In front of all these Liberals.
House of Commons Hansard #135 of the 35th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was events.
House of Commons Hansard #135 of the 35th Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was events.
Pierre Brien Bloc Témiscamingue, QC
-being discussed, in front of all these Liberal Party colleagues who are listening so attentively to us. There is a series of technical amendments, the main purpose of which is to translate terms that were poorly translated the first time around. This shows the half baked nature of this bill, which is being rushed through, at the last minute, a bill they want to see passed before the election.
A lot is at stake for the Liberal Party. This is a promise everyone saw their minister make on television. He said that, if the government did not pass the tobacco bill before the election, people could vote against the Liberals. They are trying to save face by having this bill passed. They are trying to play down the controversy. But some large, very contentious problems remain that have a lot of people upset right now, particularly in Quebec. More about this later, because this has a major effect on Quebec.
What sort of problems are we talking about? First, I would like to open a parenthesis. Nobody is going to argue with virtue. We would all like to see a drop in the number of people smoking, particularly young people.
Pierre Brien Bloc Témiscamingue, QC
However, the jury is still out on the best way to achieve this. It has been said that prevention among young people might be the most promising.
Pierre Brien Bloc Témiscamingue, QC
Mr. Speaker, I hear a fly buzzing around my head.
My colleague might want to go for relaxation therapy, it would do him a world of good.
Tobacco ActGovernment Orders
An hon. member
I believe, he has been smoking, but not tobacco.
Pierre Brien Bloc Témiscamingue, QC
I would even say that tobacco is not the only thing some of them abuse.
Getting back to the areas affected, I will start with the cultural sector.
Pierre Brien Bloc Témiscamingue, QC
In Montreal, we have the jazz festival, the World Film Festival, in Quebec City, the summer festival; the operating budget of many cultural events-
Pierre Brien Bloc Témiscamingue, QC
Mr. Speaker, I would ask you to call to order one of our colleagues who is getting overly excited.
Tobacco ActGovernment Orders
An hon. member
The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health has no manners.
Pierre Brien Bloc Témiscamingue, QC
Getting back to cultural events, a few years ago we had asked them-
Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
We are not talking about culture, we are talking about health.
Pierre Brien Bloc Témiscamingue, QC
Mr. Speaker, I would ask you to ask the parliamentary secretary to please-
Gilles Duceppe Bloc Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. Could you ask the parliamentary secretary to the health minister to contain himself. We are talking about tobacco and judging by his behaviour you would think he has been smoking something else.
Joe Volpe Liberal Eglinton—Lawrence, ON
Mr. Speaker, if the member opposite wants to play games with language about who is smoking what, making an allegation and a serious one that members on this side of the House are under the influence of some substance abuse, then I think what he should take a look at is recognizing that what they are doing is promoting-
Tobacco ActGovernment Orders
The Deputy Speaker
This is a subject on which there are very strong opinions held by all of us. I would ask, since the member has six minutes left, that all members please give him their attention.
On a point of order again, the hon. parliamentary secretary.
