Mr. Speaker, as regards the first statement made by the hon. member on the negotiations with public service employees, I am not sure whether he is challenging the work that I used to do before coming to this House. Of course, as a lawyer, we have files and we represent a party. However, I can tell this House that I have always viewed labour relations as a partnership.
The hon. member said that I was lacking respect at the time. I want to tell the distinguished Bloc Québécois member that, on the day that various protests were taking place, I took the time, even though I had a meeting here, to go to my office and meet with a delegation of PSAC members.
These people always felt that I was listening to them in my office and they were not met by some administrative assistant or other person. I have always been very accessible and I still am. I get calls, I talk to people and this is precisely what enables me to put questions to the President of the Treasury Board.
Of course, I am not the lawyer for the government and, therefore, I cannot get involved in the negotiations. However, I find it particularly insulting to be told that the respect was not there at that time, because I have spent my life trying to work with respect for others. Sometimes, there are diverging views and we try to find compromises. This is exactly what the government is doing.
As regards official languages, I want to reassure the hon. member. I did venture outside Gatineau. I travelled a lot in Quebec. Just look at my biography. I also travelled in Canada, but I never pretended that the situation was perfect. I said that some good things were happening in the country.
As a newcomer here, I hear many people, from both sides, say that we are all here to work for the best interests of our fellow Canadians, our constituents. Unfortunately, we always hear negative comments. I am not sure that our constituents are very proud to hear such things.
I was pleased to note the good points mentioned by the Commissioner of Official Languages about the government and about some of the departments and agencies that are doing very well.