House of Commons photoLost her last election, in 2015, with 36% of the vote.
Employment April 19th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, Canadian workers are being replaced because of Conservative incompetence. This program tripled in size over the last decade. Successive governments have let it grow without oversight.
The Auditor General rang the alarm four years ago. They knew full well that the program had serious problems, but it took a crisis for the Conservatives to intervene. Why did it take so many Canadians losing their jobs for the Conservatives to actually make this a priority?
Employment April 19th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, it is the same old story. Problems were identified years ago with the temporary foreign worker program. Conservatives vowed they would fix them, and then nothing happened. In 2011, they promised to start listing employers who were banned from the program for failing to follow the rules. Well, how many are listed on the website today? None.
How can Canadians possibly trust the Conservatives to fix this program, when all they have done so far is make it worse?
Employment April 19th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, 2.4 million Canadians are unemployed. Today, fewer people have access to employment insurance because the Conservatives have gutted it. Furthermore, under the mismanaged temporary foreign worker program, employers are replacing Canadian workers with foreign workers who are paid less.
When will the government take responsibility for this fiasco and protect Canadian jobs?
International Trade April 18th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, aboriginal women deserve more respect from this government. They deserve justice. They deserve a national public inquiry.
On another matter, it has now been 222 days since the Conservatives signed their investment agreement with China. However, the agreement has still not been ratified.
Why not?
Aboriginal Affairs April 18th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, civil society gets it, the provinces get it and Canadians get it, and the families of the victims need it, so why do the Conservatives not get it? Why do they not understand that they need to call this inquiry now?
We are talking about the tragic deaths and disappearances of more than 600 aboriginal women and girls. Yesterday, the provinces joined their voices together to call for an inquiry.
Will the minister now do the right thing? Will he provide justice and peace for the families of the victims by immediately calling a public inquiry?
Aboriginal Affairs April 18th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, yesterday, provincial and territorial ministers and representatives of aboriginal affairs called for a public inquiry into missing and murdered aboriginal women.
The families of 600 aboriginal women have been calling for such an inquiry for far too long.
Will the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs finally listen to families, provinces, territories and civil society groups and launch a public inquiry so that justice can be served?
The Environment April 17th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, this is very simple. The minister told a newspaper that he is not concerned about a 2° Celsius increase in global temperatures and to back that up he attributed comments to scientists who do not exist. Since then he has proudly stood by his comments and his imaginary science.
This is about the future of our planet. Will the Minister of Natural Resources acknowledge that a 2° increase in global temperatures will cause feedback effects that cannot be reversed, yes or no?
The Environment April 17th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, the minister is doing a fine job of re-clarifying the denial of his colleague's retraction.
The Minister of Natural Resources said that he and Canadians are not worried about global warming of two degrees. The editor-in-chief of the newspaper that reported these comments responded that the minister's ignorance was astounding. Global warming of two degrees marks the point of no return.
Why is the minister claiming that the threat of climate change is exaggerated?
Rita MacNeil April 17th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, I join today with Cape Bretoners, Nova Scotians and Canadians in honouring and celebrating the life of Rita MacNeil, a treasured artist and performer who passed away last night. Our thoughts are with her loved ones.
Rita will be remembered for her iconic ability to mix storytelling with music, bringing audiences with her on a journey of triumphs, heartbreaks and the struggle for justice. Her decades of music making earned her accolades. Her passion, strength and kindness won her hearts.
Rita's progressive work with women and workers was well known and appreciated. She aptly demonstrated her quick wit and political sense, remarking in 2008, “What’s radical about equal pay for equal work?” She was a passionate and beautiful voice for us.
Rita spoke often of family and community and of breaking down barriers between people. Her lyrics from Sweet Wisdom remain powerful:
And if we could see inside each other's hearts
Would it make a difference, would we understand
Find no resistance, just love, joy and peace
I thank Rita for her wisdom and her passion. We will miss her.
Ethics March 28th, 2013
Mr. Speaker, maybe the Conservatives should read their budget before they decide to vote for it.
A Public Service Commission report on the patronage hiring of Kevin MacAdam shows that this former staffer to the Minister of National Defence received preferential treatment. The rules were broken. Kevin MacAdam got ahead of the line because he worked for a minister. Other more qualified people were pushed out of the way.
Will the government admit that this was wrong?