Megan Leslie

[The Environment, June 4th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the minister's explanations are bizarre because he defends climate science to the Prime Minister, but then he happily axes the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy and he presses delete on the Kyoto accord. He extols the virtues of science, but he fires scientists, he guts environmental assessments and he stops emissions reporting.

Why will the minister not put his money where his mouth is, do the responsible thing, do the common sense thing and allow a proper review of the environmental protection changes in the budget bill?

[The Environment, June 4th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, today, organizations that represent the interests of millions of Canadians are participating in the Black Out Speak Out campaign to protest Conservative attacks on environmental protection.

The message is simple: major changes to environmental impact assessments and to the Fisheries Act require in-depth study.

Why do the Conservatives want to make such changes without proper review in spite of dissent in their own ranks?

[The Budget, June 1st, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I understand I was missed Wednesday at the Trojan Horse subcommittee hearings.

However, while I was working on my file, do members know who was missing in action at the hearings? The Minister of the Environment, the Minister of Natural Resources and the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. Conservative ministers are not too keen to come back to committee and explain why they are killing environmental assessments, gutting the Fisheries Act and muzzling scientists.

I will be back at committee next week. The question is, will they?

[Fisheries and Oceans, June 1st, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I will try another one. In an open letter to the Prime Minister, four former federal fisheries ministers, two of them Conservatives, raise serious concerns about the Fisheries Act changes that the Conservatives are trying to sneak through in their budget bill. They are “....especially alarmed about any possible diminution of the statutory protection on fish habitat...”.

This is not about misguided attacks that take 25-year-old comments out of context. It is about today's changes. It is about communities, experts and even former fisheries ministers who are raising the alarm.

Why will the Conservatives not stand down the attacks and listen?

[Health, June 1st, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Medical Association is worried about the impact of air pollution on our seniors.

People aged 65 and older face a greater risk of suffering from cardiac problems than youth or adults. With our aging population, this proportion will only continue to increase.

Cuts to environmental programs go against the interests of seniors. The Conservatives also want to cut old age security. Can they at least spare the health of our seniors?

[The Environment, May 29th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, to make matters worse, the Conservatives are eliminating the Centre for Offshore Oil, Gas and Energy Research, so last week, the Conservatives put one million hectares of our Arctic waters up for sale for oil and gas exploration, and this week, they are giving pink slips to the people who give us expert advice on how to deal with oil spills.

Is the minister planning to base something as important as Canada's energy policy on a whim or a hunch, or is he happy just to do whatever his oil lobbyist friends suggest?

[Employment Insurance, May 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that Conservatives are targeting the businesses, communities and people who rely on seasonal industries. Fishing, tourism, arts, forestry, agriculture are all under attack by the Conservatives. Work is easy to come by if one is a failed Conservative candidate, but for businesses, workers and communities in Atlantic Canada and across Canada, times are tougher.

The Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador has asked to meet with the Prime Minister over the proposed changes, which leads me to wonder why the minister did not consult with premiers before making these sweeping changes.

[Employment Insurance, May 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, failed Conservative candidates do not have to worry. They are rewarded with a job in the Senate. That is their employment insurance.

But the Conservatives are going after people and communities that rely on seasonal industries.

The minister wants absolute power to make the rules and tell people which jobs are suitable for them.

These changes are going to drive wages down. Why did the Conservatives conceal them during the election campaign?

[Business of Supply, May 16th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Newton—North Delta is a fantastic environmental advocate.

I would like to see this bill split apart and to have a fulsome debate in the House and in committee on each aspect of it. The Conservatives did not campaign on what is in this budget bill. They did not put this forward in the election campaign. They were hiding this all along. My question to them is: What are they afraid of?

[Business of Supply, May 16th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleague that the real issue is the bill and how it is being used to ram all kinds of legislative changes through the House. That is why the NDP is holding its own consultations with Canadians around the country about what is in this bill, what they want and what their responses are to it. I would invite my Liberal colleague to attend these hearings. We have invited all members of the House in a show of openness, accountability and transparency. I would welcome him at any of our consultations.