House of Commons photoWon her last election, in 2000, with 43% of the vote.
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day March 1st, 1996
Mr. Speaker, since the Commissioner of Official Languages states that federal employment centres in Ontario effectively steer francophones toward courses taught in English, what is the heritage minister waiting for to denounce unequivocally this measure to assimilate francophones?
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day March 1st, 1996
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Deputy Prime Minister. The heritage minister and her government are inviting Canadians to mark the 30th, 31st and 32nd anniversaries of the flag with exuberance and enthusiasm, since the "One in a million" flag campaign will last until next year. In the same breath, the heritage minister is inviting Canadians to celebrate Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day.
How can the heritage minister invite Canadians to celebrate Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, when her own government and those of several English speaking provinces blithely flout the rights of francophones recognized in the Constitution and the Official Languages Act?
Committee Of The Whole February 27th, 1996
Mr. Speaker, my remarks will be brief, but I am sure I speak for my colleagues in the official opposition in roundly criticizing attitudes targeting individuals who hold values that the official opposition is proud to defend.
There is such a thing as respect for people, and I think that, when Canada's Parliament allows respect for individuals to fall by the wayside through comments made, we must speak out, and I am grateful to my colleague for having talked about this totally unacceptable attitude.
French In America December 13th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Prime Minister had the nerve to say that the French language survived in America thanks to Canada. Yet, the rate of assimilation of French speaking British Columbians exceeds 75 per cent, while that of French speaking Ontarians is close to 40 per cent. French speaking Canadians outside Quebec must constantly fight to keep control of their institutions. Their rights are still violated in several parts of the country.
How, in all decency, can anyone claim that the survival of French in America is due to anything other than the strong will of our ancestors to perpetuate their culture? French survived in America thanks to our parents, who fought so that their society could thrive in French, despite the many injustices condoned by Canada regarding the French language.
If I can address this House in French today, it is because of the vitality of Quebec, which is the cradle of our language, our culture and our identity.
Quebec Culture December 8th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister clearly told Quebecers that there is no such thing as a Quebec culture. Federalists, like sovereignists, now know that his motion to recognize Quebec's distinct nature is just a smoke screen.
Roch Demers, an avowed federalist, saw the contradiction in all this. Yesterday, he said: "If that reality, namely Quebec's culture, is not recognized, then Quebecers are right to contemplate separating from the rest of the country".
In spite of yesterday's attempt by the Prime Minister to correct his statement, Quebecers now know that there will be no true and substantial recognition of Quebec's distinctiveness.
All this reeks of bad faith, improvisation and expediency.
Marketing Of 3Tc December 1st, 1995
Mr. Speaker, the member speaks of hoping for a decision and I must point out to her that what she is hoping for, we are hoping for even more, but it is our impression that our hopes are often in vain.
Is the minister aware that the administrative slowness of her department has resulted in a mere 2,500 patients being able to benefit from this drug, whereas if 3TC obtained commercial authorization from Health Canada all of the people living with AIDS, four times that figure, could have access to it?
Marketing Of 3Tc December 1st, 1995
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health. The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the marketing of a drug, 3TC, in the U.S. before Canada has authorized it, although they both received applications at the same time and although the drug was discovered in Quebec, at Laval. Worse still, in both the U.S. and Canada, examination of the drug submission was fast tracked.
How can the minister explain that fast tracking of drugs moves faster in the United States than in Canada, and that the Canadian fast track looks more like a secondary road than a super highway?
Sovereignist Artists November 30th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal and Reform members of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage have openly declared a witch hunt. The representatives of Canadian unity are against sovereignist artists, like Marie Laberge, getting federal funding.
Obviously, ridicule has never killed anyone. Quebec sovereignists still continue to send their tax money to Ottawa. Each year, the federal government collects $30 billion from Quebecers. Do the members of the committee seriously think that the federal government could deny access to its programs to 50 per cent of Quebec's population? As Franco Nuovo put it so well in the Journal de Montréal , Canada Council grants are not given out to ``serve the allegiance and political stripe of artists, but to recognize and support talent and excellence in the arts world in Canada''.
Booksellers November 24th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, it does not seem as though Mr. Peterson feels all that reassured. Would the government's eagerness to close that deal have anything to do with the fact that the Canadian partner of the giant American Borders corporation is Heather Reisman, a member of a well-known Liberal family, as reported by the Globe and Mail ?
Booksellers November 24th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the heritage minister.
Yesterday, David Peterson, a former premier of Ontario, submitted a brief to the heritage committee, on behalf of the Canadian Booksellers' Association. Mr. Peterson predicted that the impending arrival of two mega-booksellers from the United States, Borders, and Barnes and Noble, would have disastrous consequences on the book market in Quebec and Canada.
Before the Minister of Industry allows American booksellers to invade the Canadian market, will the Minister of Canadian Heritage undertake to set up a committee of experts to assess the economic and cultural impact of the arrival of these two booksellers on the Canadian market, like it did for Sports Illustrated ?