Mr. Stan Darling (Parry Sound-Muskoka):

Mr. Speaker, at least the lackadaisical Liberals cannot be accused of forcing unemployment only on the uneducated. Canada's sickening unemployent figures are striking out at all sections of society. We find high numbers of persons presently seeking work who are classified as professionals. Unemployment figures are often considered indigenous only to the trades and the lesser educated, but this is simply not the case.

Consider that 400 of the 1,000 lawyers who were called to the bar in April are out of work. As well, 50 per cent of the graduating engineers from ten engineering schools form the ranks of the unemployed. Only 30 per cent of teachers graduating in Ontario this year will get a permanent job.

There is little comfort in knowing that the Liberal boondoggle has treated all of society with equal indifference. Only a decade ago a university education was considered a respected route toward self-sufficiency and high standing in society. Thanks to this Government it has sadly become a bad joke for thousands of young people who have dedicated most of their lives to this honourable pursuit. The graduates are outraged. Their outrage is clearly echoed throughout the ranks of the Progressive Conservative Party.

Mr. Jean-Guy Dubois (Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Employment and Immigration):

Mr. Speaker, I would like to add a few words to what was said by the Hon. Member for Verdun-Saint Paul. With all my constituents in the riding of Lotbiniere, I wish to join the Hon. Member in congratulating the Prime Minister on receiving the Albert Einstein Foundation's international peace prize. The prize is a tribute to the Prime Minister, in recognition of his exceptional qualities and his efforts for peace in this world.

Mr. Speaker, I have only one wish for the Prime Minister: That he wins the Nobel Peace Prize. I think that throughout the world, the Prime Minister is widely known and recognized as a great statesman and great leader. I believe that with the prize bestowed on him yesterday, the Nobel Peace Prize would be the crowning of a very brilliant career. I think he deserves to win this prize and that Canadians would be delighted if he did. That is what I wish him, now that he is about to retire as Prime Minister. I am sure all Canadians would see this nomination as something to be proud of, both for the Prime Minister and for the entire country.

Mr. Ted Miller (Nanaimo-Alberni):

Mr. Speaker, the failure of Canada's private pension system is obvious from the growing dependence of elderly Canadians on the Canada Pension Plan, the Guaranteed Income Supplement, and additional tax incentives proposed in the February Budget to support private savings.

Over 50 per cent of elderly Canadians are dependent on the Guaranteed Income Supplement and provincial top-ups to support CPP and private plans. Only 54 per cent of working men and 33 per cent of working women have any private pension coverage, leaving the rest dependent on the public pension system for income replacement in retirement. They face a future of poverty unless the public system is designed for adequacy of retirement income. It is presently designed to be inadequate so private plans can flourish.

The Liberal and Conservative response to the inability and unwillingness of private employers to provide pension saving opportunities is to increase tax incentives to private plan holders and virtually ignore coverage for low-income earners by rejecting mandatory pension coverage or increasing CPP benefits and contributions.

To address pension coverage and adequacy for all Canadian workers and their families seriously, we should be striving to reduce the welfare aspect of the public system by increasing the universal Old Age Security to its former prominence, increasing CPP benefits, and adapting credit splitting so that all pensioners may enjoy their own pensions and ensure retirement with security and comfort.

Mr. Stanley Hudecki (Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of National Defence):

Mr. Speaker, on June 25, 1984, an historic happening was witnessed in the annals of the Canadian Armed Forces when Mayor George Piercy of Comox, British Columbia, conferred on CFB Comox the freedom of the town at an extraordinary meeting of council. Never before has a Canadian military base with a detachment of U.S.A. military been honoured in this country with the freedom of the town.

On that day the neighbouring city of Courtenay also officially recognized Military Appreciation Week honouring CFB Comox and its squadrons and supporting staff, including its detachment of 50 United States military personnel.

The granting of the "Freedom of the City" by the civilian population to a military formation has its roots deep in history. Its honour pre-supposed very great confidence by the civilian

June 28, 1984

authorities in the integrity, goodwill and discipline of the military base people who live in their community.

It is my concern that the image of a town in the vicinity of a military establishment has been traditionally viewed as a garrison town. This image has now been dispelled. Instead, thanks to the class of soldiers and airmen enlisting in the Canadian and U.S. military today, they form a relationship with their non-military neighbours which goes well beyond the formal affiliation, and has extended to co-operation, mutual support, and friendship.

Mr. Gordon Towers (Red Deer):

Mr. Speaker, as a result of the recent debate on the Security Agency, it is apparent that Liberal Members of Parliament are not aware that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police force goes far beyond the call of duty as a law enforcing agency when serving the people of Canada.

For instance, these Members of Parliament apparently are not aware that an officer of the RCMP is the chairman of a committee of interested citizens that has been formed to assist in the prevention of suicide. Several officers of the RCMP are involved with this organization, with Crime Stoppers involving local citizens, and also with the Block Parent Program. They work with young people in the prevention of crime, serving as lecturers in schools and outlining the dangers of getting involved in criminal activities. As well, they assist the Coast Guard and the Red Cross in water safety education programs.

Many people are not aware that in a city the size of Red Deer the RCMP have to deal with approximately 1,400 lost or stolen bicycles in one year. Many youngsters' tears are dried up as a result of returned bicycles.

Members of Parliament should be aware that the RCMP are of great assistance in developing good, safe, and healthy communities in Canada.

Mr. Douglas Fisher (Mississauga North):

Mr. Speaker, last week the Subcommittee on the Taxation of Visual and Performing Artists and Writers issued its report. It stressed fast administrative action on tax problems between Revenue Canada and Canada's artists.

At that time, I suggested, as an urgent matter, that the Minister consider refunds for artists whose files had been re-examined four years into the past. The Minister announced yesterday that he is accepting that recommendation. His Department will initiate tax refunds to those artists who can

be identified. As well, the Department will welcome enquiries from artists in cases where their identity cannot be automatically located.

The other reactions from the Minister are equally sensitive to the arts community. He has considered the subcommittee's ideas carefully and has accepted our major principles. In addition, a conference is scheduled between Revenue Canada and artists' representatives for the autumn. These decisions are welcome news, indeed, to our artists, and are a sincere and substantial beginning to the settlement of these issues.

Mr. David Kilgour (Edmonton-Strathcona):

Mr. Speaker, fully 22,000 Japanese Canadians living in British Columbia were forcibly evacuated and interned by the Mackenzie King Government during the 1942-1946 period. Even after the war was over one constituent of mine, whose family had originated in Japan, was required by law to obtain a letter of approval from the Mayor of Calgary before she could move from the Taber area, to which her family had been forcibly moved, to teach in Calgary.

The attitude of the outgoing Prime Minister (Mr. Trudeau) and his Minister of State for Multiculturalism (Mr. Col-lenette) on this issue must be reprehensible to all thoughtful Canadians. It is my firm conviction that the Mulroney Government will quickly seek an all-Party resolution regretting these events of 1942-1946.

I am delighted that my Leader was quoted in The Globe and Mail on May 16 as indicating his support for a more than symbolic sum of reparation. He said: "I feel very strongly that Canadian citizens whose rights were abused and violated and trampled upon indeed should be compensated". Our Party spokeman on multiculturalism, the Hon Member for Lisgar (Mr. Murta), indicated to one media outlet only yesterday that a Mulroney Government will sit down and negotiate the nature and amount of a fair settlement to Japanese Canadians soon after the coming election.