House of Commons photo

Crucial Fact

  • His favourite word was quebec.

Last in Parliament September 2007, as Bloc MP for Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean (Québec)

Won his last election, in 2006, with 45% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Expo 2005 November 6th, 1996

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to second the motion proposed by the heritage minister. As leader of the official opposition, I had the opportunity to meet with the members of the committee who will decide whether or not Expo 2005 will be held in Canada.

I have assured members of the committee, and also members of the organizing committee, that we not only support this event, but that we will take every possible step to ensure that it is a big success. We have no doubt about Calgary's extraordinary ability to organize such and event.

The Government Of The United States November 6th, 1996

Mr. Speaker, since the Prime Minister seems to be open to suggestions, I would like to mention that the U.S. pensions issue is disturbing many Quebecers.

The official opposition asks the Prime Minister to raise with President Clinton those issues that are troubling our people and affect them directly.

Furthermore, I would ask the Prime Minister this: Following the preliminary ruling made in the controversial eggs, milk and poultry question, a ruling that is to be confirmed very shortly, I would like to ask the Prime Minister whether he intends to make representations to the U.S. president before it is too late, before Canada is forced into the same kind of situation as in the case of softwood lumber, in other words, before we are forced to negotiate an agreement at our expense. The softwood lumber agreement is far from perfect and puts a heavy burden on lumber producers. The agreement on milk, eggs and poultry might go the same way, unless the Prime Minister quickly and proactively intervene with the President.

The Government Of The United States November 6th, 1996

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Prime Minister for his reply. I felt it was important to raise these questions.

I would like to ask the Prime Minister whether he also intends to discuss with the President, on very short notice, the unfortunate habit of the United States to be overly protectionist, which creates problems and goes against the spirit of the Free Trade Agreement, as in the case of softwood lumber, for instance.

Did the Prime Minister bring this up or does he intend to, very shortly?

The Government Of The United States November 6th, 1996

Mr. Speaker, President Clinton's election was hailed by the Canadian government as

auguring well for the future. It is a pleasure to join the government in congratulating President Clinton, and we wish to extend our best wishes as well.

In this connection we would like to ask the Prime Minister if he intends to take advantage of the good relationship he has with President Clinton to intervene immediately and effectively against the Helms-Burton law, which is a major irritant, not only for Canada but also for many other countries, including members of the European community.

Mr. Jean-Louis Roux November 5th, 1996

Mr. Speaker, does the Prime Minister not agree that the Jean-Louis Roux affair adds to the long track record of this government, whose motto is that people are not guilty until they get caught?

Mr. Jean-Louis Roux November 5th, 1996

Mr. Speaker, I understand you are giving me another chance to rephrase my first question so I can still ask a supplementary. I appreciate your diligence.

Mr. Speaker, what I would like to ask the Prime Minister, what we would like to know, is this: Does he think Jean-Louis Roux's resignation in these circumstances is a good thing? Does he approve of his resignation, his decision, does he think this is proper? That is what we want to know.

Mr. Jean-Louis Roux November 5th, 1996

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's comments are rather ambiguous.

On the one hand, he tries to justify the former lieutenant- governor's actions. He admires his great career and is sorry he resigned. On the other hand, the Prime Minister tells us: "I did not know. It was not in the security report. I was not aware of these facts". He then tells us: "The lieutenant-governor was courageous enough to decide to resign on his own shedding a tear of regret".

What we want to know is this: If the Prime Minister had known the facts, would he still have appointed him? That is what the people want to know.

Jean-Louis Roux November 5th, 1996

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister ought to have been more careful, since his responsibilities require it, knowing what Jean-Louis Roux is capable of saying. The Prime Minister will recall the odious comparison he made during the last referendum. The Prime Minister ought to have been more careful, more mistrustful.

How can the Prime Minister justify the fact that his sole concern before appointing Jean-Louis Roux as lieutenant-governor of Quebec was the services he had rendered to the Liberal Party of Canada, rather than the irreproachable profile he ought to have provided?

Jean-Louis Roux November 5th, 1996

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has only himself to be annoyed with. He is the one responsible for the present mess.

He is responsible for the mess and, like it or not, he will still have to find answers to a number of questions to which the public wants answers.

If the Prime Minister is so informed about the career of Jean-Louis Roux, how can it be that his knowledge does not go back further than 1949? It is what happened prior to that which has shocked all the people of Quebec.

Jean-Louis Roux November 5th, 1996

Mr. Speaker, Jean-Louis Roux has just resigned from the position of lieutenant-governor of Quebec, in response to the pressures on him to do so, ever since his anti-semitic activities during the second world war were revealed.

This resignation was certainly the only possible solution under the circumstances. Yet everyone is wondering how the Prime Minister could have got himself into such a situation.

My question is for the Prime Minister. How can he explain having made such a poor choice for the position of lieutenant-governor of Quebec?