Jean-Claude D'Amours

[Government Priorities, November 2nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, CINARS made an announcement yesterday about the impact of the Conservative cuts to culture. They are having a devastating effect, especially on francophone artists.

The Société Nationale de l'Acadie has stated that these cuts are preventing the Acadian people from getting the same sort of exposure they did before the cuts and that far fewer cultural products are being exported.

In the meantime, spending by the Prime Minister's Office is ballooning. It makes no sense. It is illogical.

Will the minister admit that those cuts were based on ideology? When will he start seriously listening to this country's artists?

[Government Priorities, November 2nd, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, equal opportunity, regardless of where one lives, is a fundamental right for all Canadians.

In the 21st century, as technology advances faster and faster, and while the Conservatives can spend $1.3 billion on the G8 and G20, some 700,000 Canadians in our regions still do not have high-speed Internet access.

They will splurge on summits, but they have nothing for Canadians.

When will the government invest in our rural regions, in equality, and provide high-speed Internet access for all Canadians?

[Sustaining Canada's Economic Recovery Act, November 1st, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I have a question regarding infrastructure.

My colleague from LaSalle—Émard mentioned the deadline and the fact that the government should announce an extension in order to allow municipalities to complete the work. At home, in northern New Brunswick, the next two nights will be plenty cold: between -10^oC and -17^oC. Asphalt needs to be poured and infrastructure needs to be built. After water and sewer pipes have been put down, roads need to be redone. But it is hard to pour asphalt in -10^oC to -17^oC weather. We have to wonder whether we are making a skating rink instead of a road.

Can my colleague from LaSalle—Émard talk about that? Winter may start on December 21, but Canadian reality is catching up to us, and some projects definitely cannot be completed and never will be because winter will be over before the construction season starts up again.

Is this a serious problem?

[Fairness at the Pumps Act, October 25th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, thank you for giving me a few moments to ask a question. At one time, oil companies were each a single entity. They either made a profit or ran a deficit at the end of the year. Now each oil company has split itself into several companies, which allows them to make a profit or run a deficit—and we know they always make a profit—in various entities and increase their global profits, something that used to be impossible to do.

Does the government's bill address this confirmation, this assurance? We must have some control over the companies' ability to split up into several smaller companies and thus bring in larger profits than in the past.

[Fairness at the Pumps Act, October 25th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, I remember that in my region in northern New Brunswick, as in many other rural and urban areas in the country, the price of gasoline in 2004 and 2005 was over $1.40 a litre. It almost reached $1.50. The people in my riding could hardly get over it because for them, cars are an absolute necessity. There is no public transit in rural areas. People need a car to get to work. Workers in my riding, and in many others across the country, could not afford it. They saw the price of gasoline constantly rising. It levelled off for a little while, but then it started rising again.

So far as I can see, the bill now before the House does nothing to limit such drastic and illogical increases. I would like my colleague in the Bloc Québécois to state clearly whether this bill will solve once and for all the problem of drastic increases in the price of gasoline, like those we saw in 2004 and 2005.

[Small Business Week 2010, October 25th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, last week, Canadians throughout the country celebrated Small Business Week 2010. The following individuals and businesses in Madawaska-Restigouche were recognized.

In Restigouche: L.C.L. Excavation (2006) Inc., business of the year; Hélène Bernard, community individual; Christine Côté, woman entrepreneur; Corey Jacques, student entrepreneur; Atelier Gérard Beaulieu, innovation award.

In Madawaska: Beaulieu Plumbing & Mechanical Inc., business of the year; Scott Philippe of 3D Innovations, young entrepreneur; Murielle Bourgeois of the Service d'aide à la famille d'Edmundston/Grand-Sault Inc., woman entrepreneur; Marc Francoeur, president of Focus Maintenance Inc., innovation award; Atelier des copains co-op ltée, Bob Connors award; Soucy Brothers Ltd., J.-Aldéric Daigle award; Gérald Dufour of Audiotek, Samuel E. Burpee award.

I congratulate one and all for their ongoing efforts to ensure the success of their business and their community. This is proof of the dynamism of the people of Madawaska—Restigouche. I am proud of them. I hope they will continue their good work.

[Employment Insurance, October 8th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, it was the Conservatives in September who cut the five additional weeks, not the Liberals. They must accept responsibility.

These job losses show the urgency of ensuring that the Liberal pilot projects, including the best-weeks provision, are permanently reinstated today.

The Conservatives are subjecting thousands of workers to unnecessary stress by waiting until the last minute to make a decision.

Will the government stop holding all these workers and their families hostage and announce that it will guarantee the continuation of these programs that are so important to both the workers and the industry? Will the Conservatives have some compassion for once?

[Employment Insurance, October 8th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the employment crisis is continuing in Canada. Workers are being dealt another blow. There have been more job losses, particularly in seasonal industries. After eliminating the pilot project that provided five additional weeks of employment insurance to cover the employment gap of seasonal workers, the Conservatives continue to ignore their plight.

When will the government realize the importance of the Liberals' pilot projects and implement them permanently in order to help workers and, above all, their families?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, September 20th, 2010]

What is the total number of Employment Insurance claims received at each of the Service Canada offices in Madawaska—Restigouche, namely, in Edmundston, Saint Quentin, Campbellton and Dalhousie, between April 1, 2009 and March 31, 2010?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, September 20th, 2010]

With respect to the funding available for Canada's Atlantic Gateway: (a) what was the total amount of money announced; (b) what is the total amount that has been used and the available balance; and (c) what projects have been approved, with the project name, date and amount approved in each case?