Mr. Speaker, the effects of acid rain on our lakes, fisheries, forests, and monuments are of great concern to Canadians, and rightfully so. Thus far the meeting between the Prime Minister (Mr. Mulroney) and President Reagan, followed by the meeting between the Secretary of State for External Affairs (Mr. Clark) and his American counterpart in Washington, have failed to produce the results promised by the Prime Minister.

We on the Liberal side of this House urge the Government to intensify its efforts, but also to show that we are determined to reach the goal of cutting emissions from smoke stacks and cars in Canada. Therefore I urge the Minister of the Environment (Mrs. Blais-Grenier) to continue to work in co-operation with the provinces, as initiated by the Liberal Government, and to convene as soon as possible a meeting with the provincial environmental Ministers so as to make further joint progress toward the modernization and clean up of dirty plants in Canada.

Finally, I urge the Minister of Transport (Mr. Mazankow-ski) to conclude consultations with industry and the public so as to control automobile emissions which contribute to acid rain.

Mr. Gordon Taylor (Bow River):

Mr. Speaker, on September 4, 1984, a sick Canada was delivered into the hands of the Progressive Conservative Party. A diagnosis revealed a country dying under a burden of excessive taxation and a rising debt of billions of dollars. Interest rates were killing investment and forcing farms and businesses into bankruptcy. A million people, including thousands of youths, were unemployed and looking for work but could find none because Canadians with

money were afraid to invest in their own country. They were heading elsewhere, taking their capital and jobs with them.

Ill will between the east and the west, between the English and the French, was festering. The country was breaking apart. Yes, indeed, we found a Canada sick unto death!

The Progressive Conservative Government, believing that a strong and united Canada is again possible, and with honesty, determination and free enterprise as their tools, are tackling the job, not with band-aids and aspirins, but by gradually removing the causes of the illness, by reducing the gigantic debt in an orderly way, thus forcing interest rates down, and by creating a climate of confidence so that thousands of entrepreneurs will invest their capital and hire Canadians.

A sickness which was neglected for ten years cannot be cured overnight, but now complete recovery will gradually take place and we will again have a strong and a united Canada led by a PC Government which represents all parts of the nation under that dedicated Canadian, the Right Hon. Brian Mulroney.

Hear, hear!

Mr. Ray Skelly (Comox-Powell River):

Mr. Speaker, I would like to call to the attention of the House, and particularly of the Minister of Transport (Mr. Mazankowski), the Minister of the Environment (Mrs. Blais-Grenier), the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans (Mr. Fraser) and the Minister of National Defence (Mr. Coates), that a number of fishermen have died off the west coast of British Columbia in storms at sea because of inadequate weather information provided to those mariners as well as because of inadequate search and rescue coverage of the area.

I would urge the Government to hold a public inquiry into this matter at which testimony and information will be solicited from fishermen and mariners so that the widest possible information will be made available to the Government in order to develop a plan on which to act. I would also urge the Government not to revert to the old ways of the former Liberal Government whereby in-house inquiries were held but very little action was forthcoming on the results.

Mr. Reg Stackhouse (Scarborough West):

Mr. Speaker, in recent weeks Canadians have been shocked by television reports of mass starvation in Ethiopia. The Secretary of State for External Affairs (Mr. Clark) and the Minister for External Relations (Mrs. Vezina) should be commended for their timely visit and intervention. However, Canada must become more conscious that Ethiopia is not a unique example. Africa holds 21 other countries with declining food capabilities. Their populations are growing faster than their per capita food productivity.

Shipping food to afflicted areas is a moral imperative which Canadians must accept in the short run, and, indeed, have shown themselves ready to accept. However, if other and equally tragic "Ethiopias" are to be avoided in the future, there is a greater need. We must make a sustained effort to enable the afflicted countries of Africa to expedite scientific agriculture and to develop vital infrastructures.

