Yvan Bernier

[Fisheries, March 25th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, I would remind the minister that spring is now here. It is time he came out of hibernation and did something. Fishers are waiting.

Will the Minister of Human Resources Development follow up on the recommendations of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans, not just by extending the TAGS program, but also by launching a broad program of economic diversification for all coastal regions of eastern Canada?

[Fisheries, March 25th, 1998]

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

Yesterday, the Prime Minister confirmed the view of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans that federal mismanagement of the fisheries has resulted in a disaster. He also seemed receptive to the idea that there must be assistance for fishers and fishery workers and told us that the Minister of Human Resources Development was working on it.

Can the minister tell the 22,000 people still relying on the TAGS program when and how they can be reassured about their future?

[Fisheries, March 24th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, since the Prime Minister does not seem to have abandoned the idea of extending the TAGS program, can he tell us whether or not he shares the opinion of colleagues in his own party regarding the federal government's responsibility for the mismanagement?

[Fisheries, March 24th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.

The Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans is now convinced of the federal government's responsibility in the collapse of northern cod stocks and of its obligation to provide support to fishery workers affected by the moratorium.

Since fish stocks have not yet been renewed, and thousands of fishers still have no way of earning a living, will the Prime Minister admit his government's responsibility for mismanaging the fishery and will he promise to make money available to extend the TAGS program?

[Committees Of The House, March 23rd, 1998]

Yes, Mr. Speaker. If the committee chairman is telling me that the additional note is included, I am prepared to overlook the technical problems.

[Committees Of The House, March 23rd, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans just tabled the report in the House. I just have a short question.

I want to say that the Bloc Quebecois agrees with the recommendations as a whole, but there was a printing problem. Could the committee chairman confirm that the additional note from the Bloc Quebecois will be included in the report? Could he confirm that?

[Employment Insurance, March 10th, 1998]

Including unemployed women.

[Petitions, February 18th, 1998]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the people of Gaspé—Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Pabok, I am pleased to present a petition to this House from the Pabok regional county municipality. This petition contains 1,276 signatures and concerns the Atlantic Groundfish Strategy, more commonly known as TAGS.

The petitioners are drawing attention to the fact that our region has been heavily affected by the groundfish moratorium imposed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada back in May 1994. Since then, the Atlantic Groundfish Strategy, or TAGS, has been the only means of survival for a large part of our population. This program was slated to continue until the end of the moratorium in 1999, but has been re-examined and is now slated to terminate in August 1998.

The people are calling for this program to be continued until the end of the initial moratorium and feel they should not be the victims of poor management.

[Supply, February 10th, 1998]

Madam Speaker, I would like you to remind my colleague opposite that the Chair ruled on the amendment in question this morning and that a parliamentarian should not question a ruling by the Chair.

[Supply, February 10th, 1998]

Madam Speaker, I will give you a small lesson in geography. The riding of Bonaventure—Gaspé—Îles-de-la-Madeleine—Pabok is the nose-shaped part of Quebec that extends into the Gulf of St. Lawrence. I will take this opportunity to echo my colleague from the Lower St. Lawrence region, who said that her family still has its parcel of land from the 1700s.

Back to the Gaspé in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. All the inhabitants of Upper and Lower Canada, all those who live in the western part of my riding, passed by us on their way up the St. Lawrence and now the members opposite are telling us what to do, that we can no longer decide for ourselves. I will not stand for it and, on that note, I give the floor back to my colleague.