House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 49% of the vote.
Official Languages March 7th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, this is yet another typical example of the Orange Bloc spouting the same old rhetoric as the Bloc Québécois. It is irresponsible.
Bills written on the back of a napkin are unacceptable. Bills must be based on facts. We are saying that we are going to assess the bill in a mature and thoughtful manner, and we are going to keep that promise. When this analysis is complete, we will make a formal announcement and reveal our plan.
Official Languages March 7th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, the NDP is introducing a bill that was written on the back of a napkin, without considering the impact it would have.
We have a responsible approach. We said that we would conduct an analysis and that we would honour that commitment in a mature and thoughtful manner. When this process is complete, we will announce it formally.
Consumer Protection March 6th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, I find it rich that the member for York South—Weston now pretends to stand with cellphone users after voting against cellphone unlocking by voting against Bill C-11. Our government has taken concrete actions to build a strong and competitive telecommunications sector. Once again, I would like to highlight the industry's effort to address the serious issue of cellphone theft. We will continue to work with industry to protect Canadian consumers and deliver more choice through greater competition.
International Trade March 4th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, let us be clear: Bill C-56 is a way to support and protect Canadian families.
Counterfeiting is a growing problem that must be stopped. Counterfeiting deceives Canadians and poses risks to the safety of Canadians. We must ensure that the legislation is updated and appropriate in order to equip the authorities with effective tools to fight counterfeiting, which is exactly what was introduced on Friday. If the NDP is responsible, I hope they will support us.
International Trade March 4th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, we are very happy to have introduced an anti-counterfeiting bill in the House. Counterfeiting is a growing problem in Canada.
Counterfeiting deceives Canadians and is linked to security-related issues. So it was our duty to modernize the legislation to ensure that we can end counterfeiting, so that Canadians are not deceived, and to provide better security.
Regional Economic Development March 4th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, the regions are this government's priority. Once again, we have taken unprecedented measures. We have given $2 billion back to municipalities through the gas tax fund. We have made that permanent. It is the law.
We are working for Quebec and, unlike the virtually invisible NDP members, we have implemented economic development measures. The NDP slogan in Quebec is more like “our region on the scrap heap”.
We will continue to implement positive economic measures without raising taxes.
Regional Economic Development March 4th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, more than 980 forestry businesses have received support from EDC.
I would also like to remind the member that federal transfers to Quebec have increased by 44%, and that does not include the Old Harry offshore oil and natural gas initiative. That is regional economic development, just as we promised. We are getting results.
And then there are the NDP, who vote against nearly every economic stimulus measure that we put forward in the House of Commons.
Telecommunications February 15th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, Bill C-12 will better protect the personal information of consumers.
We are trying to bolster consumer confidence in on-line shopping. Recommendations were made by the committee and we want to implement them quickly. If the NDP wants to vote immediately, we would be very pleased to move forward with this bill.
Financial Institutions February 15th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, many reforms and initiatives were announced in recent months.
Canada is now positioning itself as one of the best countries, when it comes to the economy in general. We were the last to enter the recession and the first to come out of it.
Over 900,000 net new jobs were created since the recession. The BDC has indeed played a role in this. It continues to do so, and the review is ongoing.
Financial Institutions February 15th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, the hon. member raises the issue of co-operatives. We agree that co-operatives are an economic engine in our country, and that they create jobs. That is why we followed up on the report's findings and repatriated the co-operatives branch in the Department of Industry.
As for the BDC, it was a major player in the support plan, when the time came to inject accelerated funds, during the financial crisis. The BDC is still providing support. Funds are available, both for co-operatives and for technology. The BDC is undergoing a review process, which will be properly carried out, as it should.