Niki Ashton

[Petitions, December 7th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition to present, signed by Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

The petitioners ask the Government of Canada to initiate a commission of inquiry to conduct a judicial review into Canada's state of national aviation safety.

These are the voices of Canadians who are concerned about the government's wish to recede from the role that it should play in ensuring that our aviation systems are safe. As someone who has survived a plane crash and represents many communities where travelling by air is the only way one is going to get out, we know air safety is nothing to be played around with. These Canadians know. We want the government to act.

[Employment, December 4th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the government should not be bragging about a small 0.1% drop in unemployment. Statistics Canada is worried because too many former full-time workers are being forced into part-time jobs, and Canada's youth are being left behind.

Youth unemployment has increased almost 3%. With students facing record-high tuition fees and some of the highest student debt in Canadian history, being unemployed means not making enough money to make it back to university or college the next semester.

When will the government stop patting itself on the back and actually do something to get Canadian—

[Violence Against Women, December 4th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, every year more than 100,000 women and children in Canada spend time in shelters after fleeing violence in their homes. When these women and children leave the shelters, more often than not they are condemned to a life of poverty, because there is a causal relationship between domestic violence and poverty.

Will the government commit to making a coordinated effort to end violence against women, along with the provinces, municipalities and first nations communities?

[Petitions, December 3rd, 2009]

Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present a petition by the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign regarding the fight against AIDS in Africa and throughout the world.

Canadians from Alberta and Ontario are calling on the government to play a role in the fight against AIDS not only in our own country, but throughout the world. They want us to help communities by providing drugs and general support.

This also concerns the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Tuberculosis is a problem in a number of our first nations communities and in our own country. People are calling on the government to lead by example.

[Committees of the House, December 3rd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, clearly the issue being discussed today is one of great importance and really reflects the path our country has been taking as of late when it comes to human rights, when it comes to dealing with torture and, most important, when it comes to correcting the wrong, when it comes to recognizing what has been done wrong and in this case egregiously to Canadian citizens themselves.

I would like my colleague to comment and give us feedback on the work of my colleague, the member for Vancouver Kingsway, on the public safety committee, which has had the chance to delve into this deeper. The government says that it cannot deal with recommendation 3, which is considering the harm to the three individuals in question, because it is in the courts.

Would the member respond to that? It is so clear that we need to deal with this and we need the government to show leadership. In this case, the report before us is very much centred on the experience of these three men and we need to deal with that.

[Petitions, December 2nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand in the House and present a petition from residents in my constituency, namely those from Flin Flon and surrounding communities as well as Creighton, Saskatchewan. These people have signed a petition calling for the government to act when it comes to the disastrous impact of climate change.

We in northern Canada know first-hand the impact of global warming on our communities, on our ecosystems, and quite frankly, on our livelihood. People like Warren Martin have organized many of our people in communities like Flin Flon to get up and say “no” to the continued legacy of inaction of the Conservative government, and say “yes” to passing legislation such as the one we presented and calling for leadership when we go to Copenhagen.

[Post-Secondary Education, November 24th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, at a time when young people are facing some of the most difficult economic times, we need action to support them. We need national leadership when it comes to post-secondary education.

Instead of leadership, past Liberal governments and the current Conservative government have helped place a heavier burden on students.

What can be done? We need to start by listening. Student leaders from my home province of Manitoba, Jonny Sopotiuk and Stephen Montague with the Canadian Federation of Students and leaders from across the country have made it clear: We need action.

We need a post-secondary act directing transfer payments to our provinces with the goal of making education more accessible and strengthening the work at our institutions. The NDP is continuing to call for this. Why not show leadership in our post-secondary system the way we show it in health? We need to invest in making our education more affordable and more accessible.

Canada's youth face impossible situations: war, climate change, a difficult economy. They are counting on this government for action. Let us not let them down.

[Northern and Rural Canadians, November 4th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, northern and rural Canadians deserve real support. They are worried about their livelihoods and their communities. They are concerned about essential services that could be taken away.

Many people across northern Manitoba, in Flin Flon, The Pas, Cross Lake, Leaf Rapids, Lynn Lake and other communities are concerned about losing their postal service and are saying no to reductions and privatization of Canada Post services.

They are concerned about the health care in their communities and the real shortage of doctors.

They are asking for affordable housing and they are asking for support for the industries which they support through their work; support for family farms and rural infrastructure; support for miners and forestry workers when it comes to putting a stop to foreign buyouts and agreements that sell our jobs; and support to fishers who, as seasonal workers, ask for supportive legislation in the area of EI and pensions.

The NDP stands proudly for northern and rural Canadians. We fight for people in our regions. While the Conservatives pay lip service, we fight for the justice and the services we all deserve.

[November 2nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for bringing this up time and time again. It is absolutely shocking. It is time we see the federal government take a stand for a system that we are so proud of as Canadians, the medicare system. I am proud to be part of a party that fought for it.

This is the time for the government to stand up, put its foot down to ensure that this does not happen. It should work with the provinces because it is unacceptable and unjust.

[November 2nd, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, I have made it clear that I plan to get the vaccine at the earliest possible time. Given that I am not in the first set of priorities to get vaccinated, that the people in my region, my neighbours, my friends, people who live in communities that I represent need it more than me, I have also made it clear that they should get it done.

I also want to highlight as well that I, like many Canadians across our country, do not have a family doctor. Therefore, it makes it a bit challenging to engage in the medical discussions. It points to the real weaknesses of our health care system and the need for us to step up and not only deal with supporting our health care system when it comes to crises but support it throughout so we all have the care and that relationship to the health care we deserve throughout our lives.