Alain Boire

[Textile Industry, December 14th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, I thank the member for her question. It infuriates me to hear her say that the program announced today can help the people of Huntingdon. I feel helpless. I can only come to the conclusion that the government does not even know what is going on.

The fact is that those plants had no future. The Cleyn and Tinker plant has been sold. Therefore, that is the end. It is official. There is no going back. We are beyond the point of no return. No government grant or anything of that nature could change anything now. The plant will move to the United States.

That is why I find it astounding that the government is not even aware of the situation. I am infuriated because there is no more hope now for the workers in Huntingdon. Their only hope is tied to programs provided after a plant closure. There is talk of POWA, a program abolished by this government in 1995. That is what people are hanging their hopes on.

The people in Huntingdon represent a number of families. We are in fact talking about an entire region, the Haut-Saint-Laurent RCM, with a population of some 22,000 people. I was saying earlier on that 43% of these people do not even have a high school diploma.

Something must therefore be done right now. Furthermore, empty shell projects will not help these people, because this is the end.

[Textile Industry, December 14th, 2004]

Mr. Chair, only a few days ago, Huntingdon Mills and Cleyn & Tinker garment manufacturers announced that they would shut down for good in the near future. Huntingdon Mills will cease its operations on Friday and will lay off 250 workers. Cleyn & Tinker has already started selling off its equipment, which is being exported. It will cease its operations next April. In total, the two plants will lay off 800 workers.

Let me tell you that all that makes me very sad, since we are dealing with a massive loss of jobs in my riding of Beauharnois—Salaberry. The Haut-Saint-Laurent RCM will have a very bleak Christmas, and I dare hope that the government will alleviate their misfortune by suggesting concrete measures to help them.

More than 800 jobs will be lost, and the measures announced today will not suffice to make up for them. They are coming much too late in the day, and I can hardly understand why the Minister of Finance is of the opinion that the Bloc Québécois is impatient with this matter: it is of the utmost urgency to act. Indeed, the plants had been employing couples, whole families, for generations. For those municipalities, they really were economic engines. For instance, 75% of the labour force of the town of Huntingdon was employed in those plants.

Located in Montérégie, Huntingdon is a municipality of 2,600 people. It is going through a serious crisis following the announcement of the closure of these textile plants, which will mean the loss of 800 jobs. The mayor of Huntingdon, Mr. Stéphane Gendron, is sending a cry of alarm and calling for an immediate emergency plan. Moreover, 43% of the people affected by these closures do not have a high school diploma and are over 50 years of age. Thus, you will agree that finding another job is hardly an option for these people. Whole towns and villages are threatened with closure, because these plants are their only hope.

Textile has always been a profitable sector of activity in Canada. This industry has been generating more than 150,000 jobs in Canada and over 70,000 in Quebec. Currently, several duty remission orders apply to the Canadian clothing industry, most of which are expiring on December 31, 2004.

Until now, the government seemed insensitive to the cry of alarm of these workers, and the assistance that was announced today is evidence that preserving these jobs is not a great concern for the federal government.

There may be several reasons why these clothing plants are closing in my riding. The forthcoming end of import quotas on textile, which will come into force in 2005 is one of them. It will be impossible to compete with Chinese manufacturers under the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing of which Canada is a signatory.

This new situation will put in jeopardy a number of textile and apparel businesses that are already suffering from the stiff competition, including because of the trade practices that are in effect in certain countries. Industry stakeholders are all the more concerned because several duty remission orders for manufacturers who import clothing will soon expire.

The Bloc Québécois has been working on this issue for a long time. On December 9, I tabled a petition signed by 2,845 fellow citizens and textile workers in my riding, calling on the government to solve the textile crisis. The Bloc Québécois also asked a number of questions in the House on this issue, but the minister said that we were too impatient.

This evening, the Bloc Québécois is urging the government to take immediate action regarding this issue. The federal government's lack of action has generated a real public show of discontent. Some concrete action must be taken now, because the announcement made by the Minister of Finance to triple the assistance provided to the textile industry is, unfortunately, of no help to the 800 workers in Huntingdon.

The workers from Huntingdon are asking the government to assure them it will maintain import tariffs on clothing, textiles and products in Canada; carry on with the duty remissions for clothing companies; maintain a quota on Chinese imports pursuant to the WTO access protocol for China; implement a program to help modernize the apparel and textile sectors stipulating research, development and creation; implement an aid package for older workers who will be unable to find other work; develop immediately a restructuring plan to compensate for the job losses; grant severance pay to those who have lost their job; increase transfers to Quebec to promote job training; and, in conclusion, develop a program similar to POWA.

