Christian Ouellet

[The Budget, May 10th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague from Blackstrap on making a speech that did not attack the former government at every turn. We are growing tired of hearing both sides of the House rehash the past all the time. For once, we heard a positive and forward looking speech that dealt with the budget instead of what the others did not do.

I did, however, find that the member was overdoing it somewhat. She made everything sound so great and wonderful that it was hard to believe. One might wonder if she is living on a pink cloud. This budget does have deficiencies in terms of measures that it should include.

Here is my question to my hon. colleague. Why not have modified good projects like EnerGuide instead of eliminating them? While that particular project is said to have cost 50¢ out of every $1 to administer, it did help reduce greenhouse gases. Also, did anyone stop to think that some measures difficult to implement might have proven effective, despite administration costs of 50¢ out of every $1?

Finally, why is there nothing in this budget for the homeless?

[The Budget, May 10th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Canadian Heritage.

She says that Canadians are ready to pay taxes, but that they want good services. Why did the government cut the GST by 1% in its budget? We know that this will cut every riding's budget, including my own, by $13 million. This money could be invested in cultural activities, in heritage, in things that are really important. We get $13 million less for a tax cut that means more to people who buy expensive things than to those who have lower incomes and have to buy diapers and books for their children.

That is not what is important. I would have supported cutting income taxes, but the 1% tax cut takes money out of community coffers, which make it hard for them to support heritage.

I would like the minister to tell the House just how prepared people are to pay taxes. Why the 1% tax cut?

[Bromont National Cycling Centre, May 3rd, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, there is a non-profit competitive cycling training centre in Bromont, in my riding of Brome—Missisquoi.

Only two training centres for Canadian and Quebec athletes are recognized in Canada. The other one is in Victoria. More importantly, the Bromont centre is the only place in North America with all the facilities that meet the standards of international competition in the four Olympic cycling disciplines.

Their primary aim is to help elite Quebec and Canadian athletes improve in their respective disciplines. They also initiate and develop young Quebec talent, who could go on to become tomorrow's international athletes. It is therefore important to support the Bromont centre to enable it to help develop the new generation of cyclists and excellence in cycling.

[Trusts, April 25th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the act to authorize the Minister of Finance to make certain payments allocates money for social housing. Three hundred million dollars have gone to Ontario for social housing. The remaining $1.3 billion is in trust.

With the rest of the money, does the government plan to sign similar agreements with Quebec and the other provinces and transfer the appropriate money for social housing?

[Royal Canadian Mounted Police, April 7th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, in its electoral platform, the Conservative Party promised to reopen the nine detachments that the RCMP closed in Quebec in 2005.

Now that the Conservative Party is in power, can the Minister of Public Safety tell us when the government will make good on its promise?

[Social Housing, April 6th, 2006]

Mr. Speaker, the lack of any mention of social housing in the Speech from the Throne is dismaying.

How can a government that says it wants to tackle crime and provide prospects for young people not realize that the solutions to this problem start with support for building decent housing for low-income families?