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Crucial Fact

  • His favourite word was divided.

Last in Parliament April 1997, as Independent MP for Beauce (Québec)

Won his last election, in 1993, with 40% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Manpower Training April 19th, 1994

Mr. Speaker, I think that the Reform Party's recent statements about Quebec are disrespectful. They add to them by saying that Quebec is imposing its will on Ottawa on the issues of lower cigarette taxes, the establishment of the environmental secretariat in Montreal and the postponement of the federal-provincial conference on labour. Such allusions are out of place.

I ask the government to act diligently to solve the manpower issue with Quebec and the provinces concerned. It is time to reduce overlap. Perhaps this obstinacy is due only to some over-centralizing officials. The government would show flexibility by understanding Quebec's traditional demands and adopting an updated federalism that is more acceptable to all provinces.

Under the Constitution, we certainly agree that labour force training is an educational issue and education is within provincial jurisdiction: it is their responsibility and they would provide training more economically. That is what the people of Beauce think.

Collège Militaire Royal De Saint-Jean March 15th, 1994

Mr. Speaker, National Defence is making cuts. The government has no choice, and I support the difficult decisions it has to make. I sympathize with the communities in Saint-Jean, Victoria, Cornwall and Nova Scotia, but we sometimes have to sacrifice symbols and monuments in order to put our finances back on track.

It is possible to reach a compromise on the future of the Royal Military College in Saint-Jean. The Canadian government, in collaboration with the Government of Quebec, has offered to find another use for the college so that the local community will not suffer undue economic hardship. The present debate is emotional and almost irrational at times. It is being turned into a language war.

In the budget, none of our regions has been spared. We are here to make decisions, and I hope the government continues to act firmly. By the way, how about marching to Victoria in British Columbia with Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, to try and save the Royal Roads Military College?

Fight Against Organized Crime February 23rd, 1994

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to see that the RCMP has now started the fight against organized crime on some native reserves.

It was said that until now, federal and provincial police forces had been ordered not to take action so as to avoid igniting the situation. There was total confusion as well as a lack of political will. From now on, the law will be implemented everywhere in the country.

As the member representing Beauce, I have been fighting for a long time to put a stop to this tolerance, this hesitation on the part of the police, and this political laxness. Those attitudes created social chaos which allowed organized crime to get a better foothold in our community and create networks of people selling tobacco, arms, liquor and drugs. There is no longer any no go zone. From now on, the police will have all the necessary power to conduct surveillance activities and, if necessary, to arrest people.

I do hope that the only elected independent member in Canada is not dreaming.

Tobacco Smuggling January 27th, 1994

Mr. Speaker, in the last Parliament, I rose three times in this House to denounce the flagrant unfairness of double standards, the inaction of what was then my government and the Quebec government in the unfortunate saga of tobacco smuggling, where they turned a blind eye for many years by allowing the mafia to get rich on the backs of honest people.

I have always said, and I will say it again today, as the only independent elected member of the Parliament of Canada, that tax reductions are the answer to the smuggling problem. Greedy governments have led people to become smugglers, criminals and outlaws.

Today, we want to ask questions such as: Who is protecting who in the government and the police force? What public servants, politicians or organizers would profit from showing such sordid tolerance? We have now reached the point where these questions need to be asked, Mr. Speaker.