Jean Chrétien

[Job Creation, September 16th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I have nothing to add to what I have already said. The Bloc Quebecois has been making these statements for ages, and there is no basis for them, because in a country like ours, bids and tenders are nationwide. The bids are made and then someone gets the contract.

In some sectors, sometimes we find when we go to other parts of Canada that people are complaining that we are doing too much in Quebec. Sometimes Quebec complains that we are doing too much in the Prairies. In a federation, that is always how things are.

I must say, however, that if the Leader of the Opposition were to call his head office in Quebec, he would find that if there were no more political insecurity in the country, there would be a great many jobs created in Quebec, as there have been in the rest of Canada.

[Job Creation, September 16th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to start off with a correction to what the Leader of the Opposition has said, since when we refer to the 669,000 new jobs created in Canada since this government has been in existence, we mean those jobs in excess of the level of employment existing at the time of the election. In the economy, jobs are always being lost, while others are being created, but the net increase was 669,000 new jobs created since this government has been in existence.

As for the redistribution of all government purchasing, we have an open policy and, while in some fields there may be more in one province than in another, generally everything operates by calling for bids from suppliers. The one offering the best product at the best price gets the order. I believe this is the system that has been in operation in Canada for a very long time, and I doubt the accuracy of the figures the hon. member has given.

[Job Creation, September 16th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, obviously the government would like to have seen the Canadian economy create more jobs over the last three years. I would like to point out to the Leader of the Opposition that the Canadian economy has, since November 1993, created more than 667,000 new jobs, more than Germany, France and Great Britain combined.

We have put such programs as the infrastructure program in place, and this June we made an offer to the provinces to continue it next year. The first ministers, after examining the program over the summer, have accepted. We have already begun negotiations to extend the program to 1997, perhaps beyond.

We have also implemented job creation programs for youth, and a number of other measures. Most important of all, however, we have created the necessary climate to allow such things as a 3 per cent reduction in the interest rate. As a result, there has been an upswing in construction in recent months. People wishing to own a home are now paying far less interest on their mortgages.

[Social Programs, June 19th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the national securities measure, as proposed by the Minister of Finance, is voluntary, and the provinces that wish to participate can participate, and those that do not, will not. I think this is a good way to ensure that we eliminate duplication, but those who like duplication can keep it.

[Social Programs, June 19th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, we will be examining with the provinces a report presented by the provincial governments to the federal government. We think it is possible to improve the state of social programs and to ensure that they are available to all Canadians in the years to come.

I think it is incumbent on all governments to speak to one another in order to ensure that the social safety net is there for the poorest members of our society today, tomorrow and for many years to come in Canada.

[Job Creation, June 19th, 1996]

The fourth party, yes, that is so. It is very confusing these days. The fourth party, I mean.

I remember that the sixties were not that bad. I was a member of Parliament and the premier of Alberta was Mr. Manning. In those days Albertans were bragging about what a good government we had in Alberta and in Canada.

We can do things the right way when we are making sure that we can reduce the deficit but at the same time we can improve the infrastructure of the country which will be an improvement for generations to come. I think that is good economic policy and it is why the people of Canada prefer our policies to their voodoo policies.

[Job Creation, June 19th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to tell the leader of the third party that-

[Job Creation, June 19th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, a few weeks ago I was in the beautiful city of Calgary. The mayor of Calgary and the mayors of all the cities of Canada were congratulating this government for the initiative two years ago to have a good infrastructure program. In doing that a lot of things have been repaired, restored and ameliorated in Calgary and in all the cities of Canada.

The mayors would like us to be there. We will discuss that with the premiers later this week. It has been a great success. We have managed to reduce the deficit and we have managed to reduce interest rates. With the good management of the financial affairs of the nation, the Canadian economy has managed to create 600,000 jobs since the day we became the government.

I think that is why the people in Hamilton two days ago made sure that the Reform Party and its policies finished fourth.

[Job Creation, June 19th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I have a problem. I do not know who is on the side of voodoo in that party.

[Job Creation, June 19th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, at this time the priority is to eliminate the deficit both at provincial and federal levels.

I would like to read to the leader of the third party what was said by the member for Capilano-Howe Sound who argued recently at the Reform convention in Vancouver that there should not be tax cuts until the deficit is eliminated. At the same meeting the member for Calgary Centre said that a proposal for cutting taxes at this time was "voodoo economics".