Mr. Speaker, I would like to make two short remarks.
I would like to invite my colleague, whose remarks were both eloquent and relevant, to comment on two things. I believe that the suggestions put forward on behalf of the Bloc Québécois by the party critic are achievable and constitute an appropriate response to the expectations of various stakeholders in the manufacturing and forestry sectors.
In his speech, my colleague mentioned this morning's passage of the billion dollars to be distributed on a per capita basis, that is divided among all of the provinces. My colleague expressed surprise, and with good reason. For example, he said that 75% of the manufacturing and forestry industries at issue are in Quebec and Ontario. In Quebec alone, 40,000 jobs have been affected. Yet the government will give the same amount of money, $130 million, to Alberta, where no plants have shut down and where there is little, if any, forestry.
Given his wealth of experience, I am sure that my colleague can provide a historical overview. For example, when the mad cow crisis happened, did Newfoundland and Labrador get any money? No, money was given to the province that was affected by the mad cow problem. When extreme drought was decimating agriculture—I am thinking of the grasshopper problem a few years back—the government distributed $1 billion according to the needs of each province. Quebec received about $40 million and western Canada got about $950 million because the problem was worst there. Should the same formula not apply in the case of this $1 billion aid package?
My second question is a short one. Is my colleague surprised to see that all of the Conservative members from Quebec have kept quiet on this issue? They have not said a word about this, nor have they risen in the House, asked questions, made one-minute statements or speeches, or spoken up in public to protect Quebec's interests in this matter.