Jean Crowder

[Wage Earner Protection Program Act, September 29th, 2005]

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from the Bloc for speaking in favour of some portions of this bill before the House.

The question I had for the member was specific to the student loan provisions and the discharge of student debt. I would like the member to clarify the Bloc's position on this. As we well know, student debt has skyrocketed over the last 10 to 15 years in Canada. In the province that I come from, students not only face very high tuition fees, but the cost of living in cities like Vancouver is extremely high. Students come out of a four year education with a debt load that prevents them from often participating fully in their community.

I would like the member to clarify her position around what she sees as reasonable in terms of discharging bankruptcy for student loans. I am not clear if she was saying there should be no waiting period or if there should be some sort of timeframe in there.

[Question No. 156, September 26th, 2005]

With regard to the re-evaluation by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency of 2,4-D for use on lawns and turf: ( a ) what is the specific process used to evaluate this pesticide, including any deliberations on why it was completed ahead of the new, stronger regulations for the Pest Control Products Act of 2002 being promulgated; ( b ) how closely was the Canadian Environmental Protection Act followed, specifically, what analyses were provided regarding dioxins with two or more chlorine atoms that may contaminate 2,4-D during the lifetime of the product; ( c ) what studies looked specifically at the effect on the elderly and on children; and ( d ) has the Pest Management Regulatory Agency issued a second Information Note retracting the statement “that 2,4-D can be used safely on lawns and turf” as suggested by the chair of the Standing Committee on Health?

[Aboriginal Affairs, June 22nd, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday was National Aboriginal Day. It served as a reminder that every day we must continue to speak up on social and economic issues faced by aboriginal people.

Earlier this month, the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development tabled a report about on reserve matrimonial real property. There are strong recommendations in the report for action on behalf of aboriginal women from coast to coast to coast.

The report calls for the government to immediately draft stand-alone legislation dealing with matrimonial property and that this be done in partnership with the Native Women's Association of Canada and the Assembly of First Nations.

The NDP supports the report. This issue and other issues that impact the lives of aboriginal women in this country have been studied over and over. It is time for action, action on rights for aboriginal women when it comes to matrimonial property, action on violence against women and action on access to health services.

Rebecca Bruce, Raven Thunder Sky's sister, died today. Where is the action on issues like Zonolite? These are real issues that affect aboriginal women and their families and we need action now. It is time for the government to deliver.

[Youth Suicide Prevention Walk, June 17th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the third annual Youth Suicide Prevention Walk just arrived on Parliament Hill.

The walkers left Duncan, B.C., on March 30 to raise awareness across the country of the aboriginal suicide epidemic. The rate is at least six times the national average. Currently, the national budget for suicide prevention in Canada is minuscule, not nearly enough to make a difference in the lives of our youth.

Walkers are advocating for a national suicide prevention program and a national aboriginal and youth suicide awareness day.

In my riding of Nanaimo--Cowichan, the need for suicide prevention programs is very clear. One of my first duties as an MP was to attend the funeral of a young man who had committed suicide.

I would like to thank Reno Trimble, Elyse Mather, Emily Williams, Charlotte Qamanig-Mason and Nancy Saunders as well as their supporters Vincent Watts, Darnell Krutko and Angela Vane for their dedication to the cause of youth suicide prevention.

[An Act to Authorize the Minister of Finance to Make Certain Payments, June 17th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I feel that I must correct a couple of statements. Contrary to what the member across the House said, which is that this bill was ill-thought out and hastily planned, it was just the opposite.

On issues like affordable housing, we in the NDP consulted with groups over a number of years and we clearly reflected what we heard from Canadians. This is an example of how minority governments can work for Canadians by putting together a plan that addresses the needs that Canadians say are absolutely important to them.

What would the member say to those Canadians who have been working diligently over a number of years to talk about issues like affordable housing and putting forward concrete plans that we would like to see implemented with this better balanced budget?

[An Act to authorize the Minister of Finance to make certain payments, June 16th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, the member talked about the affordable housing initiative. I wanted to point out to the member that this is a problem from coast to coast to coast. In my riding, Nanaimo—Cowichan's Working Group on Homelessness recently did a study. It took a look at the number of homeless in the streets of Nanaimo. Fully 50% of those people on the street are women and many of them had young children.

In addition there was a recent study in the Statistics Canada Daily. It talks about the number of women who are in shelters. Seven out of ten women are reporting physical abuse in shelters. One of the things that contributes to this is the lack of affordable housing.

Could the member specifically comment on how important this better balanced budget will provide affordable housing to women and children in this country?

[Committees of the House, June 16th, 2005]

Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for bringing this motion forward and raising a very important issue for Canadians. Many Canadians' access to drugs is already compromised. We currently have a situation in which some drugs in Canada were not protected under price regulation as they were more than 25 years old. Some of these drugs have now risen in price from $48 a month, let us say, to thousands of dollars a month. This is a very important issue for Canadians.

My hon. colleague spoke about price and supply. I wonder if he could comment specifically on the fact that we must continue to have drugs accessible by and available to Canadians and about the concern many of us have felt around the lack of transparency that Health Canada has when it considers any of this information. We have been calling on Health Canada to be much more transparent and open about its process.

This issue around Internet pharmacies is really a good example of the fact that we cannot access the kind of information that is required for us to be able to consider it in a reasonable way. This is certainly one of the reasons why many members of the health committee called on the minister to not do anything more about Internet pharmacies until we hear from Health Canada, and now we urgently need this response due to legislation in the United States.

[Health, June 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, it is time to quit talking about doing the work and getting on to the action.

Let us talk about the government's record. David Dingwall signed a deal with Alberta that helped Ralph Klein privatize eye surgery. Allan Rock sat there and watched as Canada's first for profit hospitals opened. The minister's predecessor said that private delivery was just fine.

How will the minister bring accountability back into the public health care system?

[Health, June 9th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, earlier we heard how committed the Liberals are to health care but there is no action on solutions like bulk buying of drugs, no action on a pharmacare plan and no action on implementing public home care.

Today's court decision is a wake-up call. The minister must do more than talk about protecting medicare.

Why is there not one word in the health accord about stopping privatization?

[Canada Elections Act, June 8th, 2005]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to hear the hon. member and I share the same goals around ensuring that no worker is left behind.

In broad consultation with the women's committee, a number women's groups came forward. The committee has put forward a motion asking for draft legislation to be brought forward by the end of June. Women want to know when, they want to see timelines and they do not want more talk.

I would like to hear when women can expect legislation to implement the full recommendations of the pay equity report.