Guy André

[Business of Supply, April 28th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform our colleague that we are now in the year 2009. We have media and newspapers, people are educated and follow politics, and right now they are looking primarily at Quebec’s economy.

The Conservatives say people in Quebec are happy with the federal budget, but the polls are down. People are actually very unhappy with this dishonest, partisan budget. The Conservatives are trying to use it to buy votes in Ontario at the expense of Quebec. The proof is that they are investing $2.7 billion in the automobile industry and only $170 million in the forest and manufacturing industries, which are suffering badly but still provide more jobs than the automobile industry.

When it comes to tax harmonization, the Conservatives say we are going to harmonize it. We harmonized our sales tax with the GST back in 1990. The fact it is allegedly still not harmonized costs us $2.6 billion. The government says here in the House that it reduced taxes and pretends everyone is happy in the best of worlds, but it is not true. The government is totally hypocritical. That is the word for it. It is showing just how hypocritical it is.

Quebec voters are going to show just how dissatisfied they are in the next election and soon this party, which is highly partisan with public funds and has no sense of justice and fairness toward the people of Canada and Quebec, will find itself joining the ranks of the opposition. As in Mr. Mulroney’s day, it is going to find itself in the corner with two or three members. That is what will happen. What the Conservatives say is simply shameful.

[Business of Supply, April 27th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate my colleague on his excellent speech.

In terms of the economy, the Université de Montréal has studied the Conservatives' investments in border security. While we should be investing more in border security, they have cut funds, as my colleague mentioned. Some $70 million has been lost in connection with border security. About $42 million in salaries has been lost, along with $32 million in added value.

Given these undeniable numbers, not to mention the impact on tourism, it is clear that the federal government must invest more in border security. We know that a lot of tourists come to Quebec, and that has a major impact on tourism development, particularly given the economic crisis. I think that the Conservative government should act more quickly to save and create jobs. Would my colleague care to comment on that?

[Business of Supply, April 27th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the member on having moved this motion, which is of vital importance to our relationship with the United States.

Last week, I mentioned that the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, said that the terrorists involved in the September 11, 2001, attacks entered the United States through Canada. The Conservatives have a lot to say about cross-border measures, but then they turn around and cut border services. They say that they want to make our borders safer, but at the same time, they are cutting certain services.

Would the member care to comment on that?

[Business of Supply, March 31st, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, my question is a simple one.

We are well aware that the Conservatives have just cut CBC/Radio-Canada's budget. The Liberal Party has today put forward a motion calling for more support for the corporation.

I have twice asked the Liberal members how they would propose to support CBC/Radio-Canada if they were in power. What would they do to make CBC/Radio-Canada a nation-wide broadcaster, and in particular to bring it into all the francophone communities?

We have good programs and a good radio broadcaster, but at present the funding is lacking. Many jobs are being cut. Eight hundred jobs are soon to be cut at the CBC.

How would the Liberals propose to fund CBC/Radio-Canada if they were in power? I am asking the question for the third time.

[Business of Supply, March 31st, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives all want to privatize. They love private businesses.

Does the member think that the cuts being made by the Conservatives at the expense of CBC/Radio-Canada are being made in order to benefit a private broadcaster such as Canwest Global Communications Corp., or CTV?

I have another question. I put a question to his Liberal colleague: what does he propose, in terms of per capita funding, for the CBC/Radio-Canada network?

[Business of Supply, March 31st, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative Party will be paid back in spades in the next election for the massacre they are committing at CBC/Radio-Canada. Quebeckers will make them pay dearly.

I was looking at some statistics and have a question for the Liberal member. The British pay about $124 per capita for their television and radio networks. The French pay $77. We in the Bloc Québécois want to see $40 per capita in support for CBC/Radio-Canada, which is hardly the end of the world.

If the Liberal Party should take power, what would its position be? It had this proposal today in its motion on opposition day. But what is its position? Are you going to reinvest in CBC/Radio-Canada? How much will you reinvest, or are you going to cut CBC/Radio-Canada as you did back in the 1990s? You just bashed it too.

[Business of Supply, March 31st, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I have listened to this morning’s speeches about the CBC. They are interesting. The CBC has announced that 800 positions will be abolished shortly. Hubert Lacroix has said that the shortfall would be about $171 million in 2009-10. The Bloc Québécois is proposing that the grant to the CBC be increased from $34 to $40 per capita.

There has been a $45 million cut to culture in Quebec. That was an issue in the election campaign. The CBC also broadcasts in French in all the francophone communities of Canada.

I would like the hon. member to tell me why the Conservatives are attacking Quebec culture in this way while at the same time investing so much in military procurement and all sorts of things. We are talking here about $170 million. The Conservatives seem to have it in for anything to do with Quebec culture.

[Joannie Rochette, March 30th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Quebecker Joannie Rochette, who won the silver medal in the women's singles event at the world figure skating championships in Los Angeles. This is a great achievement by this young woman from Île Dupas, a municipality in the riding of Berthier—Maskinongé.

Her prowess and success are an inspiration and an example. Thank you to her parents, her family, her friends and the local businesses that have always supported and encouraged her in her career.

My Bloc Québécois colleagues join me in congratulating Ms. Rochette on doing Quebec proud on the international sports scene with her determination, her discipline and her great talent.

[Income Tax Act, March 30th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure to conclude this time for debate on Bill C-288, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (tax credit for new graduates working in designated regions). During this hour, some of my colleagues and some members of the other parties have said some interesting things about the issues in rural areas. Unfortunately, I was listening to the Conservative member opposite, and I am very sorry to hear him talk that way about rural regions.

In Mauricie, the region of Quebec I represent, 80% of the people are rural dwellers. There are many economic activities in rural areas. Members are aware of the issues related to forestry, tourism—more and more people from urban areas are coming to rural areas to enjoy fishing and hunting and stay at resorts—farming, which is important to rural communities, and manufacturing, which has developed over the years.

We have to provide tools to help rural communities develop. Quebec has a number of organizations, such as our local development centres. There is also the CFDC, which is under federal jurisdiction and plays an important local development role in these communities. We have also set up youth employment centres, which are based in rural communities and responsible for stimulating the economy and making sure that young people can find work in the community. A lot has been done to make sure that our rural communities maintain their economic vitality. Lately, people have been moving to urban centres. A few years ago, rural communities were in decline and losing population. We had to deal with two problems: an aging population and the exodus of young people.

A lot is being done. People have been working hard together to achieve incredible results. In Berthier—Maskinongé, RCMs are working with socio-economic groups and regional development councils. All of these organizations are working together for local development. They are setting up socio-economic development projects that respond to regional needs, interests, resource potential and people. Development tools introduced by the Government of Quebec, such as the Pacte rural, have provided rural municipalities with a development budget.

The policies set out in this bill would encourage students to return to the regions—

[Income Tax Act, March 30th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate my colleague for her excellent speech. I would like her to tell me something.

I, too, am from a rural area. The youth employment centres have put in place some initiatives, such as Place aux jeunes, to combat the rural exodus by youth. We are finding it difficult. In fact, with regard to international productivity and globalization, our companies must be more productive, improve, incorporate more technologies, and have more specialists to help companies be more competitive globally.

I would like to hear what my colleague has to say about this and how this bill can truly help rural regions to reverse their decline and especially to halt the exodus of young people.