Ralph Goodale

[Sponsorship Program, February 11th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I am glad to hear, I think for the first time, that the opposition is determined to see the Gomery process a success. The government shares that point of view.

We want Gomery to do a thorough, competent job, so this whole situation can be thoroughly investigated and reported upon. We have every confidence that Judge Gomery is doing exactly that.

[Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act, February 7th, 2005]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-39, an act to amend the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act and to enact an act respecting the provision of funding for diagnostic and medical equipment.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Health Care, February 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table, in both official languages, three documents from the September 13 to 15, 2004 first ministers meeting on the future of health care entitled “A 10-Year Plan to Strengthen Health Care”; “Asymmetrical Federalism that Respects Quebec's Jurisdiction”; and “Improving Aboriginal Health: First Ministers' and Aboriginal Leaders' Meeting.

[Equalization Program, February 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party's newly found interest in equalization is really chokingly unbelievable. That was the party not many years ago that proposed the abolition of the entire equalization program. It did not care then. Now it has a sudden new-found interest in the subject.

Saskatchewan's biggest problem is not equalization. For the last 15 years, Saskatchewan has been carrying the burden of debt imposed upon it by Grant Devine's Conservative government. That is what drove Saskatchewan into the ground. That is the burden of which we are trying to get rid. That party has more gall than a brass monkey.

[Child Poverty, February 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the government takes great pride in the fact of having created the child tax benefit. It is a program that is becoming one of the top social programs in this country. It is on its way to a value in excess of $10 billion per year. We will continue at every opportunity to seek its enrichment.

[Taxation, February 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I will do my very best to respect the principles of gender equity in the preparation of this budget and indeed every budget going forward. I am very pleased that the government has taken the lead on issues like the child tax benefit for example, the commitment toward child care, and a range of other initiatives that demonstrate that we take gender issues very seriously.

[Taxation, February 7th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, with the greatest of respect, the government has worked very hard on issues related to gender equity. For example, when we have analyzed policy proposals coming forward for the budget that I am now in the process of putting together, I have asked my officials to give me an analysis with that material in each case to demonstrate that gender factors have been taken into account. It is very important that we establish that kind of principle in government decision making.

[Finance, February 3rd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to announce that I will present the 2005 budget for the Government of Canada in the House of Commons on Wednesday, February 23 at 4:00 p.m.

[International Aid, February 3rd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to say that it was not just Bono, but it was also Chancellor Gordon Brown of the United Kingdom, Oxfam Canada, and many others. They were reacting to Canada's proposal to eliminate 100% of the debt charges on amounts owed by poor countries to the major international financial institutions.

Canada's Prime Minister has indeed been long regarded as a world leader on debt relief for the poor, shifting money from debt to health and education. This most recent Canadian initiative maintains that leadership as we all go into the G-7 meetings this weekend.

[Natural Resources, February 3rd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to say that we made great progress last year in dealing with the concerns of Saskatchewan, with $120 million to deal with previous errors in the equalization system, $590 million with the new floor price system that I mentioned just a moment ago, plus an expert panel to shape the rules on equalization for the future, but the really good news for Saskatchewan is that this province has now graduated from the equalization system. It is in the category of the have provinces, not the have not provinces, within Confederation. It has a debt at 25%, not 65%. It has low unemployment and--