Ethics  Mr. Speaker, we are not talking about a mere oversight. The Minister of Industry violated the Conflict of Interest Act. That is a serious matter, yet the industry minister has not even been given a slap on the wrist. He was simply told not to do it again. The Conservatives have no qualms about giving huge responsibilities to someone who plays favourites with his friends.

Telecommunications  Mr. Speaker, we like the goals, but we are skeptical about the results that will be achieved. In this case, there is much to be skeptical about. The government has made all kinds of statements, but it has provided no proof that these measures will reduce costs for consumers, particularly rural consumers.

Telecommunications  Mr. Speaker, telecommunications infrastructure is critical to our modern economy. Without access to the Internet, people cannot do business. That is why consumers and the industry have both asked the government to help improve coverage in rural regions. The minister's plan is based on the assumption that a business may be able to purchase two spectrum blocks.

Telecommunications  Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the government announced its intentions with regard to foreign ownership in the telecommunications sector and the upcoming auction of wireless spectrum. Clearly, this announcement was designed to try to please everyone, yet, in the end, almost no one is satisfied.

Telecommunications  Mr. Speaker, I also said that I would reserve judgment until I see the details. The minister will hear from me this afternoon. The Minister of Industry is trying to please everybody and, ultimately, is pleasing virtually nobody. The decision to place a cap on the auction rather than opting for the concept of set-aside will hamper the proper development of next-generation cellular technology, LTE.

Agriculture and Agri-Food  Mr. Speaker, this is precisely why we have the Investment Canada Act. According to Greg Pearlman of BMO Capital Markets, Viterra is a very unique asset with lots of elements that are not replicable. I think this is what is commonly known as a strategic asset. Will the government commit to respecting clear criteria when determining what is a net benefit and what is a strategic asset and to conducting a quantitative analysis based on those criteria?

Emergency Debate  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that my colleague opposite raised the issue of information, because lack of information was one of the major contributing factors to the problem we are dealing with now. I asked a question earlier, and I would like to ask it again because I have not really received an answer yet.

Emergency Debate  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased that the parliamentary secretary spoke about the reporting system. She made a comparison with the United States. In our opinion, the main problem is that manufacturers were not required to report the impending shortage. As early as 2010, they knew that shortages of some drugs were approaching.

Protecting Canada’s Immigration System Act  Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to the Minister of Immigration, we disagree on two definitions. The first has to do with democracy. To sum up what he said about democracy: Canadians go to the polls every four years to give a mandate to one party and that party can do whatever it wants.

Employment Insurance  Mr. Speaker, like the minister, the Parliamentary Secretary is trying to confuse the issue. I am not talking about what happened in 2007. I am talking about what happened last year. This is what happened. The Minister of Industry boasted to a local newspaper that he lobbied to have the centre moved to his riding in a building belonging to his former associate, who is also a Conservative donor who worked on his last election campaign.

Employment Insurance  Mr. Speaker, we learned from this morning's edition of Le Soleil that in 2009 the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development did not plan to close the employment insurance processing centre in Rimouski. On the contrary, the department had decided to expand the centre. It was the centre in Thetford Mines that was supposed to close.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, the argument presented by my colleague from Peterborough is nothing new. We have been hearing it for three days in question period. It goes like this: a shop is burgled, an individual is arrested and charged, and the person charged claims that he cannot be charged because first of all the owner of the shop has to prove his own innocence.

Committees of the House  Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to have heard this presentation. As the industry critic, I have some specific concerns about industry. The hon. member drew attention to the manufacturing sector, but many other sectors such as agriculture and forestry are having problems. One of the major problems is that our economy relies far too heavily on the exportation of our natural resources.

Service Canada  Mr. Speaker, in late August 2011, the Minister of Industry said: “I made representations to the minister. We have a nice centre that is well situated and we received positive recommendations from the Department.” This justifies an inquiry by the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.

Service Canada  Mr. Speaker, election fraud on one hand and the in and out scheme on the other. And now, the Ethics Commissioner is investigating the relocation of the employment insurance processing centre from Rimouski to Thetford Mines, an investigation that directly targets the Minister of Industry.