Firefighter Pensions

Tuesday April 23, 2002

 

    Mr. Bill Blaikie (Winnipeg--Transcona, NDP): Mr. Speaker, year after year the firefighters come here and they ask for changes in their pension accrual rate, and year after year all members of parliament agree with them, including members on the government side.

    Yet year after year they go away empty-handed.

    I want to ask the Minister of Finance, who is running the show here? If we all agree, how come it cannot happen? Will he make a commitment today that they will never go away empty-handed again?

    Hon. Paul Martin (Minister of Finance, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, I am delighted that the hon. member has asked me the question because it gives me the opportunity to basically say that the leadership on this issue has been taken by the members of the Liberal caucus. They have met with the firefighters. They have met with the Department of Finance. They have taken leadership in designing the kinds of solutions that are going to be made available.

    These are things that have to be discussed with other agencies and other levels of government, but the fact is that it is the leadership of this Liberal caucus that has brought this item to the fore and they are the supporters of the firefighters in this country.

    The Speaker: I would remind all hon. members that the Chair has to be able to hear the questions and the answers and there seems to be a lot of noise. One would think it was Wednesday and it is not.

    The hon. member for Cumberland--Colchester has the floor. We will have a little order, please.