House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 62% of the vote.
Intergovernmental Affairs November 19th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I did not understand whether the question was on the manpower agreement or the school boards. However, I can assure the House that in both cases the Government of Canada had to do the bulk of the work. We did so despite the fact that there was a pro-independence government in Quebec which was trying to prove that federalism did not work.
Health Care November 6th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member will be hard put to find a more decentralized federation than Canada, particularly in this area. If she looks at other federations, she will see how much the other federal governments intervene in the health field, compared to Canada.
Our goal is to ensure that Canadians have quality health care in every part of Canada. I would also like to say that, since the hon. member is speaking of situations that worry her, what we find worrisome is the situation in Quebec, where the PQ government has cut health expenditures by 1% between 1994-95 and 1998-99, while the other provinces have raised them by 8.6%.
Yet the federal government has done everything it can to help the Government of Quebec.
Health Care November 6th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for giving me the opportunity to provide the current figures. In both cash and tax points, each Quebecker receives $925.40 through the Canada social transfer. The average per capita across Canada is $848.70, so each Quebecker in fact is getting 9% more than the average.
Health Care November 6th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, it is not insignificant that Quebec's transfer payment is 9% higher per capita than that received by the average province.
I hope that this can be turned around and that, one day, we will receive less than the average. That will prove that we have left behind a situation that is a huge drain on our economy, a situation of political uncertainty that we do not need, because most of us in Quebec want to remain in Canada.
Health Care November 6th, 1998
—an uncertainty we hope Quebeckers will very soon leave behind.
Health Care November 6th, 1998
We are very glad to have a fair federation that tries to help provinces in difficulty. However, one of the reasons Quebec finds itself in that situation is the political uncertainty hanging over it—
Health Care November 6th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, we have said repeatedly that, in working with the provinces, we were going to respect their jurisdictions and priorities.
I would add that, with respect to the Canada social transfer, the principal transfer payment to the provinces, the province receiving the most per capita is Quebec.
Millennium Scholarships November 5th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I do not presume to speak for all students, as the hon. member has.
Let us look at the figures. Since education is what we are talking about, from 1994 to 1998, the PQ government made cuts in education of around 8%, while other provinces were putting 10.8% more into education.
Political choices were made, and the political uncertainty has cost Quebec and Quebec students dearly.
Millennium Scholarships November 5th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, students will be very glad to have assistance from the Canadian government for their studies.
At any rate, the National Assembly voted unanimously on an arrangement that has been approved by the Canadian government and does not contain any right to opt out with financial compensation.
Health November 4th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, on what moral principle did the PQ government cut funding to health, post-secondary education and social assistance between 1994 and 1998, to the tune of 3.2%, when the other provinces in the country were adding 3%?