognized as Canadians.

Nineteen per cent of respondents proudly identified themselves as Canadians, with the highest percentage coming from Quebec.

Canada is a land of immigrants. It is by definition a multicultural society rich in diversity and tolerance. This census and this government's agenda to promote policies that do nothing but divide communities are shortsighted and a further threat to national unity and nation building.

Listen to the people and let Canadians be Canadians.

[Census, February 17th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, two years ago StatsCanada asked Canadians who they were and being Canadian was not an option. It is reassuring to note that over 8.6 million defied the bureaucrats at StatsCanada and wrote “Canadian” as their heritage. Good for them.

Will the government stop conducting surveys which categorize us racially rather than as Canadians?

[Customs Act, February 6th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I will start by recognizing the good work the customs officers at the borders are doing for Canada. They are our ambassadors. When visitors and businessmen come to our country they are their first contact. Their behaviour brings goodwill to Canada. Therefore I would like to recognize the good work they have been doing.

I feel that Bill C-18 which gives them power to enforce our laws is a good bill and we are in support of this bill. The only caution I make is that while it is empowering them, our ambassadors of goodwill, we do not want them to be carried away with these powers and abuse them at the borders, creating negative feelings toward Canada.

Nevertheless, as all Canadians know, our laws are lax specifically when it comes to our justice system in upholding our laws. Everywhere across the country we can hear people who are supposed to uphold our laws asking for more powers to help them fulfil their duties. I think this bill goes toward that intent. At the same time I would like to see that more laws like this are passed so that our officers who are upholding the law can carry out their duties.

Time after time in my riding and everywhere when I talk to law enforcement officers they say their biggest concern is the inability to enforce the laws of the land. Police are strongly hampered by their inability to enforce the laws because they feel that when they do their hard work it is difficult for them to ensure that the final result is conviction.

I have travelled across the world and have come in contact with officers at border crossings in many countries. At times I am ashamed by the treatment they give to people who are visitors to their country. At times we can see that their rudeness and their practices of corruption are a detriment to their nation's desire to have visitors and businessmen come into the country.

Our customs officers, the ones I have come in contact with, have actually performed their work very well and have a respect among travellers who are coming to Canada. I would like to again say that I am proud and happy about the work that they are doing.

Here we are empowering them with something which we hold dear to ensure that the laws of this country are upheld. I wish them good luck in this. But I would also like to caution and bring to their attention that they are our ambassadors of first contact to bring goodwill to Canada.

[Immigration, February 5th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are losing confidence in our immigration process. In addition to blatant abuses of immigration policies, we now hear of corruption and fraud by more than one former immigration officer.

Can the minister inform the House how many criminal investigations are currently taking place involving former officials in her department and how many past investigations have resulted in convictions?

[Black History Month, February 5th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, February is Black History Month in Canada. Across our country Canadians of African descent will be celebrating and reflecting upon their rich and diverse heritage.

To mark Black History Month I will be hosting a reception this evening to announce the launch of my private member's bill proclaiming Emancipation Day in Canada.

On August 1, 1834 the British parliament passed an act which abolished slavery throughout the Commonwealth. British and Canadian visionaries led the charge toward equality.

My hope is that Emancipation Day will serve as a time when Canadians young and old can learn from past injustices and continue our process of nation building. During the 19th century Canada offered a ray of hope to the millions who remained in bondage in the United States.

Let me close with a quote from a U.S. slave published in 1851:

O Righteous Father, wilt thou not pity me and aid me on to Canada, where coloured men are free?

[Refugees, December 11th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, last week the auditor general stated that he “deplores the fact that it takes on average more than two and a half years to settle a refugee claim”. Today 38,000 refugees have their lives on hold as they wait to have their claims heard.

The fact of the matter is that the auditor general has been calling for an overhaul of the minister's department for the last 10 years. Now another promise has been made.

Will the minister commit today to the urgent implementation of the auditor general's recommendation?