Does the Minister of Human Resources Development realize that, through his incompetence and lack of concern, he has made the unemployed the government's cash cow, no more no less?
House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2006, with 45% of the vote.
Employment Insurance September 29th, 1998
Does the Minister of Human Resources Development realize that, through his incompetence and lack of concern, he has made the unemployed the government's cash cow, no more no less?
Employment Insurance September 29th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, unlike what is happening opposite, every Bloc Quebecois member without exception is asking the minister to look after the unemployed.
Employment Insurance September 29th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, three unemployed individuals in five are no longer entitled to employment insurance benefits. In Canada now only one young unemployed young person in four is entitled to benefits. The employment insurance reform is a catastrophe.
After we thought we had hit the bottom of the barrel with Doug Young, we now realize that things are worse than ever for the unemployed.
Given the responsibilities of the Minister of Human Resources Development under the Employment Insurance Act, will he expressly oppose any change to the law?
Apec Summit September 23rd, 1998
Mr. Speaker, just as, in our opinion, the Minister of Foreign Affairs went too far in meeting the demands of Suharto and his gang, did not the Prime Minister also go too far in his directives to the RCMP, which authorized its officers, they claim, to arrest young Canadian students merely wishing to exercise their civil rights before they had even done anything?
Apec Summit September 23rd, 1998
Mr. Speaker, we recently learned that the members of dictator Suharto's entourage were arrested, heavily armed, and even wearing commando fatigues.
My question for the government is the following: Does the fact that these people feel so free to behave as they wish in Canada not indicate that the Minister of Foreign Affairs went too far in the guarantees he gave Mr. Suharto and his entourage that nothing would be done to make his visit in any way unpleasant for him?
Social Union September 22nd, 1998
Mr. Speaker, what I understand from the Prime Minister's response is that Lucien Bouchard could have been blamed if a consensus had not been reached, which would have suited the Prime Minister, but now that there is a consensus, he no longer knows what to do. That is a problem.
How, and on what basis, can the Prime Minister say that the provincial premiers want to abolish the five principles in the Canada Health Act? On what authority does he make that statement? There is nothing to that effect in the agreement.
Social Union September 22nd, 1998
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister responded to our questions concerning social union in a somewhat cavalier manner, irresponsibly even, going so far as to describe the government of Ontario as ultra-right. Really now! For the social union to work, there must be a minimum of openness and good faith.
Given the importance of the social union, the problems being experienced across Canada in the health field as a result of the federal cuts, and the consensus of the premiers, can the Prime Minister brush off a serious question of such import in such a cavalier manner?
Social Union September 21st, 1998
Mr. Speaker, we have been hearing this kind of thing for a long time, but the government is disconnected from the people.
I am asking the Prime Minister: Is his current arrogance, his concern for a high profile, his lack of compassion, his desire to be the boss of Canada and to stick it to the Conservative government of Mike Harris or the government of Lucien Bouchard, not in the process of disconnecting him completely, utterly, from what the people want, which is for Ottawa to return to the provinces the money it took from them for health?
Social Union September 21st, 1998
Mr. Speaker, with the huge cuts it has imposed on the provinces, the federal government has exerted some very heavy pressure on health care across Canada.
All the provincial premiers are unanimous on this. The Prime Minister is the only stubborn one.
Could the Prime Minister not learn something from the reception the fishers and the unemployed have been giving his Minister of Human Resources Development all summer, and become less arrogant toward the people who are calling upon him to be more tuned in to the public?
Atlantic Groundfish Strategy June 11th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, while we are imploring the minister to help fishers in eastern Canada, who have been adversely affected by the decisions of Liberal governments in Ottawa in the fishery sector, how can the Minister of Human Resources Development provide a meaningless reply when, in fact, the Atlantic region is on the verge of a crisis?
The minister must go there, listen to fishers and find solutions himself, instead of relying on his public servants in Ottawa. That is the reality.