Mathieu Ravignat

[The Budget, October 24th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the budget implementation bill introduced yesterday shows this government's complete lack of vision.

The bill is 458 pages of fiscal nonsense. It makes no sense to include measures dealing with beekeeping, cable television, employment insurance and refugee health care in a single bill.

Will the government split its bill so that members can study it properly?

[Justice for Animals in Service Act (Quanto's Law), October 23rd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to offer my sincere thanks to Parliament's security services, which did such an incredible, professional job. I also want to express my solidarity with all of the House employees who were caught up in the tragic events that transpired yesterday.

The bill seems to be part of an ideology that flies in the face of judicial independence in our country and seems to impose political opinions on our judges.

Does my colleague feel that this trend is jeopardizing the separation between the legal and the political?

[Justice for Animals in Service Act (Quanto's Law), October 23rd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, this is my first opportunity to rise in the House and ask a question after yesterday's tragic events. I realize that this is a privilege that is fundamental in our society.

I thank all of my constituents who contacted my offices to make sure that I was okay and that my staff was safe.

It is the first opportunity I have had to rise in this chamber after the tragic events of yesterday, and I do it with a heavy heart but at the same time with tremendous pride in our democracy. I would like to thank my constituents who contacted me. So many of them contacted me to see whether I was safe and my staff was safe.

I thank my hon. colleague for his speech. I must say that I do not object to the basic principle of this bill, which is to protect service animals. However, I am wondering why this bill would take away discretionary powers. Why would this government and the member who spoke not have faith in our judges? Why could a judge not protect law enforcement service animals?

[Representation of Citizens, October 21st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to representing the families and workers abandoned by the Conservatives, no one does it better than the NDP.

We have led the charge against the cuts to Canada Post services. We have stood up for workers and employment insurance.

In terms of the environmental impact of energy projects like the project in Cacouna, the Liberals and Conservatives are certainly not getting the job done. They are prepared to sacrifice the belugas in the name of profit.

In the NDP, we know that by working together, we will replace the Conservative government.

I believe that when we vote in favour of a bill, we should keep our word. I therefore wonder what the word of the member for Repentigny is worth. He supported my bill that would force defectors to resign and run to get re-elected under their new banner.

I invite him to prove that he is a man of principle and to step down right away so that a byelection can be held in Repentigny.

Let the voters decide.

[Canadian Heritage, October 20th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, it is unbelievable that the Conservatives are spending millions of dollars on ads for an anniversary that is still three years away. Come on. They did not spend millions of dollars on ads today to announce the end of home mail delivery. There were no ads to announce the cuts to veterans' services, and there were certainly no ads to announce the elimination of jobs in the public service.

Instead of spending millions of dollars on their partisan advertising, why not invest in essential services for Canadians for once?

[Citizenship and Immigration, October 10th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, when the government closed citizenship and immigration offices, we knew full well that there would be major delays, but we never would have thought that more than two years later there would still be many cases left unprocessed. There are many such cases in my riding. Some immigrants are even having to resubmit their applications for permanent residence because their original application has expired. Come on. That makes no sense.

What is the government doing, right now, to speed up the process?

[Business of Supply, October 9th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I am impressed with my esteemed colleague's speech. He provided us with some very interesting details.

When it comes to endangered species as interesting and invaluable as belugas, we have to do scientific research before we proceed. My colleague's speech made me realize that there is no indication that any scientific research was done.

Why?

[Military Contribution Against ISIL, October 7th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I have a number of questions I would like to ask my hon. colleague opposite. Basically, what I heard on the news yesterday is rather important. In fact, ISIS captured a large city near Turkey's border. The bombing started two weeks ago, if not more, and yet the fighters captured the city quite easily.

What effect are the bombings having? Second, I also learned that ISIS has changed tactics. Its members are now hiding. Where will they hide? They will hide among the civilian population. Are my colleagues opposite really going to agree to bomb civilians, children and pregnant women because ISIS is hiding among them? I find that deplorable.

[Department of Public Works and Government Services Act, October 3rd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate my esteemed colleague for introducing his bill. He and I are no doubt in similar situations. In Quebec, the forestry industry is obviously in trouble. I congratulate him for this bill, which may open new, although limited, markets. It is nonetheless a good initiative.

I would like to know what more the government could have done since coming to power to improve the situation of the forestry industry.

[Petitions, October 1st, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to rise in the House to present a petition signed by about 100 Canadians who oppose the Canada Post cuts and who recognize, as my constituents do, that eliminating home mail delivery is detrimental to seniors and people with disabilities. I am therefore pleased to present this petition.