Mining Exploration And Development  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to respond to the question raised by the hon. member for The Battlefords-Meadow Lake on September 27 regarding the 1994-95 report of the Indian Claims Commission and its first recommendation which called for the establishment of a new, independent land claims policy and process.

British Columbia Treaty Commission  This has improved the members' capacity to consult with and to represent their organizations more effectively. The provincial minister of aboriginal affairs, the hon. John Cashore, attends most of TNAC meetings and the federal minister has met with TNAC on four occasions including most meetings held so far in 1995. The member of Parliament for Vancouver East has agreed to be the personal representative of the Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development to TNAC.

Main Estimates, 1996-97  Mr. Speaker, I will start by congratulating the minister on his appointment as President of the Treasury Board. I also congratulate the department on the six pilot projects on the reformatting of the part IIIs so that parliamentarians can more fully enjoy and appreciate what is going on in the departments.

Air-India Disaster  I ask again, is this because the port of Belledune does not need the harbour pilots and the port of Saint John does? For example, in February we learned of a decision by public works to borrow $12 million to build a new office complex in the riding of the Indian affairs minister, even though the office building vacancy rate is 18.2 per cent in Sault Ste.

Canada Marine Act  Mr. Speaker, we have on the west coast a lot of community problems originating from the designation of ports and port facilities and we have some ongoing discussions and negotiations at the local level in terms of how they are going to manage their affairs given the devolution of the wharfs and facilities which have been known throughout the last few decades as the federal dock and so on.

Yukon First Nations Self-Government Act  Mr. Speaker, I really do not have a long prepared text for my speech this morning. This long and detailed bill on the First Nations self-government act which has been introduced by the government deserves a great deal of consideration. It is a lengthy bill and has major ramifications when it deals with the granting of self-government to large parts of our country by creating a new level, a new idea, a new vision of government by certain classes of people.

Aboriginal Affairs  I will withdraw, Mr. Speaker.

Aboriginal Affairs  Mr. Speaker, he said it. I will withdraw it.

Bill C-234  Canadians, in due course, will have the opportunity to pass judgment on the record of the government with respect to criminal law reform. Over the last three years and many years before that, Canadians have expressed in clear and unequivocal terms their desire for a balanced and just justice system.

Indian Affairs  Mr. Speaker, when I was much younger I was very influenced by, as a matter of fact, a Tory. I hate to say this, but it is true. Former Prime Minister John Diefenbaker came to Sault Ste. Marie and said that he loved this House and because it was partisan it did not mean that we could not walk away friends.

Supply  That this House call on the government to demonstrate its commitment to accountability and to the efficient and effective use of public funds by reporting to the House, no later than the first week of June each year, what measures have been taken by the government to address unresolved problems identified by the Auditor General in his report such as, but not limited to: (a) that the Minister of National Defence provide Parliament with an accurate and complete costing of government use of aircraft utilized for Ministerial and other VIP travel, and conduct a comprehensive review of the cost effectiveness of the use of government aircraft to transport VIPs; (b) that the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans clarify the legislative authority for the Northern Cod Adjustment and Recovery Program and clarify the criteria for those eligible under the program's terms and conditions; (c) that the Minister for CIDA establish a more accountable and results oriented mode of operation for the bilateral Economic and Social Development Programs; (d) that the Minister of Finance clarify the wording of the legislation relating to resource allowances in the Income Tax Act to ensure that Parliament's intent is met; (e) that the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs address the problems in the Canadian Aboriginal Development Strategy by instituting appropriate performance and evaluation criteria; (f) that the Minister of the Environment address the duplication of regulations between the federal government and the provincial governments regarding pulp and paper industry and that the Minister improve the department's Regulatory Impact Analysis Statements to provide better information to Parliament on proposed regulations; (g) that the Minister of Human Resources Development take measures to better control the administration of payments and the collection of overpayments in the Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security Programs and that the Minister of Health provide complete information to Parliament regarding the Senior Strategy Program; (h) that the Minister of Industry implement the government's established accounting policy in order to more accurately reflect the Department's liabilities.

Budget Implementation Act, 1995  The Medical Research Council, $2 million; Statistics Canada, $5.5 million; the justice department $500,000; Indian and northern affairs, $285 million. That one year's increase is equal to a six-year Crow transition fund. It is just appalling. The Federal Judicial Affairs Commissioner, $1 million; the Tax Court of Canada, $180,000; the Atomic Energy Control Board, $165,000.

Supply  Right. Let us talk about the Minister of Finance. He is the one who is prudent and tight with the dollars. He says he is wrestling the deficit down. There was increase in the Department of Finance of 19.1 per cent from $49 billion to $59 billion, largely because the debt is going up and up.

Supply  moved: That this House support British Columbia as Canada's gateway to the Asia Pacific and recognize British Columbia as a major economic power in the region, and as a consequence, this House condemn the federal government for impeding progress in Western Canada by its mismanagement of the affairs of the nation, exemplified by the government 's mishandling of the west coast fishery, Coast Guard services, the closure of military bases at Aldergrove and Chilliwack, B.C., the elimination of federal Ports Canada policing in B.C., the movement of grain to Prince Rupert, B.C. and other issues detrimental to the state of the nation.

Indian Affairs  Mr. Speaker, it has been reported in the media that members and supporters of the Reform Party have been maligned and labelled racist and haters of Indians by certain members of this House. I find this repulsive and so do more than 2.5 million Canadians across this nation who voted for the Reform Party.