Lost his last election, in 2006, with 38% of the vote.
Employment Insurance April 22nd, 1998
I admit it is very little, but this month's figures must not be used to claim that the situation has worsened. That is false.
As I have said in this House on a number of occasions, this participation rate is of concern to us and we are in the process of examining it very closely, in order to ensure that our system is properly serving the people of Canada.
Employment Insurance April 22nd, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question.
Although it is clear that this morning's figures are not good, they do not show that the situation has worsened. On the contrary, there has been a small improvement, a very slight one, in the number of participants.
Persons With Disabilities April 20th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his very good work as chair of the parliamentary committee for disabled Canadians.
We want to do even more. This is why our government is moving forward on many fronts to help persons with disabilities. Just last week we signed an agreement with the Government of Manitoba to launch an employment assistance for persons with disabilities agreement in that province. We hope to sign similar agreements with other provinces and territories in the near future.
These agreements will help persons with disabilities to prepare for and enter the workforce.
Canada-Quebec Agreement On Manpower April 1st, 1998
Mr. Speaker, indeed effective today the Government of Quebec takes over the responsibilities set out in the Canada-Quebec agreement on manpower.
The Government of Canada will pay the Government of Quebec more than $2.4 billion over the next four years, enabling it to set up the programs and services most appropriate to the realities of the Quebec labour market.
The agreement is a specific and constructive response to Quebec's manpower needs and it testifies to our government's ability to modernize the Canadian federation.
Training For Young People March 31st, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the government has taken action to prepare young Canadians for the jobs of the knowledge-based economy towards which we are headed.
In the budget we launched the Canadian opportunities strategy precisely to expand access for Canadians to the skills and knowledge which they will need to succeed in the future. For example, we will offer the Canada millennium scholarships. We have increased assistance for advanced research. We are helping post-secondary graduates to manage their student debt loads.
My department is working with Industry Canada and the software industry to increase the number of students who will get the information they need to succeed.
Employment Insurance March 31st, 1998
Mr. Speaker, we care about children who are living in poverty in this country.
Earlier, we heard members of the Bloc Quebecois mention that many welfare recipients are in fact single mothers. It is precisely to help these families that we set up the national child benefit, to which we will allocate $850 million this year and another $850 million thereafter, for a total of $1.7 billion.
Employment Insurance March 31st, 1998
Mr. Speaker, first of all I want to thank the National Council of Welfare for the excellent work it has done. It has been a great advisor to the Canadian government and we appreciate its contribution.
Its report will be an invaluable tool in ensuring that our government continues to serve Canadians well, as we plan to.
I am pleased to see that the number of welfare recipients has been decreasing steadily since 1995. Things are certainly looking up.
Millennium Scholarships March 30th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance and myself met with the education ministers of the provinces just last week precisely to make sure that the foundation's contribution would be able to reach the students who most need it to continue their post-secondary education.
Because we are working with the provinces, a margin of manoeuvres will be developed in some provinces which will give them more of a margin to manoeuvre to make the wisest possible investment in the right direction.
This is federalism at its best, working together to help young Canadians.
Millennium Scholarships March 30th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I thank the leader of the NDP for giving me the opportunity to talk about the meeting the Minister of Finance and I had last Thursday evening with the Canadian Council of Ministers of Education. All the provinces were represented.
We had very positive discussions on the millennium fund. Everyone around the table gave the government credit for its initiative and was very favourably impressed by the government's vision in support of knowledge and the acquisition of skills in Canada.
We will, of course, be having discussions and negotiations. The representatives of the foundation that will be set up will be talking with each of the provinces.
Transitional Job Creation Fund March 30th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I can tell you that the member for Matane, who belongs to the same political party as the hon. member, approached us and agreed that it was not discretionary, for he gave me his support.
So the hon. member should do his homework before saying that it is a discretionary decision.