Supply  We might have wondered what was happening at the beginning, but now we know, because it is in black and white in Bill C-76. The bill lets us know very clearly what it is all about. It is about a centralizing assault, the likes of which we have not seen since the shameful patriation of 1982.

Borrowing Authority Act, 1995-96  The plan proposed to lower the deficit to zero in three years. The numbers are all there in black and white. It is a wise and reasonable target and a pragmatic plan. However, the minister simply did not have the courage. People expect governments to do the right thing. They expect governments to keep spending under control.

Grain Export Protection Act  The senior grain transportation committee voted on October 14, 1994 to support a system of final offer arbitration. It is down in black and white from members of this government. The most effective way I can present the importance of stopping these disruptions in the future comes from farmers. My father lived through these disruptions in his farming career and each time I saw the stress and the pain.

Borrowing Authority Act, 1995-96  The problem with national standards-and again the opposition is trying to doctor the truth-is that, in the past, the standards were set unilaterally by the federal government. Now what we are saying, and it is in black and white in the budget, is that we are inviting all of the provinces to work together to set national standards jointly and in a spirit of co-operation. This is the new Canadian federalism, flexible federalism, co-operative federalism.

Committees Of The House  One of the problems with members of the party opposite, and I will say this quite clearly, is they never realize that things are not black and white. There are greys out there. You can compromise. You can find a balance.

Immigration Act  I am more upset though with how undemocratic the entire committee process has become. In black and white, the Liberals promised to give the Commons committees more leeway as well as the power to be more than just lap-dogs of the ministers. Committees are supposed to be the eyes and ears of the House, ensuring that average Canadians are heard on important issues.

Gasoline  The Liberal chair of the gas pricing committee, however, pegs the increase at a whopping 15 cents per litre. That is not even close. The sulphur tax is a carbon tax by any other name. When the Prime Minister assured Canadians last year that there would be no carbon tax, his backbenchers believed him. Canadians wanted to believe him. They have all been deceived again.

The Environment  If the government has ruled out a carbon tax, as the Prime Minister has said, if it has ruled out a fuel tax, what other taxes does it have in mind? The federal government has a moral and fiscal obligation to come clean on the subject with the public, and it has singularly failed to do so.

Auditor General's Report  The Reform Party opposes tinkering with social reform, not real reform. The Auditor General says in black and white what Reformers have maintained for years, that increased costs in social services since 1975 have made them, and I use his words, "financially unsustainable from tax revenues". This is a broader question than just the minister's department.

Citizenship Act  I must emphasize that these very recommendations were both endorsed by all members of the committee, Liberals, Reformers and members of the Bloc Quebecois, and are here in black and white in Bill C-249. Clearly the member for Port Moody-Coquitlam in drafting this bill has reflected the concerns held by Canadians as well as the thoughts and intents of the standing committee.

Canadian Environmental Assessment Act  I know that is probably the best solution when we run into problems rather than ending up with a black and white issue where the parties are win-lose. Both parties can win in mediation. I commend the government for coming up with mediation. Let us hope it works. I want to speak for a few minutes about my concern of where the environment is going.

Canadian Environmental Assessment Act  It was really a nightmare when you are trying to develop projects in the $20 million range, trying to deal with federal and provincial fisheries and every other bureaucrat who can get involved in these things. They tend to just look at the words that are written down in black and white and overlook the fact that there are some very good projects out there. They tend to be, I think, overly protective and in some cases overly pushy. Rather than just push one way, the environment is a two-way street.

Canadian Environmental Assessment Act  This means that as a government we are willing to be fair, to open up the process, to simplify the process, to listen to concerns and ultimately to take a full cabinet decision. Once again we have built it into the law in black and white. We are not only talking about our belief in the principle of one project one assessment. This is not only about the right of people from Chicoutimi, the Abitibi region, Quebec City or Montreal to have their say on environmental assessments.

Supply  The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance stands there and says: "Well, what are your ideas? You are trying to smoke us out". They are going to get our ideas in black and white but they are going to get them after they finally put theirs on paper, finally. What we have here are the Liberals in a new olympic Liberal sport: low hurdles. You set the hurdle low enough and you can crawl over it, which is about what they are doing.

Social Security Programs  And a little further: "And existing expenditures must be brought under control and in some instances reduced". There it is in black and white. We all heard the budget speech, in which this minister's colleague, the Minister of Finance, announced a $2.4 billion reduction in social expenditures, in particular unemployment insurance expenditures.