Diane St-Jacques

[Cultural Industries, December 5th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Canadian Heritage announced that her department, through its Canadian Culture Online program, was providing more than $596,000 in financial support to Musilab Inc., for its project Le Monde d'objets parlés.

In recent years, Drummondville has demonstrated the phenomenal impact that cultural industries can have on the economy and the quality of life of our communities. The goal of this project is to promote French and Aboriginal language oral folk traditions through the Internet.

Canada is rich in oral traditions that deserve to be more widely known. Thanks to this digital portal, Canadians, and particularly young people, will benefit from an exceptional tool for exploring the musical and oral cultural heritage that surrounds us.

I congratulate all those who worked together to make this initiative possible, namely Musilab Inc., TELUS solutions d'affaires and the Cégep de Drummondville.

[Persons with Disabilities, December 3rd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, one disabled child in three lives in a family whose income is below the poverty line. Moreover, the taxation measures currently in place do not benefit families whose incomes are so low that they pay no income tax.

This government acknowledges that low-income families caring for a severely disabled child face particular financial difficulties because of the special support and special care required by that child.

On this International Day of Disabled Persons, I wish to remind hon. members of the government's expressed intention in the Speech from the Throne to initiate targeted measures for such families.

We all need to continue to work in close collaboration with our partners, that is the provinces and territories and the disabled community, to ensure that these families in need receive better support.

Recognizing the disabled person's need for dignity and independence, we are building a society and a country in which there is a place for all Canadians.

[École de médecine vétérinaire de Saint-Hyacinthe, November 27th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, at this time, two of Canada's four schools of veterinary medicine no longer meet international standards. One of these is the faculty of veterinary medicine of the Université de Montréal in Saint-Hyacinthe.

Since the spring, I have been involved in one effort after another to help out this faculty and keep its doors open. There has still been no positive response forthcoming. I am therefore returning to the charge here in this House today, in order to remind hon. members of the urgency of the situation.

On December 9, the American Veterinary Medical Association's Council on Education might withdraw the partial accreditation currently enjoyed by the Saint-Hyacinthe school of veterinary medicine.

Accreditation is an assurance of quality. Graduates of accredited faculties have a solid grounding in the basic principles of medicine, the scientific knowledge, and the physical, technical and intellectual skills necessary for good veterinary practice.

With the support of the members of the Quebec caucus, I am repeating my request and urge the government to take prompt action on this.

[Osteoporosis, November 18th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, November is Osteoporosis Month. It is important for Canadians to become more aware of this disease, because of its stealthy nature. People can have the disease without any symptoms. It steals bone mass silently, and bones deteriorate and become more fragile.

In Canada, more than one in four women and one in eight men over the age of 50 have osteoporosis. More women die each year of fractures related to osteoporosis than from breast cancer.

Osteoporosis can be prevented by a healthy diet, including sufficient calcium and Vitamin D, combined with physical activity. Osteoporosis can be avoided. I invite all Canadians to learn more about it.

[Saint-Hyacinthe Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, October 29th, 2002]

Madam Speaker, I was informed this past April by students in my riding of a serious problem being experienced by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Université de Montréal, located in Saint-Hyacinthe.

At a Quebec caucus last spring, I brought this to the attention of my colleagues and also wrote all Liberal MPs to inform them of the situation, since it is likely to occur in the three other faculties of vetinary medicine before long.

I wrote to several ministers to request their prompt intervention. In August, I met with Faculty Dean Dr. Raymond Roy, who fears the worst for his faculty. The clock is ticking. December 2003 is the deadline and he have not yet obtained the financial support to guarantee continuation of the accreditation of his faculty.

Given the urgency of reinvestment, I am begging the government to act with all possible haste in this matter. Food safety, the health of Canadians, and our world reputation are at stake. We must avoid a repetition of the crisis that has been experienced by European farmers and consumers.

[Farmers, October 28th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to acknowledge the extraordinary campaign of solidarity that was conducted in the Eastern Townships to help those farmers in western Canada who had nothing to feed their cattle due to the prolonged drought.

Generous farmers from my riding, Shefford, and that of Compton—Stanstead rallied and pulled together to arrange transportation, while in the riding of my colleague from Brome—Missisquoi, more than 1,300 bales of hay were collected. This campaign was a success. I am very proud to live in a region where people get involved in their communities and roll up their sleeves to help other Canadians.

We too received help during the ice storm and we know how much comfort and hope this kind of sharing can bring.

I want to stress the outstanding work of numerous volunteers and the generosity of our farmers. They have just given us a fine example of solidarity and altruism.

[Government On-Line Initiative, October 3rd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the Speech from the Throne delivered on Monday does not mention the Government On-Line initiative. Earlier this week, it was reported by some media that the Government of Canada was about to set aside this important initiative and replace it with an agenda more closely related to social issues.

Could the President of the Treasury Board and minister responsible for the Government On-Line initiative tell us about the government's intentions? Does she intend to implement the GOL by the year 2005?

[Leucan, June 18th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, last Saturday, I took part in a fundraising event for the Fondation Leucan in Granby, in the riding of Shefford.

I agreed to put a price on my head and have my hair shaved off if $50,000 could be raised. You will probably have guessed that we exceeded our goal, making $75,000.

I was touched by people's great generosity. Thanks to their participation, research will increase the chances of a cure, massage therapy will reduce the pain experienced by children, and their life will be improved because they will get to go to a summer camp catering to their special needs.

What I and the 125 other people who had their heads shaved did was to show that we care about these young patients and about all those with cancer. Like them, I lost my hair, but in my case, it was painless.

On my own behalf, on behalf of the foundation, and especially on behalf of the children, I wish to thank all the donors and participants. Together, we helped to make it better.

[Corporation de développement communautaire Drummond, June 11th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, last week, as part of the Canada-Quebec infrastructure program, Senator Michel Biron announced that the Corporation de développement communautaire Drummond will get some $489,000 in financial assistance.

The Corporation de développement communautaire Drummond, which includes 47 community organizations, manages buildings that house 12 organizations, while supporting new community businesses. Through their activities, member organizations reach some 8,500 people on the territory of the regional county municipality of Drummond, and they rely on over 2,500 volunteers.

This project will create one job and will protect over 50 permanent jobs, including 45 in the various organizations and five within the corporation.

Through this financial assistance, the Government of Canada is helping community organizations in Drummond, much to their delight.

[Charles Daudelin, June 10th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday I had the great honour of unveiling the postage stamp commemorating “Embâcle”, the work of the great Canadian sculptor, Charles Daudelin, from Granby located in my riding.

Charles Daudelin had exceptional talent, unparalleled vision and unflagging creativity. This man who hailed from my region had a phenomenal career as an artist both here and abroad.

He was ahead of his time and contributed more than anyone else in giving new impetus to sculpture in Quebec by creating grandiose, even gigantic sculptures for public areas, which blended in marvelously with the urban landscape.

I am extremely happy that Canada Post is paying tribute to the work of this unique pioneer. This stamp provides us with another opportunity to appreciate the talent of this artist who left his permanent mark not only on the wonderful world of sculpture, but also on all of the arts community in Quebec and Canada.