Raynald Blais

[Fisheries and Oceans, April 29th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans recently awarded permanent shrimp quotas to fishers in Prince Edward Island, her home province, at the expense of shrimp fishers in Quebec, thereby ignoring Quebec's historical share of the shrimp fishery. Her predecessor, Loyola Hearn, also favoured his own province, Newfoundland and Labrador, when allocating fishing quotas.

Are we to conclude that if there should be a fisheries and oceans minister from Saskatchewan some day, Quebec's shrimp quotas would be allocated to Saskatchewan?

[Seal Hunt, March 3rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the current government's inaction is giving free rein to abolitionist groups to spread falsehoods. These abolitionists include a Liberal senator, Mac Harb, who is calling for an end to the seal hunt.

What is the government waiting for to launch an international information campaign to promote the expansion of markets for seal products and make this industry viable through measures such as expanding the hunt?

[Seal Hunt, March 3rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the European Commission's Internal Market Directorate General recently supported a regulation that would impose a partial embargo on seal products. This embargo would have a serious impact on hunters who make a living from this honourable traditional hunt. European decision-makers will vote on the final bill very soon.

What does the government plan to do to oppose this new attack on the seal hunt?

[Budget Implementation Act, 2009, March 2nd, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I would simply like to remind my hon. Liberal colleague that, unfortunately, there is sometimes a huge gap between words and actions. In terms of words, I find the member's ideas very interesting, but in terms of actions, how can we make things better for society, especially in this time of economic crisis, and support a bill like the one before us today? Ultimately, they are maintaining a little latitude, but, really, there are no specific measures, particularly concerning pay equity for women.

In that regard, how can the member be so interesting in terms of what he says, but then, in terms of what he does, so ready to support a budget like this one?

[Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act, February 23rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would first like to congratulate my colleague from Saint-Jean for his speech and the quick world tour he gave us. “Happy he who, like Ulysses has travelled well.” I have the impression that our friend has travelled a lot and has also learned a lot. I would like him to discuss an element that he did not really touch on during his speech—the idea of settlement of the land.

We do not, and could not, oppose the spirit of the bill that has been introduced. However, we cannot forget that we have a responsibility when we have a certain territory. I come from what is considered a remote area, and I understand relatively well what is happening in the north in terms of the lack of interest there has been, not only over the past few years and months, but over many years. This is the first time anyone has been this interested in the Canadian north. And they are interested for the wrong reasons.

Settling the territory is wonderful in principle, but at the same time, that means something for the people who live there. They do not want to feel looked down upon, but honoured and supported. I would like to hear my colleague talk about the elements that may have been left out of the bill.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2009, February 9th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I listened with great interest to the speech by the member for Toronto Centre. I was wondering exactly how he would try to win us over.

He says that he has serious issues with the budget, and I would like to hear him talk about these issues in detail, given that he agreed from day one to support this government, which, a couple of weeks ago, was in complete denial of reality and is still in denial today. In particular, there are no measures to help the unemployed who have lost their jobs, are losing them today or are at risk of losing them.

I would like the member for Toronto Centre to enlighten us as to the serious issues he has with the budget. And how can these issues not be serious enough to keep him from supporting the budget?

[Budget Implementation Act, 2009, February 9th, 2009]

Through you, madam Speaker, I would like to put a question to the member who just spoke about the budget. My question concerns an issue close to my heart and to the hearts of those who live in the regions.

The Bloc Québécois has submitted a rather detailed plan to the government. I would like to hear the hon. member on this. In the last Parliament, she probably showed support for a tax credit for those young people returning to work in so-called remote regions. I say so-called because who is remote from whom really? In that sense, I guess she would have liked this bill to be reinstated. What is really her take on this?

[The Budget, February 3rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I listened with interest to what the Minister of Public Works and Government Services had to say. Some of what he said is very hurtful to Quebeckers, especially the people in the regions. I am referring to what he said about how this government is taking action and what is in the budget.

The minister says they have taken action. I would like to ask him where the government has focused its action. I have the feeling that the unemployed have been ignored, just like the people in the regions, the people working in forestry and fishing. The government's priority lies elsewhere. It is certainly not in Quebec, and it is certainly not the people I just mentioned.

I would like to hear what notable steps the minister believes the government has taken to help these groups, which should not have been ignored.

[The Budget, January 29th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I thank you. I would like to say that Gaspé and the Magdalen Islands are a beautiful area and would be pleased to welcome you.

First I would like to congratulate the member for Richmond—Arthabaska for his speech and I would like to hear from him about the Quebec nationalist members, as they call themselves, of the Conservative Party. I am thinking in particular of the member from Roberval—Lac-Saint-Jean, who is now a minister. They are forgetting about employment insurance and the forestry issue in Quebec. I would like to hear from the member for Richmond—Arthabaska in this regard.

[Economic and Fiscal Statement, December 2nd, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, many of my colleagues would love to question the Minister of Foreign Affairs. First of all, because we have just heard some outrageous statements. The first of these was the reference to ministerial positions, which I am not interested in, and we are not interested in. I get the impression that his main concern was to protect his ministerial position. That was what I was hearing. What I was hearing was a panicky man anxious to keep his portfolio.

The question I would like to ask is this: Could he list for me one strong measure that has been taken to deal with the present crisis as far as the unemployed in regions like ours are concerned? Can he name me one single strong measure that the government intends to take, or has taken in recent months, to deal with the crisis as far as the unemployed in the regions are concerned?