Sylvie Boucher

[Quebec, June 8th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, last week, we saw how the Leader of the Opposition embodies the worst centralist tradition of the Liberal Party. He said so himself: he has nothing to give Quebec. Today, the headline in Le Devoir said that the real leader of the Bloc, Pauline Marois, had Ottawa in her sights and would go on the warpath. Ms. Marois said she wanted to hold not one, but two referenda as soon as the Parti Québécois regains power.

The stage is set. The PQ-Bloc and the Liberals are choosing confrontation instead of working to boost the economy. The dreamers and the centralists can keep on squabbling. All they are doing is proving that they are completely out of touch. Quebeckers are not stupid. Fortunately, since 2006, our government has respected Quebec's jurisdictions, because we acknowledge the aspirations of the Quebec nation. We want a strong Quebec within a united Canada.

[Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, June 4th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank you for the time you have allocated to me to debate Motion No. 288, presented by the Hon. member for Sherbrooke.

First of all, it is obvious that the deterioration of the global economic situation requires us to help the regions of Quebec even more aggressively.

Needless to say, then, the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec needs to play an even more significant role.

Small and medium businesses and communities made their needs clear during the regional tours by the Minister of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec). Our government has been able to put a number of measures in place thanks to our exhaustive consultations throughout Quebec and Canada, and our keeping our fingers constantly on the pulse.

The findings on those tours confirmed our opinion that the NGOs are important allies of the SMEs and the communities in their economic development and diversification efforts.

On March 18, the Minister of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec)was therefore able to announce that he has loosened up the funding for certain NGOs in the economic sector.

Our government is, however, a responsible government and it is important that we ensure that the taxpayer's dollar is being carefully managed, especially in these difficult times.

This is why our new approach to the funding of non-profit bodies active in the economic development sector is set up as follows: It is for a period of two years; the funding is for those NGOs that are deemed by the community to be essential, and is related to the financial capacity of the agency; there must be a real demonstration of need by the applying organization; the objectives must be translated into concrete results or funding will be cut back or terminated; there must be rigorous accountability to the government.

This announcement was greeted very positively by the stakeholders. For instance, Mayor Labeaume spoke of how delighted he was with the Government of Canada's decision to create a new policy on the funding of NGOs in the economic sector.

I would also like to remind hon. members of the reaction of Raymond Bachand, Quebec's Minister of Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade to the announcement:

Today's announcement demonstrates that the federal government has recognized the important contribution to the economic development of Quebec of the not for profit economic organizations. Not for profit organizations will again have access for a period of two years to federal government funding, an essential complement to the action of the Government of Quebec. The economic vitality of Quebec is unfolding, day after day, thanks to the work of these economic leaders.

Canada Economic Development’s mission is to focus on regional economic development and support for small and medium-size businesses.

In addition to the assistance we give not-for-profit organizations with an economic mandate, we provide direct assistance to small and medium-size businesses in Quebec through consulting services and financial help.

Canada Economic Development also encourages regional business circles and the organizations that support them. As my colleague from Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière mentioned in the first hour of debate, we have announced a number of measures to assist the economic development of the regions and thereby help the people and communities located there.

For example, I would like to mention that, through the community futures program, our government made a total contribution of $31 million in 2008-2009 to support the operations of 57 community futures development corporations, or CFDCs, 10 business development centres, or BDCs, 14 community economic development corporations, or CEDCs, the community futures development corporation network in Quebec, the joint CFDC fund, as well as all the not-for-profit organizations with an economic mandate.

The CFDCs, BDCs and CEDCs provide a variety of local development and business assistance services in the regions of Quebec.

The CED minister recently had the pleasure, thanks to agreements reached with the joint CFDC fund, of announcing the implementation of the business startup and succession fund to stimulate the Quebec economy.

This fund has a $6 million budget to help small and medium-sized businesses located outside the major urban centres to develop at particularly critical points in their growth by facilitating their access to risk capital.

