Mr. Speaker, I listened with great interest to the speech just made by the member. I found some elements particularity interesting. When the various initiatives of Canada Economic Development are mentioned, one is left with the impression that everything is just fine.
However, for regions such as mine, which I know quite well, we can also take stock of what Canada Economic Development has done. With regard to the Gaspésie-les-Îles region recovery plan, any action taken was late as well as minimal. And this was a situation which required urgent action.
It may therefore seem important to list all the initiatives taken by Canada Economic Development in Quebec, since this makes it look efficient and active, but there is unfortunately another reality, one which hits us close to home. It has to do with what we see when we take stock of what Canada Economic Development has done in the Gaspésie-les-Îles region.
And I am not the only one saying it. On May 26, 1991 in Chandler 7,500 people gathered in an arena to complain about what the federal government and Quebec had not done for the region.
About 10 years later, there have been complaints in the region, again in relation to the federal government's inaction. When we talk about the agency, putting aside the numbers, putting aside what I have heard a moment ago, I think we must look at the situation as it is. Unfortunately, the results are weak and negative.
I would therefore like the hon. member to explain why, with so many good initiatives, we are faced with problems in this region and it is hard to see a future there. We have the impression that there is a lack of action, that we are being ignored, that we are being forgotten by the federal government.
They offer up all sorts of initiatives, but I think it would be appropriate to look at the other side of the coin, what is really going on. The fact is that initiatives have been infrequent, ineffective, late and often partisan. In this respect, Quebec needs to play a greater role. We know what the needs are, and we also know the solutions.