Older Workers  Mr. Speaker, the program announced yesterday will not be of any use in truly helping the workers. The Minister is fooling herself. When you are over 55 and you have spent the better part of your life in a textile factory, it is almost impossible. The Minister of International Cooperation and Minister for La Francophonie and Official Languages can go ahead and urge workers not to look back anymore, but to look ahead all she wants.

Forestry Industry  Mr. Speaker, there are countless supplementary measures that could be implemented to support and stimulate the forest industry, including biomass energy production. Implementing incentives for using wood by-products in bioenergy production would benefit us in three ways: the industry would have access to clean energy; it would protect the environment; and, last but not least, it would show the Minister of Labour that the two are not mutually exclusive.

Forestry Industry  The Minister of Labour claims that protecting the environment hurts forestry. One of the Bloc Québécois' many proposals demonstrates that that is not so. Will the Minister of Natural Resources admit that a refundable tax credit for improving green technology in the forestry sector would have a definite positive effect on both the forest industry and the environment?

Transport  Mr. Speaker, we were surprised to learn that Transport Canada is investigating the journalist who revealed weaknesses in the Montreal airport's security system. Rather than investigate the journalist who brought these flaws to light, does the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities not think that his department would be better off investigating the problem itself?

Transport  Mr. Speaker, I will give another example of inconsistency. At the port of Montreal security is deemed so important that containers declared empty are not checked and security agents busy themselves searching the lunch boxes of the dock workers. Although security problems are known to exist, containers are not inspected and excessive emphasis is placed on the workers.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from across the floor for his question. I personally visited a textile factory and met women and men aged 56 to 59 who have been working 35 or 40 years in that factory. They use the term “older worker” themselves. After having worked hard in a physical job, for a scant salary and meagre benefits, these people do not present themselves as young, healthy workers.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I thank your for your generosity. In reply to my colleague's question, I live in a region where there are many one-industry towns. The Bloc Québécois wants this program because it wants to support older workers aged 55 and over who are the victims of massive layoffs.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I am going to be sharing my time with the distinguished member for Bas-Richelieu—Nicolet—Bécancour. I feel very ambivalent about addressing the House today on the Bloc Québécois motion on its opposition day. On the one hand, I am pleased to have the privilege of stating how important I feel it is to institute a real income support program for older workers that would apply to all older workers in all economic sectors in all regions.

Government Programs  Mr. Speaker, the report submitted yesterday by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development confirmed what public servants had already told the government: the EnerGuide program is effective and makes a difference in the fight against climate change. How can the Minister of Natural Resources justify the elimination of that program, which would help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while the commissioner warns that urgent action is needed in this file?

Textile Industry  Mr. Speaker, the Gildan textile company announced this morning that it will be closing its factory in Valleyfield, resulting in the definitive loss of 200 jobs. The Minister of Finance has announced cutbacks, and an unused sum of $25 million intended for the textile and clothing sector will be cut.

Program for Older Worker Adjustment  Mr. Speaker, while the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development says that she is continuing to examine the feasibility of the Program for Older Worker Adjustment, several unemployed workers from Huntingdon are being told by a departmental employee that the program will be announced in two or three weeks and that he would be pleased to have coffee with them to celebrate.

Heritage Hunting, Trapping and Fishing Protection Act  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak today to Bill C-222 introduced by the hon. member for Dauphin—Swan River—Marquette in Manitoba, under private members' business. I am pleased, first, because I am the new Bloc Québécois natural resources critic and, second, as you surely know, I plunged into this bill quite enthusiastically.

Softwood Lumber  Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the assistance program proposed by the Bloc Québécois is not only to provide assistance to the softwood lumber industry but also to improve the energy balance. It provides incentives for production of biomass energy, mainly with technological innovations in wood chip processing.

Canada Transportation Act  Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his remarks. In my riding, trains pose a problem mainly in three large cities: Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Beauharnois and Huntingdon. Three problems are especially serious: noise from marshalling during the day, in the evening, at night and on weekends; diesel fumes, which seriously bother people in their homes; and rail maintenance for civil security purposes.

The Environment  Mr. Speaker, in August 2004, a ruptured pump at CEZ Inc. in Valleyfield resulted in the release of a toxic cloud that travelled as far as downtown Montreal and affected thousands of people. Today we learn that, at the time, Environment Canada had not double checked some information provided by the company; certain compromising documents had even been disregarded.