House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2011, with 35% of the vote.
Canada-Republic of Peru Labour Cooperation Agreement June 17th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table, in both official languages, a treaty entitled, “Agreement on Labour Cooperation Between Canada and the Republic of Peru”, accompanied by an explanatory memorandum of this treaty.
I am proud to table this document, which is our labour agreement with Peru. This agreement has been well received.
Not for Profit Industry June 16th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, once again, I would like to remind this House that we will be maintaining funding for economic development organizations for their one-off projects. The funding we will be providing will remain in the region concerned and will allow us to contribute to the development and diversification of the economic activity in those regions.
I would like to remind my colleagues that, after the budget, the Government of Quebec had an additional $1.6 billion, which generated $242 million for the Quebec minister of economic development. He is in a position to make the appropriate decisions in this regard.
Regional Economic Development June 16th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, I have just returned from Sherbrooke. Together with the University of Sherbrooke and its applied technology centre, we agreed with Bombardier Recreational Products to put a total of $10 million into a $36-million project to create jobs and make some progress in what is called applied research. Senior officials at the University of Sherbrooke told me, “Minister, that is exactly the kind of assistance we hope to get from your department and we appreciate it because this is a one-time project, and after it, we will be able to get along on our own”.
Regional Economic Development June 16th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, let me say something quickly about the National Optics Institute in Quebec City. Before I arrived, it was receiving $5 million a year on a triennial basis, or $15 million over three years. That was increased by $1 million. So then it received $6 million a year for three years, for a total of $18 million. In addition, there was a line in the budget giving it another $15 million over and above what it was already getting. All of this runs until the end of 2010.
If the National Optics Institute wants to focus more on research, it can always turn to the Department of Industry.
Regional Economic Development June 16th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, 17 years ago today the Bloc Québécois officially came into being. Is it such a sad life to be here as a Bloc Québécois MP for 17 years and do nothing but ask questions, ask questions and ask questions? And when people ask them what they have accomplished, the answer is nothing.
We are getting things done for regional economic development. We will continue to support small and medium sized businesses and organizations through one-off projects.
Regional Economic Development June 12th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, I heard all sorts of mistruths coming from the hon. member just now. I want to reiterate that we will continue to support economic organizations. They have a two-year transition period to get ready to fly on their own. What is more, if they have one-off projects, we will support them since that is what we want to do.
If the Government of Quebec, which shares this jurisdiction with us, wants to pay for other things, then it is free and has the full authority to do so.
Regional Economic Development June 12th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, we have given $1.6 billion to the Government of Quebec over the past year. That is even more money in the pockets of the Government of Quebec and we were the ones to give it to them. Of that money, $242 million went to Quebec's Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade. We took that money out of our own coffers in order to give it to the Government of Quebec, and now that government is criticizing us.
We will continue to support economic organizations, but we will focus on one-off projects that have a start, a middle and an end.
Regional Economic Development June 12th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, our department has a budget envelope of approximately $200 million. I want to remind the Bloc Québécois that our government has given $1.6 billion more to the Government of Quebec in the past year. Out of this $1.6 billion, the economic development minister in Quebec City has received an additional $242 million, bringing his budget up to roughly $800 million.
If Quebec wants to fund various organizations and cover their operating expenses and salaries, it can do so. It has full jurisdiction.
Regional Economic Development June 12th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois thinks that Ottawa should always say yes to every request, without ensuring that the budget allows it.
This same party wanted the federal government to get out of economic development and voted against the agency. Yet under the Constitution, regional economic development is an area of shared jurisdiction. The Bloc members should stop talking out of both sides of their mouths. I repeat, they should ask Quebec City to respect the federal government's jurisdiction.
Trade June 10th, 2008
Mr. Speaker, as you know, we recently signed a free trade agreement and a parallel agreement with respect to workers' rights with Peru. Over the weekend, we also concluded an agreement with the Government of Colombia.
I would remind the House that Canada has never entered into an agreement that does so much to protect workers' rights in those two countries. We have a new generation of agreements that are much stronger than before and that include penalties if the government fails to honour its signature on the agreements reached. I think this is a very positive step for workers' rights in both countries.