House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 1993, with 46% of the vote.
Indian Affairs March 23rd, 1995
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Indian Affairs.
A report from the Department of Indian Affairs on the transport of food to the far north links the health problems of aboriginal people to the lack of affordable nutritious food.
How does the minister explain that the millions of dollars spent by his department still have not made a significant difference, and that the price of food remains two to three times higher in these regions than in the south?
Mining Industry March 15th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, by failing to announce measures to stimulate the mining sector, the latest budget brought down by the Minister of Finance is helping to marginalize an industry that generates major spinoffs for a number of regions in Quebec and Canada, for instance in my own riding and in the ridings of many of my colleagues on both sides of the House.
Through its failure to act and its lack of commitment, the federal government is jeopardizing the operations of an industry that is already experiencing problems. In fact, the Mining Association of Canada refers to the budget measures as both harsh and ineffectual and as a threat to the future of the mining sector.
According to the Association des prospecteurs du Québec, Quebec's mining industry may well consider whether its particular sector would not be better served by a legislative framework under which only the Government of Quebec would have the power to intervene.
Starred Questions February 24th, 1995
Regarding service, supply and leasing contracts awarded by Public Works and Government Services Canada, (a) how many such contracts have been awarded in Abitibi since October 25, 1993, ( b ) what amounts are involved, ( c ) to whom were these contracts awarded?
Questions On The Order Paper February 13th, 1995
I will get back to the Speaker to ask my question again tomorrow or the next day.
Questions On The Order Paper February 13th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order in respect of Question No. 86 which I submitted on 29 September 1994, over four months ago, to which the government has not yet replied.
A question on the Order Paper should be answered within 45 days. I therefore ask the government to explain this delay which I consider unreasonable.
Mining February 9th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, while the Minister of Finance is preparing his budget, I hope that the federal government gave due consideration to the recommendations contained in the fifth report of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources. As you may recall, these recommendations were made in light of the evidence given by all those who took the trouble of appearing before our committee to describe the situation in the mining sector.
I especially want to remind you of the second recommendation in the report, namely that the federal government should include in its February 1995 budget tax measures to stimulate mining exploration in Canada. It has been demonstrated that mining exploration is an investment rather than an expenditure.
Implementing this tax recommendation will have a direct beneficial impact on job creation that will be more than welcome in my region of Abitibi, in Northern Quebec and in all mining regions of Canada.
Committees Of The House December 15th, 1994
Madam Speaker, the members of the Bloc Quebecois who sit on the committee welcome the recommendations contained in the report of the Standing Committee on Natural Resources concerning mining development. However, the Bloc Quebecois saw fit to append a dissenting report to make sure that these recommendations do not promote federal interference in areas of exclusive provincial jurisdiction, particularly with respect to costly duplication and overlap between actions taken by each level of government.
Finally, Bloc members want the Minister of Natural Resources to make sure that the implementation of the tax measures described in these recommendations will benefit the mining industry and that appropriate control measures will be put in place so that there is no loophole, in the interest of the national Treasury and the continued credibility of the mining industry.
Supply December 8th, 1994
Sovereignists or separatists, whatever. If you want to use the old terminology, that is your choice.
Sorry, Mr. Speaker, I am getting carried away.
The people who voted for the Bloc Quebecois were also fed up with the current federal system, because of mismanagement by the central government. According to a poll, 66 per cent of Quebecers reject the status quo or the current federal system. The hon. members opposite might reply that federal Liberals offer flexible federalism. Allow me to question this flexibility, when Quebec and several other provinces are still waiting for this flexibility, promised in every election, after 10 years under Tory governments and the 10 years before that under the Trudeau government and others.
What is important to me and to all the people in the riding of Abitibi, who ask me when they will receive information on the sovereignty plan, is that the draft bill is a way to receive this information. People want to know more about the grounds on which their decision will be based.
I have a question for the hon. member opposite: What about the need to address Quebecers' needs, to give them information, and not just federalist rhetoric? Why should they stay in the federalist system, why?
Supply December 8th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, the opposite of astute is crude and unintelligent.
I would like us to use current terminology to describe Quebecers as ingenious and inventive.
As the hon. member opposite pointed out, Quebecers have shown inventiveness through companies like Bombardier, artists like Céline Dion, etc. Yes, Quebec wants to chart its future, and Quebec's draft bill is a way to do this.
To return to the old definition of "astuce", the federal government may not be in a position to teach Quebec anything. In 1982, when the Constitution was patriated unilaterally, the federal government deceived René Lévesque during the night of the long knives. Was it a federalist scam? We should really talk about it.
One fact cannot be denied. Quebec citizens sent a 54-member majority to the House of Commons, and they knew about our allegiance. My hon. colleague would surely like to tell me that all those who voted for the Bloc Quebecois may not have been sovereignists, sovereignists and separatists.
Supply December 8th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I have some comments to make in response to the speech by the hon. member opposite.
He harshly criticized the Quebec government's draft bill, which he has a right to do. However, his very federalist and quite ordinary speech, except for the first part in which he used the word "astuce" in French, only referred to the status quo, something which we have been hearing here in this House for some 20 years and which Quebecers are sick and tired of listening to.
We looked up the definition of the word "astuce", because it may be the only interesting point that you raised at the beginning of your speech. Forgive me, Mr. Speaker, I should address my comments to you.
The word "astuce"in old French means this:
Ability to deceive others in order to harm them or get something out of them.
I agree. Rather than the old French definition, the hon. member opposite should use the modern-day definition, which is "ingeniousness and inventiveness".