Lysane Blanchette-Lamothe

[Citizenship and Immigration, November 6th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the minister seems to think he should decide who deserves life-saving health care. I think he fails to grasp just how cruel this health care program reform is.

Let us talk about the people who, according to the minister, do not deserve health care. For example, these cuts mean that a teenager with post-traumatic stress syndrome who has attempted suicide several times would not be able to get the psychiatric drugs he needs even if he has valid IFHP coverage.

Does the minister really think that this kind of treatment is acceptable?

[Citizenship and Immigration, November 6th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, this week, the minister had quite a few interesting things to say about health care benefits for refugee protection claimants.

He said that providing health care to refugees is not a Canadian value. He disagrees with the court, which forced him to restore the 2012 system, and he still wants to appeal the court's decision.

What is more, he thinks that it is shameful to ask questions about refugees who cannot obtain health care.

I wonder why the minister does not think it is shameful to refuse to provide health care.

[Citizenship and Immigration, November 5th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, it is hard to believe what we are hearing. The NDP is not the only one saying this. The court said that the changes made to refugee health care benefits are cruel and unusual. That is not insignificant. The court said it.

It does not really matter whether the government agrees or not. We just want the government to uphold the court's ruling.

Will the minister finally respect our courts? Will he ensure that refugees, refugee protection claimants and their children will have access to proper health care?

[Citizenship and Immigration, November 5th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to give the minister a chance to set the record straight, because there seems to be some confusion about his reaction to the decision, and more specifically about the changes made to the interim federal health program.

The court of appeal ordered that the health program for refugee claimants be restored to what it was in 2012.

Can the minister confirm that that is indeed what he has done?

[West Island Women's Forum, November 5th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to invite the women of Pierrefonds—Dollard to the fifth edition of the West Island women's forum being held in my riding this Sunday, November 9.

This forum will provide the women of the West Island with an opportunity to exchange views on issues that matter to them, including access to work for women 50 and over, domestic violence and access to community services for West Island seniors.

It is now a tradition to conclude our women's forum with a delicious multicultural buffet prepared by the community kitchen of the Pierrefonds community project, the Hindu Mandir, WIBCA, and members of the Sikh community of Pierrefonds—Dollard. I am grateful for their contribution.

I wish to thank my team, the volunteers and the community organizations, including the West Island Women’s Shelter, the West Island Community Resource Centre, the Arthritis West Island Self-Help Association, the West Island Women's Centre and Cloverdale Multi-Ressources.

I wish to thank the West Island Association for the Intellectually Handicapped.

I wish to thank all of them for their help in making the fifth women's forum possible.

I look forward to seeing everyone at the forum.

I am looking forward to seeing them this Sunday.

[Citizenship and Immigration, November 4th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the minister is able to tweet that he is going to reinstate a program, but he is unable to tell the House of Commons the same thing. That is rather embarrassing.

On Monday, the minister tried to enlighten us about Canadian health care values. That was also rather embarrassing. From what he was saying, it seems that providing health care to extremely vulnerable people is not a Conservative value.

Can the minister explain why providing basic health care to vulnerable children is not part of the Conservative government's repertoire of Canadian values?

[Citizenship and Immigration, November 4th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, in July, the Federal Court ruled that the changes to the refugee health care program were not only unconstitutional, but also cruel and unusual.

On Friday, the Federal Court of Appeal rejected the government's bid for more time to remedy the situation. This morning, the minister tweeted that he was going to reinstate the program. That is all well and good, but not a lot of information can be provided in 140 characters.

Could we have some more information? Could the government make an official announcement?

[Citizenship and Immigration, November 3rd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the only response we want in this place is for the minister to reinstate the program to the way it was before the changes he introduced.

Since July 2012, some legitimate refugee claimants no longer have access to health care. We are talking about asthmatic children or pregnant women who are diabetic, people who cannot get basic and essential health care. Furthermore, the government now wants to allow provinces to strip these refugee claimants of their social assistance.

Why is the government continuing to punish these people? Why does it always go after asylum seekers? That is unfair.

[Citizenship and Immigration, November 3rd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the Federal Court of Appeal was clear in its ruling handed down Friday: the Conservatives must immediately reinstate the interim federal health program to the way it was before the 2012 cuts. That is exactly what the NDP, health care professionals and refugee rights advocates have been asking for from the beginning.

Will the government comply with the federal court order and reinstate the refugee health benefits by tomorrow, or does it intend to contravene the court's decision?

[Citizenship and Immigration, October 30th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the Federal Court found that the changes that were made to the interim federal health program in 2012 were invalid and even cruel.

Rather than admitting that it made a mistake, the government has appealed the decision. This appeal means a lot of time lost on this sensitive issue and needless suffering for refugee claimants and their children.

Rather than cobbling together a contingency plan in case they lose their appeal, why do the Conservatives not simply reinstate the program that was in place in 2012?