Claude Gravelle

[Natural Resources, February 20th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, every year the government leaves the decision to extend the mineral exploration tax credit to the last minute. The budget delay means added uncertainty for the whole mining sector and lower investment in Canada.

There are 25,000 people, from one hundred countries, meeting in Toronto in just over a week, and all of them are waiting to know if the government will extend the tax credit that is set to expire at the end of March.

When will the government give the mining sector the predictability that it needs to make investment and create jobs in Canada?

[Natural Resources, February 20th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada will hold its annual convention in Toronto in a few days.

The government's track record on mining has not been great. The government is dragging its feet on the Circle of Fire, and we still do not know whether the tax credit for junior mining companies will be renewed.

Why is the Conservative government not providing predictable and long-term support for the mining sector?

[Petitions, February 18th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition from dozens of residents of Sudbury.

The petitioners also ask the government to ensure that Canadian policies and programs are developed in consultation with small family farms and to preserve the right to freely exchange seeds.

Recently I held a round table in the community of Verner with the member for Welland. All farmers at the table were very worried about the policies of the government.

[Petitions, February 16th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition has been signed by petitioners from right across Ontario. It is from area codes 902, 613, 506, 516, 905, and 705. It calls on the government to adopt my private member's bill, Bill C-356, calling for a national strategy on dementia.

[Petitions, February 16th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present two petitions.

The first one is signed by hundreds of people in the city of Sudbury. It calls on the Government of Canada and the House of Commons to adopt international aid policies that support small family farms.

As members know, the Conservative government has always supported corporate farms, and it is time for the government to pay attention to family farms.

[Transport, February 16th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, a CN freight train hauling 100 cars of crude oil derailed Sunday morning near Gogama. Reports indicate that seven cars caught fire and oil was spilling out. People in nearby communities are concerned and want answers.

Has the cause of the derailment been determined, is oil still leaking, and is the fire now under control?

[Rail Service Resumption Act, 2015, February 16th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie for his excellent speech. He is doing a great job as the NDP labour critic.

We just had a derailment in Nickel Belt, on Saturday night if I am not mistaken. I cannot say exactly what caused it at this point, because we do not know yet.

However, there was also a derailment in western Canada just a few days ago. The young woman who was in charge of the train has been subjected to disciplinary measures. She said she did not receive any training. This is happening more and more. Companies like CN and CP are not required to train their employees because the government will protect those companies. Training comes with contract negotiations, which take a really long time.

Right now in my riding, Nickel Belt, negotiations are under way with Vale. They began three months ago and will continue for another three or four months. However, the Conservatives are not giving the two parties a chance to negotiate.

In his role as the NDP labour critic, I wonder if the member could talk about what we could do better, besides getting rid of the Conservatives in 2015.

[Natural Resources, January 27th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, for years the Ontario Liberals have been bickering with Conservatives in Ottawa over the Ring of Fire and getting nothing done for northerners. Instead of creating jobs in Sudbury, the Liberals are sitting on their hands.

Can the minister explain to me why if there is something that needs to get done in southern Ontario it gets done, but when it is up north, there is a lot of talk and no action?

[Community of West Nipissing, December 9th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, last Friday I participated in my seventh Parade of Lights in Sturgeon Falls in the municipality of West Nipissing. What fun. Thanks to Santa's community elves, hundreds of children enjoyed the candies and juice and the magic of Christmas. This community of 13,000 residents has a parade with 100 floats, longer than parades in much bigger cities.

Sturgeon Falls is one of the most bilingual communities in Canada, and perhaps the most bilingual. Two cultures and two languages are in harmony, working, living, and playing side by side.

The Parade of Lights brings attention to this wonderful area, which has an extraordinary sense of community spirit. The West Nipissing fire service's Christmas telethon recently raised $32,600 to help families. Approximately 500 seniors will attend the annual Christmas dinner tomorrow.

There is the Kid's Safe Halloween, the Farm to Fork dinner celebrating our local farmers, and so much more.

West Nipissing, joie de vivre, you make us proud.

[Economic Action Plan 2014 Act, No. 2, December 2nd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, my hope was for a better question, and I got one. I thank the member for asking that question.

I met with the caisse populaire representatives in my office, here in Ottawa. They had specific concerns about this bill. The fact that they were not consulted was their major concern, and they wish to be consulted in the future. As the member said, credit unions are very important not only to eastern Canada but from coast to coast to coast. Caisses populaire and credit unions are co-ops run by the citizens of the communities.

If government wants to do a good job and have a good bill, it should consult at all times the constituents in all towns and cities that have credit unions.