Robert Bertrand

[French As Language Of Work, May 4th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, Le Conseil de la langue française made public a study on language of work indicators in Quebec.

I am pleased at the progress French has made as language of work in Quebec. The report reveals that, among other things, in 1991, over 67 per cent of senior jobs were occupied by francophones. The percentage of bilingual anglophones in Montreal has increased from 45 per cent in 1971 to 68 per cent in 1986.

All of this clearly indicates that the French fact is established in Quebec in all spheres of activity and that francophones, like anglophones, now have access to all the top jobs.

The study by Le Conseil de la langue française confirms what we have known for decades: it is possible to live and to succeed in a united Canada.

[Biennial Convention Of The Liberal Party, May 1st, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, the biennial convention of the Quebec wing of the federal Liberal Party was held in Trois-Rivières last weekend. This convention allowed the federalist troops to review various issues of national importance and get ready for the referendum to be held this fall.

Those in attendance participated in some very interesting workshops and discussions. The convention was a total success.

That is why I wish to congratulate all the organizers who contributed in varying degrees to the success of this event. The welcome we received from the people of Trois-Rivières also helped make it a success.

I am sure that all the participants left the Trois-Rivières region with a feeling of accomplishment. We are more ready than ever to face the separatist forces during the referendum campaign.

[Bloc Quebecois, April 5th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, the leader of the Bloc quebecois has always maintained that the Bloc quebecois was in Ottawa on a temporary basis. Last fall, he said, and I quote: "And to make the options quite clear, I think Quebecers should realize, if they have not done so already, that the Bloc quebecois is not an accessory that comes with federalism as well as sovereignty; you cannot be a federalist and expect to keep the Bloc quebecois in Ottawa indefinitely".

Today, a number of BQ riding associations want to make their party permanent. The leader of the Bloc quebecois will have a difficult choice to make: maintain his vision of a temporary party or respond to the wishes of the grassroots and stay in Ottawa indefinitely.

[Supply, April 4th, 1995]

Madam Speaker, I wish to thank the hon. member for Saint-Boniface for his question.

I sort of agree with what my colleague has said. Il is true that our government was faced with very tough decisions to make and I sincerely believe that the decisions the Minister of Finance had to make were very difficult for all regions in Canada, whether in the East or in the West. I believe that the cuts that have been announced in the past or that will be in the future are fair and legitimate. I can hardly understand why the Official Opposition is trying to set the East against the West.

[Supply, April 4th, 1995]

Madam Speaker, I am glad to have the opportunity to comment on the Official Opposition's motion denouncing the government for giving Western farmers an unfair advantage over their Eastern counterparts.

The facts do not support the motion. They show that each individual, each region and each sector contributes its fair share, no more and no less, to reducing the deficit.

The 1995 Budget contained fair and balanced measures to address circumstances that differ from one region and sector of the country to another. It is worth mentioning that our reform of the WGTA is consistent with the position adopted by the Quebec coalition in December 1994.

Generally speaking, the government is eliminating its transportation subsidy programs, including the WGTA in the West, feed freight assistance in BC and Central and Eastern Canada, as well as various transportation subsidies in the Maritimes. What we are looking at is not a proposal to draw a parallel between the East and the West, but rather a principle to be implemented nationwide.

However, where we have eliminated transportation subsidies, we are providing assistance to those who are hit the hardest, be they in the East or the West.

As the hon. members know, the Western grain transportation subsidy will be abolished as of August 1, 1995.

In the adjustment measures it has offered, the government took into account the potential impact of the elimination of this 96-year old commitment toward the Western grain industry. The prairie farmland owners will get an initial payment of $1.6 billion in relation to capital, which is equivalent to three more years of the annual subsidy of $560 million.

In the budget he brought forward, the Minister of Finance made it clear that this ex gratia payment to prairie farmland owners was to offset the potential impact of the WGTA reform on the land values. This is not a gift from above nor a regional development subsidy.

