[English]
We do not always realize the importance of our pages. They play an integral part in this operation and many of us would be lost without them. I congratulate them on their new positions and hope that they enjoy their time here at the House of Commons.
[Translation]
I would also like to congratulate the parliamentary interns and wish them an excellent year here with us.
[English]
I am sure that they will have much to contribute with their energy, their creativity, their commitment to the parliamentarians who they choose to serve.
[Translation]
On behalf of everyone, welcome to this House. We wish you a wonderful year.
Some hon. members: Hear, hear.
For fledgling francophone performers, the Granby International Song Festival has become a popular springboard to a professional career.
While millions of dollars are being wasted on flags, the Minister of Canadian Heritage did not hesitate to cut her department's subsidy to this international event by 20 per cent.
The minister should reconsider her decision and continue to provide financial support for the festival at the same level as before. In closing, I wish to congratulate all the organizers and participants who made this cultural event possible.
The story has been brought to life again in a 13-week television series filmed in my constituency of Wetaskiwin. Now in its second season, ``Jake and the Kid'' is wholesome family entertainment and a tribute to Alberta's growing film industry.
Albertans figure prominently in the cast, crew and writers. In fact, 90 per cent of the cast and all the extras are Albertans, including Ben's best friend and mentor, the hired hand Jake, played by hometown boy Shaun Johnston.
Sets depicting the Osborne family farm and mainstreet Crocus have been constructed on 160 acres of land in the district of Glenpark, Leduc County.
This exceptional Canadian production with its warmth, humour, intriguing plots and off-beat characters is proof that Alberta can soon lay claim to the title of Hollywood North.
Low inflation and drastic cutbacks to social spending were supposed to have set the stage for future jobs. We have had very low inflation for years and the government is ahead of schedule on deficit reduction.
But Canadians are facing the highest rate of unemployment during an economic recovery since the last depression. Where are the jobs? When can we expect that bountiful harvest of jobs that the Liberals have promised?
I commend the distinguished economist Pierre Fortin for so convincingly showing Canadians in the past few days that the harvest of jobs will never occur under the Liberal policies because they have their fundamentals wrong.
While the American policy makers have tolerated 3 per cent inflation in order to achieve near full employment, the Liberals have inflicted the strait-jacket of 1 per cent inflation and high real interest rates which have killed, according to Fortin, 850,000 jobs.
The Liberals cannot expect Canadians to believe the talk of jobs when their actions of inflation are calculated to kill jobs.
As the member of Parliament for London-Middlesex and on behalf of all Londoners, I would like to extend our congratulations and thanks to the following Londoners who represented Canada so well in Atlanta.
Marie-Claire Ross who brought home two gold, one silver and three bronze medals in swimming; Jeff Christy, silver medalist in goalball; Lisa Stevens, gold medalist in basketball; Adam Purdy, swimming; Paul Bowes, the men's basketball coach Dr. Douglas Dittmer, the team physician.
To all of these men and women and to every member of our Paralympic Team from every region of Canada, we say congratulations to all. You have made us as Canadians very proud.
Some hon. members: Hear, hear.
A recent Industry Canada report noted that Canada's vibrant small business sector created more than 80 per cent of the nation's new jobs. Clearly the banks must do a better job in serving the small business sector and contributing to its success.
(1405 )
Unfortunately, the banks have failed to adapt to the changing needs of small business and the economy. It is not easy for business people to raise capital in today's economy, even when the need is great and the purpose justified.
Meanwhile the banks continue to record billion dollar profits. When they insist on only the most risk free loans, the banks are downsizing their role in financing small firms, whose owners are clearly feeling badly treated. This has to be changed.
On behalf of the Minister of Natural Resources, the Hon. Anne McLellan and the Government of Canada, I wish to convey our sincere condolences to Mr. Pickard's family and to the employees of Falconbridge.
Mr. Pickard had been head of Falconbridge since 1991. He was well known and respected within Canada's mining industry and everywhere else. Born in Sudbury, Mr. Pickard started out at Falconbridge in 1957 as a metallurgical engineer. He performed various duties in the company, gradually climbing the corporate ladder. As a result of his excellent work, his leadership and his great qualities, he became the head of this flourishing company.
Mr. Pickard developed a sense of family among Falconbridge employees. He will be sorely missed by all those who had the pleasure to know this great member of Canada's mining industry.
Mr. Campbell, the company's executive vice-president, spoke highly of Montreal and the province of Quebec, saying that a qualified manpower is available, that salaries are reasonable, that rental and power costs are low, and that free trade is good for Quebec.
At the same time, Montreal's major hotels were full, thanks to the large number of tourists, participants at various conferences and businesspeople from the United States, Europe, Canada and Asia.
In spite of the Canadian government's plan B and the statements made by the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs to the effect that Quebec's economy must be weakened in order to weaken the nationalist movement, reality shows that investors recognize Quebecers' skills and competitiveness, which are the primary tools of economic success.
Over 1,000 attended the meeting in Owen Sound for the Ontario riding of Bruce-Grey. Of the three outstanding candidates, Murray Peer was elected and will carry the Reform message to the voters.
