Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral

[Book And Reading Summit, April 23rd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, today is World Book and Copyright Day, a day honouring books and authors and set aside to encourage people to discover the pleasure of reading and recognize the contribution writers make to cultural and social advancement.

The book and reading summit, presided over by the premier of Quebec, began yesterday and will conclude at the end of the day today. Following a series of consultations, this summit brings together stakeholders, who are assessing the situation and looking at ways to develop a policy on reading appropriate to Quebec society.

With the sacrosanct civilization of the image standardizing thinking, Quebeckers must redevelop their taste for reading. Reading is the route to knowledge, communication, thought and pleasure. It is a source of great delight.

In closing, I would like to congratulate Bruno Hébert, who was awarded the Association des libraires prize yesterday for his novel

C'est pas moi je le jure!

[The Late Douglas Alkenbrack, March 31st, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Almonte Douglas Alkenbrack, a former member of this House, who died recently at the age of 86.

Mr. Alkenbrack first distinguished himself in the lumber industry between 1937 and 1962 at the R.W. Kimmerly Lumber Company Limited, a company that still exists today.

His political career began in 1952, when he became a Napanee municipal councillor. He went on to serve as mayor from 1957 to 1958.

In 1963 he was first elected to the House of Commons, as a Progressive Conservative, representing the riding of Frontenac—Lennox. He was re-elected in every election until he retired from politics in 1979.

On behalf of my colleagues in the Bloc Quebecois, I would like to offer condolences to his family and friends.

[Official Languages, March 30th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Energy.

The Official Languages Act requires the government to provide its services in French and in English. However, the act is not always complied with on certain sites on the Internet.

Is the Minister of Industry aware that several links of the STRATEGIS site are in English only, contrary to the recommendations of the commissioner of official languages, who asked that any information be produced in both official languages, as early as January 1997?

[Racial Discrimination, March 23rd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, March 21 was International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

In this context, I am proud to recognize the role played by the Quebec department responsible for relations with the public, which identified a number ways to deal with racism: raising awareness of people's rights and freedoms through public events such as this international day; funding research to shed light on the root causes of racism; supporting community initiatives through the new program promoting public participation; and finally, promoting jobs for young members of visible minorities.

The tolerance and openness displayed by Quebec society are recognized by all. Yet, like elsewhere, racist and discriminatory acts do take place in our province. Thanks to these measures, we will be able to fight all forms of racism and build a more just society.

[Education, March 13th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister dished out another contradiction on the so-called flexibility of his style of federalism by congratulating himself on having passed a resolution on spending.

Will the minister acknowledge that the Prime Minister should have congratulated himself instead on betraying the promise made in the 1996 throne speech, since he continues to refuse to allow the Government of Quebec to opt out fully and with compensation from the millennium “flub” program?

[Education, March 13th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs.

Yesterday in his defence of Canadian federalism Liberal style, the Prime Minister boasted of his flexibility in areas in which the federal government is involved in provincial jurisdictions, forgetting his recent meddling in Quebec education with the millennium fund, which we could call the millennium “flub”.

Will the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs acknowledge that the millennium “flub” runs totally counter to the empty resolution on the distinct society his government passed the day after the yes side almost won the latest referendum?

[Employment Insurance, February 24th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Human Resources Development.

This morning, Statistics Canada once again confirmed the sharp drop in unemployment insurance recipients. Between 1996 and 1997, the number of unemployed decreased by only 4%, yet the number of persons drawing unemployment insurance dropped by 17%.

What is the minister waiting for to put an end to the most negative aspects of his so-called unemployment insurance reform?

[Division No. 93, February 23rd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, Bloc Quebecois members will be voting yea.

[The Canada Shipping Act, February 23rd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, Bloc Quebecois members will vote yea.

[Small Business Loans Act, February 23rd, 1998]

Members of the Bloc Quebecois will be voting yea, Mr. Speaker.