Claude Drouin

[Petitions, June 7th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition, which I am tabling on behalf of the Hon. Martin Cauchon, calls for mandatory labelling and comprehensive inspection of genetically modified foods, and was signed by many residents of the riding of Outremont.

[Petitions, June 7th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8), I wish to table two petitions in the House. The first is from Claude Gilbert and concerns the Firearms Act. This petition was signed by 25 residents of the riding of Beauce.

[Astronaut Julie Payette, June 7th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, what can we say to mark the return of Julie and all the other members of the space shuttle? Hear, hear.

Not only did Quebecer Julie Payette represent us brilliantly, but she is also an example of determination and patience for young people looking for a dream.

All Canadians followed her throughout a complex mission during which Julie had to perform a series of risky manoeuvres that were essential for the space shuttle's crew.

We are now hoping that Julie will share her experience with us, and we are convinced that she will have given many young Canadians the desire to follow in her footsteps, with the same spirit of determination, risk taking and adventure.

We welcome Julie back. We are all proud to say with her “Mission accomplished”.

[Summit Of The Americas, May 26th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, on May 14, the Prime Minister of Canada announced that Quebec City had been selected to hold the next Summit of the Americas in 2001.

This summit will bring together the elected heads of democratic governments in North America, Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

The magnificent location of Quebec City will provide an excellent overview of Canada's heritage, diversity and dynamism for our neighbours and the world as a whole.

The Summit of the Americas, it must be recalled, will mark the end of a number of years' work by Canada within the hemisphere.

We therefore wish Quebec City good luck in organizing this summit. We are quite sure that this event, so important for our fine country of Canada, will be a great success.

[Regional Development, May 11th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is proud of its achievements in Quebec City and the surrounding areas.

Since 1995, that region has received a total of $42 million to promote regional growth. The government also created two programs to help and support the regions.

The first one, IDÉE PME, provides assistance to small and medium size businesses interested in exporting their products.

The second program, Initiative régionale stratégique, is also designed to help the regions. This program has two components. The first one is geared to technological development. The second component, which is the regional initiative, is geared to promoting the region at the international level, through major tourist attractions.

These are concrete tools put in place by the Government of Canada to promote the regions of Quebec.

[Budget Implementation Act, 1999, May 6th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, first, I agree with the hon. member for Chicoutimi that Quebecers are, unfortunately, the most heavily taxed people in North America. We must absolutely work to help people regain confidence, and I hope that the Quebec government will do its share in that regard.

The member for Chicoutimi also said that we must not only remember the $42 billion deficit that we inherited, but also recognize what was done before that. I agree, but we must not think either that the previous government does not have any responsibility.

We have begun to lower taxes. We increased the child tax benefit. But, we must be cautious. Canadians have made huge sacrifices to allow us to achieve fiscal balance. Today, we have succeeded and all Canadians are pleased to see that tax reductions have begun and will continue, at least as far as the Government of Canada is concerned. We hope that the Quebec government will do like its Ontario counterpart and that Quebecers will stop being the most heavily taxed people in North America.

Finally, I will conclude by telling the member for Chicoutimi, who is also well aware of what is happening and who works hard for his constituents, that we do not need to think constantly about separation. What people want is to work and to have the best quality of life while remaining in Canada.

[Budget Implementation Act, 1999, May 6th, 1999]

No, Mr. Speaker.

[Budget Implementation Act, 1999, May 6th, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, right off, I would like to say that I was not really impressed by the speeches of the members for Chambly and for Frontenac—Mégantic the day before yesterday in the debate on the Budget Implementation Act, 1999.

The remarks of the Bloc Quebecois members were all over the map, referring to points in the history of Canada's and Quebec's economy and interpreting the facts and events subjectively. In other words, these were half truths.

The pessimistic view of the Bloc members has only one purpose, that of promoting Quebec's separation from the rest of Canada, even though over 80% of those who pay their salaries want to remain in Canada. These same people said in the latest referendum that Quebec's separation was a matter for Quebec only without a trace of embarrassment at raising the subject daily across Canada.

The reality is something else. While it is true that the population of Quebec is comprised primarily of francophones, this is no reason to try, as the Bloc is doing, to turn them into the victims of some sort of machination, because Quebecers can stand up for themselves and with other Canadians build a country that is good to live in.

Francophones have always occupied their rightful place in Canada. They have proudly kept their language and their culture. They will always have to be vigilant, not only in protecting them but in promoting them, and they are working at it remarkably.

Francophones have acquired a confidence that enables them to say that they do not need to separate from Canada to enjoy their fair share.

The Bloc, and the sovereignists, are falling into the trap of paranoia. Instead of proposing to Quebecers a major challenge such as to continue to work to be competitive in Canada and in the rest of the world, the Bloc keeps whining about alleged injustices to Quebec.

