House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2015, with 29% of the vote.
Immigration April 18th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Prime Minister.
Does the Prime Minister realize that pursuant to a decree passed recently by the Chinese government, these people, upon returning to China, may face jail terms of up to two years and fines representing up to a year's salary?
Immigration April 18th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Prime Minister.
Recently, the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration confirmed that the government was to review the status of 4,500 Chinese nationals who had been denied political refugee status but were allowed to remain in Canada because of the human rights situation in China. These people may now be deported, which would obviously have a negative impact on their personal safety.
Since the repression of all forms of dissidence has increased in China, as pointed out by Amnesty International, does the minister realize that by proceeding with the deportation of these Chinese nationals, we are putting their lives at risk?
Budget Implementation Act, 1994 April 14th, 1994
No cuts were made, but we were told that money was going to be injected in a fund for industrial conversion. However, there is nothing in this program. We are told that there is still the program created a few years ago, a program that the Minister of Finance disapproved, saying that it was totally inadequate. What the Minister of Finance is telling us this year is exactly what the Conservatives were telling us.
As far as women are concerned, the Deputy Prime Minister came to Montreal for a political show, saying that specific measures were going to be taken in favour of women. But what is there in this budget? Social housing is a major concern for women who are single parents. Nothing. When you say that from now on, you will take into account whether or not there is a supplementary revenue in a couple to make it clear as to the unemployment insurance benefits a person will be entitled to receive, that concerns mostly women. Then, you go witch hunting. A bit like the Bourrassa hit squad, the boubou-macoutes, in Quebec, there will be the Martin hit squad-the Rin-Tin-Tin brigade?-which is going to check if a person lives alone and is entitled to 57 or 55 per cent.
In fact, those measures are specifically designed for women. Those measures are reactionary and aggressive. You also promised health care centres for women and day care centres. Then again, we are told that we will have to wait. In three to four years, you will come back promising day care centres. A bit like Duplessis, who said that anyone who promised to build the same bridge at each election would be certain to hold power for ten years or so. Day care centres were promised by the Trudeau Liberals, the Turner Liberals and the Chrétien Liberals. However, as long as the Liberals are in power, our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren will never enjoy day care centres.
Just think of the cuts in the social programs. During three Conservative budgets, all we heard about was cutbacks. Meanwhile, the Liberals, who have sensitive souls, kept on saying that it was terrible and, while referring to the fine words the Prime Minister had on Canada, said that we had to restore the help for assistance to social and minority groups. However, the Prime Minister reduces help for all French-speaking groups. He does not do what he says he is going to do. That is exactly how he behaves.
I believe that my time has expired. I will come back to that later.
Budget Implementation Act, 1994 April 14th, 1994
Madam Speaker, this budget is an irresponsible budget. It is a budget which does not reflect the promises contained in the red book. Quebeckers knew that very well. They did not buy the promises of the Liberals and did not elect many of them: no more than 19, and mainly in Montreal's West Island. Quebeckers were aware that it was all wind. This is the reason why Quebeckers will soon break with this system. And I am sure the Liberals know that as well.
I see ministers confirming what I am saying. The members on the other side know all about it, really. We can see them even if they try to hide from the camera, but when we talk about that, they are not comfortable. They know that when we go over the commitments of the red book one by one, it is clear that they do not appear in the Budget.
I am thinking of social housing for instance. I have discussed that issue with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the hon. member for Papineau-Saint-Michel who said again and again during the election campaign: "It's terrible what the Conservatives have done. They have cut social housing but we, the Liberals, will fix that." If you compare the Liberal budget to the Conservative budget, they are the same, they contain the same measures. There is nothing for social housing. So much so that social housing interest groups in Montreal and the mayor of Montreal denounced this week the federal government's lack of action in the social housing sector.
They asked for federal intervention because for years the federal government was active in that sector, investing in it, creating expectations and then it pulls out, as it did in other sectors, leaving all the responsibility to the provincial governments. Now those governments are passing that responsibility to municipal authorities, who pass it on to taxpayers who can no longer afford to pay their taxes.
I know that taxes do not create any hardship for the hon. member for Kingston and the Islands because his way of living in Kingston has nothing to do with the conditions in which the unemployed workers live in Quebec. There may be, of course, a military college where francophones will not feel at home. A city where high schools are not even equipped with toilets for the students. I understand why the member for Kingston and the Islands does not spend much time in the French high school in Kingston. He has natural needs to be satisfied now and then.
As regards POWA, the Program for Older Worker Adjustment, we have seen the whip of the Official Opposition who is now whip of the government, the member for Saint-Léonard, the member for Papineau-Saint-Michel, the member for LaSalle-Émard present a petition of 10,000 signatures denouncing the fact that older workers outside Montreal, Toronto and a few other large centres had no access to programs. They have no access to those programs because a given number of workers must be laid off at the same time.
Everybody was against that! There were demonstrations in Montreal in February, there were promises: when we take office, we will change things. Only to discover that nothing has been done as far as the Program for Older Worker Adjustment, called POWA. Not only that, an MP, parliamentary secretary to Minister of Human Resources Development, has come to justify the position of the government, using word for word the same arguments used by a conservative MP and minister last year. A copy-cat!
Industrial conversion! The last straw! The helicopter program is cancelled. Alright. Quebec was in favour. And this is in Quebec, I remind you. On the other hand, the tank contract in Toronto was left untouched. This is a different matter. The tank contract has been respected. I suggest to you, Madam Speaker, that if necessary rescue operations by helicopter are possible, but rescue operations by tank are rare.
Manpower Training April 11th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I ask the minister, who seems to be participating in a lot of discussions, if he will keep discussing until the election campaign gets under way in Quebec and then propose to Quebecers an agreement such as the Bourassa-Campbell one, that is another smoke screen?
Manpower Training April 11th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister.
In an interview with the daily Le Devoir , the Quebec Premier reiterated his desire to patriate federal responsibilities for manpower training, saying: ``Quebec has always done a better job than the federal government with vocational training activities, and I will not settle for less''.
Will the Prime Minister agree to this renewed request made by the Quebec government and will he transfer to that province full federal responsibilities for manpower training, as well as the funds to go with it?
Average Income Of Francophones March 24th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, it goes without saying that I am not worried about the minister's economic situation. While he is at it, the minister might as well examine other areas, as we have requested.
Would the Minister of Finance agree with me that, if the income gap narrowed in Quebec, it was thanks to Bill 101 which opened senior management positions up to francophones in Quebec?
Average Income Of Francophones March 24th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance. According to a Statistics Canada study, the income gap between francophones and anglophones is widening steadily at the expense of francophones. In 1977, this gap in favour of anglophones was 4.4 per cent. In 1992, it had increased to 10.3 per cent. This study also shows that only in Quebec has this historical income gap between anglophones and francophones narrowed.
Will the minister recognize that the socioeconomic status of francophones outside Quebec has deteriorated drastically, which goes to show that the Canadian federal system is a total failure?
Party Fundraising March 18th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, I think the member recognizes having used the terms traitor and betrayal. Earlier-
Borrowing Authority Act, 1994-95 March 18th, 1994
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order. I have no objection to the Chair postponing any further discussion on the terms used earlier in the day by a member of the Bloc Quebecois. We will check the blues.
However, the Chair did hear what was said by the hon. member for Carleton-Gloucester. He used the terms traitor and betrayal, and the hon. member should withdraw immediately, because what he said was quite clear. After that, we will see if any members on our side used terms that were unacceptable. We will have to look at them in context. If I say that you betray your mandate, I am not saying that you are traitors to the nation.