House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2008, with 38% of the vote.
Transport, Infrastructure and Communities January 31st, 2007
Mr. Speaker, since 2004, the Mont-Joli airport has had no equipment allowing planes to land in fog. This is having a serious impact on economic activity throughout the region.
Can the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, who has responsibility for air safety and air service in the regions, tell us how he plans to get NAV CANADA to review its decision to cut back its air traffic control services?
Petitions December 6th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise in this House today to present a petition signed by several hundred people—nearly a thousand—especially young people, criticizing the lack of funding provided by this government to the many experienced, competent non-governmental organizations that offer volunteer programs for young people.
Municipality of Sainte-Flavie November 28th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, the municipality of Sainte-Flavie has taken on an outstanding tourism initiative known as the Route des arts. Every year it attracts tourists from North America, Asia and Europe. As a result the village has completely changed. The residences have been done over, the streets spruced up and a number of specialty boutiques opened. Hotels, motels and restaurants have gained a remarkable reputation.
This summer, the Quebec ministry of transportation completely rebuilt the boardwalk along the river and made improvements to Route 132. This boardwalk has become a gathering point for tourists and the local residents. The only government infrastructure in poor shape belongs to none other than the federal government. Now barricaded, the dock poses a danger to anyone who dares walk on it.
This government boasts about wanting to move forward on regional development and is not even responsible enough to properly maintain its own infrastructure.
Shipbuilding Industry November 23rd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, from the moment that the cost of moving a ship from Halifax to Les Méchins is added, the shipyard in Quebec becomes uncompetitive.
Will the minister admit that, by maintaining this unfair policy, he is basically condemning in advance Quebec shipyards to never getting any major government contracts?
Shipbuilding Industry November 23rd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, the federal policy respecting vessel transfer costs for ship refit systematically penalizes Quebec shipyards. This transfer costs policy is not only unfair to Quebec, it would also appear to be totally arbitrary.
How can the government explain, for example, a 700% increase in transfer costs from 1997 to 2006 for HMCS Montreal?
Agriculture November 9th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, grain producers are demonstrating once again today in Montreal and Quebec City against the dumping of American grain on the Canadian market.
Will the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food take advantage of the federal-provincial conference in Calgary next week to tell farmers who have been demanding assistance that he plans to help them immediately, and will he announce a real policy to offset the harmful effects of massive American agricultural subsidies?
Carlo Jean-Louis October 26th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, I was very pleased to hear that Dr. Carlo Jean-Louis, a doctor in my riding, was awarded the prestigious Reg L. Perkin award for Quebec by the College of Family Physicians of Canada.
The award recognizes his humanitarian leadership in his community. For example, Dr. Jean-Louis was the founding president of the Constellation des Monts soccer club, which was established to promote cardiovascular health, fight drug addiction and provide recreational activities for young people.
In addition to his roles as honorary chair of the Fondation de l'Hôpital des Monts and honorary chair and patron of an organization called “Rayon d'or”, Dr. Carlo Jean-Louis also defends the rights of new immigrants to Quebec.
In addition, Dr. Jean-Louis was recognized as a model of enthusiasm, kindness and tact, qualities shared by many family physicians.
Once again, congratulations to Dr. Jean-Louis.
Committees of the House October 23rd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, I was looking at the amounts allocated under the museums assistance program. What the government has been saying for the last little while is totally wrong. They say that there were $4.6 million in cuts and the programs were not working very well so they decided to recuperate the money by making these cuts.
But that is not where the problem is. The amounts allocated to museums were in the range of $10,000, $15,000, $17,000 or $35,000. The problem was not that the museums did not want the money or could not use it. It was rather that the program was poorly designed. There is a difference between a poorly designed program and a museum not being able to get a grant.
If a museum requests government assistance, the assistance must meet its needs. The program in question here is badly designed at the present time. This does not mean, though, that museums do not need the money.
In its great wisdom and desire to make cuts, the Conservative government has been saying that the program did not work very well and therefore museums did not need it. Talk about logic! That does not make sense. Since a government is doing something badly, they conclude that there is no need for it. If I go to a country where people do not eat beef and I offer them some, they will obviously not eat it. It is not in their culture to eat it.
I would like to ask my hon. colleague whether it is right to say that museums did not really need these funds.
Forestry Industry October 23rd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, while the minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec was recently ranting about the negative effects of the Coulombe report on the forestry industry, a forestry company back home complied with the report and even guaranteed sustainable forest management.
Cédrico, a company located in the municipality of Price, obtained Standards Council of Canada certification on sustainable forest management. To do so, Cédrico held a number of consultation meetings with the sector and trained 400 workers to meet this standard.
Guy Chevrette, president of the Quebec Forest Industry Council, recently said this is all the more extraordinary because this initiative comes from a region that experienced 50% cuts in supply.
Will the minister stop demonizing the Coulombe report and start doing his job by providing a real assistance plan for the industry?
Older Workers October 18th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, many workers who are victims of mass layoffs live in regions that rely on a single industry such as forestry, fisheries or mines. In that context, retraining is difficult, if not impossible.
Can the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development tell the hundreds of forestry workers in the Gaspé Peninsula, who recently lost their jobs, how her program is supposed to help them retrain and for what?
What will they be retrained for, Minister?