Bernard Valcourt

[Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act, April 17th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the fact is that if we look at the family homes on reserves and matrimonial interests or rights act and we look at the hours that it has been debated and studied, five hours in the House on a previous incarnation of Bill S-2, in the Senate for another number of hours—

[Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act, April 17th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the record will show that since 2005 to 2007, this matter has at times been before the House and unfortunately it has never passed to become law. During all this time, it is the aboriginal families living on reserve that pay the price of inaction. After all those hours of debate that have taken place in the last few years, we simply want to render justice to that segment of the Canadian population.

[Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act, April 17th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, what the hon. member fails to mention or consider is that there is an important part of the Canadian population that happens to be aboriginal people, first nation mothers and families, that for years have lacked the same degree of protection and rights as all other families outside of reserves have in our country.

I know opposition members do not care about aboriginal women and children, but we do. After 25 years, the time has come for action.

[Aboriginal Affairs, April 16th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, as a matter of fact, I said this claim was laid on the table in 1991, and for the better part of 13 years that the Liberals were in office, they did nothing with it and today they have the gall to stand and call for action while they are sitting in the third place.

[Aboriginal Affairs, April 16th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, to put it politely, it takes some gall. This claim was laid down in 1991 under a Conservative government and in 1992—

[Points of Order, March 28th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I had no intention of calling into question the member's integrity or identity. I extend my deepest apology if he was offended by my remarks.

The only point I was trying to make is that if we truly care about the plight of Canada's aboriginal peoples and first nations—as I concur that there is more than one—we should work together in a positive fashion and support measures in that regard.

[Aboriginal Affairs, March 28th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, it is surprising to hear such a statement when the member will not even support the budget that is investing hundreds of millions of dollars to provide those aboriginal Canadians with the skills they need.

The fact of the matter is, first of all, that the premise of her question is totally false. We invest in the education of aboriginal students at an amount equivalent to what the provinces do. However, that is not the issue. We are consulting right now with first nation stakeholders and Canadians on providing them with a legislative framework for an education system that would produce results. The Liberals should support it.

[Aboriginal Affairs, March 28th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the members opposite do not like hearing the truth.

The fact is that this legislation, which received royal assent yesterday, gives all first nations members across the country the same right as all other Canadians with regard to all levels of government. It is the right to transparency and accountability on the part of their council.

For that reason, we believe that—

[Aboriginal Affairs, March 28th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, that is coming from a member who says he belongs to Canada's first nation and who is rising to prevent and lessen the right of a woman—

[Aboriginal Affairs, March 28th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the NDP continues to support the position and the likes of protesters who, yesterday in Winnipeg, shut down a first nation mother who was simply asking to have the same rights and enjoy the rights that every other non-aboriginal has in Canada, that is, accountability and transparency in the spending of tax dollars by their government.

Notwithstanding the opposition of the NDP, first nation members today enjoy that same right all across—