Mr. Rod Murphy (Churchill):

Mr. Speaker, the last Conservative budget shows that poor people and off-reserve natives cannot rely on this government to help break the poverty cycle.

Since 1991 this government has cut 61 per cent from the budgets of the Rural and Native Housing Program and the Urban Native Housing Program.

The budget for CMHC was frozen by the Conservatives and as a result funding for the Rural and Native Housing Program, the Urban Native Housing Program and the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program will not be renewed.

May 13, 1993

These programs helped to ensure that people with limited income could afford safe and adequate housing while allowing them to use their money to help stop the cycle of poverty.

In these days of high unemployment brought about by the failed economic policies of the Liberals and the Conservatives, more people than ever need help finding adequate housing. If this government cared about Canadians it would not have cut back funding for these veiy necessary programs.

Mr. Scott Thorkelson (Edmonton-Strathcona):

Mr. Speaker, I would like to share with the House more of the opinions expressed by residents of Edmonton- Strathcona in my recent survey of the riding.

I asked my constituents what they would do about the GST. If we were to believe the voices of the opposition and certain interest groups, Canadians are furious about the GST and want it abolished.

My constituents tell me otherwise. In fact, a strong majority of the survey respondents said that they would like to keep the GST as long as its revenues are dedicated to deficit reduction. Less than 20 per cent of the respondents want to see the GST abolished. GST revenues are going toward deficit reduction through the Debt Servicing and Reduction Account.

In my view, this survey result does not indicate that my constituents are happy about the GST but it clearly shows that they are aware of the debt crisis and the importance of the revenues collected by the GST. In other words, we may not like the taste of the medicine but we know enough to take it when we are sick.

Canadians know that tough measures are required to address our deficit situation and they support the bold steps taken by our government to get our fiscal house in order.

Mr. Bob Speller (Haldimand-Norfolk):

Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister traipses around the world at taxpayers' expense I can only hope that he has not lost

sight of the many important issues that are on the minds of Canadians today.

As the Prime Minister meets with world leaders he has given himself the ideal opportunity to advance Canada's interests on a wide variety of issues. Canadians are concerned that they have heard nothing from the Prime Minister regarding this government's commitment to resolve outstanding trade problems. The Prime Minister should be taking advantage of this international stage to lobby hard on behalf of our supply-managed farmers for a strengthened article XI at the GATT.

This farewell tour is costing Canadian taxpayers millions of dollars. As the Prime Minister jet-sets back to Canada, Canadians can only hope that Canada is getting something out of all of this, something for our money. Canadians expect that while the Prime Minister is abroad he is working in the best interest of this country, not just in the best interest of the Prime Minister.

Mr. Greg Thompson (Carleton-Charlotte):

Mr. Speaker, today the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans took an important step toward reforming the licensing allocation and sanction systems of Canada's fisheries. Until now the minister had absolute discretion over licensing and allocation. The legislation tabled today in the House will create two independent fisheries boards for each of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. These boards will license fishermen and allocate the annual harvest as well as applying sanctions for fisheries violations by commercial licence holders.

This legislation will allow those directly involved in the fishing industry a degree of input into the decision-making process that affects their lives.

It is for this reason that I commend the minister for taking the initiative to launch these reforms.

* *

Ms. Joy Langan (Mission -Coquitlam):

Mr. Speaker, Saturday, as many members of this House return to their ridings for the next week, thousands and thousands of Canadians will be arriving in Ottawa to reclaim our future and protest the failed Liberal and Conservative

May 13, 1993

policies over the last decade, policies which benefit corporations and the wealthy.

All across Canada buses, trains, planes and car pools are now being organized. Working people in every province and territory are getting together for this giant rally to say no to the free trade agreement, no to NAFTA, no to the GST, no to health care cuts, no to education cuts and no to public sector worker bashing.

Even the municipal council of Ottawa, not known for its left-leaning views, has declared Saturday, May 15 people's agenda day. Those who are fed up will show up and more than tulips will be showing on Parliament Hill.

