House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2011, with 31% of the vote.
Health November 29th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, the more we listen to the government, the less we are convinced that adding federal public servants and controls, as the Romanow report proposes, will do anything to help doctors and nurses with day-to-day patient care.
How does the Prime Minister think that adding structures and bureaucrats in Ottawa will make any significant improvement to the quality of emergency services?
Transportation Security November 27th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, the report of the Transportation Safety Board on the Air Satellite tragedy revealed the following, and I quote:
Transport Canada did not comply with its established audit standards for regulatory audits of the operator, thus increasing the risk that training and operational deficiencies would not be identified.
Instead of continually investing in jurisdictions of Quebec and the provinces, why does the government not look after its responsibilities properly? What does the Minister of Transport intend to do to address the shortcomings identified by the Transportation Safety Board?
Government Contracts November 1st, 2002
Mr. Speaker, Everest denies that it made a $1 million bid to organize the tour of the then Secretary of State for Amateur Sport, while the Department of Canadian Heritage says that it brought the amount of the bid down to $500,000. Obviously, the two versions contradict each other.
Could the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell us if she has made the necessary checks? I would like her to tell us who is telling the truth in this matter.
Ferries November 1st, 2002
Mr. Speaker, the federal government is a very bad owner.
It allowed the wharves in Les Escoumins and Trois-Pistoles to deteriorate to the point where the Compagnie de navigation des Basques was prohibited from using the wharf at Les Escoumins, thus depriving the regions of Charlevoix and Les Basques of $5 million in economic spinoffs.
Worse still, after getting assurances from the Minister of Justice, who is responsible for Quebec, that the work would be done this fall, we have now been now told by the federal Minister of Transport that he cannot guarantee that the repairs will be completed in time for the 2003 ferry season.
The transport minister's carelessness is unacceptable and the unfulfilled commitments of the Minister of Justice are scandalous. It is no wonder that the Compagnie de navigation des Basques, the stakeholders from the tourism industry and the whole region are upset.
The federal government must get its act together and announce this fall that the repairs will be completed. The very existence of a powerful tool for economic development and tourism is in jeopardy, and this is strictly because of the federal government's ineptitude.
Softwood Lumber October 25th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, what is preventing the minister from living up to his responsibilities and setting up a loan-guarantee program, knowing that this specific measure does not contravene WTO rules?
Softwood Lumber October 25th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, despite the announcement of a plan to assist workers in the softwood lumber industry, the disastrous effects of the trade dispute are multiplying, while companies are left on their own to fight it out and deal with the crisis.
What is the Minister of Industry waiting for to offer these companies loan guarantees, which would allow them not only to protect jobs, but also to save their investments while waiting for the crisis to end.
Resumption of debate on Address in Reply October 11th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, if I understood correctly, the member is saying that the government had the lead taken out of gas. There is no longer any lead in gas, but the government is acting like a duck hit by lead shot. The Prime Minister had a golden opportunity with the Speech from the Throne.
The member mentioned poverty. The $6 billion the government grabs each year from the employment insurance fund is not returned to the regional economy, it is not paid out to poor families. If there are poor children in Canada, it is because there are poor families. We know that the government slashed the budget for social housing.
There the government had the perfect opportunity to give those $43 billion grabbed from the EI fund back to seasonal workers, to the unemployed in Charlevoix and other ridings in Quebec, and to students.
Students who work during the summer pay employment insurance, and we know they will never be eligible for the benefits. The Speech from the Throne would have been an excellent opportunity for the government to do the right thing once and for all.
Petitions October 10th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I am presenting two petitions signed by more than 1,000 petitioners. The petitions concern the redistribution of economic regions for employment insurance purposes.
The changes in EI economic region boundaries in Manicouagan and Charlevoix are causing serious hardship to the people of these two ridings. Furthermore, the proposition is not consistent with the employment insurance rules pertaining to the uniformity of the labour market and the adjoining regions.
Therefore, the petitioners ask that Parliament revise its administrative redistribution of the region so that the federal ridings of Manicouagan and Charlevoix are once again united and part of the former administrative region of northern Quebec.
Shipping June 14th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, the drop in shipping traffic on the St. Lawrence River is worrying shipowners and their clients. The shipping industry has come up with a proposal for a long term agreement with the coast guard regarding service fees.
Why is the government not responding seriously to the shipping industry's proposal, in order to encourage Quebec's regional economic development?
Wharf Maintenance June 11th, 2002
Mr. Speaker, citizens from Trois-Pistoles recently asked the Minister of Transport to put an end to the situation that resulted in the 2002 ferry season of the Compagnie de navigation des Basques being suspended because of the irresponsibility of the federal government, which let the wharfs deteriorate over the past five years.
Will the Minister of Transport announce today that the 2002 season will be saved and that the wharfs at Trois-Pistoles and Les Escoumins will be repaired?