André Bellavance

[Democratic Reform, February 20th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the government quite rightly decided to appeal the decision to allow people to cover their faces during the swearing-in part of citizenship ceremonies. The Conservative Party even started a petition to require people to show their faces during the swearing-in.

With just a few months to go until the election, the Canada Elections Act does not forbid veiled voting. I would think that voting is at least as important as a swearing-in ceremony.

Will the government keep the promise it made in the 2007 throne speech and honour the two bills it introduced subsequently? Will it say that veiled voting is not the way we do things here?

[Genetically Modified Foods, February 20th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government has always had a laissez-faire attitude towards genetically modified foods, and the recent decision by the U.S. department of agriculture is reviving Quebec consumers' and producers' concerns.

The Americans have just approved two varieties of genetically modified apples that will be put on the market within five years and whose main characteristic is that they do not turn brown. Some conventional apples already have this characteristic. According to a survey of 1,500 Canadians, 69% are opposed to the sale of genetically modified apples in Canada. Furthermore, 91% are calling for mandatory labelling of GM foods. The Fédération des producteurs de pommes du Québec is:

...concerned and still opposes the introduction of a genetically modified apple on the market, because it believes that consumers are skeptical and this could have a negative impact on the consumption and sales of apples in Canada.

The government must take a firm stand, prohibit the sale of genetically modified apples and make labelling of GM foods mandatory, as Canadians and producers themselves are calling for.

[Committees of the House, February 4th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I vote in favour of the motion.

[International Trade, February 3rd, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, while dairy producers are on the Hill, there is growing international pressure on Canada to make concessions on the supply management system. The trans-Pacific partnership discussions are increasingly focusing on agriculture. The United States, New Zealand and other countries are becoming more and more demanding, as demonstrated by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, who says that Canada is not offering as much as it should.

In his speech to dairy producers this week, will the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food not only confirm his support for supply management, but also clearly state that his government cannot afford to do without it?

[Intergovernmental Affairs, January 26th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the government has been caught with its pants down after basing its economic strategy exclusively on oil production.

This government, which did not even believe in the crisis in 2008, did not see the drop in oil prices coming, and now its vote-getting plans are being thwarted. That worries us.

Since we know that the government insists on moving forward with its promise to introduce income splitting for the wealthy and balance the budget, can the Minister of Finance guarantee that he will not offset this by cutting transfers to Quebec and making cuts to social programs?

[Michel Guimond, January 26th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, it was with great sadness that we learned of the passing of our colleague, Michel Guimond, the hon. member for Montmorency—Charlevoix—Haute-Côte-Nord from 1993 to 2011, with whom I had the honour and pleasure of sitting for seven years.

Michel had a distinguished career as a lawyer, a municipal councillor, a lecturer, a sovereignist member of Parliament, the chief whip of the Bloc Québécois, a municipal chief of staff, and the list goes on. Through his career he made a difference in the lives of many.

He was loved and respected by friends and foes alike. He will be remembered for his determination, passion, outspokenness, and fiery and lively spirit. His straight talk is probably still echoing in this House. Nonetheless, he was above all a very giving person. I would be remiss if I did not mention his love of singing. In the evening, he would often regale us with his famous version of Piano Man.

I offer my deepest condolences to his partner, former MP Johanne Deschamps, his two children, his grandson, his parents, his entire family and all his friends.

Michel, you are gone too soon, but everyone you befriended, served and helped will never forget you. Thank you, my friend.

[Canada Post, December 12th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, a year ago, the Conservative government agreed to let Canada Post get rid of home mail delivery, citing cost-effectiveness. However, Canada Post posted a net profit of nearly $40 million for the first three quarters of 2014.

Yesterday, TVA reported that the money was being used to buy presents for journalists, who received tea, coffee, stamps, socks and even little trucks before Christmas.

Journalists blew the whistle on what was a ridiculous attempt to soften them up. Does the minister support Canada Post's move, or will she call the corporation on the carpet and make sure that it puts the services that people are entitled to first?

[Status of Women, December 9th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, just because the government snubbed the ceremonies commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Polytechnique massacre does not mean that Quebeckers have forgotten this despicable, misogynistic crime.

The Premier of Quebec committed to creating a new firearms registry. The bill is nearly ready and staff are in place. All that is missing is the data that the federal government stubbornly wants to destroy.

Why does the government not do the honourable thing, put an end to the costly legal proceedings and give Quebec what belongs to the province: the data its people have already paid for?

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, November 28th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the agreement that was ratified yesterday at the WTO opens the door to negotiations on market access, including supply management.

The Minister of International Trade, who is eager to reach a comprehensive agreement and always on the fast track, needs to take into account the warning issued this week by the chairman of the Producteurs de lait du Québec, Bruno Letendre, who said that dismantling supply management would lead to a drop in prices for producers and bankruptcies without any guarantee of lower prices for consumers.

Will the minister be clear with his counterparts as we move forward and protect supply management, unlike what he did with the Canada-EU agreement and unlike what he is preparing to do with the trans-Pacific partnership agreement?

[Natural Resources, November 19th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, after stopping in Victoriaville, the president of the Union des municipalités du Québec will be continuing his tour today in the Centre-du-Québec region.

One of the concerns of the UMQ is TransCanada's energy east pipeline project and the impact it will have on safety, environmental protection and land use.

Today the UMQ discovered that the techniques used and the route that TransCanada proposed to the National Energy Board were not up to date and did not reflect the negotiations that took place between the municipalities and the company.

Can the Minister of Natural Resources guarantee that TransCanada will have to provide all the proper documentation so the National Energy Board can do its job?