Madam Speaker, I have many comments to make on the biased and twisted speech just delivered by the hon. member.
The first thing I ask him is to give us the names of those who received company contributions.
House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2006, with 56% of the vote.
Supply October 9th, 1997
Madam Speaker, I have many comments to make on the biased and twisted speech just delivered by the hon. member.
The first thing I ask him is to give us the names of those who received company contributions.
Supply October 9th, 1997
You can't possibly do that.
Supply October 9th, 1997
What section?
The Late Mr. J. Chester Macrae October 8th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, we were saddened yesterday to learn of the death of Chester MacRae, who, for 15 years, from 1957 to 1972, was a Conservative member of this House.
I did not know Mr. MacRae personally, but everyone I talked to described him as a devoted individual and member of the Conservative Party for 15 years, and especially as a devoted officer in the Canadian army. Mr. MacRae was considered a hero in the second world war. He even took part in the landing in France.
Although a Conservative, Mr. MacRae was known as an ambassador of peace, mutual assistance between peoples, and equality. It was more likely the vision of Lester B. Pearson that he carried abroad than the Conservative vision of things.
All those I spoke with remembered this man clearly. He was devoted, good-natured, upstanding, courageous and a man of conviction.
On behalf of myself and my party, the Bloc Quebecois, I offer my sincere condolences to Mr. MacRae's family.
Auditor General October 7th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, the auditor general states specifically that there is no procedure and that the minister is flying by the seat of his pants, for example by excluding, since January, half the people who would have been entitled to employment insurance and no longer are, thanks to him. That is the situation.
I wish to ask this question of the Minister of Finance. Does the minister realize that his haphazard approach greatly penalizes the companies and workers who make the contributions, and the unemployed, who are truly unemployed, not just sort of unemployed?
Auditor General October 7th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Minister of Finance.
The auditor general has just confirmed that the contribution rate for employment insurance was just pulled out of a hat, and is a matter of pure chance.
When will the Minister of Finance put an end to the amateurism he has shown to date in the way he is administering the employment insurance fund and setting the contribution levels?
Goods And Services Tax October 1st, 1997
Mr. Speaker, is the Minister of Finance telling us he is afraid to put his arguments up against those of Bernard Landry, that he is afraid to have to admit he was wrong and that he owes Quebec $2 billion?
I would call on the Quebec members across the way to stop acting like colonials and to help us out.
Is he afraid his arguments will not stand up to ours?
Goods And Services Tax October 1st, 1997
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Quebec has repeatedly demonstrated the validity of its demand for $2 billion as compensation for harmonizing the GST. But the federal government is still refusing to listen to reason and to consider any amount at all in this connection.
My question is for the Minister of Finance. Given the two diametrically opposed interpretations, would the Minister of Finance agree to let an independent arbitration board settle the disagreement between Quebec City and Ottawa, as our leader suggested during the last election campaign?
Supply September 30th, 1997
Madam Speaker, I congratulate my colleague for her excellent speech, and also for having shown some compassion, something her government has forgotten.
Since she is so well disposed toward job creation, would the hon. member be prepared to meet with her Minister of Finance to explain to him that instead of keeping the contributions to the employment insurance fund at an artificially high level, a level which generates surpluses which will top $7 billion this year, reduction would in fact create employment?
Is the hon. member prepared to take such a step, since employment appears to be something she considers important?
Supply September 30th, 1997
Mr. Speaker, on the subject of cassettes, I wouldn't go on about that too much, because they have one that is pretty long and rather out of date.
We in Quebec are not the only ones who think that the federal government stole $2 billion from us. The Canadian premiers unanimously supported Quebec's request at St. Andrews, because they considered it unfair to Quebec that it got no similar compensation when $1 billion was given to the maritimes to harmonize the GST with the provincial sales taxes.
If my colleague from Bourassa were more concerned about the interests of Quebec, he would encourage the Minister of Finance to give Quebec its due and would stop saying just any old thing.