Michel Gauthier

[Points Of Order, May 8th, 1995]

For clarification, Mr. Speaker, when remarks are made which are ruled unparliamentary, can we request that they be withdrawn? I think that is what my colleague wants to know.

[Internal Trade, May 5th, 1995]

He is the only one who is marching in step.

I will ask him a third question and I hope that, this time, we will agree on a possible answer. How can the provinces trust the federal government when none other than the senior strategic adviser with the Internal Trade Secretariat, John Richardson, admitted that the bill goes further than the agreement? That is what Mr. Richardson himself said.

How can we trust a partner who, at the first opportunity, betrays his signature and clearly exceeds the terms of an agreement?

[Internal Trade, May 5th, 1995]

No, Mr. Speaker, there are no problems. There are never any problems with the federal government. The minister has just told us that the journalist misunderstood. Yet, I quoted Mr. Knox's statement verbatim.

You know, if we are to believe the Minister of Industry, the opposition never understands, the opposition's legal advisers do not understand, and the same goes for Mr. Knox and the journalist. According to him, nobody ever understands anything, except him.

[Internal Trade, May 5th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, how can the Minister of Industry continue to deny that Bill C-88 gives the federal government excessive powers, when no less than the executive director of the Internal Trade Secretariat himself, Bob Knox, says that Bill C-88 enables the government to use whatever retaliatory measures it deems appropriate in any sector?

[Internal Trade, May 5th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Industry stubbornly refused to admit that Bill C-88 gives the federal government extraordinary powers that go far beyond the scope of the internal trade agreement.

Now that he has read his bill and his officials have informed him of the scope of the provisions of C-88 on the government's retaliatory powers, could the Minister of Industry confirm that the federal government is giving itself, among other things, the power to cut transfer payments to any province that fails to comply with the internal trade agreement?

[Business Of The House, May 4th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, my question is of course directed to the Leader of the Government. Could he perhaps inform the House about the business of the House for the coming days?

[Interprovincial Trade, May 4th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I want to make this very clear. This week, when we were discussing cuts in social transfers, the Minister of Finance rose in the House and said that they were going to change the bill, that it is not what they wanted to do, although that is what it says in the bill.

Today, the Minister of Industry tells us they do not want to cut social transfers to the provinces, although that is what it says.

Would the minister agree that the retaliatory measures provided in Bill C-88 are so broad that they would allow the federal government to interfere in disputes that are, first and foremost, a matter between two provinces, disputes that are none of its

business, so that the federal government would be able to cut social transfers to the provinces as a retaliatory measure?

[Interprovincial Trade, May 4th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, if we read subclause 9( d ), that is what it says. Since that is not the government's intention, I would like to ask the Minister of Industry whether he could make a clear commitment to amend the bill so as to exclude retaliatory measures in the form of suspending or reducing transfer payments for social programs financing in the case of a province that did not comply with the agreement.

[Interprovincial Trade, May 4th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, with Bill C-88, the Agreement on Internal Trade Implementation Act, the government is acting as though it is eager to impose sanctions in the case of trade disputes between two provinces. The bill provides that the federal government may cut off transfer payments and suspend subsidies to any province that fails to comply with the internal trade agreement.

Would the Minister of Industry confirm that with the powers the federal government has assumed pursuant to Bill C-88, it will be able to suspend or reduce any contribution for social programs financing in the case of a province that does not comply with the agreement on internal trade?

[Seagram, May 2nd, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I am somewhat surprised by the minister's answers. He behaves as though he were not a member of this government. Is he still? We think so.

Does the Minister of Canadian Heritage not agree that, as the minister responsible for culture and communications in Canada, his primary responsibility is to clearly tell those who might be tempted to conclude a transaction deemed unacceptable by Canadian cultural groups that he and his government will fight tooth and nail to protect the Canadian industry?