Maurizio Bevilacqua

[Petitions, October 1st, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am pleased to present to the House three petitions which focus on Canada's economy, signed by the residents of York North.

The first petition draws the attention of the House to the government's red book commitment to reduce the deficit to 3 per cent of the GDP. The petitioners call upon Parliament to continue to keep its commitment to Canadians and pursue its deficit action so that the government will reach its revised deficit target of 2 per cent of GDP by 1997-98.

[Petitions, September 27th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am pleased to present to the House two petitions signed by residents of York North.

The subject matter of the two petitions is closely related, as they deal with deficit reduction and job creation, the top two priorities of the government.

The first petition draws the attention of the House to the government's red book commitment to reduce the deficit to 3 per cent of the GDP and the fact that we have surpassed that goal.

The petitioners call on Parliament to continue to keep its commitment to Canadians and pursue its deficit action so that the government will reach its deficit target of 2 per cent of GDP by 1997-98.

Mr. Speaker, the second petition draws to the attention of the House that in the past year alone short term interest rates have declined three percentage points and that for the last two and a half years inflation has averaged less than 2 per cent and that by 1997-98 the federal deficit will have been reduced by $25 billion.

The petitioners further draw to the attention of the House that since this Liberal government took office over 600,000 jobs have been created. The petitioners therefore call on Parliament to work diligently to create a healthy environment for jobs and economic growth.

[Vaughan Interact Club, September 27th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, this summer I was invited to speak at the founding of the Vaughan

Interact Club. At a time in our country's history when youth unemployment is a challenge, organizations such as the Interact Club are essential.

Sponsored by our local Rotary Club and the Vaughan Chamber of Commerce, Interact gives area youths the opportunity to learn valuable leadership and teamwork skills while gaining experience that will serve them well down the road. By focusing on community service and understanding, Interact prepares our youth for the challenges they face entering the world of work.

To the youths who have taken the initiative to join Interact and the business leaders who will volunteer their time, I say to them, congratulations. They have made a wise decision and one which will benefit themselves and the community in which they live.

This type of effective partnership between youth, community associations and area businesses is exactly the kind of alliance that is needed to help our youth take on their future and realize their full potential.

[Supply, September 26th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I listened very carefully to the hon. member from the opposition and I am still trying to figure out exactly what he is talking about. Today he has certainly presented perhaps the weakest case that he has ever presented in the House of Commons.

The auditor general raised important policy questions in an area that Parliament had not really reviewed in over 25 years which related to this issue. The committee as I understand it in turn produced a report and submitted thoughtful recommendations which the government is reviewing carefully.

I want this to be very clear for those Canadians who are watching the House of Commons proceedings. There is no evidence of large scale capital flight that is depriving this government of tax revenue owed to it. Canada already has tough tax rules for people who leave the country and these tax rules are much stricter than the ones in almost every other country including the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany. They certainly are tougher than the ones in Japan.

Does the hon. member think that by repeating the words "family trust" and "scandal" that somehow he is going to score political points? Canadians are intelligent and clearly they will find that what the hon. member is simply advocating is cheap politics.

[Petitions, September 26th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, my final petition draws to the attention of the House that Canadians of all ages view our health care system as a defining element of Canadian society and that user fees do not work. Rather they merely shift the burden to the most vulnerable in our society.

The petitioners therefore call on Parliament to continue to uphold the fundamental principles of the Canada Health Act so that public health care remains accessible, comprehensive, portable, universal and publicly administered.

[Petitions, September 26th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition deals with small businesses, the important role they play in our economy, the challenges they face and what we as the federal government can do to help them succeed.

The petitioners call on Parliament to continue to create a healthy environment for small businesses, to ensure that they have access to the financing they need and to help them explore and capitalize on new opportunities.

[Petitions, September 26th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am pleased to present to this House three petitions signed by the residents of York North which speak to the rights of Canadians.

The first petition is about the Helms-Burton law. The petitioners draw to the attention of the House that the Cuban liberty and democratic solidarity act attempts to impose American domestic policy on other sovereign states and therefore violates international law.

The petitioners further draw to the attention of the House that Canadian interests, rights and businesses must be defended with strength and vigour.

The petitioners therefore call on Parliament to pursue all avenues available to ensure the rights of Canadians are protected.

[Petitions, September 24th, 1996]

The second petition, Madam Speaker, draws to the attention of the House the government's red book commitment to reduce the deficit to 3 per cent of GDP and the fact that we have surpassed that goal.

The petitioners call on Parliament to continue to keep its commitment to Canadians and pursue its deficit action so that the government will reach its deficit target of 2 per cent of GDP by 1997-98.

[Petitions, September 24th, 1996]

Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am pleased to present two petitions signed by the residents of York North.

The first petition concerns job creation. The petitioners draw to the attention of the House that in the past year alone short term interest rates have declined three percentage points, that for the last two and half years inflation has averaged less than 2 per cent, and that by 1997-98 the federal deficit will have been reduced by $25 billion.

The petitioners further draw to the attention of the House that since the Liberal government took office over 600,000 jobs have been created.

The petitioners therefore call on Parliament to continue to work diligently to create a healthy environment for jobs and economic growth.

[National Conference For Youth, September 23rd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, last week more than 125 Canadians from all regions and backgrounds participated in the National Conference for Youth here on Parliament Hill. I am pleased to report that the results are positive.

The conference challenged employers, labour, educators, governments, youth serving organizations and youth themselves to define their roles in the new economy.

The participants went beyond that. They identified what needed to be done and set about accomplishing it. Partnerships were struck, agreements were made and plans were formulated.

The Career Foundation, an employment organization from Ontario, is going to Newfoundland to share ideas and advice on getting governments, business and youth working together to improve prospects for the future. A high tech firm is teaming up with an alternative learning centre to help our country's youth.

I am pleased to announce to the House that the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce has risen to the challenge and has agreed to host the next National Conference for Youth in March 1997.

Much was accomplished in those three days. I would like to thank all participants for their contributions.