House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2015, with 21% of the vote.
Ethics February 1st, 2013
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the minister responsible for the southern Ontario fund for investment in innovation defended his $20 million slush fund. However, the NDP's questions made the minister realize that its concerns were justified, and he decided to do an about-face. Finally, a Conservative minister who is willing to listen to NDP advice about transparency for a change.
Why did they set up this slush fund? And why did they insist on defending the indefensible in the House yesterday?
PETITIONS December 12th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, my second petition has to do with saving the infrastructure of the Experimental Lakes Area.
PETITIONS December 12th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present two petitions today. One is signed by the people of Louis-Hébert, who are expressing their disapproval of the March 2012 decision by CIDA to drastically reduce funding for Development and Peace programs by $35 million.
The petitioners are asking Parliament to commit to contributing 0.7% of GDP to international development and to restore funding to Development and Peace.
The Economy December 11th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, John is the very image of the future of the public service. He is young, vibrant and passionate, and he has a world of opportunities in front of him. Then, out of nowhere, he receives a letter telling him that his job is in jeopardy. Everything is turned upside down. Will he be able to keep the house he just bought with Julie? Will he be able to get married as planned? Just to be careful, he cancels his plans.
He has passed his exam and gone through an interview, but he is still waiting, because all of his colleagues are just as qualified as he is. Will he keep his position? Will an equivalent position open up? Will he have to leave or find a new career?
John does not know. What he does know, however, is that he has lost his drive and his world of opportunities is lost. He is now consumed by doubt.
John is a fictional character, but the hardships I described are very real, because the Conservatives' policy is wreaking havoc. During this holiday season, I want all of us to remember that policy must benefit the people above all.
Happy holidays to everyone.
Public Works and Government Services December 4th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, SNC-Lavalin manages 320 federal buildings for $550 million a year and uses subcontractors to do certain jobs. Even though it is public money, the subcontracts are private, which opens the door to potential abuse.
Will the new procurement rules apply to subcontracts?
Will the minister carry out a full audit to ensure that taxpayers are getting their money's worth, in terms of both building management and the awarding of subcontracts?
Jobs and Growth Act, 2012 November 29th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his speech.
Near the end, he said we are part of the global economy and that things are looking grim in Europe and the United States. The budget before us today would slow the economy down, however. It would slow things down because it cuts jobs and spending.
Given the new information on the situation in Europe and the United States that was not available to us in the spring, does he still believe this budget to be adequate?
Laval University Rouge et Or November 26th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, Grey Cup week ended yesterday with the coronation of the 100th Grey Cup champions, the Toronto Argonauts.
The Vanier Cup final was also held just days ago, with the Université Laval Rouge et Or defeating the McMaster University Marauders. This was the Rouge et Or's seventh Vanier Cup win—in just 14 years—a Canadian university football record.
That was not the only record broken. Despite a hostile environment—I know because I was there—the Rouge et Or rolled up 605 yards of total offence, including 373 yards rushing.
Maxime Boutin and Arnaud Gascon-Nadon—a future Hamilton Tiger-Cat—performed impressively, but the key to victory was on the line of scrimmage. The offensive linemen dominated their opponents, giving the star players a chance to shine. What an outstanding example of what can happen when everyone works together to win victory.
Congratulations to the Université Laval Rouge et Or on its exceptional achievement. It is a great team. For such a young team, it has established a great tradition.
Workplace Safety November 21st, 2012
Mr. Speaker, if there is one thing the Conservatives should not take lightly, it is the safety of their own employees. The Conservatives have done nothing to stem the growing number of fatal workplace accidents in Canada. There were more than 1,000 in 2010.
The tragic death of Peter Kennedy should serve as an impetus for the minister. Protecting Canadian workers at their workplace must become a top priority again.
What does the minister intend to do to prevent such a tragedy from happening again?
Safe Food for Canadians Act November 19th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech.
We will support the bill. It is a step in the right direction, but from what I understand, it does not solve the problem. I have a problem with a bill that is a step in the right direction but does not solve a crisis.
We are used to this government playing political games and rejecting all of our amendments. Nevertheless, I would like to ask my colleague what should have been added to Bill S-11 to make it worthwhile and to ensure that we do not see more crises like what we saw at XL Foods.
Government Accountability November 8th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, in any case, they did not listen to the key recommendation with regard to the Parliamentary Budget Officer.
At the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates, the Conservatives contributed to drafting and adopting the committee report, which suggested many ways to make government finances more transparent. The committee spent months and months working on this.
But yesterday, instead of standing up, doing their job and defending the report, the Conservatives supported an irresponsible amendment to shelve it and undo their own work.
Can any of the Conservative members of the committee explain this about-face?