Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet

[Seniors, November 18th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, 75% of Canadians think that the federal government is not doing enough to support the provinces in the area of home care. The government is showing a lack of vision and leadership, while the need for this type of care keeps growing.

The College of Family Physicians is now calling on the federal government to develop a home care strategy. The timing is good because the NDP has a strategy ready.

Will the Conservatives support us and adopt a real strategy to ensure that our seniors have access to home care?

[Red Tape Reduction Act, November 6th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I was very impressed by everything my colleague said regarding small businesses, the tour she did in her riding and everything that came out of that.

I noted at least six suggestions that she has passed on to the federal government to help small and medium-sized businesses. One of them was reducing red tape. However, I also had the impression, since there were so many things to suggest, that small businesses saw this as a small step in the right direction, but the Conservative government still had a lot of work to do.

Is that accurate?

[Red Tape Reduction Act, November 6th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I must say that I find the Conservatives' attempts to intimidate members on this side of the House who are giving speeches to be rather deplorable. I know that my colleague is strong enough not to be intimidated.

He spoke about missing measures and the Conservatives' less than stellar record. I would have liked to hear him talk about the measures missing from this bill.

[Red Tape Reduction Act, November 6th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I have noticed a trend lately in the bills coming from the Conservatives, and I am not the only one. Their bills always give ministers more powers. As my colleague mentioned earlier, in this case, the President of the Treasury Board will be granted more powers.

I would like to ask him whether he thinks this is acceptable and whether it is good for a healthy and democratic administration in our country.

[Housing, November 6th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians living in urban areas are facing a serious shortage of affordable rental housing, and ever-increasing property costs are making buying a house even less of an option. The NDP has proposed a housing strategy that would unite the three levels of government to ensure that there is affordable housing available.

After years of inaction on the part of Liberal and Conservative governments, will this government finally address the housing problems in our urban communities?

[Housing, October 29th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, in Canada, there are at least 235,000 homeless people.

According to a report on the state of homelessness in Canada published today, with little effort we could practically eliminate homelessness. It is time for the federal government to stop withdrawing support for social housing and start funding new units. To govern is to make choices.

When will the government truly make social housing a priority?

[Business of Supply, October 21st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Vancouver East sent the minister a letter asking her all kinds of questions. For example, she asked the minister who was responsible for ensuring quarantine and treatment protocols in Canadian hospitals and clinics and who was responsible for ensuring that the hospitals and medical practitioners have the appropriate equipment. She also asked questions about the screening protocols at Canadian ports of entry. All of these questions need to be answered.

I listened to a program on CBC this morning where a doctor was talking about the wave of panic in Canada.

There is an article here entitled “Ebola Panic Goes Viral: Is media coverage of the outbreak causing undue fear and panic?”

I think that my colleague would agree with me that, despite what the parliamentary secretary is saying, we do not have enough information and that we need a lot more information so that Canadians are at least sure that they are protected from this virus.

[Business of Supply, October 21st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the member knows as well as I do that when ministers show up at committee, just like when they show up at question period, they do not answer questions. They avoid the question or read from notes given to them by the PMO.

How will this motion change that, given that this has been happening since I was elected, if not longer? What will the member do to ensure that the minister actually responds to important questions about protecting Canadians from this terrible disease?

[Housing, October 20th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, again today, the Conservatives are refusing to commit to renew the funding for social housing. They are carrying on the Liberal tradition of federal disengagement on this issue. In fact, this morning, FRAPRU held a demonstration in Montreal in front of the member for Papineau's office.

Will the Conservatives put an end to previous governments' years of indifference toward the poorly housed and commit right now to renewing the funding for social housing and helping low-income families?

[World Habitat Day, October 6th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, today, the first Monday of October, is World Habitat Day. The purpose of this day is to reflect on the state of our cities and the fundamental right of every person to adequate housing. This year's theme is “Voices from Slums”.

I want to take this opportunity to give a voice to members of our first nations whose living conditions, even here in Canada, on or off reserve, are comparable to those of slums in developing countries.

I also want to take this opportunity to remind members that from 2006 to 2013, nearly 45,000 low-income Canadian households were affected by a draconian increase to their rent as a result of the end of long-term social housing agreements. The Conservatives have not taken action, and this situation has not improved.

This is Canada. We have obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which both state that having a “roof over one's head” is a right.