Mr. Speaker, in Cowansville, the second-largest city in my riding, Daniel Turcotte opened a new bookstore some eight years ago. While it was once a very small bookstore on South Street, it has since been expanded in order to serve its growing and increasingly diverse clientele. Mr. Turcotte recently opened a second bookstore in Bromont, also in my riding.
On March 19, 2007, Mr. Turcotte was awarded the 2007 Order of Merit for retail business, to highlight his tremendous economic and cultural contribution to the region. This honour also extends to the publishing and marketing of books.
I would like to use national book week as an opportunity to remind the House that the GST should not apply to books.
On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I commend Mr. Turcotte and wish him continued success with his bookstores.