Michel Dupuy

[Canadian Radio-Television And Telecommunications Commission, June 8th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, it was not my decision and consequently it requires no justification on my part. I explained yesterday that there was a procedure for parties to appeal or to ask the Government of Canada to refer the decision back to the CRTC for review. I understand that the Quebec Minister of Culture and Communications is interested in taking this route, but I have not yet received official notice from the minister.

[Canada Council, June 7th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I am glad to say that I take this review very seriously. We are the first department to have produced recommendations to the minister concerned. I am surprised to have these questions from members of the Reform Party because we are reducing expenditures and making savings in taking this action. We should be congratulated for what we are doing.

[Canada Council, June 7th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, on the size of the Canada Council, the exercise has been completed in my portfolio and we made appropriate recommendations to the minister concerned. We now know, from the heritage viewpoint, how many people will be on the council. That was a proviso which I had raised before.

The director who was appointed earlier this week or last week is not a member of the board. We have been waiting for some time to make this appointment. We felt it was high time to do it

and we did it. The other person was the president who was also an indispensable person to keep the Canada Council going.

This is what we have done. We have made the appointments and now we know the number of members on the board of directors. We shall make appointments in the future in a more routine manner.

[Crtc, June 7th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for referring to my former life.

I simply tried to explain the procedure that must be followed. The initiative to appeal must come from the communities concerned and not the government. As I explained, since the government rules on the appeal, it cannot be both judge and party at the outset.

[Crtc, June 7th, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I took note of the CRTC's decisions and I understand the disappointment felt by the francophone and Acadian communities. I should point out, however, that there is an appeal procedure and that this procedure involves the Government of Canada since the appeal is filed with the government.

I myself will be involved in the appeal and I cannot be both a judge and a party at the same time. That is why I should not make any more comments.

[Writers' Union Of Canada, June 3rd, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I would wish to have the facts first and to see exactly what the circumstances are in which the conference would exclude people on the basis of race. I would not accept it.

However if there are certain groups which wish to meet together to discuss particular issues I would understand it. But the principle of discrimination in a conference is something which I do not accept.

[Writers' Union Of Canada, June 3rd, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, this question draws an obvious answer. The minister of heritage is also the minister of multiculturalism and therefore profoundly against discrimination in all circumstances.

[Memorial Sites, June 3rd, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, I am being asked to act in total disregard of the policies and directives respected by the National Capital Commission. We have our own way of celebrating. The Americans may have other ways, but we are going to respect Canadian ways.

[Memorial Sites, June 3rd, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, naturally the decision to offer space in the capital region is to be taken by the National Capital Commission.

The minister owns no land. It belongs to the National Capital Commission. The National Capital Commission follows regulations and directives which have been followed for years. The regulations and the directives concerning the celebration of events of national significance do not seem to cover the situation which our colleague has raised, that is, the honouring of Canadians who served in a foreign army.

[Construction Of A French-Language School, June 2nd, 1994]

Mr. Speaker, clearly we want to see this issue come to a conclusion as quickly as possible. I think that the best way to do so is to give a chance to those who are currently negotiating to reach an agreement, rather than disturb the process with all the political considerations which the party opposite is trying to bring up.