Justin Trudeau

[International Day Against Homophobia, May 17th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, each year on May 17, we recognize the International Day Against Homophobia to end discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Here in Canada, under Liberal governments, we have seen the decriminalization of same-sex relationships, the legalization of same-sex marriage and the inclusion of sexual orientation in the Canadian Human Rights Act.

But we must not rest on our laurels. Homophobia is still too prevalent, and many gay and lesbian youth are still victims of bullying and discrimination, too often leading to tragic consequences. Days like today give our young people hope that it does indeed get better.

We must continue to fight this form of discrimination here and around the world, especially in countries like Uganda, Nigeria and Russia, which have recently implemented homophobic and discriminatory policies.

Today, the Liberal caucus honours those who have fought tirelessly to secure the rights of the LGBTQ community by fighting homophobia here in Canada and around the world.

[Housing, May 15th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, in the most recent budget, almost 260,000 Quebec families have been abandoned. With the end of federal subsidies for affordable housing, at least 125,000 housing units in Quebec will be affected.

A number of organizations, some local and some throughout Quebec, including the Association des locataires de Villeray, FRAPRU and FADOQ, are mobilizing thousands of people and trying to find solutions to this crisis.

We know that this government has written off Quebec and the poor, but would the minister at least have the decency to explain how he can outright abandon so many people?

[Petitions, May 15th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, today, I have the honour to present a portion of a petition signed by nearly 30,000 Quebeckers who are asking the federal government to reinvest in social housing. Many Quebeckers and Canadians do not have housing security. Yet it is key to their success and their contribution to society. The almost 10,000 people who signed this portion of the petition are asking the government to invest in social housing.

[Daffodil Month, April 26th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, every April, the Canadian Cancer Society undertakes a campaign to fund its fight against cancer. People across the country are wearing daffodil pins.

This year, I am pleased to be working with other extraordinary ambassadors, including Natasha St-Pier, Marie Turgeon, AngeLo Cadet, Steven Guilbeault and my colleague from Bourassa on Quebec's Daffodil Month campaign. Together, we have raised thousands of dollars and counting.

Money raised during Daffodil Month really changes things. It helps the Canadian Cancer Society fund life-saving research, make reliable and up-to-date information about cancer available, provide community support services, implement prevention programs and lobby the government for laws and public policies that protect the health of Quebeckers.

I salute the work of the volunteers and organizers. Above all, I salute the courage and determination of the 93,000 Canadians diagnosed with cancer in 2011.

[Youth, April 5th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the government deceived us to the tune of $10 billion on the F-35 budget. Put into perspective, $10 billion is enough to fund the Katimavik program for over 700 years.

Every year Katimavik takes over 1,000 kids and gets them to serve their country, one community at a time.

Last year, those young people did 572,000 hours of service for the most vulnerable people everywhere in Canada.

Does this government understand that by cutting Katimavik from this budget it is completely off base?

[Elections Canada, April 2nd, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, for a government that claims it has nothing to hide on the election fraud scandal, Conservative members at committee last week spent a lot of time attacking the competence of Elections Canada. The member for Peterborough even baselessly accused Elections Canada of leaking details of its investigation.

Why is the government cutting $7.5 million from the budget of Elections Canada right when it is conducting its biggest investigation ever?

[Young People, March 30th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are doing away with Katimavik.

They claim it costs too much, but their own recent assessment found that this youth program is relevant, important and valuable. This program also benefits thousands of Canadians through more than 80,000 days of work a year at more than 500 community agencies across the country.

Claiming that a few exchange programs in Toronto or Quebec City will be better is insulting to our young people and their desire to be leaders—not leaders of tomorrow, but leaders of today.

Will the minister reverse this foolish decision?

[Youth, March 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, for the first time in seven years, the government will talk about young people in its budget. Unfortunately, that is because it is shutting down Katimavik, our biggest youth service program.

We know that the Conservative government does not care about empowering or investing in our youth, but does the minister realize that by cutting Katimavik he is also hurting thousands of community organizations in hundreds of towns across the country?

Every year because of Katimavik thousands of young Canadians get to serve their country, get to learn how to build a better Canada one community at a time. Apparently, that does not matter.

Will the minister be honest enough to admit that the government does not care about young people?

[Petitions, March 26th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I am presenting a petition today asking for a royal commission on the environment and health given the chemicals and dangers to human health present in our environment now. The petitioners feel it would be worth looking into.

[41st General Election, March 12th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, in many ridings, including Eglinton—Lawrence, Etobicoke Centre, York Centre and Nipissing, hundreds if not thousands of people voted without being on the voters list and without presenting valid proof of residence.

The Conservatives are blaming Elections Canada and saying that Elections Canada is ultimately at fault for not being able to prevent Conservative organizers from engaging in such hijinks.

What will the government do to protect the integrity of Canadian democracy and ensure that no one stuffed the ballot boxes?