Jean Chrétien

[Latin American Summit, December 8th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, on the question of Mexico we have already mentioned many times to the authorities there that we want them to negotiate a settlement with the people of that province. I am informed that the dialogue is going better than it was some months ago. But I will press the issue with the newly elected president if I have the occasion.

As far as Mr. Castro and Cuba not being present are concerned, we would have had no problem seeing him there. It was decided that he was not to be invited and I was not the one inviting people to that summit.

[Mil Davie Shipyard, December 8th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, the Canadian government has funded 8.5 per cent of the total project.

[Mil Davie Shipyard, December 8th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I made a complaint last week. I was in Newfoundland yesterday. The people who had been awarded the first contract lost it for productivity reasons.

I think the company should not have acted in this way. I have said it clearly, but since we own only 8.5 per cent of the company's shares, we cannot force it to change its decision. I

still think it is a bad decision for both the Newfoundland shipyard and the Quebec shipyard.

[Bosnia, December 8th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I said that it is very important for everyone to plan to make sure that if there is a situation, for example the lifting of the embargo, we said we were to go. If there were to be some other disastrous situation we have to have a plan ready to make sure our troops can be evacuated. We have been working on that for many months.

We have been in contact too with NATO and the UN to make sure the plans are ready if evacuation is needed. I hope it will not be needed, but it is very good to do the planning now in case we have the need later.

[Bosnia, December 8th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, first I would like to pay tribute to the soldiers who acted with calm and courage. They know they are involved in an extremely important mission which is to help the poor civilians who are trapped in this terrible situation by providing them with food, medication and so on.

I was at a discussion in Budapest. The situation is very bad. The President of Bosnia was pleading with me to try to keep our troops there because they are considered the best. Canada has no political interest in the area. I said to him that our interest was not political, that our interest was in peace and to help the civilian population.

We have a mandate until the month of February. In January cabinet will review that. I would like to point out that we had debates in this House of Commons. Members of the House were consulted and the great majority were in agreement that we should be there to help the civilian population. We will review the situation in January. Of course not only Canada has troops there. There are others and we have to consult them too.

I have to say again that we are all very proud of the way the Canadian soldiers behaved. I was delighted to hear the President of Bosnia tell me that the Canadians are the best there.

[Pearson Airport, December 8th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, never as a lawyer, did I have any discussions about Toronto Airport with any of these people. Besides, I am the one who proposed cancelling this project. Not only is there no conflict of interest, but I am the one who axed the whole thing.

[Pearson Airport, December 8th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, there is no issue on that group.

[Quebec, December 8th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I do not want to debate what is in this project of law. We can have a long debate on that. The question is a very simple one.

They should have the honesty to ask the Quebec people first: "Do you want to separate, yes or no?". To play games like that will lead nowhere. It is just a sign that they are afraid to be honest with the people and ask a very simple question: "Do you want to separate from Canada, yes or no?".

[Quebec, December 8th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, it is not a big problem. It is evident that the people and the Government of Canada will decide. For example, the PQ wants to keep the Canadian currency. Monetary policies will be decided by this Parliament and it will have absolutely no voice. Nobody will be able to get up here and ask the Minister of Finance what is right or wrong with the monetary policies of Canada.

Of course certain countries have used the currency of other countries. Not long ago I discussed that with some French African countries that depend on the franc. When Paris decided to lower the value of the franc used in Africa, it had nothing to say, it just paid the price.

[Quebec, December 8th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition has not listened to me a lot over the years. I have always said that they cannot impose a situation unilaterally. Citizenship of Canada will be determined by the Parliament of Canada not by the Parliament of Quebec.

Mr. Parizeau's proposition is funny. He wants to keep all the good things that Canada has provided for Quebec. Quebec should stay in Canada. That is my answer. I am from Quebec and whenever I travel around Canada I am comfortable in every part of the country.