House of Commons photoLost her last election, in 2015, with 36% of the vote.
The Environment September 29th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I wish the government were as interested in the environment as it is in stifling dissent.
First the government denied that its cuts were going to have any impact on Canadians and then it went on a witch hunt. It went after whistleblower scientists who revealed the serious health and environmental impacts of these cuts.
When will the minister take a break from hunting down whistleblowers and actually tell us about how these cuts will affect Canadians?
The Environment September 29th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I guess it is time to learn to swim.
It is sad to see how ridiculous the situation at Environment Canada is becoming. The deputy minister will go to any lengths to discover which scientists disclosed the planned cuts to the ozone monitoring program. It is a witch hunt.
Why is this government putting scientists under the microscope instead of encouraging their vital work?
National Strategy for Suicide Prevention Act September 29th, 2011
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-297, An Act respecting a National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be reintroducing this legislation. The bill would create a national suicide prevention strategy.
After I tabled the bill in the last Parliament it received the support of many organizations, municipalities and individuals across the country.
Suicide is an issue that touches every region of this country. The facts are clear. Over 3,500 Canadians, or 10 people per day, die by suicide each year. We need a coordinated strategy so that folks around the country working to prevent suicide are united in a concerted effort to ensure that our communities are no longer rocked by the loss of friends and family members.
I would like to congratulate the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention on its work.
A national strategy is needed to address the higher risks of suicide faced by queer youth, Canada's elderly, teens and young adults, first nations, Inuit, and people in remote communities.
I would encourage all parties to work together to establish a national suicide prevention strategy, because we have a responsibility to help prevent suicides.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)
Health September 27th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, the minister, despite being asked multiple times, has still not said what he considers to be a core program, so perhaps the Minister of Health would like to answer a question because these programs are not only an environmental concern and surely the Minister of Health knows that the UV index created by Canada has lowered skin cancer rates and saved lives.
For the Minister of Health, will she have the courage to stand up for the health of Canadians?
The Environment September 27th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of the Environment said that the department could lose hundreds of scientists without any effect on basic services. But the government has cut 43% of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency's budget.
If assessing and preventing industrial impacts on our environment are not considered basic services, then can the minister explain what he means by “basic services”?
The Environment September 26th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, it is really disappointing to hear that the government has one set of rules for its oil industry friends and another set of rules for the rest of us. How else can the minister justify a project that adds more greenhouse gas emissions to the oil sands, which are already growing so fast they are overwhelming any emission savings coming from other sectors? Why the double standard?
When will the minister finally stand up for Canadians and say no to this misguided project?
The Environment September 26th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister claims that approval of the Keystone XL pipeline project is a complete no-brainer. The problem is that, too often, the Conservatives act without their brains. The government did not use its brain before deciding to support a project that will harm our environment, our economy and our energy security.
Will the government listen to Canadians and think before saying yes to Keystone?
The Environment September 23rd, 2011
Mr. Speaker, the minister continues to insist that the cuts to the ozone monitoring programs are harmless, and he makes it sound so simple. He says that we have two ozone measurements and now we are just going to have one. However, he is disregarding the science because they measure different things.
Because of the minister's shortsightedness, now we will not have the data that we need to track the hole in the ozone layer. Why is the minister disregarding both science and common sense?
The Environment September 23rd, 2011
Mr. Speaker, the minister's explanations to justify cuts to the budget for monitoring the ozone layer do not make sense. The minister claims that cuts are necessary to better monitor the pollution in the oil sands. The Conservatives are telling us that we have to sacrifice the ozone layer to better understand the pollution in the oil sands. The cuts will have consequences on the quality of our environment.
Why are the Conservatives not telling Canadians the truth?
The Environment September 22nd, 2011
Mr. Speaker, the minister is mortgaging our future. We need this data now more than ever. Climate change is accelerating the thinning of the ozone layer, which, I would remind the minister, is what protects us from harmful UV radiation. I would remind the minister that these ozone monitoring programs are a made-in-Canada solution to an international problem. We should be showcasing them, not shortchanging them.
Why does the minister refuse to be upfront with Canadians about the impacts of his cuts on our environment?