Sheila Copps

[Points Of Order, March 17th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, with respect to the allegations made by the hon. member of the Bloc Quebecois, I would like to table a letter from ACELF, the organization to which he has referred today, which reads as follows: “As for the quote in the newspaper article—we wish to dissociate ourselves from this false statement, and we apologize for having attributed certain intentions to the Minister of Canadian Heritage without justification”.

I would therefore like to table this letter which, in fact, confirms that the hon. member's statement is incorrect.

[Jeux De La Francophonie, March 17th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, this shows the absolute gall of a minister who tried repeatedly to assure me, in writing, that the games were not coming to Canada, that they were not coming to Ottawa-Hull.

For him to claim to be highly interested in the games at this time is deplorable. This is a good example of how Bloc and PQ members play politics with Canadian francophones.

[Option Canada, March 17th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I am still waiting for clarification from the member, who totally misinformed the House last week. I am still waiting.

[Semaine Nationale De La Francophonie, March 17th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the remarks of the member opposite are completely false. If ever anyone did a flip-flop, I would like to recall what the Hon. Sylvain Simard wrote, and I quote “As for the Jeux de la Francophonie, the uncertainty that hung over the Madagascar games, and that, in some respects, still hangs over them, calls into question the very model of the games”.

He was against the Jeux de la Francophonie, but now he is indulging in petty politics, and that is scandalous.

[Semaine Nationale De La Francophonie, March 17th, 1998]

—that the contract amounts were exactly the same as last year and the year before.

As for recognition of francophones in Canada, I am proud that my colleague, the member for Moncton, is working with all francophone and francophile colleagues in the House to ensure that the visibility of francophones, here in the House and across Canada, is greater than in the past.

[Semaine Nationale De La Francophonie, March 17th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I clearly explained to the leader of the third party—

[Semaine Nationale De La Francophonie, March 17th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, if anyone is trying to make political hay at the expense of francophones, it is the Government of Quebec.

The Quebec minister of the day never supported francophones in getting the Jeux de la Francophonie for Canada. He even wrote saying they ought not to come here, but he had a change of heart this week because it is the Semaine de la Francophonie.

[Semaine Nationale De La Francophonie, March 17th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, this year's contracts to the ACELF were in the same amount as those awarded in previous years.

[Heritage Canada, March 16th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, as usual the facts claimed by the hon. member are not facts.

[Hockey, March 12th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I was at a Calgary Flames game about three weeks ago and I had a chance to discuss with some of the key players in Alberta their concerns about ensuring that we have vibrant and healthy hockey in Canada, in all parts of the country. The fact is that is exactly the issue for which the subcommittee on sport was established and the chair, Dennis Mills, is working on it.

If the member really wants a solution he should, along with other participants, go to the subcommittee to put forward his points of view. We will certainly consider them and I hope we will be able to implement a great number of them.