House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2000, with 51% of the vote.
Bill C-54 November 24th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I am convinced that Canadians in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada truly want personal information to be protected. In fact, according to an Angus Reid poll, 80% of Canadians feel that personal data should remain strictly confidential.
We will protect personal information. We are doing so in Bill C-54. I would appreciate it if the Bloc Quebecois supported this legislation.
Solicitor General Of Canada November 20th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I would like the hon. member to review the record of the last Conservative government and look at the nature of the incidents that led to scandal after scandal and resignation after resignation of ministers of that party.
We can well understand the desperate case of scandal envy the hon. member suffers from as he tries to raise this incident to that level.
Solicitor General Of Canada November 20th, 1998
What a great country, Mr. Speaker. If you wait long enough you too can be acting Prime Minister.
The very comparison being drawn indicates an inability on the part of the Reform Party to make a judgment as to what is in fact an ethical issue. What is clear in this case, and the affidavits tabled yesterday make it clear, is that the solicitor general did not in any way direct or prejudge the inquiry. That is the issue that really is germane here. That is all.
Business Development Bank Of Canada November 20th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I know there was a tendency in Tory days to direct right into the bank exactly what to do and how to do it, in particular transactions. We do not do it that way.
The bank operates as an independent commercial entity. I am aware of the situation the member has raised. I am informed that the bank was unaware that this situation would arise when it entered into an arm's length negotiation with the landlord in a particular situation. I am sure the bank is doing its best to deal in a sensitive manner with the situation.
Business Development Bank Of Canada November 20th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the Business Development Bank of Canada was the first of the Canadian banks to publish its own code of conduct and to establish an ombudsman who could deal with complaints as they arose.
With respect to the administrative responsibility of the government, the bank operates entirely at arm's length. I do not tell it what to do or how to do it. We established its mandate in accordance with an act of parliament. It is doing a very impressive job at meeting the needs of small business across Canada.
If we really want to meet the needs of small business across Canada, we will quickly pass Bill C-53 to ensure that the Canada small business financing act is there for the use of small business by April 1 next year.
Bill C-54 November 18th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the legislation currently in place in Quebec, which was passed by the former Daniel Johnson government, protects the interests of Quebeckers very well, except for sectors such as telecommunications, banking and so on which come under federal jurisdiction.
We are going to protect the interests of Quebeckers, even in sectors that do not fall under provincial jurisdiction, as well as those of all other Canadians in provinces where there is no protection in provincial sectors.
Bill C-54 November 18th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, we discussed this bill last week at the meeting of consumer affairs ministers.
I explained the situation to them. They accepted that it was necessary for the federal government to introduce a bill to protect the interests of consumers and individuals and their privacy.
Quebec already has a bill which impacts on businesses coming under provincial jurisdiction, and this bill will not apply. It is as simple as that.
Bill C-54 November 17th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, never, because the protection of private information is too important for Canada's consumers.
Bill C-54 November 17th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the protection of personal information in electronic form is very important for all Canadians.
We will protect it, we will pass Bill C-54. This is not an intrusion into provincial jurisdictions. It does not even apply in the Province of Quebec, where such legislation already exists.
Technology Partnerships Canada November 3rd, 1998
Mr. Speaker, which are the successful sectors in the Montreal area? They are the aerospace sector, funded by the federal government, the biotechnology sector, funded by the federal government, and the telecommunications sector, funded by the federal government. All three sectors receive funding from our government.