So to my colleagues in this House, as you head for home, know that those at home are heading for Ottawa to tell you just what they think of your failed Liberal and Conservative policies. They will be here to reclaim their future.

Mr. John E. Cole (York-Simcoe):

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate Paul Blanchard and Kevin Mathews of Canada Composting who have embarked on a $20 million pilot project to build and demonstrate a large-scale centralized waste conversion facility in Newmarket, Ontario.

With the support of Environment Canada through the D-Rect program, Demonstration of Resource and Energy Conservation Technology, and joint venture capital investments from the private sector this project is expected to be accepting customer waste next year. This plant will have the capacity to process 75,000 tonnes of waste annually, recycling 80 per cent of this for compost, for nurseries, landscapers and the general public for home garden use.

This brand new technology and new procedure has the potential of being very helpful in meeting Canada's green plan target of a 50 per cent reduction in the amount of waste going to landfills by the year 2000.

Congratulations to Canada Composting, the town of Newmarket and the federal Minister of the Environment.

Mr. Jean-Robert Gauthier (Ottawa-Vanier):

Mr. Speaker, I want to remind the majority in this country that there are still very deep needs in the minority groups. I want to remind the majority in this country that anybody living west of Ontario who speaks French does not have access to a post-secondary institution.

I want to remind the people of this country that every French-speaking minority living west of Ontario does not have control of its schools. I want to remind Ontario that there are negotiations.

Yesterday, the minister-and I see her in the House-reminded us, and I quote from page 19316 from Hansard:

My proposals are on the table, my budgets are ready, and it is now

up to the Ontario government to go ahead with the discussions.

I implore this government to get with it and ask Ontario to come to the table and settle that document concerning the future of this country and give our kids their education.

Mr. Bruce Halliday (Oxford):

Mr. Speaker, the first week of June is National Access Awareness Week. Teams of politicians, disabled individuals, labour leaders, people from the business community and from all walks of life have been busy throughout the year in efforts to eliminate barriers facing persons with disabilities.

Canada's Secretary of State and minister responsible for the status of disabled persons has taken our experiences on disability to the world stage. Together with international colleagues and leaders from the disability community, she has pioneered an initiative to improve the quality of life for the world's 500 million people who are disabled.

Mr. Speaker, we have appreciated your ongoing support of National Access Awareness Week and the concern you have for accessibility to all aspects of Parliament.

May 13, 1993

I want to urge all members of the House to support National Access Awareness Week in the communities throughout their ridings. We can build together on the minister's their your leadership and our record of achievement.

Mr. David D. Stupich (Nanaimo -Cowichan):

Mr. Speaker, the minister of fisheries released legislation today providing for a new regime in the fisheries, a new system of licensing, a new system of allocating the resource.

The one very good thing about the legislation is it provides lots of lead time. The minister said it would not come into effect, he expects, until January 1, 1995 and it is going to need that much time. It is a substantial change.

The minister has a better appreciation of the need to take time for things like this, having gone through the introduction of the aboriginal fish strategy on the west coast. Last year was a disaster. That is the only word I can use to describe it, although the minister would rather not use that word.

I am not sure this year is going to be that much better. We have had one indication already there could be problems when the Sto:lo decided to fish when they were not supposed to fish. The minister said that those who were fishing did not know they were transgressing, so nothing was done about it.

However, it is sending a signal that DFO is still not prepared to deal with people that break fishing regulations. If that is the way it is going to start, then we could be in trouble this fishing season in B.C.

Miss Deborah Grey (Beaver River):

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to convey to the House that CFB Edmonton has recently founded its 18 Wing.

The Wing is an organizational structure patterned after the Royal Air Force and used in Canada until unification of the Canadian forces in 1968. It replaces the concept of a base. The Wing emphasizes the operational character, rather than the support function of Canadian

Oral Questions

air bases. Air Command has now created an organization that is more consistent with air force aims, missions and tasks.

I was pleased to be at the ceremony in April to celebrate the formation. Congratulations Colonel Mike Wansink and CFB Edmonton men and women serving their country in 18 Wing.