The government must listen to this cri de coeur from an industry important to the upper St. Lawrence economy and take the necessary action to correct the situation.

The current situation of the textile and apparel sectors is a prime example of the need to implement an older worker adjustment program similar to POWA in order to pay benefits to those who may lose their job in any of the businesses affected by this new situation.

There is no shortage of solutions. The only thing missing right now seems to be the government's will to act to find constructive solutions.

[Textile Industry, December 14th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, some people say that programs like CANtex can help some businesses, but they have not done anything for the businesses in my riding and in Huntingdon.

The member says that meetings have been held with businesses in Huntingdon, but how is it that nothing happened? It is a failure. Nothing concrete was done. Things were said to the employer, but the unions were not allowed at the meeting, at the negotiation table. Other things were thus said to the union and the employees. It was only smoke and mirrors for the Huntingdon businesses.

According to the government, the CANtex program could help solve the problem. Unfortunately, these programs are no substitute for an appropriate policy implemented in the present context. When our industry, the textile industry, has no more opportunities, what good will these programs do?

These programs are nothing but empty shells. I would like the member opposite to give us an answer to these questions and to explain to us how it is that nothing has been done for the benefit of the Huntingdon industries.

[Textile and Clothing Industry, December 14th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, the mayor of Huntingdon is calling for government help for his residents. Among other measures, he is asking for speedy payment of EI benefits and retirement measures to help older workers.

Is the federal government able to respond positively—today—to the mayor's request for emergency assistance?

[Textile and Clothing Industry, December 14th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, the people of Huntingdon in my riding are calling for help. More than 800 jobs are disappearing from this town. Just before Christmas, that is a disaster.

What is the minister's plan for rescuing the textile industry and helping the communities who are suffering? I demand an answer now.

[Textile and Clothing Industry, December 9th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, the extent of the federal government's indifference to the situation facing the textile and clothing industry is unacceptable and unbelievable.

How can the Minister of Industry explain to people throughout Quebec, particularly those in Valleyfield, in my riding, who are losing their jobs, that he has no suggestions and, furthermore, is taking none of the measures currently available to him to help them? The people in my riding are calling for help and they need it now.

[Petitions, December 9th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to present, in both official languages, a petition on the textile industry. It has been signed by 2,845 workers in my riding. The purpose of this petition is to make the federal government aware of the growing problems in our industries.

The textile industry is in peril in Canada, and I am sad to say this is the case in my riding. As the result of protectionist measures by our American neighbours, our factories are closing their doors and whole families that have been working in this industry for generations will lose their jobs. Entire towns and villages are threatened by closure, because in some regions these factories are their only hope.

The textile sector has always been profitable in Canada and has created thousands of jobs, but, currently, a number of duty remission orders affect the Canadian clothing industry and most of them expire on December 31, 2004.

The government must listen to this cri de coeur from an industry important to the Canadian economy and take the necessary action to correct the situation.

[International Volunteer Day, December 3rd, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, next Sunday is International Volunteer Day.

In 1985, the United Nations General Assembly established December 5 as International Volunteer Day and decreed it an international celebration to recognize volunteers around the world for their contributions and dedication.

Because the United Nations is an organization providing international programs dependent on volunteers, it was fitting that the UN set aside a day to honour these unsung heroes. This is a day to recognize their contribution to the socio-economic health of our communities and also an opportunity for each of us to recognize and celebrate their generosity.

On behalf of my Bloc Québécois colleagues, I invite everyone to join us in wishing all volunteers the world over a happy International Volunteer Day.

[Canada Education Savings Act, December 3rd, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member opposite was saying about aboriginal policies and the negative impact tuition fees have on aboriginals, I think this is a specific case. Having to pay taxes on living-out costs puts aboriginal students in the same situation as all other Canadian and Quebec students. If there was a policy, or a treaty with the aboriginals, then it is up to the government to fix the problem that it created. I cannot answer this question.

Bill C-5 will help aboriginal Canadians, just like other Canadians and Quebeckers to meet their needs and to put money aside for their education.

[Canada Education Savings Act, December 3rd, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member said, as of January 1, tuition fees for aboriginal students will be taxed. I cannot comment on this point, because I was not aware of that.

I can say, however, that the Bloc Québécois proposed an amendment to Bill C-5 at committee. The purpose of this amendment is to help part-time students in financial difficulty, who have to work to put themselves through university, make ends meet. This aspect was not covered in Bill C-5. This way, less well-off students could take advantage of the provisions of Bill C-5.