The enthusiasm and support shown for our candidate and our policies was surpassed only by the profound disappointment toward this government's lack of vision or any plans to deal with job creation, tax reduction, criminal justice reform and the separatist threat.
Murray Peer will not have to respond to broken promises on jobs, the GST and MP pension reform. He will be able to assure the voters that they will be listened to and have their voice heard in this place. He will offer the voters a platform with a new vision for Canada and an opportunity for a fresh start to building a new and better country for our children and our grandchildren.
I recently met with Dr. Cunningham, director of the addictions division of the Homewood Health Centre in Guelph. Dr. Cunningham reminded me that new smokers are almost always teenagers. It is extremely rare for adults over 20 to begin smoking.
According to the information we discussed, it takes only four cigarettes, smoked in a row, for a young person to become addicted to nicotine. Many people believe that tobacco is addictive. We must all be vigilant where tobacco products are sold and advertised and we must look at treatment programs aimed to help our kids quit.
Our children are our future. They deserve no less than an all out effort to discourage them from smoking and to help those who smoke quit. Let us give them a helping hand in the battle against tobacco.
(1410)
[Translation]
The PQ government just indicated that its independence project is above the laws and the courts. It tells voters that a separatist government can flout the laws of this country if they do not serve its sovereignist cause.
Quebecers should wonder about the type of society and justice that they can be guaranteed by a government which, in order to justify its independence project, does not hesitate to disregard the fundamental laws of our country.
For 30 years now, you have been getting this message from all the economic stakeholders in Quebec, from the analysts in credit rating agencies, from a majority of Quebecers in the last two referendums, and recently from certain union and political leaders in Quebec.
Yesterday, it was the mayor of Montreal, Mr. Bourque, today it is Paule Doré, the president of the Montreal chamber of commerce, who has added her voice to all those who are calling for an end to the political instability created by your plan to separate.
Perhaps if they hear it often enough, they will finally get it.
There are three facts regarding this contract that must be remembered. Only Hydro-Québec was willing to invest in a dam in Newfoundland in the mid sixties. In 1984 and 1988, the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the validity of the contract for the sale of electricity. Hydro-Québec's profits from the signing of this contract are comparable to the profits made by the other dams built during this period.
If he is looking for unjust causes, the minister has only to recall how Newfoundland got its hands on Labrador. In 1927, his Liberal predecessors ceded Labrador to Newfoundland, without Quebec's permission.
The minister should therefore stick to the job he has been assigned. He already has his hands full.
Years of effort in the Middle East peace talks are hanging in the balance and the peace and security of all citizens in the affected areas are in jeopardy. So the time for decisive leadership is now.
Canadians care deeply about what happens in the Middle East and they deplore the kind of violence we see today. Therefore I call on the Canadian government to immediately speak with Israeli and Palestinian officials to forcefully urge an end to the violence and to offer whatever diplomatic assistance that might be helpful in restoring calm and restarting the peace talks.
Peace is a fragile thing and we must not stand by and watch it be destroyed.
The students and I would also like to thank Canadian air carriers, as well as VIA Rail, not to mention Ontario Northland, who allowed the students to travel for free. These young people earned a
few dollars, improved their second language, and, above all, learned to know and appreciate a culture different from their own. A big bravo.
[English]
This summer he applied for early release under section 745. Last week we learned that 12 tapes were produced at the request of the FBI and the RCMP so that Clifford Olson could explain how he raped and murdered his victims. We also learned that five of those tapes were released to Clifford Olson's lawyer. Clifford Olson has written to me, offering to send me those tapes for $300.
Enough is enough. Not only did he offer to sell the tapes to me and presumably to others, he forwarded hard core pornography in his correspondence to me. How can a convicted killer and rapist have hard core pornography in his cell?
Correctional Service Canada must be held accountable for the treatment it is giving to Clifford Olson. Exactly what was the deal in order to produce those tapes?
Marianne is the first New Brunswicker ever to win a medal at a summer Olympic Games, and her hometown gave her a hero's welcome when she arrived back, even naming a street after her, Limpert Lane.
She now holds the Canadian record in her event and there will be a Marianne Limpert scholarship fund launched on October 4. It is important that we continue to support amateur athletes so they are able to follow their dreams. I know Marianne has inspired many young Canadians to attain their personal bests.
I look forward to meeting with Marianne when she and Fredericton's Hal Merrill, Paralypmic bronze medalist, meet with the Prime Minister next week.
All indications point to a federal settlement where Canadians will be expected to fork over in excess of $60 million for a contract cancellation that this government guaranteed would not cost a penny more than $35 million.
We can probably expect that Canadian travellers will be stuck with a new tax in the future and will all pay it at the airport.
Three years of lost opportunity, multimillion dollar compensation payments and a new airport tax, that is what the people of Canada got from the Prime Minister's irresponsible decision during the 1993 election.
They won the election but once again Canadians lose. It is the Canadian taxpayer who will pay for the Liberal screw-up on the Pearson airport deal.
Some hon. members: Hear, hear.