Denis Coderre

[Transportation, December 2nd, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Transport.

On October 5, 2001, the Canadian Trucking Alliance and Teamsters Canada signed an agreement on the hours of service to be performed by truck drivers. Since then, the maximum is 14 hours, including 13 hours on the road. However, officials now want to review this policy and are proposing to increase the maximum up to 18 hours of service, which is totally irresponsible.

Will the minister protect the quality of life of truckers and our own safety on highways by upholding the 2001 agreement and putting a stop to this nonsense?

[Canadian Heritage Act, October 26th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, this is a key issue. I am a member from Quebec, and all of us are extremely sensitive to the environmental issue. I therefore am of the opinion that the presence of Parks Canada is essential to the protection of wildlife and the environment.

Although he does not make it a habit, the hon. member declined to answer my question. He preferred playing the same old tune again, and I wonder why. We also agree with the role of Parks Quebec.

I would like to know whether the hon. member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie agrees that we should have more Canadian parks in Quebec.

[Haiti, October 19th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Just as Canada, along with the international community, is giving its support to the interim government in Haiti in its reconstruction process, there is a significant increase in violence in Port-au-Prince. It seems obvious that, from a security point of view, the situation has deteriorated.

How is Canada reacting to this and, more specifically, what is it telling all those who are currently working to help in Gonaïves and the surrounding region?

[Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Act, October 14th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, if there is one issue on which we should obviously not be partisan, it is public safety. We must also recognize our colleague's contribution to public safety in Quebec. The Carcajou squad comes to mind. Obviously we know the hon. member is keenly interested in organized crime. We have seen him riding his motorcycle, too. He is a motorcycle guy. We saw him during the police conferences.

I would just like to ask one question that comes from the Quebec Liberal caucus in this House as well as from the Bloc. It is the issue of RCMP presence in the regions. We know that a reorganization of RCMP detachments is currently going on. We would like to hear about his experience with that.

Does the hon. member think it better to group the forces together as in Drummondville, for example, or is it better, in terms of public safety, to have an effective RCMP presence in more distant corners such as Joliette, Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Saint-Hyacinthe or Granby? Should there be a local presence in these places or is it better and just as effective to centralize?

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, October 7th, 2004]

I want to thank my colleague for her contribution. Of course, she did not fall for the tricks of the Bloc Quebecois. Her approach is very sensible.

I would like her to speak as an aboriginal Canadian. Since she has also worked extensively with children, I would like her to remind this House, for the benefit of those who are watching us, how the throne speech is important for children and for aboriginal health.

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, October 7th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I can understand why my colleague from Repentigny is so sensitive. Perhaps such words as “get out of the country”, were used, which is unacceptable.

As for calling people traitors, it would mean that this applies to all separatists in Quebec, including the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste, which had called the members of the Liberal Party in the House traitors. I would like him to comment on these unparliamentary words and tell us exactly the same thing, which is that he is sorry and that the word “traitor” is unacceptable, no matter which side of the House he is referring to.

[Fisheries Act, April 30th, 2004]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-33, an act to amend the Fisheries Act.

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

[Canada Labour Code, April 30th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, as we have always said, when there is an employer-employee process in place, we must respect that process. That is what the minister has been doing, since the beginning, and she does it very well, too.

[Whistleblower Protection, April 30th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, the bill is very clear with respect to crown corporations. I also learned of this request through the media and I received a copy of the letter. The response is simple. The CBC will not be excluded from the process. It will be fully included in the bill.

[Public Service, April 30th, 2004]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to say again what I have been saying from the outset: this is an internal matter involving the Department of Canadian Heritage.

To set the record straight, what the member is referring to is the June 1991 Osborne decision. In it the court pointed out that there was a convention under the Constitution recognizing the neutrality of public servants as essential to the principles of responsible government.

When a conflict arises between personal interests and public interest, the resolution should give precedence to the public interest.