Gilles Duceppe

[Taxation, September 25th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the Quebec Minister of Municipal Affairs, who was a campaign organizer for the member for LaSalle—Émard, had a word of caution for the future Liberal leader. Instead of denying that a fiscal imbalance exists and using the surplus to deal directly with municipalities, Ottawa should give a portion of its gasoline tax revenue to Quebec, which will look after distributing it.

Will the Prime Minister admit that the stage is set, and that a simple transfer of funds, much more than the negotiation of a new pact, as advocated by his successor, would allow Quebec to quickly provide much needed assistance to the municipalities?

[Municipalities, September 24th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government can deny it all it wants, but there is fiscal imbalance. The proof of this is that the new Liberal leader wants to give up part of the federal gasoline tax, but on condition that it go to the municipalities.

If the federal government really wants to help municipalities, if the true objective is not to interfere, will the Prime Minister admit that it is not necessary to find a new mechanism, as his successor is proposing, since there is one already in place: simply pay the money directly to the Government of Quebec, which will ensure municipalities benefit from it, without any further delay or red tape?

[Municipalities, September 24th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the former finance minister and father of fiscal imbalance has made huge cuts to the federal transfer payments to Quebec, and the municipalities are having serious financial difficulties. The Quebec minister of municipal affairs is, moreover, demanding that Ottawa help them, but in a way that respects Quebec's jurisdiction.

Since the money is in Ottawa, if the federal government wants to really help municipalities, why does it not just hand over its surplus funds directly to the Government of Quebec, which has jurisdiction over municipalities?

[Foreign Affairs, September 23rd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, he does not have the support of the future leader of the Liberal Party.

The Prime Minister can talk all he wants about the benefits of multilateralism, his successor has already adopted the Bush administration's views on Iraq. Last May, the new Liberal leader stated, “The lack of consensus within the UN must not condemn us to inaction”.

In light of such a statement, does the government realize that, with the hon. member for LaSalle—Émard as prime minister, Canada would have gone to war in Iraq without UN approval?

[Foreign Affairs, September 23rd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, in a preview of his speech to the United Nations, the Prime Minister sent a message to the United States when he said, “No one country, no matter how powerful, has either the wisdom or the ability to defeat terrorism on its own”. Unfortunately, that is not what his successor thinks.

Will the government admit that the man who has the ear of the Bush administration is the new Liberal leader, who believes that, “Multilateralism is a means, not an end” and mentioned arrangements outside the United Nations.

[The Environment, September 22nd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, there is a problem. The minister's answer surprises me somewhat.

When Quebec wanted to construct a power plant on the Toulnustouc River north of Baie-Comeau, Ottawa did not hesitate to use the Fisheries Act to block the project for six months, even though Quebec, unlike New Brunswick, had done its homework and even though freshwater fisheries are not within federal jurisdiction.

Since fishing in the baie des Chaleurs is clearly within the federal domain, what is the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans waiting for before enforcing the law and blocking construction of an incinerator at Belledune?

Is there one law for Quebec and another for New Brunswick? I would like to know that.

[The Environment, September 22nd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, New Brunswick has given the green light to the construction of an incinerator at Belledune on the baie des Chaleurs, an incinerator in which soils contaminated with creosote and hydrocarbons will be burned. In addition to the risks for public health, both emissions and transportation of the contaminated waste are a danger to fish stocks.

Since the Fisheries Act indicates that it is forbidden to operate facilities or businesses that might lead to the deterioration, destruction or disturbance of fish habitat, is the minister prepared to enforce the law and impose a moratorium on construction of the Belledune incinerator?

[Canadian Grand Prix, September 18th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, if the minister is serious about wanting to save the Grand Prix without amending the Tobacco Act—and we agree with him on that—or spending any public funds, we have a suggestion for him.

Could the federal government, which spends 75% of the Canada Day budget in Quebec, set its obsession with visibility aside for two years only, and use the $5 million annual budget to establish the transitional fund and preserve the $80 million a year in spinoffs from the Montreal Grand Prix for another two years only?

[Canadian Grand Prix, September 18th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the minister responsible for Quebec in this government stated that no stone would be left unturned to save the 2004 Montreal Grand Prix.

Given that time is of the essence, that amending the Tobacco Act is out of the question and that the government has not come up with any options, will the minister seriously consider the Bloc Quebecois' suggestion to set up, for a maximum of two years, a transitional fund into which both the public and private sectors would pay in order to save the Montreal Grand Prix?

[Finance, September 17th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, in anticipation of the budget, the current Prime Minister is recommending that the federal government invest heavily, especially in Quebec jurisdictions.

Will the Minister of Finance consult his future boss to find out whether he agrees with such an encroachment strategy, which has been made possible by the massive cuts imposed on Quebec and the provinces by the former Minister of Finance and next Prime Minister?