Peter Stoffer

[Petitions, March 18th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I would like to present three petitions with regard to the MAI which the Government of Canada is currently negotiating. It is an international trade agreement of the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris called the multilateral agreement on investment.

The petitioners note that the MAI is the latest in a series of regional and global agreements which, in the name of liberalization, trade and investment, expands the powers of multinational corporations at the expense of the powers of government to intervene in the marketplace on behalf of our social, cultural, environmental and health care goals; that the MAI is fundamentally flawed in so far as it seeks to protect the rights of investors without seeking similar protection for workers through binding core labour standards; and that the MAI is anti-democratic in so far as it would be binding for 20 years, thus tying the hands of several parliaments and future governments.

Therefore, we petition Parliament to reject the current framework of the MAI negotiations and instruct the government to seek—

[Fisheries And Oceans, March 18th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian waters are protected from potential environmental disasters by the oil spill response program.

Canadians will be shocked to learn that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans may ignore the report of a panel of inquiry known as the Gold report and impose unfair oil spill response fee structures which will benefit the big oil companies at the expense of small independent competitors.

The investigation panel was highly critical of the proposed system, saying that the fee schedule would be unfair to those independents. DFO then squandered several hundred thousand dollars of taxpayers' money to dispute the recommendations of the panel.

The viability of the small independent competitors will be further jeopardized by the possible imposition of the fees being made retroactive to the fall of 1995.

If the minister allows retroactive payments to the major oil companies this could cause the death of independent gas stations across the country, thereby increasing gasoline prices for all Canadian consumers.

To protect our waters and coastlines and to hold the line on gasoline prices, Canadians and the NDP call on the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans to implement the recommendations of the Gold Report.

[Supply, March 17th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

I wish to point out to my hon. colleague from Chambly that there are three founding peoples of this nation: Aboriginal, French and English.

[Fisheries, March 13th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, that is the reason why B.C. coast fish stocks are in such severe depletion. All we ever get from this minister are vague answers.

Only one day after the DFO announced a crisis in the B.C. coho stocks, with some of these species facing extinction, the government gave the axe to the program. Where is this government's commitment to protect fish habitat and support displaced fishers in the B.C. coastal communities who have been devastated by DFO mismanagement of the fishery?

[Fisheries, March 13th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, my question is to the same minister.

In October 1997 the coastal community network of B.C. received from the DFO $115,000 to address the serious concerns of fish stock conservations.

When coho stocks are in such serious crisis on the B.C. coast, why did his department advise HRDC to cancel the funding for the habitat mapping program and put 45 displaced fishers out of work?

[Small Business Loans Act, March 13th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased today to take part in the debate of Bill C-21 on behalf of our critic for the area, the member for Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, who unfortunately cannot be with us today.

Our party intends to support Bill C-21 and co-operate in its speedy passage through the House in order to allow the continuation of the small business loan program which is currently set to expire on March 31, 1998.

The purpose of the program is to increase the availability of loans for establishing new spending, modernizing and improving small business enterprises. This is an objective that we share in the New Democratic Party. Small businesses are a growing and vital part of our Canadian owned economy, creating the lion's share of new jobs in the new economy. This comes right from the auditor general.

I want to mention a few things regarding the amendment put forth by the member for Saskatoon—Humboldt. If the SBLA does not continue past March 31, there is a possibility that 1,200 Saskatchewan small businesses receiving a small business loan will be left without SBLA financing after April 1.

I am wondering if the hon. gentleman would like to tell the small businesses in his riding, many of which probably fall under this category, what he plans to do for them after April 1.

I would also like to relate a little to my own province of Nova Scotia where a growing sector there is small business. Unfortunately small businesses cannot go to the banks because the banks are very tight fisted with the money when it comes to small business loans.

That is most unfortunate because these people are encouraged. They are told to upgrade their training, do this and do that, then they can run their own business and become profitable. They find it very difficult to get access to finances to create their businesses.

The Reform Party is finally showing its true colours as the mouth piece for big business. It supports the monster merger of the Royal Bank and the Bank of Montreal and they want to hand over our financial sector to foreign banks.

I cannot see where that is going to help any small businesses in this country in the long run. A business cannot be started with this ideology. Anyone can put food on the table, but it cannot be done with just good will. We need small businesses and they need access to financing. I find it unacceptable that the Reform Party would try to delay, in any way, this very important bill.

On behalf of all small businesses in this country, especially those in Atlantic Canada, we encourage all parties of the House to support the bill and its speedy passage.

[National Defence, March 12th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Defence.

With the devastating effects ASD has on the people of Goose Bay, Labrador, is this the example that the defence department plans to send to bases such as Wainwright, Sheffield, Shilo, Borden, Montreal and Gagetown?

[Immigration, March 9th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House of Commons as a proud Dutch-born immigrant who along with my father, mother and five brothers and sisters, immigrated to Canada in September 1956.

I cannot remain silent and allow this government to even consider in any way, shape or form the current recommendations of the minister's advisory group. Nor will I and my fellow New Democrats across this great country allow the racists and fanatical right wing to implement their own views on current policy.

My family came to Canada with very little English or French skills or very little finances. Within a very short time my oldest brother, Arnold, and my oldest sister, Roely, got employment to support the family.

My mother and father ran a group home for over 25 years to look after foster children, their way of thanking Canada for allowing their doors to be open for us.

I encourage all members of this House to denounce the recommendations of the minister's committee and to stand up and be proud to live in a country as compassionate and caring as Canada.

[The Budget, February 25th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the backbench Liberals who wish to applaud this northern Ontario style budget.

The member mentioned there is something fishy about this budget. We have a major crisis in this country on all three coasts, the west, the north and the east coasts. There was not one single word, not even one attention for the people who are facing a major crisis in their lives. We are talking about hundreds of thousands of people in hundreds of communities on all coasts in the fisheries. There was not one single word in there about the crisis in the fisheries.

My question for the government of the day is why was that omitted from this budget.

[Fisheries, February 24th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans has stated to our committee that there is no 12-mile protection zone around Langara Island on B.C.'s west coast from commercial trawlers. However, DFO documents clearly state otherwise.

He has also stated that one should never give allocation of quota from one sector of the fishing industry to another. This is exactly what has happened when DFO cut off chinook salmon to the B.C. fisheries and gave it to the sport fishing institute. Miss Velma McColl, who worked for that sport fishing institute, is now the minister's assistant in B.C.

Why does this government allow DFO to have a policy which helps the minister's friends in B.C.—