Michel Gauthier

[Francophonie, May 15th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada can express its regrets, but that is not enough.

Not only is the government responsible for the fact that no one was there to welcome a high dignitary from la Francophonie—not only was no one there—but it is also responsible for the unacceptable behaviour of the security officers who dealt with Mr. Diouf’s arrival in this way.

This is my question for the government: in diplomacy, is an official apology not the least that can be done? That is how it is done, whether the Prime Minister likes it nor not.

[UNESCO, May 9th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, we have a heck of a problem. During the election campaign, the Prime Minister promised Quebeckers a seat at UNESCO and full rights, including the right to vote. But now, we have examined the situation, and Quebec will apparently have the right to speak only when it agrees with Canada.

The question is easy to understand. What happens when Quebec disagrees? Will it be expected to keep quiet and stand on the sidelines? That is what we want to know. It is that simple.

[UNESCO, May 9th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I would like the Prime Minister to clearly answer a very simple question. Is Quebec's participation in UNESCO assured only when Quebec agrees with the Government of Canada? In other words, when Quebec disagrees, will it be able to publicly express and show its disagreement? It is a simple question. What status will Quebec have? The Prime Minister should answer the questions.

[UNESCO, May 8th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, we are seeing is the disintegration of a formal commitment made by the Prime Minister to all Quebeckers, whereby Quebec would have a seat at UNESCO. But this is not the case. That is the reality we are witnessing.

Will the Prime Minister dare to deny that, with the agreement he has just offered Quebec, even in Quebec’s areas of jurisdiction, the last word and the decision are Ottawa’s and that in the end absolutely nothing has changed?

[UNESCO, May 8th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, does the Prime Minister realize that what he is offering Quebec is the privilege of whispering in the ear of Yvon Charbonneau at UNESCO, rather than having a seat, not only at UNESCO, but also at the UN, as if Quebec were independent? That is the difference between the two. Does he understand it?

[Softwood Lumber, April 11th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, allow me to remind the Minister of Industry once again that it is true that his colleague, the Minister of International Trade, did nothing when he was a Liberal. That said, at least his colleague left $800 million in loan guarantees.

Why will the minister not act now with this $800 million in loan guarantees for the sake of the companies that are crying out for help?

[Softwood Lumber, April 11th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I want to remind the new minister that it is not enough to have power; you also have to have the will.

Forestry companies in a region like mine are crying out for help. The forestry workers are crying out for help. The families are crying out for help. In the meantime, the Minister of Industry is telling us that he will act in due time. I want to know: does acting in due time not mean acting right now, immediately, on behalf of our constituents?

[Petitions, November 28th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table a petition signed by over 500 residents in my riding. The petitioners are asking the Minister of Transport to maintain, at their current level, the essential flight security services provided by NAV CANADA at the Roberval airport.

[Supply, November 24th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, if the member belonged to a different political party, I would say that he is being kind in giving me a few minutes of the House's time to tell the public and the members here what sentence the government deserves.

Let us go category by category. If I were a senior and I knew that I had been done out of thousands of dollars because the government did not want to make my benefits retroactive, I would fire the Liberals.

If I were a worker in the regions dealing with casual jobs and the springtime black hole because the government raided the EI fund and did not listen to my demands, I would fire the government.

If I were a worker caught in the softwood lumber crisis because the government refused to listen to me, I would fire it.

If I worked in the textile industry, which the government did not want to help and assist in any way whatsoever, I would fire the government.

Everyone wants to fire this government. All we need is time. In five weeks, we will fire this government.

[Supply, November 24th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I would not want to hurt the former minister's feelings, but she missed a thing or two. Let me give an example. The Bloc Québécois never opposed a government measure without proposing a credible alternative.

Let us take the example of softwood lumber, since the member finds this very funny. We will try to inform her. From the outset of the softwood lumber crisis, the Bloc Québécois, without waiting to find out what the government was going to do, proposed a comprehensive action plan that took into consideration affected workers, as well as small and large companies in the forest industry. In addition to the measures dealing with workers and small companies, one proposal involved loan guarantees.

For five years, the Bloc Québécois has kept telling the government that, in order to deal with the crisis affecting the industry, an aid plan and loan guarantees were necessary. The government never acknowledged that. Now, it is rushing to put in place a small loan guarantee program at the last minute, because everyone is asking for such a program, because the industry is crying for help, and because hundreds of jobs are disappearing in our region. Why? Because this government would not listen.

The Bloc Québécois had proposed a credible solution, a solution approved by the industry and supported by everyone, except the Liberals, who are the holders of the truth. However, over the last number of months, they have lost touch with the people, and this is why people are now distancing themselves from the Liberals.