Lawrence Cannon

[Manufacturing and Forestry Industries, February 5th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, speaking of hypocrisy, there are limits. Facts are facts. The Bloc Québécois voted in favour of this bill and now wants to criticize it. The very least they could do is be consistent.

[Manufacturing and Forestry Industries, February 5th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I understand that the Bloc Québécois voted for this program or this legislation just a few moments ago.

It therefore seems fair and reasonable that funding should be allocated on a community-by-community basis.

The wording of the law refers to the community or communities affected. That is how things are done in Canada. It is fair and reasonable to proceed in this way.

[Manufacturing and Forestry Industries, February 5th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, clearly, my colleague should have thought of this question before. Obviously, we are waiting for the Senate to give its adoption. So maybe he might insist, on behalf of the Parliament of Canada, to speak to his buddies over in the Senate to get it done.

[Manufacturing and Forestry Industries, February 5th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, the new trust announced and adopted here is a measure that will help vulnerable communities directly. It is a measure that not only Canadians, but all the provinces called for.

We have given in and agreed to that request. I am happy that this government has kept its promises to all those communities and to the country.

[Manufacturing and Forestry Industries, February 5th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, in fact, I wanted to add to that by saying equalization, but also by saying that we have solved the fiscal imbalance. That has to be recognized. I hear the Bloc Québécois lecturing us about what we should do, but where were they—where was that party?—when we reduced corporate taxes in the mini-budget, when we reduced personal taxes for Quebeckers and Canadians, when we reduced the GST and the QST? They were sitting down, obviously, as usual, and they did nothing.

We are the ones who deliver the goods for Quebeckers.

[Manufacturing and Forestry Industries, February 5th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, to hear the Bloc Québécois, I am amazed that they are not actually demanding control of our currency and the ability to print dollar bills. This is reminding me of another political party we had here.

In reality, what very clearly distinguishes the actions of the Bloc Québécois from those of the government is that we are capable of doing what we were elected to do. We did it on the question of equalization and we solved the problem obviously associated with that touchy question which ruled the debates for years—

[Lumber Industry, February 4th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, as we have been able to convey since we signed our first agreement with New Brunswick, we will be able to work on these issues in partnership with the provincial and territorial governments.

I remind my hon. colleague that even she and the members of her former party, the Bloc Québécois, resisted and voted against $12 billion for Quebeckers in the mini-budget that was tabled and passed in this House.

I would hope that this time around, they will see the light and support it.

[Manufacturing and Forestry Sectors, February 4th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I guess there is going to be a big difference in the House coming in a couple of days. For the first time, we will see the opposition get up and defend something that we have supported for a long time since the budget.

I will add that the measures put forward in the mini-budget are additional to the help we are bringing to the economic sectors of our country, the manufacturing and the forestry sectors. I am looking for their support.

[Manufacturing and Forestry Sectors, February 4th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, once again, if my hon. colleague were to take the time to check the Prime Minister's replies in recent weeks, even months, he would see that the answer is clear. We want to help the most vulnerable sectors and we are definitely counting on support from the opposition parties. To this end, we will be signing agreements with the provinces very soon.

I hope that the opposition parties will get it right and support this measure.

[Manufacturing and Forestry Industries, February 4th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, hon. members will recall that in the throne speech, the government stated that it intended to act, specifically to help the most vulnerable sectors, such as forestry and manufacturing. That is why we have set up this new program.

I would like to add that our government listened to the provinces and Premier Charest and that we will shortly introduce a separate bill regarding the community development trust fund.

I hope that, after accomplishing nothing in 17 years, the Bloc will support this bill, as well as the others—