Hélène LeBlanc

[Aerospace Industry, December 3rd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the Emerson report confirms what many people already knew. The Conservatives are not doing enough for Canada's aerospace industry. Our industry is even falling behind. Tomorrow, the Conservatives will be passing a massive budget bill in which they cut research and development tax credits just when the industry needs them the most. This makes no sense.

Other governments are fighting for their industry. Why are the Conservatives sitting back and doing nothing rather than protecting jobs that belong to Canadians?

[Jobs and Growth Act, 2012, December 3rd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his speech and for mentioning the famous research and development program known as SR&ED.

He rightly criticized the Conservative government's mistake of reducing tax credits that we know are going primarily to major corporations that make huge profits.

We recently received the Emerson report, dealing with the aerospace industry, a sector that is critical and very important to Quebec and other regions in Canada. This directly affects the manufacturing industry, which is part of the aerospace industry. These are good-quality jobs. Good jobs.

I would like my colleague to speak more to the damage that changes to the SR&ED program will cause.

[Foreign Investment, November 29th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, when I asked the Minister of Industry what impact the withdrawal and re-submission of CNOOC's offer for the acquisition of Nexen shares in the United States would have on Canada's decision, the minister clearly had no idea what I was talking about.

The Americans have a serious review process for foreign takeovers, but the Conservatives base their decisions on partisan politics. What criteria will be developed by the Prime Minister's chief of staff?

[Petitions, November 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition signed by many of my constituents and people in the greater Montreal area, regarding an application for refugee status on compassionate and humanitarian grounds.

[Foreign Investment, November 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, there are more and more questions about the Chinese government's takeover of Nexen. Yesterday we learned that CNOOC and Nexen had jointly withdrawn and resubmitted their offer for the acquisition of Nexen shares in the United States. The Americans are concerned about this deal, and rightly so.

Do the Conservatives know what is in the new offer? What impact will this move have on the minister's decision to approve the deal?

[International Trade, November 26th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the agreement with China and the Buy America provisions are proof that the Conservatives are incapable of obtaining reciprocal benefits for Canadians.

A leaked European Commission document reveals that the EU wants to prohibit the use of certain recognized cheese names by Canada. The EU also wants us to open our market to new imports, even though it maintains the right to refuse Canadian beef and pork.

Will the cheese industry suffer because the Conservatives are managing the trade negotiations badly?

[Foreign Investment, November 22nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, in the past, the Conservatives refused to stand up and defend our jobs. Just look at Electrolux, Caterpillar, Xstrata, Falconbridge or U.S. Steel Canada. If the past is any indication, then there is cause for concern over the sale of Nexen to the Communist Chinese government.

If the government thinks that handing over control of our natural resources to a Chinese state-owned corporation is such a good idea, then why do so behind closed doors?

[Foreign Investment, November 21st, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, when Caterpillar closed its doors and laid off hundreds of employees in London, it was not in the interests of Canadians.

When Electrolux moved its factory in L'Assomption to Memphis and laid off over a thousand workers, it was not in the interests of Canadians.

When Xstrata laid off hundreds of employees in Sudbury, it was not in the interests of Canadians.

Too often, the Conservatives have failed to stand up for Canadian jobs and interests. Why would it be any different if they allow a Chinese state-owned company to control our natural resources?

[Foreign Investment, November 20th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, we just want to know what requirements and conditions are being set.

Canadians can no longer trust this government. Since the Conservatives came to power, Canada's trade deficit has exploded and they have caused 500,000 good manufacturing jobs to be lost.

Given their record, we are not surprised they want to do this in secret. However, Canadians do not want a secret deal with CNOOC.

Will the minister explain to us under what conditions Chinese state-owned corporations will be able to take control of our natural resources?

[Foreign Investment, November 20th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives' culture of secrecy and their mismanagement have angered investors and are hurting the economy.

The Vale and U.S. Steel investments were approved, but we still do not know why those companies were not penalized when jobs were lost.

There has been no explanation as to why BHP's offer for PotashCorp was rejected. We have received no explanation as to why Petronas’ offer was rejected in the middle of the night. As a result of well-orchestrated leaks, we are learning that some requirements were not met, but which ones?

Why not simply explain what we are demanding of foreign corporations?