Mr. Dave Dingwall (Cape Breton-East Richmond):

Mr. Speaker, the Government is attempting to cover up the true facts about Bill C-22 and its impact on the cost of drugs in Canada.

On three separate occasions in the House the Minister of Consumer and Corporate Affairs (Mr. Andre) and the Minister of National Health and Welfare (Mr. Epp) alluded to the fact that they would produce for members of the legislative committee studying Bill C-22 the cost implication studies which were carried out by Consumer and Corporate Affairs.

In a motion recently put before the legislative committee, Conservative Members voted down the request to have the Minister of National Health and Welfare or the Minister or Consumer and Corporate Affairs provide the information to the committee so that all members would have an opportunity to view first-hand the cost implications of Bill C-22.

It is a further example of the Conservative majority on that committee, the Conservative majority in the House, trying to hoodwink Canadians into believing that the amendments in Bill C-22 will have a positive effect upon senior citizens and disabled people in Canada.

I call upon the Government to provide the necessary information so that Canadians can judge the ruthless type of action the Government is taking.

Mr. Ross Belsher (Fraser Valley East):

Mr. Speaker, recently I received a letter from a constituent of mine in

Sardis, British Columbia, who has a very legitimate concern about delivery of a registered letter.

My constituent sent a registered letter to the RCMP in Vancouver after receiving what he assumed was the correct address from the local RCMP detachment. Four days later he was notified by a card that he had a registered letter awaiting him at the Sardis Post Office. He was more than a little surprised to find that his registered mail was actually the letter he had sent to the Vancouver RCMP. Marked on it were the words: "Moved, address unknown".

The registration fee of $2.46 was not refunded to my constituent even though the letter was never delivered to the RCMP office. I am sure it would have been extremely easy for the letter to be routed to the proper address when it arrived in Vancouver. After all, the RCMP are a highly visible group.

I wonder what would happen if Canada Post adopted and practised a familiar slogan-"satisfaction guaranteed or your money refunded".

Mr. Derek Blackburn (Brant):

Mr. Speaker, yesterday a lumber supplier called to tell me that he was going out of business because of the Government's softwood lumber export tax. This particular supplier created jobs by selling Canadian lumber in the United States. He bought most of the lumber from mills in New Brunswick which are supposed to be exempt from the tax. However, because he brought that lumber through his yard in Ontario, the Government hit him with its export tax.

He called Revenue Canada to ask for an exemption. He sent invoices and bills of lading to show the origin and destination of each load of lumber. However, the Government would not listen.

He could avoid the tax by telling the mill in New Brunswick to ship lumber directly to his customers in the United States, but the mill would only take those customers for its own wholesale business. His orders are being cancelled as his customers find out that his price is rising 15 per cent. He must either move his business to the United States or shut his doors. Either way, the softwood lumber export tax has killed a small business in my riding and put Canadians out of work.

February 18, 1987

[ Translation]

Mr. Guy St. Julien (Abitibi):

For several months, Mr. Speaker, the residents of Abitibi-Temiscamingue, Chapais and Chibougamau, strongly supported by various local interest groups such as mayors, chambers of commerce presidents, businessmen, CN employees and other people, have been urging the CN to impose a moratorium on lay-offs and provide better service.

Here are a few examples of bad service: On January 24, 26 and 27, 1987, Senneterre-Garneau train No. 830 was cancelled because no locomotive was available. That is the kind of service we get back home. We have asked CN management to impose a four-month moratorium on lay-offs, long enough to study the problems experienced by the railway company.

The CN's February 13, 1987 answer to our request is unacceptable.

Surprisingly enough, Mr. Speaker, yesterday, February 17, President and Chief Executive Officer Ron Lawless announced the beginning of a comprehensive study on the company's administrative structure. The memorandum reads as follows: The study is being made by a select group of senior officials assisted by the Booz-Allen and Hamilton consulting firm. Over the coming weeks agents of the consulting firm, accompanied by representatives of the services involved, will visit network facilities to observe and define the CN administrative process.

Hopes are now being dampened by some CN heads, but when reservations are expressed about the Abitibi-Temiscamingue region, I stand up and fight back.

Mr. Jean-CIaude Malepart (Montreal-Sainte-Marie):

Mr. Speaker, in a few hours the Minister of Finance (Mr. Wilson) will make his third Budget presentation. We should say his third and a half Budget.

