House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2000, with 54% of the vote.
Free Trade Area Of The Americas March 2nd, 2001
Mr. Speaker, I think all Canadians truly appreciate the support given by the Bloc Quebecois to our great and wonderful constitution.
It is interesting to see that Bloc Quebecois members are now affirming every day their support for the Canadian constitution. We thank them for that.
Ethics Counsellor March 2nd, 2001
Mr. Speaker, last fall during the election the leader of the Alliance and the leader of the Conservatives wrote the ethics counsellor asking him to investigate an alleged breach of the rules on this matter. It was only after the ethics counsellor looked into the matter and found there were no breaches of rules that the leaders of the two parties began attacking him.
Rather than him being a lapdog of the Prime Minister, which he is not, they are unhappy because the ethics counsellor refuses to be a lapdog of the leaders of the Alliance and the Conservative parties.
Ethics Counsellor March 2nd, 2001
Mr. Speaker, I think we have to assess the premise of the hon. member's question for its factualness and its context. Generally when we check these things we find something missing in terms of language and in terms of context.
It is very important to repeat what that the ethics counsellor told the Globe and Mail yesterday. He said:
I don't want there to be a sense that the Prime Minister, in our view, was not in full compliance with his obligations.
That is a very important statement.
Ethics Counsellor March 2nd, 2001
Mr. Speaker, I think that the premise of the hon. member's question is not correct. If that is the case, her whole question flounders.
The ethics counsellor was very clear in what he told the Globe and Mail yesterday. He said:
I don't want there to be a sense that the Prime Minister, in our view, was not in full compliance with his obligations.
Grants And Contributions February 27th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member ought to read the documents carefully. What he is talking about is funding carried over to complete projects under way during the millennium year or that had to be postponed past the millennium year because it was necessary to finish federal environmental evaluations.
If the hon. member is not interested in having the environmental rules followed, if he is not interested in the facts of this matter, he ought to go back to the drawing board.
Grants And Contributions February 27th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, I read the letter carefully just before coming into the House. It supports completely in a clear and factual way the position of the Prime Minister.
The hon. member better get her eyes checked and read the letter again because there is no contradiction. It clearly supports the position of the Prime Minister, which in turn has been supported by the ethics counsellor.
Business Development Bank Of Canada February 27th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, the bank did agree to provide a loan in a certain amount. I would like to ask the hon. member what happened to cause the local caisse populaire and the Quebec solidarity fund to join in that loan. Who talked to them? Why is he not alleging that there is something wrong with them? If he cannot allege and prove that, then there is nothing wrong with the interventions of the Prime Minister as local MP for the area.
The Senate February 26th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, why does the hon. member say that it is democratic for someone to be elected until age 75 with no right of recall? That is not my idea or most Canadians' idea of democracy. I think she ought to go back to the drawing board.
The Senate February 26th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, the obligation of the Prime Minister is to follow the Constitution of Canada. When there was a vote in the House for an elected Senate the Reform Party, now the Alliance Party, voted against it. The hon. member should remind her constituents of that and be reminded of it herself. This is a point that should be borne in mind.
Business Development Bank Of Canada February 26th, 2001
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member's question falls flat on the ground because it is based on alleging influence by the Prime Minister. It has been confirmed over and over that the Prime Minister did not use, “undue” influence, and I think that should be taken into account. She ought to make a fresh start of these questions and start with some facts.