Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet

[Economic Action Plan 2014 Act, No. 1, April 7th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity to work with my colleague on the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.

At the time, he was the committee chair. I imagine that he must remember that we studied the apprenticeship programs and we recommended that the government include apprenticeship programs in federal infrastructure projects. Unfortunately, that is not in the budget.

I would like to ask him whether he is disappointed by this omission in the building Canada plan that is outlined in the budget.

[Economic Action Plan 2014 Act, No. 1, April 7th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the member is confusing social housing with affordable housing. They are two completely different things. The question was about social housing agreements.

People who rent an apartment with the help of a housing subsidy do not have the means to buy a so-called affordable house. These agreements are expiring, which is causing some problems. For example, people in Sudbury who were paying less than $400 a month for an apartment are now forced to pay more than $900 in rent.

We are not just talking about mortgages not being renewed. We are talking about rent subsidies and building repairs. That is what my colleague was talking about. He was not talking about so-called affordable housing.

[Economic Action Plan 2014 Act, No. 1, April 7th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to quote someone who, in 1995, said the following:

Second, in the interest of democracy I ask: How can members represent their constituents on these various areas when they are forced to vote in a block on such legislation and on such concerns?

We can agree with some of the measures but oppose others. How do we express our views and the views of our constituents when the matters are so diverse?

The current Prime Minister said that when he was a member of the opposition.

I would like to ask my colleague what has changed since 1995. Why are all of the Conservative budget bills omnibus bills that include, as the Prime Minister said, matters that are “so diverse”?

They are moving too quickly, presenting bills with proposals lumped together in bulk form, and then they have to make changes.

[Housing, April 7th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the last-minute changes to funding for the fight against homelessness are having a considerable impact in communities.

A number of organizations may have to cut services. Despite what the minister told us, organizations such as Réseau SOLIDARITÉ itinérance du Québec have confirmed cuts, as have departmental officials.

Why does the government want to complicate the lives of groups that only want to help the homeless?

[Canada-Honduras Economic Growth and Prosperity Act, March 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, not long ago, Canada imposed economic sanctions on former Ukrainian officials because of crimes they committed against their own people.

Now it wants to sign a trade agreement with Honduras, which also commits crimes against its own people, including journalists. If I am not mistaken, that is the former profession of the member who just spoke. I would like to know how she feels about this. What is the logic behind all this? Why, as my colleague said, is there a double standard for two different countries?

[Canada-Honduras Economic Growth and Prosperity Act, March 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the people of Honduras and Canadian companies do not want a trade agreement at any cost. Everything being said in the House has to do with trade; however, there are still a lot of problems in Honduras, and trade agreements will not solve all of those problems.

Furthermore, when we enter into a trade agreement, we have the upper hand. That is precisely the right time to use the negotiations for that agreement as an opportunity to try to solve those problems. The economic aspect alone will not solve everything. We therefore need to take this a little further, beyond a simple trade agreement, to help a country overcome the problems that the member talked about earlier.

[Infrastructure, March 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the number the minister is looking for is $5.8 billion. That is $5.8 billion for infrastructure less for local communities over the next five years, the minister's $5.8 billion broken promise.

Canadians across the country are stuck in gridlock and are travelling on crumbling infrastructure. As one of Canada's key infrastructure funds expires today, will the minister reverse course, honour his promises to our cities and communities, and give them what they need?

[Infrastructure, March 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the government is not only ignoring the provinces' health care needs, but it is also ignoring municipalities.

The new building Canada fund will no longer allow municipalities to fund their local roads and sport and recreation infrastructure projects. The new condition for assessing the feasibility of projects in public-private partnership could mean further delays. Plus, the new building Canada fund does not allocate any money to municipalities.

Why is the minister getting in the way of the municipalities that want to develop their infrastructure?

[Health, March 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the provinces and territories do not believe the Conservative rhetoric, and Canadians do not either.

The Conservatives' unilateral cuts will create a $36 billion hole in the provinces' budgets over the next 10 years. That is $36 billion less to hire doctors and nurses or to invest in our clinics, CLSCs and drug purchasing programs.

Can the minister tell us how the changes to the health funding formula will improve health care for Canadians?

[Homelessness, March 31st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the partial renewal of HPS funding was announced in budget 2013-14. Several months later, the Minister of Employment and Social Development still had not announced the new eligibility criteria. The negotiations planned with the provinces and communities had to wait. As a result of this incompetence, last Wednesday I received a call from British Columbia to inform me that some groups had to lay off staff because the tendering process had been delayed. The problem is that people who are already in an extremely tough situation are going to see their services cut. Today, at the end of the day, some groups will be without service.

Last Friday, I was very proud that a team of my NDP colleagues took part in the Hockey Helps the Homeless tournament to raise money for shelters in the Montreal area. Such tournaments are necessary because not enough money is being invested in fighting homelessness. The Conservatives need to do what it takes to make the money available.

Migwetch!