Christian Paradis

[Gasoline Prices, April 4th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, what is really interesting is that the member is a carbon tax advocate. Imagine the devastating effect of such a tax.

On this side of the House, we have a responsible government that reduced the GST by two percentage points and tabled a budget in that same vein, a budget that keeps taxes low. We also implemented the Fairness at the Pumps Act. These measures are having a tangible impact and are the complete opposite of a carbon tax, which would have a devastating impact on jobs in Canada.

[Government Appointments, April 4th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, all appointments are made based on merit. In this case, I repeat, NSERC is an important granting council. I can assure this House that all appointments, including this one, are made based on merit. I therefore encourage the hon. member to look at the qualifications of the individual in question.

[Government Appointments, April 4th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, NSERC is an important granting council. People must be appointed based on merit, and that is what we always do.

[Telecommunications Industry, April 2nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the CRTC is responsible for the regulations. We all know it is independent of the government. Measures have been put in place by the government, however, including the community broadband programs and the spectrum auction announced a few weeks ago, with the goal of ensuring that all Canadians have access to high-quality, well-priced services, wherever they live.

Therefore, I encourage the hon. member to support the government in taking the necessary measures to ensure that these goals are reached.

[Telecommunications Industry, April 2nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, this government has taken unprecedented measures to ensure that all Canadians have access to quality services. Moreover, just two or three weeks ago, with the spectrum auction, we ensured that all Canadians will have access to quality wireless services, at a reasonable cost, wherever they may be in Canada.

I encourage the NDP to support the government's future initiatives to ensure that quality service is available in every region of the country.

[Science and Technology, April 2nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, this budget is a golden opportunity to focus on efficiency and results. I would simply like to remind my hon. colleague that the Industrial Research Assistance Program will see its funding doubled. This is good news for small and medium-sized businesses. The Quebec junior chamber of commerce and Canada's independent entrepreneurs are welcoming these measures. These are targeted investments that will create jobs and encourage economic growth for Canada.

[The Budget, April 2nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. This is a responsible budget for responsible management. It reduces the tax burden, and that is what stimulates the economy. We will stay the course. My colleague can talk about statistics all he wants, but one thing is clear: since we adopted this approach in 2009, 610,000 net new jobs have been created in Canada, 90% of which are full time. The facts speak for themselves. We are on the right track.

[Industry, March 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, we recently learned that the union has, fortunately, voted in favour of the company's most recent offer. I can confirm that the transaction can now be reviewed under the Investment Canada Act. There is no cause for speculation about this specific issue for the time being.

[Ethics, March 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I went to Mr. Aubut's hunting cabin. I assumed my own costs. I went there on my own with my own equipment. There was no lobbying.

After the fact, there was no involvement by the Government of Canada in the coliseum in terms of funding, which the NDP favoured.

[Ethics, March 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, this is a typical question with a conspiracy theory and mud being thrown everywhere.

I was clear: I went there on my own to Mr. Aubut's cabin. I went there on my own with my own equipment, and I was never lobbied before, during or after the trip.

After that, we all know the federal government did not get involved in coliseum. In that regard, we have no involvement in professional sport. That is the end of the story.