Lost his last election, in 2004, with 43% of the vote.
Fuel Price Posting Act April 12th, 2000
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-476, an act respecting the posting of fuel prices by retailers.
Mr. Speaker, the objective of this bill is that, when a fuel retailer causes a poster, label or sign to be posted indicating the selling price for a fuel, the price must be indicated without regard to any taxes imposed on the consumer under an act of Parliament or an act of the legislature of a province.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Gasoline Pricing April 10th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, I intend to introduce a bill this week concerning the posting of gas prices by retailers, which would not include the federal and provincial taxes.
Gasoline Pricing April 6th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, I have been speaking out about the high cost of gasoline in Canada and Quebec since October 1999. Six months later, a group of Bloc Quebecois members has decided to tour the province starting only on April 3. I can certainly understand their action, especially after the budgets of the federal and Quebec government were presented.
Since October 1999, these Bloc Quebecois members have had the opportunity, as members of an opposition party, to use an opposition day to debate the cost of gasoline in Canada and Quebec.
Why does the Bloc Quebecois not want this opposition day, a day for Canadian and Quebec consumers?
Boralex Senneterre April 4th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, on April 3, 2000, with the Mayor of Senneterre and numerous representatives of the municipality, government, industry and local dignitaries in attendance, Boralex Senneterre held a sod-turning ceremony to inaugurate the construction of its future 32-megawatt thermal power plant at Senneterre, in the Abitibi region. It will be fuelled by residue from the forestry industry.
This project represents an investment in excess of $50 million, and is the highest capacity installation Boralex has built in Quebec to date.
According to Boralex President and CEO Jacques Gauthier, “This project fits solidly within our objective to make Boralex a producer focusing on renewable energy and green energy, an area in which we have already developed leading-edge expertise and have already earned our laurels. We are particularly proud that this project will be located in a dynamic community and will enable us to contribute to putting to good use a large proportion of the forestry residue from the Senneterre region, to produce energy”.
Taxes On Gasoline March 31st, 2000
Mr. Speaker, the Quebec government did not at all understand the proposal of the federal Minister of Finance, who asked that the provinces reduce their taxes on gasoline, along with the federal government.
PQ minister Bernard Landry said that “nothing would prevent oil companies from immediately pocketing the difference in price”. I had been expecting such a statement for several days. The Government of Quebec has been in cahoots with oil companies for months. Let me explain.
Under section 12 of Quebec's fuel tax act, the tax must, for each type of fuel, be indicated separately from the sale price on any document or bill confirming the sale.
It is current practice among Quebec fuel retailers to not indicate separately the fuel tax on sale confirmation documents.
The Quebec government is flexible in this regard and does not force retailers to comply with section 12 of the Quebec legislation regarding how the tax should be indicated. That is the order given by Bernard Landry to oil companies, so as to hide the taxes imposed by the Quebec government.
Fuel Taxes March 30th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance and member for LaSalle—Émard is prepared to reduce fuel taxes for Canadian consumers, provided all Canadian provinces are in agreement to do the same.
Why is the premier of Quebec, Lucien Bouchard, refusing to reduce fuel taxes, particularly since the Government of Quebec receives $1.5 billion annually from them, from Quebecers?
Messrs Bouchard and Landry, you are invited to come to Ottawa to discuss this problem on behalf of consumers. Let us work together to cut the tax on gasoline, diesel and fuel oil.
Nunavik Inuit March 27th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, the president of the Makivik Corporation, Pita Aatami, was right when he said in 1998 that the solution to the problem of the Inuit in Nunavik lay more than ever in team work.
This was the approach that Mr. Aatami took with the Government of Canada in developing Nunavik along with the governors, the board of directors of Makivik Corporation, the mayors and councillors of each community, and Nunavik's organizations, in order to help the Inuit lay the foundation for a future adapted to the new realities but rooted in their own cultural values.
Since being elected president of Makivik Corporation, Mr. Aatami has made sure the Government of Canada is aware of the Inuit's real priorities: housing, marine infrastructure, health, jobs, taxation, Nav Canada rates, telecommunications, the future of young people, and air transportation.
This is how our Inuit friends in Nunavik have been working with the Government of Canada.
Riding Of Saint-Maurice March 21st, 2000
Mr. Speaker, one of the greatest defenders of the Prime Minister of Canada in Shawinigan is the local Parti Quebecois MNA Claude Pinard, who, in an interview with Vincent Marissal of La Presse , stated the following:
The Prime Minister of Canada is doing his duty as the MP for Saint-Maurice. He is backing projects, answering requests, bringing in money. The federal government is one of the stakeholders in regional affairs, and I work along with all stakeholders.
It is true that the Parti Quebecois MNA seems to get along pretty well with his federal counterpart. They will, of course, never be the best of friends, but the two sides do get along in Shawinigan far better than in most ridings with a Bloc Quebecois and/or Parti Quebecois representative.
Amateur Sport March 20th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Secretary of State for Amateur Sport.
We often hear about our Canadian and Quebec athletes living below the poverty line and leaving the country because of the lack of financial support.
What does the Government of Canada plan to do in this Olympic and Paralympic year to ensure that our athletes are prepared to compete to their full potential?
Quebec Finance Minister's Budget March 15th, 2000
Mr. Speaker, Bernard Landry wrote that Quebec's budget reflected the strong increase of 16.3% in federal transfer payments in 2000-2001.
This probably means that he will cash the money set aside in the trust put in place by the Liberal member for LaSalle-Émard, the federal Minister of Finance, for Quebec's share of the CHST, thus helping to maintain the growth in federal transfer revenues for Quebecers.
In its recent February 28 budget, the federal government announced a $2.5 billion increase in Canada. In the case of Quebec, this translates into a $600 million increase in its share of federal funding.
With these extra amounts, Quebec can expect the trust to provide several additional millions of dollars for the health needs of Quebecers.