Jean Chrétien

[Minister of Finance, November 4th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, here we go again. The minister has just risen in this House to say that he paid what he was supposed to pay under the circumstances.

This is one more attempt to sully someone's reputation. There is a tradition in this House that, when a minister or member rises and makes a statement, he is taken at his word. Here there is no presumption of guilt, people are presumed innocent.

There is a constant attempt to sully people's reputation, and that is why voters do not want to support parties as negative as the Bloc Quebecois.

[National Defence, November 4th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, imagine all the money that we saved in not having to pay the interest on the amount of money that we would have been obliged to pay at that time. If the interest is calculated, it is close to $5 billion for 10 years of interest with the level of interest that existed at the time when we took over which was 11.5% every year for the interest alone on that airplane.

I think we made a very good decision. We will replace the helicopter in due course.

[National Defence, November 4th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the leader of the Progressive Conservatives for acknowledging this 10th anniversary. I could simply remind him that ten years ago, when we had to cancel this contract, the government had a $42 billion deficit that represented 6.2% of Canada's GDP. The Progressive Conservatives had forced us into bankruptcy, and we had no choice but to make that decision.

Now there is a selection process to find a new helicopter. There is a competition, and several companies are submitting tenders. The best contract—

[Prime Minister of Canada, November 4th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I do not want to live in New York. I want to live in Ottawa and in Shawinigan.

As for the bills before the House, obviously, if there is adjournment or prorogation, when Parliament resumes, according to tradition, the bills will be put back on the orders of the day. I am confident that the bills that have been introduced and voted on in the House by the party that I am currently leading will be finalized by the same party when the time comes to—

[Prime Minister of Canada, November 4th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, today at this time the Alliance will vote for me.

[Prime Minister of Canada, November 4th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, there was a vote of confidence last week where the members of my party and other parties voted for me to stay in my job.

[Prime Minister of Canada, November 4th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, through you, I would like to say thank you to the Leader of the Opposition for the colour of his tie on the occasion of this anniversary of mine.

In answer to his question, I will be alive in February. Where I will be, I do not know, no more than I am sure he will still be the Leader of the Opposition.

[The Economy, October 30th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I just said that very reputable international organizations have called Canada the best place to invest, that Canada ranks third in the world for competitiveness and that Canadian business people have dismissed as not serious the survey released today.

It was not a politician who said so, but Thomas d'Aquino in a statement made on behalf of business people.

[The Economy, October 30th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the separatists are a little touchy right now. It is true that they are in trouble in Quebec. But coming back to the question, this gives me the opportunity, in connection with the article in the papers this morning about productivity, to seek the consent of the House to table a letter from the chief executive officer of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives, Thomas d'Aquino.

He wrote Klaus Schwab protesting very strongly about this absolutely unacceptable statement made based on very little fundamental information.

[Quebec, October 30th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I think the member for Trois-Rivières ought to leave this House, since he has said he is not a Canadian, not a citizen of Canada. Yet he is one when it comes to getting paid.