Cruise Missile Testing  Numerous letters of concern have been sent from the NWT government and from individual residents of the Northwest Territories. Despite these clear and frequent expressions of the will of the people of the Northwest Territories, the missile testing agreement has been renewed again and again. Over northern objections, the initial testing agreement was renewed in 1988 for a further five years.

Cruise Missile Testing  Surely the most effective way to respond to the Zhirinovskys of this world is to do whatever we can to isolate them. We should make it clear that the community of nations has put behind it the days when we responded to aggression with aggression, when we responded to the very dangerous and destructive threats of Zhirinovsky by simply spending more money on developing nuclear weapons that will respond to him.

Cruise Missile Testing  Yet despite this overwhelming presence, which we call the American influence, it is abundantly clear to me that we are not Americans. My constituents tell me that. We are not anti-American, we are simply not Americans. Through a process of national evolution we have stated that our priorities are not always identical to their priorities.

Cruise Missile Testing  Since 1983 there have been 23 tests, about two or three per year, with the most recent test in March 1993. I want to make clear however that this agreement between the United States and Canada is not part of our NATO obligations and was never part of the NATO agreement. I said I was originally opposed to cruise missile tests and I am now more than ever opposed.

Cruise Missile Testing  In my opinion, those are three conclusive arguments which confirm that the position set forth by our leader in his speech this morning, which was again a remarkable speech and which my colleagues supported throughout the day, is a clear and logical position which is in the best interest of Quebec and Canada.

Cruise Missile Testing  Because we have a great deal in common with the United States, Quebec sovereigntists can easily understand why the Americans did what they did two centuries ago. We too will soon be taking similar action, that is clear. We also understand that the defence of a country cannot be confined to geopolitical boundaries that begin at a certain parallel. The issue here is the defence of a continent which we share with the United States of America and we will continue to defend it and be good friends with the U.S. when we achieve sovereignty.

Cruise Missile Testing  Therefore, I do not think it in any way affects our commitments of non-proliferation of nu- clear weaponry. I support the continued testing of the cruise missile and the guidance system thereof.

Cruise Missile Testing  Mr. Speaker, I will make it very clear. The debate today is about policy direction. We have a legal agreement with the United States but I am quite certain that a sovereign Government of Canada, if it felt it was the will of the Canadian public or part of an overall framework on defence policy that they could not fulfil a commitment, our neighbours to the south would understand and hopefully allow us to abrogate it.

Cruise Missile Testing  First of all, I get the impression that he did not listen properly to what I said, because we do not want to go back to the context of the cold war and use that as the basis for our policy. I made it quite clear in my speech that the Bloc's response to this particular question was based on a new global context, and I referred to the presence of Zhirinovsky in Russia and to the existence of new nuclear powers to justify continuing the tests.

Cruise Missile Testing  Specifically he said: "Why are we going through this exercise now? Why the consultation at this period of time?" It is fairly clear that during the election campaign the Prime Minister and the Liberal Party, which is now the government, indicated that this would be a different type of Parliament. I have been here since 1988.

Cruise Missile Testing  It is difficult to argue against what was said in either speech. Given the military capabilities of Canada, its striking power, it is clear that should we come under attack we would require American support. We do have agreements with the American defence and an almost perfect co-operation with them, and I am pleased about that.

Cruise Missile Testing  Mr. Speaker, since it is very clear that, in the opposition, the leader of the Bloc Quebecois is in favour of cruise missile testing and so is the Reform Party, I hope that the NDP will be heard early in the debate, otherwise we will hear only from those who say yes to the Americans and yes to cruise missile testing.

Mil Davie Shipyard  Of course, the Leader of the Opposition is aware of that since he was a minister under the Conservative government when the Lucy Maud Montgomery was to be replaced. As for us, our responsibility is very clear. The Lucy Maud Montgomery will have to be replaced, either through buying a ship built at the MIL Davie shipyard or elsewhere, renting one, restoring the Lucy Maud Montgomery , or buying another ship overseas.

Tax Shelters  Speaker, the hon. member may be referring to yesterday's conference. Canadians made it very clear to us that they wanted to examine the whole tax base and loophole issue and that they wanted jobs, as we said in our red book.

Cigarette Smuggling  The problem here is not just tobacco taxes. It has to do with all of the other taxes. Since it has not always been made very clear what orders that have been or will be given to the RCMP, could the Prime Minister tell this House clearly once and for all and give us the assurance that he has personally instructed the RCMP to lay charges immediately against smugglers when it has the evidence to do so?