The Environment  We are often reminded that all things are interconnected and in the long term what we do to the soil, water and air we do to ourselves. The United Nations conference on environment and development made this point clear and produced agenda 21, a document for decision makers to keep in mind not just this week but all year round. Our actions must be guided by the knowledge that we only have one planet on which to live.

Supply  He referred to the "asymmetrical bilingualism advocated by the Bloc Quebecois". The position of the Bloc Quebecois is clear: bilingualism must be the rule in all federal institutions. There are also a number of obligations in this respect that must be met at the provincial level. However, neither the Bloc Quebecois nor any other party can influence the will of the provinces.

Supply  Nevertheless, francophones outside Quebec had to fight to have their rights recognized and we know that, at least in Ontario, the situation is still not settled or even very clear at this time. As for the three provinces that legislated in this field more recently-namely Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta-, I hope that, if it took them ten years to come up with a law in line with the Charter, it will not take another ten years for reality to reflect the spirit of the new legislation.

Supply  This Official Languages Act favours the personality principle in which individual minority language rights are to be extended as widely as is politically feasible with the result that onerous obligation to respect these rights are placed on the majority populations and, of course, particularly on taxpayers. It is clear that in passing that act Pierre Trudeau did what he believed to be a just and generous gesture. He repeatedly states that the law's goals of justice and national unity are inseparable.

Non-Confidence Motions  In the leader of the Reform Party's point of view when confronted with such a situation that member's choice is clear: "If push comes to shove in my view", says Mr. Manning, "the will of the constituents will prevail over my personal view or my party's view". Mr. Manning however then goes on to say: "I am not talking about turning members into a voting machine where all they do is go home on the weekend, count noses and come back here and stick up their hands.

Non-Confidence Motions  It did not matter whether we had representation from all parts of Canada or not. We have been looking at the estimates. The party position seems to come through loud and clear. I suppose when we do our reports, again we will have a party position or that of the chairman, vice-chairman and so on because of the majority situation. Opposition members will be left to do little else than submit a minority report and one does not really know whether anyone looks at it or not.

Canadian National Railways  I am from the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region where the Chibougamau-Chapais area is located and I can tell you that this region is 150 years old. The first settlers used axes and two-handed saws to clear the land in the hope of finding some future north of Quebec City. These people worked like slaves and never stopped fighting to open up the area to the rest of the world and to get means of transportation.

Budget Implementation Act, 1994  Before the election, the Prime Minister said to people in his riding that he was still the "little guy from Shawinigan" and promised, in clear enough words as we all heard on TV, a shower of contracts that would create jobs in his region where the rate of unemployment is quite disastrous. A few weeks only after his election, he strikes; he goes after all the unemployed in his riding.

Budget Implementation Act, 1994  At a certain point, the federal government would inform us that, for the time being, it did not have the funds and that personnel might be available in three or four months. Yet, workers cry out for training while various levels of government cannot agree on a clear policy. Members of the Bloc Quebecois have denounced the present overlapping in occupational training. The federal government makes decisions, the provinces make decisions, the Department of Education decides to structure its programs the way it wants and, at the end of the day, we have a situation where people who want to be trained have no training while places remain empty in our training centres.

Gun Control  Speaker, the effectiveness of the laws at present are being evaluated on a continuing basis and we will continue that effort. I want to make it clear however, in terms of what the parliamentary secretary may have said, as I have said earlier this week I am studying a broad range of options to bring forward to caucus and to cabinet for consideration, and that process is under way.

Budget Implementation Act, 1994  First is the increase in the number of weeks of work required to qualify for unemployment insurance. I stress this point first because, as the opposition critic for training and youth, it is clear that the future of our young people is my top priority. Now, one of the measures that will hit young Canadians who are excluded from the workforce the hardest is the increase in the number of work weeks needed to qualify for benefits.

Income Tax Act  They did not understand exactly at what point in the proceedings the Chair was and they wonder if perhaps the Chair could not have been a little more tolerant toward the members who wanted to speak on this subject, in particular the member for Anjou-Rivière-des-Prairies, even though apparently they had missed their opportunity to do so. I think one thing should be made clear. We need your co-operation to ensure that the proceedings flow smoothly, as the government needs ours. The smooth running of Parliament depends on this mutual trust. Tricks should not be played on members and the Chair should not move hastily to ask if someone wishes to speak and when no member rises immediately, move on to something else.

Income Tax Act  Madam Speaker, I told you, and I want to make it clear, that my colleagues and I did not hear the request for debate. We simply heard a question, not that debate was being called. Madam Speaker, I would ask you to please reconsider your decision.

Co-Operative Housing  Nevertheless, nine of the thirteen Canadian medals were won by Quebec athletes. Is it not a clear illustration of a fundamental lesson of life, that one should not be afraid to forge ahead and have self-confidence? One of the many problems in the amateur sport in Canada is that the distribution of powers between the national and provincial sports organizations makes the Quebec amateur sport system literally dependent on the Canadian system.

Co-Operative Housing  In the first motion debated on February 16, the Bloc declared that it was interested in social housing support for all Canadians. Let me be clear, the Bloc carries a singular agenda. The only care that the Bloc has for Canada is to take what it can and separate post haste. The motion before us is terribly wrong minded. It fails to appreciate the economic reality our country faces today.