Marcel Proulx

[Canadian Sports Awards, March 23rd, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate all the winners and candidates in the 28th Canadian Sport Awards held on March 20. Our athletes' performances illustrate the true spirit of sports and make Canada proud.

I would like to pay special tribute to Nancy Lee, the executive director at CBC sports, who was awarded the commemorative Frank Ratcliffe award given each year to a person or business that has contributed in a major way to the Canadian sporting system.

Ms. Lee has worked for the CBC for many years. In her first year as the executive director of CBC sports, she raised the profile of amateur sport coverage and of women in sports.

I also congratulate Lori Johnstone, a member of the national women's racquetball team from 1991 to 1996, for winning the Johnny F. Bassett memorial award.

[Guy Régimbald, March 2nd, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the 2001 edition of the Canadian National Division of the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition took place from February 15 to 17 at the University of New Brunswick's Faculty of Law.

Some sixty entrants representing the elite of Canadian law faculties took part in this prestigious event. Today, I would like to pay tribute to the performance of Guy Régimbald, an Aylmer resident, who represented the University of Ottawa and who won the title of best French language litigator.

This is a fine reward for Mr. Régimbald, who put in long hours of preparation, doing research into this year's theme “The Seabed Mining Facility”.

Once again, congratulations to Mr. Régimbald. I hope that this honour will be the first of many in a successful law career.

[Gala Des Jutra, February 26th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the third edition of the Gala des Jutra was held yesterday.

The gala was an opportunity to salute the efforts made in the past year by those who work in Quebec's film industry. The evening was an energetic and lively affair and a reflection of our movie industry.

I am taking this opportunity to congratulate the organizers of the event and all the winners, particularly Denis Villeneuve and Marie-Josée Croze for the movie Maelström , which won eight awards out of eight nominations. Mr. Villeneuve has already won numerous international awards. Such a success will long be remembered.

There can be no doubt that Quebec is full of talent. We must continue to support such events, because they provide a golden opportunity for exposure to our performers and to those who will follow in their footsteps.

[Long Distance Charges, February 23rd, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the Quebec government's bill 170 will force the merger of the cities of Hull, Aylmer, Gatineau, Buckingham and Masson-Angers on January 1, 2002.

Unfortunately, a number of the 220,000 residents of the big new city will have to pay long distances charges if they want to phone each other. This is the case between Aylmer and certain areas of Gatineau, as well as between Aylmer and Buckingham-Masson-Angers.

All these fellow citizens of the newly created municipality will not be able to speak to each other without paying long distance charges.

I have therefore made representations so that they will not have to phone each other long distance, from the very first day of the existence of the new city of Hull-Gatineau.

I invite the management of the CRTC and of Bell Canada to co-operate in this matter and to abolish these long distance charges.

[Heritage Day, February 19th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, today is Heritage Day. Our heritage is the culture which we cherish and wish to preserve and pass on to our children and our children's children.

It is our shared symbols, the collections preserved in our museums, libraries and archives, the buildings from another era, our parks and natural spaces, our traditions, our customs and our stories. Everything that embodies Canada's cultural diversity is part of the shared heritage of all Canadians.

I stress the importance of preserving our heritage and highlighting it so that all Canadians can appreciate its richness.

I invite all Canadians to celebrate Heritage Day and to reflect on the shared heritage that unites us as a people.

Today and tomorrow, after Oral Question Period, the trust for the preservation of Canadian audiovisual materials will be honouring 12 audiovisual works representing Canada's heritage which have been preserved and restored for the benefit of the public.

I urge members to attend this event, which will take place in Confederation Room, Room 200, in the West Block.

[National Flag Day, February 16th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday was National Flag of Canada Day. Thirty-six years ago, many of us were assembled in schoolyards to proudly witness one of the key events in the history of our country. Even the cold wintry day could not dampen our enthusiasm in hearing the story of the creation of a distinctive symbol that was soon to become recognized and respected throughout the world.

For months, debate and controversy had surrounded the creation of our flag. Hundreds of design submissions, hundreds of speeches in parliament, but all focused on one common goal, finding an emblem for the Canadian people that would represent justice, peace and equality for all.

We attained that objective. Whether it flies over our efforts to build a country or our assistance to another country in time of need, our flag inspires respect and harmony. We can feel justifiable attachment and pride in the flag of Canada, for it is the symbol of a united society.

[Hull—Aylmer, February 2nd, 2001]

Mr. Chairman, it is with pleasure and enthusiasm that I rise today to thank the voters of my beautiful riding of Hull—Aylmer for having re-elected me for the second time in two years as their representative in the House of Commons.

Bolstered by this new gesture of confidence from my constituents, I begin this 37th parliament in a spirit of optimism. I am privileged to represent a riding here in the House that is dynamic and flourishing, and I shall continue to do my utmost to fulfil my commitment to act as the ambassador within the Government of Canada for all the residents of my riding.

Once again, my thanks to the voters of Hull—Aylmer. They have my assurance that they have made the right choice to guarantee a better future for all. Thank you.

[Mayor Of Hull, June 15th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements, Habitat, paid a very special tribute to his honour the mayor of Hull, Yves Ducharme, appointing him special advisor to the United Nations.

Mr. Ducharme is the only mayor in North America to sit on the UN local authorities advisory committee, a body set up by the UN to consolidate the role and increase the involvement of cities in the Habitat program.

As the ambassador of the City of Hull to the world, Mr. Ducharme will thus have the privilege of sharing his expertise on urban development with the mayors of such cities as Moscow, Barcelona, Venice and Johannesburg.

I therefore take this opportunity to congratulate Mr. Ducharme on this prestigious appointment and I am sure he will worthily represent his citizens in providing advice on the challenges and opportunities in growing urbanization at the dawn of the new millennium.

[Les Braves Du Coin, June 14th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, on May 20, the members of a Hull sports and social association, Les Braves du Coin, got together to recognize excellence in sports and in voluntarism.

Today I would like to congratulate the organizing committee of the 27th gala of excellence, under the direction of Alain Forest, as well as all the volunteers who make the evening such a great success.

Congratulations as well to all the awards winners, who included Denis Desjardins, Pierre Chartrand, Robert Chartrand, Norbert Roy and Léo Martin, and to the guest of honour, Jean Labonté, a member of the national sledge hockey team.

Since 1962, Les Braves du Coin have been involved in the Hull community, through their big provincial peewee hockey tournament and other events. Such devotion to their community would never have been possible without the devotion of the association's 450 members and the able leadership of Gilles Parent.

Congratulations to all and best wished to the Braves du Coin for a long life.

[National Public Service Week, June 12th, 2000]

Mr. Speaker, June 11 to 17 is National Public Service Week. This is an opportunity to celebrate the professionalism and sense of duty of the women and men who chose to be at the service of Canadians, thus contributing to our quality of life.

This week is also an opportunity to pay tribute to the wisdom, skills and talents of the members of the Public Service of Canada.

I am pleased to join the Prime Minister in thanking the members of the Public Service of Canada in each department and organization across the country.

Their dedication benefits us all. Thanks to these competent women and men, Canadians can rely on quality services everywhere in Canada.