House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2011, with 35% of the vote.
The Environment December 8th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, my suggestion would be that they take the environment seriously and do good work. I would say that we cannot be leaders on the world stage if we are not leaders at home. For the past five years, the Conservatives' endeavours on the international scene have had one objective: to sabotage a climate change agreement.
Does the Prime Minister understand that his lack of principles has cost us dearly internationally and contributed to our defeat at the UN—
The Environment December 8th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, according to the environment commissioner, this Conservative government has no plan for protecting drinking water, no plan for protecting our oceans from pollution and no plan for adapting to climate change. The environment commissioner has painted a dismal picture.
With such a pathetic record, why does the government believe it can teach anyone anything in Cancun?
Government Priorities December 7th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, if we want to help Canadian families, they need help with home care. The Liberal home care plan would provide home care for 600,000 Canadian families. It would reduce pressure on hospital waiting lists. Instead, the government's priorities are clear: prisons, planes and corporate tax breaks.
Why can the government not understand that these priorities are not the priorities of Canadian families?
Government Priorities December 7th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, but there is nothing for family caregivers.
What we are hearing across the country is that emergency rooms are jammed, hospital waiting lists are growing longer and families cannot get care in the home. Home care can relieve the pressure on hospital waiting lists, but instead of acting, the government is investing in prisons, planes and corporate tax breaks.
Why does the Prime Minister not understand that these priorities are actively hurting the Canadian health care system?
Government Priorities December 7th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, in Canadian households, three-quarters of family caregivers are women. It is women who take care of sick children and women who take care of aging parents.
These women have a question for the Prime Minister: why spend billions of dollars on prisons, fighter jets and corporate handouts, but nothing on family caregivers?
Gun Control December 6th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the government is not credible on the crime issue unless it is tough and maintains the gun registry.
The government is now delaying measures that have been asked for by chiefs of police, by police associations for years to assist in the tracing of imported weapons. No one can understand why the government listens to the gun lobby and does not listen to the police and the families of victims.
Gun Control December 6th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the police need these measures. They will help trace weapons. People do not understand why the government is ignoring victims' families. It tried to abolish the gun registry. Now it is trying to keep the police from doing their job.
When will the Conservatives learn from the Polytechnique massacre and give the police the measures they need?
Gun Control December 6th, 2010
Mr. Speaker, today is the anniversary of the Polytechnique massacre. Together with other parliamentarians, I placed a rose to commemorate one of the 14 victims.
It is on behalf of the victims that I am asking the government why it is still trying to block measures to trace weapons and curb smuggling. Why is this government not listening to the victims' families, not listening to the police, who need these measures, and giving in to pressure from gun lobbyists?
Seniors December 1st, 2010
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is not denying what is plainly in writing in his minister's letter of October 21 and it is time for him to answer the question about the GIS.
The government refuses to help disabled Nortel pensioners. It is cutting the GIS. It seems to have money for prisons, it seems to have money for planes, it has the money for corporate tax breaks, but when it comes to finding support for seniors, suddenly it is out of dough. Why?
Seniors December 1st, 2010
Mr. Speaker, we have two problems here: the heartlessness of the government and the refusal of it to admit in the House what it is doing.
The Prime Minister denies the facts, but in a message on October 21, the minister clearly commits to cutting the GIS. Poverty among seniors is increasing, yet the government is cutting benefits to the most vulnerable seniors in our population.
How can the Prime Minister justify these priorities to vulnerable Canadians?