Michel Gauthier

[National Infrastructure Program, May 18th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, people remember how the Minister of Industry insisted on a business plan when the time came to invest money in MIL Davie in Quebec City. And how he insisted!

Before the government-which is broke, in any case-invests more than $20 million in public funds in the Winnipeg Jets, could the Prime Minister tell us whether his government insisted that the Winnipeg Jets submit a business plan, to ensure this money is not wasted, and that the Jets provide guarantees that they will not leave within the next three years?

[National Infrastructure Program, May 18th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, would the Prime Minister confirm that the $20 million Ottawa will give in direct assistance to the Winnipeg Jets is well in excess of what is available under the Infrastructure Program and will impinge, as he himself said, on the budget set aside for the Pan-American

Games, although none of the disciplines at these games will require a coliseum or an arena of the kind that is going to be built, and that the money will also come from the Western Economic Diversification Office headed by his minister, the member from Winnipeg?

[National Infrastructure Program, May 18th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government is about to invest $20 million in public funds to give Winnipeg a new arena, just to keep the Jets in Winnipeg. Unfortunately, Ottawa has never shown the slightest interest in getting involved to keep the Nordiques in Quebec City. Once again, the double standard rears its ugly head.

How can the Prime Minister use the Infrastructure Program to justify paying $20 million to the Winnipeg Jets, when according to our information, more than 90 per cent of that money has already been spent or committed, leaving only $6 million in the bank?

[Chechnya, May 15th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister said President Yeltsin gave him assurances that the Russian army had already been replaced by a normal police force in Chechnya. However, immediately after his departure from Russia, the Russian army was again bombing Chechen civilians.

Considering the false assurances the Prime Minister received from the Russian head of state, how does his government intend to put pressure on the Russian authorities to stop human rights violations in Chechnya?

[Chechnya, May 15th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to accept the Prime Minister's reply, but if he really wanted the Russian authorities to take seriously his concerns about human rights violations in Chechnya, why did the Prime Minister not tell them in advance that he would refuse to attend the military parade, as a form of protest, like other heads of state who were not afraid to speak out?

[Chechnya, May 15th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, although the Prime Minister says he is concerned about human rights issues, on his recent trip to Russia to attend ceremonies celebrating the 50th anniversary of V-E Day, it was clear once again that the Canadian government's only priority is trade.

In fact, at the very moment when the Russian army continued its attacks in Chechnya, the Prime Minister was discussing a Team Canada trade mission with his Russian counterpart.

My question is directed to the Prime Minister. Considering the foregoing, would the Prime Minister agree that his attitude and that of his government, which subordinates human rights to strictly commercial interests, does not give the Russian authorities any incentive to show more respect for the rights of the Chechen who are now being attacked by the Russian army?

[Business Of The House, May 11th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Leader of the Government in the House to provide details on what is in store for the next few days.

[Tainted Blood, May 11th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, considering the serious revelations made before the Krever Commission and the reply we were given just now by the minister who told us that the purpose of the inquiry was to ensure this would not happen again, does the minister not realize that she is supposed to be responsible for the health of Canadians, that Canadians agree this should not happen again but also want the guilty parties taken to court and punished for needlessly contaminating hundreds of Canadians?

[Tainted Blood, May 11th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, you must admit we have a problem. We have blood purchased from prisons in the U.S. that contaminated the Canadian blood supply system and, in the process, dozens and dozens of Canadians. We have a commissioner who announced at the outset that he was not there to look for the guilty parties, and we have a minister who does not intend to take her duties seriously. We have a problem.

Would the Minister of Health agree that she has the authority to ask cabinet to take action and ask Justice Krever to change his position and ensure that charges are laid in connection with what happened, when the commission finishes its work? Does she agree that is the case?

[Tainted Blood, May 11th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Health. When the Commission of Inquiry on the Blood System in Canada started its proceedings, Commissioner Krever announced that he did not intend to start a witch hunt by identifying the people responsible for this situation but would suggest ways to correct the deficiencies in the blood supply system.

Considering the very serious revelations made yesterday in Toronto, does the minister intend to intervene and ask Commissioner Krever to make recommendations for possible legal action against those responsible for the tainted blood scandal at the conclusion of his inquiry?