Lost his last election, in 2006, with 35% of the vote.
International Transfer of Offenders Act February 12th, 2004
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-15, an act to implement treaties and administrative arrangements on the international transfer of persons found guilty of criminal offences.
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to special order made earlier, I wish to inform you that this bill is in the same form as Bill C-33 at the time of prorogation of the previous session.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Patent Act February 12th, 2004
moved to introduce Bill C-9, an act to amend the Patent Act and the Food and Drugs Act.
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the special order made previously, I would like to inform the House that this bill is in the same form as Bill C-56 was at the time of prorogation of the previous session .
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act February 11th, 2004
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-5, an act respecting the effective date of the representation order of 2003.
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the special order made previously, I would like to inform the House that this bill is in the same form as Bill C-49 was in the previous session at the time of prorogation.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed.)
Parliament of Canada Act February 11th, 2004
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-4, An act to amend the Parliament of Canada Act (Ethics Commissioner and Senate Ethics Officer) and other Acts in consequence.
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to the special order made previously, I would like to inform the House that this bill is in the same form as Bill C-34 was in the previous session at the time of prorogation.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Reinstatement of Government Bills February 10th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I would suggest very kindly to my colleague that before making empty rhetorical comments on the ethics commissioner, she should read the bill again to see that the commissioner in fact will be reporting to the House and his or her appointment will be sanctioned by the House. This is a perfect example that shows that debate on substance is of no interest to them.
The last point that my colleague made is extremely important. She said that MPs should have a say and MPs who represent their constituents should have a say. On this side of the House, we will do that and we will give a free vote on this. They interpret the role of MPs only in a collective way. They are not prepared to trust their own MPs to stand up and vote in favour of their constituents.
Reinstatement of Government Bills February 10th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the process we are going through is one, which I recall, was called originally in I think 1970 for the first time. Let me very clear. If the opposition members want to vote against the motion today that is okay, that is their privilege. However they will have to answer to the Canadian public for that.
They are in fact voting against an independent ethics commissioner. They are voting against bills on the protection of children. They are voting against aid to Africa. They are voting against public safety bills. They are voting against the Westbank self-government act. That is the effect of their position.
They want to talk procedure. I want to talk about those bills right here because they do count for the Canadian people.
Reinstatement of Government Bills February 10th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I do not think I need any lesson in integrity from a member who reneged on his own signature at the time of the Progressive Conservative Party leadership convention. I do not have to go that low as to rebut arguments that are really not arguments but simply an abuse of language in lieu of arguments.
We are very different. For the first time in the history of Parliament, the motion we have before us today will be subjected to a free vote and, hopefully for the last time, unless those members still do not understand it, I will hear a commitment from them that they will have a free vote on their benches on the motion we have before us today.
Reinstatement of Government Bills February 10th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the question that was just put to me includes a number of fundamentals, but everything revolves around the same problem. That party is full of contradictions. There is the contradiction regarding the proposals for a democratic reform. When we make such proposals, these people backtrack. There is the contradiction regarding the ethics commissioner. When we proposed the establishment of an ethics commissioner, they rejected the idea. Now, they want one, but at the same time they do not because they want procedures first.
The contradictions in that party show to what extent it can be harmful, negative and counterproductive when politics take precedence over substance. That is what their problem is all about. It is one of credibility caused by the inconsistency in their positions.
Reinstatement of Government Bills February 10th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, as a member of Parliament from Quebec, I understand the concerns of the west. I would not be honest if I were to say that I fully understand them. I want to know more and understand more about them. One of the ways to do that is to get to the substance of things. I want to really care about all the regions of the country on the basis of the substance of what will be useful to them to feel good and to be part of this country, not on procedure.
Reinstatement of Government Bills February 10th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, when a bill is good for the people of Canada I do not care whether it was in the past or introduced by a new government, it ought to be taken into consideration and passed because it is good for the people.
In terms of the debate, I will repeat to my colleague what I have just said in answer to a number of questions already. I do not want to delay on the basis of procedure the important debate on substance which we need to undertake in the House. Canadians are not interested in our little bubble in Ottawa as if we were the centre of the world. They are interested in making sure we pass legislation that will serve them in their everyday lives and things of interest to them. That is what we want to get to.