Jean-Pierre Blackburn

[Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, June 12th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I want to remind the hon. member that there were two responsibilities: one for the riding office and the other for the ministerial office. What should have been paid by Ceasar was paid by Ceasar and the ministerial office assumed its responsibilities. The initiative was approved by the department's financial controller.

That said, perhaps the hon. member could explain how the hon. member for Montcalm managed to spend $100,000 in travel expenses? That represents 600 km by car per day, six hours a day, 365 days a year.

[Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, June 12th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, there are rules for the riding's operating budget and other rules for the ministerial office.

As the Minister of Labour, when I incur an expense it is the Department of Labour that takes care of it. When I incur an expense for the Economic Development Agency of Canada, it is the Economic Development Agency of Canada that takes care of it. When Mr. Giguère did work for the riding, the riding's budget covered the expense and when it involved the ministerial office, then the ministerial office covered the expense. The initiative was approved by the department's financial controller.

[Ways and Means, June 12th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 83(1), I have the honour to table a notice of ways and means motion to amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act, the Wage Earner Protection Program Act and Chapter 47 of the Statutes of Canada, 2005.

I ask that an order of the day be designated for consideration of the motion.

[Bankruptcy Act, June 11th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, there comes a point when we must settle an impasse, and that time has come. We must think of the workers who risk losing their income if a company goes bankrupt.

Yes, we will table a new notice of ways and means which will take into account the desired changes and which will also ask the Senate to look at the old content and the new wording.

[Employment Equity, June 7th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, if I had the unanimous consent of the House, I could table the report on employment equity this very afternoon. It is the 2006 annual report.

[Wage Earner Protection Program Act, June 7th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, this legislation is currently on track and the Bloc Québécois wants to derail it.

We are ready to fast track this legislation through first, second and third readings. We are prepared to include this morning's resolution by the National Assembly, as well as the suggestions by the Bloc Québécois, to bring everything to the Senate so that it may consider the point of view expressed by the National Assembly. If they want, we can proceed this very afternoon.

[Wage Earner Protection Program Act, June 7th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member again for her question.

I want to remind her that it was the House of Commons that unanimously passed legislation in the last Parliament to protect the wages of employees in bankruptcy situations. This House unanimously passed that legislation.

Then the Senate unanimously passed it as well after calling for technical changes to the legislation. That is what we tabled before Christmas.

Since then, the Bloc Québécois has been inconsistent. It is changing its mind and wants to amend the legislation.

[Point of Order, June 5th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, allow me to give a brief history of the issue raised today in order to speak to the motion that the member wishes to present.

[Wage Earner Protection Program Act, June 5th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, that is an excellent question. All parliamentarians unanimously voted for that bill. It was sent to the Senate. The Senate passed it with some technical amendments. We amended it accordingly. The Bloc Québécois members agreed to fast-track it, but they changed their minds, just like their leader recently changed his mind about going into provincial politics.

Today, they are still making amendments to delay the bill. They do not want to support workers, but we are asking for their cooperation to make this happen as soon as possible.

[Festivals and Special Events, June 5th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, there are two departments involved in assisting festivals: the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec. At Canadian Heritage, $60 million is on the way to assist festivals. The criteria are being developed and will be ready at the end of the summer. At Canada Economic Development, we give $7 million to assist festivals every year. Again this year, there will be assistance for a number of festivals, not just the festivals in Montreal and Quebec City. I have a few here. The Festival du film de Mont-Tremblant will receive $177,900 over three years and the Festival des rythmes du monde is receiving $21,791 for 2006-2007. It continues like that.