Libby Davies

[Government Assistance, June 12th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, we would all just wish that the government would listen. For months now the government has refused to deal with the very real crisis affecting workers, farmers across the country, hospitality and health care workers as a result of SARS and mad cow.

While there seems to be a big rush by the government and its friends in the Alliance to get out of Parliament, there is no indication that there is the same rush to help Canadians who are reeling from crises.

Will the Prime Minister bring forward a real plan, including disaster relief, wave the two week EI period and work share income support program before the government rushes off to recess?

[Petitions, June 9th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, finally, I have a petition signed by hundreds of Canadians who call on the federal government to assume responsibility to all citizens and deal with the pressing issue of poverty and homelessness in Canada.

[Petitions, June 9th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the third petition calls on Parliament to take all necessary measures to protect the rights of Canadians to freely share their religious and moral beliefs without fear of prosecution.

[Petitions, June 9th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the second petition calls on the Parliament of Canada to support an immediate stop to the persecution of Falun Gong practitioners and to unconditionally release all Falun Gong practitioners imprisoned for their religious beliefs and to allow unrestricted access into China of the UN rapporteur on torture.

[Petitions, June 9th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a number of petitions.

The first one is signed by Canadians in the Vancouver area who are very concerned about any further aggression against Iraq. They urge that the United Nations seek a peaceful solution that respects the charter of the United Nations and all other international law.

[Health, June 9th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, I have to say that sounds a lot like 100% Canada grade A bull.

It has been almost three months since SARS hit and there is still not a penny for hospitality workers nor a cent in disaster funding. Whether it is help for hotels and workers through job sharing or help for the provincial government itself, the Liberals have had the same response: no.

Maybe the Prime Minister can tell people in Toronto what is the use of electing only Liberals when none of them can deliver the help for a city that is in deep trouble?

[Agriculture, June 9th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, while the Prime Minister is busy congratulating himself, the fact is the western beef industry is still in crisis and needs help now.

Cattle producers are losing millions. Meat plant workers are losing their jobs. These people deserve more from their government than glib responses and buck-passing. They need help and they need it now.

When will the Prime Minister wake up and give some substantive help that is needed to plant workers and to cattle producers in the country? They are in crisis. Does the Prime Minister understand that?

[Citizenship and Immigration, June 9th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, the government is choosing to allow the criminalization of dissent and diversity in an increasingly brutal fashion. I join a growing number of people who are calling for an independent public inquiry into police actions against non-status Algerians on May 29, 2003.

There are allegations that the tactical unit of the RCMP used excessive force against a dozen peaceful non-status Algerians occupying the offices of citizenship and immigration simply asking for a meeting with the minister.

Canada's Algerian community and its supporters are deeply concerned with the desperate fate of individuals and families at risk of deportation. The minister lifted Canada's moratorium on returns to Algeria back in April 2002. Many fear they will face danger and persecution.

Groups such as Amnesty International and the Quebec Human Rights League have expressed alarm at the excessive use of tasers, or high voltage electroshock weapons. Many of the Algerians received serious burns, head wounds and bruises during the police raid.

We in the NDP call on the minister to review these deportations and meet the individuals involved to hear their concerns.

[Urban Affairs, June 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, clearly the minister has done nothing to dedicate more funds for public transit and, in fact, in a newspaper today he is quoted as saying he opposes a tax deductible transit pass because it would discriminate against people who do not work. The funny thing is that most of his beloved tax cuts discriminate against people who do not work.

Just where does this minister stand on public transit? Why does he support tax deductible business lunches, but he will not support tax deductible transit passes for people who really need them?

[Urban Affairs, June 5th, 2003]

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the finance minister.

The environment minister says he wants funding for public transit; so do cities, the environmentalists and indeed the NDP. We have been very clear on that. The finance minister clearly knows this because his office called for a copy of Jack Layton's speech to a municipal conference last week, presumably so he could bone up before his own speech.

Why is the finance minster, who boasts of his surplus, the only one who refuses dedicated transit funds to help our cities and the environment?