Judy Foote

[Service Canada, September 19th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives intend to cut 120 Service Canada processing centres down to 22 over the next three years. The government's plan to shift jobs out of rural areas with high unemployment into urban centres makes no sense. Canada's economy remains fragile, while the government remains illogical. The Service Canada cuts will result in the loss of well-paying jobs in rural Canada, jobs we cannot afford to lose.

At a time when Canadians need their government most, why does the government continue to cut, cut, cut instead of focusing on jobs, jobs, jobs?

[G8 Summit, June 23rd, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, according to its mission statement, Treasury Board Secretariat is supposed to ensure that “resources are soundly managed across government with a focus on results and value for money”.

By that criteria, the first program that should be audited is the G8 legacy fund where $50 million which Parliament authorized for border infrastructure ended up in gazebos and washrooms that had nothing to do with the G8.

Is the President of the Treasury Board refusing to call for a value-for-money audit because he knows it would lead right back to him?

[Supplementary Estimates (A), 2011-12, June 22nd, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, Liberal members will be voting no.

[Supplementary Estimates (A), 2011-12, June 22nd, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, Liberal members will be voting no.

[Supplementary Estimates (A), 2011-12, June 22nd, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal members will be voting no.

[Supplementary Estimates (A), 2011-12, June 22nd, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal members will be voting no.

[Main Estimates, 2011–12, June 22nd, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal members will be voting no.

[Main Estimates, 2011–12, June 22nd, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal members will be voting no.

[Main Estimates, 2011–12, June 22nd, 2011]

The Liberal members will be voting no.

[Petitions, June 22nd, 2011]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to present a petition that I would prefer not to have to present. If the government decided to keep the Maritime sub-centre open in St. John's, Newfoundland, then this petition would be unnecessary. However, I will read the petition to point out how important it is to keep this facility open.

It states that the federal government is responsible for providing adequate and appropriate search and rescue operations to oversee the safety of seafarers off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador; that the closure of the St. John's Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre would put into increased peril the safety of said seafarers; that an intimate knowledge of the Newfoundland and Labrador coastline is instrumental in assuring a quick response time when a situation arises; that the staff of St. John's Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre possesses the expertise and knowledge of our waters needed to adequately and appropriately serve our seafarers; and that the safety of our citizens should override fiscal priorities.

Therefore, the petitioners call on the Government of Canada to instruct the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to maintain a staffed Maritime rescue sub-centre in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and to ensure that services offered at this sub-centre are not reduced in nature or scope.

The seriousness of this situation cannot be underscored. It is important that the government reconsider its decision and keeps this centre open.