Mr. Speaker, I was in the heart of what was called and will be remembered as the “triangle of darkness”. I witnessed from close up the plight of those affected by the storm in my riding. These people faced adversity with courage and determination. Some of them actually continue to do so, since power has not yet been restored everywhere in the vast riding of Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot.
It is in difficult times that real leaders emerge. Let me name a few who did so in this particular case. There are many, but time does not allow us to name them all. One of these leaders is unquestionably the premier of Quebec, Lucien Bouchard, who displayed a real ability for crisis management, and who acted like a true state leader by gaining people's trust and promoting solidarity among all Quebeckers in the face of a catastrophe.
Then there is André Caillé, who took measures to ensure that Hydro-Québec's network, which could no longer serve 20% of Quebec's population, would be rebuilt efficiently and in record time.
There is also Claude Bernier, the mayor of Saint-Hyacinthe and reeve of the Mascoutins regional county municipality, who behaved like a field general and a true crisis manager. I humbly salute him now, after putting myself at his service from the very beginning of the crisis. He acted with remarkable effectiveness and efficiency throughout this most difficult period.
I congratulate all the volunteers, the police forces, the fire departments, the Royal 22e Régiment, with whom I had an opportunity to work. I also want to thank the hundreds of volunteers who worked without respite in shelters, in local community service centres, and for the Red Cross. I must not forget all elected municipal officials, that is the mayors and the councillors. Without their input, without their contribution, we would never had made it through this unprecedented emergency situation.
The crisis is far from over. Yesterday, the meeting I held in my riding of Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot with some 600 people from business and industry reminded me of the harsh realities being faced by the people of my riding. These 600 people from business and industry told us that, in less than one month, they had lost about $215 million worth of commercial and industrial sales.
Representatives of their workers came to tell us that, in less than one month, from January 6 to February 2, they had lost in excess of $42 million in earnings. The director of the Saint-Hyacinthe industrial and economic corporation—whom I commend in passing for his very great efficiency—indicated to us that the unemployment rate in the greater Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot region at the present time was in excess of 30%. These few figures alone indicate the extent of the catastrophe and the work that remains to be done to rebuild the industrial base and to ensure that the work force reabsorbs this instant unemployment.
Yesterday these people were extremely vocal in expressing their suffering, and they asked me to pass on their wishes to the Canadian government. The first of these is for the Government of Canadato reach a prompt agreement with the Government of Quebec to put into place a true program for reconstruction of the industrial base, one that would provide compensation for ice damage to equipment and facilities not covered by insurance.
With respect to stocks of perishables that were lost, we have been asked if the federal government and the Quebec government could help pay compensation for these lost stocks of perishables.
We have also been asked to help pay the difference between running generators, which can cost anything from $200 to $2,000 to run depending on the size of the business, and using regular electrical power. Indeed, that is how it was done last year in the Saguenay region and Manitoba, where a program was established for industrial reconstruction.
Labour representatives asked that we speak out and continue to speak very loud and clear, to ensure that something comes of the fine words the Minister of Human Resources Development had in the early days of the crisis, that they actually translate into greater compassion. When the Minister of Human Resources Development spoke of humanism and flexibility, we all figured this meant he would not task every last HRD employee to collect overpayments from the ice storm victims. These people have already gone two weeks without pay or income of any sort and lived on half the money they should normally have been bringing in for three, four and even five weeks in some cases. Plus they have had to face extraordinary expenses.
There is still some hope, however, because we just learned moments ago—which explains my departure from the House—that the Minister of Human Resources Development has agreed to meet tomorrow with the MPs for Montérégie and mid-Quebec, the Bloc members and the two from the Conservative Party. We hope that at that time what the minister was saying at the beginning of the emergency will be translated into facts and that he will give up chasing after over-payments and harassing people who have already been sorely tried by a disaster without precedent.
I wish to assure the people of Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot, on behalf of my colleagues in Montérégie and mid-Quebec, that all Bloc Quebecois MPs are at their service. All of our offices are open every day to respond to their needs, to help them take the necessary steps, to support them as well in the trials they are undergoing. Please do not hesitate to call us, and please do not hesitate to contact us. We have been there from the start, and we will continue to be there right up until the end.