House of Commons photoWon her last election, in 2021, with 54% of the vote.
Forestry Industry October 1st, 2009
Mr. Speaker, last Saturday I was in Trois-Rivières. I met with forestry workers who have lost their jobs or fear they may lose them in the near future. They are very angry that this government refuses to do anything to help their industry and to save their jobs.
Is it because the Conservatives gave $1 billion to our American competitors as part of the softwood lumber sellout that they no longer have any money to support the Canadian industry?
Softwood Lumber September 29th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, by agreeing that Canada exports too much wood, the Conservatives and the Bloc condemned thousands of loggers and dozens of sawmills, saying that they too were “excess“.
The Bloc is crying crocodile tears, claiming that the Conservatives are not helping the forestry industry.
Will the minister admit that the Bloc helped them sign that sellout agreement that is preventing us from helping a struggling industry?
Softwood Lumber September 29th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, the Canadian softwood lumber industry is still losing out because of the Conservatives and the Bloc. The decision of the London Court of International Arbitration to impose a $68 million penalty on the industry for exporting too much lumber to the United States was upheld.
This is the result of the sellout agreement the Conservatives signed with the support of the Bloc.
Will the minister finally announce concrete measures to support the softwood lumber industry? Is there a light at the end of the tunnel for this industry that is so important to Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia?
Health September 28th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, serious concerns remain about the lack of federal leadership on H1N1. Provinces are taking different approaches on when to administer seasonal flu shots and whether protective masks are necessary or not. These and consistent messages from the provinces and territories send the wrong signal to Canadians.
We need science-based advice and need to agree on the science in order for Canadians to be prepared. When will the Conservatives finally show leadership and send the provinces and territories a message they can all understand?
Health September 28th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, there are many lessons to be learned from the government's lack of reaction to the first wave of H1N1, particularly how it affects our aboriginal communities.
Will the minister take federal responsibility and will she go to the communities affected and personally apologize to those who suffered the most?
Where is the plan to right the wrongs that were made last spring and summer?
Forestry Industry September 18th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, we can only surmise that the Conservatives seem bent on destroying the forestry industry. Backed by the Bloc, they signed the softwood sellout agreement with the United States. The Conservatives and the Bloc handed over a $1 billion gift to the American lobby. What is worse, this sellout agreement has forced our industry to defend itself with one hand behind its back. Bill C-50 will not provide any assistance to workers who have lost their jobs. The government of Quebec and the Liberals know this.
How will we help these workers?
Forestry Industry September 18th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, there is more bad news at AbitibiBowater and the Conservatives continue to do nothing.
Almost 500 jobs in Beaupré and Clermont were eliminated yesterday. That is in addition to the thousands of other jobs that have disappeared in the sector since the beginning of the crisis.
Why did the Conservatives cancel the $1.5 billion loan guarantee program established by the previous Liberal government?
Taxation September 16th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, there was never really an opportunity for discussion because the government ran away. We never got any answers to our questions. The government became adept at avoiding them.
The problem is that household expenditures, which is how workers spend their paycheques, are what keep our economy going. Everyone knows that. If the Conservatives raise employment insurance premiums, it will be like siphoning fuel out of the Canadian economy's gas tank.
Are they planning to pump even more out of workers' pockets because they know that they are about to run out of gas?
Taxation September 16th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, even though economic recovery is far from a sure thing, the Conservatives are planning to increase the tax burden on workers.
The Conservatives are going to increase employment insurance contribution rates. That means more tax deducted from every paycheque. Conservative cronyism is worse than ever, and still they attack workers.
Why do they not care more about what is in Canadians' best interest?
The Prime Minister September 15th, 2009
Mr. Speaker, in public, the Prime Minister says that he does not want an election. However, behind closed doors, he dreams of a Conservative majority.
We have all seen the video in which he says he hopes there will be an election very soon in order to teach Canadians a lesson.
We are entitled to ask if the Prime Minister is in a position to teach anyone a lesson given that the deficit grows every time his Minister of Finance opens his mouth, 1.5 million Canadians are unemployed and bankruptcies have reached record levels.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister believes that women form, and I quote, a “fringe group”. He calls our judges “left-wing ideologues”. He said he was eager to get rid of the gun registry, which is supported by police forces across the country.
How long will we be forced to forget the values that have made Canada the envy of the world?
How many times will we have to swallow the Conservatives' broken promises?
This Prime Minister does not deserve the trust of Canadians.