House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2011, with 20% of the vote.
Official Languages March 2nd, 2007
The Minister of National Defence's reaction is worrisome. He said that the only reason there are bilingual and francophone brigades is to comply with the Official Languages Act.
When will the Prime Minister realize that there are two official languages in Canada?
Official Languages March 2nd, 2007
Mr. Speaker, this government seems to find bilingualism irritating.
In the armed forces, senior officers will no longer be required to be bilingual.
Committees of the House February 16th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present the 34th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs regarding the membership of House committees.
If the House gives its consent, I move that the 34th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs concerning the membership of committees of the House presented to the House this day now be concurred in.
Manufacturing Sector February 14th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, it seems that the minister responsible for regional development believes in the law of the jungle, like his colleague, the Minister of Industry, who is a strong supporter of the laissez-faire approach. The problem for these ministers is that the strongest ones in the equation are seldom the workers responsible for these businesses' past successes.
Will the government admit to all workers in the manufacturing sector that they absolutely cannot count on it, and that it has no plan to protect their jobs?
Manufacturing Sector February 14th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, with globalization comes fierce competition that is costing us many valuable jobs. We witnessed it in the furniture industry, particularly with Shermag, and also in the textile and clothing industries.
In other sectors, it is mergers and takeovers, such as that between Bowater and Abitibi-Consolidated, that make us fear job losses.
Why does the Conservative government not have a plan to deal with the situation before it deteriorates and becomes a major crisis in the manufacturing sector?
Hog Industry February 2nd, 2007
Mr. Speaker, when the mad cow crisis shook the cattle industry, the Liberal government did not hesitate to allocate nearly $1 billion to support the producers.
Today, we have a minister whose riding is at the epicentre of the hog industry crisis and he is acting as though this were a trivial matter, sticking to his laissez-faire capitalist ideology.
Does the minister not realize that his abstract theories do not put a whole lot of bacon on the kitchen tables in Beauce?
Hog Industry February 2nd, 2007
Mr. Speaker, the Government of Quebec has delegated three ministers to try to resolve the crisis shaking the hog industry as the closure of the Olymel plant in Vallée-Jonction draws near.
The provincial ministers of economic development, labour and agriculture are in talks with Olymel and the CSN, which represents the unionized employees, in order to break the impasse. In the meantime, the Conservative government is twiddling its thumbs and not doing anything.
Why is the government not taking some action?
Hog Industry February 1st, 2007
Mr. Speaker, it looks like the Olymel hog slaughterhouse and meat processing plant, in Vallée-Jonction, which employs 1,100 workers, will be closing. Hog farmers do not know where they will be taking their animals. The Minister of Industry is confident that Olymel's plant in Alberta will be able to prepare chilled pork as well as the one in the Beauce.
Will the Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec allow the pork industry in Quebec to disappear because the member for Beauce believes that guaranteeing quality of life for his voters is tantamount to patronage and political interference?
Committees of the House January 30th, 2007
Mr. Speaker, discussions have taken place between all parties with respect to the membership of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, and I believe that you will find consent for the following motion:
That the membership of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs be amended as follows:
Lucienne Robillard for Marlene Jennings.
Agriculture and Agri-Food December 12th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, the president of the Union des producteurs agricoles is against this government's decision to take no extraordinary measures to help Saint-Amable producers. They are struggling with an infestation of golden nematodes that prompted the United States to place an embargo on the harvest, thus depriving the producers of income.
Why is this government condemning producers to watch their crops rot in quarantine warehouses and assume millions of dollars in losses by themselves?