Irene Mathyssen

[Veterans Affairs, January 25th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, Canada's veterans have suffered cuts to benefits, the closure of front-line offices and worse. Suicide rates have climbed, homelessness has increased, and yet veterans still face unacceptable waits for mental health services. The report on veterans' treatment, buried by the previous government, is still missing in action.

Our veterans need help today. They should not have to wait for the minister to get around to reopening offices. When will all veterans finally get the mental health and other services they need?

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, January 25th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, I am quite relieved to hear that there will be money for affordable housing, because the last federal co-op was built in my riding in 1992, and by 1993, the Liberal government of the day had completely killed the program. One can understand why I am encouraged, because right now, in my riding, there is a 10-year delay, a waiting list of 10 years, for persons living with disabilities, for seniors, and for people living in poverty, for affordable housing. One can understand why I am very anxious to know when this program will begin.

When will we start to see affordable housing in my riding, after 25 years of a lack?

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, January 25th, 2016]

Mr. Speaker, congratulations on your re-election.

My colleague across the way spoke of many things, but one of the things he did not speak about was veterans. During the past election campaign, many promises were made to veterans and their families. They need to know if those promises will be kept. We know that an incredible and heartbreaking number of veterans are homeless, and we know that their families are suffering.

What does the member plan to do to make sure that those promises are met and our veterans are respected?

[Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply, December 8th, 2015]

Madam Speaker, congratulations to my colleague and to you. It is wonderful to see you in the chair presiding over this place.

My question has to do with infrastructure. I am very anxious about all kinds of infrastructure, whether it is hard infrastructure in terms of water, sewer, and roads, or the all-important social infrastructure like child care.

Given that the previous Liberal government made significant cuts to things like affordable housing, employment insurance, the things that support communities, and failed in terms of the important infrastructure that would have created a national child care system, what assurances do we have from the current government that it will follow through and make sure that employment insurance, housing, and children are taken care of?

[Aboriginal Affairs, June 19th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, a website is not action, and that is not the end of it. Canadians know that under the current government, aboriginal unemployment has increased and the wage gap has increased. Instead of helping aboriginal communities, the government does not even count unemployment on reserves. It allows businesses on reserves to bring in temporary foreign workers. The Conservatives have failed to invest in education or infrastructure that could help communities develop. They have been left in dire poverty. Why are the Conservatives ignoring our indigenous communities?

[Aboriginal Affairs, June 19th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives' idea of tangible action to end violence against indigenous women is funding a website. It will take a lot more than a website to end this horrendous violence. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission, national aboriginal organizations, Amnesty International, and victims like Rinelle Harper have been very clear: we need a national inquiry.

Canadians are tired of the current government playing partisan games with the lives of women. When will the Conservatives agree to a full inquiry into the murders and disappearances of indigenous women?

[Ethics, June 18th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, it is just not acceptable for that member to be making things up. He should hang his head in shame.

As well, here is a government that ran on a triple E Senate. Remember that? The only thing that has tripled under the Conservatives' watch is the number of senators under police investigation. Canadians are tired of the daily barrage of waste and scandal from the other chamber. They want answers.

Why did the Prime Minister allow senators to hide from accountability by devising their own get out jail free card?

[Ethics, June 18th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, last night the magnitude of the scandal in the Senate tripled. The RCMP will now be investigating all 30 senators who have spending irregularities. The police just are not buying into the so-called appeal scheme the Prime Minister's hand-picked speaker devised to get him and his friends off the hook. It is taking its own look at the evidence.

Could the Prime Minister explain why it is the police, and not him, that has been left to clean up the Senate mess?

[Canada Post, June 17th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, Canada Post made almost $200 million in profits last year. However, it is still going ahead with the plan to end door-to-door service for over five million Canadians; that is unless one lives in a certain neighbourhood. Today we found out that Canada Post is allowing some neighbourhoods special concessions.

Why will the minister not admit that the Canada Post plan is flawed in all areas and tell it to go back to the drawing board to restore home delivery?

[Employment, June 16th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are leaving too many Canadians behind. Under their watch, we have lost 400,000 good manufacturing jobs, and people are pushed to precarious work with no benefits and no job security.

Since 2008, two-thirds of all jobs created in Ontario have been part-time, temporary, or in self-employment.

Instead of giving handouts to the wealthy few, will the Conservatives give a break to the hard-working families who actually need one?