—$9,400. In 1993, $9,400.
Lost his last election, in 2004, with 43% of the vote.
Supply October 9th, 1997
—$9,400. In 1993, $9,400.
Supply October 9th, 1997
He wants an answer to his question. I have it here. If we are talking about 1993, I received donations from individuals, it is true, and I received from 29 businesses and business organizations—
Supply October 9th, 1997
Madam Speaker, I will be brief. If you allow me, I will just have a look, since they do not want me to. I have the answer here.
Supply October 9th, 1997
Madam Speaker, if it is a prop, I am going to drop it, but I sure hope I do not have to drop anything else.
In his point of order, the member mentioned that I am presently drawing a pension as a member of Parliament. Is the member allowed to mention that? If so, I would like him to mention the amount of that pension because, as a matter of fact, I stopped receiving a pension on the evening of June 2. Some of your colleagues to your right and in front of you are now receiving two salaries from Quebec, at $36,000 and $32,000.
Getting back to my expenses, The amount was made public on April 19, 1995, on page 19 of La Frontière. The member said $72,000, but it was $72,749.18 to be exact. It is important to give the correct figure. July and August is the only time of year one can take time away from this House to visit the riding of Abitibi, a riding that covers 553,000 square kilometres and that includes New Quebec. It is also the safest time to travel in these parts.
This member of the Bloc does know New Quebec. I invite him to come and visit that area to understand what New Quebec is all about.
Speaking of expenses, I sent a letter to the hon. member for Témiscamingue and I also sent La Frontière , a newspaper, an open letter listing all of my expenses, even those incurred by my wife, including $5,851.18 for moving our furniture from our private home in Ottawa to Abitibi. Do you know what precipitated those specific expenses? The Bloc Quebecois, whose candidate defeated me in the 1993 election. So that can be deducted.
There is one thing I want to mention in answer to the question put by the hon. member for Témiscamingue. He wants the province of Quebec to separate from Canada but, when he talks about my expenses, he forgets that my family, my wife and my daughter, came to Ottawa, otherwise our family would have been separated. We will never agree to Quebec separating from the rest of Canada and I will never agree to be separated from my family. We have a budget to travel to our ridings and to maintain our relationships with our wives and children. Try to take away that money in Ottawa, Mr. the hon. member for Témiscamingue, and I promise you, you're going to get it.
Supply October 9th, 1997
Madam Speaker, as I understood—and I apologize if I am mistaken—the caisses populaires made a contribution or something like that.
I will now get back to my expenses for 1993. It is an honour for me to tell the people of Abitibi and all Canadians exactly what my expenses were. On April 19, 1995—
Supply October 9th, 1997
Madam Speaker, since I have no right to pick up props and show them, I will look at them. Take for example the 1988 election campaign—my two hands are up, I have nothing up my sleeves or under my belt, I have personal papers, I have no pay cheque, but I do have a pen in my pocket. Props have been mentioned. The truth comes from the library, but I have no right to show it. As for the 1997 campaign, everything is public and I could come back on several matters.
Let us get serious. We are having a bit of fun here. We are in the House of Commons, but it is as if we were at a hockey game. It is true that some aspects of financing need to be improved. Quebec has good legislation on financing. Many things can be pointed out, but I will never be opposed to improving the financing of political parties and the government will never say clearly that it does not want to improve it. It will always find new ways.
I am honoured to have been able to keep the members of the Bloc Québécois opposite, who are defending their ridings, awake. I want to tell you one thing: the people of Abitibi are proud of the fact that I am here and I have nothing to hide.
Supply October 9th, 1997
Madam Speaker, I knew you would be impartial. It is important to conclude one's speech. I have my notes here and I know why the member wanted me to table them immediately. He wanted me to stop speaking. Truth is funny, sometimes. The member did not want me to go on with my notes.
Again, in 1996, the numbers for 1996 are in this library book. I will tell you what book it is. I have it here and I can even table it. It gives the official results. I want to finish with this document.
Supply October 9th, 1997
On the same point of order, Madam Speaker.
I will table this copy only after I am done with my speech. I will not take orders from this House before I am done with my speech. I need to refer to my notes.This is a directive from the Bloc Quebecois. I did not have the time to finish my speech. I need to refer to those notes.
They hurt because I am really shaking them up today. I need to refer to my notes in order to be able to finish my speech. So, I would ask that I be allowed to finish my speech before I have to table my notes. I will not need to make another trip to the library. I want to save myself some running round.
Supply October 9th, 1997
We are. The figures are all available from the library. Ask the Chair. He is asking me to be honest. I got this from the library this morning. All the figures are public information, but I am not saying they are not dishonest, Madam Speaker. What I have said is the truth for everyone to hear. That is what is important.
Supply October 9th, 1997
He can say what he wants, but at least I visit my riding.
Moving along, a single election does not help much. Let us go back to the 1996 by-election in Lac-Saint-Jean. The Bloc Quebecois said: “We want to do the right thing. We are for individual contributions. Individuals must contribute”. Their principle is $5,000 and under.
I find it strange that, in the 1996 election, there are no contributions from individuals, none. However, we see: political organizations, $5,000; registered parties, $51,154. We do not know where that money comes from. We do not know where this $51,000 comes from. We do not have the list. It is just a $51,000 contribution.