Jonathan Tremblay

[Jobs and Growth Act, 2012, November 29th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I quite enjoyed my colleague's speech.

I have noticed a pattern among government members. They seem to think that every good thing that happens is their doing, and every bad thing is someone else's. Anyone who disagrees with them is either lazy or incompetent. If every dissenting voice is like a pebble in their shoe, why not simply give the government absolute power? That would be the end of democracy, the end of parliamentary debate, the end of studies and transparency. Wait a second. That sounds a lot like what is happening right now.

I would like to hear my colleague's views on transparency, on the debate on this second mammoth bill and on all of the “parliamentary work” we have had to do.

[Financial Literacy Leader Act, November 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague made an excellent speech on what specific impact this will have on the public.

However, something has been bothering me since I have been listening to my colleagues debate this bill. There is unfortunately no mention of bilingualism in the hiring criteria for the financial literacy leader.

I have to wonder: do French and English use the same terms to talk about financial literacy?

[Employment, November 20th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, with Bill C-38, new employment insurance measures were implemented and we had to deal with the definition of "real job search".

The Conservative government lacked transparency by failing to inform the public of the real effect that these new rules would have. It is disrespectful to inform people of new requirements as they receive their cheques—that is, when they get one. This government takes people for dishonest slackers when it asks them for actual proof of interviews with potential employers. The Conservatives discredit workers, treat them like children and humiliate them. They must prove they are looking for work, not to mention that someone from Forestville must now report for an interview in Baie-Comeau, an hour's drive away.

There is no real job creation solution. At the end of the race in the regions, we will be seeing an exodus of skilled workers. The Conservatives are jeopardizing the efforts of the economic players in those regions. The minister can see that for herself if she comes to Haute-Côte-Nord or Charlevoix. For the seasonal industry back home, winter is winter.

[Safe Food for Canadians Act, November 19th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, as many of my colleagues have mentioned, very few Conservatives rose in the House to defend their bill or to ask the official opposition questions.

What is more, this bill originated in the Senate. We must therefore wonder who is working for whom, and who is in charge of strategy when it comes to bills.

I would like to hear what my colleague has to say about that.

[Canada-Panama Economic Growth and Prosperity Act, November 7th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the member said that, in the House, the NDP stands in the way of all free trade.

I do not understand how amendments stand in the way of a bill, a motion or anything else. We are talking about the role of the House, the very role of parliamentarians.

I would like the member to explain to me what democracy means to him. What is the role of a parliamentarian if not to introduce bills and debate them in order to make them better?

[Financial Literacy Leader Act, October 31st, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, it seems that some people have been forgotten in this bill. The financial literacy leader would be unilingual. What is more, this bill will not change anything for those who have less money to spend on everyday expenses and on private financial products.

Does the hon. member agree with me that it is important that the entire population of Canada be included in this new policy?

[Financial Literacy Leader Act, October 31st, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, what is in this bill is one thing, but once again the Conservatives are showing that they have forgotten a huge chunk of the population.

What does the member think this bill does to help the Canadians who do not have enough money to invest in private financial tools?

[Helping Families In Need Act, September 27th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to comment on a number of broken promises, some old and some even older.

The first was that these funds would not be taken from the employment insurance account, but rather from general revenues. At the moment, these funds come from the employment insurance account. That is therefore a broken promise.

Furthermore, I would like to remind you that a few years ago, parliamentarians in this House decided to protect the employment insurance account so that funds could not be removed directly from it to cover other shortfalls.

Have the Conservatives found a roundabout way of taking funds out of the account for other projects?

[Helping Families In Need Act, September 27th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, as other members have said, it is clear that all members of the House are unanimous in thinking that this bill is a good idea. This is a good bill, but it is flawed. No government member has risen to express agreement or disagreement about the flaws that could be corrected. I would like to hear the government's opinion on this. Perhaps the committee can propose some amendments. Unfortunately, NDP members are the only ones who are standing up to talk about this, along with the occasional member of another party.

What does my colleague think of that attitude?

[Helping Families In Need Act, September 27th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the hon. member's remarks. He shared his experience with groups that had problems related to drugs, violence and all those things that we do not like to hear about.

However, despite many speeches like this one, which tell things as they happen in real life, I notice that there are often people who are forgotten in the bills introduced by the Conservative government.

Is it because members opposite are simply out of touch with local reality, or is it for the sake of ideology? I wonder if the hon. member could enlighten some members.