Canadian Forces Bases  Mr. Speaker, I would like to put forward a recommendation that will contribute to a more open and improved process of reviewing and determining the future of Canadian forces bases in Canada. My proposal calls for the establishment of an ad hoc caucus of MPs representing ridings in which CFBs are located for the purpose of determining the future of these bases, whether they be downsized, restructured or closed.

Railways  Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to speak in support of one of our great traditional enterprises, our national railway system. When we are considering the role of rail in any infrastructure decisions, a real possibility in my riding of Mission-Coquitlam, we must be aware of these facts: A core rail network compliments the highway system as rail serves as the prime mover of bulk resources and exports, provides a commercial alternative to trucking, enables marine and road intermodal links, provides infrastructure that can continue to be user pay, reduces current and future liabilities for public spending on transport infrastructure, and creates an opportunity for partnership with governments to use available rail corridors for intercity passengers and commuter rail transit.

Longshoremen's Strike  Mr. Speaker, the government must recognize the importance of the prairie farmers and how vulnerable they are to actions beyond their control. These people strive to earn an honest living and they do so using sweat and tears. Why do they constantly have to meet one challenge only to be confronted by another?

Social Security System  I love them a lot and I hope the reverse is also true. Therefore, please do not compare the Liberals with the Reform Party, because such a comparison could make me seriously ill. We want to improve upon existing measures. A Liberal looks at an existing measure and thinks about possible improvements.

Social Security System  Mr. Speaker, I extend my compliments to the member for his excellent address on social problems and so on in this country. He seemed to think that the problem with social programs today is the problem of lack of revenue, not a problem of too much expenditure. Then he went on to elaborate on his thesis that we should have more corporate taxes and more income taxes.

Social Security System  Mr. Speaker, my question will be very brief. I appreciate the member's comments regarding seniors but he and all of his colleagues have been directing their comments toward asking for continued federal and provincial support for programs. They have been asking the federal government to continue to fund the different and varied social programs within their provinces.

Social Security System  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to answer the question of my hon. colleague of the Reform Party. I have to admit that what I dealt with in my comments pertains more specifically to Quebec. But since I am the official opposition critic for all senior citizens in Canada, I would certainly not advocate anything detrimental to other provinces.

Social Security System  Normally when you deal with wholesale restructuring any institution, any group of programs, any fundamental policies you would normally start out with certain parameters in mind, certain givens. I do not want to say sacred cows because there are no such things. We heard from the Reform Party earlier that what it wants is to cut, cut, cut and it is not so terribly concerned about the impact of those cuts. I have listened intently to members of the Bloc Quebecois, who are not interested simply in cutting, that is not what they are saying.

Social Security System  Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. May I ask for a quorum call.

Social Security System  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for bringing up farming in relation to social support programs. As the member may know, I am originally from New Zealand where farmers were heavily subsidized to grow things like fat lambs and all sorts of products that the world did not really need.

Social Security System  Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for the question. We have to remember that the depression occurred during a time when there was not the government involvement in the economies that there is today. Things went relatively quickly once the crash occurred. All we are doing today by this overspending is procrastinating.

Social Security System  I quite often hear the members opposite talk constantly about giving money only to those in need. Who are they? Every time I read something or I hear the members of the Reform Party refer to that quite often I come away with the feeling that means giving alms to the poorest of the poor and forgetting the rest. We have just heard a very eloquent presentation in this House from the member of the Bloc party just recently on the issues of women which I support whole-heartedly as someone who has worked in this area for quite some time.

Social Security System  The great thinker John Maynard Keynes pointed out that this equilibrium had huge numbers of people suffering through no fault of their own, much like the recessions that we have had since and that it required government spending to increase aggregate demand and thereby increase employment numbers. If we were to cut spending the way the Reform Party has said we should, balance the budget within three years, would that not make a bad situation worse by cutting aggregate demand and increasing unemployment and increasing poverty and thereby making the situation much more difficult than it is already?

Social Security System  Mr. Speaker, I wish to extend to you belated congratulations on your appointment to the Speaker's chair. I wish you well as you and your colleagues guide the debate in this, the highest tribunal in the land. I thank the people of Yellowhead for their support on October 25. I will endeavour to serve my constituents well.

Social Security System  He gave us his point of view very eloquently, and I would like to ask him a question. Does he agree that the reform we are about to undertake should not affect disadvantaged people in our society?