House of Commons photoLost her last election, in 2015, with 21% of the vote.
Tobacco Smuggling November 20th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, Quebec's efforts to curb smoking, especially among young people, are being thwarted by the Conservatives' laissez-faire attitude toward tobacco smuggling. While the minister is asleep at the switch—that is the case—our high schools are being flooded with cheap cigarettes from smugglers.
When will the government implement a marking and tracing system so that tobacco is not sold on the black market once it leaves the factory?
Tobacco Smuggling November 20th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, the government is clearly in over its head when it comes to tobacco smuggling. There are about a hundred criminal organizations that smuggle cigarettes to launder money or to increase their earnings. Because of the government's laissez-faire attitude, cigarette smuggling is now as profitable as drug trafficking.
Does the government realize that its strategy to combat smuggling is a failure?
Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act November 17th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, I would like to know what my colleague thinks of this Reform government, which is in favour of law and order for everything that moves but is currently negotiating an agreement under Bill C-23 with narco-politicians, even though that is totally contrary to its ideology.
Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act November 17th, 2009
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague. It is true that there is a new Quebec sovereignist in the family. One day, a minister said that we had to have children, and that is exactly what we are doing.
I want to talk about Bill C-23. We hear more and more about fair globalization and human rights. Even President Obama is talking more and more about the right to democracy.
I have a question for my colleague. Why is this Reform-Conservative government, that keeps introducing law and order bills because it wants to protect victims, negotiating today an agreement with Colombia, with the same people it wants to put in jail?
Why does this government think that it is as pure as the driven snow when in fact it is not? Is it because profits are given precedence over human rights and the right to live? As the saying goes, out of sight, out of mind. In other words, as long as it is not in our backyard, there is no problem.
I would like my colleague to explain why these Reformists have a double standard.
Petitions November 17th, 2009
Madam Speaker, I wish to present to the House a petition calling on the government to continue the moratorium on rural post office closures. These signatures show that the people of Stanstead and Beebe, two municipalities in my riding, are concerned about the phasing out of public services in rural areas. They have every reason to be frustrated. They know that the survival of their towns is dependent on the availability of basic services, and a post office is part of that.
These 200 signatures are in addition to the ones already presented by my Bloc Québécois colleagues. The government must pay attention to these voices.
Françoise Maurice November 6th, 2009
Madam Speaker, today I would like to pay a final tribute to a remarkable woman from my riding, Françoise Maurice, who died on September 11, at the age of 93.
Referred to as the grande dame of culture, she played such a pivotal role in developing and promoting culture in Coaticook that the municipal library was named after her a few years ago.
Françoise Maurice sat on every committee. She was a volunteer at the library that would bear her name and an archivist at the Beaulne museum. She was also very active at the arts and culture pavilion and was an extraordinary reference for the Coaticook historical society for many years.
Like other women before her, Françoise Maurice was a pioneer and a visionary, an exceptional woman whose contribution deserved a special mention in the House today.
Supply Management October 29th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, in addition to putting supply management up for negotiation with the European Union, this government is constantly targeting collective marketing mechanisms and is joining forces with the other members of the Cairns group—who are the strongest opponents of supply management—to ask that negotiations at the WTO be accelerated.
Does this government realize that it has no credibility when it claims to stand up for supply management?
Frédéric Niemeyer October 28th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, today I would like to highlight the stellar achievements of an athlete from my riding, an athlete who makes our region proud as he competes in this country and around the world.
Frédéric Niemeyer is an outstanding tennis player who got his start at the Rock Forest recreation centre with coach François Lefebvre.
In 2003, Frédéric Niemeyer beat the 17th-ranked player in the world, Spaniard Felix Mantilla, to reach the second round of the prestigious Wimbledon tournament.
But he has always been number one in the Eastern Townships. In March of this year, he won the Sherbrooke National Bank Futures tournament in front of his fans, friends and family.
Frédéric has announced that he will retire from competition this fall, and we want to congratulate him on his exceptional career, and wish him a happy retirement with his family.
Bravo, Frédéric.
Agriculture and Agri-food October 9th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, for the past two years, producers and processors have been asking the federal government for a program enabling them to deal with the unfair competition resulting from the new regulations on specified risk materials, or SRM, that are even stricter than those of the United States. The Quebec minister of agriculture, fisheries and food has said that the announcement of a $50 million program for the slaughter industry does not meet the needs of businesses governed by the SRM regulations.
What does the minister plan on doing to support producers and processors who bear the costs of managing specified risk materials?
Madeleine Drolet October 2nd, 2009
Mr. Speaker, today I would like to pay a well-deserved tribute to a wonderful constituent of mine, Madeleine Drolet, who is leaving municipal politics after five terms with the Coaticook city council.
A teacher by training, Madeleine Drolet was one of the first women to become a city councillor. She played a pivotal role in developing and promoting culture within the RCM of Coaticook.
She also played a key part in creating the arts and culture pavilion, and helped develop and promote the Françoise-Maurice library. In 1999, she was received the Mérite estrien award, in the culture category.
Madeleine Drolet will not run for another term on the Coaticook city council on November 1, but we can rest assured that the effects of her tireless work will be felt for many years to come in the Coaticook community.