Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet

[Protecting Canada's Seniors Act, April 27th, 2012]

Madam Speaker, I had the honour of being a member of the Standing Committee on the Status of Women with my Liberal colleague. We heard a number of witnesses in the course of a study on the abuse of older women. We had witnesses tell us that there had been cuts to women’s rights organizations.

Since my colleague spoke about prevention, which could also improve the situation, I would like to ask her whether she thinks cuts of this type have damaged the situation—

[Protecting Canada's Seniors Act, April 27th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, my question was actually about a step before the bill.

Many seniors find the justice system intimidating and incomprehensible. They are in no position to take their abusers to court. Because seniors do not understand the system, they cannot make informed decisions. They cannot decide whether they want to take the person to court. That creates a paternalistic environment with someone else making their decisions for them.

Does the government plan to do something to help these people by ensuring that they understand their rights and are capable of making their own decisions about whether to take the person to court?

[Homelessness, April 25th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the homelessness partnering strategy agreement is clear: Quebec chooses its own priorities. The office of the Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development refused to give a subsidy to RAPSIM, even though the subsidy was approved by all the necessary committees. The agreement has been in place for 12 years and this is the first time it has been ignored.

Can the minister explain this attack against a network that is leading the way in the fight against homelessness in Montreal?

[Prostitution, March 29th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, prostitution is not a career choice. Many women get involved in prostitution to feed their drug addiction. Fines and prison are not the solution to drug-related prostitution. Prevention is better than repression. We have to address the problem at its source. In other words, we have to address substance abuse and addiction.

That is what a number of groups and elected officials are trying to do in Hochelaga. The community organization Dopamine, which works in addictions services, wants to relocate to a neighbourhood where the need for its services is greatest. A respite care centre would be set up at Dopamine's former location where prostitutes could go to shower and sleep, and get help when they are ready to get out of the business.

However, despite the recommendation of the Agence de santé de Montréal, the application to the Homelessness Partnering Strategy to relocate Dopamine has been dragging on for months. What is more, I have received no response to the letter I sent to the Minister of Human Resources explaining this increasingly critical situation.

I hope to receive a positive response soon and I hope that the budget tabled a little later on will not abandon these people who feel increasingly forgotten by society.

[Financial System Review Act, March 27th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, this week I received a document for one of my credit cards indicating that the interest rate was going to increase to 29.5%. That is almost 30%. It makes no sense.

Does my colleague believe that the government could have extended its study to speak to people like us who have to pay nearly 30% interest on their credit card and who might have some suggestions to make on the matter?

[Homelessness, March 12th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, two Hochelaga organizations that deal with drug and homelessness problems have been waiting for months for financial assistance from the federal government. The work done by CAP Saint-Barnabé and Dopamine is crucial in the fight to eliminate drug use and drug-related prostitution and to help the homeless get off the streets. They need money and it is urgent. The situation in my riding is explosive. Yet the government is twiddling its thumbs. Funding applications have been submitted and are on the minister's desk. What is the minister waiting for and why does she refuse to take action?

[Safe Streets and Communities Act, March 9th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the bill was called an omnibus bill because it includes many different bills. If each of those bills had been introduced separately, could we not have examined them more carefully, including the constitutionality of their provisions? What are my colleague's thoughts on that?

[Safe Streets and Communities Act, March 9th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to draw the hon. member's attention to a program called Wapikoni Mobile, which has been around for a number of years. It is a mobile studio that goes from one first nations community to another and works with aboriginal youth to help them develop basic skills and teach them things like how to work together and follow a schedule. This helps them to integrate into society. Unfortunately, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada recently reduced its subsidies by about half a million dollars, and the program's survival is now threatened.

Does the hon. member agree with me that it is better to invest in such a program than it is to spend all that money on a bill like Bill C-10, which will simply serve to send more people, many of them aboriginal people, to prison?

[Public Service of Canada, March 8th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, we learned today that the Treasury Board wants $16 million to create a litigation management unit to handle disputes with its unions and employees. The Conservatives are preparing for war with workers. This is a very bad sign.

Why create a hit squad to attack government workers? Is it to freeze workers' salaries or are the Conservatives planning once again to go after workers' rights to collective bargaining in the upcoming budget?

[Business of Supply, March 5th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his speech.

This summer, with the minister in fact, I met Alexandre Fontaine, a young veteran who fought in Afghanistan as a reservist and who had difficulty getting the same health services as those provided to the regular forces, because he was a reservist.

First of all, does my colleague think that this is fair? Second, knowing how hard it already is to obtain services, does my colleague think things could get even worse for people like Mr. Fontaine?