Mrs. Gabrielle Bertrand (Brome-Missisquoi):

Madam Speaker, the media's mandate is to inform Canadians every day, even every hour. Reporters on Parliament Hill, editorialists and political analysts scrutinize what the people's elected representatives do.

Even though these elected people, of which I am one, sometimes find their criticism unfair and severe, the fact remains that the credibility of some of these journalists is well established.

This morning, two of them agree and believe it their duty to do justice to the Prime Minister of Canada who is now touring the great capitals of the world.

Besides Michel Vastel, Lise Bissonnette puts the debate in its proper perspective. She recalls that the Liberal Party, which is making a big fuss over this farewell tour by the Prime Minister, has a very short memory. Indeed, who does not remember "the pretentious peace initiative of their well-loved former leader, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, which failed and is still laughed about in foreign ministries".

May 7, 1993

Oral Questions

Ms. Bissonnette continues: "The tradition in Canadian politics, inherited from the great former Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson-"

Madam Deputy Speaker:

I regret, but the hon. member's time has expired.

Mr. Rod Murphy (Churchill):

Madam Speaker, all Canadians are aware of the recent deaths of young native people in Davis Inlet due to solvent abuse. The unfortunate reality is that the problem of solvent abuse is widespread.

Sniffing has been and is common in hundreds of native communities all across Canada. Many communities in my riding of Churchill, most notably in Shamattawa, are trying to cope with this horrible problem.

For a long time I have tried to convince successive Liberal and Conservative cabinet ministers that this Parliament needs to take urgent action and pay concrete attention.

Now the MKO, which represents 25 native bands in northern Manitoba, has been calling on the government to set up a 30-bed solvent abuse treatment centre in northern Manitoba. This proposal would go a long way to reduce the human tragedies.

Too many young people have died from solvent abuse. It is time for the government to take action.

Ms. Ethel Blondin-Andrew (Western Arctic):

Madam Speaker, it is clear the government intends to do what it can to diminish the cultural and linguistic rights of aboriginal peoples. Most of the grants and contributions to aboriginal organizations and interest groups have been further reduced this year by 10 per cent and will be further reduced by 10 per cent in 1994-95, followed by another 15 per cent in 1995-96 and 20 per cent the year after.

Savings from these cuts will go to farmers and manufacturers while at the same time signalling the end for

many aboriginal cultural and communication resources and organizations which have managed against all odds to survive previous Tory budget cuts. It is a disgrace to see the government continue to pit people in need against each other.

If aboriginal organizations, communication societies and friendship centres are wiped out, so is any progress made by aboriginal people to achieve self-sufficiency and economic certainty for their future.

Mr. Blaine A. Thacker (Lethbridge):

Madam Speaker, on May 5 the hon. member for Kamloops in his motion under Standing Order 81 concerning NAFTA said unconditionally that Canadian Airlines International is closing its maintenance facility in Vancouver and is moving it to a 70 acre facility in northern Mexico.

I am informed that this is false. Where the hon. member obtained this information is unknown. I have checked with Canadian Airlines on this matter and it was stunned if not amazed that the hon. member for Kamloops would make such a statement. The employees at Canadian deserve better. They have worked hard over the last year to save their company and their jobs.

The hon. member should have checked his sources before standing in this Chamber and spreading unfounded rumours. An apology is in order by the member for Kamloops to the 16,000 employees of Canadian. I challenge him to reveal the names of the people who put him into this untenable position.

Mr. Douglas Young (Acadie -Bathurst):

Madam Speaker, the unemployment rate in Canada continues to climb. In April 43,000 jobs were lost. There are now 1.6 million Canadians unemployed. That is 144,000 more than at the same time last year. The Minister of Finance in his budget speech said, and I quote: "The foundation for growth, jobs and prosperity in the newly emerging economy is being put into place".

May 7, 1993

Unemployed Canadians know the government's policies are not working. I ask the Minister of Finance what he intends to do about it.

Hon. Don Mazankowski (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance):

Madam Speaker, indeed I am concerned with the results that were announced this morning, particularly after having an employment growth of 48,000 in the month of March.

I have to say to my hon. friend that getting wrapped up in the month to month fluctuations may not necessarily represent the long-term trends. We have had employment growth in 10 of the last 12 months. In January it was 9,000 and in February it was 9,000. In March it went up to 48,000 and then of course there was a reduction by

43.000 in the month of April.

I have to advise my hon. friend however that the economy is growing. We have had a 3.5 per cent rate of growth in gross domestic product in the third quarter. The last three months have posted growth of 4 per cent.

