Mr. Greg Thompson (Carleton-Charlotte):

Madam Speaker, my question is for the Minister of National Health and Welfare and concerns the length of time it takes for appeals of disability pensions to be reviewed.

In the last two years that process has gone from a waiting period of about four months to somewhere close to one year. I think members on all sides of the House would agree with me that no one has shown more concern for disabled Canadians than our minister but this waiting period concerns all of us.

I was wondering if the process is being reviewed or something can be done to speed it up because these are

Oral Questions

the neediest of all Canadians. The anguish and frustration has to be dealt with.

Mr. Foster:

Maurice Chevalier.

Sing the blues.

Mrs. Campbell (South West Nova):

Chantez.

Madam Deputy Speaker:

I am sure all hon. members, like myself, want to hear what the minister has to say. The hon. minister.

Hon. Benoit Bouchard (Minister of National Health and Welfare):

Madam Speaker, I know that my colleagues will be disappointed but I said my singing career was over immediately after Friday night. I will just answer one of the best questions that we have had in the House today about disability pension applications.

I share the frustration of my colleague because we have had an ever-increasing number of CPP disability applications. This year we are trying to train more people in a short time to deal with the problem.

I want to say to my colleague that the problem will be fixed and a long-term solution will be found within the review of the income security program in redesigned projects which will fundamentally change the way we do business with the Canada Pension Plan in the department.

If the member and those who refer matters to him want to express some patience, this will be fixed within the next year to the satisfaction of all Canadians.

Mr. George S. Rideout (Moncton):

Madam Speaker, my question is for the minister of small business.

The government and banks have been in cahoots in a double-speak PR scheme. For small business, venture capital is next to impossible to come by and the Small Businesses Loans Act has little effect. The old way of doing banking is still the order of the day. Since 1989 loans to small business have decreased by 11 per cent and loans to big business have risen by 11 per cent.

When is the government going to forget the baloney and come up with the bucks?

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Hon. Tom Hockin (Minister for Science and Minister of State (Small Businesses and Tourism)):

Madam Speaker, my hon. friend's question might have been appropriate 10 years ago, but if he had been with me last week when we went to see the bankers' association he would have been pleased with the increased performance under the SBLA program, a program in which we have limited the banks. They cannot take any more than a 25 per cent personal guarantee against an SBLA loan.

This has totally changed the climate. Small businesses now are applying for this in greater numbers and we expect two or three times more business under the new SBLA than under the old one.

The Minister of Finance in his last budget and also in the December statement brought forward all sorts of new possibilities for equity investment in small business, especially in allowing RRSPs to be used in new and creative ways for equity investment in small business. This government, both on the equity and debt side for small and medium enterprises, has been giving leadership across a whole range of areas and will continue with that in the next few months.

Mr. George S. Rideout (Moncton):

Madam Speaker, another load of baloney, but my question is for the same minister.

Small business owners are getting calls from their bankers telling them that their lines of credit have been cut in half. Women entrepreneurs looking to start businesses in the new knowledge based economy are being frozen out of loans. The government obviously does not understand the demands on small business.

When will the government stop winking and nodding at the banks and compel them to finance the backbone of this country: small business?

Hon. Tom Hockin (Minister for Science and Minister of State (Small Businesses and Tourism)):

Madam Speaker, it is wonderful to hear that the Liberal Party finally, on the second last day of the session, has discovered small business.

Oh, oh.

Mr. Marchi:

The next minister of big business.

Mr. Hockin:

Almost every minister in this government is working on one program or another to help small business. We are very proud of what we have been able to accomplish.

Oh, oh.

Mr. Hockin:

Does the hon. member want to listen to the answer?

Madam Deputy Speaker:

Members are asking questions. I think courtesy should be given while the minister is answering. The hon. member from South West Nova may not get the answer she wants but an answer is given and should be listened to.

Mr. Hockin:

Madam Speaker, I do not like to be provocative but you just heard Liberals being very childish. In fact they are childish in their whole approach to small business.

The only creative idea they have ever come up with is to criticize the banks. I criticize the banks on many accounts too, especially in their approach to small business. We have more to say than simply to criticize. We have taken positive action and the performance of the Small Businesses Loans Act is the best example of that.