Alexandra Mendes

[Student Employment, June 5th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, that really is not enough. It is bad enough that students are suffering because of this government's inaction. However, when we learn that there were 11,465 personal and corporate bankruptcies in April, a 33% increase compared to the same period last year, we really wonder what this government is doing. Stores are closing, people are having difficulty paying their debts and companies are cutting jobs to get through the recession.

Will the government finally acknowledge that it is incapable of helping Canadians through this crisis?

[Student Employment, June 5th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, preparing the future of our country is not this government's strong suit. Students are finding it increasingly difficult to find summer jobs. In May, the number of full-time student jobs declined by 59,000. The number of students employed or looking for work also recorded a sharp decrease.

If students are the workforce of tomorrow, the Conservative government is obviously failing them. Why has this government done nothing more to help students enter the job market?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, June 3rd, 2009]

With respect to projects for which a contribution was authorized by the Economic Development Agency of Canada for Quebec Regions in the Capital Fund for Business Startups in the Regions: (a) what is the name of the beneficiary; (b) in what region is located the beneficiary; (c) what is the description of the project; (d) what is the maximum authorized contribution; (e) how much of the authorized maximum contribution has been paid out; (f) how many jobs were maintained by the project; (g) how many jobs were created by the project; (h) what is the value of total investments in the project; and (i) what Agency partner forwarded the request for funding to the Agency?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, June 3rd, 2009]

With regards to projects for which a contribution was authorized by the Economic Development Agency of Canada for Quebec Regions in the Capital Fund for Business Succession and Venture: (a) what is the name of the beneficiary; (b) in what region is located the beneficiary; (c) what is the description of the project; (d) what is the maximum authorized contribution; (e) how much of the authorized maximum contribution has been paid out; (f) how many jobs were maintained by the project; (g) how many jobs were created by the project; (h) what is the value of total investments in the project; and (i) what Agency partner forwarded the request for funding to the Agency?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, June 3rd, 2009]

With regards to requests for financial assistance made to the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec for the 2005-2006 and 2008-2009 fiscal years, and by regional office: (a) for requests submitted for the authorization of the Regional Director, how many did he approve, and how many did he reject; (b) for requests submitted for the authorization of the General Director for Regional Coordination, how many did he approve, and how many did he reject; (c) for requests submitted for the authorization of the Vice-President for Operations, how many did he approve, and how many did he reject; (d) for requests submitted for the authorization of the President, how many did he approve, and how many did he reject; and (e) for requests submitted for the authorization of the Minister, how many did he approve, and how many did he reject?

[Government Spending, May 29th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives would rather spend taxpayers' money on politicking than on stimulating the economy. They have spent nearly $90 million on advertising and $31 million on polls—two polls a day. In two years, they have spent a billion dollars—a billion dollars—on consultants like the one who helped the Minister of Finance make such an outrageous mistake about the size of the deficit.

How many closed laboratories and cancelled cultural tours could that money have saved?

[Government Spending, May 29th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the government is trying to use the size of the deficit to justify its mean-spirited cuts to funding for culture and scientific research. As we all know, there are other areas in which the Conservatives could have cut spending to better balance the budget. For example, the government's advertising expenses have doubled since the Conservatives came to power.

Why are the Conservatives so lacking in judgment and so incompetent?

[Business of Supply, May 28th, 2009]

Madam Chair, I was talking about the threat to the Greenland halibut in the St. Lawrence.

[Business of Supply, May 28th, 2009]

Madam Chair, I have one question I would like to ask the minister, and the remainder of the time will be split between the member for Bonavista—Gander—Grand Falls—Windsor, the member for St. John's South—Mount Pearl, and the member for Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte.

Throughout the world, trawling is denounced by everyone concerned with the sustainability of the seabeds. It appears, however, that this government is preparing to lift the restrictions on trawlers imposed by the Liberal government 10 years ago.

Can the minister explain to us why she is going to authorize this obvious threat to the turbot fishery?

[Business of Supply, May 28th, 2009]

Mr. Chair, the small craft harbour program is a key initiative of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to help foster economic sustainability to small rural communities throughout Canada.

Yet your own department does not believe that the program is viable in the long term. Thus, instead of making corrections or transferring funds to other programs that are more likely to succeed, the department continues to inject more and more money, simply to conduct studies.

Does the minister believe that this is still what we need?