Jean-Pierre Blackburn

[The Budget, February 2nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for Ottawa—Orléans for his good question and his interest in budget matters. We all know how important it is to stimulate the economy, and one of the ways of doing this is to help people who want to buy their first home. We are going to give them a $750 tax credit.

In addition, people can use up to $25,000 from their RRSPs to buy a home. It is interesting to note that by stimulating the economy we will be creating jobs and helping the forestry industry.

[Agriculture and Agri-Food, January 28th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would remind my hon. colleague that under the growing forward program, we already had $1.3 billion set aside to support the agricultural sector, and we have four business risk management programs: AgriStability, AgriInvest, AgriRecovery and AgriInsurance

Furthermore, yesterday, we added $500 million to the budget to support our farmers under a new program called AgriFlex.

[Meat Processing Industry, November 27th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, the slaughterhouse issue is not just of interest to the company that the member mentioned. It is also of interest to other regions of Quebec and Canada. During the election campaign we said we would do something. The amount of $50 million was mentioned, but we will have to wait for the budget to see about that.

[Agriculture, November 21st, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, a number of measures were implemented in 2006, with $6.4 million given to those who suffered losses for that reason. Furthermore, in 2007, an additional $1.4 million was provided through the AgriStability program. And discussions about how to continue supporting affected farmers are ongoing.

[Regional Economic Development, June 19th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, Economic Development Canada has the same budget, that is, around $200 million a year. We continue to support these organizations for one-time projects. Others have submitted transition plans. In fact, we have already signed several transition plans with several organizations.

That member would do better to ask his head office in Quebec City if the Government of Quebec did indeed receive $242 million more for the Department of Economic Development, Innovation and Export. Will they continue to support these organizations?

[Regional Economic Development, June 18th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, when the Bloc Québécois was going on about the fiscal imbalance and calling on the government to correct it in Quebec, what did the Liberal Party do? It did nothing. It did not even recognize that there was a fiscal imbalance.

One prime minister in this House has shown leadership, and that is this Prime Minister. By correcting the fiscal imbalance, we have given an additional $242 million to the Department of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade in Quebec City. We have taken that money out of Ottawa and given it to Quebec City.

If Quebec City wants to provide recurring funding for organizations, it has everything it needs to do so.

[Points of Order, June 17th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I was reading from my notes. Should I give them all my notes prepared for question period? The answer is no.

[Regional Economic Development, June 17th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I will say again, we are active in all regions of Quebec. Our budget has remained around the $200 million mark this year. There is even an additional $24 million over two years to enable us to develop the body of infrastructures around the cruise ship industry, which will be of great benefit to Quebec.

I would like to take a few moments to speak about the greater Montreal region. Do the words Ubisoft divertissement Inc. ring a bell with the hon. member? We contributed a repayable amount of $8 million out of a total $18 million project, which created 500 jobs in the greater Montreal region.

[Regional Economic Development, June 17th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, first of all I would point out to the hon. member that we are going to be continuing to fund organizations of an economic nature, but on a the basis of individual projects with clear timelines. Moreover, this decision provides us with some scope to intervene in all regions of Quebec.

I would remind hon. members that, as a result of the last budget, an additional $1.6 billion went to the Government of Quebec. We share a federalism of openness, and remedying the fiscal imbalance has freed up $242 million more for the Quebec minister.

[Employment Equity, June 17th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table, in both official languages, the 2007 annual report on the Employment Equity Act.