Libby Davies

[Health, January 30th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives failed in their commitment to the 2004 health accords, including expanding home care, reforming primary care and getting prescription drug costs under control.

Now the Prime Minister has made the situation worse by telling the premiers that he will unilaterally reduce the Canada health transfer.

Fixing our health care system must be done by collaborating with the provinces. That is what Canadians expect. Why is the government slamming the door in their faces?

[Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel, December 15th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise in the House on behalf of the NDP to pay tribute to one of Parliament's most distinguished procedural officers, Robert R. Walsh. Since his appointment in 1999, Rob has carried out his duties as Law Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel with fortitude and expert knowledge.

I have had the honour to know Rob over the years and to appreciate his wisdom, integrity and fairness. We recall in particular, in 2009, his outstanding contribution to uphold the rights of MPs to disclosure of documents pertaining to Afghanistan detainees. He never wavered in providing advice and expert opinion to the House.

He has shown immense dedication to serve and support individual MPs. He has courageously defended the democratic mandate of this parliamentary institution, a true public servant in the most honourable sense.

I know I speak for members from all sides in giving sincerest thanks to Rob for his service to Canadian democracy, and wish him all the best in his retirement.

[Health, December 14th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, it is astounding that the Conservative government plans to determine the future funding for health care based on economic growth. This comes after the government has long promised an annual 6% increase. It is an outrage that the government would consider cutting its increase in half and threaten the stability of front-line health care services.

While the government is ready to cut future funding to health care, it has still not delivered on the promises made in the 2004 accord.

This week, the Health Council of Canada reported that 23% of chronically ill Canadians cannot afford their medications. This is why the government must uphold its current commitments and fulfill the promises of 2004, including a national prescription drug coverage plan. Now is the time to act on health care, not to cut its funding.

The provinces need leadership and accountability from the federal government to sustain our public health care system. Why is it backing away from the table, signalling that Canadians' number one concern is not shared by the government?

[Health, December 13th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, it is Ottawa's job to show leadership and accountability. It has yet to follow through on the 2004 accord. Now the government wants to tie health care funding to the GDP, so in a good year Canadians can get the health care they need, but in future years they are out of luck.

The government is making this stuff up as it goes along. Why will it not commit to adequate, stable health transfers on which provinces and Canadians can rely?

[Health, December 13th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, today we learned that the government is keen on slashing increases to health transfers by half. Just as the 2014 negotiations begin, the message to the provinces is clear: do not expect a willing partner in Ottawa.

The Prime Minister promised not to touch health care transfers, but that is just what he is doing.

Why is the government putting health care services on the chopping block? Why is it breaking its promise and turning its back on the provinces?

[Parliamentary Librarian, December 8th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise in the House today to pay tribute to Bill Young. I have had the pleasure to know Bill Young since 1997, when I was first elected as a new member of Parliament.

I first encountered Bill at the human resources committee, where he served as an analyst. As the lone NDP member, I was trying to figure out how committees worked and what we were meant to do.

I had many chats with Bill, and because of him, I came to appreciate what an amazing resource the Library of Parliament is, and also appreciate the role of the analysts. Their superb ability to help committee members and MPs generally in such a non-partisan way is something on which all of us rely.

His career at the Library of Parliament, where he also occupied the positions of principal and senior research officer, spans 18 years. Bill Young was also deputy team leader, Social Security Reform--Coordination Group for Human Resources Development Canada, from 1994 to 1995.

As we know, he was appointed as the Parliamentary Librarian in 2005. I would like to read from when he appeared as a witness before the Standing Joint Committee on the Library of Parliament, because I think it gives us a flavour of his passion and his dedication. He said before that committee:

I'm very honoured to have my name go forward for the position of the Parliamentary Librarian, because for a political historian like I am, it's a job that brings both my passions and interests but also my training and experience. As I have mentioned, it's almost twenty years that I have worked with parliamentarians from all parties at the parliamentary research branch.

