Anne-Marie Day

[Canada Pension Plan and the Old Age Security Act, November 27th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I would like the member to clarify two things.

First, he spoke about the provisions of the bill being applied retroactively. People who have previously committed murder, for example, would have to repay the survivor benefits they received. As of what year will this retroactive measure apply?

Second, he said that about 30 people would be affected, but according to the statistics I have here, approximately 81 women and 13 men are murdered every year in Canada.

[Veterans Hiring Act, November 25th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I did hear the member and I did read the bill.

I would like to ask him a question about the five-year period that veterans are given to find a job. Veterans who want to get training and go to university need four years if they begin their studies the moment they put their names on the list for a job. However, if a program requires a master's degree—the federal public service wants skilled workers with suitable training—is that five-year period not too short?

[Agricultural Growth Act, November 24th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his speech. We could add the lack of democracy, the protection of heirloom grains and the refusal of NDP amendments to his long list.

Furthermore, I would like the member to talk about the fact that Canada is a signatory to UPOV 1991, which has never been ratified by the government.

Why not and what is it waiting for?

[Agricultural Growth Act, November 24th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague gave an excellent speech from the heart, as usual. He must certainly be aware that Quebec accounts for 22% of Canada's agri-food GDP.

I am pointing this out, because Quebeckers are often told that they do not have much agriculture in their province, even though they do, and quite a bit. Corn ranks first at $696 million, followed by soy, vegetables and maple products, which you would have thought would be first, most probably because of good advertising. If you add that to animal products, the total is over $8 billion.

The member mentioned how important it was to give farmers the freedom to use and produce what they want, without having a pre-established structure in which, for example, they would be forced to buy grains that were produced elsewhere and that would destroy their own grains.

I think this freedom to produce and to be a small producer, is important for the member, is that correct?

[Agricultural Growth Act, November 24th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his speech.

I gave my first speech in the House of Commons in 2011, and it was about the dismantling of the Canadian Wheat Board. I am sure everyone remembers that because it was a very divisive issue in the House. Farmers' rights, such as the right to associate and to form co-operatives to sell their products, which gave them a degree of power, were being taken away.

Crops have changed a lot. Now farmers are planting a lot of canola instead of wheat.

I would like the member to tell me a little about just how much power is being taken away from farmers and handed to one person, one minister. The minister has the power to exempt, to choose, to exclude. The minister can take farmers' privileges away. In a way, it is one person against farmers, and it is all case by case.

The whole democratic aspect of this is very important to me because this Parliament is supposed to be democratic.

[Agricultural Growth Act, November 24th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, can the member explain the changes made to the part related to the Agricultural Marketing Programs Act since the first time it was before the House?

Why did we not discuss this in committee, particularly the change in clause 136?

[Agricultural Growth Act, November 24th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP amendment would have ensured that new crop varieties are just as good as, if not better than, the existing varieties.

Could the member for Lotbinière—Chutes-de-la-Chaudière explain why this amendment was rejected?

[Agricultural Growth Act, November 19th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the government has made drastic cuts to funding for agricultural research in recent years.

Public research on plants has contributed greatly to Canadian agriculture. Support for this type of research must absolutely be maintained.

Can the member assure us that this bill will not hamper support for public research?

[Agricultural Growth Act, November 19th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I am always surprised when the government cuts off the debates. It shocks me because it is shameful. This is the 82nd time this has happened. I have not been able to speak to this debate and I will not get the chance to do so.

Agriculture is extremely important. Protecting our farmers under law to prevent lawsuits is important. We have not managed to add our points of view to the discussion. Indeed, agriculture has been around for a long time and it is the breadbasket of our food supply. It is therefore important to talk about it in the House, as we do with any other topic, and in fact we should discuss it even longer.

[Protection of Canada from Terrorists Act, November 18th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, our national anthem says that we must protect our homes and our rights. Those two things sum up the issue very well.

We believe that the government is responsible for protecting both public safety and civil liberties.