Bernard Généreux

[Business of Supply, May 31st, 2010]

Mr. Chair, the Government of Canada is investing up to $1.5 billion to increase the supply and availability of clean, renewable fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel.

The ecoenergy program for biofuels provides incentives for development that will stimulate the production of renewable fuels.

Compared with gasoline, grain-based ethanol can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 40% on a life cycle basis. For biodiesel, the emissions reduction can be as much as 60%. The coming regulation for renewable content in gasoline alone could reduce Canada’s annual greenhouse gas emissions by four megatonnes.

Can the minister tell us more about the ecoenergy program for biofuels and what investment is being made in Quebec?

[Business of Supply, May 31st, 2010]

Madam Chair, I would like to ask the minister a question so that we can review the measures we already have in place together with the National Energy Board to ensure that what is going on in the United States in the Gulf of Mexico can never happen in Canada.

I gather that the National Energy Board has already implemented strict measures. I would like the minister to provide more information about that.

[Business of Supply, May 31st, 2010]

Madam Chair, the minister spoke about Canada being a natural resources powerhouse. It is clear that natural resources have been a cornerstone of Canada's economy since before Confederation.

Could he tell us more about the contribution natural resources sector makes to a Canadian economy of today and a little about its potential for the future?

[Bloc Québécois, May 26th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, Bloc Québécois members say they are in Ottawa to protect Quebeckers' interests, but it might be a good idea to review some of the things our government has done since coming to power. Twenty years after the Bloc Québécois' arrival in the House, I still have to wonder exactly what it has accomplished for Quebec.

Since coming to power, our government has recognized that Quebeckers form a distinct nation within a united Canada, signed an important agreement between Canada and Quebec about UNESCO, invested heavily in Quebec infrastructure, provided real help to agricultural producers, and more.

Bloc Québécois members have often remained seated when our government proposed initiatives for all Quebeckers. When it is time to act, Quebeckers can count on the Conservative government. Our government is here to serve all Quebeckers.

[Business of Supply, May 11th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, if the voice of the people is the voice of God, I would like to tell my colleague that the people in my riding elected a Conservative for a very simple reason: when a party is in power, it can really accomplish things. In 20 years, the Bloc has not been able to accomplish anything in Ottawa. I do not know what the Bloc members are doing in Ottawa if they want Quebec to be independent. Quebec independence will happen in Quebec City, if it ever does happen. I sincerely believe that that is where the Bloc should go.

My question is very simple: how can the members opposite claim to stand up for Quebeckers' interests when Quebeckers elect Conservatives to Parliament?

[Business of Supply, May 11th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I have a very simple question about this motion for my colleagues opposite. If I am not mistaken, on November 9, 2009, in the riding of Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup, after electing a Bloc opposition member for 16 years, the people made a completely different choice. I would like to know how they see the heartbreaking defeat they suffered in my riding.

[Business of Supply, May 11th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Outremont claims that our party is trying to destroy everything in Quebec, when in fact no government has ever engaged as flexible an open federalism as this Conservative government has. We are working on building a strong Quebec within a united Canada—I repeat, a strong Quebec within a united Canada—so that the Quebec nation recognized by this House in November 2006 can fully thrive and shine both across Canada and on the international scene. As for the NDP, it has tried and continues to try to create a submissive Quebec within a predatory federal system, as did the Liberals repeatedly between 1993 and 2006.

Could my colleague from Outremont explain to the House why his centralizing party voted against restoring fiscal balance in 2007?

[Broadband Canada Program, May 10th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, our government announced a series of projects to receive conditional funding approval under the Broadband Canada: Connecting Rural Canadians program. These 52 projects, in nine provinces and territories across Canada, will bring broadband Internet access to an estimated 169,000 households.

As a result of this announcement, many individuals, families and businesses across Canada will soon have access to high-speed Internet service for the first time and therefore access to important economic and social benefits.

These measures will encourage economic development, spur innovation and improve the quality of life in hundreds of communities from coast to coast to coast.

The projects announced were selected in order to include as many households as possible that are currently unserved or underserved.

This announcement is just the beginning. Other announcements will follow until all available funds have been allocated.

[Firearms Registry, May 4th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, by turning its back on honest hunters and farmers in Quebec who want to see the useless and expensive long gun registry scrapped, the Bloc is showing, yet again, that it does not have a monopoly on Quebec values.

After 20 years of resistance and empty debate from the Bloc's leader, it is high time that his more taciturn disciples tell us why they are really here in Ottawa: to undermine Quebec's interests.

What do the Bloc members have to say to citizens in the regions, such as Abitibi—Témiscamingue, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, Gaspésie, the Lower St. Lawrence and the Côte-Nord, that would begin to justify their disdain for the real concerns of Quebeckers?

While the Bloc members take it easy in Ottawa, doing nothing except respond to the every whim of the Bloc's head office—to the detriment of their electors—the Conservative members are working to defend the interests of Quebec's hunters and farmers. We on this side are defending the interests of all Quebeckers.

[The Economy, April 29th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal leader has not bothered to ask a question about Canada's economy for a month now, and the last time he did, he proposed to increase the tax burden on Canadians and Quebeckers.

Since March 29, the Liberal leader has focused his attention on so-called scandals, on forcing his members to support the long gun registry and on promoting his book, instead of on the most important issue to Canadians: the economy.

The Liberal leader is deliberately not talking about the economy, because Canadians know that his plan is to raise taxes. With phase two of our economic action plan, our government is acting to improve our economy, and we are getting results.

We are working hard to stimulate Canada's economy by promoting job creation and growth across the country.