House of Commons photoWon her last election, in 2015, with 31% of the vote.
Questions Passed as Orders for Returns May 14th, 2012
With regard to government funding allocated within the constituency of Hochelaga for every fiscal year from 2004-2005 to 2012-2013: (a) what is the total amount of funding by (i) department, (ii) agency, (iii) other government entity, (iv) program; and (b) how many jobs are a direct result of this funding, including both (i) full-time jobs, (ii) part-time jobs?
Questions Passed as Orders for Returns May 14th, 2012
With regard to Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC): (a) what are the names of the Department’s skills programs; and (b) for each skills program in (a), what is (i) the target population, (ii) the funding recipient (i.e., provinces and territories or organizations), (iii) the budget for each fiscal year from 2005-2006 to 2012-2013, broken down by operating expenses and transfer payments, (iv) the projected budget for fiscal years 2013-2014, 2014-2015, and 2015-2016, broken down by operating expenses and transfer payments, (v) the number of applications received annually for funding, broken down by the number of applications accepted and the number of applications rejected, (vi) how many HRSDC staff work on administering or evaluating the program, (vii) what evaluations have been done for the programs’ effectiveness by date and by title of report, (viii) what are the granting criteria?
Housing May 10th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the money is there; the minister simply has to sign off on it.
For the past 12 years, everything has gone like clockwork: there have been no problems with any HPS applications and all projects approved by Quebec received funding. Now HPS applications, including the one from RAPSIM, are facing closed doors and silence from the minister, yet these projects are supported by the community—and they work.
Why does the minister refuse to respect the HPS agreement with Quebec? Is this yet another way to muzzle those who dare stand up to the Conservatives?
Housing May 10th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, a number of groups throughout Quebec have submitted projects under the homelessness partnering strategy.
Funding was supposed to be renewed by April 1, 2012. However, only the projects in Quebec are still awaiting approval by the minister. The partnership agreement, duly signed with the Government of Quebec, has been in place for 12 years. Many groups depend on this funding, but there has been nothing but silence from the minister.
Since there is agreement on all the projects and the parliamentary secretary to the minister has confirmed that the funding was available, then why the delays?
Jobs, Growth and Long-Term Prosperity Act May 10th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, let us look at the math.
According to the OECD, Canada's old age security benefits represent 4.2% of GDP, whereas the average for OECD countries is 7%, and the figure is much higher in other countries.
Comparing Canada to countries in trouble only throws fuel on the fire and scares people for no reason, because this program is sustainable.
Jobs, Growth and Long-Term Prosperity Act May 10th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, if the Conservatives truly want to ensure that all Canadians live in prosperity, then how do they explain that there is nothing in the budget for social housing when everyone knows that the gap between the rich and the poor keeps growing?
Jobs, Growth and Long-Term Prosperity Act May 10th, 2012
Madam Speaker, I have worked with my Conservative colleague and I know that she really believes what she is saying. By the way, I would like to congratulate her on the continued improvement of her French.
She spoke a great deal about job creation. I would like to know how she reconciles this with, for example, what the Parliamentary Budget Officer told the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance. He confirmed that the Conservatives' austerity budget will result in the loss of 43,000 jobs and slow the economic recovery, and that the budget and previous cuts together would result in a total loss of 103,000 jobs.
Jobs, Growth and Long-Term Prosperity Act May 10th, 2012
Madam Speaker, in my opinion, the budget that was presented has a very short-term vision, despite its size. For instance, in terms of the environment, would my colleague agree that this short-term vision will be even more costly in the future?
Montreal's Homeless Organizations May 9th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, I would like to wish my father a wonderful 80th birthday. He taught me that altruism is far better than individualism.
It was this desire to help others that led a number of organizations to establish RAPSIM, the Réseau d'aide aux personnes seules et itinérantes de Montréal, 35 years ago. These organizations, such as the well-known Maison du Père, help the least fortunate in society.
RAPSIM's work is highly respected and has been supported financially for a number of years by the homelessness partnering strategy, the HPS, which is governed by the Canada-Quebec agreement, but after 12 years, the funding has disappeared. The Minister of Human Resources suddenly decided that she would no longer honour the agreement, which was renewed less than a year ago, or abide by the recommendations of Quebec's health network or the HPS federal-provincial committee.
Where is the respect for provincial jurisdictions? Are groups like RAPSIM being punished because they are daring enough to stand up for such subversive rights as the right to housing or to health? Is this a case of my way or the highway?
Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act May 8th, 2012
Madam Speaker, my colleague talked about investing in research. The Conservative government, in its somewhat narrow view, is investing almost exclusively in applied research. I would like to hear my colleague's thoughts on the general importance of investing in basic research.