Social Program Reform  Mr. Speaker, the goal is clear. The Minister of Human Resources Development stated it repeatedly. The main goal of the reform of social programs is to update them, to deliver the goods in a more efficient way. We must recognize that the world has changed.

Transportation  In that context, with the ongoing consultations we have been conducting with shippers and interested parties we are committed to making clear a very comprehensive rail policy in 1995. We have not been stopped. We will deal with the CP offer. We will deal with commercialization. We will bring an end to the ad hoc decision making that has been plaguing railroads in the country for the last 20 years.

Employment  Speaker, last Friday it was implied both inside the House and outside that I would preclude women with children from working in my office because I was concerned that their family responsibilities would impair their ability to do their job. That is simply not the case. I apologize for failing to make my position clear in my comments in the standing committee. Two of my staff are married women with children and I oppose bias in hiring, particularly on marital grounds. I asked applicants during the interview stage about their family situation but this was not a factor in the hiring decision.

Budgetary Policy  Even if he does not do it in the February budget, we have no guarantee he will not do so the year after. He should send a clear message to the public that he will not tamper with this vehicle and that it would be useless for him to do so. All he would be doing is siphon money out of retirement funds. At the present time we are borrowing, but this would drive us to borrow even more in the future.

Budgetary Policy  I submit that the recent data from Statistics Canada on the trend of corporate versus individual contributions to the tax base reveal some clear facts. Remember that these data are expressed in real terms, which means that they take 1986 as the reference year. These are real data which take inflation into account. Thus, in 1950, Canadian corporations contributed $3.2 billion to the federal and provincial treasuries.

Yukon Surface Rights Board Act  Greater certainty pertaining to land title will facilitate exploration and resource development in Yukon, matters that we know go to the heart of the economy of the territory. I would also like to indicate that final passage of Bill C-55 clears the way for implementation of four Yukon First Nations land claim settlements already negotiated and will trigger financial compensation agreements already signed with these four individual First Nations.

Public Service Of Canada  Speaker, there is no doubt that as a result of program review the government will be downsized. It will be downsized for reasons that have been clear to the opposition and to ourselves for quite a while. There is also no doubt that this will create a problem in terms of workforce reduction. We intend to apply the best possible measures including, as I mentioned, a modified workforce adjustment directive or other options as they become available.

Canadian Peacekeepers In Bosnia  Will the minister in light of the situation in Bosnia in which Canadian troops have lacked clear objectives from the beginning make it a priority to develop objectives to avoid a repeat of the Bosnian morass?

Employment  Mr. Speaker, in committee a member of Parliament made it clear that in hiring he asked potential employees if they were married. He also expressed concern that mothers might bring their parental responsibilities into the office which would impair their ability to do their job.

The Economy  Speaker, lately when discussing the country's financial situation with groups in my riding it became clear to me that the message of fiscal restraint has been heard by Canadians. People in my riding are ready for the government to make the tough choices that are needed to get our financial house in order.

Yukon Surface Rights Board Act  As a result of Bill C-55 industry and individuals in Yukon will have a known regime for obtaining access to both private and public lands. This regime will provide clear rules and regulations. Once this bill is enacted and we begin to implement First Nations final agreements there will be more certainty for everyone in Yukon. That certainty will translate into economic development opportunities.

Yukon Surface Rights Board Act  We realize that there might be hundreds of disputes, that people are waiting for their cases to be resolved because we know how heavy the courts' backlog is. The board proposed today will clear some of the backlog by settling disputes concerning both rights and territories. We also at one point toyed with the idea of proposing amendments. However, after consulting with Yukon first nations, we concluded that it might be better not to define the rights and interests because they said that the nations could probably agree among themselves on what these rights and interests are.

World Trade Organization Agreement Implementation Act  Earlier, I heard the parliamentary secretary talk about this, and I still do not understand why he does not agree with the amendment that we are proposing, all the more so since I do not agree either with the Reform member who just spoke on the same subject regarding dumping. It is clear and obvious, and we heard that several times, including just last week or two weeks ago. The president of the Steel Producers Association came to the committee and clearly explained to us that, as for our protection mechanisms in dumping and steel trade between Canada and the United States, among others, the United States had regulations this thick, which she did put on the table before us, while we only had a few pages of regulations to protect us.

World Trade Organization Agreement Implementation Act  Does the member for The Battlefords-Meadow Lake care to comment on this? It is clear to the House then that in fact we are changing, modifying the text to the motion?

Air Atlantic  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question because it gives me an opportunity to make clear that first of all Industry Canada is really an insurer of certain of the debt which is involved in this transaction. The creditors themselves have a vote. Industry Canada will not be voting with respect to it.