Vivian Barbot

[Option Canada, June 1st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, when the most recent referendum was held in Quebec, pitting the sovereignists against the federalists, everyone had to comply with the law and the rules of the referendum debate.

But the federal government interfered in the debate and illegally spent at least $539,000, thereby flouting Quebec law. The current government was elected on its platform of greater transparency and accountability. It is surprising, to say the least, to hear the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities refer to the Option Canada affair as “minor issues”.

The minister is reducing a shameful episode in the history of Canadian democracy to a mere footnote. A $539,000 hole and no indication of the cost of the love-in in Montreal: these are not minor issues.

In the name of the transparency it prides itself on, the government must thoroughly investigate the issues not covered by Justice Grenier's inquiry and shed light on—

[Education for All, May 31st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the Centrale des syndicats du Québec is now holding its general meeting in Gatineau and its president Réjean Parent gave me 425 letters addressed to the Minister of International Cooperation and Minister for la Francophonie and Official Languages asking Canada to continue its efforts to achieve the objectives of the education for all program.

At the UNESCO World Education Forum held in Dakar in 2000, Canada made a commitment to meet basic education needs by 2015. Throughout the world, 781 million adults are illiterate and 80 million children do not attend school. The signatory countries, including Canada, have a lot of work to do to meet their objectives.

The Bloc Québécois and I add our voices to the CSQ to urge the government to allocate 0.7% of gross national income to development aid, as it promised.

[Access to Information, May 30th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the government had promised to clean up the access to information regime.

Does the Prime Minister realize that the commissioner's latest report confirms that, far from heading in the direction of more transparency, his office has taken to putting up more obstacles to the flow of information?

[Access to Information, May 30th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, in his latest report, the Information Commissioner was very critical of the government, and gave an F, a failing grade, to the Privy Council Office. The commissioner singled out the Prime Minister's Office in particular, which has received an F three years in a row, an example not to follow.

Will the Prime Minister, who has refused to clean up in the past, admit that he is trying to hide his current behaviour by doing everything he can to put off reforming the access to information regime?

[Option Canada, May 29th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, ever since he was elected, the Prime Minister has told us over and over that respecting provincial jurisdiction is important. He has recognized Quebec as a nation. Today he has an opportunity to put his pretty words and his big promises into action.

Will the Prime Minister apologize to Quebeckers on behalf of Canada and commit to respecting Quebec's Referendum Act starting today?

[Option Canada, May 29th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, we have also learned that the federal government violated Quebec's Referendum Act by illegally spending $539,000 in federal money to influence the vote, and that there were close ties between the no committee, Option Canada and the federal government.

Will the Prime Minister acknowledge that the federal government's actions during the 1995 referendum were unacceptable, and does he agree that it is his duty to condemn those actions? Will he commit to respecting all of Quebec's laws in the future?

[Democratic Reform, May 17th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to address the ministers and members from Quebec in this government who claim to be defending Quebec. I challenge every one of them to rise and tell us that our National Assembly was wrong to call for the withdrawal of this bill.

Is there a single member of this government who would dare rise and say he does not accept reducing the political weight of our nation in Canada? Is there a single one who has the courage to do so?

[Democratic Reform, May 17th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has indicated in the past that he respected the will of the National Assembly, which is the supreme body of the nation of Quebec. Yesterday in that assembly, federalists and sovereignists alike voted unanimously against Bill C-56, which would dilute Quebec's political weight in the House of Commons. Quebec is therefore calling on the government to withdraw the bill.

If the Prime Minister truly respects the nation of Quebec and the decisions of its National Assembly, what is he waiting for to withdraw the bill?

[Nicolas Sarkozy, May 16th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, today, Nicolas Sarkozy made his official entry into the Élysée Palace, following his election on May 6 as the sixth president of the French Fifth Republic. The Bloc Québécois and I extend our warmest congratulations to Mr. Sarkozy.

We would also like to congratulate Ségolène Royal, the first female candidate for the presidency of France, on running an excellent campaign.

After his election, Mr. Sarkozy stated his position on the Kyoto protocol, saying that the United States had a duty not to stand in the way of the fight against climate change. Let us hope that Canada, as a signatory to the protocol, will take that statement to heart and, like Quebec, make an effort to comply with the protocol.

We also hope that the special relationship between France and Quebec will continue, in the best interests of la Francophonie.

[Aung San Suu Kyi, May 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, Sophie London, a 10 year old who attends the Saint-Barthélemy school in my riding of Papineau, sent me a copy of a letter addressed to the Prime Minister in which she mentions her concern about the 1991 Nobel Peace Price laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, a Burmese activist who has been denied her rights for many years.

Sophie and her classmates have signed a petition calling on parliamentarians in this House to take decisive action to encourage the return of democracy in Burma.

On May 18, 2005, the House of Commons adopted the report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs on the motion on Burma. It specifically called on the government to “urge the authorities in Burma to release [...] Aung San Suu Kyi”.

Sophie London's letter is rather timely and reminds us to honour our commitments. Let her request be heard.