Michel Gauthier

[Job Creation, March 10th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, this government got elected by making Canadians believe that its priority was job creation. However, since the beginning of 1996, the unemployment rate has gone up instead of down, although there was a significant drop in the number of unemployed who said they were seeking employment.

Would the Minister of Finance confirm what was said by economist John Lester of Wood Gundy, who indicated that if the labour force participation rate of Canadians were the same as it was in 1989, the current unemployment rate in this country would be 14 per cent?

[Tobacco, March 5th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, in that case I am at a loss for words that can express what I think of the Prime Minister. But I can tell you that everyone in Canada agrees with the need to reduce our consumption of cigarettes.

However, there are various ways to achieve that objective. Some are more acceptable than others, and some are less effective.

Does the Prime Minister of Canada realize that a young person who goes to the Du Maurier tennis open is far more likely to buy a tennis racket than a package of cigarettes when he goes home?

[Tobacco, March 5th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I am not sure whether the following term is parliamentary. May I use the term demagoguery in this House?

[Tobacco, March 5th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, it is not very brave of the Prime Minister to use what other people are doing as a shield to justify his own actions. This is hardly a sign of bravery. He is the one on the stand here, not Jean Rochon in Quebec City. The question was put to the Prime Minister.

And the question is this: Why is the Prime Minister being so intransigent, why is he doing such a poor job? Why is he getting everybody up in arms against him and, in the process, undoing any progress made in the fight against tobacco? He does not realize he is sabotaging his own cause.

[Tobacco, March 5th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, all the media in Quebec are commenting on the government's anti-tobacco bill, and the majority are definitely in favour of a more flexible approach to sponsorship and the broadcasting of sports and cultural events associated with tobacco companies. Every one is amazed at the unnecessarily rigid stand the government has taken.

Does the Prime Minister not realize he has a perfectly good issue and that this government, because of its unwillingness to compromise, is spoiling everything and even alienating thousands of citizens who are recent recruits to the anti-smoking movement? Does he not understand?

[Tobacco Act, March 4th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, the minister can talk all he wants about support but the fact remains that, if he were more aware of what was going in Quebec, he would know that on all the radio stations today, everywhere, Quebecers are protesting against certain provisions of his bill. They would like to get him to listen to reason.

I heard the Minister of Labour say on television: "We will see. Perhaps it will be the end of the world; we will wait and see". Is the government going to run the risk of waiting and seeing Quebec's sports and cultural events destroyed before reacting? Are we once again going to be the victim of a bad decision made by Ottawa much too far away from where we live?

[Tobacco Act, March 4th, 1997]

Did the health minister not hold discussions with his colleagues from Quebec? Did nobody in this government point out to him that, if over 50 per cent of sponsorships go to Quebec, the repercussions of his plan on Quebec will be extremely negative in the short term?

[Tobacco Act, March 4th, 1997]

I would like to tell the health minister, through you, Mr. Speaker, that Quebecers will never accept a decision that interferes with the entire range of sports and cultural development, particularly that of Montreal and of Quebec. We will not accept it.

[Tobacco Act, March 4th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to remind the minister, as I did yesterday, that our political party shares the objective of reducing smoking. What we do not agree with is their desire to kill events in Montreal.

[Tobacco Act, March 4th, 1997]

Mr. Speaker, today in Montreal thousands of people are demonstrating their disagreement with the federal government, which is getting ready to wipe out major sports and cultural events with the anti-advertising provisions contained in the bill.

Although everyone shares the same anti-smoking objectives, it must realize that many people, restaurant owners, hotel operators, taxi drivers, are convinced they will lose a large part of their earnings if Quebec's cultural and sports events are attacked.

Is the Prime Minister aware that in Montreal alone, I hope the ministers from Quebec across the way are listening closely, $240 million in spinoffs will disappear because the government is refusing to listen to reason concerning tobacco company sponsorships?