House of Commons photoWon her last election, in 2015, with 44% of the vote.
Petitions October 18th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, the second petition has to do with work and poverty among seniors. The petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to maintain the eligibility age for old age security at 65 and to invest more in the guaranteed income supplement program.
Petitions October 18th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present two petitions signed by Edmontonians. These petitions were circulated by the Coalition des femmes de l'Alberta.
The first petition has to do with employment insurance. The petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada to review the EI eligibility requirements and the benefit period to better serve caregivers, the majority of whom are women.
Rail Transportation October 18th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, across Canada communities are voicing concerns over increasingly dangerous rail cargo. Alberta is no exception. Daily, tanker cars of hazardous substances pass through our cities and towns. Albertans suffered first-hand the bunker C derailment at Lake Wabamun. While Canadians looked to the throne speech for commitment to action, we saw just vague mention of the issue.
The question is simple. When will the government finally phase out the use of DOT-111 cars for dangerous cargo?
Status of Women October 18th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, today, on Persons Day, women celebrate 84 years since the British Privy Council overturned a Supreme Court of Canada ruling they called “a relic of days more barbarous than ours”. Many Canadian women were finally considered to be persons under the British North America Act.
Why not all women? Disgracefully, aboriginal women have struggled much longer for equal rights. Until 1960, they had to abandon their aboriginal status for the right to vote. Still, we celebrate those five feisty Alberta women who pursued their rights: Emily Murphy, Nellie McClung, Irene Parlby, Henrietta Muir Edwards, and Louise McKinney.
Of course, the struggle continues for equal pay for work of equal value, access to affordable child care, and equal seats at corporate and cabinet tables. Women continue to speak out for justice for missing and murdered aboriginal sisters and for equal access to education and services. Those with LEAF, Coalition des femmes de l'Alberta, Elizabeth Fry and Idle No More deserve our thanks.
I call on all MPs to commit to ending violence against women, discrimination, and poverty, and to seek true gender equality with the “famous five” as our guide.
First Nations Elections Act June 14th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, the member for Churchill is bang on. Her comments certainly reflected all of the testimony that was given at the Senate level on this bill, and certainly reflect the input I am getting from Alberta first nations.
I spoke just a half an hour ago with representatives from the Treaty 8 First Nations, and they are 100% against this bill. They are particularly concerned with the provisions of paragraphs 3(1)(b) and 3(1)(c). All those provisions do is to repeat what is already in the Indian Act and make it clear where the minister of the Crown can interfere with the self-realization and determination by first nations.
The government says it consulted, but it does not seem to understand the constitutional obligation, which is to consult, consider and accommodate. Clearly in this situation it did reach out to Treaty 8 First Nations, but it has refused to listen to their views, which were simply to provide the capacity-building for the customary elections. They would like to have assistance in adding appeal procedures in their customary procedures. The majority of Treaty 8 first nations go by customary procedures. They would welcome some assistance in building capacity so they can have fair and open elections run by first nations.
Canadian Museum of History Act June 14th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, one of the things I found rather stunning in the member's speech was his statement that the government would help the museum come to people in their communities, yet this is the very government that cut the funding for all the local museums.
I sat in this House several years ago, and on our side we fought against the cuts to local small museums, many of which have had to shut down. I find it rather puzzling that his argument to these changes now is to enable the fantastic collection in our Museum of Civilization to go to these small museums, many of which have now shut down.
In 1967, the government made the decision to give money to all the local communities to celebrate the centennial, and that was a fantastic idea. The decision of this government is to concentrate the money in the museum here instead.
The hon. member mentioned the fact that many families do not have the resources to come to this museum, so I find it very puzzling. It is a very nice idea that we could have this collection go to local museums, but many do not exist anymore.
I would also remind the member that I stood up and fought the government that would have reneged on providing support to the Royal Alberta Museum. It finally lived up to its word and provided that funding. If we had not fought for that, the government would have cut that too.
Committees of the House June 13th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour of tabling the supplementary report submitted by the New Democratic Party to the June 2013 report of the Standing Committee on Government Operations and Estimates on energy efficiency in buildings. Our report is entitled “Empowering Energy Efficiency”. Our objective in calling for this study by the committee was to showcase the potential for substantial savings to the public purse through strategic and dedicated up-front funding. We support the report, but we are making a number of additional recommendations, including legally prescribed targets, public reporting on energy savings and dedicated budget allocations for energy efficiency.
Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act June 10th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, the issue that has arisen over and over again in the consultations on this bill and has been raised by first nations governments, aboriginal women's organizations and, in many cases, aboriginal lawyers, is the problem that we are dealing with a matrimonial property regime that involves communal property. The solution put forward in this bill is that the provincial courts would be given responsibility to resolve these disputes, where it is not really clear. It is not as if the house is in the common-law husband's name only, or in the name of the two of them together. In most cases, the land is held communally.
That is one of the reasons why the majority of first nations, including first nations leaders, have been saying they need some other options. They need to have the government work with them so that they can develop the systems within their jurisdictions that fit within the legal regimes of their communities.
A number of amendments were proposed and all were rejected. When the government says it is open to additional solutions, could it respond to the issue of how we address the fact that we are talking about a completely different system of land regime on 99% of the reserves?
Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act June 10th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, I find the statements being made on this bill very sad.
Organization after organization, first nation government after first nation government, first nation national leaders and regional chiefs have all said they oppose this legislation.
Yes, the government, finally pressured after many iterations of the bill, did provide for some consultation. What it did not do is listen to what it was told.
The same issues have been raised time after time by the first nations. They would like to have the opportunity to develop their own legislation. Many of them have strong customary laws. They are saying this is all very fine and dandy; however, they are asking how they resolve this if there is no housing. In many cases, in isolated communities, the women do not even have access to a bus to meet with a lawyer, let alone to pay the retainer for the lawyer to go to court.
I wonder if the member would advise the House what the first nation organizations and governments told them and in what way the bill would respond to what they were told.
Tax Conventions Implementation Act, 2013 June 10th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for trying to make this topic interesting. As he spoke, I appreciate that he gave a lot of detail about why these particular nations have been chosen for Canada to enter into agreements with. I think the obvious question that arises is why these particular nations? Is it Canadian corporations interested in shale gas activity in Poland and the mining in Namibia? Why have these particular nations been singled out and are similar agreements being sought with nations where we also send aid workers to ensure that their revenues are similarly protected?