House of Commons photoLost her last election, in 2015, with 21% of the vote.
Questions Passed as Orders for Returns December 13th, 2006
With respect to the Adult Learning, Literacy and Essential Skills Program: (a) what funding is still being allocated to this program; (b) what are the criteria for obtaining funding through this program; and (c) how much is being paid out through this program, by province, to the recipient organizations?
Government Programs December 13th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, we have learned that the $55 million cut on September 25 to youth employment programs will come strictly from the summer career placement program, which will affect young people, agencies and regions in particular.
On what study did the minister base her decision to make cuts to the summer career placement program, when the committee, of which her colleagues are members, asked for the program to be improved?
Questions on the Order Paper December 11th, 2006
Regarding the cuts announced by the government in the area of youth employment: (a) which programs are affected by the cuts; (b) what is the extent of the cuts by program; (c) how will the summer career placements program be affected; (d) how will the skills link program be affected; and (e) how will the career focus program be affected?
Government Programs December 5th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, on October 19, the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities adopted a report recommending that the government maintain funding for the summer career placements program at the 2005-06 level. Rumour has it that the government will instead reduce this program by cutting more than $50 million from it.
Can the minister tell us whether she intends to maintain the current funding or cut it by $50 million?
Literacy November 22nd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, during Literacy Action Day on Parliament Hill, I encountered some delegates storming out of the office of the Minister for la Francophonie and Official Languages.
The government's explanation for the cuts to these programs is simple: literacy programs are ineffective, since there are still people who are illiterate.
The Minister for la Francophonie and Official Languages and the Minister of Human Resources have to understand that by cutting the literacy programs, the illiteracy rate will only increase.
The Minister of Human Resources bragged about allocating $2.5 million to new projects in the adult learning, literacy and essential skills program. And yet, she is unable to justify the $17.7 million cut to that very program.
The Minister of Human Resources should have stayed a little longer at Literacy Action Day on Parliament Hill. She would have seen that the needs are still there and that we get results when we reward the good initiatives.
Agriculture November 9th, 2006
Mr. Speaker, grain producers are fed up with the competition from American crops that are being dumped here.
Will the minister finally admit that he needs to conduct a thorough review of assistance programs for grain producers, in order to help them compete better against the Americans? During the election campaign, his party promised to do this. It is time he kept his promise.
La Maison Desjardins November 2nd, 2006
Mr. Speaker, the people of the Eastern Townships are generous and help one another. No other conclusion could be reached after the record collection of $330,000 from the Maison Desjardins.
This idea got off to a modest start, but purchasing tickets for a chance to win the famous Maison Desjardins has now become a ritual.
Almost all the profits from the ticket sales go to various regional health foundations and health centres. The more people participate in the draw, the more our centres are assured of substantial revenues and of being able to provide better health services.
On behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I would like to congratulate the organizers of this event. Most of all, I would like to thank the people of the Eastern Townships for their record-breaking participation.
Business of Supply November 1st, 2006
Mr. Chair, I will ask one last question, then turn it over to my colleague.
Has the government completed the feasibility study on the income support program for older workers, which was included in the budget?
When does it intend to make it public?
Business of Supply November 1st, 2006
Mr. Chair, in order to help people, one of two things is needed: either the sovereignty of Quebec or the correction of the fiscal imbalance. As you know, I wish for the first with all my heart, but in the meantime, the Bloc Québécois will fight to correct the fiscal imbalance.
Despite the government's lofty promises, the federal withdrawal from the field of human resources is only adding further to this imbalance. As far as the Bloc is concerned, skills training is a matter of Quebec jurisdiction.
Rather than cutting funds related to skills training, why were they not simply transferred to the provincial governments?
Does the minister understand that, with the most recent cuts, her government is only adding to the fiscal imbalance?
Business of Supply November 1st, 2006
Mr. Speaker, I received an open letter to the Prime Minister from 24 organizations that were never consulted on literacy. The minister may not be able to produce a list of the people she contacted, but I can provide her with a list of the people she did not contact.
The Minister of Human Resources and Social Development has specific objectives, but with the cuts announced over a month ago, it will not be possible to achieve all those objectives. I want to come back to the department's priorities, because with the cuts made on September 25, it will be impossible to improve Canadians' quality of life, build a highly skilled workforce, eliminate barriers to work and learning and ensure that programs in place produce the desired results. On the contrary, the government's plans are nothing less than impediments to the most vulnerable in our society, who are trying to get ahead.
The $13 billion surplus, $2 billion of it from the employment insurance surplus, does not seem to have been enough for the current government, because it has cut another $1 billion from programs that benefit the poor and the most vulnerable in our society.
How can the minister explain that she is cutting funding for employability programs, when $2 billion from the employment insurance fund is already being used for a purpose other than the one it is intended for?