Ms. Margaret Mitchell (Vancouver East):

Mr. Speaker, my supplementary question is directed to the Minister responsible for the status of women. The Canadian Council on Social Development report also documented the feminization of poverty. The Minister knows that many women would be able to survive alone, but because they have children to support on their own, with very low wages or welfare, they just cannot make it. Would the Minister recommend, therefore, an increase in family allowances to assist low income mothers particularly? Would she also advocate a change in the welfare system to provide continuing social assistance for children while low income parents work?

Hon. Judy Erola (Minister of Consumer and Corporate

Affairs): Mr. Speaker, the Hon. Member is always looking for simple solutions to very deep problems.

Ms. Mitchell:

Give me another solution now.

(l ,50, Mrs. Erola: The problem of women is much greater than the

SOCIAL AFFAIRS suggestions which she put forward. We have to fight for a

complete change in the way women are paid, in the way they FAMILIES LIVING IN POVERTY-PRIME MINISTER'S ADVICE are treated m thg workforce-

Ms. Margaret Mitchell (Vancouver East):

Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Prime Minister. It concerns poverty in Canada. The Canadian Council on Social Development reports that 2.3 million Canadians are poor. Many of these people are very poor, lining up at food banks in order to survive. A whole generation of children, young people and youth, are seriously at risk.

I should like to ask the Prime Minister a very sincere question, not a partisan one. In his last day in the House, what message would he leave for all political Parties that we should be doing together to try to decrease poverty in Canada and to try to guarantee an adequate level of income for all Canadians?

Ms. Mitchell:

What about women on welfare?

Mrs. Erola:

-and the way they are treated in their senior years. This is one of the reasons the Government just increased the GIS payment by $50. Those most affected are the poorest of the poor, the elderly women.

Mr. Broadbent:

That's right; make it complex so that nothing is done.

Mrs. Erola:

I wish she would support the programs that we are putting forward.

Right Hon. P. E. Trudeau (Prime Minister):

Mr. Speaker, I would not intend to be a valedictorian today. However, the best advice I could give to the people of this country, to continue to help solving these problems, would be to vote Liberal in the next election.

Hear, hear!

Oh, oh!

Ms. Mitchell:

He is just as bad as the Minister of Finance was earlier. They do not care about poverty.

Mr. Speaker:

It is very difficult, within the confines of Question Period, for such a question to be answered. The Chair has to observe certain limits on time. The Hon. Member

Mr. Bill Kempling (Burlington):

Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Finance. He made reference yesterday and today to an income tax bill which would make certain changes and bring in some simplified tax reporting procedures. Would the Minister indicate the number by which the particular Bill can be identified?

Hon. Marc Lalonde (Minister of Finance):

Mr. Speaker, the Ways and Means Motion has been tabled. It is available. It has fundamentally the same text as the Bill. A copy of the Bill has been given to the critic of the Opposition and to the

June 29, 1984

Oral Questions

critic of the NDP for them to examine. There was an understanding that if we could get agreement to pass the Bill quickly, it would be immediately introduced on the basis of the Ways and Means Motion before the House and we would proceed with one speaker on each side.

The Opposition has had the Bill for several days. The Hon. Member knows the problem is that the Conservatives are divided. They cannot even agree on what stand they should take on anything. The Leader of the Opposition and his finance critic have contradicted each other on what stand they should take on the value of the dollar, and on interest rates. They have contradicted each other on universality. They have contradicted each other on every other subject. As on everything else, the Conservatives cannot make up their minds whether they are coming or going. I can tell them that they are going.

Mr. Bill Kempling (Burlington):

Mr. Speaker, the prime rate has risen to 13 per cent. The dollar is at 75 cents, with no bottom in sight. The Minister is talking about a Bill which has not been introduced into the House of Commons for debate. It is not on the Order Paper. Could he tell us whether this elusive tax Bill is one of the 11 Bills which will be brought forward today in the House of Commons for debate?

Hon. Marc Lalonde (Minister of Finance):

Mr. Speaker, the House Leader is here. He will be available to meet right after Question Period with the House Leaders of the opposition Parties. If they are ready to pass this Bill today, I am sure that our House Leader would be very happy to do it.

Where is the Bill?