Claude Gravelle

[Jean-Marc Aubin, October 25th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, for over 30 years, Jean-Marc Aubin has been an ardent defender of education rights for francophones and has dedicated himself to developing French-language services.

Mr. Aubin was a founding member of Collège Boréal and president of the Association canadienne-française de l'Ontario. In the 1990s, he was president of the French language section and, under his leadership, that section carved out its own unique place in the region and in the province. Mr. Aubin is currently the chair of the Conseil scolaire public du Grand Nord de l'Ontario. He is always ready to bring forward innovative projects to benefit students and the francophone community.

In November 2010, he was awarded the Jean-Robert Gauthier prize for his outstanding contribution. In May 2011, he was decorated with the Ordre de la Pléiade, an honour bestowed by the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie.

Mr. Aubin continues to focus on and promote the rights of Franco-Ontarians. I am pleased and very proud to rise today to congratulate Jean-Marc Aubin.

[The Environment, October 24th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, that answer clearly shows that the Conservative government does not understand the consequences of its inaction. The Commissioner of the Environment and a number of unions fighting to protect jobs in Alberta have called the government's plan for the oil sands inadequate.

Instead of supporting a pipeline that exports our bitumen and our jobs abroad, why does this government not address international concerns about its management of the oil sands?

[The Environment, October 24th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, the hypocrisy of the government continues. It heralds free trade with the European Union, yet is threatening to take the European Union to the WTO to protect big oil companies and the oil sands.

The international community is concerned about the environmental costs of the oil sands. Instead of acting to address this, the Conservatives just keep giving larger and larger subsidies to these highly profitable companies.

How many more black eyes before Conservatives finally wake up and take action on the environment?

[The Environment, October 24th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, here is a relevant question. The hypocrisy of the government continues. It has—

[Investment Canada Act, October 21st, 2011]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-334, An Act to amend the Investment Canada Act (enhanced ministerial oversight).

Mr. Speaker, again I am happy to reintroduce in the House my private member's bill, Bill C-334, An Act to amend the Investment Canada Act (enhanced ministerial oversight). I want to thank my colleague from Windsor West for allowing me to work on this file. This important legislation would provide substantive improvements to the Investment Canada Act. This bill is the culmination of consultations with stakeholders, experts, academics and labour organizations.

This bill among other things would: require the Minister of Industry to consult with representatives of industry and labour, provincial and local authorities, and other interested persons in exercising their powers under the Investment Canada Act; lower the threshold for ministerial review to $100 million; invite submissions from interested parties; require sureties from non-Canadian investors; broaden the minister's consideration when evaluating net benefits; eliminate the prohibition against communications of information related to the investment; and extend the timetable for review from 45 to 90 days.

In other words, this bill would strengthen the Investment Canada Act to protect workers and their communities, something the Conservative government and previous Liberal governments have refused to do.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Investment Canada Act, October 21st, 2011]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-333, An Act to amend the Investment Canada Act (disclosure of undertakings and demands).

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce my private member's bill, Bill C-333, An Act to amend the Investment Canada Act (disclosure of undertakings and demands). It is very much related to two other private members' bills I introduced earlier this month regarding the acquisition of Inco and Falconbridge in Sudbury.

When a foreign company takes over a Canadian company, it often must first make undertakings to Industry Canada to ensure that the acquisition will be a net profit to the country. Currently, these undertakings are confidential under the Investment Canada Act. I believe Canadians have the right to know what commitments a foreign company has made when it takes over a Canadian company, especially when it concerns our natural resources.

The bill would allow any Canadian citizen the right to request that these undertakings be made public. In light of recent events with Xstrata, Vale Inco and U.S. Steel, it is time for Parliament to introduce transparency and accountability to foreign takeover agreements.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Forestry Industry, October 21st, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, Goulard Lumber in Sturgeon Falls is losing its Quebec-based customers, who are now buying cheaper lumber from Maine. Why? Because the black liquor subsidy from the U.S. government lets them undercut the price of Canadian producers.

Like other companies across Canada, Goulard Lumber is not getting a fair deal from a government that worships free trade. When will the government adopt a forestry strategy that puts Canadians first and supports our communities?

[Copyright Modernization Act, October 18th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member sitting behind me for her eloquent speech on this bill. Since the member is an educator, I would like her to comment on the fact that digital locks are going to exist on some of these discs and after five days they will be destroyed, and that course material used by long distance students will have to be destroyed after 30 days. I would like the member to comment on how she thinks long distance education is going to be affected by this bill?

[Falconbridge Limited Acquisition Act, October 6th, 2011]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-329, An Act respecting the acquisition of Falconbridge Limited by Xstrata PLC.

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to introduce a private member's bill respecting the acquisition of Falconbridge Limited by Xstrata PLC.

Xstrata acquired Canadian mining company Falconbridge in July 2006. In the House of Commons, I asked the Minister of Industry to make the agreements in question public and I also asked the government under the Access to Information Act, but have, so far, received no response.

I am, therefore, introducing this bill which would require the Government of Canada to publish all written undertakings given in the right of Canada under the Investment Canada Act in respect to the acquisition of Falconbridge. The bill also would require the publication of all correspondence exchanged between the minister and the company about enforcement of this agreement.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Inco Limited Acquisition Act, October 6th, 2011]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-328, An Act respecting the acquisition of Inco Limited by CVRD Canada Inc.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce a private member's bill entitled, “An Act respecting the acquisition of Inco Limited by CVRD Canada Inc.

Vale, formerly CVRD, acquired Canada-owned mining company Inco in October 2006. I have made requests of the Minister of Industry, Vale Inco, the House of Commons and through the Access to Information Act to have the details of the agreement made public and have been repeatedly denied.

I, therefore, present this legislation which would release the details of the Vale Inco agreement, along with any correspondence between the minister and the company and its enforcement.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)