House of Commons photoWon her last election, in 1997, with 38% of the vote.
Industry Canada October 3rd, 1995
Mr. Speaker, I have the impression we are not talking about the same document and that the minister does not even have access to the document we are talking about. Are we to understand that one of the new criteria Ottawa has established for obtaining federal assistance under DIPP is a favourable recommendation from the operation unity centre for services rendered?
Industry Canada October 3rd, 1995
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister. In a secret document prepared by Industry Canada for the operation unity centre, we learn that Bombardier asked Ottawa for funding, as part of the defence industry productivity program, which, as Industry Canada itself
indicated, would be difficult to provide. The assistance sought concerned the joint Canadair-de Havilland global express airplane project.
How does the Prime Minister justify a request for financial assistance of this magnitude being in a strategy file intended for use in pressuring business in the referendum debate?
Immigration September 29th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, I fear that the hon. member has not understood my question, because speeding up this process does not depend on Quebec but on the federal government.
How can the Prime Minister explain, for instance, that the processing of citizenship applications is being accelerated in Quebec at this time, but that was not the case when elections were held recently in New Brunswick and Ontario?
Immigration September 29th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister. In August we learned that the government had decided to increase the rate with which it was issuing citizenship certificates in Quebec so as to allow the greatest possible number of new citizens to exercise their right to vote in the coming referendum, close to 10 000 people.
The Prime Minister says he would never use new Canadians for political purposes. Would he indicate to us whether this is standard practice when an election or referendum is in the offing?
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Intergovernmental Affairs September 26th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs said yesterday in Sherbrooke: "After October 30, we will offer Quebec various arrangements in many areas". What kind of arrangements is he referring to? What miraculous offer would the federal government, which stubbornly refused to go along with the unanimous consensus among Quebec stakeholders on the manpower training issue, extend to us? Why did this government so abruptly shut down the military college in Saint-Jean last year, if Ottawa is prepared to offer a compromise solution after October 30?
Is the ax that will fall on the unemployed after October 30 included in these arrangements? The people of Quebec want to know why the Prime Minister of Canada wants to "clobber them" before announcing his proposed compromises. It seems obvious to me that this government is confusing compromise with revenge.
Quebec Referendum September 21st, 1995
Mr. Speaker, the tour organized by women for the Yes side in Quebec allowed thousands of women to find out about the choices in the upcoming referendum: on the one hand, a federal system in which unemployed workers and welfare recipients are seen as lazy and higher education is reserved for the rich; and on the other, a sovereign Quebec where women can help meet the challenges of a modern society attuned to their needs and priorities.
For the increasingly numerous sovereignist women in Quebec, history has clearly shown how federalism has become a barrier to collective growth. And this government's policies are not likely to make them change their minds.
What Quebec women want above all is a blueprint for society that will finally meet their aspirations. The side in favour of change is proposing such a blueprint. Women see sovereignty as an
instrument of social change that will make it possible to fulfil all their hopes.
Immigration June 16th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, how can the government expect the public to trust the process, when it is clear that the services of a person close to Mr. Mugesera have been retained to clarify his role in the Rwandan genocide?
I would also like to have assurances that the investigation will be public, and that its findings will be made available as soon as possible.
Immigration June 16th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Acting Prime Minister.
It seems Immigration Canada has retained the services of Philippe Rayntjens as an expert witness during the proceedings to revoke the status of Léon Mugesera as a Canadian resident. The House will recall that Mr. Mugesera was a friend and adviser of the former president who was responsible for the genocide in Rwanda.
Could the Acting Prime Minister explain why Canada retained the services of Mr. Rayntjens who, like Mr. Mugesera, was an adviser to the president at the time of the genocide in Rwanda?
Nigeria June 15th, 1995
Madam Speaker, on behalf of the Bloc Quebecois, I am pleased today to pay tribute to all Nigerian democrats.
Barely two years ago, the people of Nigeria believed they had acquired a democratic process worthy of the name. Their leader, Moshood Abiola, had won a resounding, eminently democratic victory. Unfortunately, as we know, the military regime did not accept the outcome, cancelled the election and ultimately, appointed General Sani Abacha as head of state.
In light of the special commercial and political ties between Canada and Nigeria, the Canadian government has a duty to condemn loud and clear the basic human rights violations that many Nigerians have suffered.
In our opinion, the Canadian government is not doing everything that it can to intervene. As the Minister of Foreign Affairs publicly announced only a few weeks ago, Canada is preparing to promote trade without taking into account the human rights record of certain countries.
The Liberal government's new foreign policy is questionable. When the Canadian section of Amnesty International gathered for its annual meeting last week, the director of the English section rightly stated that to remain silent on the human rights issue constitutes a serious abdication of our responsibilities, bordering on complicity.
As we have said, the Canadian government's policy on human rights is based on double talk. The policy of the Liberal government is to answer only to the economic imperatives of Canada's relations with its major trading partners, such as China or Mexico. However, it takes a hard line approach to small countries with which we have few or non-existent trade relations.
The Bloc Quebecois believes that the Liberal government should not hesitate to proclaim and publicly defend the fact that democracy and human rights are the cornerstones of Canadian foreign policy, and that all of our trading partners should be expected to have a similar stand, regardless of how much trade Canada does with them.
By taking such a position, the government will be sending a clear message to the people and heads of state or government of countries that have trade ties with or receive aid from Canada, as is the case with Nigeria. Canada must not pass up this opportunity to profess in a vigorous way its democratic faith in an international community where the temptation to remain indifferent, detached or self-interested is omnipresent. We must move quickly to prove wrong the dictators who interpret the collusive silence of countries that claim to embrace democratic ideals as support for their actions.
Instead of turning a blind eye to anti-democratic regimes and human rights violations, whether in China or elsewhere, instead of discussing the issue of human rights only behind the scenes to spare the feelings of countries with markets that are interesting to Canada, the government must adopt a coherent, clearly worded policy, one that is entrenched in legislative and regulatory texts and that ensures that decisions are based on three established criteria, namely human rights, development assistance and international trade.
Otherwise, the only clear message that the government will be sending is that governments of the south need only become good trading partners if they want to rule by dictatorship, free of any pressure.
In closing, I want to express once again my support for all Nigerian democrats. I know how difficult it can be to fight for human rights and democracy. Sometimes people have the feeling that their hard work produces only mediocre results. Yet, we are hopeful that their efforts to achieve democracy will prove successful. Until then, the official opposition will support their actions and join with them in condemning the human rights violations that many Nigerians have suffered.
Bosnia June 14th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, twelve Canadian peacekeepers are among the hostages still being held by Bosnian Serbs, while several other UN peacekeepers and observers were released yesterday.
We hope that they will not be used as the ultimate bargaining chip and demand that they be released immediately and unconditionally.
We deeply regret the rather low key involvement of the Canadian government in this crisis. Not only is Canada not a member of the contact group, which considerably limits its influence, but it has no policy regarding a Canadian contribution to the new rapid reaction force.
Such a lack of leadership could harm not only Canada's reputation but also the efforts of peacekeepers on the site, as the Bosnian army prepares to launch an offensive north of Sarajevo, which could lead to another crisis.