Citizenship and Immigration committee  In the meantime, the government states, on the CIC website and elsewhere, that the current system is fair and generous. Our experience indicates otherwise. Thank you for listening to me and giving me the opportunity to speak to you about these issues.

Official Languages Act  We all know that. However, it is not a law. Canada's refugee determination system is a fair and generous one that follows clearly defined processes. The government is committed to ensuring that our refugee determination system reflects the values of Canadians and that it has their confidence.

Citizenship and Immigration  Speaker, I think the hon. member is well aware of the fact that we continue to have a very fair and generous system. It is quite effective, and there are lots of avenues of recourse for anyone who disapproves of the decisions that a refugee board makes.

Citizenship and Immigration  Mr. Speaker, how is this for fair and generous? Some recent American refugee claimants include drug traffickers, people fleeing from multiple crimes, army deserters, and even a wanted Hell's Angel. While waiting for a hearing these so-called refugees stay in Canada and receive medical benefits and financial assistance, handing Canadians a bill for millions of dollars.

Immigration  However, I can assure the House that Canada's refugee determination system is a very fair and generous system and that anyone who applies has full access. Upon completion we expect the individuals to return to their homes.

The Budget  There has been no effort in recent years to establish ways to redistribute the wealth in a more adequate, fair or generous way. The opposite is true, in fact: the rich got richer and the poor got poorer. We know that in the big cities, the phenomenon of poverty is even more visible. What is the first variable that affects poverty?

Immigration And Refugee Protection Act  We are going to be able to remove those who are inadmissible persons in a more timely way. Canadians are a fair and generous people but we will not be taken advantage of. We will honour our time honoured humanitarian traditions but we want to see our laws respected and people treated fairly.

Division No. 1263  As safety net programs are cost shared with provincial governments, any new programs must also meet their key principle, which is that safety net programs are equitable, fair and generally available, and that these programs do not put producers at risk for trade actions or countervail threats. All of the programs which have been submitted, including those based on the former GRIP program, will be measured against this criteria.

Supply  They might prove members wrong because the Nisga'a have leadership that can do it. The Nisga'a can be fair, judicious, generous, sharing and giving like they have been. Many millionaires were created off their territory. Very few of them—

Hepatitis C  It has created problems. I have always figured, and I think most of us have, that Canada is a very fair and generous country. When we are leaving victims outside a package designed to compensate them there is something dreadfully wrong. I want to go through some of the numbers just to point out how generous Canadians are.

Division No. 358  I am extremely pleased to report to the House this evening that as of just a few hours ago and with much effort on the part of the government and union negotiators, we have reached a tentative agreement for striking blue collar workers. I think this agreement in principle is fair and generous. I have always said that negotiation was our preferred solution, and I have the proof in my hand. Our determination to act in the interests of taxpayers, while respecting the interests of our employees, has borne fruit.

Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act  Speaker, I listened with interest to what the member had to say and I agree with him that Canadians are fair and generous people who really do not mind helping out their neighbour. However there is a feeling among many that Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia seem to be left holding the bag with this equalization business.

Supply  If he were one who contracted hepatitis C in Canada and watched all the other hepatitis C victims get fair and generous compensation, in other jurisdictions in the world as well, would he still believe in view of that comparison that Canada was the number one country in the world, the best nation in which to live?

Canada Pension Plan Investment Board Act  The proposed changes are moderate and they will be shared among all groups and be fair across generations so that no one is unduly burdened. Moreover, current retirees who are not able to adjust their retirement plans will not have their current benefits affected by the changes.

Income Tax Act  When I see that CN makes profits, pays its president a salary of $350,000 per year and grants him an interest-free loan of $400,000 to buy a house in Westmount, while at the same time acting in an inhuman if not barbaric fashion in the rail dispute, I wonder about this government's intentions and its election commitments regarding equity, social justice, the respect of rights, as well as fairness in general. Something is wrong somewhere. Incidentally, CN did not pay taxes either. There is a problem with taxation and these few measures-although we feel some are valid-are so minor given the scope of the flaws in the Canadian tax system, which has not been reviewed in 35 years, that we simply cannot support and praise the government for such minor initiatives.