What is encouraging is that manufacturing jobs are up by some 28,000 or 4 per cent in the last six months. Over the last six months there have been some 70,000 new jobs created in the manufacturing sector. Surveys indicate that manufacturing production will increase by some 33 per cent.

Mr. Douglas Young (Acadie-Bathurst):

Madam Speaker, in April the number of unemployed workers in Quebec increased by 16,000, bringing the total number of jobless in this province up to 458,000.

Could the Minister of Finance explain why the measures announced in his budget and in the prosperity initiatives document continue to lead us toward poverty instead of prosperity?

Hon. Don Mazankowski (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance):

Madam Speaker, I remind my hon. friend that we provided personal income tax cuts both in 1992 and 1993.

We have provided enhancements in the tax regime for the manufacturing and processing sector. We introduced a home buyers plan. We introduced a program of investment in infrastructure which will generate some

30.000 person-years of work over the course of the fulfilment of those projects. We introduced a small

Oral Questions

business package and some other tax changes to help small business adapt to the newly emerging economy, a new Small Businesses Loans Act and the simplification of the GST.

Most important, we introduced a budget that had no new taxes or no tax increases. We have injected $1.7 billion into the economy. The chairman of General Electric said just yesterday: "Higher taxes and higher health care costs are in direct conflict with more jobs and that is a reality". I hope that those provinces which still have to bring down their budgets will refrain from increasing taxes to offset the advantages and the benefits that we have provided in our budgets.

Mr. Douglas Young (Acadie-Bathurst):

Madam Speaker, the Minister of Finance talks about reality but the reality is that for a lot of Canadians the so-called national dream has become a nightmare.

If the minister looked at the figures that were released, the increase in unemployment among women, for example, is up 38,000. Unemployment among youth is at 18 per cent and we have all the students coming out of high schools, universities and community colleges out there seeking work.

I want to ask the Minister of Finance why in his budget speech just recently there was no mention made of any plans to address the crisis that is facing women particularly and young people in this country. Why was there not even the effort made to try to find some solutions in the short term for this? The chairman of General Electric may have his views on how the economy is working, but the two million people who are out of work have their views on it as well and I think it is time the Minister of Finance moved on it.

Hon. Don Mazankowski (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance):

Madam Speaker, that is indeed a fair question. What is required is an over-all strengthening of the economy and we see that strength on a broad basis.

Just look at the headlines:"Gross domestic product climbs back to strength; Canadian GDP grows; Spending on new construction from homes, schools to bridges and sewers is expected to rise by 3.5 per cent from '92 to '93 for a total of $79 billion; First quarter profits jump which provides more opportunity for investment; More factory job cuts loom but Stat survey finds 33 per cent increase in production in the manufacturing sector; Manufacturing sectors show signs of growth; The oil patch recovery is surprisingly strong; The drilling activity is 100 per cent

May 7, 1993

Oral Questions

higher this year than it was last year". That is jobs, jobs, jobs.

Mr. Ronald J. Duhamel (St. Boniface):

Madam Speaker, my question is for the Acting Prime Minister.

Statistics Canada reports that there are 16,000 more western Canadians who are out of work this month than last month. There are thousands of families that are hurting because of this government's policies. In my province alone, 5,000 more people are out of work than there were last month and hundreds and thousands of families are suffering because of what this government has done.

When will this government introduce a plan, a strategy and measures to create jobs for Canadians throughout the country? It is time it did that.

Hon. Don Mazankowski (Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance):

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the sincerity of my hon. friend's questions, but I think that he would understand that there are a number of positive indicators from which we can draw the conclusion that the economy is strengthening and that jobs are being created.

I do not think the hon. member should draw a conclusion simply on the month to month fluctuations in the unemployment statistics. The economy is growing. Manufacturing employment is up. Exports are strong. Construction spending is increasing. We have infrastructure projects in place. A number of initiatives have been announced and others are being announced which will generate some 30,000 new jobs.

I talked about the energy sector. It is growing. The lumber sector is in good shape. The retail sales-

Madam Deputy Speaker:

We should move on.

Mr. Ronald J. Duhamel (St. Boniface):

Madam Speaker, my supplementary is directed to the same minister. Jobs are being lost everywhere in Canada, especially in large urban centres, and especially by women and young people, and the government opposite offers no plans or strategies to cope with this problem.

Why will this government not at least consider the Liberal strategy for creating jobs across the country? Why will it not consider this proposal?