MEMBERS' STATEMENTS

Government Fiscal Policy

Mr. Mervin Tweed (Turtle Mountain): Madam Speaker, as autumn has officially come upon us and the leaves turn colour and the air brisk, I would like to reflect for a moment upon our government's strong fiscal performance. Manitoba has been one of the most fiscally responsible provinces since the early 1990s and now boasts the strongest balanced budget legislation in the country. We have one of the most fiscally responsible Canadian governments of this decade, and our credit prospects continue to be favourable, reflecting a very positive and impressive tradition of Conservative fiscal policies. Manitoba's economy continues to perform well, and Manitoba continues to have high levels of capital investment and one of the lowest unemployment rates of all the provinces.

Over the past number of years we have become one of the most small business-friendly governments in Canada. Through stable workers' compensation premiums, an eight-year tax freeze and some strategic reductions in key taxes, Manitoba has set a high standard that many other provinces should follow. It was stated on July 18, 1996, by Merrill Lynch that Manitoba has exceeded its original budget projections for two consecutive years and will likely maintain surpluses through the year 2000.

Filmon's administration has implemented ambitious and comprehensive legislative measures designed to produce balanced or surplus budgets annually. This province was one of the first to rein in spending, focus on controlling public wage costs, streamlining government operations and increasing efficiencies in the delivery of public service. Going forward, Manitoba is emerging as one of the steadiest and strongest provinces in the country.

Hence, as the leaves do fall from the trees to blanket the ground for the approaching winter season, I am once again confirmed in my strong belief and commitment to this government and to the ambitious and comprehensive measures that we continue to implement in order to best provide for the long-term stability and success of this great province.

CBC

Ms. Diane McGifford (Osborne): Madam Speaker, 1996 marks the CBC's 60th anniversary as Canada's national public broadcaster. As a Canadian voice and presence on North America's airwaves and as a common electronic link for Canadians from coast to coast, the CBC has played a vital role in developing Canadian culture and identity. CBC is a Canadian institution, but sadly it is an institution with its back to the wall.

At a news conference last week, CBC President Perrin Beatty announced the latest nail in the coffin of Canadian public broadcasting, and though Mr. Beatty spoke as if huge financial cuts were actually gifts in disguise, a chance for CBC to pull up its corporate socks, breathe deeply, and get on with it, the truth is that the losses will be devastating–another 2,500 jobs and $127 million from the budget.

What happened to Jean Chretien's red book promise that a Liberal government would provide the CBC with long-term stable funding? This promise has materialized as a $410 million post-election cut. What about Chretien's pre-election promise of jobs, jobs, jobs, which by 1998 will materialize as a post-election cut of 3,500 to 4,000 CBC jobs? The truth is that Chretien and his Heritage minister, Sheila Copps, have now outflanked Preston Manning, who, mean as he is, only wished to cut $365 million. Intent on not spoiling their perfect record, Chretien and Copps have broken their word again.

* (1420)

Closer to home, our CBC employees are feeling despondent. Decisions regarding staff layoffs and changes in programming have been delayed until perhaps November. We can all imagine the difficulty of going to work and feeling positively about the future among reports that regional CBC offices will bear a disproportionate share of the cuts and that 45 percent or 150 of 324 local employees will be dismissed.

South America Trade Mission

Mr. Edward Helwer (Gimli): Madam Speaker, I am pleased to present good news to Manitobans concerning the outcome of the trade mission to South America that occurred several weeks ago. Thanks to two local businesses from the Gimli constituency, International Beef Genetics and Prairie Farm & Ranch Supply, along with the honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Jim Downey, and 12 other Manitoba business people, the mission was a success.

Since it is expected that Chile will be signing a bilateral trade agreement with Canada later this year, Manitoba must take advantage of every opportunity to promote its businesses. Trade missions such as the recent ones to South America and Asia helped to promote Manitoba and put it on the global map as an ideal location for Latin America to do business and as a source of exported products. Bringing established local business representatives to these lands enables us to promote this province and all that it has to offer. We were able to prove that Manitoba is an ideal place to invest.

