Bernard Généreux

[Economic Action Plan, October 26th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, our government continues to implement an economic action plan that is delivering results and asserting Canada's leadership on the world stage.

Could the excellent Minister for Economic Development for the Regions of Quebec tell us how the growth anticipated by the Conservative government could meet Canadians' expectations?

[Business of Supply, October 21st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to restoring the fiscal balance and limiting the federal spending power, our government is the one that acted. In contrast to our Liberal colleagues, we did not cut expenditures. We increased the transfer payments.

The question is the following: how can the Bloc deny these realities and the gains our party has made for Quebec, when the Bloc itself supported the historic recognition of the Quebec nation initiated by our party?

[Business of Supply, October 21st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois boasts that it is the only party that defends the interests of Quebec, but in actual fact, that is total nonsense in view of its separatist option. The Bloc takes Quebeckers for fools. The proof is that in the last election in my riding, people decided that after 16 years they had had enough. The difference is already apparent.

The only party that has really responded to Quebeckers is the one led by my boss, Mr. Stephen Harper.

[Business of Supply, October 21st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague from the Bloc that I was elected in my riding to replace someone from his party. I sincerely think the people in my riding elected me entirely democratically. I would also like to remind him that Quebeckers refused sovereignty, not once, but twice, with the Parti Québécois, whom the Bloc represents here. He has no lesson to teach me about democracy.

That being said, I have a question for my colleague. A lot has been said about health today. I would like him to explain what our government has decided to do with regard to health transfers to Quebec.

[Business of Supply, October 21st, 2010]

Madam Speaker, I will put a very simple question to my hon. colleague. If he believes that Quebec should be autonomous, independent and what not, what is he waiting for to go to Quebec City and work on achieving independence for Quebec?

[Co-operative week, October 18th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, Co-operative Week is being held from October 17 to 23. This is a good opportunity to acknowledge the significant contribution that co-operatives make to economic and social development in Canada and around the world.

In recognition of this contribution, the United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution on the role of co-operatives in social development. This resolution urges governments to create a supportive environment for the development of co-operatives and proclaims 2012 the International Year of Co-operatives.

Our government fully recognizes the importance of co-operatives and their contribution to Canadian society. The co-operative model represents a valuable tool for urban and rural development. This model has long proven its effectiveness in responding to a host of personal and community needs, particularly in rural and remote communities where co-operatives create jobs and provide the goods and services that are essential for improving quality of life.

The Government of Canada intends to work together with the Canadian co-operative movement in preparation for the International Year of Co-operatives.

[Sustaining Canada's Economic Recovery Act, October 7th, 2010]

Madam Speaker, I have a question for my colleague, who has just admitted that the province of Quebec is poor, because it does not have the money it needs to develop. I would like him to explain what the government did when it increased equalization payments and Quebec received over $8 billion.

How could he, his party or his colleagues in Quebec generate that kind of wealth in Quebec? They have never been able to provide any explanation for that. I would like him to explain how they could.

[Employment Insurance, September 29th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, today, we have expressed our government's strong opposition to the plan by the Liberal leader's coalition for a massive, permanent increase to EI premiums to support a 45-day work year.

At a time when Canadians can least afford it the Liberal-NDP-Bloc coalition is proposing drastic changes to the EI program which would cost Canadians and Quebeckers more than $6.6 billion annually.

Working for just 45 days and collecting EI for the rest of the year is irresponsible and offensive to hard-working Canadians.

This initiative would cost Canadian taxpayers billions and result in a massive, permanent increase in payroll taxes that would hurt workers and small businesses.

The Liberals shamefully raided the EI surplus when they were in government to pay for their pet political projects.

Our Conservative Government believes that the best solution is to get Canadians back to work.

[Firearms Registry, September 24th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, again yesterday the Leader of the Bloc Québécois went too far. In the newspaper Le Devoir, when talking about the vote on the long gun registry, he quoted the prime minister as saying, “We do not like this decision that was made democratically and therefore we will not implement it.” The leader of the Bloc continued, “That is not the action of a democratic government. That is the action of a dictator.”

I would like the Minister of State for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec to tell us what he thinks of this statement by the Bloc, which is again looking down upon people who live in rural areas.

[Claude Béchard, September 23rd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, on September 7, the Quebec provincial riding of Kamouraska—Témiscouata bid farewell to an extraordinary man. Although only 41 years old, National Assembly member and minister Claude Béchard had made his mark on his riding, his generation and all of Quebec because of his political commitment, tenacity, openness to others and his love for his family, his constituents, his province and his country. In 13 years, Claude Béchard was a minister in at least five departments, and he defended the interests of his riding with courage, determination and a great desire to represent his constituents well.

On behalf of the government and all members of all parties in the House of Commons, I wish to extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and constituents.

Claude was not just my MNA; he was also a friend for whom I had and will always have a great deal of respect.