Mr. Speaker, I am very surprised to hear a new member of Parliament read, somewhat foolishly, a canned speech that is totally contrary to the best interests of the provinces, and particularly the best interests of Quebec.
That speech no longer has anything to do with asymmetric federalism. It is totally silent on Quebec's specificity. This is a blatant encroachment on education, manpower and the environment.
There is nothing on employment insurance. Nor is there any confirmation that a vote will take place in the House of Commons on the missile defence shield issue, and there is nothing on the commitments made by the Liberals. This is a total lack of respect for everything that the public sought when it elected a minority government.
Today, this gentleman came up with this Address in Reply to the Speech from the Throne. He wants to propose these things to us, while claiming that this is precisely what the public wanted.
There is also nothing about agriculture, including supply management, which is such an important issue for Quebec. As for social housing, the government has totally given up. There is no follow up on the commitments made regarding parental leave. As for seniors, there is no guarantee of retroactivity.
I am asking the hon. member whether he realizes that his address goes totally against the best interests of the people who elected him.