Serge Marcil

[Tourism Industry, May 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, today, the Minister of Industry is participating in the Canada Media Marketplace fair in New York City to promote tourism and emphasize that the whole world is welcome in Toronto and Canada.

The Government of Canada is continuing to work in conjunction with the Canadian Tourism Commission, through CTC offices in the U.S. and overseas.

We have earmarked $10 million for a campaign to promote Toronto, Ontario and all of Canada as desirable destinations. We have earmarked $1.45 million to support the Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council and, through the Canada Development Bank, to defer capital payments for four months without penalty and provide small businesses with additional working capital—

[Microbreweries, May 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, on numerous occasions, the Standing Committee on Industry, Sciences and Technology has an opportunity to consider how the Competition Bureau operates.

Recently, the Standing Committee on Industry, Sciences and Technology considered in part this problem in connection with Bill C-249, which deals strictly with certain aspects of the Competition Bureau.

[Microbreweries, May 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, we are currently analyzing this matter and an answer will be forthcoming in the next few weeks.

[Evelyn Sutherland, May 1st, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to Evelyn Sutherland, a woman in her eighties from Huntingdon, in my riding of Beauharnois—Salaberry.

On April 28, Mrs. Sutherland was presented with the Caring Canadian award by the Governor General of Canada, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Adrienne Clarkson.

Mrs. Sutherland has been a tireless and devoted volunteer for many years, and many groups, including Communic-Action, Meals on Wheels, the women's auxiliary of the Centre hospitalier d'Huntingdon, the Petite Bibliothèque verte and the parish, depend on her unwavering support. As active as ever, she continues to put in four days a week at her church and municipal library, in addition to accompanying patients to doctor's or hospital appointments.

Her smile and her kindness work wonders on all those who eagerly await her visits.

I want to pay her tribute today and send her my hearty congratulations for an award truly well-deserved.

[Research and Development, April 11th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, we know that the government intends to make Canada the most innovative country in the world. The universities have a very important role to play insofar as research is concerned. For example, university-based research generated royalties of $44 million as well as 680 derivative companies in 2001. This represents a 57% increase in royalties and a 30% increase in derivative companies, and is clear evidence that government action around innovation will ensure that Canada becomes one of the most innovative countries in the world.

[Sex Offender Information Registration Act, March 31st, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I am certain that the hon. member for Windsor West would agree that public policy should be based on facts and on a solid, in-depth analysis.

In the Canadian Automotive Partnership Council, we are constantly examining the general competitiveness of Canadian jurisdictions in comparison to other North American jurisdictions, in terms of attracting investment to the automotive sector. Our analysis of the situation and the valuable insights of the CAPC will enable us to shed more light on the decision-making process in the automotive industry, which will also help us direct our common efforts to the growth of this key sector.

The government intends to act as rapidly as possible in following up on the recommendations of the Canadian Automotive Partnership Council.

[Sex Offender Information Registration Act, March 31st, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, there has been much said recently about what the various levels of government should be doing to attract new investments to the Canadian automobile sector.

Last year we created the Canadian Automotive Partnership Council in order to find ways of strengthening the Canadian auto sector. It met for the first time on September 4, 2002 and again in December 2003. The next meeting is scheduled for May 30, 2003.

Through this collaborative effort, we are seeking ways to bring auto sector initiatives in line with the government's priorities on innovation, skill enhancement and infrastructure.

The Government of Canada remains determined to create a climate that is more conducive to investment in all Canadian sectors. We will continue , in conjunction with the Canadian Automotive Partnership Council, to address the issues affecting the auto sector with a view to maintaining its viability and prosperity. We will continue to work to create a national auto policy.

First, I must stress the point that I too wish to see Canada attract as much new investment in the auto sector as possible. That is the main reason that the Canadian Automotive Partnership Council was created, in order to enable the industry and the government to work together on joint strategies to ensure the growth and long term prosperity of the Canadian auto sector.

On the council we work in conjunction with auto manufacturers, parts makers, unions and the provinces in order to create a cooperative approach to the difficulties being encountered by the industry.

We have heard it said that Canada ought to offer the same incentives as some of the American states in order to attract new investments in the auto sector. It is too easy to say that Canada has lost auto plants to the competition because there is no direct government assistance.

What we need to do instead is to address the whole range of factors involved in investment decisions, whether these be in the area of economics, public policy or some other area.

All levels of government are important stakeholders in this, and we are working in a number of sectors at the federal level, particularly in connection with programs relating to infrastructure and innovation.

The Canadian auto sector is very strong. It is competitive internationally and productivity is very good. The auto sector has received over $5 billion in investments in the past five years. All automobile manufacturers have reinvestment plans.

Over the past ten years, average annual growth in the Canadian auto sector has been 7%, compared to just 3% for the rest of the economy. Over the same period, the production of light duty vehicles in Canada has increased by 570,000 units. This figure represents two or three typical assembly plants. I think this is impressive, given that Canada only sells 8% of the vehicles in North America, and that our share of North American production remains around 16% for this period.

Figures on vehicles produced over the past ten years lead me to conclude that Canada's policy of focusing on the fundamental economic issues in order to create an environment that fosters new investment and growth has worked well for the auto sector. The government's objective has been to ensure that the overall business climate attracts investment in all sectors. We have reduced the debt, interest rates and inflation rates, balanced the budget, encouraged innovation, funded new infrastructure and introduced initiatives to promote trade.

New measures announced in the 2003 budget will also benefit the auto sector directly: eliminating the federal capital tax, as the Canadian Automotive Partnership Council had called for; $2 billion over five years to implement the Climate Change Plan for Canada; support for the 30 point Canada-U.S. action plan—

[Rémon Lecavalier, March 31st, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to acknowledge the remarkable community involvement of a constituent in my riding, Mr. Rémon Lecavalier.

Mr. Lecavalier has been working in the scouting movement for many years. His energy and his determination to transmit time-honoured values to the youth of Beauharnois—Salaberry are precious assets.

On March 21, 2003, the Lieutenant Governor of Canada presented him with the gold medal of merit of the Quebec scouting federation in recognition of his exceptional commitment to the scouting movement.

On behalf of all the young scouts in the Beauharnois—Salaberry area, I thank Mr. Lecavalier and congratulate him on this well deserved honour.

[Karine Dumouchel and Karine Vaudeville, March 20th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to welcome to Ottawa two young women from my riding of Beauharnois—Salaberry, Karine Dumouchel and Karine Vaudeville, of Louis-Cyr high school in Napierville, who won a contest organized by the Secretary of State (Latin America and Africa) (Francophonie).

This contest was aimed at French-speaking high school students in Quebec, including the ones in my riding, and its purpose was to promote the importance of French literary writing.

Today, as part of the Journée internationale de la Francophonie, these young women have been invited to take part in a ceremony highlighting the importance of French around the world.

I congratulate them on their participation and their desire to promote the beauty of the French language through writing.

[Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, February 27th, 2003]

Madam Speaker, I am convinced the member for Windsor—St. Clair will agree that public policy making should be based on facts, on a solid indepth analysis.

In the auto sector partnership council, we continuously look at the overall competitiveness of Canadian jurisdictions as compared to that of other jurisdictions in North America with regard to attracting investments in the auto sector.

Our analysis of the situation and the council's valued insights will enlighten the auto sector's decision-making process, which will also help us focus our collective efforts on the growth of this key sector. The government is committed to acting as quickly as possible to implement the recommendations made by the auto sector partnership council.