Mr. Speaker:

The Hon. Member for Ottawa-Vanier has the floor, but I would point out that the Hon. Member for Nickel Belt, is more than upset-

Oh, oh!

Mr. Speaker:

-about the preamble it might be helpful if the Hon. Member for Ottawa-Vanier thought through his preamble and put it in such a way that it would not cause as much a fuss.

Oh, oh!

Mr. Gauthier:

But he stated that this morning, Mr. Speaker. He is the one who said a few minutes ago that they always follow Party lines. That is in their handbook.

Oh, oh!

Mr. Gauthier:

Here we have the Government with voluntary compliance. Here we have the socialists and we will all get nationalized. Will the Minister take the middle of the road, reasonable Liberal position, and legislate consumer protection into the Bank Act so that Canadians are protected from now on?

Hon. Tom Hockin (Minister of State (Finance)):

Mr. Speaker, I am very sorry to hear this lovers' quarrel between the two colleagues.

Oh, oh!

Mr. Hockin:

The Hon. Member's colleague, the Hon. Member for Trinity, was a part of the standing committee which recommended voluntary compliance, and only if voluntary compliance could not be arrived at should there be legislation. We arrived at voluntary compliance. We are in total consistency with the Hon. Member for Trinity. We believe that we have taken the middle course. We have taken the responsible course and we are going to monitor what we have done.

Business of the House INDUSTRY

June 30, 1988

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

Mr. Speaker, I would like to put a question to the Minister of State for Science and Technology. Two and a half years ago Massey Ferguson, now the Varity Corporation, was bailed out by this Government through Massey Combines being spun off and a debt of $207 million being lost to Varity Corporation as a result. Now with Massey Combines bankrupt, Varity in the United States is buying back the conventional combine technology.

1 want to ask the Minister if, to express concern about keeping this technology in Canada, his Government will act to see to it that this combines technology is kept in this country in production for Brantford workers so that there is a future for them and their company.

Hon. Frank Oberle (Minister of State (Science and Technology)):

Mr. Speaker, yes, the Government is concerned not only about the technology that is involved in this unfortunate situation which was brought about for reasons with which most of us are very familiar, but we have three main concerns. The first of course is for the workers of the Brantford facility. The second is for the farmers who require parts and tooling for the existing equipment, and finally there is the concern about the technology.

In terms of the technology, there are two types of technologies. One is the conventional technology which is now transferred to the United States, as the Hon. Member rightly states, but in return we have a guarantee that Canadian farmers will have access to parts and replacement systems they need for their existing combines. The technology that was paid for and developed by Canadians with the assistance of the Canadian Government will stay in Canada and indeed has been transferred to Vicon Corporation in Manitoba.

Mr. Speaker:

I recognize the Hon. Member for a very short supplementary question and that will close off Question Period.

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

Mr. Speaker, the City of Brantford has asked the federal Government at least to seek a delay in court approval of this corporate shell game. Will the Government request the three-month delay for which the City Council of Brantford has asked, for the sake of Massey Combines workers and pensioners?

Hon. Frank Oberle (Minister of State (Science and Technology)):

Mr. Speaker, I have told the Hon. Member that the dossier is at the very top of the desks of the Ministers who have jurisdiction in this area, in both the federal and provincial Governments. As the Hon. Members know, the workers are

uppermost in our minds as we look at the pension rights that have been earned, and all of the facilities and the programs of the federal Government have been mobilized to ensure that the workers' rights and their particular interests are being protected in this case.

Mr. Speaker:

I wish to advise the House that, as Hon. Members know, there is an order that the House will adjourn at three, and 1 want to make it clear that I have received several points of order and questions of privilege. With the cooperation of Hon. Members I will defer hearing those applications until Monday. However, there is one Hon. Member who cannot be here on Monday, and I have indicated to that Hon. Member that I will hear the application at another time. All of those matters will be taken into account.

Before we adjourn, I think it is appropriate to hear a point of order on some matters between the Parties.

Mr. Jacques Guilbault (Saint-Jacques):

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Government House Leader to tell us what business he is planning to bring before the House of Commons early next week.