Denis Trudel

[Employment Insurance Act, March 8th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his speech. There is a reason he was nominated as one of the best orators in the House. We just saw another excellent example of that.

Today was a dark day in Parliament. I consider it a black day. In fact, it was black and white. We voted to increase old age security. I believe that seniors have been affected the most by this crisis. They are the ones who have suffered the most deaths and have been the most affected by the pandemic. The cost of groceries has increased, and this has affected seniors especially. We voted today on a Bloc motion to increase old age security by $110 a month. It was passed by the House, but the government voted against it. I would like to hear my colleague's comments on that.

What does he think of the Liberal government voting against increasing OAS for the most vulnerable people in this crisis?

[Employment Insurance Act, March 8th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her speech. She always has something useful to say when it comes to EI.

Today is International Women's Day. As my colleague is aware, women are overrepresented when we look at poverty indicators, especially in terms of wages and minimum wage jobs in Quebec and Canada.

What measures could be put in place to help achieve the equality that everyone dreams of and is talking about today?

[Employment Insurance Act, March 8th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, as everyone knows, Bill C-24 supports vulnerable workers who have lost their jobs during the pandemic.

When we talk about vulnerable people, it is hard not to talk about seniors. We talked about seniors this afternoon and voted on a Bloc Québécois motion to increase old age security by $110 a month.

Why the heck did the government vote against that? It is seniors who are suffering the most, who are dying the most in this crisis and who are isolated. On top of that, the cost of groceries has gone up.

How can the government tell Canadian seniors that it will not increase their pensions? It is astounding.

What does my hon. colleague think?

[Criminal Code, February 23rd, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I am having a hard time figuring out exactly where my Conservative colleagues stand this morning.

They think the process is being rushed and that things are moving too fast, yet the process itself includes a two-year period to thoroughly examine issues related to people with mental illness. I cannot tell if things are moving too quickly or too slowly for the Conservatives.

The other thing that is so exasperating about my Conservative friends is their use of the word “euthanasia”. In a debate on a topic this delicate and sensitive, people need to be careful about their word choices. Medical assistance in dying is a comprehensive approach to caring for people. The word “euthanasia” has a harsh, cruel connotation.

Here is my question. The Conservatives seem to think we should not pass Bill C-7 now. However, there are people suffering from very serious neurodegenerative diseases who are waiting for the go-ahead from Parliament to move forward in a complicated, complex and sensitive process. What does my colleague have to say to those people today?

[Business of Supply, February 18th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, in this debate, many of the comments we have heard have revolved around the relevance of the amendment moved by my colleague, the member for Lac-Saint-Jean.

The amendment calls upon the IOC to move the games, and many people wondered whether that was the right way to go about it, whether the IOC was going to agree and whether it was a good way to apply pressure. I would remind members that there have been similar cases in the past. For example, in 1968, about 40 countries in Europe, Africa and the Caribbean threatened to boycott the Olympic Games because South Africa was participating, and the IOC gave in. In 1972, some African countries threatened to boycott the games because of the presence of Rhodesia, a racist country, and the IOC gave in.

The IOC is therefore sensitive to international pressures related to human rights issues. It is very sensitive to that. I think the amendment from my Bloc Québécois colleague is really important. We can work with that. The IOC is sensitive to global human rights issues. I think this a very important amendment.

Could my colleague tell us how this kind of international pressure could be really effective? Could he talk a little bit more about that?

[Business of Supply, February 18th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, I somewhat agree with my Conservative colleague from Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan, and I somewhat disagree with the parliamentary secretary. He is skating around the issue so as not to commit to anything on behalf of his government.

In his speech, the parliamentary secretary admitted that there have been human rights violations, that there are re-education camps, rape and sterilization campaigns, all of which have been documented at the international level. Last week, we sent an open letter to the newspapers signed by all members of this House: from the Liberals to the Greens and from the Bloc Québécois to the Conservatives. All that is needed to move forward is for the Government of Canada to admit that there is a genocide, because words are important. That is all that is missing to help the Uighurs in China who are currently facing genocide.

[Regional Environmental Organization, February 18th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to highlight the 25th anniversary of Ciel et Terre, an organization founded by residents of my riding involved in environmental causes.

In 1995, the founders of the Centre de l'information sur l'environnement de Longueuil, now known as Ciel et Terre, were true pioneers, because the cause had far fewer supporters then than it does now. Nevertheless, the volunteers rolled up their sleeves and organized recycling awareness workshops in Longueuil schools.

Since 2009, the organization has recruited dozens of volunteers to participate in major cleanups of the St. Lawrence shoreline in Longueuil, which is a great idea. Ciel et Terre also participates in public debates. The organization writes reports on environmental issues, submits briefs to government authorities and holds consultations. By contributing their expertise, members of Ciel et Terre help improve policies and make them more environmentally friendly.

As the member for Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, I would like to thank everyone involved with Ciel et Terre now and in the past, as well as everyone who is committed to protecting the environment.

[Committees of the House, February 16th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, this is really a very disturbing debate. I have a 17-year-old daughter and everything I am hearing here today is disturbing.

Earlier, I was listening to the testimony of a young 17-year-old girl who met a man on the Internet. She began going out with him and he bought her clothing. Next came drugs, and she became a sexual slave and worked for him. That is disturbing. My daughter attends CEGEP and spends her day on the Internet. I am often in the next room. Potential “sharks” could start talking to her and lead her down a road that would result in a similar situation.

My question is simple: Is it possible to come up with web monitoring programs to prevent the sexual slavery we are discussing today? I do not have the answer, but I am asking the question because the Internet is a place where potential con artists often lurk these days. In the past, this happened in alleys and at corner stores, but now it is happening on the Internet.

Can we pass legislation and find solutions to prevent these types of meetings on the Internet?

[Committees of the House, February 16th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her very interesting speech.

The link between violence against women and poverty is clear, and we are going to focus on that aspect.

I think symbolic things like creating a day of awareness are important, but huge and predictable investments are also needed. Housing advocates and organizations that assist women who are victims of domestic violence tell us that they need predictability. Money has been spent during the pandemic, but nothing seems to be happening. We get the sense that the aftermath of the pandemic will be difficult for all of Canada's most vulnerable groups.

I fully agree with what my colleague said, but my question is about another issue. Human trafficking is a global problem. I heard someone say earlier that the UN World Day against Trafficking in Persons is July 30. We want to make ours February 22. I am just wondering whether it would not be more meaningful and effective to make our day of awareness consistent with that of the rest of the world, to make this date the universal day to raise awareness of this important issue across the world.

[Committees of the House, February 16th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I very much liked my colleague's speech and I am very pleased to be here today to speak to this serious and very sensitive issue.

I agree on the importance of symbols and on establishing a human trafficking awareness day, but human trafficking is a crime, and when we talk about crime we must also talk about poverty. Beyond the symbolic nature of this awareness day, could we not invest heavily in anti-poverty campaigns? I am thinking of housing, groups that help women who are victims of domestic violence, addictions support groups and all these issues that contribute to the problem we are talking about today.

Does my colleague not think that we should be investing heavily in anti-poverty campaigns in Canada?