Michel Gauthier

[Poverty, May 10th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government is about to get involved in the area of child benefits by setting up its own programs under the social union framework agreement. I should point out that there are now half a million more Canadian children living in poverty than there were in 1989.

Will the Prime Minister have the courage to admit that if there are 60% more poor children than in 1989, it is largely because of his government, which made very deep cuts to the Canada social transfer and to employment insurance?

[International Relations, May 6th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I would appreciate it if the Prime Minister would explain his logic. Why is it possible, normal and fine for former premiers of Quebec, Ontario and Newfoundland to meet prime ministers and heads of state, but a big deal—ces emmerdements—when it is the Premier of Quebec?

We cannot accept that.

[International Relations, May 6th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, no doubt the business people accompanying the Quebec Premier on his economic mission to Mexico will appreciate the fact that not only did the Canadian embassy not help them one bit, but also that the Prime Minister thinks they are troublemakers, emmerdeurs. They are going to bother—emmerder—people in Mexico because they want to discuss economic development for Quebec.

Does the Prime Minister feel that the visit, 15 days ago, by his Newfoundland friend Brian Tobin to the Prime Minister of Ireland was also a trip made to bother people, a trip of emmerdements?

[Air Transport, April 26th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, when the Minister of Transport was questioned in the House on the Baie-Comeau and Gaspé air tragedies, he said that he was waiting for the end of the Transportation Safety Board investigation before making any statement on safety equipment.

Since the outcome of the investigation will not be known for a year, does the Minister of Transport intend to ask Nav Canada to suspend the closure of flight information stations in the small airports, such as Roberval, until the results of the investigation are known?

[Business Of The House, April 20th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I rise very briefly on a point of order. There have been discussions between the House leaders of all parties and I seek the unanimous consent of the House for the following motion:

That Motion M-73, introduced on September 23, 1997 by Ms. Venne, the member for Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert, be now recorded in the name of Mr. Laurin, the member for Joliette.

[Kosovo, April 20th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, it can be checked, it is in the House of Commons Debates , and I challenge the minister to prove what he has just said.

That is the absolute truth. They demanded a vote, and today, in power, they have changed their position.

I have a question for them. Do they consider it decent, in front of the people of Canada, for the Prime Minister to decide to use a talk show this evening to speak to the people rather than answer questions in the House, as is his duty?

[Kosovo, April 20th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, in 1991, the current Prime Minister was the Leader of the Opposition, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, a member on these benches, and the two of them rose in the House to demand a vote from Brian Mulroney before troops were sent to Iraq.

Seven years later, they are in the government. Why did they change their point of view?

[Wayne Gretzky, April 19th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, I believe consent was unanimous.

The no you heard had nothing to do with the question you had asked.

[Kosovo, April 16th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the minister should understand that the issue is not about taking part, but about supplying answers. That is what we would like.

We learned this morning, for example, that President Clinton was asked by the Pentagon to call up 33,000 reservists. If, in the States, they are asking the President to call up 33,000 reservists, does that mean they are getting ready for an invasion in the Kosovo area soon?

Something is on the move. Does this have implications for Canada? We would like to know.

[Kosovo, April 16th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, this is Friday, and we have been questioning the government all week to find out something of what is going on in the Kosovo conflict, but the more we ask, the less we feel we know. The other side is getting us used to half truths, I-don't-knows and undivulged information.

Given the positive state of debates in this House and the support the government is getting from the opposition for a proper intervention in the Kosovo conflict, could there not be a change in attitude on the government side and could it not provide a little of the information which we are entitled to and which the Americans are getting from their President?