Diane Bourgeois

[International Women's Day, February 28th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, Friday, March 8, is International Women's Day. That day was first celebrated in 1914 to promote women's efforts to gain the right to vote.

In Quebec, it was in 1971 that the first rally related to International Women's Day took place. On that occasion, people marched to allow women to have access to legal and free abortion, as demanded by the Front de libération des femmes.

In 2002, this day is an opportunity to reflect on the social, economic and political demands of women throughout the world.

Even though women can now vote and get an abortion, there are still many issues to be raised on March 8 of each year. Ensuring equal pay and decent parental leave, and following up on the demands of the world march of women are all measures that the federal government has refused to take.

The Bloc Quebecois wants to pay tribute to the women who have built and who continue to build Quebec every day.

[Discrimination Against Women, February 20th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian government must do everything in its power to save this young woman.

What we are calling upon the government to do is to make a commitment to summon the Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada in order to make our formal objections to this execution known to him, as well as to intervene with Nigeria's Commonwealth partners in order to enlist their support.

[Discrimination Against Women, February 20th, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, in Nigeria, a young woman, Safiya Husseini, stands accused of having sexual relations outside of marriage. According to the charia, the Islamic law enforced in the Nigerian state of Sokoto, the sentence for such an offence is stoning. This situation is totally unacceptable.

With such a barbaric act about to take place, has the Minister of Foreign Affairs made representations to the government of Nigeria to prevent such an atrocity?

[Youth Criminal Justice Act, January 31st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

It seems rather obvious to me that the member is not dealing at all, with the amendment before us today.

I am trying to be fair and honest with taxpayers. I believe we do not have time to waste rambling on about all kinds of issues.

[Youth Criminal Justice Act, January 31st, 2002]

Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, I must say that I found it very difficult to follow my Canadian Alliance colleague's line of reasoning. I thought we were supposed to discuss the amendment that was put forward.

Could he address the amendment before us today?

[Violence Against Women, December 6th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, even after 12 years, nothing can erase the memory of December 6, 1989, when 14 young women at the École Polytechnique in Montreal were killed. Their crime was having been women.

It is our duty to think about the real measures that each of us can take to prevent and eliminate violence against women. It is also our duty to ensure that these women did not die in vain, and that their tragic deaths serve to heighten our awareness that the fight against violence is one that continues.

On behalf of the Bloc Quebecois and myself, I would like to extend my support to the families of all of these young women, these young victims, for whom, every year, December 6 reminds them of the loss of a dear one and the senseless nature of this terrible crime.

As a sign of support, I invite members to wear a white ribbon, or the pin designed to commemorate this sad event.

[International Co-operation, December 3rd, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the need is both immense and immediate. Aid must be directed urgently and rapidly and the government must assume a lead role in this.

Could the minister tell us what her specific plan for Afghanistan is and what she plans to do to ensure that help gets there?

[International Co-operation, December 3rd, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, Special UNICEF representative Sally Armstrong has been visiting Afghan refugee camps over the past 10 days. Her finding is “Nearly all the children are sick”.

Although the world has been well aware for a long time that a major problem was developing, the Minister for International Cooperation continues to boast of the government's generosity, yet it has made no real effort. Its contribution to Afghanistan is limited to some $16 million, which is far from adequate.

Does the minister not think it is high time she put an end to her empty words and launched an extraordinary offensive to deal with an extraordinary situation?

[GM Plant in Boisbriand, November 26th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, the GM employees' union recognizes that Premier Landry and his government have worked to save the plant and are still trying to come up with a solution. On the other hand, the union is criticizing the federal government and the immobility of the Prime Minister.

Following the visit by the Minister of National Revenue and Secretary of State responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec to senior officials of GM in Chicago in September, has the federal government not simply thrown in the towel and decided to do nothing to save the Boisbriand plant?

[Violence Against Women, November 26th, 2001]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Let us use this opportunity to remind the House that the fight is far from over and that we must continue to do everything we can to build a world free of this violence, which affects thousands of lives every day.

I would also like to take this opportunity to highlight the admirable work that is carried out every day by men and women who strive to create a society that treats women fairly. I am referring to, among others, groups that have set up what could be called resistance networks of shelters and transition houses for women who have survived domestic violence. Thanks to them, thousands of women can finally live their lives free of fear.

Let us not forget that, day after day, women around the world are victimized by violence. We must act now so that, one day, we will finally be able to celebrate the end of violence against women.