In 1975 it was predicted that 50 million people might starve to death within a decade. Never has a prophecy of doom been fulfilled with more horrendous accuracy. Never has a prophecy been more avoidable. Can the developed world now face a reality from which many turned away ten years ago? In the 18th century the western nations brought slavery to Africa. We now have a chance to renew its life.

Hon. Douglas C. Frith (Sudbury):

Mr. Speaker, in the Speech from the Throne on Monday afternoon the Government outlined what is supposed to be its blueprint for economic renewal and social justice. While I applaud the Government for committing itself to extending the spousal allowance, it comes as a grave disappointment to me that it has ignored the more than 160 recommendations for reform, which were contained in the report of the Parliamentary Task Force on Pension Reform, a report, which I remind Hon. Members, had the concurrence of all three Conservative members on that committee.

Instead of concrete action the new Government has said it will "enter into negotiations and discussions with the provinces for a comprehensive overhaul of the Canadian pension system, including such matters as portability, vesting, survivor benefits, and pension coverage for women".

These are all much needed reforms and long overdue, but the Government was given a mandate on September 4 to change, not to study. The Canadian people do not want more discussions; they want action, and they want it now.

I therefore urge the Government to illustrate its commitment to pension reform by reforming the Canadian pension system and taking a lead role by tabling amendments to the federal Pension Benefits Standards Act.

Mr. Don Blenkarn (Mississauga South):

Mr. Speaker, under the National Energy Program there are in existence two expensive and, in my view, totally redundant programs which represent a serious drain on the treasury and in reality are a transfer from government to the relatively affluent. I speak of the Canadian Oil Substitution Program-in other words, the new furnaces for old furnaces program-which puts $800 in your jeans if you convert from oil to gas or whatever, a program which subsidizes the relatively well off to buy heat pumps so their homes can be air conditioned in summer. The other is the CHIP program under which we pay home owners, certainly not the most poverty stricken in our society, $500 toward insulating their homes.

All forms of energy in Canada, Mr. Speaker, are now in surplus. World oil prices are falling, and producers are being directed not to produce. Indeed, they are being pro-rated. Why then spill out literally millions of taxpayers' dollars to those well enough off to own their own homes in order to encourage them to do what they ought to have done in the first place, to insulate; or to bribe them to buy new furnaces, heat pumps, and such devices. Surely there can be no justification for these programs.

Mr. Steven W. Langdon (Essex-Windsor):

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Regional Industrial Expansion (Mr. Stevens) announced that every effort is made to sell four Crown Corporations employing 10,000 Canadians.

We deeply regret that before taking such a decision, the government has not applied its philosophy of consultation. In the Speech from the Throne, there are many references to consultation and co-operation. The government referred to the importance of trade unions in Canada. However, their advice was not sought about the sale of those corporations. That is not the way an economic consensus can be reached. For the employees of such corporations, especially Canadair and de Havilland, that decision is quite dangerous. Many jobs could be lost. Mr. Speaker, we ask the government to consult the employees of those corporations.

November 7, 1984

Mr. Speaker:

I regret to inform the Hon. Member that his time has expired.

Mrs. Jennifer Cossitt (Leeds-Grenville):

Mr. Speaker, in its Throne Speech the Government made a very positive statement to the women of this country. It was a commitment to work toward achieving economic equality for all women.

I would like to bring to the attention of this House an example where immediate steps can be taken to redress a situation existing today which blatantly discriminates against the women of Canada.

Existing regulations of the Armed Forces of Canada allow members, both male and female, to claim sick leave without any loss in pay, without any loss in seniority or vacation leave, and without any loss in their pension contributions, for anything from hangovers to facelifts.

When a member of the same Armed Forces becomes pregnant, however, time lost as a result of that pregnancy results in the loss of pension benefits, loss in seniority, and loss of pay. Her record is marred in terms of future promotions, and being put on leave without pay has quite a stigma attached to it.

The previous Government, aware of such blatant discrimination, had years to address this problem and failed to do so. I call upon the new Government, committed to achieving economic equality for women, to introduce immediate steps to bring the Armed Forces up to date and into the 20th century.