He went on to say:

For nearly 150 years, the Library of Parliament has been a shining light on our country's political and historical landscape. It is an architectural gem, a historical landmark and a unique institution that serves Parliament as well as the general public....While the library remains a repository of books and other printed information, it has moved into the technological era in its collections and reference services.Over 30 years ago it added a research and analysis function. During the past decade, it has been the public face of Parliament by providing information to citizens about how our Parliament works.

That is what Bill said to the standing joint committee.

As a trained historian and academic and then as a researcher, Bill has spent most of his career at the Library of Parliament. Shortly after he took the reins as the seventh Parliamentary Librarian in 2005, he set in place a broad-based plan for renewal of the institution to ensure that the library remained relevant for parliamentarians well into the 21st century.

Bill took on the big task of modernizing this honoured institution. This meant figuring out what it was that the users wanted and needed, and also how they wanted it to be delivered to them at a time when shifts to information technology and social networking seemed to be happening almost every day.

Bill has been with the library so long it is almost as though he is part of the permanent collection. If he were a book in the library's collection, I think his staff would have a very difficult time deciding where to store him. He is certainly rare and valuable, so they would want to keep him under lock and key, but I am also sure that so many people would be constantly referencing him that the tendency would be to leave him on a table by the main doors, just to save time.

I do not think it is too much of a stretch to say that he is the reason the library remains relevant to parliamentarians today. Not only is it relevant, but it is vital to our work. On behalf of the NDP, we extend our heartfelt congratulations and thanks for his dedicated public service to us and all Canadians over so many years. We wish him all the best in his retirement.

I have just one word of caution. We do not want him to watch CPAC too often. We do not want him to worry about committee reports anymore. Because of his stellar work, we know it is all being left in good hands. I extend our congratulations to Bill.

[Senate Reform Act, December 8th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague's thoughtful comments get to the heart of the problems that we have with the unelected Senate.

It seems to me that one of the key questions when we are looking at electoral change and democratic reform is the need to move on proportional representation. If we are going to do something, let us make it meaningful. We need to get to the heart of the matter and deal with the way we vote as Canadians. Let us forget about the Senate and deal with proportional representation.

I wonder if the member might comment on the need to move to a system where the way people are voting is actually reflected in the makeup in the House.

[Petitions, December 8th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to present a petition from the Canadian interfaith call for leadership on action on climate change.

The petitioners, who reside in the Abbotsford-Delta area in the Lower Mainland, call on Parliament in the spirit of global solidarity to take collective action by signing and implementing a binding international agreement replacing the Kyoto protocol that commits nations to reduce carbon emissions and set fair and clear targets to ensure that global average temperatures stay below a 2° Celsius increase from pre-industrial levels.

[Violence Against Women, December 6th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, Vancouver-based community activist Jennifer Allan has been travelling across Canada to raise awareness about discrimination and violence against sex workers. This is an issue that touches me closely in my riding in Vancouver East, especially on this National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women.

Despite the ongoing missing women inquiry in British Columbia, sex workers in the Downtown Eastside continue to receive tragically little understanding and recognition. They continue to struggle with chronic poverty and are forced out of public view, leaving them vulnerable to violence.

Jen is calling on political leaders to take action to ensure the fundamental human rights of sex workers are no longer violated. Such action includes the creation of safe houses, reforming Canada's solicitation laws and improved training for police officers.

I call on members from all parties to confront the underlying prejudices that have prevented us for so long from addressing this issue. We have failed in our responsibility to protect one of the most marginalized groups in our society.

[Fair Representation Act, December 6th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague is a new member and she offers a very new and fresh perspective to the House. One thing we have learned is to consult with people and local communities. It is a perspective the member brings to the House and I think it is very important.

For example, when we did have a proposal a few years ago on proportional representation, there was a whole public process that was part of it. Unfortunately, it was ditched by the Liberal government at the time. The NDP had proposed a wonderful process to talk about PR.

What consultation has been done on this bill? None.

Again, I come back to our own Bill C-312 that does lay out the principles and would allow that consultation to take place, while recognizing the historical context and the reality of our country.