Marcel Proulx

[Forestry Industry, October 19th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, Quebec's forestry industry continues to sink deeper into one of the worst crises in its history and the government is doing nothing about it. Worse yet, the government, with support from the Bloc, adopted a sellout agreement on the softwood lumber dispute. This agreement now allows the United States to attack federal and provincial programs that are designed to help Quebec's industry.

Why did the government, with help from the Bloc, choose to defend the interests of the U.S. at the expense of Quebec's forestry workers?

[Gatineau Soup Kitchen, October 17th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, on October 11, 2007, I was very pleased to attend the sixth annual media supper, which is held every year to raise funds for the breakfasts served by the Soupière de l'Amitié de Gatineau. Donations are received from businesses, organizations and citizens. The three-course meal is prepared by cuisine and pastry students from the Centre Professionnel Relais de la Lièvre-Seigneurie.

The Soupière de l'Amitié de Gatineau aims to fight poverty and impoverishment in all its forms and in all areas of human existence.

During the 2006-07 school year, it served 117,000 breakfasts in 24 schools in the Outaouais.

I would like to commend the extraordinary work of the entire team at the soup kitchen. I would like to thank and congratulate the members of the local media who, for the part six years, have been contributing to the enormous success of this event. For a few hours' time, various local media personalities donned their aprons and served a meal to everyone who came out for this worthy cause.

[June 18th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the minister does not have an answer or a realistic solution for Quebec manufacturers. He has no idea of the seriousness of the situation. More businesses will have to close their doors and more workers will find themselves without a job.

The Canadian dollar continues to climb. Why does the minister not realize the urgency of the situation? Do we have to spell it out for him?

He has not been able to secure new monies in the last two budgets and is not at all embarrassed about using the budgets of the Economic Development Agency of Canada as a cash cow for his riding and his region. Does he believe in economic development or simply in the re-election of his Conservative friends?

Canadians in the manufacturing sector work very hard to earn their wages and are proud workers. However, this minister's failure to take action is jeopardizing an even greater number of jobs on which Canadians and their families depend.

Can the minister explain his lack of haste and the fact that he still does not have new budgets to deal with this major crisis?

[June 18th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I would like today to remind the Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec about the sad situation in the manufacturing sector in Canada and especially in Quebec.

Last March 23, I asked the minister why he did not get anything additional in the last budget. He promised that he would get something this year, but we see by the pitiful results that this was a promise he did not keep.

If a company is located in the minister’s own region or Quebec City, chances are that it will get some financial help. Outside of Conservative ridings, though, there is no salvation. Many regions have been waiting for the hon. member to alight from his rented airplane with some good news, but in vain. He still does not know that there are other regions in Quebec that need financial help.

The manufacturing sector in Canada is going through a major crisis. Ontario and Quebec have been especially hard hit. Statistics show that the manufacturing sector has lost 200,000 jobs in Canada since 2002. How can the minister do nothing in view of all the factories that are closing? How can he sit there doing nothing while so many Canadians are losing their jobs?

In the course of the hearings of the Bureau d'audiences publiques sur l'environnement du Québec in February 2007, the Association des Manufacturiers et exportateurs du Québec made a presentation. It explained why people should be concerned about our manufacturing and exporting companies. This is what it said:

This is the sector contributing the most to GDP (21%); it is responsible for 86% of our exports; it is also responsible for two-thirds of the private research and development that is done; it drives regional development; it has a major multiplier effect; it provides 575,000 direct jobs.

So what is the Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec doing for a sector that is so vital to the Quebec economy? He is flying back and forth between his riding and Ottawa.

The Canadian dollar is continuing its steep rise and at this rate will reach parity with the U.S. dollar. Without wanting to speculate on the repercussions of this situation, we know that manufacturing will suffer much of the negative effect.

Who will be directly impacted by this crisis? Once again, it will be the workers in our manufacturing industries.

More factories will close and there will be other bankruptcies. The manufacturing sector has had to face some huge challenges and needs more than a few tax-related promises. It has an urgent need for investment. In view of all the challenges facing the Quebec economy, how can the minister explain the total lack of new money in the last two budgets?

Are his six new programs not just smoke and mirrors to hide the fact that the Conservative government does not really believe in economic development? This is all the more evident in view of the fact that the government not only has not provided any new money but has even taken some away, as in the case of CANtex.

When will the minister finally respond to the companies’ cry for financial assistance, especially for workers in the manufacturing sector in Quebec?

[Petitions, June 18th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to table a petition today on behalf of the citizens of Hull—Aylmer about visa requirements for citizens of the Republic of Poland.

The undersigned residents of Canada wish to draw to the attention of the House of Commons the fact that Poland, a member of the European Union and NATO, is using biometric passport technology, a secure passport identification system. Furthermore Canadian citizens no longer require visitor visas to visit Poland.

The petitioners are calling on the government to remove the visa requirement for visitors of Poland to Canada.

[Forest Industry, June 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, since the Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec obtained his portfolio, he has come up with no new money, no strategy and no vision for the regions of Quebec. In addition, in his last two budgets, the Minister of Finance has completely ignored regional economic development. We have lost count of all the blows small communities in Quebec have suffered.

Can he name a single tangible measure he plans to take?

[Forest Industry, June 15th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, today, the Conservative government is once again standing back while a Quebec company makes massive layoffs.

Commonwealth Plywood is closing 18 plants in Quebec and laying off 2,400 workers. The message from the company management was very clear: several of these plants will never reopen and never call their employees back to work.

What is the Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec waiting for to develop a plan to help single-industry regional communities?

[Petitions, June 14th, 2007]

I heard the point of order of my colleague from Madawaska—Restigouche.

I think this is so important that I am going to actually ask if you heard someone oppose it or if we actually had unanimous consent.

I am wondering, Mr. Speaker.

[Petitions, June 14th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition signed by many Canadians from the Eastern Townships in Quebec about the court challenges program.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to reverse its decision and re-establish the court challenges program in its entirety, including the necessary funding.

[Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, June 13th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservative government has refused to allocate funding to extend the runways at the Saint-Hubert and Trois-Rivières airports. In both cases, the extensions are required for local economic development. These two airports are located in regions that did not elect a Conservative member.

However, the Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec was able to find millions of dollars to extend the runway at the Alma airport, which is located in his own riding.

Is the Conservative government in the process of punishing the regions of Quebec that did not elect Conservatives?