Diane Bourgeois

[Foreign Affairs, September 23rd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, a spokesperson for Reporters without Borders has expressed concerns that the charges against the alleged murderer of Madam Kazemi are nothing but a ploy by the authorities to protect the ones really responsible for this tragedy.

Can the government tell us whether the Minister of Foreign Affairs will take advantage of his visit to the UN to express to his Iranian counterpart the dissatisfaction of the Canadian authorities with the way the Government of Iran is acquitting itself of its responsibilities in the Kazemi affair?

[Parliament of Canada Act, September 22nd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to my colleague who is answering on behalf of the Secretary of State for the Status of Women—I said at the outset that she still is not here to answer me—I would point out that it was a matter of women returning to the workforce and women who are self-employed.

Coverage for women who work full time may be higher than for men, but most women work part time. What happens to them and to women who are self-employed? My question remains unanswered.

Furthermore, I do not think any gender equality analysis has been done on this issue.

[Parliament of Canada Act, September 22nd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, last week I asked a question of the Secretary of State for the Status of Women. She did not answer, but her colleague, the Minister of Human Resources Development did, and, as usual, praised the current employment insurance system. According to her, it allows more women to be eligible for employment insurance. She even had the gall to tell the House, and I quote:

We also find that more women are working and, in fact, as a result of the increased jobs in our strong economy, women are working and bringing home employment wages to help support themselves and their families.

This summer, a report from the Canadian Labour Congress informed us that women are among those most heavily penalized by employment insurance policies.

Furthermore, a report from Status of Women Canada last March confirmed that restrictions in the employment insurance program affecting people returning to the work force had a disproportionate impact on women, in particular, on those who wished to take advantage of parental benefits, and self-employed women, whose numbers are increasing but who are still excluded from the program.

That is why I am asking my question of the Secretary of State for the Status of Women again, this evening, in the hope that this time she will answer it herself, for one thing, and for another, that she will tell us clearly what she has done so far to improve the gloomy situation revealed by her department's report.

[Divorce Act, September 22nd, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, in February, the Secretary of State for the Status of Women promised to conduct an analysis to determine whether the changes to the Divorce Act in Bill C-22 would have a different impact on men than on women.

The Secretary of State for the Status of Women made this promise eight months ago. We want to know today whether this gender equality analysis has been concluded and when it will be referred to the committee that is studying this issue.

[Parliament of Canada Act, September 22nd, 2003]

We could also mention tax havens.

[Foreign Affairs, September 18th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, on July 10, Iranian-born Montreal photojournalist Zahra Kazemi died in prison after being interrogated under the direction of Tehran's prosecutor general. People close to President Khatami described the death as a murder.

Does the Prime Minister intend to follow up on the requests of Ms. Kazemi's son and the coalition of 19 organizations that support him and are demanding an immediate plan of action?

[Employment Insurance, September 16th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, last March, a report from Status of Women Canada confirmed that employment insurance restrictions on individuals returning to the labour market were affecting a disproportionate number of women, particularly those seeking parental benefits, as well as those who are self-employed, who continue to be excluded from this program.

Can the parliamentary secretary for Status of Women Canada tell us what she has done to date to remedy the situation criticized by that report?

[Public Service, June 13th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, between 1998 and 2002, the Liberal government spent $40 million on the Employment Equity Positive Measures Program. According to the report, which is posted on the web site of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, this program has contributed to building a modern public service. However, none of the recommendations in this report are found in Bill C-25.

Each year, Status of Women Canada spends $11 million on a gender-based analysis. However, some parts of Bill C-25 completely disregard employment equity measures.

Nor is the government introducing legislation to ensure the well-being of its employees. Some 21% of federal public servants claim to be victims of harassment. However, Bill C-25 makes no mention of concrete measures to counter harassment when, clearly, the Canadian government, as an employer, has the obligation to ensure the psychological well-being of its employees.

The Bloc Quebecois reprehends this government, which continues investing heavily in beautiful reports, without applying them or acting as an employer responsible for its workforce.

[Housing, June 11th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, a few weeks from now, thousands of Quebeckers will be moving to a new home. But this year as last year, many families in Montreal, Quebec City, Gatineau and elsewhere will find themselves without housing, on the street.

Between 1994 and 2002, the federal government deprived inadequately housed Quebeckers of approximately 40,000 units of social housing.

This government must be reminded that nearly 1 million Quebeckers are inadequately housed, either spending too high a portion of their income on housing or living in substandard and often unsanitary housing. Statistics Canada reports that in 2001, nearly 218,500 households in Quebec were spending some 50% of their income on rent.

At present, hundreds of families and individuals are already homeless, the vast majority being too poor to afford housing.

In the face of the worsening crisis, the Bloc Quebecois asks that the federal government urgently make funding available for social housing.

[Parental Leave, June 10th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the Quebec Minister of Employment reaffirmed yesterday his intention to go ahead with his own parental leave program, which is more generous than Ottawa's program.

If the Minister of Human Resources Development truly wants to help young families, what is she waiting for to accept the conditions put forward by Quebec, which are supported not only by the previous Government of Quebec, but also by the current one, the Bloc Quebecois and young families?