Nick Discepola

[Bill C-234, December 12th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, I was in my office and I could not help but rush down here to participate in this debate on the motion. I would like to put the facts straight.

The only difference between their proposition and our proposition is on the fundamental debate of whether 745 should be repealed.

The government members believe that the measures the Minister of Justice put forth are sound measures. Let me remind the hon. members that if we had repealed 745, like the member from York South-Weston wants, like the Reform Party wants, it would not have prevented the likes of Olson that the member hides behind today from applying for early review.

Let me state also that repealing 745 will not-

[Canadian Economy, December 11th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, this morning at a press conference, the leader of the Bloc Quebecois made the claim that our government had done nothing concrete to create employment and had, on the contrary, created more unemployment. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Our government has an overall plan, a comprehensive view of economic recovery, and the results of our decisions are more positive every day.

The deficit is being reduced at a phenomenal rate; interest and mortgage rates are the lowest in 30 years; the export market for Canadian products is expanding; and more than 672,000 new jobs have been created in Canada since our election.

We have taken appropriate measures to accomplish this and we are pleased to see that, as a result of our policies, consumers are finally regaining confidence in our economy.

[Quebec Premier, December 10th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, Lucien Bouchard dismissed the constitutional position of the Quebec

Liberal Party as "old hatM", adding that he could not believe in it. In his opinion, "Quebecers have moved far beyond that position. It has become totally irrelevant".

The PQ leader ought to read what his old friend and political advisor Daniel Turp had to say recently, and I quote: "The ultimate solution for Quebecers is renewed federalism, and a greater transfer of powers to Quebec. It is their solution of choice".

The QLP's constitutional position is a fairly faithful reflection of what Quebecers want, as expressed in the 1980 and 1995 referendums. When will the leader of the PQ, who has nothing else to propose except the separation of Quebec, accept this? At least the crown prince, Daniel Turp, has seen the light.

[Liberal Party Of Quebec, December 9th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal Party of Quebec has made public its constitutional position.

In a document entitled "Recognition and Interdependence", the Quebec Liberal party's committee on the future of the Canadian federal system proposes a positive and practical approach to renewing Canadian federalism.

On the whole, this report effectively reflects an understanding of what Quebecers really expect in terms of a renewed federal system. It puts forward innovative ideas that will no doubt provide an interesting basis for discussions.

The Liberal Party of Quebec has taken note of last year's referendum results and its response is clearly set out in this document. As for the PQ and BQ members, they keep denying the people's decision and still have nothing better to offer than the separation of Quebec, an option that the people of Quebec have rejected twice already.

[Regional Development, December 4th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, on December 2, the Canadian government contributed $150,000 to the Secrétariat à la mise en marché pour la Gaspésie et les Îles-de-la-Madeleine. The role of this organization is to develop new export markets and to provide various technical assistance services to the region's small and medium size businesses.

The contribution made by the Quebec section of the Federal Office of Regional Development reflects the Canadian government's intention to give priority to community activities. Our government is encouraging people from the Gaspé Peninsula and the islands to take charge, so as to ensure lasting prosperity in the context of a better economy.

The Canadian government's contribution comes from the regular budget of the program designed to help small and medium size businesses. This is a concrete way for our government to contribute to regional development all across Canada.

[Transfers To The Provinces, December 2nd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, in today's edition of the Journal de Montréal , there is an article entitled Dumping and panicking'' which reads as follows:Reductions in federal transfers to the provinces were much greater than the budget cuts within that same federal government. For the current fiscal year and the year 1997-98, the federal will cut close to $5 billion, including $1.8 billion in Quebec alone''.

This statement is inaccurate and we have a duty to correct it, so that the public is not misled.

Since we took office, federal government program expenditures have been cut by 12 per cent, while transfers to the provinces have only been reduced by 8.6 per cent. Even though Quebec only

accounts for about 25 per cent of Canada's population, it still continues to receive 31 per cent of all federal transfers.

In fact, Quebec pays roughly $29 billion in taxes yet receives over $40 billion annually from the federal government.

[Freedom Of Expression, November 26th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, some Montreal residents were recently the victims of vandalism when the Canadian flags they proudly displayed in front of their house were burned.

These incidents are sad in that the freedom of expression of those citizens was violated. Such incidents reflect an intolerance which must not, regardless of the price to pay, become more prevalent in a country known for its respect for democracy.

I ask my colleagues, particularly the Bloc Quebecois leader, and also the Quebec Minister of Justice, to join me in condemning these acts and immediately.

Should such incidents become too common, they would likely jeopardize some of our country's basic assets, namely the freedom of expression and the freedom of speech, which are both closely associated with a modern society such as ours.

[Quebec Premier, November 25th, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, Lucien Bouchard urged delegates at the PQ convention last weekend to endorse his partnership proposal.

He reminded militants that partnership proved to be a winning formula in the last referendum, adding that, with an additional two months, the yes side would have won.

We do not believe in Lucien Bouchard's partnership project, and nor do the militants representing Montreal Centre, who said: "After condemning the excessive number of government and decision-making levels, we cannot propose another source of duplication and inefficiency".

Partnership, as described by the PQ leader, is nothing but a ploy, a marketing technique and an illusion to give the impression that separation would be smoother if achieved in conjunction with a partnership proposal. Lucien the magician strikes again!

[Language Question, November 22nd, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, the language question has always been a very important one for all Canadians.

The reason is simple: language is an essential component of a people's identity. In Quebec, it is a major factor of our history, our development and our sense of belonging to our country.

A study by the Conseil de la langue française published yesterday reveals that the use of French in commercial signs has begun to stabilize.

We know that the linguistic balance will always be fragile in a region like Montreal. Above all, however, we are in favour of a balanced approach to promoting an asset as fundamental as the language of a people. We are also in favour not only of measures to promote the survival of the French language but also of those that will strengthen it and so improve the cultural quality of life in Quebec and everywhere else in Canada.

[Montreal International, November 21st, 1996]

Mr. Speaker, on November 18, the secretary of state responsible for FORD-Q announced that the federal government would contribute $2 million to an initiative aimed at establishing a private company called Montreal International and providing it with $10 million in working capital.

These funds will enable the new company will be able to focus on promoting the greater Montreal area at the international level. It will, among other things, look for foreign investors and help set up head offices and international organizations in the greater Montreal area.

Montreal International will help create a climate that will promote job creation and enhance business activity significantly in Montreal. My congratulations to everyone involved.