The Environment  Mr. Speaker, the St. Lawrence River is part of our collective wealth. May I remind the minister that the St. Lawrence is a river, not a Great Lake. It is an invaluable natural asset that has been at the heart of Canada's history and economy since Confederation, yet the Conservative government does not seem interested in keeping it clean for Canadians.

The Environment  Mr. Speaker, this does not tell us what will happen next week. The St. Lawrence River, which is not a Great Lake, is a collective treasure that is at the heart of the history, the geography and the lives of Quebeckers. Yet funding for the St. Lawrence plan for a sustainable development will expire next week, and the government seems to want to let it die in silence.

International Cooperation  Mr. Speaker, that is doublespeak. Every year, 1,500,000 women die because they do not have access to family planning services. The government is giving in to the religious extremist lobbies at the expense of African women. Maternal and reproductive health is a human right. Contraceptives are essential to the health of African mothers.

International Cooperation  Mr. Speaker, less than a year ago, the government made a formal commitment to support voluntary family planning at the G8. Why does it now want to block access to contraception for African women? Why are the Conservatives so obsessed with trying to push these George Bush-like doctrines on the world's poor?

Department of Public Works and Government Services Act  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise today in the House of Commons to speak to Bill C-429. We have already heard from the bill's sponsor, the member for Manicouagan, whom I thank for this proposal, as well as from the government. I will begin by saying that I am surprised, if not stunned, that the government simply rejected the bill for a whole slew of technical reasons.

Girl Guides of Canada  Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to invite my colleagues to come and celebrate 100 years of girl guiding in Canada at an event on the Hill this evening. Over the last century, hundreds of thousands of girls and young women have been touched by guiding. They have had the opportunity to learn new skills, to develop lasting friendships, to improve their leadership skills, to tackle challenges and to experience adventures, all while they learned about the world around them in a supportive environment.

Claudette Poirier  Mr. Speaker, in honour of International Women's Day, the Deputy Chair of Committees of the Whole and I have the pleasure of welcoming Claudette Poirier, an artist from the Montreal south shore and retired employee of École Polytechnique. She will present her mural, which commemorates the tragic events of December 6, 1989.

International Cooperation  Mr. Speaker, that was definitely not an answer. The government is intimidating not only religious NGOs, but also academic, cultural, agricultural and feminist organizations that depart ever so slightly from its ideology. As soon as such organizations dare ask questions or take non-reformist positions, they lose their funding.

Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games  Mr. Speaker, I am very happy today to acknowledge the torch bearers from the three municipalities in my riding, Brossard, La Prairie and Candiac. Having the Olympic flame visit a community is a unique and memorable experience. It is a privilege to see the glowing flame pass along the streets of our community.

Questions on the Order Paper  With regard to government advertising, how much money did the government spend on television and radio advertising between January 1 and 31, 2007 inclusive, giving particulars of (i) how much each department or agency of government spent on such advertising, (ii) the subject and nature of each advertisement, (iii) the broadcast outlet on which each ad was broadcast, giving the name and location of the station, (iv) the dates on which the advertisements aired?

Questions on the Order Paper  With regard to government advertising, how much money did the government spend on television and radio advertising between December 1 and 31, 2006 inclusive, giving particulars of (i) how much each department or agency of government spent on such advertising, (ii) the subject and nature of each advertisement, (iii) the broadcast outlet on which each ad was broadcast, giving the name and location of the station, (iv) the dates on which the advertisements aired?

Status of Women  Mr. Speaker, December 6, 2009, will mark the 20th anniversary of the massacre of 14 female students at the École Polytechnique de Montréal. Sadly, violence against women still exists. The Conservatives are the only ones to have refused to include “sex” in the hate propaganda legislation.

Quebec Bridge  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak today to the motion by the member for Louis-Hébert. I want to thank him for bringing this issue to the attention of the House. When I saw this motion on the order paper, I was immediately intrigued by its purpose and potential interest. I can understand perfectly why the hon. member wants this issue to be addressed in the House.

Quebec Bridge  Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask my colleague, the member for Louis-Hébert, if he is familiar with the agreement signed between the federal government and CN in the early 1990s regarding the Victoria bridge in Montreal.

Nortel  Mr. Speaker, we condemn the decision by Nortel executives to give themselves bonuses of several million dollars while employees are not entitled to severance pay, pensions or disability benefits. Now that the Conservatives have taken steps for Nortel to be sold to Avaya, will they ensure that the Canadian employees, especially those who are disabled, are treated fairly and will receive the benefits for which they have worked so hard?