Mr. Speaker, the NDP agrees to applying the vote and votes yes.
House of Commons photoWon her last election, in 2015, with 31% of the vote.
Citizenship Act March 21st, 2016
Mr. Speaker, the NDP agrees to applying the vote and votes yes.
Interim Supply March 21st, 2016
Mr. Speaker, the NDP is in agreement, with the addition, this time, of the vote of the member for Nanaimo—Ladysmith.
Supplementary Estimates (C), 2015-16 March 21st, 2016
Mr. Speaker, we agree. However, I ask that you withdraw the vote of the hon. NDP member for Nanaimo—Ladysmith.
Supplementary Estimates (C), 2015-16 March 21st, 2016
Mr. Speaker, the NDP agrees to apply the vote, but votes no.
Indigenous Affairs March 21st, 2016
Mr. Speaker, one month ago, the community of Kashechewan declared a state of public health emergency. A month later, nothing has changed.
A number of children are grappling with serious skin infections. The photos of these children are unsettling and disturbing. How can we let this happen to our children?
It is no secret that there are problems with drinking water, mould, and housing. This is going to take more than a band-aid.
What measures will the government take to fix these problems once and for all? These problems should not be happening in a country like ours.
Income Tax Act March 11th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, earlier today I asked the member for Louis-Hébert a question about income inequality.
I could ask the Conservative member the same question, because I am wondering why the Liberal and Conservative governments insist on helping people who already have financial resources.
Take the TFSA, for example. In my riding of Hochelaga, most people do not even have enough money to pay their rent, so how can they put a few dollars in a TFSA? These people need help.
Why is priority not given to investments that will help people out of difficult situations and address inequality, rather than to helping those who are not so badly off?
Income Tax Act March 11th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, the member for Louis-Hébert talked a lot about reducing inequalities. That is quite commendable.
However, I wonder whether he knows that two out of five Canadians spend more than 30% of their income on housing and that more than one out of five Canadians spend more than 50%. One-third of Canadians spend far too much on housing, and we are not talking about people who earn $89,000 a year or more. We are not even talking about people who earn $40,000 or $50,000. There is nothing in this bill for these people.
If it is so important to reduce inequalities, why did the federal government focus on bills that help people who earn more than $89,000 instead of people who are living in poverty? For example, why does the government not immediately introduce bills to lift seniors out of poverty instead of this bill?
Indigenous Affairs March 11th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, we are talking about children and youth in need. We are talking about communities with the highest drop-out rates and communities that need some hope. The Prime Minister himself promised these communities a new era of nation-to-nation relationships.
Is this government going to keep repeating the same old story and continue ignoring our first nations?
I want to know whether it is actually going to do something. Is the government really going to invest the funds promised?
Indigenous Affairs March 11th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign, the Liberal Party promised to invest $2.6 billion in new money for first nations education. That investment took into account funding already earmarked by the previous Conservative government.
However, now we are learning that the cupboards are bare, and the $1.25 billion promised by the Conservatives was just virtual money.
Will the government commit to reinvesting to make up for this shortfall in order to really help first nations youth?
Indigenous Affairs March 10th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, the correctional investigator released an alarming report today that reveals that the indigenous inmate population grew by 50%. Furthermore, 37% of all women serving a sentence of over two years are indigenous women. The correctional system has a duty to take the indigenous reality into account, but it is failing in that duty.
Can the Minister of Public Safety please tell us exactly what he plans to do to correct this situation and fulfill that duty? Does he have a plan? When is he going to share his plan with us?