Automotive Industry  Mr. Speaker, if there is something that the Liberals and the Conservatives have in common, it is the lack of transparency when when they bail out major corporations. The announced closure of GM's Oshawa plant is a tragedy for the 2,500 workers and their families. It is also a tragedy for the community.

Automotive Industry  Mr. Speaker, he did not say how. Back in the 1980s, the GM plant in Oshawa employed over 23,000 people. It was once one of the biggest auto plants in the world. That was before NAFTA and the end of the Auto Pact, when Liberal and Conservative governments decided to stop trying to keep jobs here as they had done in the past.

Automotive Industry  Mr. Speaker, last week, Liberals gave corporations like General Motors $14 billion in various tax measures, supposedly because this would keep jobs in Canada, but today, while GM shareholders got a bump of 7%, more than—

Automotive Industry  Mr. Speaker, last week, Liberals gave corporations like General Motors $14 billion in various tax measures, supposedly because this would keep jobs in Canada, but today, while GM shareholders got a bump of 7%, more than 2,500 Canadian workers will lose their jobs and their livelihoods.

Canada Post  Mr. Speaker, on another matter, the Prime Minister claims to be a feminist and a progressive, but does he know that in 1981, there was a general postal strike that lasted 41 days without any government intervention? Does he know that after those 41 days, the parties reached an agreement, and that it was the first time in the history of the federal public service that a collective agreement included maternity leave provisions?

Postal Services Resumption and Continuation Act  Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 62, I move, seconded by the hon. member for Berthier—Maskinongé, that the member for Elmwood—Transcona be now heard, since he rose first.

Postal Services Resumption and Continuation Act  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her question. Our respective ridings are located in rural areas. There are many postal workers with rural routes in my riding. Earlier, someone talked about a Canada Post employee in the gallery who said that she worked 14 hours but was only paid for six.

Postal Services Resumption and Continuation Act  Mr. Speaker, with all due respect for my colleague from Lac-Saint-Louis, his question is a little ridiculous. Canada Post managers knew that the government was going to intervene. If they thought they stood a better chance with a mediator, they would have already negotiated, but they refused to do so.

Postal Services Resumption and Continuation Act  Mr. Speaker, with the shenanigans we have seen from the Liberals, I am not surprised that he went this way. We could talk about Tommy Douglas opposing the War Measures Act. We could go back to Mackenzie King or Laurier. The point is what they are doing right now, after rotating strikes, without doing anything about Canada Post.

Postal Services Resumption and Continuation Act  Mr. Speaker, once again, someone else did something before. They would actually be implementing measures that would remove the right to strike from workers. They would be doing so with a Crown corporation to which they have appointed the members. They should be accountable right now, not passing the buck everywhere else.

Postal Services Resumption and Continuation Act  Mr. Speaker, that is a very good question. When we talk about postal banking, we know that five or six years ago, Canada Post actually asked for a report on the viability of such an option. It never made it public. A journalist got the document through an access to information request, and actually that document revealed that postal banking would be a win-win situation for Canadians and for Canada Post.

Postal Services Resumption and Continuation Act  We did not see that from the member for Gatineau either, Mr. Speaker. The reason we walked out is that this kind of bill, which takes away people's right to strike, is very serious. The government and the Minister of Labour said that the situation had gone far enough and they had no choice but to take action.

Postal Services Resumption and Continuation Act  Mr. Speaker, I did not name any MP.

Postal Services Resumption and Continuation Act  Mr. Speaker, my Kingston colleague's speech is indicative of the problem. To them, this is a big joke. Our members were respectfully speaking out against this approach, but people across the way, especially cabinet members, were laughing out loud at what was going on. When we are debating a bill that will take away 50,000 Canadians' right to strike, a modicum of decorum and respectful parliamentary debate is called for.

Postal Services Resumption and Continuation Act  Mr. Speaker, as you can see, there are very few of our NDP colleagues here. The reason, as you saw, is that we decided to protest the Liberal government's disrespectful approach to this situation by walking out during the vote on the super-closure motion to prevent a real debate on the bill.