House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2006, with 45% of the vote.
Speech from the Throne October 6th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, scarcely a month ago, the ministers of this government were talking about the discovery of the century: asymmetrical federalism. This was to be the antidote to centralizing federalism.
How can the Prime Minister explain the total absence from the entire Speech from the Throne yesterday of any reference to this concept of asymmetrical federalism? Instead, we got national standards, Canada-wide studies, accountability in the health care field. What has become of asymmetry?
Gasoline Prices May 13th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Industry must be particularly pleased to know that Ken Dryden is joining her team. That will prevent her from scoring into her own net.
The creation of a petroleum monitoring agency is considered an extremely valid measure by members on both sides of this House.
Why does the minister—why does the government—not consider establishing a petroleum monitoring agency to send the oil companies the message that the fun and games are over?
Gasoline Prices May 13th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, as the chief organizer for the Bloc during the next election campaign, I must say that the minister is right; you have a real problem with the Bloc.
Whether the government wants to admit it or not, it has a responsibility. It has a duty to protect consumers.
I want the Minister of Industry to tell me what the government will tolerate before it intervenes to stop the escalation. Is it $1.25 a litre, $1.40 a litre, or $1.50 a litre? When will it assume its responsibilities?
Sponsorship Program May 11th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, continuing the fish references, I would remind hon. members that the Prime Minister's political lieutenant is the one who made reference in a speech in Quebec to the government's having left a rotten fish in the refrigerator, one that had to be got rid of because it was starting to smell bad. If he wants to talk fish, let him go and talk to Jean Lapierre.
The Prime Minister made the following comment on the sponsorship scandal: “The fact remains that very few Quebec ministers were aware”. I would like the Prime Minister to come and tell the committee which Quebec ministers were aware of the sponsorship scandal, because he himself has—
Sponsorship Program May 11th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, because the government is unwilling to understand the Bloc Quebecois leader's questions, I will put it differently. In the sponsorship scandal, the little fish got caught in the net but the big fish are still swimming in murky waters. That is the reality.
What we want to know, since the Prime Minister was the number two man in the Chrétien government, vice-president of the Treasury Board, a member of the Quebec caucus, and, having spent nine years with that bunch, he must know a few things.
He says that there was political direction, so why does he refuse to appear before the committee, and why does he want to put an end to what it is doing before he can even tell us what he knows?
Sponsorship Program May 10th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are entitled to expect some light to be shed on the political responsibility to which the Prime Minister has admitted, as has been seen on television broadcasts from coast to coast.
Will this government admit that an incomplete committee report—when that committee has not had the opportunity to hear Jean Chrétien, and the Prime Minister, with respect to these allegations of political responsibility—has but one purpose: to cover for a little while longer the people responsible for the sponsorship scandal, the ones who approved—
Sponsorship Program May 10th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the charges that have finally been laid today in connection with the sponsorship scandal have targeted individuals actually involved, but not the ones really responsible for it, politically.
Will the government admit that, with today's arrest of Charles Guité, the charges are directed only at the government's henchman, and not at all at the politicians really behind this scandal?
Standing Committee on Public Accounts May 6th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, they need to face the truth. The government does not want to hear any more witnesses because the Bloc list included Warren Kinsella, a Liberal and an adversary of the Prime Minister, and Jean Chrétien, the former prime minister. We especially wanted to hear from him. That is why they no longer want to hear witnesses.
Standing Committee on Public Accounts May 6th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister had promised that the committee looking into the sponsorship scandal would get to the bottom of that scandal. Now he has changed his mind.
Can the Prime Minister, who made a solemn promise that the committee would get to the bottom of it, explain in all sincerity why the government is now trying to prevent the committee from hearing all the witnesses it needs to hear? If he wants to get to the bottom of things, why is he now changing his mind?
Gasoline Prices May 5th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the federal government has a number of tools at its disposal.
First, it could have instituted a real investigation into a potential lack of competition in the oil market. That it did not do, or at least not seriously. Second, it could establish a petroleum monitoring agency, as the committee recommended. That it did not do.
How can it justify to those who are listening and who are being strangled by the oil companies that the only thing it did do is reduce the taxes on companies that are already raking in huge profits?