Maria Mourani

[Foreign Affairs, March 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the primarily Armenian-inhabited village of Kessab in Syria was recently attacked by armed men, including possible jihadists from the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front, who allegedly passed through the Turkish border.

This is similar to what happened in the Christian village of Maaloula. Another minority group has become a victim of this dirty war.

Will the Minister of Foreign Affairs confirm this information and call on Turkey to take the action necessary to prevent the incursion of armed gangs that are terrorizing civilians?

[Justice, March 24th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, prostitution is a system of exploitation and a form of violence against women and children.

Does the government intend to propose a new legislative framework for prostitution by making it officially illegal and criminalizing the purchase of sexual services rather than prostitutes? Above all, will it also endorse the establishment of support programs for those people across the country?

[Citizenship and Immigration, March 6th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, during the 2006 crisis in Lebanon and after the 2009 earthquake in Haiti, the government issued guidelines allowing non-Canadian parents to accompany their Canadian minor children to Canada. Again last week, two Canadian children—Gabriel, 3 and Laya, 4—were unable to come to Canada because their Syrian mother was denied a visa. The only reasons provided were the war in Syria and the possibility that they may not be able to return home. I should add that this file was followed by the minister's office.

Why is there still no special guideline for Syria?

[International Women's Day, March 6th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, March 8 will not be a day of celebration for all women in Quebec.

The Pauline Marois government has decided to make an election issue out of a charter that will cost women their jobs if they choose to wear a head scarf, even though one of the gains of the women's movement has been greater access to the labour market.

Until that shameful partisan bill is repudiated once and for all, let us think about all the women who suffer because they have chosen to wear a head scarf. Let us affirm the right to express our diversity. We are all Quebeckers and Canadians, without exception.

Happy International Women's Day to women everywhere.

[Citizenship and Immigration, February 28th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, during the 2006 crisis in Lebanon and after the 2009 earthquake in Haiti, the government issued guidelines allowing non-Canadian parents to accompany their Canadian minor children to Canada. Again last week, two Canadian children—Gabriel, 3 and Laya, 4—were unable to come to Canada because their Syrian mother was denied a visa. The only reasons provided were the war in Syria and the possibility that they may not be able to return home. I should add that this file was followed by the minister's office.

What has happened to the government since 2006? Why is it now asking a father and mother to abandon their children?

[Strengthening Canadian Citizenship Act, February 27th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend my colleague on her speech.

I am wondering if she shares my concern. It seems to me that there is an underlying philosophy or vision of citizenship to this bill that creates two categories of Canadians. Earlier, the minister spoke about terrorism. What do we do with a young person who is born in Quebec—who is not of French-Canadian or English-Canadian heritage but may be of Italian heritage, for example—who decides to get involved with a terrorist group? In comparison, what do we do with another young person who was not born in Canada—who arrived from Morocco, for example—who also has Canadian citizenship and joins a terrorist group? What do we do with them?

What concerns me the most is that in the citizenship philosophy put forward by the minister—with whom I have shared many experiences—there are good Canadians and bad Canadians, real citizens and fake citizens. For example, the minister would deny a Canadian child who was born in Quebec entry into Quebec or Canada if one of the child's parents is not Canadian. Children are dying in Syria because the minister seems to think that the parents are coming here just to give birth. It is clear that the minister feels there are different types of Canadians.

I would like to hear my colleague's thoughts on that.

[Canada Post, February 26th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, seniors and people with reduced mobility in Ahuntsic are worried about the government's attitude, since it is doing nothing to prevent the end of door-to-door mail delivery. This is despite the fact that Canada Post has enjoyed surpluses for the past 10 years, except the year when Canada Post locked out its employees.

Does the government want to give sovereignists more ammunition by abandoning Canada Post, a community-based institution that brings the Canadian identity to every region of Quebec?

[Citizenship and Immigration, February 7th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, Ivonne Hernandez, a victim of domestic abuse, spoke out against her attacker.

He allegedly demanded that she keep quiet and threatened to have her deported. Ms. Hernandez does not have status in Canada. She has a Canadian child with her husband. After March 6, she could be deported and have her child taken away, because she dared to speak out against her abusive husband.

Will Canada protect this women, or will it send a message to all women without documentation that they are at the mercy of their abusive spouse?

[Petitions, January 29th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, aircraft noise is a real problem in my riding. Since 2006 I have taken several steps in the House, such as presenting a brief to the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and introducing a bill on the placement of airports. My constituents have filed a number of complaints with the ADM, but the government has not done anything.

I am therefore very pleased to present this petition today, which is signed by more than 700 people. They add their names to those who signed the petition I presented on November 20, 2013. These people are calling for better representation of the public on the ADM board of directors and on the Airport Soundscape Consultative Committee. They are also calling for a real curfew, as well as a review of the flight paths and flight levels of commercial aircraft.

[Francine Lalonde, January 28th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, on January 16, 2014, our colleague and friend Francine Lalonde passed away. As a member in this House for 18 years, Ms. Lalonde dutifully represented the ridings of Mercier and La Pointe-de-l'Île. She passionately defended complex, sensitive issues such as the case of Nathalie Morin, who is still being held in Saudi Arabia with her children, and end of life care.

Francine was a caring woman and a fighter who battled bone cancer for over seven years. A committed sovereignist, she was well liked and respected both at home and abroad. She was a true inspiration for me, a model of courage and determination.

Farewell, my friend. I miss you already.