Yves Lessard

[Afghanistan, February 25th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I would like the hon. member who just spoke to explain to us how we are to understand one thing in particular. Since we have been in Afghanistan, one of the things we have done is help the Northern Alliance in its efforts to bring down the Taliban regime. There was a willingness to establish a democracy and a new economy and to curb the opium crops. Why is it that poppy production has tripled since then? How are we to understand that? If we look at this issue alone, would you not say this is a major failure? I will come back to other aspects a little later.

[Older Workers, February 25th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, the minister's answer is totally irresponsible. I would like to see him tell that to the workers in person. I would like to see him say that to the Donnacona workers and all of the other crisis victims.

All it would take to help workers over 55 is $60 million. We have a $10.6 billion surplus.

The government should help these victims by funding an income support program out of that surplus. Does the government realize that such a program would cost barely one-half of 1% of its surplus?

[Older Workers, February 25th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, the crisis in the manufacturing and forestry sectors is affecting a lot of people, including many workers over 55 who, in many cases, do not have basic education. The Conservatives have told these crisis victims to get training and find new jobs, to move to Alberta, or to live in poverty while waiting for their pensions.

What is stopping the Minister of Finance from funding a program that would really help older workers who, unfortunately, do not have the option of retraining?

[Manufacturing and Forestry Industries, February 14th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, regarding the assistance programs for older workers, the Conservatives' rhetoric is the same as that of the Liberals. We see nothing but broken promises, nothing to support unemployed workers. Everyone in Quebec is asking for help. Factories are closing, factories like Pétromont and again yesterday, Shermag. Workers aged 55 and older who have little education cannot find another job.

Will the government finally implement a real income support program for older workers, also known as POWA?

[Manufacturing and Forestry Industries, February 14th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, this week, the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities passed a Bloc Québécois motion calling on the government to improve its assistance plan for the manufacturing and forestry sectors. With a surplus of $10.6 billion for this year alone, the government has the means to invest $1.5 billion to help the workers affected by the crisis, as proposed by the Bloc Québécois.

Considering the urgent need to help workers in these sectors, will the Prime Minister finally agree to improve his assistance plan?

[The Constitution Act, 2007 (Democratic Representation), February 13th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, first I want to congratulate my colleague from Joliette on his very germane speech, which reflected the prevailing view in Quebec very accurately as well as the original intent of the Fathers of Confederation, who wanted to create a balance. As the hon. member said, even though Lower Canada had a larger population at the time, it agreed to what was then equal representation.

This bill implies that numerical strength is a function of the population of each part of Canada, but that was not the case originally. The intent at the time was to ensure fair representation for a distinct society, which is now Quebec, because it was distinct.

I want to ask my colleague the following question. Apart from the representation of sheer numbers and the fact that the various political options are represented, is there not something else at work here that is very harmful to Quebec? For quite a few years now, two-thirds of the members from Quebec have represented the Bloc Québécois. However, some of the Quebec members are working against its interest in having fair representation. This can be seen, as the hon. member said earlier, in the motions on the recovery plan for the manufacturing and forestry industries. I would like to know what my colleague has to say about this.

[Point of Order, February 5th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I retract my comments and I will be careful, in the future, to find more parliamentary synonyms.

[Point of Order, February 5th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I was formerly a bicycle racer and I am not in the habit of easily losing control.

The phrase just given does not reflect what was said in the blues. I know that, in your wisdom, you will read the blues and discover that I spoke in the conditional tense and said, “If you are drunk, sir, please leave.”

[Point of Order, February 5th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I am surprised that the member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles has chosen to intervene at this time. I thought he was rising to apologize for having interrupted my speech this afternoon. I find that somewhat disconcerting.

This afternoon, the member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, together with the member for Louis-Hébert, did their level best to interrupt my speech. Twice, I had to call on the Speaker of the House to intervene, as the blues will show. Naturally, such behaviour, which is not unlike the behaviour one might see in a tavern, has no place here. I find the situation rather unfortunate. I think that it would have been in the member for Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles' best interest not to raise the issue because it emphasizes his own behaviour in this House.

[Committees of the House, February 5th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. This is precisely a concern that should be brought to the attention of the House. The Standing Committee on Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities held meetings in Canada’s provincial capitals last year to investigate two matters.

First, the members of the committee wanted to investigate access to employment and stability of employment. All the stakeholder groups that appeared before us insisted on the importance of putting in place measures that would enable people to adapt to new trades and to meet new standards. The Bloc is in agreement, provided that people are not forced to relocate.