Lost his last election, in 2006, with 29% of the vote.
Taxation April 21st, 1999
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance.
Further to the Chartrand-Laferrière report, which proves beyond a doubt, with multiple models, the absurdities of the Quebec and Canadian tax systems, does the Minister of Finance agree that families earning between $26,000 and $70,000 a year find themselves poorer after a salary increase than before it?
Coastal Fisheries Protection Act April 20th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the members of the Progressive Conservative Party vote yes on this motion.
Budget Implementation Act, 1999 April 20th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, the members of the Progressive Conservative Party are against this motion.
Division No. 381 April 20th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, members of the Progressive Conservative Party present will be voting against this motion.
Income Tax Amendments Act, 1998 April 20th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, members of the Progressive Conservative Party present will be voting against this motion.
The Late Edmund Tobin Asselin April 15th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Progressive Conservative Party I extend condolences to the family of Mr. Asselin, former Liberal member for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce in Montreal.
It goes without saying that all members of our party and the entire Progressive Conservative family are in full agreement with everything said about Mr. Asselin by those who spoke before me.
Before it was my turn to pay tribute to the man everyone called Mr. Eddy, I listened to the comments about his big heart. I think this was an important part of his personality. He was a bon vivant who fitted in well everywhere he went. I am told he was forever receiving invitations to one event or another.
As a young man, he fought in World War II. That must have taken exceptional courage. I was struck by a number of things about him, one of them being that he was elected three times to city council.
A few minutes ago someone said that he was close to the people and greatly enjoyed working with those he represented.
There is no way—and I am sure members will agree with me on this point—that one is elected three times to city council without being very close to the grassroots. Mr. Asselin was three times elected to Montreal city council and it was to his very great credit.
Another thing that set Edmund Asselin apart was that after his federal political career he did not call it quits. He set about studying law, opened a law firm, and was later made a judge. This says a lot about his personality and his readiness to tackle things with his fellow citizens.
On behalf of all my colleagues I extend my deepest condolences to his family and particularly to all his friends who got to know him very well and very likely got to work with him on issues of importance to his community.
Kosovo April 12th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, allow me to salute my colleague who, when it comes to international issues, always has a great deal of common sense and knows how to take into account all the human aspects. Our colleague is quite aware that the decision to involve our young soldiers, our sons and daughters, cannot be taken lightly.
I would like to know what he thinks of the present NATO strategy, which relies exclusively on air to ground strikes.
I would like to ask if he can explain this choice of strategy which, if I may say so, has precipitated the exile of Kosovars. It has also resulted in the destruction of all their physical property and the death of thousands of Kosovars.
We are still not in a position to put a price on the material and human damages caused by this necessary intervention which has not been accompanied by a strategy to counter the invasion by Serb troops.
Kosovo April 12th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, this debate is definitely not a theoretical one, because a number of members of this House have relatives in the Canadian armed forces. That is why this matter must be addressed most seriously.
This reminds me of all the negotiations in which the former Prime Minister was involved at the time of the Gulf War, in which the United Nations was finally led to a more concerted action.
It is our opinion that, with what is going on in Kosovo at the present time, Canada's international role is not an optimum one. It is our impression that we are somewhat at the beck and call of other NATO members when it comes to decision making, and I find that a pity.
In order to reassure us before there is any direct ground force involvement—since it is the children of all of us who will be called upon to go over there—I would like to ask my colleague how she perceives the decision making process. Does she see a debate in the House of Commons with a specific vote on a very specific question? Are we going to commit our young people to a ground intervention in Kosovo?
Kosovo April 12th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, I simply want to ask the minister if the House of Commons will be officially convened to vote on a formal commitment of Canadian ground troops, because I have the impression that our international role has been neglected in this whole scenario.
I remember all the efforts made by the former Prime Minister—
National Highway System March 17th, 1999
Mr. Speaker, all the provinces are now calling for a national highway infrastructure program.
Does the Minister intend in any future proposal to stick to his goal of putting in place or allowing the presence of private and public sector consortiums, and has he remembered that toll highways are out in this country, because the volume is not there?