Charmaine Borg

[Privacy, September 25th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the Privacy Commissioner just released new research raising concerns about popular websites disclosing personal information to third parties without consent. If government members need help understanding Facebook, I am happy to lend a hand.

We need a modern approach to digital issues. When will the government take serious steps to address the serious privacy concerns of Canadians?

[Privacy, September 25th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, yes, I do know what an eight-track tape is.

[Privacy, September 25th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, Bill C-12 is already out of date. The government is still stuck in a world of eight-track tapes.

This Facebook privacy concern is a concern to millions of Canadians, but the issue is bigger than that.

[Privacy, September 25th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, Facebook users across Canada became very concerned when they learned that their private posts could now show up on their public wall. This breach of privacy is a problem that is not limited to Facebook. The longer the government waits, the worse the situation will become.

We are in the 21st century. When will the Conservatives finally update our laws to resolve privacy issues on the Internet?

[London Paralympic Games, September 25th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to draw attention to Right to Know Week, which is intended to make Canadians aware of their right to access information, a fundamental right, and the government's responsibility to improve its transparency. In 2005, the Prime Minister said:

Information is the lifeblood of a democracy. Without adequate access to key information about government policies and programs, citizens and parliamentarians cannot make informed decisions....

The Access to Information Act is 30 years old. Although it was ahead of its time in 1983, it has not been updated since then. Today, Canada is ranked 51st in the world, behind many developing countries. Although the Conservatives claim to be improving transparency, the reality has become much cloudier since the election of the Prime Minister.

Let us work together to bring the Access to Information Act into the 21st century. That is what the NDP is committed to doing, and we invite the government to do so as well.

[Petitions, September 25th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is opposed to Motion M-312, which is a thinly veiled attempt to reopen a debate that has already taken place and that represents a step backward for women's equality.

[Petitions, September 25th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to present two petitions today.

The first urges the government to consider the negative impact that eliminating the Katimavik program will have on communities across Canada, as well as on non-profit organizations. The people who signed the petition want the government to consider maintaining funding for the program.

[Petitions, September 24th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition is aimed at restoring the Katimavik program, which was eliminated in the last Conservative budget.

[Petitions, September 24th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I have the pleasure to present two petitions today.

The first is against Motion M-312, which is an attempt to reopen the abortion debate. Canadians are hoping to move forward and not backward to achieve true gender equality in Canada.

[Youth, September 18th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleague opposite to speak to the young people who benefited from the Katimavik program. He is saying that it is not effective and that, basically, the kids were not able to experience it the way they should, but I invite him to go and speak to those kids. I did, and I can see the difference it made and the impact it had on their lives.

A former member of my riding had become addicted to drugs and was an alcoholic. He benefited from the Katimavik program and was able to straighten out because he had a choice. What we should be doing is giving kids choices. Countries around the world are doing just that. There are programs like Katimavik in Australia and the European Union. There are programs in the United States like Youth Volunteer Corps, Volunteers of America and Youth Service America.

If we are going to talk about the money spent on Katimavik, let us also talk about the money that has been reinvested in the communities. Let us talk about that. According to Statistics Canada, an average of $20 million and over one million volunteer hours a year have been invested. We need to take that into account when we talk about a program. Seventeen million dollars is not a huge amount, but the benefits for the communities and the people who went through this program are enormous.