House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2015, with 58% of the vote.
Points of Order October 29th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, there is one thing for which I hope all members in the House strive and that is to keep a certain decorum.
To have the deputy leader of the opposition refer to a minister of the crown as a clown is totally unacceptable.
I would hope, Mr. Speaker, and on behalf of us all in the House, that you would demand certain decorum. Referring to members of the House and members of cabinet as clowns is just not acceptable language in the House.
Mirabel Airport October 29th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, we take note of my colleague's question. I will make sure that it is passed on to the Minister of Transport, who will be pleased to reply to the hon. member directly, and that will certainly be done in the coming week.
Sponsorship Program October 29th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, we note the member's suggestion. Still, I maintain that there is a commission of inquiry with the mandate and the power to conduct an in-depth investigation in this whole issue of the administration of the program. Let us give the commission a chance to do its job, to hear whomever it wants, and allow these people to testify. The commission will draw its conclusions and made recommendations, and we will take note of that too.
Sponsorship Program October 29th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the issue of how the program was administered is now before the commission of inquiry. This commission has all the power to consult anyone it wants and all the documentation it has received. It will then draw its conclusions. It is important that we, in this House, give the commission time to do its job, however long it takes. When we receive the commission's conclusions and recommendations, we will take action.
Sponsorship Program October 29th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has never denied knowing that the sponsorship program existed. All members in this House, including many of the hon. member's colleagues opposite, knew about the program. The issue is whether things were going badly with the program or whether it was being mismanaged. As soon as the Auditor General's report was tabled in this House, the Prime Minister called for a commission of inquiry to get to the bottom of this matter. That is what we are doing. We recommend that the hon. members opposite be a little patient and allow the commission to do its work and come to its own conclusions.
Sponsorship Program October 29th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I think we all need to watch what we say in this House, particularly when our words are taking a certain tack, in order not to make insinuations.
That said, the Prime Minister has struck a commission of inquiry into this matter. We need to let it do its work, and to wait patiently if necessary for it to finish its work and make recommendations.
Official Languages October 27th, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Honoré–Mercier for his question and I congratulate him on his election as chair of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Official Languages. I assure him and all of the other committee members of my complete cooperation.
As far as health and early childhood are concerned, the public service action plan is moving along very well. The pace will have to be picked up a bit in other areas. This afternoon we will have the opportunity to hear directly from representatives of the official language minority communities, when they come to give testimony before a number of ministers during the second round of ministerial consultations, as set out in the official plan.
Senator Jean-Robert Gauthier October 22nd, 2004
The parliamentary career of Jean-Robert Gauthier has ended, but his work will endure for many generations. His legacy to the francophones of this country is important for many reasons.
For over 30 years, he has been an ardent defender of the linguistic rights of the French- and English-speaking minorities throughout the country. An experienced and clever parliamentarian, he succeeded in having a positive influence on the government decisions that shaped the development of Canada's francophone communities.
Senator Gauthier is a man unlike others. When I was a young activist in the Liberal Party of Canada, I had the opportunity to observe him in his role as the MP for Ottawa—Vanier, the riding which I now have the privilege of representing in the House of Commons.
I saw then for myself the virtues of the role of a member of Parliament. I saw a man at the heart of his community, a man always available to his constituents. I saw a man working tirelessly to help people overcome obstacles in their lives. Jean-Robert lent considerable nobility to the role of an MP and, later on, to that of a senator. He, better than anyone, exemplified the people's representative. In addition to the courage it took in his fight against sickness in recent years, he remained true to his principles and values.
I want to thank him for his advice and generosity. To me, he was a mentor, a confidant and a friend, and I will always be grateful to him for that.
Since he began his political career in this House, over 32 years ago, I would like to let him have the last word by quoting excerpts from his last speech in the Senate, which he delivered yesterday. He said:
I have tried hard to make life a bit more agreeable for Canadians. I have worked on many issues. I am very proud to say today that the issues I worked on were the people's issues...
Honourable senators, we have a commitment to Canada.
On behalf of the government and all my colleagues, I wish Senator Gauthier and his family a quiet, serene and happy retirement. So long Jean-Robert.
Senator Jean-Robert Gauthier October 22nd, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise today on behalf of the government to pay tribute to Senator Jean-Robert Gauthier as he retires from the Senate and to mark his 32 years in parliamentary life.
Criminal Code October 22nd, 2004
Mr. Speaker, I move:
That Bill C-10, an act to amend the Criminal Code (mental disorder) and to make consequential amendments to other acts, be referred forthwith to the Standing Committee on Justice, Human Rights, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness.