House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 62% of the vote.
Election In Quebec October 27th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, let me say whom the member should ask to shut up. He should ask the only person who said something despicable last weekend to shut up, namely the person who did not hesitate to compare the Quebec Liberal Party leader to a dictator in exile. That was despicable.
The Constitution October 26th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the government wholeheartedly supports the Calgary declaration.
We are negotiating the social union with the provinces and I repeat that we will be more successful in our efforts to do so if we have a government in Quebec that believes in Canada, that wants to improve it, and that will share with other Canadians all the expertise, all the knowledge, all the culture of Quebec, which is a culture of trust, not the culture of mistrust the Bloc Quebecois is trying to impose on us.
The Constitution October 26th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the responsibility of the Government of Canada is to govern, and govern it does, for all Canadians, including Quebeckers.
From what I can see, the Liberals do not seem to be the ones who are the allies of the Bloc Quebecois. They are not the ones clapping at the moment.
The Constitution October 26th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I would be only too pleased at any time to compare on the record of the Mulroney years to this government's record on enhancing the federation.
The method the Prime Minister wanted to use is a step-by-step one, solving one aspect at a time, rather than coming up with a huge change all at one time. That does not work, and does nothing to promote the evolution of the federation.
I believe the Prime Minister's approach has worked well in recent years, and we will continue with it, advancing the federation in conjunction with the provinces, respecting their jurisdictions and priorities.
Millennium Scholarships October 26th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that the Quebec National Assembly unanimously approved an approach to the millennium scholarships. The Prime Minister of Canada wrote the premier of Quebec a letter, saying it was a good approach. The millennium scholarships are no longer a contentious issue, except when the Bloc Quebecois and the PQ are trying to pick a fight, and Quebeckers have had enough.
Federal Spending Power October 26th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the fact is that federal spending power exists in all federations around the world and that, in Canada, it is used the least and is accompanied by fewer conditions.
Nevertheless, in the 1996 throne speech, the Government of Canada limited federal spending even further than what was provided in the Meech Lake accord, which was approved by the Bourassa government and by a certain federal minister of the time, Lucien Bouchard.
The Constitution October 26th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister never said that everything has been sorted out. The Prime Minister wants to move forward and improve the federation.
We are pleased to note, I might add, that the provincial Liberal Party leader's goals are the same as ours. He wants to improve the federation and bring about a better social and economic union. In co-operation with other Canadians, we Quebeckers have built a country that is the envy of the world and we will continue to improve it.
The Constitution October 26th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the Premier of Quebec, the leader of the Parti Quebecois, said on the weekend that we had better watch out for a freeze.
The only freeze we are watching out for, apart from the usual winter one soon to begin, is the four-year freeze on referendums that would set in if his government were re-elected.
The Constitution October 26th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, Quebeckers who want to improve the Canadian federation, including its Constitution, would do well to vote for the Liberals and Jean Charest, and certainly not for Lucien Bouchard and the Parti Quebecois, who have no desire to improve this federation. Their only desire is to break it up.
The Constitution October 26th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is totally committed to continuing to improve our federation, in partnership with the provinces and with the deepest respect for their jurisdictions and priorities.
In fact, my recently appointed counterpart in Quebec recently bragged about how much this federation had improved these past few years.
It would be even better if Quebec was led by a government that believes in Canada instead of one bent on breaking it up.