Nicole Demers

[Status of Women, March 5th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the minister should do his homework and find out what the legislation is in Quebec.

The legislation passed with the connivance of the Liberals threatens unions with a $50,000 fine if they encourage women to file a complaint. It forbids personal and collective grievances and makes the right to pay equity negotiable.

Will the Conservative government finally admit that it is on the wrong track here and should immediately introduce real, proactive pay equity legislation?

[Status of Women, March 5th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, if the Conservative government had any respect for women at all, they would not have tried to hide the pay equity issue in the Budget Implementation Act. This is just a strategy for avoiding public debate on the backwardness of the Conservative way.

Does the Prime Minister realize that in passing legislation to limit the application of pay equity to employment categories that are at least 70% female, he is setting the cause of women back?

[Jean-Philippe Prévost-Robert, March 3rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, Jean-Philippe Prévost-Robert, of Laval's Collège Montmorency, was ranked first for the second year in a row in Pontpop ÉTS, Quebec's foremost bridge-building competition. On February 21 and 23, over 300 high school and college students from all over Quebec gathered at the École de technologie supérieure to participate in this, the biggest competition of its kind.

The students had to use popsicle sticks, toothpicks, dental floss and white glue to build bridges that were both aesthetically pleasing and strong enough to hold up to two tonnes. The judges were industry professionals and professors from the ÉTS's construction engineering department. Jean-Philippe was awarded first prize at the college level and went home with a $750 scholarship and a $500 prize.

My Bloc Québécois colleagues and I would like to congratulate Jean-Philippe on his remarkable achievement.

[Budget Implementation Act, 2009, February 27th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to our colleague who gave a somewhat pretentious speech. For his information, we have received numerous emails from individuals who are not happy with the work done by the Conservatives, and not only from Quebeckers. I would like, if I may, to read short excerpts from what one of them wrote me around noon yesterday. This is a lady from Alberta who expressed great disappointment with what the Conservatives have done. Understandably, I have to read these quotes in English:

“I wanted you to know that out here in Alberta, I'm so pleased that at least one woman MP has the courage to stand up in Parliament and express these concerns, even though you know that there are many in the Conservative seats who will have the temerity to laugh, as I observed them doing when this came to a vote and they shouted 'no'. I also observed the Speaker actually laughing when he called for the vote in what appeared to be a mocking of the member's bill which your words were addressing”.

That is something to bear in mind, Mr. Speaker. You were not the one in the chair at the time. You are therefore not to blame.

This lady was also very disappointed with the conduct of female Conservative MPs. She added, and I quote:

“You spoke eloquently, including your chastizing of Conservative female MPs who did not take a stand to defend the rights of women”.

The member opposite needs to know that not everyone thinks that the Conservatives are right and, not only in Quebec but across Canada, many do not approve of their policies.

[Pay Equity, February 26th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, contempt, slander and falsehoods are the hallmarks of the mediocre.

The President of the Treasury Board tells us that pay equity is not just about women's rights but also about family rights. The minister is so blinded by his ideology that he cannot fathom that women can have lives outside their families.

Can the President of the Treasury Board get it into his head that pay equity is not a family policy but a means of ensuring that women get equal pay for work of equal value?

[Committees of the House, February 26th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I am really ecstatic to here such questions from my colleagues in this House. We can see there is a real interest in all these problems, whether they are universal, national, or regional. The women in the government are doing nothing to defend women, regardless of where those women live. Whether in Quebec, in Canada, in the Congo, women everywhere will have to just give up the fight, because—

[Committees of the House, February 26th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Saint-Bruno—Saint-Hubert for her excellent question. As I pointed out in my speech, I have never seen a government attack women's rights the way this one has. I have never seen a government attack women to this degree. I have never seen a government purposely do as much as this one has to eliminate appeal rights and try to pass private bills of which it is the silent architect.

Last year, we had Bill C-484, and I have no doubt that another Conservative Party member will introduce a similar bill. If so, I hope the government will know what to do.There is nothing so pernicious as a government that would have everyone believe that it believes in women's equality. There is nothing so pernicious and violent as a government that would have women believe that they have everything they need, then does everything it can to override and chip away at their rights, and, for all intents and purposes, extinguish them. That is terrible.

[Committees of the House, February 26th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I do not think that my colleague is surprised that the government has failed to condemn Mr. Flanagan's statement. Few of the people advising the government and its leader have a mind quite as warped as his. I also know that my colleague is not surprised that the government has not asked Mr. Flanagan to apologize because it actually agrees with his ideas. Consequently, every idea Mr. Flanagan proposes to the government and its leader is received joyfully and with open arms. That is clear from its implementation of various directives and regulations.

I am still wondering why the women on the government side have not stood up and objected to this, why they let these things happen. Have they no backbone? Have they no strength? Is there no such thing as a strong world when it comes to Conservative women?

[Committees of the House, February 26th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, who always has very clear and thought-provoking questions.

I was a union president for a long time. One of the duties of a union president is to ensure that its members are properly represented and that, no matter the offence, members are defended. I believe that this is the first time that I have seen a union receive a fine of $50,000 for wanting to defend its members and to do its job. That is unheard of.

I do not know what the Human Rights Commission will do, but I would rail against such an action. Imagine the situation. I am a member of a union and of the public service. I realize that I do not have pay equity. I ask for my right to negotiate, because that is the only option now, but my union can do nothing to assist me. And since I can no longer resort to the court challenges program I cannot even defend myself. The government knows very well that there are millions and billions at stake in these cases but that poor employees do not even have a cent.

That is definitely a form of violence against women.

[Committees of the House, February 26th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question.

It is quite true that I care deeply about all groups that struggle to be recognized and to have their rights recognized. My colleague said that lesbians, transsexual and transgendered women have even greater difficulty than people who have decided to come out of the closet or people who have decided to live their lives without worrying about what other people will say. It is true that we have seen many hate crimes committed against homosexuals, lesbians and transgendered people. We have seen this and we still see it every day, which, to me, is an absolute disgrace.

I think a study is needed so that such groups can be included in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. I think we need to examine this issue very seriously to determine whether certain groups should be added to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. I think it is our responsibility to take a very close look at this situation. I cannot presume to know what my hon. colleagues will decide, but I think it is our duty to look closely at this situation in order to ensure that all the groups represented in our society have the same rights and the assurance that they will not suffer such senseless violence.