Linda Duncan

[Aboriginal Affairs, January 30th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, first nations and Métis have called on the government to address impacts of the proposed Gateway pipeline on their rights and resources. Pleas for federal intervention to protect aboriginal communities impacted by energy projects have fallen on deaf ears for decades. First nations impacted by oil sands developments are tired of waiting for promised regulation, monitoring and health studies.

Instead of pushing the speed dial on these megaprojects, why will the government not take action to defend aboriginal rights and title?

[Canada-Jordan Economic Growth and Prosperity Act, December 14th, 2011]

Madam Speaker, in closing, the member for Malpeque was intending to speak about some of the side agreements. I would appreciate his comments on one particular side agreement, which is the environmental side agreement.

It is with great regret that I have to rise again. I think this is the fourth or fifth time I have had to rise in the House to point out that while the government says that it believes in sustainable development and balancing environmental protection with economic development and trade, it is going in the opposite direction. This agreement, like all the agreements the government has brought before the House, completely diminishes the original side agreement famously put forward with the NAFTA.

The Canadian and U.S. governments, after the fact, apologized and said that it really should have been incorporated and binding with the trade agreement and that maybe next time they will do that. The Canadian government has not incorporated the environmental or labour measures into the agreement. They are still side-barred unenforceable agreements. However, it has taken a worse step. There is no independent secretariat where citizens can file complaints about the failure to enforce effective laws, and the government voted against the environmental bill of rights that I tabled in the House, which would have enacted in this country the very rights it is pretending to accord and hold out to Jordan that it offered to Canadians. I am wondering if the member could speak to that.

[The Environment, December 14th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, southern Albertans have petitioned the House, calling on the government to call a halt to gas fracking on lands controlled by the federal government.

First nation women are being criminally prosecuted for attempting to block fracking trucks from entering the lands of the Kainai Blood tribe. They worry that fracking threatens their scarce surface water and groundwater reserves. A just-released USEPA study indicates these concerns may be well founded.

When will the government finally start acting on its duty to regulate the impact of industrial developments on first nation lands?

[Aboriginal Affairs, December 13th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, broken promises and band-aid solutions will not keep aboriginal women and girls safe. The United Nations committee on the elimination of discrimination against women is certainly taking the concern with missing and murdered aboriginal women and children seriously. Today it launched an inquiry, led by 23 independent global experts.

When will the government acknowledge the problem and show some real leadership? Will it support the UN committee fully in its inquiry into the tragedy of missing aboriginal women and children in Canada?

[Aboriginal Affairs, December 13th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, on November 1 National Chief Shawn Atleo called on the aboriginal affairs, justice and status of women committees to expedite joint action to address violence against indigenous women and children. While first nations leaders and premiers all agree that action is a priority, the Conservative government does nothing. Now the UN has to step in to do the government's job.

When will the government finally respond to the myriad of calls for a national inquiry into missing and murdered women and children?

[Petitions, December 9th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege to table a petition from the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Evron on behalf of the Canadian Religious Conference. This is a group of retired nuns who have served around the world and who are deeply concerned about the inaction of the government on climate change.

The petition supports the interfaith call for leadership and action on climate change. The signators call on the government to recognize that global warming is a reality, that climate change affects all Canadians and people around the world. We cannot wait for others. We should lead by example. Our emissions can be reduced.

The petitioners call upon Parliament to sign and implement a binding international agreement to commit to national carbon targets and a new national energy policy and to implement climate justice by contributions to UN funds for clean energy and mitigation for poor nations.

[Aboriginal Affairs, December 9th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, this week, Statistics Canada projected a 70% rise in Canada's aboriginal population over the next two decades. Given these numbers and the limited dollars being invested, we can project that even more aboriginal people will be living under the appalling conditions that Canadians have witnessed in the past few weeks. One in four aboriginal children already lives in poverty.

When will the government finally honour its treaties and deliver the necessary dollars for the infrastructure for Canada's aboriginal communities?

[Fair Representation Act, December 9th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, the thing that troubles me in conversation with my constituents is that all the attention is adding more members of Parliament and somehow that is going to serve the needs of constituents across Canada.

We have witnessed over the past two years the Prime Minister freezing the budgets of constituency offices. There are rumours afloat that there may be even further cuts if we increase the number of members of Parliament. That is one of the greatest discoveries I made in getting elected, is how important members of Parliament and their staff are in the constituencies.

We have cuts to the civil service that delivers EI and services to seniors. In my constituency there are three university campuses. I have many community leagues who are struggling to deliver the services that the government is not delivering.

I wonder if the member could speak to why it is that we are pushing for an answer being proportional representation and proper financing, so that constituencies can deliver the needs of the people of Canada.

[Petitions, December 7th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to table in the House a petition from Albertans supporting the Canadian interfaith call for leadership action on climate change.

The petitioners call on Parliament, in the spirit of global solidarity, to take collective action by signing a binding international treaty to maintain our temperature at 2°C; demonstrating national responsibility by committing to national carbon emission targets, which I will remind the House our country signed on a year ago to do exactly that, and a national renewable energy policy to achieve sustainability; implementing climate justice by playing constructive roles in the design of the green climate fund under the UN governance; and contributing public funds to assist the poorest and most affected countries to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change.

[Aboriginal Affairs, December 7th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, sending an accountant to deal with a humanitarian crisis is a sad testament to this minister's inability to respond to emergencies. Far too many first nations communities are on the brink of crisis. In addition to the daily struggle of providing basic services that most of us take for granted, many are left stranded in the wake of spills and floods.

When will the minister finally deliver a credible emergency response plan that ensures no first nations are left abandoned in a moment of crisis?