Caroline St-Hilaire

[Excise Tax Act, May 14th, 2008]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-544, An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act (children's diapers and products for newborns).

Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to be tabling in this House a bill to amend the Excise Tax Act in order to exempt children's diapers from the goods and services tax and so follow the lead of the Quebec government, which has not charged sales tax on these products for several years now.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[South Shore Volunteer Centre, May 6th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in this House today to mark the 30th anniversary of the Centre de bénévolat de la Rive-Sud. This organization has been promoting volunteerism in various spheres of activity since 1978.

Thirty years of experience, 30 years of providing support, 30 years of helping others—that is worth celebrating.

With a dedicated professional staff, quality services, exceptional guidance and the contribution of over 900 volunteers at the ready, the Centre de bénévolat de la Rive-Sud helps meet the needs of families, children, seniors, the disabled and the most disadvantaged.

It is no secret: volunteerism represents the cornerstone of community action. In addition, this real economic engine contributed $70 billion to Quebec and Canada and more than 500,000 full-time positions in 2000.

A big thank you to all the volunteers, stakeholders and administrators of the Centre de bénévolat de la Rive-Sud for their commitment, which is a true sign of the region's vitality.

[Ingrid Betancourt, March 31st, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, the release of Ingrid Betancourt, who has now been held hostage by FARC for six years, is all the more urgent considering that, according to the latest reports, her health is deteriorating ever more quickly.

President Uribe signed a decree allowing Colombian authorities to immediately release hundreds of FARC guerrilla fighters from jail, if rebels release former Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt. French Prime Minister François Fillon said that France is prepared to accept FARC members, to speed up Ingrid Betancourt's release. According to the Élysée, President Sarkozy ordered a medical plane to be ready at all times to take Ingrid Betancourt to a hospital, if she is freed.

The Bloc Québécois joins its voice with that of the family of Ingrid Betancourt and of all those who are making the necessary efforts to ensure her release at the earliest opportunity.

[Air Transportation, February 28th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, parents in my riding told me the incredible story of their 15-year-old daughter, who, without their consent, bought a one-way plane ticket to Morocco to go and meet a 24-year-old man. This same girl checked in at the airport without a problem and was able to reach her destination unimpeded.

Is the minister aware of this gaping hole in the regulations and, if so, what does he plan to do to correct this situation?

[Omar Khadr, February 26th, 2008]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the three opposition parties, with the support of Mr. Kuebler, Omar Khadr's lawyer, denounced the attitude of the Conservative government, which is neglecting its duty to protect this child soldier, who is being held in Guantanamo Bay. In accordance with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, signed and ratified by Canada, the government must immediately demand that the United States send Omar Khadr back to Canada to be tried under Canadian law.

What is the Minister of Foreign Affairs waiting for to demand his return to Canada?

[Ingrid Betancourt, December 11th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, I seek the unanimous consent of this House to adopt the following motion:

That the House of Commons call on Manuel Marulanda, Leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia, to show compassion and immediately release Ingrid Betancourt in light of her critical state of health and the extreme despair in which she finds herself; and that the House declare its solidarity with all of the hostages detained in Columbia and its support for a humanitarian solution that will allow them to be released as soon as possible.

[International Volunteer Day, December 5th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, today is International Volunteer Day, and I am very proud to salute the extraordinary work that volunteers from Quebec do all over the world. On the ground, each one is a ray of hope for hundreds of people. Their caring and know-how enable them to make a solid contribution to improving the daily lives of the most vulnerable. They are the very incarnation of peace, social justice and democracy, values that Quebeckers hold dear.

I want to highlight the work of Claudette and Jean-Guy Bourbonnais, two volunteers in my riding, who share their expertise in organizational development and management with Oxfam-Québec partners in the Congo.

I would like to thank all people who, like them, are helping people in need both at home and abroad. As Christmas draws near, their dedication is an inestimable source of comfort.

[International Aid, November 26th, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, despite his announcements on aid for Africa, the Prime Minister will not reach the objective set by the UN, that is 0.7% of the GDP in development assistance, by the year 2015. Documents from the Department of Finance show that, at best, Canadian aid will only be at 0.29% by 2010, roughly half of the target set to be on schedule. The aid that was announced not only puts Canada further behind, it also shows that the Prime Minister is engaging in partisanship by rehashing old news, without providing any new money.

Does the Prime Minister realize that not only is he not respecting Canada's commitments, but he is also making our country fall behind?

[Foreign Affairs, November 22nd, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, a Saudi woman who was in a taxi with four men was the victim of gang rape. The court condemned the victim rather than the perpetrators because she was not related to the men. She was sentenced to 200 lashes.

In view of this denial of justice, does the Minister of Foreign Affairs intend to intervene with the Saudi authorities and advise them of Canada's strong objection to such treatment?

[Foreign Affairs, November 21st, 2007]

Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary secretary knows that Haiti is on the list of countries under a deportation moratorium because of the ongoing instability in that country. Given that this young boy has to fend for himself in such a dangerous place, the government must act quickly.

Can the parliamentary secretary tell this House when he intends to repatriate this adolescent?