Mauril Bélanger

[Taxation, October 20th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, when budget 2013 was presented, credit unions and caisse populaires were surprised to see the government cut a 40-year-old measure that helped them build capital and be competitive with the big banks.

The Credit Union Central of Canada and Mouvement Desjardins are proposing that a new capital tax credit be included in the next budget in order to stimulate growth in the credit union and caisse populaires sector, and thereby help small businesses, especially where the big banks do not have a branch.

Will the government move ahead with this proposal?

[Petitions, October 10th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I am presenting two petitions signed by people in the Ottawa area asking the Minister of Health and the House of Commons to support Bill C-356, an act respecting a national strategy for dementia, tabled by the member for Nickel Belt.

The petitioners are asking also for a national strategy to be designed for the health care of persons afflicted with Alzheimer's and other dementia-related diseases.

[International Summit of Co-operatives, October 10th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the first International Summit of Cooperatives was held in October 2012, in Quebec City. The second summit, which I was pleased to attend this week, from October 6 to 9, again in Quebec City, was another success. There were more than 3,000 participants from 93 countries.

Major themes were addressed, including the role of the co-operative movement in ensuring our capacity to feed humanity, keep people healthy and contribute to sustainable development. The great thing is that the summit ends on the eve of Co-op Week, which will be celebrated across Canada from October 13 to 19.

A good way for us to celebrate co-op week would be for MPs to visit co-operatives in their riding during that week.

The co-operative model has been a proven structure for more than 100 years in Canada. They greatly empower each member, resulting in a wonderful combination of business success and social responsibility, which plays an important role in the economy and in the betterment of our communities.

[Franco-Ontarian Day, September 25th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, September 25 is an important date in the history of francophones in Ontario because it was on that day in 1975 that the Franco-Ontarian flag was raised for the first time, in Sudbury.

Some 35 years later, in 2010, the Government of Ontario commemorated the event by passing a law proclaiming September 25 of every year Franco-Ontarian Day. This is an opportunity to recognize the contributions made by the francophone community to the cultural, historical, social, economic and political fabric of Ontario.

This is why I am pleased to rise in the House today to extend greetings and best wishes to the Franco-Ontarian community. With over 600,000 members already, our community continues to grow in number and diversity. We have left our mark on the history of our province many times already, and we continue to work actively and passionately on building and developing the Ontario and Canada of tomorrow.

Happy Franco-Ontarian Day.

[Official Languages, September 23rd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, during the International Year of Co-operatives, the government put an end to the co-operative development initiative, the only national program for co-ops.

Five organizations filed a complaint, since this decision is harmful to the development of official language minority communities.

The office of the commissioner concluded that the government had not fulfilled its obligations under part VII of the Official Languages Act.

One of the recommendations required immediate measures to ensure that all employees who participate in the decision-making process understand their obligations under this act.

Did the government take these measures? If not, when does it plan on doing so?

[National Anthem Act, September 22nd, 2014]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-624, An Act to amend the National Anthem Act (gender).

Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to table a bill entitled “An act to amend the National Anthem Act”. It is seconded by my colleague from St. Paul's.

The bill proposes a simple change in the English version only, two words to be precise: “True patriot love” and “all thy sons command” to become “true patriot love in all of us command”.

In due course, I will present the arguments which I hope will convince a majority of my colleagues to support the bill. I also hope the exchange and debate will be respectful and beyond partisanship.

I attended the Famous 5 luncheon today, where the first and thus far only female prime minister, the Right Hon. Kim Campbell, was the guest speaker, and she was a terrific speaker. At the end of her speech, she welcomed this initiative to make our national anthem gender inclusive.

I look forward to engaging with my colleagues as we address this important matter.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Interparliamentary Delegations, September 19th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian delegation of the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association respecting its bilateral mission to the Republic of Madagascar and the Republic of Mozambique from March 15 to 21, 2014.

[Birthday Congratulations, September 19th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, Helen Saipe was born Helen Dworkin in Ottawa, and will celebrate her 100th birthday this Sunday, September 21. Her father, Abraham Dworkin, was the founder of Ottawa's well-known Dworkin Furs, which he started at the family home.

Helen is the mother of Dorothy, Marcia, Geri and Barb. She is a grandmother to 10 grandchildren and proud great-grandmother to 19.

She became involved in charity work, supporting women and children in Israel through Hadassah-WIZO. She presided over a chapter of this organization for decades. Her management and communication skills made her a natural leader.

Helen learned how to play bridge very well, and is still playing at least three times a week in her retirement home.

Her family is proud of the strength she has shown throughout her life. I am told Helen never talks about yesterday, but always has a plan for today and tomorrow. Her longevity is a work of amazing personal fortitude, positive thinking and a daily cocktail.

My colleagues and I wish Helen a happy birthday, and also our best wishes for all her tomorrows.

[Ebola Outbreak, September 15th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to join you in congratulating our new colleague from Trinity—Spadina as he joins the House today for the first time. He asked a very pertinent question, one for which I do not have an answer.

I have to share in his concern, however. As we shut down too many embassies and consulates in Africa, we are forcing people to travel from country to country. Lo and behold, that is the case in East Africa and also in West Africa. I know one ambassador there who has the responsibility for five countries, including some of these. Now they cannot travel. The borders are crossed in some cases. We are causing more difficulties than are necessary.

I would hope that we would learn from this. Once we have tackled the terrible situation that currently exists in West Africa—and we hope it does not spread and that we contain it and eventually cure this damned thing—then at that point we hope the government would consider the implications of the decisions to close embassies and would reopen some for a number of reasons, not just to avoid spreading disease but also to help people get on with their lives without having to wait endlessly for some results and information that usually should come much faster than that.

[Ebola Outbreak, September 15th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for the question.

Obviously, we will have to talk later about what to do after the crisis. Right now we have to focus on the crisis and how to contain it, and on finding a way to eradicate the virus before it spreads in an absolutely disastrous way. After the fact there will certainly be many situations in which every developed country like ours will have a role to play. I am thinking about the orphans, for example. Four years ago, on January 12, some 250,000 people perished in a massive earthquake in Haiti and many children became orphans. Canada stepped up to the plate.

I think we can definitely do something to help the orphaned children whose parents have died from this virus, whether in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea or anywhere else. For now, we must focus on how to control and eradicate this virus, otherwise the needs will exceed our ability to help people.