Mathieu Ravignat

[Employment Situation, December 12th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, even though the unemployment rate has risen in the past few months and families are struggling to make ends meet, this government continues to cut public services rather than supporting families.

This indifference is not really in keeping with the holiday spirit.

Reducing services, as is already the case with employment insurance, will not stimulate the economy. End of story.

Will the government finally help families and maintain the services they so desperately need, especially in these difficult economic times?

[Canada-Panama Economic Growth and Prosperity Act, December 12th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that the member finished his comments on the supposed position of the opposition.

We have to be careful with the speed at which these trade deals go forward and also the blind faith that the Conservative government has that any trade deal has to be a good trade deal. With Panama, there are some significant issues.

My hon. colleague mentioned how investment would be protected in this trade deal, but that may be a problem. We know that Panama has various tax havens, particularly for drug money. One of the most important parts of its investment economy is laundering drug money.

What does my hon. colleague have to say about protecting Canadians from drug cartels?

[Wakefield Community Centre, November 28th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, I am most proud to rise in this House today to acknowledge the excellent work of a community in my riding. A number of my colleagues have probably had the opportunity to visit Wakefield in the municipality of La Pêche, and may have noticed, as I have, that Wakefield is a dynamic community and a major cultural and tourist hub.

Recently, an important project came to fruition in this community. Fifteen years ago Wakefield had a dream to have its own multi-functional community centre, and through hard work it was officially opened last Saturday.

This beautiful state of the art building would not have been possible if it were not for the involvement of countless volunteers. In particular, I would like to mention the amazing collaborative work of the volunteers and board members of the Wakefield La Pêche Community Centre Cooperative and of its president Stephen Sabean. Mention must also be made of MNA Stéphanie Vallée, the mayor of La Pêche, Robert Bussière, municipal councillor Louis Rompré, and Caisse populaire Desjardins de Masham-Luskville.

I extend my congratulations to all.

[Government Expenditures, November 25th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, this government should put its rhetoric aside and think about the families who need government services. Departments are announcing huge cuts without telling us where they will be made. Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, Infrastructure Canada, Industry Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada have all announced cuts, but they are not saying where the millions will be cut.

Before wasting $20 million on private contracts, will the government ensure that it understands what is going on in its own departments?

[Government Expenditures, November 25th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, the president of the Treasury Board appeared before the government operations committee yesterday to explain holes in the government's spending estimates. As we have come to expect from that minister, we received a lot of runarounds, but few answers.

However, the minister did confirm that Conservatives are throwing away $20 million on private sector slashing experts and threatening to shut down entire programs.

My questions is the following. Which programs and services that Canadian families rely on are on the chopping block of their private consultants?

[Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers, November 23rd, 2011]

Madam Speaker, I am trying to understand why this government is so anxious to end this debate. I consider myself to be a reasonable person, as are the majority of my colleagues. Either the Conservatives are concerned that Canadians might change their opinions at some point if we continue to debate and that things will change for this government, or they are so anxious to make this happen for their constituents, in their specific situation, that they are trampling on the democratic rights of the representatives of every other citizen in Canada.

I do not understand why their tune has changed either. The Minister of Public Safety said—

[Business of Supply, November 17th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, when I speak to the first nations in my community, whether it be Kitigan or Barriere Lake, there is just at this point an incredible amount of frustration.

This is a problem that has existed for decades. The Liberal and Conservative governments really have done very little to deal with the situation. Frankly, the people are at the end of their rope. They are impatient and I understand them.

I do support, of course, the principle of the motion, but I would like to hear the member's ideas as to why this extremely urgent issue has not been dealt with adequately in the decades that have transpired.

[Campaign Financing, November 16th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, it is incredible. They are unable to even differentiate between a donation made following the death of our leader and an illegal procedure to get around the law. Is that possible? Taxpayers' money was given to the Conservative Party illegally. Elections Canada has already indicated which riding associations received illegal money and how much they received. The Conservatives have admitted that they violated the act. They know how much illegal money they took.

What are they waiting for? Are they going to do what needs to be done and reimburse the taxpayers?

[Campaign Financing, November 16th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, last week the Conservative Party of Canada pled guilty to violating the Canada Elections Act, exceeding spending limits and improper reporting. It was charged the maximum fine allowed under the law. As a result of the Conservative scheme, 17 Conservative riding associations received illegitimate rebate money, and Elections Canada has outlined which Conservative riding associations benefited from this illegal scheme.

My question is for the Receiver General. What steps has the government taken to recoup this ill-gotten money from the Conservative Party of Canada?

[Ethics, November 4th, 2011]

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chamas donated $5,000 in cash to the Papineau Conservative Party riding association. He even gave the former foreign affairs minister a gift-wrapped parcel. The minister's assistant wrote that the RCMP had called to say that everyone present at that event had been placed under close surveillance.

Can the Minister of State for Small Business and Tourism tell us why he was there?