Madam Speaker, like many Quebecers, I certainly do not agree with the motion as it is tabled by the opposition.
It is interesting that, just last week, the United Nations told the whole world that Canada is the number one country in terms of its quality of life.
For that reason, I find it curious that some, particularly opposition members, say that every measure taken by the government of Canada has been a failure. Let me tell you this: Since 1974, the Federal Office of Regional Development has invested over $1.6 billion. All kinds of agreements were concluded, including on tourism, forestry, fisheries and job stimulation. Over the last few months, there has even been talk of a dynamic federalism, because we rely a lot on measures taken in the past.
Madam Speaker, I must also tell you that over 80 per cent of the money invested in Quebec was transferred to that province through administrative agreements. We are there to stimulate the industry as a whole. We are there to help small businesses.
We did not waste any time since we took office. We launched the infrastructure program. We have allocated over $60 million through partnership projects with the province and the municipalities. This program was initially endorsed by the mayors of Quebec city and Montreal, and surely by several dozens if not hundreds more throughout the province.
There is a lot to do. All Canadians must make sacrifices, as well as the province and the municipalities, but we are there to stimulate employment.
As regards the environment, the hon. member for Malpeque and myself did not wait. We looked after the Irving Whale issue. There are members who take environmental issues seriously. The members opposite must know that the federal government has just announced a $100 million project for the St. Lawrence River, with a contribution of $60 million from the province of Quebec. This is a serious government which is concerned first by the employment situation, but also by the environment issue.
We can also talk about the Cod-Fisher Assistance Program. It is true that cod-fishers, not only in Quebec, but throughout Atlantic Canada, are going through a rough time. We have invested $1.9 billion, including $100 million in Quebec.
The weekly benefits these people receive have gone from $171 to $219. We are ready to invest significant amounts of money in the Gaspé Peninsula for job creation and economic recovery, by urging people to open small businesses, to take up aquaculture, to participate in some programs and to develop their entrepreneurial spirit. That is the role of the federal government, the role of the Government of Canada.
We can also talk about the Federal Office of Regional Development. The hon. member for Rimouski-Témiscouata said: "The federal did not invest in anything. I am looking, but I cannot see where it invested". I want to point out to her that there is a Federal Office of Regional Development in Rimouski. As a resident of the Gaspé area, I can tell you that Rimouski has received more than its share, compared to other regions in Eastern Quebec. The time has come to do something about this.
You know, we have invested in more than 1,000 small businesses in Eastern Quebec. Of course, we have invested in corporations which have become, with the help of the Government of Canada, multinational companies, like Canadair and de Havilland, and also Bombardier, a world-renowned Quebec company. We have invested in Noranda and in the mining industry.
The Government of Canada takes its responsibilities seriously. I can give you some more examples. I see here that the Corporation of the mining community of Bourlamaque, in Val-d'Or, has recently received $3 million in subsidies. Spielo, in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, got $1 million, which is not an insignificant investment for a region hard hit by unemployment.
And this one is my favourites. You know that we firmly believe in education. Incidentally, I went in the beautiful constituency of Rimouski to hand out federal scholarships to young and promising students, to future leaders of Canadian society. I can tell you that we want our young to achieve excellence. At the Université du Québec, we invested more than $9 million in the Engineering Department building, because we believe in the scientific sector in Eastern Quebec. Sure, people will tell me that education comes under the provincial jurisdiction.
Here is a question for you, Madam Speaker: Why is it that several school boards in Quebec have a drop-out rate of 35 to 40 per cent? We know very well why. The answer is easy. Because it comes under provincial jurisdiction. But why has the province, which has had jurisdiction over education since 1867, been unable to correct this situation? And we know that 95 per cent of young people complete their studies in Korea, and 90 per cent in Japan. It is often said that students in some developing countries have a better completion rate than Quebec students. The Quebec government and the Opposition members should take their responsibilities.
By the way, the policy of the Bloc is obviously suicidal for Quebec. It does not address the real issues for Quebecers, that is job creation and protection. But I do not want to conclude with this. I want to tell you about the Town Corporation of Rivière-du-Loup, which recieved $1.3 million; the Forestville sawmill, $4.75 million. And that is not all.
I told you about the dryers in my beautiful constituency of Bonaventure-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, and we invested more than $4 million in the Outaouais region. In Forestville, there is a $1.1 million project funded by the federal government; and the Tadoussac Town Corporation got almost $775,000.
Maybe I should say a few words about the riding of Bonaventure. We invested over $300,000 last winter in surface grinders to help tourism. We invested $50,000 in studies for the museums. We invested $120,000 in the Youth Service Corps. We have already invested a lot of money, even though we have been in office for only six months, and we are about to invest several million more. We have a business plan and we are very serious about our job.
We have acted instead of preaching about sovereignty, independence and separation, about destroying the best country in the world, about getting a divorce-that was the word used by the hon. member for Rimouski-Témiscouata who, by the way, did not propose anything. It is easy to criticize. Admittedly, Canada may not be easy to govern, but it is a generous country. It is recognized internationally.
The Leader of the Opposition even went to see the Europeans and the Americans to ask them if they would recognize Quebec as a sovereign state. Essentially, they said: "We recognize Canada as a country".
In the business world, in the private sector, in real life, it is important to know with whom you are dealing. Canada has been known as a country for 125 years. It is a welcoming country, a country which sacrificed many of its sons and daughters in the First and Second World Wars. Canada has a very good credit rating. But some people do not realize that we have a lot of work to do and that we must do it together. They do not realize that those who would suffer the most as a result of the divorce proposed by the opposition would be the workers of Quebec. Everybody knows that. Ridiculous numbers are often thrown at us. Some people do not understand that we have an obligation towards all Quebecers and all Canadians. We have to take care of their future, but it is not by talking about separation and about
destroying this country as we know it that we will give a better life to Canadians, especially to Quebecers.
We know that only 5 per cent of Quebecers, opposition members included, believe that independence is the most pressing issue. I see that my time is running out, but we have many questions to solve and I think that we are going to solve them together. We are going to solve them among Canadians. But I find it totally unacceptable for the opposition to laugh at us when we say that we want to put Canadians back to work, particularly Quebecers, but they offer no alternative but sovereignty and wishful thinking.
I urge opposition members to look around them and maybe to co-operate with us in the search for solutions-which will certainly not include sovereignty-to put Quebecers back to work.