Stéphane Dion

[Health, November 4th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health have had occasion to state a number of times that we will be working with the provinces in the health field.

However, if the Bloc Quebecois really wants some examples of interference and centralization, here is a quotation from Michel Boucher, professor of economics at the École nationale d'administration publique:

Rather than following the North American trend, which is strongly pro-decentralization, the Parti Quebecois government is ignoring the municipalities' pressures for greater independence and continues to meddle in their operations.

Now that is centralization.

[Millenium Scholarship Foundation, October 28th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the broadest consensus in Quebec is about not having another referendum.

On May 14, 1998, the national assembly unanimously passed a motion proposing an approach, and the Prime Minister has responded to premier Bouchard, saying that the foundation has every flexibility and power necessary to enter into specific agreements with the Government of Quebec, and this, in the spirit of the May 14 motion, which the premier's government itself approved. That is what the consensus is about.

[Social Union, October 28th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, in order to eliminate the $42 billion deficit, Canadians had to make sacrifices, and the government watched to make sure these sacrifices were fair.

For example, we did not touch the equalization payments. George Matthews, an economist who has worked very closely with the Bloc, has calculated that an additional $4.5 billion still goes into the Quebec government's coffers year in and year out. This is what Canadian solidarity is all about.

[The Constitution, October 27th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, it is hardly appropriate for the Bloc Quebecois to talk about jealousy. That party is here in the House only to defend the interests of a single province, with no solidarity whatsoever with the others and, by so doing, it unfortunately sometimes encourages the same attitude in other parties.

What both Quebeckers and all Canadians need is for there to be an opposition some day—for the Liberals are governing very well—that will be able to reconcile regional interests among themselves, as we within this government, and this party, manage to do.

[The Constitution, October 27th, 1998]

But, as my counterpart in Quebec even admitted, there have been in recent years important changes designed to improve service to the public.

I was going to mention, if I can make myself heard—which is by no means certain—the limitation on the federal government's spending authority, taken even further than during the Meech Lake Accord, which had the support of Lucien Bouchard at the time; the passage of the regional veto legislation; the distinct society resolution; the fewer conditions attached to the principal federal transfer payment to the provinces, the Canada social transfer; the clarification of roles in various areas, such as mining, forestry, recreation, tourism, social housing—

[The Constitution, October 27th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers will not be very edified to see how low the Bloc Quebecois is willing to stoop in order to drag Quebec's election campaign into the House.

[The Constitution, October 27th, 1998]

But, seriously, there have been many changes—

[The Constitution, October 27th, 1998]

Scorn is the weapon of the weak, Mr. Speaker.

[The Constitution, October 27th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the limitation on the federal government's spending authority, taken even further than in any—

[The Constitution, October 27th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I would suggest the member read the February 1996 throne speech.

But, since we are on the topic of traditional demands, and since the Bloc Quebecois is so quick to think them up, I have a few traditional demands to suggest to Quebec: an end to the constant threat of referendums; an end to the separatist freeze; an end to referendums; an end to trickery and other flip-flops; an end to going around in circles.

Our objectives are the same as those of the leader of the Quebec Liberal Party: a better economic union, a better social union, a stronger Quebec within a united Canada.