Monique Guay

[Softwood Lumber, April 9th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, forestry workers on Quebec's north shore are worried, and they are suffering from the lumber crisis. Not only are they the victims of that trade war, they are also suffering from the harsh restrictions imposed by this government on the employment insurance program.

In order to help Quebec forestry workers, should this government not consider very seriously the suggestions made by the Bloc Quebecois to improve certain aspects of the employment insurance program and thus help workers make it through the softwood lumber crisis?

[Enabling Resource Centre, March 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, it has existed for 18 years. So much for temporary.

The centre received $554,000 last year for operating expenses. This is the equivalent of each of the three bogus reports ordered by public works from Groupaction.

Is the government trying to tell us that supporting people with disabilities is less important than federal propaganda in Quebec?

[Enabling Resource Centre, March 22nd, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the Public Service Commission, with the complicity of the President of the Treasury Board, decided to shut down its enabling resource centre on March 31, right in the middle of the review of the Employment Equity Act and at a time when representation of persons with disabilities in the public service is inadequate.

Will this government show a modicum of judgment and announce today that it recognizes that it has made a serious mistake and that it will maintain funding for the enabling resource centre?

[Aféas, March 21st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the Association féminine d'éducation et d'action sociale, with its membership of more than 20,000 Quebec women, is celebrating its 36th anniversary this year.

The AFEAS has always, throughout its long history, offered us a place where we can get together, be ourselves, with our own words, our own way of thinking, our own way of being, our own way of doing, and has always been the guardian of our rights.

This desire to enhance the autonomy and economic security of women has taken many forms of meaningful action. The voice of women has been expressed through a multitude of means: the luminous artistic works of Marcelle Ferron; the sensitive lens of Anne Claire Poirier; the wonderful language of Marie Laberge; the winning determination of Myriam Bédard.

Each time we speak up, we improve the autonomy, economic security and social conditions, not only for women, but also for men and for children, who are equally in need. This has always been very clearly understood by the AFEAS.

Bravo to all these women, and long live the AFEAS.

[Public Service Commission, March 15th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the minister did not understand. The centre is being shut down; it will close on March 31.

The Liberal government's decision is a real insult to the work of the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development.

Is the President of the Treasury Board telling witnesses, who travelled from all regions of Canada, and committee members, that the die has already been cast and that their work is not worth the paper that it is written on?

[Public Service Commission, March 15th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the percentage of persons with disabilities has gone down in 19 of the 40 federal departments, and only four of these departments meet the benchmark of 6.5% of the workforce.

In spite of these disturbing facts, the Public Service Commission has decided to shut down its Enabling Resource Centre as of March 31.

How can the President of the Treasury Board justify such a decision, when the Employment Equity Act is being reviewed?

[Jean-Paul Riopelle, March 14th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I am very honoured, but also sad to rise today to mark the passing of a great man, a great Quebecer and a great international painter, Jean-Paul Riopelle.

This is a very special occasion for me, because Jean-Paul Riopelle lived for a very long time in the riding of Laurentides, in Sainte-Marguerite-du-Lac-Masson. One of his very close friends, who is also a friend of mine, has a small bistro, the Bistrot à Champlain, and he has several paintings that Jean-Paul Riopelle gave him as presents. Indeed, Jean-Paul would regularly give him paintings, to make himself happy.

Jean-Paul Riopelle was very attached to his friends. Friendship was sacred for him. Needless to say that he is leaving behind very close and long time friends who are very saddened by his death.

I would like to quote Jean-Paul Riopelle, who was an exceptional human being:

If I am asked how long it takes to do a painting, I cannot answer. I often walk into my studio—in fact I go almost every day—open the door and shut it again, because I cannot do anything. But when I am on, time does not matter; I may come out 10 or 20 hours later, but in a different state.

I would also like to quote François-Marc Gagnon, from the Université de Montréal, who said:

The recent works of Riopelle made us find again something from that initial shock. They scandalize us, they make us stumble, in the etymological sense of the word “scandal”, which comes from the Greek skandalon, which is a stumbling block that makes us lose our balance. Sure, they are disturbing but, for that very reason, they present greater human interest than anything that Riopelle has done before, and they definitely do not deserve the somewhat uncomfortable view in which they are held now. Like anything that comes from the bottom, we would prefer not to see them. We would prefer to hide them. Certainly not show them to everyone on the electronic highway and make them appear on our computer screen.

I would like to conclude with this thought: Jean-Paul Riopelle was and will forever be that great man in our minds. He was also a very easy going and friendly person, a great friend.

We are saddened by his departure, but I am very pleased that the Quebec government decided to honour him on Monday by organizing a state funeral for this man who marked Quebec's history forever.

[Employment Insurance, February 28th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I am talking about preventive withdrawal, and we have been talking about it for 10 years here.

In 1993, the leader of the Bloc Quebecois proposed amendments to the Canada Labour Code to correct these injustices, and the Liberals, who were in opposition then, supported these changes. Now that they are in office, they are opposed to them.

Could the minister tell us why she is not correcting this injustice and why she is stubbornly maintaining two categories of female workers: one that is well covered by the Quebec labour code, and another one that is not so well covered by the Canada Labour Code?

[Employment Insurance, February 28th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I remind the Minister of Human Resources Development that Quebec women who are eligible to preventive withdrawal get 90% of their salary. By contrast, the federal program requires them to collect employment insurance benefits, which reduces the duration of their parental leave by the same period.

Does the minister realize that Quebec female workers who are on preventive withdrawal prefer to get 90% of their net salary from the CSST, like those who are covered by the Quebec labour code, rather than collect 55% of their gross salary, like those who are covered by the Canada Labour Code?

[Taxation, February 27th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, more and more Quebecers are realizing, with indignation, the unjust tax imbalance that is happening year after year between Ottawa and the provinces.

The Minister of Finance, the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, the Prime Minister, all say this is a myth, that it does not exist. This is a fine illustration of the traditional hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil, of people who do not want to hear anything, see anything and most particularly say anything.

But this reality does exist and we have clearly demonstrated its existence. The reality is that the federal government has recorded an increase in receipts of some 45% since 1994-95. The reality is that the federal government has recorded $13.4 billion in surplus funds in the first nine months of the year.

The reality of the provinces and of Quebec, however, is far less rosy. The sick are the first ones to fall victim to this scandalous situation.

Yet on the other side of this House, there they are closing their eyes, covering their ears and, if they do open their mouths, it is to distort reality.