House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 34% of the vote.
Jobs and Growth Act, 2012 November 29th, 2012
moved:
Motion No. 151
That Bill C-45, in Clause 62, be amended by replacing line 26 on page 134 with the following:
“(b) 65% multiplied by the proportion that”
Motion No. 153
That Bill C-45, in Clause 62, be amended by replacing line 30 on page 134 with the following:
“(c) 65% multiplied by the proportion that”
Ethics November 23rd, 2012
Mr. Speaker, we have learned today that these people are claiming that their names were used falsely. They donated without really wanting to donate. That is what the Conservative government is refusing to talk about today.
The problem is not confined to the riding of Laurier—Sainte-Marie. In the riding of Rivière-des-Mille-Îles in 2008, in just over a month, the Conservatives raised $88,000 for Claude Carignan’s election campaign; he is now a senator. The Conservatives raised those thousands of dollars from Lino Zambito himself, Leo Housakos, Giulio Maturi, other construction businesses, and many members of their families.
In the face of such revelations, is the government going to tell us—yes or no—whether it used false names?
Ethics November 23rd, 2012
Mr. Speaker, one businessman told the Charbonneau commission that he had used false names to finance political parties, and we also know that some people whose names appear on the list of Conservative Party donors in 2009 categorically deny having donated even a penny. And yet, they are listed as giving $1,000 each. That looks a lot like straw men. That year, the Conservative association in Laurier—Sainte-Marie raised $288,000.
Can the government explain this situation and tell us whether a straw man system was in use?
First Nations Financial Transparency Act November 22nd, 2012
Mr. Speaker, this has become so routine for the government that the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons will no longer even answer questions about government bills.
The minister is trying to justify invoking closure—for about the 30th time since the beginning of this Parliament—by telling us that 20 or so witnesses were heard from, that witnesses were called 13 times, and that he is not happy with the opposition's speeches on this bill in the House. Quite frankly, the fact that the minister is not happy with the opposition's speeches and that he thinks testimony from 20 or so witnesses is enough simply does not constitute justification.
Like my colleagues, I would like to ask the minister the following question: why is the situation so urgent, when no meaningful consultation took place?
As for the 20 or so witnesses, they testified during three committee meetings that were dedicated primarily to trivial, mundane motions. The debate on this issue is far from over. First nations deserve more respect than what this government is giving them.
Natural Resources November 20th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, unhappy with the obstacles facing pipeline projects to the Untied States and the west, the oil industry now wants to reverse the flow of a pipeline between Ontario and Quebec in order to be able to transport oil from the oil sands to us.
Before even having the agreement of Quebec, the Minister of Natural Resources said he was enthusiastic about the plan. But the Quebec government is clear: any such plan will have to meet Quebec's environmental standards and be thoroughly reviewed.
Will the Minister of Natural Resources commit to respecting Quebec's environmental assessment and its energy choices on its own territory, yes or no?
Justice November 8th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Minister of Justice accused us of overlooking all his fine accomplishments, but he is the one who overlooked our question.
As the minister knows, he can already add terrorist groups to a list to freeze or seize their assets, and he can require banks to prevent these groups from accessing their accounts.
Why not do the same thing with the Mafia and criminal gangs who, as we have seen in the media, use the Port of Montreal as a gateway for their criminal activity because of the weakness of the inspection process there?
Is the minister willing to consider an anti-Mafia law and a list of banned criminal organizations such as the one we already have for terrorist groups? What is good for the goose must also be good for the gander.
Justice November 7th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, although there are more and more revelations about the hold that organized crime and the Mafia have over entire sections of the economy—particularly the construction sector—the government is doing nothing. It is acting as though these criminals were not just as detrimental to society as terrorists, even though they corrupt public servants, sell drugs to our youth and orchestrate murders in broad daylight.
Why does the government not create a list of banned criminal groups, like the list of terrorist organizations, in order to limit as much as possible what they can do?
Monarchy November 7th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, today the new $20 bill is going into circulation. The $20 is the most commonly used bill. The Queen's image appears on the new bill not just once, but three times.
To make room for that, whoever designed the new bill got rid of a quote from author Gabrielle Roy and an image of a sculpture by Bill Reid that stands in front of the Canadian embassy in Washington. The sculpture depicts the pride and traditions of the Haida people. I have no problem with the image of the Vimy Memorial being added to a banknote, but why get rid of these important cultural references just to add more images of the Queen?
Is there no limit to this government's obsession with the British monarchy? After all the wild spending on the jubilee, the War of 1812, portraits of the Queen, the “royal” designation for the armed forces and the sharing of diplomatic services, what is next—the return of the Union Jack and “God Save the Queen”?
Gabrielle Roy wrote, “Could we ever know each other in the slightest without the arts?” That is a good question for this Conservative government.
Forestry Industry November 2nd, 2012
Mr. Speaker, it was disrespectful of the Quebec lieutenant to describe the Government of Quebec as vindictive for defending the interests of its citizens in the areas of culture, justice and health. Yet, these interests were defended by the previous government, which was very federalist.
The minister is right about one thing: comparing the support provided to the Ontario automobile industry with that provided to the forestry industry is simplistic because the inaction of the minister and his government caused many Quebec forestry workers to lose their jobs.
In making such comments, does the minister realize that he is the vindictive one and that he has not been open to Quebec's legitimate demands?
René Lévesque November 1st, 2012
Mr. Speaker, 25 years ago today the person Quebeckers consider to be the greatest premier in the last 50 years, René Lévesque, departed this life.
He began as a distinguished journalist and war correspondent, and then made an exceptional career in politics, which culminated in the nationalization of electricity while he was a minister under Jean Lesage, the creation of the Mouvement souveraineté-association and the election of the first sovereignist government in the history of Quebec on November 15, 1976.
René Lévesque’s Parti Québécois government initiated reforms that still have a major impact today: the Charter of the French Language, party finance legislation and legislation on the protection of agricultural land, automobile insurance and consumer protection, and the list goes on.
The memory of René Lévesque will remain forever etched in our history, and most importantly in our hearts.
The task of writing René Lévesque’s epigraph fell to another giant, Félix Leclerc: “The first page of the true, beautiful history of Quebec has just ended...From now on, he belongs on the short list of the liberators of people.”