Mrs. Lucie Pepin (Outremont):

Mr. Speaker, the throne speech pronounced on November 5 of this year contained a number of glowing and vague promises, but the likelihood of their ever being kept became more than uncertain when the Minister of Finance (Mr. Wilson) made his economic statement three days later.

Let me give an example. In the Speech from the Throne the following was said, and I quote:

My government is determined to ensure that social justice in Canada keeps pace with the changing needs and circumstances of our people.

In the economic statement, however, the Conservative Government announced that it would extend the allowance program to spouses between ages 60 and 64, but only to widows and widowers.

One may well ask why only widows and widowers. What about separated and single individuals who are in need?

If we look at the figures published by Statistics Canada in 1981, widows and widowers constitute only 4.7 per cent of the Canadian population, while people who are separated, divorced or single make up 36.9 per cent.

The Government will have to revise its position and take into consideration the groups it has overlooked. Apparently, the Conservative Government does not have all the facts.

Mr. Dave Nickerson (Western Arctic):

Mr. Speaker, the dog fights and recriminations between members of the decimated Liberal Party are wondrous to behold. Having been justly turfed out of office by the Canadian electorate, they now

seem bent on destroying what remains of that Party by internal bickering and in-house squabbles such as that between the former Prime Minister (Mr. Trudeau) and the present Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Turner) over which of the two were more directly culpable for their crushing defeat.

All of this would be rather humorous were it not for the fact that the parliamentary system of government requires a responsible Opposition, something which we, unfortunately, do not have at the present time. In all likelihood the Liberal Party will, over the next few years, disappear as a political force with which to be reckoned. Those few remaining Liberals, however, can find some solace. They will all go down in the history books as the last living fossils of a species which has outlived its usefulness.

Mr. Dan Heap (Spadina):

Mr. Speaker, a New York Times story exposes the falsity of Canada's policy toward Nicaragua. It reported that a Canadian naval ship is taking part in a 19-day exercise in the Caribbean, with 25 U.S. naval ships, infantry, airborne and helicopter troops of the United States, as well as two Dutch, one German, and one British ship.

Canada professes neutralism, objectivity, and support of the Contadora peace negotiations. Yet Canada is silent about Reagan's flights over Managua, Reagan's invasion of Nicaraguan territorial waters, Reagan's funding of the Contras, and Reagan's lying story about the alleged MIGS.

Against their protests, Canada directs Canadians living in Nicaragua to register with the U.S. embassy, the embassy of the country which will invade Nicaragua. Canada sends a Canadian warship to join in manoeuvres in the Caribbean to intimidate Nicaragua, or to help prepare for the invasion by Reagan. Shame on Canada's two-faced foreign policy!

Mr. Allan Pietz (Welland):

Mr. Speaker, I wish to address the House today on a matter which I feel is of importance to consumers as well as producers of sources of energy. That subject is alternate fuels. I, like many Canadians, was encouraged by the tone and direction set out by the Minister of Finance (Mr. Wilson) in last week's economic statement.

November 16, 1984

Deficit reduction and sound fiscal management are the first steps toward economic recovery, and management of our energy resources is of major import in that recovery.

1 encourage the Minister of Finance to continue the present subsidies for conversion of automobiles to alternate fuels. In my riding of Welland propane fuel is used exclusively by the Niagara Regional Police Force in their police cruisers. In the City of Welland 90 per cent of all taxi cabs have been converted to propane as an alternate fuel. Many of my constituents have converted their private automobiles, and I personally have 14 vehicles in my family business on propane. The savings in all cases are in excess of 40 per cent. Propane is readily available to the public at an increasing number of service stations in my riding of Welland and through southern Ontario. It is proving to be a reliable and economic source of fuel.

I would therefore invite Members of the House to encourage their constituents to examine the benefits of alternate fuels such as propane and natural gas, and would encourage the Minister of Finance to continue and, when appropriate, to increase the subsidies for alternate fuel conversions.

This action would increase the opportunity for an increasing-

Mr. Speaker:

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

Hon. Jean Lapierre (Shefford):

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport must be aware that the Quebec government has abolished highway tolls; he must be aware that the abolition puts an end to unfair treatment in the regions of the south shore and the Eastern Townships; finally, he must be aware as well that this demonstration of equity towards autoroute users is not yet generalized since motorists still pay tolls to cross the Champlain bridge. I am convinced that the Progressive Conservative Members from the south shore and Eastern Townships ridings will echo my representations urging the Minister to consider the possibility of dismantling immediately the Champlain bridge toll booths which constitute discrimination towards and cause delays to motorists travelling to the south shore and the Eastern Townships.

Mr. Clement M. Cote (Lac-Saint-Jean):

Mr. Speaker, like most Canadians, the people in my riding applauded the statement made by the Hon. Minister of Finance (Mr. Wilson) on our country's economy and finances and the direction the present Government intends to take. One of the Government's priorities is a more equitable redeployment of public funds, which will be done through consultation on ways of regulating, for instance, the price of oil. In the past, distant areas like mine have often been neglected. We believe it is time for a change. As the Member for Lac-Saint-Jean, it is my duty to ensure that this new approach has no adverse effects on the people of my riding. There is certainly a way to meet the needs of Canadians while taking into account the regional dimensions of Lac-Saint-Jean.

For instance, the increase in the price of fuel is a distinct disadvantage. Almost everything is shipped in and out of this area by road transport, and transportation costs are already 25 per cent higher because of weather and road conditions. I would appreciate receiving your suggestions in the next few weeks, so that 1 can then express the views of all my constituents.

Ms. Lynn McDonald (Broadview-Greenwood):

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Communications (Mr. Masse) has made flagrantly contradictory statements on the subject of arts cut-backs. Neither he nor the Prime Minister (Mr. Mulroney) are in the House today to answer to them.

During the course of the election campaign the position of the Party was very clear-no arts cut-backs in real terms and consultation with the arts and cultural community. Further, in opposition, the Conservatives were very strong on the arm's length relationship between government and the cultural agencies. Yet the economic statement broke all three promises.

To complicate matters, the Minister said in answer to a question yesterday that he would ensure that there would be increased funding for creative and productive work in the arts, yet he could not assure the House that cut-backs would not be confined to administration because of the arm's length relationship. However, a story in today's Globe and Mail says that there will be further interference with our major cultural agency, the CBC.

Where do we stand? Nobody knows. I suggest that the way out of this incredible muddle is for the Minister to go back to square one with no arts cut-backs, consultation with the arts

November 16, 1984

community, and a strict respect for the arm's length relationship between government and that agency.

Mr. George Baker (Gander-Twillingate):

Mr. Speaker, 1 rise to ask the Minister of State for Youth (Mrs. Champagne) to intervene on behalf of the young people who are being discriminated against in the hiring guidelines for federal works programs released yesterday by the Minister of Employment and Immigration (Miss MacDonald).

The Minister of Employment said that we have the highest number of young people in our history without work, and that this is a short-term make work measure on their behalf. I would ask the Minister responsible for youth to examine these guidelines. She will find that preferentrial hiring is given to unemployment insurance exhaustees, then to those drawing social assistance, and then to those who are drawing unemployment insurance. It means that a young person who has not worked before and who is not on social assistance is not allowed to go to work in any of these federal works programs called Canada Works or Section 38.

I am asking the Minister of Youth to intervene, and do whatever she must, to get the Minister of Employment to drop these discriminatory hiring regulations that discriminate against all of our young people in this country who are out of work.