Pierre Lemieux

[Poultry Rejection Program, February 27th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, I have the honour of tabling correspondence and documents regarding the poultry rejection program.

These documents prove that despite what the member for Malpeque has repeatedly stated in the House, the poultry rejection program did indeed begin under the previous Liberal government in 2004.

The documents include a letter to the chicken farmers of Canada, dated May 17, 2004, that discusses the origins of the project, a letter to the provincial veterinarian association--

[Agriculture, February 27th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I know the hon. member knows how much we have done for livestock producers. We can say that we are standing for farmers. In the last two years, we delivered over $1.2 billion to livestock producers through our new business risk management programs and we have provided $550 million in emergency loans with the first $100,000 being interest free.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2009, February 11th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I take exception to my colleague's position regarding the budget, particularly since he decided to vote against it before he had seen or read a single thing about it. He has done a disservice to Canadians.

He mentioned changes to EI. In this very budget we are talking about $1.5 billion over two years for EI and non-EI training programs. We are talking about $500 million to extend EI benefits for workers in longer term training. We are talking about $50 million over two years to cover severance pay. We are talking about extending EI for an additional five weeks. These are all positive measures. I do not understand how my colleague can vote against these measures. They are positive measures.

He says that he sees they are positive measures. However, he is voting against them because they are not exactly the way he would like to see them. That is where the disservice to Canadians comes in.

How can he reject such positive measures?

[Food Safety, February 9th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, as I said, this government is committed to protecting the safety of Canadians. In fact, when the Liberals were in power, they cut funding for food safety and they cut the number of inspectors. Under our Conservative government, we have committed an additional $113 million for food and product safety and we have put more than 200 new inspectors to work.

[Food Safety, February 9th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the health and safety of Canadians is always a number one priority for our government.

There are three points I would like to bring up. First, this is a pilot program that was originated under the Liberals in 2004. Second, the government will not implement this program unless it is scientifically proven to improve food safety. Third, under this government, Canada has never had more veterinarians doing more inspections.

[OC Transpo Strike, January 30th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to tell the House that my constituents are extremely pleased that Parliament worked together to encourage an end to the OC Transpo strike. Many residents throughout my riding from Rockland to Russell, Embrun, Casselman and beyond faced considerable hardship commuting to their jobs in Ottawa during the strike. They were delighted to hear last night that the transit strike has come to an end.

On behalf of the constituents in my riding, I would like to thank the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities for their work on this issue, as well as the members for Ottawa—Vanier and Ottawa Centre. With the support of the opposition parties, the members and senators were ready to stay late last night to quickly pass a bill to solve this problem.

The results show that the members of this Parliament can work together to help all Canadians.

[Motions for Papers, January 28th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all notices of motions for the production of papers be allowed to stand.

[Questions on the Order Paper, January 28th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.

[Economic and Fiscal Statement, December 4th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, the member has highlighted a key point.

In our economic update, we were very clear that stimulating the economy was important and necessary. However, it is also necessary to work with our biggest trading partner, the United States, which is about to have a change of government.

The auto industry is interconnected between the United States and Canada and it would be imprudent for Canada to charge ahead with our own stimulus package without co-ordinating this with the impact the U.S. package may have in Canada. It is better that we take the time to consult, as I mentioned, with our financial experts, stakeholders and Canadians, keeping an eye on what the Americans are doing, and that we all work together.

I would like to reiterate what the Prime Minister said last night. We are asking the opposition to participate in this process. The Minister of Finance has said that the budget will be tabled in January. There is time between now and January for the opposition to participate in this budget and in this very important process for all Canadians.

I ask the opposition to put aside its power grab. Let us work together for the interests of our economy.

[Economic and Fiscal Statement, December 4th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I am surprised how shallow the questions really are. I think the member should be taking things a little more seriously.

As I mentioned, when it comes to a party, if they want to vote in favour of legislation that the government has tabled, that is fine, and the government will not reject that, but to put in place a formal power-sharing agreement with which to govern Canada, that is wrong.

Speaking about minority governments and wanting to work with the opposition, once again last night the Prime Minister, on national television, asked the opposition parties to submit their ideas and to work with the government. They will not do so and the leader of the NDP had a secret deal with the separatist Bloc from long ago. That is right from the mouth of the leader of the NDP, and that is the problem. Does the NDP really want to work for Canadians and work with the government when it is putting in place, behind the backs of Canadians, a secret deal with the Bloc party. I think not.