Jean Chrétien

[Employment, March 14th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, that was debated in the budget debates over the last few weeks. We explained our plans, including the infrastructure program and the youth program. We want to make sure by changing the nature of our social programs there is more money available for creating jobs.

When meeting with others they discuss our approach and we discuss their approach. That is the reason we meet with them. We try to have good exchanges with the people involved and thus have as much stability as possible in the western world. Everyone agrees it is better when people talk than when they do not.

It was a good initiative by the President of the United States to invite all the ministers involved with labour and employment to get together.

[Employment, March 14th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, our ministers will talk about what we are trying to do here in Canada at this time, and I imagine that the other ministers will explain what they are trying to do in their own countries. Unacceptable unemployment levels are now a problem throughout the Western world. That is why President Clinton convened this summit, so that the ministers responsible in this area can meet and exchange ideas. And if this summit produces new ideas that can apply to the Canadian situation, I am sure that our ministers will be happy to take note and report to Parliament.

[Employment, March 14th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I do not think that the Minister of Finance will present in Detroit a proposal on Canadian taxation. I think that the ministers who are there today want to look with their colleagues at solutions that could be applied in the Western world and that many ideas will be debated, but in Detroit, the Minister of Finance will not be making any proposals concerning Canadian taxpayers. All that must be done in the usual way, as we did a few weeks ago when the budget was tabled.

[Military Colleges, March 11th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I think we have tonnes of reports on that.

In the United States there are two million soldiers in the armed forces and there are three colleges. In Canada we have 65,000 people in the armed forces. We cannot keep three colleges. For a party that is always complaining that we are spending too much, that we took the political flack to do the right thing, rather than giving us a problem with that the member should get up and applaud our good judgment to reduce expenditures.

[Military Colleges, March 11th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the answer is yes.

[Fight Against Poverty, March 11th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I invite the member of the opposition to participate in the work the Minister of Human Resources Development is doing at this time. There is a committee meeting on that right now. He has met with his provincial colleagues.

Everybody agrees that the status quo proposed by the Bloc Quebecois is not what is needed. We need a new approach where there will be dignity through work, not through welfare and unemployment insurance payments.

We want all parties of this House to make sure that the resources of the Canadian taxpayers are used for creating jobs and giving dignity back to the workers, not having them sit home waiting for welfare and unemployment insurance benefits.

[Fight Against Poverty, March 11th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I just answered the question. We have embarked on a fundamental reform of our approach to employment and social security, and that is the mandate I gave the Minister of Human Resources Development. The committee that is considering these issues is to report to the House very shortly.

We hope to table legislation before Parliament by next fall and next spring. I would urge opposition members to take part in this process. The sooner we finish, the sooner we will have reforms that will change things, because we are not satisfied with the status quo.

[Fight Against Poverty, March 11th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, the government realizes it is very important to create jobs in order to restore the dignity of Canadians.

Clearly, the current system has not managed to eliminate poverty. We want to eliminate it by trying new policies, a new approach that will create jobs and restore the dignity of Canadians. A committee of the House of Commons is examining these issues at the moment. The Minister of Human Resources Development is working on a plan to take all our social programs and focus them on job creation. As soon as people have jobs, their dignity is restored and they can get out of the poverty cycle.

That is the approach the government has decided to take, and we will keep on trying until we succeed. I hope we can count on the co-operation of the opposition parties for this new approach, because unemployment insurance and welfare are not the answer. The answer is dignity through work.

[Members Of Parliament, March 10th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, we have discussed this many times.

Members' salaries are frozen at this time. A commission has been established by the Parliament of Canada to look at this problem neutrally. It will do its work and report to the House of Commons.

I can understand that this member feels that he is paid too much and I agree with him.

[Members Of Parliament, March 10th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, this report was asked for by the previous government. The salaries of MPs are frozen, the same as for everybody else in the public service.

However, we received this report. It has been referred to a commission that is always there. After every election it reviews problems of compensation for members of Parliament.

At this moment we said very clearly in the budget that salaries for members of Parliament are frozen.