House of Commons photoWon her last election, in 2000, with 53% of the vote.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation October 24th, 1996
Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, when the Bloc Quebecois talks about culture it is again filibustering since, according to the latest survey conducted by Statistics Canada, of all the governments having to make cuts, Quebec's is the one which has cut the most in the cultural area.
Government Policies October 24th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, the sad thing about the Reform Party and probably the reason it is at single digits in the polls is that when the government comes forward with jobs initiatives, all it gets from the Reform Party is criticism.
We made an announcement earlier this week in Montreal to create Canadian jobs in a city which desperately needs them. Reformers said nay. We announced a cultural production fund that will create 30,000 jobs in Canadian television. They said no. We announced projects which put $3 billion into the economy by way of infrastructure. The Reform Party said no.
The fresh start of the Reform Party would send the Canadian job situation into a tailspin. That is why the Canadian public has massively rejected the policies of the Reform Party.
Government Policies October 24th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, obviously the Liberal Party has not done as much as it intended to do in terms of completing the promises in the red book. We have only completed 78 per cent of the promises in the red book.
We hope that the people of Canada will give us the confidence to continue to govern. We are not perfect, but we are going to do our best. Our party is the only party in the history of Canadian politics that has actually put its promises in writing completely in advance of an election so we could let the people be the judge. That is what we intend to do.
Government Policies October 24th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately the member's arithmetic on this one is about as good as it was on the fresh start platform.
Flag Program October 22nd, 1996
As a result, Mary Wurmbach is asking the member for Simcoe Centre why he is not doing his job for the nine members of the Reform Party in his riding who wanted flags.
Flag Program October 22nd, 1996
Mr. Speaker, I can tell the hon. member, if he is truly interested in the concerns of the people of Peterborough, that the member for Peterborough informs me that the people of Peterborough have replied in record numbers, calling his office and seeking flags.
I would point out that constituent Mary Wurmbach of the riding of Simcoe Centre went to her member of Parliament with a request from nine members of the Reform Party for flags, and was basically told by her member's office to go fly a kite.
Broadcasting October 22nd, 1996
Mr. Speaker, as I said last week, the letters are available and they show that Canadian content was raised from 30 to 40 per cent, which represents a 25 per cent
increase. This increase was negotiated through the policies we have put forward because we believe in Canadian culture, unlike the sovereignist members, unfortunately.
Broadcasting October 22nd, 1996
Mr. Speaker, what the hon. member opposite said is totally false.
Copyright October 22nd, 1996
Mr. Speaker, I am glad to hear the hon. member mention the flag campaign, because one of his own sovereignist colleagues sent a request for a flag. Even separatists want to fly the Canadian flag.
My second point, and it is an important one, is that several ministers, including Marcel Masse, a former Tory minister and now a separatist, had promised to go ahead with the copyright bill, but they were unable to do so.
Finally, by working together with ADISQ and those who broadcast Canadian music on the radio, we have managed a compromise. It is not perfect. It is being examined in committee, but for the first time, it endorses the principle of copyright for composers, something the Conservatives were unable to do.
Copyright October 22nd, 1996
Mr. Speaker, when the hon. member opposite was a member of the Conservative Party, for years ministers promised to go ahead with a bill on copyright. None were able to come up with this kind of proposal.
We promised to do so, and we did it. We are now before the committee, which, for the first time, is examining recognition of composers' rights. This is a step in the right direction, a step that
unfortunately was not taken when the hon. member opposite was with the government.