Frank who?

Mr. McDermid:

Frank has said time and time again how devastating this Free Trade Agreement will be for Canada, how terrible it will be. And what is he doing? Well, he is going to build another of his auto parts manufacturing plants in Bracebridge, in the Muskoka region.

The Hon. Member for Parry Sound-Muskoka is doing a tremendous job for his riding. He is attracting more and more industry to his riding. It is little wonder that he was re-elected. He is doing just a marvellous job for his riding.

Hear, hear!

Mr. McDermid:

These companies have accepted the challenge of change; they are prepared to run with this thing.

I see that we are getting close to eleven o'clock, Mr. Speaker. I will just cite the example of one other company, a company that is a prime example of a success story and one which is very supportive of the

Free Trade Agreement. I refer to Husky Injection Molding Systems Ftd.

The Hon. Member for Halton-Peel (Mr. Turner) will be very familiar with this particular company as it operates within his riding. It is a company that I have followed for a number of years.

Husky Injection Molding Systems Ftd. has 1,600 suppliers world wide. In 1987, it shipped into the U.S. $64 million worth of product, representing 69 per cent of its total production. Because of the tariffs and other barriers to trade into the U.S., this company was looking at the possibility of expanding within the U.S. The Free Trade Agreement will ensure that that company stays in Canada, creating more employment and doing a bang-up job for Canadians.

I see that it is eleven o'clock, Mr. Speaker. I look forward to concluding my remarks following Question Period.

Mr. Deputy Speaker:

It being eleven o'clock, we will now proceed to Statements by Members.

Mr. Speaker, we are closing the year with a false sense of security. The so-called Free Trade Agreement will, in essence, lead to economic union between Canada and the U.S., which in turn will mean becoming less Canadian and more American. It will mean relying more and more on the export of our natural resources, instead of adding value at home. It will mean a weakening of our environmental standards, losses of jobs, and more American investment. The list is long.

Equally serious is the weakening of Canadian federalism as proposed by the Meech Lake Accord. Such poor leadership has resulted in the the weakening of the respect for minority language rights. In addition, Charter rights are eroded. Prospects for native people are dim. The definition of Canada is outdated.

Ironically, we will be indebted to provincial Premiers for the demise of Meech Lake. All this adds up to one

December 23, 1988

bottom line. Canadians will bring an end to this Tory regime which has done so much to weaken the fibre of this nation. Canadians look forward to doing so in 1992.

Mr. Guy St-Julien (Abitibi):

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Quebec announced yesterday that it was increasing the tax exemption for flow-through shares, which it had reduced in December 1986, from 133 1/3 per cent to 166 2/3 per cent. The Minister of Finance of Quebec emphasized that the aim of this new increase in the deduction for investment in mining exploration was to sustain growth in Quebec's mining sector, particularly in the Abitibi-Temiscamingue region.

Individuals who incur exploration expenses will, moreover, be able to claim the additional deduction announced, even if the exploration project is being carried out under the new Canadian Exploration Incentive Program, the CEIP, which comes into effect on January 1,1989.

Mr. Speaker, this represents a victory for the Association des prospecteurs du Quebec and for all economic agents in Abitibi-Temiscamingue and I am pleased to see that our investors will benefit from this measure.

Mrs. Mary Collins (Capilano):

Mr. Speaker, this has been an eventful year for all of us, a year of achievement for this Government and this House. We have spent hundreds of hours in this House debating vital issues such as tax reform, abortion, language issues and, of course, the crowning achievement, the Free Trade Agreement.

None of this would have been possible without the faithful work of all those who work to make the operation of this House so successful. I think it is appropriate that all of us today pay a special note of thanks and recognition to all those who make it possible-the Pages

who keep our messages going, the Table Officers who give us such good advice, the Library staff, the security guards who keep us safe, all the translators and the Hansard staff who listen to every word we say, those who work in the cafeterias and the restaurants to keep us well fed, the messengers who send our messages and, in particular, all our own office staff who keep us going.

To all of them I think we can say that, with the cooperation of the House they will be home for Christmas. To all of them a Joyeux Noel and a happy 1989.

Hear, hear!

Mr. Lyle MacWilliam (Okanagan-Shuswap):

Mr. Speaker, last August the federal Ministry of Agriculture announced a $28 million federal-provincial bail-out package for B.C. grape growers to help ease their way into oblivion in light of the trade deal.

As of yesterday, representatives of the B.C. Grape Marketing Board confirmed that this agreement had not yet been signed. B.C. grape producers are waiting anxiously to receive this compensation so that they can either pull out their grape vines and move into other areas of production, or get out of farming altogether.

In light of the Government's zealous commitment to ram this trade deal through before January 1, the Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Mazankowski) should also make a commitment to sign the financial compensation package for B.C. grape growers also before January 1 so that these grape growers are at least assured of some financial help in an industry that will be killed by the trade deal.

Mr. Geoff Scott (Hamilton-Wentworth):

Mr. Speaker, it was with great sadness that we learned that one of my constituents, Mr. Paul Freeman, was one of

December 23, 1988

two Canadians who went down with a Pan American jumbo jet in Scotland a couple days ago.

I am sure that Members of the House would want me to extend our deepest sympathies to Paul's family in Dundas, along with the many other families and friends of victims of this horrible Christmastime tragedy.

I know that the preliminary investigation into the crash is being handled by Scotland Yard and the U.S. State Department. But because Canadian citizens were involved I am asking Canada's External Affairs Department to keep us posted on the international intrigue surrounding the disintegration of Flight 103.

More immediately, I am grateful that External Affairs has already been in touch with the Freeman family. I am aware that the Government of Canada is providing all possible assistance in their time of sorrow.

Mr. Bob Speller (Haldimand-Norfolk):

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Mazankowski) visited my riding during the election campaign and promised a $35 million redux program for tobacco farmers. This program was to begin in early December.

We have yet to see this program begin. The program is designed to assist tobacco farmers leaving the business as a result of changing social patterns and adverse government legislation and tax policies such as we saw during the last sitting of the House.

This program was promised for early December. Tobacco farmers want to know when they might expect the program. I call on the Government to start this program immediately, and assure tobacco farmers that they will continue to have a future in farming.

Mr. Jean-Guy Guilbault (Drummond):

Mr. Speaker, the holiday season is a special time to extend good wishes to those whom we love and appreciate. I would

like to take this opportunity to extend my best wishes for Christmas and the New Year to all Canadians, and in particular to the people of the federal riding of Drummond.

We are one big family and I wish only the very best for all of us.

Together, we have accomplished some great things over the past four years and I am confident that the future will be very bright for all of us. I am proud and honoured to have represented you in the House of Commons over the years and I will continue to prove myself worthy by working on your behalf and with you.

In closing, I hope to see all of you in 1989.

God bless all of us. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Buon Nat ale. Felices Navidades.