Paulina Ayala

[Fighting Foreign Corruption Act, June 4th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, we are talking about corruption. However, we do not talk about the fact that Canadian companies are reported as being responsible for the persecution of unions in countries where they are doing business, and are even involved in criminal activities.

I wonder if my colleague could elaborate on this issue.

[Safer Witnesses Act, May 23rd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I listened with interest to my colleague’s speech.

One point struck me as very sensitive. It is all very well to draft all kinds of magnificent bills for society, but without the means to apply them, they never amount to anything. That worries me and my colleagues, because in the end, the municipal police end up footing the bill. This restricts the amount of field work they can do.

I would like the member to go into expand on this and talk more about the fact that a bill can be drafted and passed, but in the end remain ineffective unless the means are available to apply it.

There is also the fact that the federal government enacts laws that the provinces or municipalities must pay for. They already have to pay for too many things, and cuts are being made to social programs. It seems to me that this is a contradiction. We want to protect people, and that is fine because we want justice, but the resources needed to take action must be provided too.

I would like the member to talk more about this.

[Extension of Sitting Hours, May 22nd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, democracy is a political system that must be nurtured with good governance.

Democracy is not a given. It must be protected and fostered on a daily basis. I have no problem working hours on end. I fought for years against a dictator in another country.

My only problem is that our constituents already feel disillusioned because of these scandals involving politicians who break the law.

Will this government give us some real answers and protect us from these delinquents who are attacking democracy within the Canadian Parliament? I hope that we will get some real answers during the long hours we will be working.

[New Democratic Party of Canada, May 22nd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, our constituents are disillusioned with politicians who are mired in scandal and completely unaccountable to Canadians.

As elected officials, it is our duty to give Canadians a voice; we are accountable to them.

Today, I am therefore giving a voice to a constituent who wrote to me:

Since you have been in your position, this is really the first time I have been kept informed about political issues and decisions being made in Ottawa.

I really feel as though I am being asked to do my job as a citizen—to express myself—and not just to go and vote. This really is the first time.

With this survey I received in the mail, I feel as though someone is listening.

I see that you really embrace the NDP's vision to get young people involved. Well done!

I voted for you, and in no way do I regret it. In return, you are doing a good job. You have earned my trust. You are even motivating me to keep my loved ones informed and to urge them to vote.

I have a message for my constituents: you can rest assured that the NDP is here to stand up for democracy and defend your right to be heard.

[Economic Action Plan 2013 Act, No. 1, May 6th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the opposition plays a fundamental role in the parliamentary system. According to a paper I read from the Library of Parliament:

Parliament, after all, is fundamentally about debate…and the transacting of the people's business in public.…A vigorous opposition in Parliament can be the chief bulwark against the temptation [for a majority government that wishes to do everything without debate].

In Bill C-60, the Conservatives are attempting for a second time to escape parliamentary and public scrutiny. Does my colleague agree with me that our democracy is suffering?

[Economic Action Plan 2013 Act, No. 1, May 6th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, as MPs, we have to do a good job and we have to take our work very seriously

The government presented a notice of motion to the Standing Committee on Finance requiring it to complete, in just five meetings, its study of Bill C-60, which contains 18 sections and 233 clauses. If we take these clauses and divide them by five, that is 40 clauses per meeting.

Does my colleague believe that five meetings of the Standing Committee on Finance is enough to properly study the bill?

[Combating Terrorism Act, April 23rd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague's comments affect me a great deal.

In my own family, I have a brother who was tortured under the Pinochet dictatorship. He was not a terrorist, but he was against the regime. Yes, the context was different, but it reminds us that torture leaves its mark on people forever.

There is one thing that bothers me. We are being told that these laws need to be enforced, but there is no commitment to hire the resources that the police needs to do its job properly.

Could the hon. member elaborate on the fact that cuts in the budget are affecting the protection of Canadians and police services?

[Combating Terrorism Act, April 23rd, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to present some figures.

Budget 2012 announced cuts to public safety of $687.9 million by 2015, which is a considerable amount. Budget 2013 makes still more cuts.

Budget 2013 did not renew the police officers recruitment fund in spite of the fact that the provinces were asking for continued assistance from the federal government for front-line police officers. The Conservatives have cut services that affect national security and now they are introducing legislation.

Is there not a contradiction here? Does the government really want to protect Canadians by cutting law enforcement services?

[Canada Post, March 27th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, people in my riding are writing to me to ask why the Conservative government is shutting down their post office. Since the beginning of last year, 30 post offices across Canada have been shut down, including 16 in Quebec and no fewer than 10 in Montreal.

We know that the Prime Minister prefers FedEx, but why does he want to prevent people from using Canada Post's countrywide service?

[The Budget, March 26th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, before I came to Parliament, I was a school teacher. I believe in education. It is the best investment our country can make. Education is the starting point for sweeping change in every respect.

Education does figure into this budget, but what worries me is that it is always tied to jobs. Education begins at a very young age. Many of us here today have children. Our children sometimes have a hard time or have problems at school.

How does the budget help families with children who have difficulties at school? These learning difficulties could result in problems for young teenagers, and they may drop out of school. What is the government doing to prevent that? Nothing that I can see.

There is another thing that worries me about education. In the budget, it says, “provide $10 million over two years for...marketing activities [for international students].” Come on. Education is not marketing. It is an intrinsic and important value.

I would like to ask my colleague why the education of our children and help for families are being cast aside.