Mr. Speaker, I would suggest that elderly Canadians have every right to expect the Government to redress some of its injustices towards them ever since the Conservative Government was elected in 1984. Naturally, I am referring to making all persons living alone, and all others who are single, separated or divorced eligible for the spouse's allowance; second, reimbursing immediately the 35,000 early retiress who have been deprived of their unemployment insurance benefits; third, continuing a real reform concerning retirement policies, the indexation of private pension plans, and increasing public assistance benefits; fourth, as promised by the Government in

1984, making sure that the three million homemakers will be covered under the Quebec and Canada Pension Plans; and fifth, with respect to family policies, restoring the full indexation of family allowances.

Mr. Speaker, I conclude by expressing the hope that at 4.30 this afternoon the elderly and families in Canada will hear good news.

Mr. Lawrence I. O'Neil (Cape Breton Highlands-Canso):

Mr. Speaker, on Friday I predicted that Sunday's official opening of the 1987 Canada Winter Games would be the best ever, and it was. We were honoured by the Prime Minister's (Mr. Mulroney) presence and that of his wife. Cape Breton has warmly welcomed our Prime Minister and looks forward to his return.

Yesterday the very competent, capable, and athletic Minister of State for Sport (Mr. Jelinek) officially opened the ski venue at Cape Smokey, Victoria County. Hundreds of volunteers from Victoria County are working to ensure that the ski events go well, and they are, Mr. Speaker.

The people of Cape Breton have reason to be proud. More than 6,000 volunteers are participating in the operation of the Games. As part of the celebrations a cultural festival is also being held. The talent of our region is being put on national display. I want to congratulate my constituents and all Cape Bretoners for this great start. I am proud to say that I represent Cape Breton.

Mr. Lome Nystrom (Yorkton-Melville):

Mr. Speaker, Members know that farmers do not have the time or the money to fight the farm chemical manufacturers in court when pesticides do not do the job. Many farmers have written to me about this problem expressing their frustration. One farmer writes:

I believe you re right when you. say the problem is widespread, only we seem to have no recourse.

Another farmer didn't bother to fight back. He said:

I feit I would be at great odds to do so.

Yet another farmer said the following:

February 18, 1987

We had very poor results ... Their representative acknowledged the poorness of the results, but only offered us three pails (of chemicals) to compensate for the poor results ... We told him where to put the three pails.

It is a widespread problem, Mr. Speaker. I call upon the Government to set up a tribunal if the farm chemical manufacturers will not set up a voluntary complaint mechanism themselves that puts farmers on an equal footing with the companies. The industry needs to have a code of conduct for dealing with complaints from farmers who are the consumers. Farmers have been pushed around for far too long by the large multinational chemical companies in Canada.

Mr. Brian White (Dauphin-Swan River):

Mr. Speaker, the announcement in Winnipeg yesterday of the sale of Versatile Farm Equipment to Ford New Holland is of major national significance. The decision reached by Versatile, and announced by the Minister of Regional Industrial Expansion (Mr. Cote), ensures the long-term use of the Winnipeg plant for design and manufacture of the four-wheel drive tractor, and grain swathers, and creates a world mandate for these products. The federal Government is contributing with a repayable loan of $45.5 million.

Ford New Holland will maintain the Versatile name, identity, colours, and the dealer network. Spare parts will continue to be available and warranties will be honoured. Nine hundred and fifteen people will be at work by the end of 1987, and 1,233 by 1991. Farmers will benefit from the continued competitiveness of the market.

The federal Government was applauded by management and labour for its integral role in the negotiations and, it was acknowledged that without federal government participation the sale would not have taken place.

This announcement proves what can be accomplished when management, labour, and the federal Government work together in the interests of Canada.

Mr. Fernand Robichaud (Westmorland-Kent):

Mr. Speaker, last Tuesday I said in the House that since the Conservatives came to power, taxes on gas had increased 10

per cent. Mr. Speaker, I'm afraid that is not correct, although it was not my intention to mislead the House.

In fact, federal excise tax has gone up from 1.5 cents per litre to 4.5 cents per litre, an increase of 300 per cent, and federal sales tax, which also affects the price of gas, has gone up from 9 per cent to 12 per cent, an increase of 33 per cent.

This means that federal taxes on gas have increased almost 100 per cent, rising from 4.1 cents per litre to 8.0 cents per litre. It means that Canadians and tourists visiting Canada by car are paying 10 per cent more for gas as a result of the taxes imposed by this Government.