Madam Speaker, Argentina has a large grain and beef industry in need of modern production equipment, livestock genetics and technology. Brazil is also a strong potential market for agricultural equipment, as well as for grain and pulse crops.

Manitoba's best export opportunities for trade with Chile are in forest and mining machinery, light manufacturing equipment and professional services.

Madam Speaker, I cannot hear myself think here.

Madam Speaker: Order, please. I also am experiencing difficulty hearing the honourable member for Gimli, and I wonder if those members who are holding private meetings would do so either in the loge or outside the Chamber.

Mr. Helwer: Both of these businesses located in the Gimli constituency agreed that the opportunities to do business in South America are huge and that they will be doing business with these countries in the near future. Ralph Eichler, president of Prairie Farm & Ranch Supply, made a special note of stating that Mr. Downey should be applauded for his efforts in making this trade mission happen.

Madam Speaker, I would like to commend the members of the Manitoba-led trade mission for the accomplishments made with South American business. Thank you.

Railway Industry–Safety Concerns

Ms. Marianne Cerilli (Radisson): Leave for a member's statement.

I want to raise the issue today that is affecting not only my constituency but many areas in Manitoba and indeed the country and that is the effect that the elimination of railway services and jobs are having on rail safety. This is a concern that hit home this summer when outside of Edmonton, on August 12, there was a serious accident.

We know that recently there have been 275 jobs cut from CP and that the elimination of 3,000 jobs has occurred from CN under the current government across the way. CP, in the past, as early as '93, had a payroll of $108 million in Manitoba. One of my constituents has written me a letter saying they believe it is time for the province to put a stop to the slow erosion of good-paying jobs in Manitoba.

The issue though before us is the impact that the loss of these jobs is having on rail safety. When they transferred 56 rail traffic control positions to Edmonton, they did not even have in place an adequate facility to deal with those jobs, and the workers there are in a large room that does not provide them the sort of concentration on their terminals. They are being forced to work double shifts or 12-hour-long shifts. They are often having to watch two terminals of track at one time. They are dealing with track that they are not familiar with when we have people in Edmonton who are responsible for track that is as far away as Thunder Bay. I know there was one fellow who said that in Thunder Bay there was a train stopped for 15 minutes in the downtown area during rush hour because they were not familiar with the track.

These are serious concerns for all citizens as well as the workers and the railway, and I would urge this government to take some preventative measures to stop this problem. Thank you.

Arts Industry–Government Support

Mr. Mike Radcliffe (River Heights): Madam Speaker, I would like to draw the attention of the House today to the solid record of our Premier Filmon and to this government in their support of the arts in Manitoba. This was evidenced in the Winnipeg Free Press this weekend in a very good article. In an era of fiscal restraint where we have been faced with shrinking transfer payments from Ottawa and a population that cannot absorb any more taxes, it makes our government's consistent, steady support of arts and culture in Manitoba all the more laudable.

We have much to be proud of in our arts sector in Manitoba. We have a burgeoning young artist environ-ment where our young people are making valuable contributions to the cultural life in our province. Such commendable cultural mainstays as the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, these are renowned throughout the world for being at the top of their fields. Manitoba is also home to the Manitoba Theatre Centre, the Prairie Theatre Exchange and a number of other companies that bring a high quality of live theatre performance to our province. We have a thriving film industry that is noted across Canada for its vitality and its esprit de corps.

Our province has produced a number of nationally and internationally noted authors such as Carol Shields and Margaret Sweatman, among others. Madam Speaker, there has been an appreciation of the value of the arts in our society by the leadership of this government that has worked quietly behind the scenes to sustain the tradition of patronage of the arts in Manitoba. Today all Manitobans are beneficiaries of this visionary approach to the funding of arts and culture in Manitoba. Thank you.