Alexandra Mendes

[Business of Supply, May 28th, 2009]

Mr. Chair, the idea is to retain their knowledge and wisdom regarding the fishing industry.

What kind of programs is the department offering to help communities that depend on a single industry like the fishery deal with times of crisis?

[Business of Supply, May 28th, 2009]

The problem, Mr. Chair, is that the people who have left the fishery industry take away with them a large amount of knowledge and know-how.

Does your department have an action plan to guarantee that the these highly qualified individuals will return? Do they have a future in the fishing industry?

[Business of Supply, May 28th, 2009]

Mr. Chair, what is the department doing at this time to help the viability and sustainability of jobs in the fishing industry?

[Business of Supply, May 28th, 2009]

Mr. Chair, I understand it was already announced.

Although the shrimp fishery is going through a crisis, the minister thought it wise to take the rights of Quebec fishers and give them to people in Prince Edward Island, only for them to turn around and sell those rights back to Quebec fishers for a profit.

Does the minister believe that the solution to this fishery problem lies in taking the quotas that legitimately belong to Quebec fishers and give them to third parties, who then sell them back to the same fishers, thereby risking the viability of the original recipients of those quotas?

[Business of Supply, May 28th, 2009]

Does that mean it will be reserved exclusively for our fixed fisheries?

[Business of Supply, May 28th, 2009]

Mr. Chair, the minister has announced a fishery plan for Greenland halibut in the St. Lawrence. At present, access is restricted to fixed gear fishers.

Can the minister assure this committee that trawlers will be permanently prohibited and that the 450 tonnes of halibut reserved for bycatches will continue to be reserved exclusively for fixed gear fishers?

[Infrastructure, May 25th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to talk about Skylink again, a company that has come up with an innovative project to link Montreal's Old Port with the South Shore by gondola. On the face of it, this project appears very promising, both in terms of attracting tourists and transporting people.

Why is the Conservative-run Old Port of Montreal Corporation refusing to consider the project? Why is the minister responsible for Montreal not asking what is happening with the federally run corporation? How could one government official decide on her own, without any analysis, to block a $100 million project that has received so much support?

[National Nursing Week, May 11th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, throughout this week, I encourage my colleagues to have a special thought about some of the hardest-working Canadians: our nurses. Let us all honour those who care for us in our time of greatest need during National Nursing Week because. The slogan for this year's nursing week is, “Nursing: You can't live without it!”

National Nursing Week is our opportunity to extend special thanks to all those who care for us and our loved ones through the trials of illness “with heart and skill”, as this year's slogan says.

National Nursing Week is timed to coincide with the birthday of Florence Nightingale, who defined the modern role our nurses play.

Even though nursing has changed a great deal since the Crimean War, when Florence Nightingale redefined the nurse's role, it is still a huge and difficult job. That is why, on behalf of all the members of this House, I want to say thank you to all these dedicated people.

[Employment Insurance, May 8th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the government still has its head in the sand when it comes to problems with employment insurance.

We are in the middle of a full-blown crisis, and more and more people are becoming self-employed because there is a shortage of regular paying jobs.

On page 13 of the Conservatives' last election platform, they promised to let self-employed workers participate in the employment insurance program.

When will they acknowledge that they have not kept their promise?

[Employment Insurance, May 8th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, employment numbers released today highlight the importance of self-employed workers in our economy. In many cases, self-employed workers depend on a very small number of contracts to make ends meet. In the current economic situation, there is no guarantee that these contracts will be renewed. Many self-employed workers may find themselves in unstable situations.

When will the Conservatives allow self-employed people to contribute to employment insurance?