Linda Lapointe

[Violence Against Women, December 6th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, on this day 29 years ago, a serious act of senseless violence against women occurred.

I remember December 6, 1989, as if it were yesterday. It was snowing and I was working at the family business. I remember that when news of the shooter at École Polytechnique hit, I immediately felt a pang of anguish at the thought that some of my employees went to and were at École Polytechnique.

Fourteen women were killed in this misogynistic attack. In an instant, 14 young women who had their whole lives ahead of them were killed simply because they were women.

Now that I am a mother, I better understand the void that the loss of these 14 brilliant women left in the lives of their loved ones.

When I think about the École Polytechnique massacre, I cannot imagine someone taking the lives of young women simply because they were women.

This senseless gender-based violence must stop.

[Postal Services Resumption and Continuation Act, November 23rd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I listened to my colleague on the other side of the House. I do not really agree with him, but I do have a question for him.

He and I come from the same area, the Lower Laurentians, where there are many small and medium-sized businesses. With e-commerce, more and more parcels are being sent by mail. With the holiday season approaching, how will we make sure that middle-class Canadians get their parcels? Small and medium-sized businesses cannot use courier services like FedEx and UPS because they are too expensive.

What does my colleague have to say about that?

[An Act to Provide for the Resumption and Continuation of Postal Services, November 23rd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, it is a little cold in here. We are not moving very much. I have a question for my hon. colleague. Today is November 23, so Christmas is a month away. E-commerce, which is made up primarily of small businesses, and retail shops use Canada Post to deliver parcels, and everything we need, to our homes. Some 70% of e-commerce in Canada is delivered by Canada Post.

This strike, which has been going on for five weeks, is having a very negative impact on our economy, especially on SMEs. Canadians need to get their mail. Negotiations have been ongoing for a year, and no deal has been reached, despite all the efforts. This bill is being introduced to get people back to the bargaining table and to make sure arbitration takes place.

I wonder if my hon. colleague can explain the fact that NDP governments in Ontario and other provinces have used this kind of back-to-work legislation in the past.

[Postal Services Resumption and Continuation Act, November 23rd, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I listened to my hon. colleague with a great deal of interest. I imagine he is aware that today is November 23, one month before Christmas. This is a very busy time for e-commerce. Today is actually Black Friday, as it is called.

Seventy per cent of all e-commerce is in fact delivered by Canada Post. Right now, small and medium-sized businesses are suffering because of the situation.

Earlier, my colleague suggested using UPS or FedEx, but SMEs have very tight profit margins. It is therefore uncertain whether they can turn to another service to deliver their parcels.

I would like to hear from my colleague who does not support imposing legislation to ensure the service. Yes, the workers have rights, but so does the public; they have the right to receive their mail, here in Canada.

The NDP in Ontario has previously passed back-to-work legislation. I would like to hear from my hon. colleague on the fact that, in Ontario, the government has previously implemented back-to-work legislation, a practice which the opposition in this House opposes.

[Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, November 7th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I listened to my colleague who is from Quebec, as am I. Indeed, Quebec is a nation that is dependent on international trade, as he said. I would like to hear his thoughts on the USMCA and dairy producers.

Two committees are going to be struck, specifically to ensure that dairy producers are adequately compensated and to hear from the sector as a whole. I would like to hear my colleague's thoughts on the two consultation panels that have been created.

[Business of Supply, November 5th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I listened closely to my colleague. I would like him to go over what the former government cut and our government restored again. That way, people tuning in, including those in Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, will know what we have done to make things better for veterans and ensure they are well taken care of.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 2, November 2nd, 2018]

Madam Speaker, my colleague referred to Alberta.

I am going to talk about the price on pollution, which goes hand in hand with economic development. Members on the other side have not talked about this.

I personally believe that we have to provide for future generations. Our government has implemented some measures to ensure that every environmental consideration is taken into account.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 2, November 2nd, 2018]

Madam Speaker, my colleague asked a question about children.

Beginning in 2019, the Canada child benefit is going to be indexed annually to the cost of living. That is two years earlier than planned.

Some three million families are receiving $23 billion in annual benefit payments. This is already helping Canadian families immensely. Our economy is doing well. We have created 500,000 jobs in the last three years. Unemployment has never been so low. The economy is doing well.

I am sympathetic to what my colleague is saying. We are fortunate in Quebec to have more affordable child care, but the Canada child benefit is a measure that is having an impact on all Canadian families.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 2, November 2nd, 2018]

Madam Speaker, given that the member mentioned his grandchildren, I would like to inform the House that I became a grandmother on Wednesday.

To answer my colleague's question, yes, it is important to think about our grandchildren and to ensure that our economy will be very strong and that things will go well.

Since 2015, we have created 500,000 jobs, the unemployment rate is the lowest it has ever been and the debt-to-GDP ratio is the lowest of the G7 countries.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2018, No. 2, November 2nd, 2018]

You mentioned your grandchildren as you are a grandfather. I would like to inform members that I have been a grandmother since—