Jean Rousseau

[Energy Safety and Security Act, March 25th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate my colleague from Windsor West for his excellent speech.

The Conservatives are talking about atomic and nuclear energy in Canada, while they have slashed basic research on all university campuses across Canada. How can they brag about being leaders in atomic and nuclear energy? It is very important that we discuss atomic and nuclear waste and all the adverse effects it can have on the environment. He spoke about the Great Lakes in Ontario, which are a vital natural resource for Canada and the United States.

[Energy Safety and Security Act, March 25th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech.

Regardless of whether we say good things or bad things about the bill, something is missing. If disaster strikes, what will we do? It is all fine and dandy to accuse the companies and to plan to spend millions of taxpayers' dollars to repair the damage. However, what about our dependence on outdated energy?

Yes, this bill had to be updated. The Conservatives should just get up to speed sometimes.

What about the damage? In April, it will be 28 years since the Chernobyl disaster. The Three Mile Island disaster took place in 1979. It will be 35 years ago this Friday. What happens with the virtually never-ending collateral damage, when we know what radioactivity does?

Could my colleague tell me why this bill does not look at the environmental side?

[Energy Safety and Security Act, March 25th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Ottawa South for his excellent speech.

He touched on the extremely important issue of how to manage water, a resource that is essential to human life and that the oil and nuclear industries use in massive quantities. From the start, the Conservatives have been ignoring environmental protection rules, including rules to protect water. If the oil and nuclear industries are to be made accountable, there has to be a water management plan.

The Fukushima incident in Japan, for example, contaminated water for miles around, affecting hundreds of thousands of people.

Can my colleague comment on the importance of managing water and the need to make the oil and nuclear industries that use this resource more accountable?

[Energy Safety and Security Act, March 25th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate my colleague from Hamilton Mountain on her excellent speech. Once again, she illustrated the Conservatives' poor management. They are shifting the burden to taxpayers, effectively making them pay more taxes and cover the cost of cleaning up messes made by proponents who want to develop nuclear energy and oil and gas resources.

The government could invest those hundreds of billions of dollars in supporting renewable energy, cleaning up the environment and creating well-paying jobs. Once again, the government is indirectly telling Canadians that they will have to foot the bill for messes made by multinationals developing Canadian resources. That is an unacceptable way to manage Canada. The NDP wants to manage the environment and energy sustainably.

I would like my colleague to comment further on companies' and proponents' responsibility to develop resources sustainably and reasonably without placing the burden on Canadians who have to put up with the government's shenanigans.

[Petitions, March 7th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition signed by hundreds of people in the Gatineau area who are calling for protections for Gatineau Park, since it is home to rich biodiversity unique to the region, including 90 endangered plant and 50 endangered animal species. They are simply requesting that we examine the issue in order to protect the environment and strengthen the laws concerning the protection of Gatineau Park.

[Qalipu Mi'kmaq First Nation Act, March 7th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the wonderful work that my colleague has done with first nations files and how well she has prepared and documented her information.

Earlier in her statement, she said it took almost 20 years to get that settlement. It seems it is always the same with the Liberals and the Conservatives. When there is something to settle with first nations, it takes a lot of time and hard work, but there is no action.

Could my colleague tell me why it would take so much time?

Why does it always take so much time? The government does not demonstrate much of a desire to resolve conflicts with first nations.

[Privilege, March 3rd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, this is in fact a question of legitimacy.

Is it legitimate to give a speech, to exercise a privilege in fact, and to do so in a partisan or non-partisan manner? It is a privilege to be able to rise and debate matters in the House. When one uses the House to make a mockery of democracy, all legitimacy is lost.

Respect in this place is crucial. However, because of the cynicism shown by the parties—especially the party across the aisle—in our discussions and debates here in the House of Commons, Canadians have begun asking themselves whether the Conservatives have the legitimacy to govern and to make decisions and whether voting for them is the right thing to do; they are wondering about how the Conservatives will represent the population. I would like to hear my colleague's thoughts on that.

In light of the debates and all the heckling we often hear in this place, one wonders whether we are even worthy of doing this job, namely representing Canadians. Are we worthy of representing Canadians?

[Stoke and Coaticook, March 3rd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the municipalities of Stoke and Coaticook are both celebrating their 150th anniversary this year. I will be participating with great pride in many activities to highlight their history, their success stories and also their future.

The municipality of Stoke covers an area that is even larger than its jealous neighbour, Sherbrooke, and its majestic landscape includes the lake and mountains. The pork industry generates many economic activities in the area, while the Miellerie Lune de Miel and the Canadian biathlon training centre provide a number of opportunities in this municipality headed up by Mayor Luc Cayer.

Coaticook is definitely the seat of the Coaticook regional county municipality. It drives the economic development of this region of pioneers and builders. The agricultural sector needs no introduction, in part because it is a model of co-operation unique to Quebec and one of the most prosperous in Canada. With jovial Mayor Bertrand Lamoureux at the helm of this municipality, we will certainly be hearing more about innovation and growth from this tourism jewel in the Eastern Townships.

Long life and prosperity to both.

[Agricultural Growth Act, March 3rd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, at the beginning of his speech, the hon. member spoke about how important agriculture is for various countries. That caught my attention. He said that those countries have plans with respect to agriculture, agri-food, processing and related transportation issues.

I would like my colleague to comment on how important it is to keep agriculture alive and to invest new money in the sector, as many family farms across the country are collapsing.

The government is just looking to help the large companies in this industry, but family farms, which built this country, are the ones that should be benefiting.

[Agricultural Growth Act, March 3rd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the hon. member, who is the official opposition critic for agriculture and agri-food.

How is it that there is nothing in this agriculture and agri-food reform about crisis management?

There was a crisis at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Cuts were made and there was a certain laissez-faire attitude towards health and safety. However, nothing in this legislation offers real protection for consumers.

I would like my colleague to talk some more about the provisions that could have been included in the bill, but that have been left out.