The sovereignists are desperate to have people believe that Quebec's separation from the rest of Canada is essential to its survival. They are stuck in the past. They can no longer adjust their views and opinions to today's realities and tomorrow's challenges.

While they are talking about separation, the sovereignists are forcing municipalities and school boards to merge, which is an obvious contradiction. In short, the Bloc Quebecois is stuck, it is unable to propose solutions other than to impoverish Quebec from a political, economical and cultural point of view, at the expense of the one million francophones living outside the province.

The member for Frontenac—Mégantic had the nerve to say that there are two Ministers of Agriculture and that it is one too many. Let me give a quick example of what the federal Minister of Agriculture has done for Quebec.

Our province accounts for 24% of the overall population but 48% of the milk quotas. Among other measures, the federal government recently put in place a special assistance program for farmers who find themselves in difficult situations. This initiative complements the Quebec program, whose objective is to help the agricultural industry with problems relating to livestock production, seeds, and so on. Under its initiative, the Government of Canada will provide about $900 million. That amount could reach $1.5 billion if the provinces are interested in taking part in it.

Allow me to put our government's philosophy and initiative in their proper perspective. Let me give you a more realistic and accurate view of our last budget.

First, I would like to point out to the members of the Bloc that the structure has evolved in such a way that the Americans no longer have a hold over our economy. Quebec's economy is made up of thousands of entrepreneurs who invest in the various regions of the province, with the help and support of both levels of government, that have developed and implemented policies and programs, taking into account the needs of regional and local stakeholders.

Contrary to what sovereignists are saying, it is very much in Quebec's interest to be a full fledged member of the Canadian federation. In fact, sovereignists lack perspective and have a selective memory. The Liberal government remembers vividly that, in 1993, Canada had a huge deficit of $42 billion, which we have eliminated with the great co-operation of Canadians, who had to make big sacrifices.

But today, the new context created by the federal government's budget surplus, by the creation of 1.6 million jobs in Canada and by a thriving economy has restored the confidence of Quebecers. Their renewed confidence is also due to the fact that the government has been able to do things that were beneficial to them.

Confidence in the Canadian economy has been restored because we were able to create the conditions for investment and economic growth, which means, among other things, that unemployment has fallen from 11.4% to 7.8% in 1999. This economic recovery has also led to lower interest rates.

As indicated recently by the federal government, the Government of Quebec will receive about $7.4 billion in new transfers this year and over the next five years.

This sum represents 34% of all new federal transfers, whereas the population of Quebec represents 24% of the Canadian population. This is not bad, in terms of help and support for Quebec.

Our economic and budget choice was actually an easy one to make. Our government deliberately chose to no longer mortgage Quebec's and Canada's future. It was committed to a balanced budget.

In 1998-99, we balanced the books for the first time, and even had a surplus. This marks the first time since 1951-52 that Canada has recorded two balanced budgets or surpluses, back to back.

One last statistic: in 1995-96, when the debt to GDP ratio was at its peak, 36 cents out of every revenue dollar collected by the federal government went to interest on the debt. Last year, this amount dropped to 27 cents.

I will not have enough time to list the many positive actions by our government, especially the support and magnificent work by several federal departments during the floods in the Saguenay and during the ice storm, which hit Quebec especially hard.

Members will recall that the Premier of Quebec, Lucien Bouchard, was handing out $70 cheques to ice storm victims, even though 70% of this amount, or 63$, came from the federal government. The cheques were emblazoned with the fleur de lys.

The economic and budget priorities of our government are well known and shared by a majority of Canadians: strengthen our universal health care system; provide tax relief; fight child poverty, and invest in a more productive economy and a better standard of living by expanding access to knowledge, research and innovation. These are measures we took in the most recent budgets, and we will continue to promote them.

In conclusion, my message is one of optimism. It is one of pride in being a member of the Liberal team, whose primary concern is to do everything possible to improve the quality of life of Quebecers in Canada, the best country in the world.

My message is also one of pride in representing the people in the riding of Beauce who put their trust in me.

The riding of Beauce has an unemployment rate of about 4%, the lowest or the second lowest in the country. My constituents' priority, and ours, is to work and to improve the quality of life in Canada.

In conclusion, my constituents have given me a mandate that is straightforward and complicated at the same time. Not only have they asked me to represent them well in the House of Commons, but they have also asked me to protect their interests and make sure that their region, like all regions in Quebec, gets its fair share.

Their trust encourages me to redouble my efforts, for our children and the generations to come, for Beauce, for Quebec, and for Canada.

[1999 Budget Implementation Act, May 4th, 1999]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I am in a state over the hon. member's comments because he has not once mentioned the aboriginals—

[National Emergency Preparedness Week, May 3rd, 1999]

Mr. Speaker, during last year's ice storm, we had an opportunity to see Emergency Preparedness Canada in action and to appreciate how hardworking and effective it is.

Could the Minister of Defence describe some of the events that are planned to mark National Emergency Preparedness Week?