Pierre Pettigrew

[Millennium Scholarships, February 26th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, people spoke out, like André Bourbeau, of the Quebec Liberal Party, who urged the government to sit down at the negotiating table. Mario Dumont, of the ADQ, said the same thing.

The only thing PQ members care about is scoring political points. The two opposition parties in the National Assembly are urging them to sit down with us so that, together, we can see what can be done in this important area to ensure the future of our young people.

There are numerous stakeholders who have absolutely no problem with our action.

[Millennium Scholarships, February 26th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I am disappointed in the attitude of the hon. member for Lac-Saint-Jean, a young man, toward the Prime Minister, who made a point of ensuring that students benefit from the 1997-98 dividends to get a post-secondary education at a time when they are getting deeply into debt.

The Prime Minister chose to put young people first and promote the knowledge and skills on which tomorrow's economy will be built. That is what the Prime Minister had in mind in celebrating the millennium, not the political benefits the member referred to.

[Millenium Scholarships, February 26th, 1998]

—to consult with the provinces, so that we can meet students' particular needs, and that the loans and scholarships program must complement existing programs. It is there in black and white in the budget.

So the member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot would do well to take another good look at the budget before making such ridiculous accusations on behalf of young Quebeckers.

[Millenium Scholarships, February 26th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, it would be a good idea for the member for Saint-Hyacinthe—Bagot to take the time to read the budget.

It states specifically that the goal of the millennium fund is to avoid any duplication—

[Millenium Scholarships, February 26th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I hope the Government of Quebec will be more imaginative than that.

Yesterday, in Quebec City, I mentioned that our government was available to sit down with each of the provinces, with the Government of Quebec, so that the particular needs of each of our societies within the country would be reflected.

I know that Quebec's situation with respect to the scholarships is special in several respects. I am perfectly prepared to meet with Mrs Marois and I think we will be able to arrive at an arrangement ensuring that Quebec students are well served by our government.

[Millenium Scholarships, February 26th, 1998]

The curriculum, the management of educational institutions, including universities and colleges, are matters of provincial jurisdiction and we will not touch them.

However, since the war, the federal government has been funding education, in Quebec and across Canada. We have been doing it since the war. The government has been active in promoting access to knowledge and skills, and in preparing for the future. We want to help young people across the country. I will sit down with Mrs. Marois and we will do a good job together.

[Millenium Scholarships, February 26th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, our government has no intention of getting involved in education.

[Millenium Scholarships, February 26th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, when we want to celebrate, when we want to have a party, when the government decides to celebrate the future of our economy, particularly with young Canadians, it is normal to draw everyone's attention to it.

This is what celebrating the millennium is all about. We want to allow our young generation to have the best possible access to the knowledge and skills required to build a very sound economy for the future.

To seek to give visibility to such a well intentioned and targeted party is to send a message of optimism about the future of our country.

[Employment Insurance, February 24th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member from the Conservative Party for giving me this opportunity to explain that, two months ago, we reduced employment insurance premiums by $1.4 billion.

This cut in the EI account is over four consecutive years. I realize that the Conservatives have a problem grasping this, but we are fiscally responsible. We have the people's interests at heart and intend to ensure that, should the economy falter, we will not have to raise premiums when the situation is at its most difficult, as the Conservatives did.

[Employment Insurance, February 24th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, we have embarked on a major reform of employment insurance. This government is indeed concerned about the drop in the number of people in the system, a trend confirmed by the figures that have been released.

What I can say is that I have already asked my department to provide us with further detail on what that figure represents. If the opposition already has the answer, they are most fortunate. I believe that the nature of the figures has not been clarified. The EI eligibility criteria alone do not explain this phenomenon. There are other elements, and I want to understand them before I reach a decision.