House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2015, with 21% of the vote.
Quebec Bridge February 15th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the repairs to the Quebec Bridge have been on hold for almost seven years. No maintenance has been done to it since the federal government brought legal action against the owner, Canadian National. The minster refuses to tell us where this case stands before the courts. Meanwhile, the infrastructure continues to deteriorate.
What does the government intend to do to prevent this bridge from crumbling? Will the Conservatives tell us how much this case has cost taxpayers so far?
Business of Supply February 9th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for his excellent speech. His comments are always relevant. In his speech, he said that the Investment Canada Act was outdated.
In Quebec City, we are losing the White Birch paper plant, a leader in the manufacturing industry. I would like the hon. member to tell us how we could improve this legislation in order to put an end to the job losses that are occurring right now in Canada's manufacturing industry.
Business of Supply February 9th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, I am surprised to hear this kind of discourse, since we are talking about jobs in manufacturing. I understand that the member wants to promote his portfolio, but he is forgetting an important fact: people are losing their jobs, high-paying jobs, and no one is talking about that. I am completely stunned.
I would like to bring the member back to the motion currently before us and ask him what tax breaks do for large corporations, considering how those corporations use them. They take off with the money and move the jobs to the United States.
Ending the Long-Gun Registry Act February 7th, 2012
Madam Speaker, I am somewhat surprised by my colleague's line of thinking. He told us that the data are inaccurate, but he forgot to mention that they are not quite up to date because his government declared an amnesty. Thus, it is the Conservatives' fault. They do not keep the registry up to date and then they scrap it because it is no longer up to date. That is illogical.
I would like an honest answer from my colleague. On this side of the House, we noted that there were problems. Why did this government never try to solve the problems with the registry instead of simply moving to abolish it?
Ending the Long-Gun Registry Act February 7th, 2012
Madam Speaker, we could say a lot of things about the hon. members speech, but I would like to focus on something very simple. We know that there are many supporters of open government on the government benches. The term “open government” means that the government shares information. I do not understand, since this involves the money of the same taxpayers, how the government can say that it wants to share information, yet it does not want to share this particular information.
Since it is the same taxpayers who are paying, would it not make sense for the same users to continue to have access to the same information, or is the government simply trying to ensure that there will never be a provincial registry?
Government Appointments February 3rd, 2012
Madam Speaker, the Conservatives continue to make partisan appointments and have even gone so far as to break the law to do so. The Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities is preparing to replace a member of the board of directors of the Quebec port authority without consulting users first, as required under the Canada Marine Act.
The port's electoral college submitted names for consideration, which the minister did not even bother to look at, choosing instead to impose his preferred candidate. Why is the minister ignoring the recommendations that were made?
Quebec City Society of St. Vincent de Paul February 2nd, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the Quebec City Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a well-known organization on both the north and south shores of the greater Quebec City region, has just celebrated its 165th anniversary. The Society of St. Vincent de Paul has been helping less fortunate individuals and families since before Canada was even a country. In a society like ours, the gap between rich and poor should be smaller by now. None of our fellow citizens, particularly children and the elderly, should live in poverty. Unfortunately, nothing has changed.
In 2010, the Quebec City Society of St. Vincent de Paul helped 80,000 people through its used clothing and furniture shops and its food banks. Frédéric Ozanam, founder of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, wanted to offer people a network of charity and support. I would like to thank the 800 or so volunteers for their commendable efforts on behalf of an organization that has worked tirelessly for the past 165 years in Quebec City to fulfill its mission: alleviating poverty.
Pooled Registered Pension Plans Act January 31st, 2012
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for her speech.
I agree with her on two things: people who work their entire lives are entitled to their dignity; and it would be a real shame and unimaginable for them to have to rely on food banks because there is not enough money to help them.
Can the hon. member tell me what she thinks about the NDP idea to put more money into the public plans in order to increase the minimum allowable amounts for the people most in need? What does she think about improving the public plans as a primary solution to the problem?
Pooled Registered Pension Plans Act January 31st, 2012
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech.
One point stood out: plans, plans and more plans. We already have a public pension plan, as well as RRSPs and registered retirement income funds. We have TFSAs, which some people use as a retirement fund. We have all of these things, and we know that not everyone contributes. And now here we have another plan.
Does my colleague think that ordinary Canadians are soon going to have to take a university-level financial literacy course to figure out what their best option is? Should we not just improve what we already have, simplify things and make the existing tools more accessible?
Citizen's Arrest and Self-defence Act December 15th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech.
He made a number of references to safety issues for his constituents. Would the member be prepared to support amendments from this side of the House, in order to protect the safety of his constituents?