The financial aid granted is not excessive and does not provide undue benefits to Western farmers. However, it will help grain producers adjust to changes. The GATT Agreement established certain disciplinary rules for export subsidies, but the prairie grain producers still have to compete with subsidized wheat exports.

The dairy subsidy is to be reduced by 30 per cent over a two year period, but the government remains committed to maintaining our national supply management system.

This system is one of the major benefits of federalism and it gives a reasonable income to efficient producers both in the east and the west.

Dairy farmers do not get a compensation package because their subsidies, contrary to the WGTA subsidies, have not been eliminated. But we are looking for ways to improve the dairy industry competitiveness. Consultations will take place with dairy farmers on the future of their subsidies.

We have been considering for 25 years the pros and cons of a reform of western grain transportation subsidies. So, we understand very well the reasons behind such a change. The solution we found with the industry takes into consideration the new circumstances of world trade, our fiscal situation and the need to be more sensitive to market forces.

This kind of dialogue did not take place in the dairy industry. We do not advocate any particular reform, but we think the time has come for us to determine with farmers and other players the best way to support the competitiveness of the dairy industry. We intend to initiate discussions this year.

The minister has announced that his parliamentary secretary, the hon. member for Prince Edward-Hastings, will hold consultations with the industry on the way we should use the large amount of money still available.

Cuts in agricultural spending take into account the improved financial outlook for the agricultural industry, the new discipline imposed by the new general agreement on international subsidies and the difficult fiscal situation of the government.

Interestingly enough, while the official opposition condemns us because we allegedly make deeper cuts in eastern Canada than in western Canada, others accuse us of doing just the opposite. Critics take the elimination of the WGTA subsidies out of context and ignore the $1.6 billion compensation payment. The official opposition does the same with the 30 per cent reduction in the milk subsidies and forgets about factors that will cushion the impact of that reduction and the government's commitment to the national supply management system.

The 19 per cent cut in the agriculture department budget is exactly the same as the average reduction in all federal departments. In other words, the budget cuts at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada represent about 4 per cent of the total cuts of $7.2 billion proposed in the federal programs review. The fact that the AAC expenses represent approximately 4 per cent of the total federal expenses is not a coincidence.

We had some difficult choices to make given the critical situation of the debt and the deficit. All the budgetary changes reflect the need to materialize the government's vision of the agri-food sector in Canada and the need not to let the deficit jeopardize our future.

Our vision is based on financial security and the vitality and viability of that sector. Only a continuing and sustainable growth of the rural regions and the urban areas will make this materialization possible. This government's priority is to implement the necessary framework to help that sector find new markets, create jobs and ensure its own development.

An investment in the agri-food sector is an investment in growth for all regions of Canada-whether from the East, the West, the North or the South.

[Act To Revoke The Conviction Of Louis David Riel, March 23rd, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I want to discuss private member's bill C-288, an Act to revoke the conviction of Louis David Riel, which was

tabled by the hon. member for Rimouski-Témiscouata. The preamble of this bill states that Louis David Riel, Member of the House of Commons for the electoral district of Provencher from 1873 to 1874, was convicted on August 1, 1885 of high treason, sentenced to death, and was hanged on November 16, 1885, at Regina, North West Territories.

The bill also states that notwithstanding his conviction, Louis David Riel has become a symbol and a hero to successive generations of Canadians who have, through their governments, honoured and commemorated him in specific projects and actions. The purpose of this bill, is to revoke the conviction of Louis Riel for high treason. To that end, the hon. member who sponsors the bill refers to the role played by Louis Riel in Canadian history.

Louis Riel was elected three times to this House. His constituents considered him to be a guide who was reliable, intelligent and educated. Louis Riel worked in close co-operation with the members of his community to help them identify and state their claims and their objectives. Louis Riel played a major role in helping Manitoba become a member of Confederation as a province, not as part of the North West Territories, and in ensuring that the guarantees protecting religion and the language were enshrined in the Manitoba Act. I think we all recognize the very prominent role played by Louis Riel as protector of the interests of the Metis, as well as his contribution to the development of western Canada.