The CED minister also had the pleasure of announcing the envelope allocated to the business support fund, whose initial $8 million budget was increased to $9.6 million.

As a result, slightly more than 90 small and medium-sized businesses outside the major urban centres in Quebec received financial assistance to meet their needs for working capital.

We also understand the importance of tourism to the economic development of Quebec.

That is why the Minister of State (Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec) has announced $30 million over three years to renew the funding agreements with the regional tourism associations, commonly called ATRs in Quebec, the sectoral tourism associations, called the ATSs in Quebec, which, we could point out, are not-for-profit organizations with an economic mandate.

Our government uses the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec as a conduit for providing financial assistance to the tourism industry to help it work together to improve tourism products and marketing and to support major projects to attract tourists from outside Quebec.

We also announced recently that the criteria for applying for financial assistance had been eased to help the tourist accommodation industry in Quebec.

It is evident that our government is out there in the field, working together with all the economic players in the regions because it is only with their assistance that we are able to help communities diversify their economies.

Together we will become stronger and more prosperous, in Quebec and in Canada.

[Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, June 4th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, despite the cries, the insults, the indignation from the members of the official opposition, Canadians need to know what the Liberal leader thinks of Canada and Canada's taxation system.

If he thinks that politics is just a way of having feelings one would not otherwise have, or if he thinks that the way to go is to tell Ontarians he is one of them, and to tell Quebeckers he is one of us, we have nothing here but a weather vane disguised as a politician .

Canada needs a strong economy in these hard times. It needs someone who will direct this country with a single voice, not someone who will say one thing, and then turn around and say the very opposite.

The Liberal leader has answered not one of our questions. Who will foot the bill for all the Liberal tax hikes? Who?

This Conservative government will not let him carry out his Liberal plan. In particular, we will not start going in reverse.

[June 1st, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, it always makes me laugh to see the Bloc members shouting so loudly.

They are the only ones in Parliament who voted against Bill C-268, which would have protected our own children from sex offenders. And they are the ones lecturing us. I am sorry, but Bill C-268 was very important. All the parliamentarians supported us.

The treatment of Canadian children is just as important as the treatment of children elsewhere.

[June 1st, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to children under 18 years of age, the Bloc just will not listen to reason.

As we all know, Omar Khadr was arrested by U.S. forces in 2002 because they believed he had been recruited by al-Qaeda and had participated in the armed conflict in Afghanistan as a combatant.

The United States has accused Mr. Khadr of serious crimes, including murder and attempted murder, and of other terrorism-related crimes.

Any court, including American courts, would consider these accusations to be very serious. That is why our government's position has always been based on the fact that it is up to American authorities to decide what they believe to be the most appropriate way to handle Mr. Khadr's case.

We understand that President Obama has asked for an extra 120 days in all cases, including Mr. Khadr's, to finalize military commission reforms.

That decision is just one more example of the Obama administration's efforts to resolve the Guantanamo detainee situation. The United States is continuing to debate whether, among other things, the detainees should be freed or transferred, or whether they should be tried and, if so, before which courts.

It would be inappropriate for Canada to disrupt the action taken by President Obama about this, by jumping ahead of the process taking place. We have no intention to prejudge what the final conclusions of the review of Mr. Khadr's case will be and how it will be resolved afterwards.

On April 23, 2009, the Federal Court of Canada made a ruling about the repatriation of Mr. Khadr. After carefully reviewing the legal merits of an appeal and the grounds of the ruling, the government decided to appeal the ruling. Our decision is very much consistent with the approach we have always adopted about this case.

Moreover, our decision is in line with the respect our government has for the sovereignty of American courts. It allows for the procedures ordered by President Obama to take place without undue interference on our part.

Canadian officials in Guantanamo regularly visit Mr. Khadr to inquire about his well-being. These visits allow us to constantly assess the conditions of his detention and to bring him some form of support.

