Gilles Bernier

[Canada Transportation Act, March 25th, 1996]

I vote against it, Madam Speaker.

(The House divided on the motion, which was negatived on the following division:)

[Canada Transportation Act, March 25th, 1996]

No, Madam Speaker.

[Banks, March 13th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, Canadian banks are reporting enormous profits. Great. Shareholders are happy. Banks pay taxes and so do their shareholders. The government has also imposed a 12.5 per cent surtax on the banks. So far, so good.

What I, however, find indecent, prohibitive, shocking, even outrageous, are the interest rates charged by the banks on consumers' credit card balances as well as their service charges on banking transactions.

The government's role is to protect users from this kind of shameless exploitation. Bankers should be called to order. This calls for some serious reflection on the part of these powerful bankers and the government.

[Petitions, March 6th, 1996]

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to join my colleagues today in tabling a petition with 94,000 names, 24,000 of which are from the riding of Beauce, asking the government to take action to allow Québec Téléphone to have a broadcast license.

This is essential to Quebec's economic development and, although foreign owned, Québec Téléphone is managed by Quebecers. French is the exclusive language of work, and Québec Téléphone is a major instrument of regional economic development in Quebec.

[National Housing Act, December 13th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I am voting in support of this motion.

(The House divided on the motion, which was agreed to on the following division.)

[Taxation, December 5th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, after watching a report on Radio-Canada's program Enjeux last week, I was outraged by the extent of tax fraud in the trade of paintings and works of art.

I have a duty to urge the government to deal a major blow to tax evasion and to the tax shelters depriving federal coffers of millions of dollars in revenue.

We must axe bogus donations to museums by the wealthy and other tax shelters the average citizen cannot benefit from. What is the government waiting to make companies availing themselves of too many tax shelters pay their taxes? And why not end GST refunds to foreign tourists who make purchases in Canada?

Those are serious ways to eliminate the deficit without hurting social programs too much.

[Witness Protection Program Act, November 28th, 1995]

Agreed.

[British Columbia Treaty Commission Act, November 28th, 1995]

I vote yea, Mr. Speaker.

[Small Business Loans Act, November 28th, 1995]

Agreed.

[Department Of Public Works And Government Services Act, November 28th, 1995]

Agreed.