Speech (committee meeting)

{
    "time": "2008-04-18 16:50:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Mr. Fran\u00e7ois Roussy (Mayor, Ville de Gasp\u00e9)",
        "fr": ""
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"1072504\" data-originallang=\"fr\"> The Gasp\u00e9 is a maritime region where the wharf is both the heart and focal point safeguarding the vitality of our communities. My colleagues mentioned this earlier, and you are all cognizant of this fact after having listened to the witnesses that appeared before us. Unfortunately, as a result of the crises in the fishing sector the infrastructure has been more or less left by the wayside. And I like what the mayor of Grande-Vall\u00e9e had to say about this. You could just picture how the federal government is going to suffer because of the way this infrastructure has been completely abandoned. You just have to take a look at the front page of the <em>Graffici</em> newspaper. The words \"wharf closed\" are superimposed on the national flag. Our wharves are the federal government's responsibility and this image is really very sad.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1072505\" data-originallang=\"fr\">In response to Mr. Blais' question, I would agree that in our maritime coastal region, the wharves are the very heart and soul of the community. I really think it's in the federal government's best interest to revitalize this infrastructure so that communities can benefit from the economic development that will ensue. You are probably aware that despite the fact that the situation is continuing to improve in the Gasp\u00e9 and Magdalen Islands, we have been through some tough times. We need this infrastructure to guarantee economic development whether it be in the fishery sector or\u2014and this is becoming more and more apparent\u2014in the tourism sector.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1072506\" data-originallang=\"fr\">I have a seven-year-old little boy and I hope that when he is an adult, this infrastructure will once again be available. I'd like him to know where we come from and how we've successfully developed thanks to this infrastructure which was built with our grandparents' and great-grandparents' money. They have worked very hard. Some of my family members have told me how disappointed they are to see how little has come of all the effort they've gone to. They mobilized to build wharves and infrastructure for their community, but they're now noticing that no one really seems to care about their future. And this is why I think that we would benefit if we joined forces in addressing this.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1072507\" data-originallang=\"fr\">I'll defer to your wisdom, since you are the ones who, over the past couple of days, have heard testimony from people whose livelihood depends on this infrastructure. So, I'd like to turn the question around, and ask you, Mr. Chairman, what first step you would like to see the government take with a view to upgrading and maintaining our infrastructure. Tell us what this message would be so that we can pass it on to the people in our community and get behind you. We submitted an initial report to the federal government, but unfortunately, we did not get a response. This is not a partisan matter, but we've asked for ongoing investment to support us, and we did not get the response we wished for. You've already done a lot of work. Is what's being presented to you today going to lead to any results? What is the top priority, so that we can get behind you, tackle these challenges together, and all be winners at the end of the day?