In addition, Canadian officials play a tangible role to help him obtain items which improve his comfort in Guantanamo. The government of Canada also requested on several occasions that Mr. Khadr be offered opportunities for education during his detention and that he be submitted to an independent medical and psychological assessment. Finally, the government insisted that Mr. Khadr must benefit from the services of a competent lawyer of his choice and helped him gain access to a Canadian lawyer.

[Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, June 1st, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition is keeping quiet and no longer wants to talk to Canadians about his hidden tax agenda. Who will pay for the tax increases the Liberals want to bring in? Our poorest citizens? Unemployed workers? Women? Who? Canadians are still waiting for an answer.

He is always ready to make sweeping statements and probably still believes that Quebec's nationalism is blind, that Quebeckers do not speak the kind of French he can understand and, more importantly, that Quebeckers are simply North Americans who speak French.

But does he really understand Quebec? No. For him, Quebeckers are simply Frenchies.

This Liberal leader is disappointing Quebeckers. They are disappointed by the attitude of this man who is trying to pass off his true ideas on Quebec—

[Liberal Party of Canada, May 29th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, in recent days, we have watched as the Liberals have ramped up the worst sort of political partisanship. It is nothing but smoke and mirrors, motivated by an obsession to win at any cost. This pernicious partisanship clearly shows that the policies of the Liberal Party are devoid of ideas and lack direction.

On the one hand, the Liberals criticize the size of the deficit, and on the other, they want us to spend billions of dollars more. This government will not apologize for spending to stimulate the economy, protect jobs and support the unemployed. These are necessary, affordable, short-term measures.

The only ideas coming out of that party seem to be ideas for new taxes: more GST, more tax, an added tax burden on businesses. We get no answers from the Liberal leader. Where I come from, we call that blowing with the wind.

[Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, May 26th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal leader enjoys himself. He enjoys announcing that he likes taxes and want to impose more taxes on us. He likes to raise Canadians' taxes. That is now very clear.

But he will not answer any more questions about his hidden fiscal agenda. He does not want to talk about it. It would certainly be embarrassing if he did, because he would be bombarded by criticism from across the country.

What taxes does he want to raise? Who will suffer these tax hikes? The disadvantaged? The unemployed? The poor? He should stand up in this House and tell us.

Because the Liberal leader prefers empty rhetoric and tax hikes, Canadians will reject the Trudeau-style Liberal patronage, a destructive ideology that brought us to the brink of social and economic bankruptcy. Quebeckers will remember that.

[Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, May 15th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, over the years, if not the last few weeks, the Liberal leader has praised Liberal-style taxation. He wants to raise taxes. He wants to increase Liberal-style taxation. The Liberal leader must now answer to legitimate questions from Canadians, as well as my questions.

Which taxes does he want to raise? Does he want to raise income taxes, as well? How does he want to raise them? What portion of the population will bear the brunt of these tax increases?

The more closely we look at the Liberal platform on taxes, the more we find percentages creeping up.

Does he want to raise the GST to 6%, 7%, 8%, 9%, 10%? Are people going to see their entire salary eaten up?

He does not want to answer these questions.

We, the Conservatives, have lowered taxes for Canadians. We are proud of that, and we will never allow the Liberal leader to eliminate the progress we have made.

[Leader of the Liberal Party, May 11th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, Liberal ideology at its worst has returned on the other side of the House. The Liberal leader wants to raise taxes. Raise taxes for the good of the nation, he said.

This weekend, the Liberal leader also denied his party's recent history. After—like all his colleagues—signing a letter to the Governor General begging her to allow the opposition to lead the country with an unelected coalition, today he is dissociating himself from that.

For this man, Quebec is a little like Minnesota or Vermont. He recognizes Quebec's distinctness only by highway signs written in French. I have no congratulations for him.

For the Liberal leader, there is nothing like a healthy tax increase, a latent insult to Quebeckers and a firm denial of history. We expected nothing less from a Liberal leader who is gradually falling into line with the shortsighted ideology of his party and that of Trudeau.