Jean Chrétien

[The Budget, February 28th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, in the budget tabled yesterday, we decided to give provinces much more flexibility in the administration of their programs and we are trying to improve the situation for everybody. It will be easier for provinces to establish their programs themselves, provided they respect the aspirations of all Canadians, that is that there be minimum programs for all Canadians so that the dignity of persons will be respected across Canada. I think this budget reflects the willingness and capacity of this government to propose changes.

[Trade, February 27th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I was asked by many members on this side to raise that question with the President of the United States. I mentioned it to him and made it very clear that in our view there was no problem at all. It is an area where there is a perfect balance of trade. There is no surplus on either side. Therefore, we do not understand why the United States would like to undo what is working very well at this moment.

[Pensions Of Members, February 27th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I think members of Parliament who were elected previously have acquired some rights. There is a rule in democracy that we do not pass retroactive legislation. When people have acquired some rights we respect the rights that have been acquired.

I know that members of the Reform Party are desperate. Since they have no policy except the same rhetoric all the time, they now choose to go for the cheap shot. You know the people who have no generosity, but the Canadian people understand that we have good members of Parliament who work very hard, are underpaid and deserve every penny we are paying for them as taxpayers of Canada.

[Pensions Of Members, February 27th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, everybody knows in Canada that to be a member of Parliament is a very unusual occupation. We do not come to Parliament to be here for 50 years. That is very rare. There are only two of us who have been here pretty long: the Solicitor General and myself. The average stay in the House is less than six years. That is a reality people understand.

We have said to the Canadian people very clearly in the red book what we were to do. We went even further than that and we campaigned on that.

I understand members of the Reform Party tried to present a budget last week and it was a complete flop because they were not competent enough to prepare a competent budget. Being so incompetent they know their value is not very good and they do not want to be overcompensated.

[Pensions Of Members, February 27th, 1995]

When a member of Parliament is making less money than the worst hockey player in the NHL, half of what a hockey player makes, I think I understand the problem of Reform Party members. They know they are not very good and they know they will not benefit from the plan because they will be defeated in the next election.

[Pensions Of Members, February 27th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I can understand that members of the Reform Party are taking aim at the cheapest thing they can find. Members of Parliament are terribly underpaid in this nation. At this time they are trying to undermine the institution.

[Peacekeepers In Former Yugoslavia, February 27th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, there will be a decision made about the continuation of the presence of our troops in Bosnia and Croatia. We have to

make a decision this month and we will make it known to the House of Commons very soon.

We are of the view that it would be an error for the Croats to ask for the withdrawl of UN troops to get out of that situation but they have explained to us that they are afraid the presence of UN soldiers will create a de facto division of Croatia. They are afraid it might be another Cyprus. That seems to be their political reason to move. The danger is that if troops are out of Croatia by the end of the month there will be a direct confrontation with the Serbs which we think will cause a lot of deaths.

[Peacekeepers In Former Yugoslavia, February 27th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, that is the option Canada has chosen, and we said so two weeks ago when a delegation of parliamentarians from Croatia came to Canada. I had the pleasure of meeting them, and I told them clearly I thought it was a mistake to ask the troops to withdraw at this point, because the risk of war was imminent once UN soldiers had left.

[Peacekeepers In Former Yugoslavia, February 27th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes, we did discuss this problem, because I think NATO has an obligation to ensure that troops now on duty as peacekeepers in Croatia and Bosnia are able to return safe and sound. The Americans have already made a commitment to ensure secure withdrawal, and we hope they will, if Croatia asks UNPROFOR troops to withdraw from Croatian territory and such measures are necessary.

[Regional Development, February 22nd, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, throughout Quebec, people are very pleased to note the presence of federal agencies that are there to help them.