Pauline Picard

[Human Cloning, September 20th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, throughout the summer, the issue of human cloning has been very much in the news. Voices were heard from everywhere asking to put an end to the unjustifiable legal void in this area.

Canadians are aware of the complexity of this issue and they want legislation that will cover all the scientific research in the area of assisted human reproduction.

However, they also want to be reassured, because they do not want to see aspirant cloners take refuge here to implement their morally, medically and socially unacceptable project.

This is why we must legislate as quickly as possible, because to prohibit human cloning for reproduction purposes is to protect the integrity of future generations and the dignity of childbirth.

[Terrorism, September 19th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the tragic events in the United States on September 11 are causing all countries of the world to reassess their security measures and to join the fight against terrorism.

In all of this, democracy and freedom must be preserved as security measures are beefed up at airports, at the borders and on airplanes, and certain regulations must be reviewed.

We must certainly support the Americans, but we must also exercise caution in order to prevent these initiatives from being used to satisfy a need for vengeance.

In the longer term, governments will have to resolve situations that generate terrorism, such as war, poverty and despair.

[Mondial Des Cultures De Drummondville, June 6th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, in my riding since 1982, the organizing team of the Mondial des cultures de Drummondville has created an exceptional event in my riding. This event has become one of the greatest festivals in the world in its category.

Every year, for the ten or so days of the festival, some 15 to 20 countries delegate talented folk ensembles to act as their ambassadors and to delight audiences with the expression of their traditions, the richness of their dances, music and culture.

Later this afternoon in the Centre Block some of the members of Mackinaw, a group from my riding, will be giving us a little preview of the festival.

I would like to take advantage of their presence in Ottawa to invite the public to attend the 2001 version of this extraordinary folk festival, held this year July 5 through 15 in Drummondville.

You will all be very welcome.

[Federal-Provincial Relations, June 4th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government's strategy is increasingly clear. It consists in making taxpayers pay for its mad obsession with propaganda.

Is this not also why, in spite of huge surpluses, the federal government does not want to increase transfers for health and education and is much more interested in investing in propaganda?

[Federal-Provincial Relations, June 4th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, this same document says, and I quote “Transfer payments to the provinces reduce the scope of the federal involvement in the provinces”.

Is this not the reason why the first federal cuts to reduce the deficit were made to transfers to the provinces, because these transfers do not contribute to the federal government's propaganda?

[Official Languages, May 17th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, does the minister not see that, by defending the criterion of language spoken at home, he is opening the door to certain provinces that could use it to justify significant cuts in services to francophones on the grounds that they speak English at home?

[Official Languages, May 17th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the use of the criterion of language spoken at home defended by the minister would have negative consequences not only for francophones in Quebec, but for the Acadians and francophones in Canada.

Does the minister not understand that to apply these criteria on language spoken at home elsewhere in Canada would be devastating for the francophone and Acadian communities, as they would considerably reduce their numbers and, accordingly, the services available to them?

[Human Cloning, May 16th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the minister is well aware that there is a broad consensus in Canada that human cloning should be banned, and another year of consultations is perfectly pointless.

If the government seriously wishes to ban human cloning, why does it not move quickly to introduce a bill with that in mind?

[Human Cloning, May 16th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday in Geneva, the Minister of Health put forward the idea of drafting an international convention to ban reproductive technologies such as human cloning.

How can the minister claim to be a world leader with respect to reproductive technologies, when we know that he allowed the recommendations of the Baird commission to languish for seven years before recently introducing a draft bill, which will put off any decision in this regard for yet another year?

[Summit Of The Americas, April 23rd, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the summit of the Americas has shown us the true face of our federal representatives.

Secrecy, scheming and paranoia characterized the attitude of the Minister for International Trade and his associates as they prepared for this summit, from which almost everyone was excluded.

Arrogance, pettiness and a casual disregard summed up the Canadian government's treatment of the Premier of Quebec, who was relegated to the role of observer at an event being organized in his own jurisdiction, in our national capital.

The reality is that Quebec is the sixth strongest economic power in the Americas. The reality is that Quebec is a developed, mature nation which is open to the world. The reality is that it would have been only natural for Quebec to be at the table in the same capacity as all sovereign nations and to negotiate itself the agreements which will change the lives of its people. The reality is that it is becoming increasingly evident that the Canadian federation is an obstacle to the development of a modern Quebec.