Guy Caron

[The Budget, May 11th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, allow me to inform the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons that more than half of the budget implementation bill contains measures that were not announced in the budget.

We are talking about the health of Canadians, their retirement, the future of their children and of our environment. With the cuts to public services and social programs, this government has already clearly lost the support of Canadians.

Like a Trojan Horse, this bill is hiding measures and cuts like those imposed on the Commissioner of Official Languages.

Why are the Conservatives refusing to be transparent and accountable?

[The Budget, May 11th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, it is all well and fine for the government to try to dress up its budget bill with some slogans, but the fact remains that this bill will affect almost every aspect of Canadians' lives. Now the Conservatives want to go even further and avoid any in-depth debate.

Why do the Conservatives want to prevent Canadians from having a say on this bill? Are they afraid that if Canadians know too much, they will reject the bill?

[Jobs, Growth and Long Term Prosperity Act, May 10th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, in this same spirit of compromise and in the interest of having a reasonable and reasoned debate on a very broad bill, and also in an effort to honour democracy, I am seeking the unanimous consent of the House to move the following motion: That notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, clauses 68 to 131 be removed from Bill C-38, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 29, 2012 and other measures, and do compose Bill C-38A; that Bill C-38A be deemed read a first time and be printed; that the order for second reading of the said bill provide for the referral to the Standing Committee on Natural Resources; that Bill C-38 be reprinted as amended; and that the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel be authorized to make any technical changes or corrections as may be necessary to give effect to this motion.

We are proposing this motion because Canadians and Quebeckers want a debate on the many far-reaching changes that are included in the bill.

[Jobs, Growth and Long Term Prosperity Act, May 10th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, in the spirit of a proper analysis of this bill, I would seek unanimous consent of the House to move the following motion: That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, clauses 218 to 222, 420 to 426, 468 to 472, 476 to 478, 516 to 524, and 711 to 712 be removed from Bill C-38, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 29, 2012 and other measures, and do compose Bill C-38A; that Bill C-38A be deemed read a first time and be printed; that the order for second reading of the said bill provide for the referral to the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates; that Bill C-38 be reprinted as amended; and that the law clerk and parliamentary counsel be authorized to make any technical changes or corrections as may be necessary to give effect to this motion.

We are proposing this motion to ensure that this important and far-reaching bill be studied properly by various committees, given the number of laws it would amend.

[Jobs, Growth and Long Term Prosperity Act, May 10th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, we have tried to compromise with the government in order to be able to examine this bill in a reasoned manner, given that it is massive, includes many provisions and amends many laws.

That is why I am asking for unanimous consent to move the following motion: That notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, clauses 132 to 156 and 411 be removed from Bill C-38, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 29, 2012 and other measures, and do compose Bill C-38A; that Bill C-38A be deemed read a first time and be printed; that the order for second reading of the said bill provide for the referral to the Standing Committee on Fisheries and Oceans; that Bill C-38 be reprinted as amended; and that the Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel be authorized to make any technical changes or corrections as may be necessary to give effect to this motion.

We are proposing this motion in order to have the full debate that this bill requires because of its broad scope and the number of laws it amends.

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, May 8th, 2012]

With regard to meeting requests received from official representatives of the Government of Québec: (a) how many meeting requests were submitted by official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Industry; (b) how many meeting requests from official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Industry were accepted; (c) how many meeting requests were submitted by official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food; (d) how many meeting requests from official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food were accepted; (e) how many meeting requests were submitted by official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages; (f) how many meeting requests from official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages were accepted; (g) how many meeting requests were submitted by official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism; (h) how many meeting requests from official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism were accepted; (i) how many meeting requests were submitted by official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of the Environment; (j) how many meeting requests from official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of the Environment were accepted; (k) how many meeting requests were submitted by official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Finance; (l) how many meeting requests from official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Finance were accepted; (m) how many meeting requests were submitted by official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans; (n) how many meeting requests from official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans were accepted; (o) how many meeting requests were submitted by official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Health; (p) how many meeting requests from official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Health were accepted; (q) how many meeting requests were submitted by official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development; (r) how many meeting requests from official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development were accepted; (s) how many meeting requests were submitted by official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs; (t) how many meeting requests from official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs were accepted; (u) how many meeting requests were submitted by official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Justice; (v) how many meeting requests from official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Justice were accepted; (w) how many meeting requests were submitted by official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Public Safety; (x) how many meeting requests from official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Public Safety were accepted; (y) how many meeting requests were submitted by official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Public Works and Government Services; (z) how many meeting requests from official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Public Works and Government Services were accepted; (aa) how many meeting requests were submitted by official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Transport; and (bb) how many meeting requests from official representatives of the government of Québec to the office of the Minister of Transport were accepted?

[Health, May 7th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I could talk about a number of groups that play a role in addressing mental health, but the federal government is not one of them.

Our federal government has taken mental illness far too lightly. We had to wait until 2007 before instituting the Mental Health Commission. We are still the only country in the G8 without a mental health strategy. That is certainly not leadership to be proud of.

Will the government commit to providing the proper leadership to implement the new mental health strategy put forward by the Mental Health Commission, and will it do its part to fund it?

[Health, May 7th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives' lack of leadership on health is appalling.

Canada is the only G8 country without a mental health strategy. To remedy that situation, the Mental Health Commission of Canada will release its new strategy tomorrow. The Conservatives' inaction on mental health is costing this country $50 billion a year.

Will the government promise to implement this plan? Will it do its part to fund this strategy so that the provinces are not left to pick up the whole tab?

[Budget Implementation, May 4th, 2012]

Madam Speaker, if the Conservatives like to approve 425-page bills without reading or analyzing them, where is their rigour?

We know that the devil is in the details, and Bill C-38 has many details that are perplexing, such as amendments to the Bank Act that will infringe on provincial powers. This is not at all acceptable to the Government of Quebec.

Why is the government insisting on interfering in provincial jurisdictions?

[Budget Implementation, May 4th, 2012]

Madam Speaker, when the government wants Canadians to accept unpopular measures, it always ends up ramming these measures down their throats.

Yesterday, the government invoked closure for the 18th time, in this case on the budget implementation bill, which is full of measures that Canadians did not vote for.

Why are the Conservatives so set on cutting short any debate on their controversial measures? Is it because their budget does not add up?