</p>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"1072504\" data-originallang=\"fr\"> Pour la Gasp\u00e9sie, qui est une r\u00e9gion maritime, le quai est le coeur, la vitalit\u00e9 m\u00eame de nos communaut\u00e9s. Mes coll\u00e8gues l'ont mentionn\u00e9 plus t\u00f4t, et vous en \u00eates tous conscients apr\u00e8s avoir entendu les t\u00e9moins qui se sont pr\u00e9sent\u00e9s devant vous. Malheureusement, \u00e0 cause des crises qu'on a connues dans le domaine de la p\u00eache, ces infrastructures ont \u00e9t\u00e9 un peu laiss\u00e9es \u00e0 l'abandon. \u00c0 ce sujet, j'ai bien aim\u00e9 les propos du maire de Grande-Vall\u00e9e. Avec ces infrastructures compl\u00e8tement laiss\u00e9es \u00e0 l'abandon, on a en effet l'image du f\u00e9d\u00e9ral qui \u00e9cope. Vous n'avez qu'\u00e0 regarder la couverture du journal <em>Graffici</em>, sur laquelle on peut lire les mots \u00ab quai ferm\u00e9 \u00bb l\u00e0 o\u00f9 flotte le drapeau f\u00e9d\u00e9ral. Nos quais sont sous la responsabilit\u00e9 du f\u00e9d\u00e9ral, et cette image est vraiment tr\u00e8s d\u00e9solante.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1072505\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Pour r\u00e9pondre \u00e0 la question de M. Blais, je dirai que dans notre r\u00e9gion c\u00f4ti\u00e8re maritime, le quai est le coeur m\u00eame de la communaut\u00e9. Je pense que le f\u00e9d\u00e9ral aurait tout int\u00e9r\u00eat \u00e0 revaloriser ces infrastructures afin de permettre aux communaut\u00e9s d'acc\u00e9der au d\u00e9veloppement \u00e9conomique. Vous savez probablement qu'en Gasp\u00e9sie et aux \u00celes-de-la-Madeleine, m\u00eame si la situation s'am\u00e9liore de plus en plus, on a connu des moments difficiles. Nous avons besoin de ces infrastructures pour assurer notre d\u00e9veloppement \u00e9conomique, que ce soit dans le domaine de la p\u00eache ou \u2014 et on le constate de plus en plus \u2014 dans le domaine touristique.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1072506\" data-originallang=\"fr\">J'ai un petit gar\u00e7on de sept ans et j'aimerais qu'\u00e0 l'\u00e2ge adulte, il puisse retrouver ces infrastructures. J'aimerais qu'il comprenne d'o\u00f9 nous venons et comment nous avons r\u00e9ussi \u00e0 nous d\u00e9velopper au moyen de ces infrastructures qui ont \u00e9t\u00e9 b\u00e2ties avec l'argent de nos grands-parents et de nos arri\u00e8re-grands-parents. Ceux-ci ont travaill\u00e9 tr\u00e8s fort. Des gens de ma famille m'ont dit \u00eatre un peu d\u00e9sol\u00e9s de voir ce qu'il est advenu de tous les efforts qu'ils ont faits. Ils se sont tous mobilis\u00e9s pour construire des quais et des infrastructures pour leur communaut\u00e9, mais ils constatent que maintenant, on ne fait pas grand cas de leur avenir. Je pense qu'\u00e0 cet \u00e9gard, nous aurions tout avantage \u00e0 unir nos efforts.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1072507\" data-originallang=\"fr\">Je m'en remets \u00e0 votre sagesse, \u00e9tant donn\u00e9 que c'est vous qui avez entendu au cours des derniers jours les t\u00e9moignages de gens qui vivent de ces infrastructures. J'aimerais inverser la question et vous demander, monsieur le pr\u00e9sident, quelle serait la premi\u00e8re mesure que vous aimeriez voir adopter par le gouvernement en vue de rehausser et pr\u00e9server nos infrastructures. Dites-nous quel serait ce message afin que nous puissions en faire part au gens de notre milieu et vous appuyer. Nous avons soumis un premier rapport au f\u00e9d\u00e9ral, mais malheureusement, nous n'avons pas obtenu de r\u00e9ponse. Ce n'est pas une question de parti politique, mais nous avons demand\u00e9 un investissement soutenu pour nous soutenir, et nous n'avons pas obtenu la r\u00e9ponse que nous aurions souhait\u00e9e. Vous avez d\u00e9j\u00e0 accompli beaucoup de travail. Ce qu'on vous pr\u00e9sente aujourd'hui va-t-il donner des r\u00e9sultats? Pour que nous nous ralliions \u00e0 vous en vue de relever ensemble le d\u00e9fi et d'en sortir gagnant, quelle serait la priorit\u00e9?</p>"
    },
    "url": "/committees/fisheries/39-2/29/francois-roussy-1/",
    "politician_url": null,
    "politician_membership_url": null,
    "procedural": false,
    "source_id": "2432863",
    "document_url": "/committees/fisheries/39-2/29/",
    "related": {
        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fcommittees%2Ffisheries%2F39-2%2F29%2F"
    }
}