Hélène Laverdière

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, February 9th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, last weekend, 22 refugees crossed the border in the freezing cold to seek safety in Canada, but under the safe third country agreement, refugees who enter the United States cannot then come to Canada.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister said that we will always be welcoming to vulnerable people. These refugees are vulnerable people.

Will the government suspend the safe third country agreement so that it can welcome them?

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, February 2nd, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, it would seem as though the minister and the government are not aware of last week's events and that hiding one's head in the sand may not be the solution.

For example, how can they claim that they are convinced that refugees will be treated properly and with respect in the United States following the President's immigration order?

Will the government immediately suspend the Canada-U.S. safe third country agreement, yes or no?

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, February 1st, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, safe third countries can be designated under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act in an effort to share responsibility for refugee claims. However, only countries that respect human rights and provide a high degree of protection to asylum seekers can be designated as safe third countries.

Does the Prime Minister honestly believe that this applies to the United States with its anti-Muslim decree currently in effect?

[Human Rights, January 31st, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, the U.S. President's executive order on immigration is a violation of refugee rights and human rights.

We no longer have the assurance that refugees will be welcome in the United States or that they will be treated fairly. The safe third country agreement that we have with the U.S. was based on such an assurance.

The question I have for the government is simple: will Canada immediately suspend our safe third country agreement with the United States?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Return, January 30th, 2017]

With regard to the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP) since its introduction in 1988: (a) what amounts were allocated to the CVITP broken down by year, province and constituency; (b) how many volunteers participated in this program, broken down by year, province and constituency; (c) how many training sessions were given to volunteers, broken down by year, province and constituency; (d) how many training sessions given in (c) were online computer-based training sessions and how many were given in person by the Canada Revenue Agency and Revenu Québec, broken down by year, province and constituency; (e) how many organizations were involved in this program, broken down by year, province and constituency; (f) how many taxpayers have benefited from this program, broken down by year, province and constituency; (g) how many paper returns were filed, broken down by year, province and constituency; (h) how many online returns were filed, broken down by year, province and constituency; and (i) does the government plan to reinvest in this program in the coming year and, if so, how much funding is planned?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Return, January 30th, 2017]

With regard to Canada’s arms exports: (a) in 2016, by what means has the government monitored the use of its military exports to ensure compliance with Canada’s export control regime; (b) what information has the government received since April 2016 on the human rights situation in Saudi Arabia that would contribute to an assessment of whether existing permits should be suspended or cancelled; (c) how much did the government spend between 2004 and 2016 on research and development relating to the manufacture of light-armoured vehicles; (d) what has been the trade balance in 2016 with regards to the Canadian defence and security industry with regards to export and import by government entities; (e) does the Canadian mission to Saudi Arabia monitor the use of Canadian weapons sold to Saudi Arabia, and, if so, how often does the mission report on this to Global Affairs Canada; and (f) has an economic impact assessment been carried out with regards to the 2014 agreement involving the export of military vehicles manufactured by General Dynamics Land Systems?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Return, January 30th, 2017]

With regard to interactions between the government and the Streit Group companies: (a) what support has the government provided to the Streit Group between 2009 and 2016; (b) what support has the government provided to the Streit Group through overseas embassies, including, but not limited to, all trade and consular support between 2009 and 2016; (c) did the Streit Group receive any marketing support through the Global Markets Action Plan or any other trade promotion programs, and, if so, what are the details of the support received; (d) what are the details of any studies undertaken by Global Affairs Canada on the Streit Group before deciding to sole-source the purchase of two vehicles; (e) did Global Affairs Canada receive any indications or information about the Streit Group's alleged sales to criminal gangs before October 17, 2016; (f) was a company profile prepared by the Department on the Streit Group prior to former Minister Ed Fast's visit to their factory in the spring of 2015; (g) what mechanisms are currently in place to monitor Canadian companies operating overseas and compliance with Canadian and United Nations sanctions; (h) what investigations is the government currently undertaking into Streit Group’s contravention of sanctions; (i) what are the sanctions Streit Group has contravened; and (j) is the government planning to change Canadian arms export guidelines to include Canadian companies operating overseas?

[Foreign Affairs, January 30th, 2017]

Mr. Speaker, I have a very simple question for the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Has the government shared its concerns with the American authorities regarding the Trump administration's decision to ban entry to the U.S. for the citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries?

[Foreign Affairs, December 14th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, the United States has announced that it is cancelling certain arms deals with Saudi Arabia because of systemic and endemic problems related to the reported targeting of Yemeni civilians by that country.

Meanwhile, it seems that Canada is allowing the use of light armoured vehicles made in Canada in the conflict in Yemen.

Can the minister confirm this? Is he not concerned that Canada could become complicit in war crimes?

[Health, December 5th, 2016]

Madam Speaker, the parliamentary secretary is pleased that more and more people know their HIV-AIDS status. Perhaps this is thanks to the longstanding organizations that the government decided to abolish. If the formula is working, I do not understand why they are going ahead with these cuts.

She also talked about vulnerable populations. However, of the groups affected by the cuts, such as aboriginal peoples, there are also injection drug users. The only organization left in Quebec to work with these people is in Quebec City, while the problem is particularly acute in Montreal.

Also affected are groups working with African immigrant women, as well as huge segments of the population being left out, including francophones. However, among the new groups funded are a number of so-called national organizations that do not deliver services in French.