Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have this opportunity to provide further information in response to a question raised by the hon. member for Laval.
The question raised concerned the treatment of workers under federal jurisdiction in Quebec in comparison to their provincial jurisdiction counterparts and in relation to preventative withdrawal provisions for pregnant and nursing employees, which is a very important issue.
The Canada Labour Code gives pregnant and nursing workers who believe their job creates a risk for themselves or their unborn or nursing child the right to cease work and continue to receive pay while they seek a medical opinion. This is also very important.
As we face the H1N1 pandemic, the protection of pregnant and nursing women is of particular concern. I thank the hon. member for her concern for women and for their unborn and nursing children.
If the risk is confirmed by a doctor, the pregnant or nursing worker is entitled to reassignment to another position or to modification of her current job. This duty to accommodate is set out in both the Canada Labour Code and the Canadian Human Rights Act. It is very important legislation, and we should all be proud of the Canadian government for this legislation.
It is important to note that under labour standards legislation, both provincially regulated employees and federally regulated employees in Quebec have substantially similar rights; that is the right to be reassigned to different duties if possible, or to be granted a leave of absence if there is a danger to their health or that of their unborn or nursing child.
I also think we should put this discussion into context. Bluntly, the member has a concern that she wants to raise about women in Quebec, but while the Bloc Québécois is stuck on opposition benches, they cannot do anything for Quebeckers. Our Conservative government and our Conservative members from Quebec are delivering the goods to Quebeckers.
Our government has significantly invested in child care. We have given Canadian women raising young children a choice in child care through the universal child care benefit. We are extending maternity benefits to self-employed Canadian women. Our government brought in proactive pay equity legislation for workers in the federally regulated public sector as part of Canada's economic action plan, which has been so successful for Canada's economy, and which that member, quite frankly, voted against.
A significant concern for many women also relates to criminal justice. Conservatives on this side of the House stand up for the rights of victims rather than the rights of criminals.
Yesterday was International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. I am sure all parties would agree that we need to work hard to protect women and all persons from violence. This is why our Conservative government is strengthening our justice system, focusing on the rights of victims and of law-abiding citizens rather than that of the rights of criminals. We encourage all hon. members to join with us as we strengthen our justice system to protect women.
I would invite the member to talk to her leader and the rest of her members in the Bloc Québécois to vote with this government when it comes to the rights of women and protecting the vulnerable in our society.