House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2000, with 54% of the vote.
Voter's Rights January 28th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform the hon. member that this idea was tried once in 1936 by the Aberhart government in Alberta. One of the members of that government was the father of the leader of his party. A year later there was a petition to recall Mr. Aberhart himself. A law was then passed by the Aberhart government-Mr. Manning Sr. was a member of that government-to abolish the law retroactively so-
Auditor General's Report January 26th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, of course we have given very strict instructions not to abuse the utilization of these planes. But they are there for the service of ministers and the government.
That was the case for me for example. I needed a little holiday and wanted to travel on a commercial flight. I was told that for security reasons I had to take a government plane. The headlines in Le Nouvelliste were that I had spent half a million dollars to go on holiday. That is very unfair because it is not true. If the plane had been in Ottawa it would have cost exactly the same amount of money.
We have to tell the truth to the Canadian people. When you extrapolate like what has been done with the Auditor General's report you come to that crazy type of opinion that for example the cost to go to Vancouver is half a million dollars and you can do it with a rented plane for $20,000. Something is not working there.
The hon. member rather than use that type of extravagant figure should be more realistic and look at the real cost of travelling.
Auditor General's Report January 26th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, that was the cost of the trip.
However, I think we have to clarify something to be just toward everybody. These planes have been there for a long time. We are trying to spread the capital costs on every trip. The cost was to go there and come back. When the plane is in the hangar not being used the capital cost is there anyway.
It is just as if somebody were to get up in this House today and say that the value of this building is more than a billion dollars and that we have to spread the capital cost among every member of Parliament. If that were the case, for the hon. member who just got up in this House, it is costing us $3 million.
Indian Affairs January 26th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I do not think that there is a mood at this time to hold constitutional conferences on any subject whatsoever. I think that it would be very prudent to have a system of Indian self-government; after several years, we would know exactly how it operates and that it is working well. If we had to entrench it in the Constitution at that time, we could do so.
It may be more prudent to act that way than to amend the Constitution without knowing exactly all the long-term consequences.
Indian Affairs January 26th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, what I said in the House last week was that we can do it without amending the Constitution. It is evident that Mr. Sirros has come to the same conclusion.
It is a recommendation that was made by the commission of inquiry on native rights chaired by two people, a judge from Quebec and Mr. Erasmus, who said that we could achieve the same goals without changing the Canadian Constitution.
Infrastructure Program January 26th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, the answer is n-o, no.
Infrastructure Program January 26th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, the decisions are made by the minister responsible, the President of the Treasury Board. He is receiving representations; he is listening to ministers; he is listening to members of Parliament. But he makes the final decision.
He receives representations from everybody, but he is the one responsible because I am the Prime Minister and asked him to do it.
Infrastructure Program January 26th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, the memo was received. I read it and the problem was resolved.
Cigarette Smuggling January 26th, 1994
It is not up to me to tell the RCMP what its job is. This police force has earned an international reputation and when it has compiled valid evidence, it takes quick action, as it must. I do not think the Solicitor General needs to tell RCMP officers how to do their job. They already know how to do it.
Cigarette Smuggling January 26th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, everyone agrees that it would be much more effective if all governments would co-operate.
We are presently holding discussions with several provincial governments. The Minister of Finance broached the subject last Friday at a meeting of finance ministers and we will try to find a solution that will please everyone. When we are ready, we will take action. I am very pleased to hear that the Premier of Quebec said he would act as soon as he got back. The federal government is examining its options and as I said, we want to act in this matter in concert with the provincial governments.
Mr. Johnson and I have discussed this subject several times, even at a federal-provincial meeting prior to his becoming premier. We talked about ways of solving this problem quickly and permanently. It is better to act cautiously and methodically than to rush in and make a rash decision.