Marlene Jennings

[Government Policies, May 7th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the pattern of intimidation and deceit in that government gets worse as time goes on. For four years, anyone who disagrees with it is told to get out of the way or suffer the consequences. Women's groups, literacy advocates, cultural groups, even the Immigrant Workers Centre in Montreal have all had their funding cut.

When will the government stop trying to stifle dissent, destroy all dissent and start to listen to those groups?

[Ethics, May 6th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the government is hiding thousands and thousands of pages of documents on the detainee torture scandal and on the green power energy fund.

Last Thursday, that minister said that the government released all documents. On Monday, he said that the government made all the documents public. We know that is not the case.

First it was one Conservative minister, then two, then seven and now it is eight. When will the current government stop stonewalling and denying and release all the information?

[Ethics, May 6th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities has said several times in the House that all the documents related to Rahim Jaffer, Patrick Glémaud and Green Power Generation have been made public.

Last Friday, he said that his government had released all the documents in question.

The minister is in trouble now that we know he is sitting on a pile of documents from Human Resources Canada.

Will he admit he was trying to mislead this House?

[Petitions, April 28th, 2010]

Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to table a petition in the House which calls on the government to allow hospitals and their contracting firms that collect GST in and on their hospital property not to remit the GST collected to the Canada Revenue Agency but rather to forward the money to the foundation of the hospital where it was collected so that the funds may be used for the purchase of medical equipment.

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, April 19th, 2010]

With respect to the allegations of torture of Afghan detainees: (a) what briefing materials have been prepared on this issue, since January 2006, by (i) the Department of Foreign Affairs, (ii) the Department of National Defence; and (b) what briefing materials have been prepared on this issue for members of the Conservative caucus, since January 2006, in preparation for meetings of (i) the Special Committee on the Canadian Mission in Afghanistan, (ii) the Standing Committee on National Defence?

[Questions on the Order Paper, April 15th, 2010]

With regard to the vaccine for influenza A (H1N1): (a) what contractual agreements exist between the government and GlaxoSmithKline for the production of this vaccine; and (b) what contractual agreements exist between the federal government and any provincial government for the distribution of the vaccine?

[Questions on the Order Paper, April 1st, 2010]

With regard to canola and canola-related products manufactured in Canada: (a) do these products contain any genetic use restriction technologies (GURT), also known as “terminator technologies”; and (b) have these products ever in the past contained any genetic use restriction technologies?

[Questions on the Order Paper, April 1st, 2010]

With regard to the Airport Soundscape Consultative Committee for Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, of which Transport Canada is a member, and as a follow-up to the October 5, 2009 letter from the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities to the honourable Member from Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Lachine: (a) what have been the exact measures implemented over the last 15 years by this Committee designed to minimize aircraft noise around Montreal’s airports; and (b) what impact have these measures had on minimizing aircraft noise around Montreal’s airports?

[The Environment, March 18th, 2010]

Madam Speaker, I would like to read a letter from one of my constituents on the topic of climate change. It says:

Dear Prime Minister:

We are Canadian citizens who know full well that we, and our children, will have to take personal responsibility during huge unpredictable changes inherent in the climate crisis.

We are not idealists. We are not unquestioning scientific groupies. We are well-read and very well educated. We are the mothers and fathers of med students, lawyers and former pages in the House.

I believe that an unalterable mistake is being made in the lack of commitment to cut back emissions. We are deeply disappointed with your values.

Respectfully yours,

Beverly Birkman-McKendy

Dorval, Quebec

I agree with Beverly's comments. I strongly urge the Conservative government to take swift action to address the issue of climate change. Not to do so would give proof to the description that has been made of them in the House—

[Business of Supply, March 17th, 2010]

Madam Speaker, I truly and sincerely thank my hon. colleague from the NDP for that question because the point she is making is very important.

For any parliamentarian to call a debate on the supremacy of Parliament, the people's Parliament, on our parliamentary democracy a waste of time is completely unacceptable. It demonstrates a lack of belief in democracy itself.

Democracy is so precious that debate on democracy and on the instruments that protect, ensure and enhance democracy are important. They are crucial. That is one of the ways that practitioners, those who are the elected officials, better develop their understanding of their own democracy and it better educates the Canadian population.

I am scandalized that a government House leader speaking on behalf of the government would say that a debate on parliamentary democracy is a waste of time. If we wish to attack, if we wish to address issues of unemployment, women's rights, reproductive rights, family planning or climate change and do it in a proper fashion, we need our parliamentary democracy. We need it strengthened, not eroded, not attacked as the Prime Minister has done.