Some actions have already taken in the past to recognize the contribution of Louis Riel to the building of our country. Let me just briefly mention the issue of stamps, the erection of statues and the organizing of cultural events. Moreover, on March 10, 1992, the House of Commons passed a resolution, tabled by the then President of the Privy Council and Minister responsible for Constitutional Affairs, recognizing the role played by Louis Riel.

That resolution, which was passed by this House and the other place, received the support of the Metis nation of Canada and ended with these words: "That this House recognize the unique and historic role of Louis Riel as a founder of Manitoba and his contribution in the development of Confederation; and that this House support by its actions the true attainment, both in principle and in practice, of the constitutional rights of the Metis people". Members on this side of the House supported the resolution and recognized Louis Riel's contribution. Louis Riel paid the ultimate price as leader of a movement which fought to protect the rights and freedoms of the Metis people.

He was convicted of high treason, sentenced to death and hanged. This bill, which seeks to revoke the conviction of Louis Riel, raises important issues which must be carefully reviewed. As I said, it seeks to revoke the conviction of Louis Riel, an event which is also part of Canada's history. In conclusion, I suggest that we take a look to see how we could implement this initiative.

[Premier Of Quebec, March 14th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, during a press conference held at the end of the first day of the Parti Quebecois' caucus meeting, the Quebec premier stated that what the Martin budget says is that we will be pretty nice to you this year and that way we can be sure that you will be gullible enough to vote no. This statement is totally unacceptable.

By expressing himself in this way, Quebec's premier really shows how much he respects those who do not share his opinion. This deplorable comment is but one in a slew of pitiful and bigoted things that many separatist spokespersons have been saying recently.

After spending millions of dollars to give Quebecers a say in their future, with that statement alone, the premier totally negated the process's basis.

We are therefore obliged to state that separatists in Quebec only respect people who agree with them.

[Petitions, March 13th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am presenting today a petition from Heidi Peterson of Quyon, Quebec, in my riding and 40 other petitioners requesting that Parliament oppose any amendments to the Canadian Human Rights Act or the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms that provide for the inclusion of the phrase sexual orientation.

[The Budget, March 1st, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, last week, the Bloc member for Roberval was concerned by the decision of the American rating agency Moody's to put Canada's credit rating under review.

The opposition member said in this House, and I quote: "The pressure from the financial community is a signal that the Minister of Finance should tackle the deficit problem by making massive cuts in government spending, which has to be the preferred approach, rather than raise the taxes of the middle class".

I am pleased to see that the wish of the hon. member for Roberval was largely met in Monday's budget.

I want to further reassure the member by reminding him of the comments made by his colleague, the official opposition critic for finance, on the CBC'S French radio network yesterday morning: "The economists and the financial community seem relatively pleased with this budget -and rightly so since, from a strictly financial point of view, Mr. Martin seems to be willing or able to reach his objectives-".

[Richard Weber And Misha Malakhov, February 24th, 1995]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take a few moments today to recognize two very courageous individuals: Mr. Richard Weber of Chelsea, Quebec, which is in my riding, and Mr. Misha Malakhov of Ryazan, Russia. These two courageous adventurers have been preparing for years for their return journey to conquer the 1,500 kilometres of the Arctic Ocean. They are attempting to ski to the North Pole and return without any outside assistance. They are carrying all the supplies necessary for their survival for four months.

These two explorers are presently in the freezing wilderness of the Arctic. The ongoing challenge of man to surpass himself is alive and well in these two fellows. I really envy their courage and quest for adventure.

The long journey that these two daring adventurers are accomplishing is also a great example of international collaboration. A Canadian and a Russian working together toward the same goal is a great event to witness.

Finally, I would like to extend my best wishes to Mr. Weber and Mr. Malakhov.