France Bonsant

[Canada Summer Jobs, June 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, by insisting on politicizing the Canada summer jobs program, the Conservatives are causing irreparable harm to students. The government cut the program budget by 12% by changing the criteria, centralizing the administration and hiding information.

And yet, the government boasts that it is responsible and transparent. In order to avoid repeating this year's disaster, does the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development intend to quickly transfer administration of the program to Quebec, which has the infrastructure and experience to administer such a program?

[Élie-Carrier Community Centre, June 8th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, for 10 years, the Centre communautaire Élie-Carrier in Coaticook has been offering various activities to seniors.

Many seniors are faced with the same reality of isolation and solitude, and this concept of leisure activities, approved by doctors, is a winning formula that is attracting more and more participants.

By offering an outing, a network of contacts, varied and accessible activities, lectures and plays, the Centre communautaire Élie-Carrier gives seniors an excellent opportunity to have fun and break out of their isolation.

Congratulations to Maurice Salois, founder of the project and former president, to Micheline Michaud, current president of the centre, as well as to all the volunteers. We wish continued success to the centre, so that it can keep offering our seniors a better life.

[The 1995 Referendum, June 5th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, in the wake of the Grenier report on Option Canada, federalists have once again scorned Quebec's laws and democracy.

Prince Edward Island recently elected a premier who, in a show of Canadian patriotism, committed fraud on the day of the 1995 referendum. In Lennoxville, not far from where I live, hundreds of students from all over Canada illegally placed their names on the list of voters so that they could vote “no”. The new premier, Robert Ghiz, was one of them.

Now that I see what becomes of cheaters, I am prouder today than ever before to be a sovereignist. I am proud that as sovereignists, we are playing by the rules of democracy to get ourselves a country.

Enough is enough. That is why we are demanding a public inquiry into Option Canada.

[Canada Summer Jobs, May 29th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, over the past few weeks, the Conservatives have demonstrated their improvisation skills in areas under provincial jurisdiction.

In the Canada summer jobs file, youth, organizations in Quebec and the Bloc Québécois all warned the government about its questionable choices concerning the criteria and the assessment of funding requests.

When it realized that it had made a mistake, the government backpedalled and returned to the way things used to be. Thanks to the Bloc Québécois' work, young people in Quebec will have better job opportunities and our organizations will be able to keep making valuable contributions to their communities.

We hope that the government has now learned its lesson. Worker training programs do not fall under its jurisdiction. It must therefore transfer all such programs to Quebec without delay.

[Summer Career Placements Program, May 28th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, what the government is not saying is that, this year, it has managed to keep up appearances. But the reality is that, next year, it will cut funding for this program by over half or $45 million. This job training program falls within Quebec's jurisdiction.

Will the government listen to reason and not make any cuts to the program and transfer it to Quebec?

[Summer Career Placements Program, May 28th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, Canada summer jobs is another example of the government's masterful bungling. Last week, the government tried to put out the fire it had lit itself by getting in touch with groups that had been arbitrarily refused jobs.

Rather than trying to save face by allocating these jobs at the last minute, will the government agree to transfer this program to Quebec, as requested by the Quebec Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs?

[Canada Summer Jobs Program, May 17th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development claims an intent to better focus the funding of the new Canada summer jobs program. In his remarks yesterday, he attempted to distort reality by trying to run down the groups and activities funded under the old program.

Does the minister really believe that projects mainly involving organizations working with the disabled, culture, tourism activities and youth camps do not deserve financial assistance?

[Apéri-Fruits Compton, May 11th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, as you know, I love homegrown Quebec products, and I am always eager to talk about the quality and variety of products from my riding.

To back up my claim, one of our local companies distinguished itself during the Quebec City gastronomy festival, held from April 20 to 22, by living up to the reputation built by products from the Eastern Townships. There are two categories in the “cup of nations” competition: the international category for wines sold by the SAQ, and the local category for wine and cider by Quebec artisan producers. Of the 282 products that were sampled and judged, Apéri-Fruits Compton's black currant aperitif was awarded the silver medal in the flavoured liqueurs category.

I would like to congratulate Yves Cousineau and Marc Boily on their achievement. We knew you produced an excellent aperitif, and now everyone else knows it too.

[Yvon Ménard, April 20th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the extraordinary dedication shown by Mr. Yvon Ménard to his community of East Angus.

Mr. Ménard has been a volunteer for over half a century, contributing to the growth of his community. He has been particularly devoted to the golf club and to the revival of the Lions club of East Angus. He chaired the local chamber of commerce, sat on the city's health committee and, since 2006, has been a municipal councillor.

A Quebec pioneer in the use of sawdust in hydroponics, Mr. Ménard also won the Gilles-Bordeleau award of merit for his work within the federation of Quebec greenhouse producers.

Mr. Ménard said it best himself: he may be retired from a payroll, but not from an active life. This full-time volunteer is an invaluable asset to the community of Haut-Saint-François.

Congratulations, Mr. Ménard. Your remarkable contribution serves an example for everyone.

[Petitions, March 30th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to present a petition in the House signed by at least 1,000 young people and organizations from across Quebec, who are calling for the return and improvement of the summer career placement program.