Yves Lessard

[Employment Insurance, February 25th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, we would do better at agreeing to listen to what organizations, not individuals, have to say.

If the minister is so sure of the quality of the measures she announced, why does she not go and see what is really happening on the ground, as advocacy groups for the unemployed are asking her to do?

[Employment Insurance, February 25th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development stated yesterday that she had heard the budgetary policies described by a spokesperson for seasonal workers as a victory for them.

What does the minister have to say to the Mouvement autonome et solidaire des sans-emploi, the Sans-chemise coalition, labour organizations and the Mouvement Action-Chômage, which, like others, are condemning the policies announced and saying they are completely disappointed with the crumbs the minister has thrown them?

[Budget Implementation Act, 2004, No. 2, February 25th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, first I would like to congratulate my colleague from Joliette on his speech; it was extremely pertinent and fair and exposed the true nature of this government, which serves its party and friends first, before it serves the country.

I have two questions for my colleague. First, with respect to his depiction of the way the members of this government succeed in avoiding the tax obligations of their businesses to the Canadian public, does he not think that this is a kind of money laundering, as we see in organized crime?

My second question came to me while the hon. member from the Liberal Party was saying that this budget was well received by municipal governments. Does he not think that in a sovereign Quebec the municipalities would no longer need to prostrate themselves and lick the government's boots in order to get their share of the pie to manage their communities? Does he not agree that if we were to collect all income tax directly in Quebec, the municipalities would be much better able to manage their communities properly?

[Employment Insurance, February 24th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, those for whom the minister speaks were quoted in this morning's press as calling the changes “indecent, insipid and frustrating.” That was how they described the budget. Yesterday the PM's Quebec lieutenant, the Minister of Transport, said in a broadcast interview that “reasonable unemployed people” will find the budget a great one.

How can he be so cynical and disdainful of people who have had $46 billion stolen from them by the government? How can he—

[Employment Insurance, February 24th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has betrayed Quebec' s unemployed.

How can the Minister of Finance be so cynical as to ignore the Prime Minister's commitments on employment insurance, sidestep the Liberal vote on the 28 recommendations to improve the employment insurance program and offer only seven one thousandths of what he stole from the EI fund?

[Parental Leave, February 18th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, that is a rather questionable answer. What is at stake here is the establishment of the parental leave system on January 1, 2006. On the eve of the last election campaign, there was supposedly an agreement. And yet things are still dragging on.

Can the minister tell the House how many Quebec ministers it will take before the government's representatives keep their promises?

[Parental Leave, February 18th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, as we see, they have many excuses for delaying the signature of the agreement on parental leave. When it is not the legal aspects, it is the financial questions that pose a problem. Fewer excuses were found when they had to reach an agreement with Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia on natural resources.

How can they be so quick to transfer billions of dollars to Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia, and still refuse to return $275 million to Quebec for parental leave?

[Yvon Labelle, February 17th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, on the recommendation of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, Yvon Labelle, a resident of my riding, was decorated with a second bar, a high police honour.

This was a well deserved tribute in recognition of 40 years of loyal service, 30 of which were in the city of Montreal at MUCPD, and 10 in Saint-Basile-le-Grand in the riding of Chambly—Borduas.

Throughout his career, Mr. Labelle managed various police teams and civilian employees. Under his charge they achieved noteworthy operational, administrative and community relations objectives.

In both cities, he established new methods for working with the community, bringing police officers and members of the public together thereby personalizing the role of the police in the community.

Congratulations to Mr. Labelle. The Bloc Québécois wishes him a happy retirement surrounded by his loved ones.

[Employment Insurance, February 15th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, these are not suggestions, but recommendations.

Various labour organizations, including the Conseil du patronat, are calling for the creation of an independent EI fund, yet the minister is still shilly-shallying. Employment insurance has become an employment tax, and this is unacceptable.

So, does the minister intend to get her act together and support the creation of an independent employment insurance fund, as recommended unanimously to her by the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development, Skills Development, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities?

[Employment Insurance, February 15th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, when one looks at the progress that has been made, it is not as clear. There would be fewer problems with the employment insurance program if the fund were self-directed by the employers and workers. That principle was recognized in the throne speech, as well as in today's committee report, so the government cannot back down any longer.

Does the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development intend to insist that her colleague in Finance create an independent EI fund to put an end to the federal government's pillaging of contributions?