Pierre-Luc Dusseault

[Democratic Reform, February 24th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the inevitable has happened. The Conservatives' unfair elections act is being challenged in court.

A majority of experts, citizen groups and even some Conservative politicians have strongly condemned this law, which would deprive some citizens of their right to vote. The Council of Canadians and the Canadian Federation of Students are asking for an injunction, which is the logical consequence of this botched bill.

Why are the Conservatives trying to prevent students from voting in the next election? What are they afraid of?

[Business of Supply, February 24th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech.

Having participated in National Assembly of Quebec debates for several years, he is certainly familiar with the select committee's work.

Does my colleague think that Parliament, as a legislative assembly, also has a responsibility, as stated in the motion, to strike a committee to study this matter and make recommendations to the government?

Committees do not have the power to draft bills, of course. However, they can make recommendations to the government.

What does he think of legislators making recommendations to the government, particularly with respect to the question the Supreme Court has given us?

[Business of Supply, February 24th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech, although I did not hear any solutions in there.

He just talked about facts and what has happened elsewhere in the world. He did not talk about a concrete solution for the case before us now.

The Supreme Court just handed down a ruling, and Parliament has a year to respond. However, the member did not mention any solution that he or his government might have in mind to follow up. The decision came down in January 2015. One year brings us to January or February 2016, so we have to get going on this right away.

What kind of solutions does the member envision?

[Petitions, February 24th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to table a petition signed by over a hundred Sherbrooke residents. They are asking the Government of Canada to use all of the diplomatic resources at its disposal to pressure the Saudi Arabian government to release Saudi blogger Raif Badawi. As we all know, he was jailed and sentenced to a thousand lashes for expressing his opinions on a blog on the Internet in an attempt to kindle political discussions in his country.

The petitioners are asking the government to use everything at its disposal to try to have Mr. Badawi released and bring him back to his wife and three children in Canada.

[Science and Technology, February 16th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the minister did not really understand the question.

Stars are not the only things the Mont-Mégantic observatory reveals. It has also revealed the incompetence of the Minister of International Development, who did not foresee the crisis precipitated by his own government two years ago. Rather than blaming scientists, the minister should recognize that his government was the one that changed the funding criteria for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Will the minister get to work immediately to find a definitive solution to the Mont-Mégantic observatory's funding problems?

[Consumer Protection, February 5th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, for months, motorists in Sherbrooke have been the victims of a gas price-fixing cartel. A group of citizens has filed a class action lawsuit.

However, in addition to facing a powerful lobby, these citizens also have to deal with the lack of co-operation from the Conservatives and the Competition Bureau, who are refusing to disclose all of the wiretapping and evidence.

Why are the Conservatives protecting the so-called gas cartel, which overran Sherbrooke for months and ripped off people across the Eastern Townships?

[Petitions, February 4th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, on behalf of 125 of my constituents from Sherbrooke, a petition calling for the release of Raif Badawi. They are calling on the Government of Canada to use its diplomatic tools to put pressure on the Saudi Arabia government to free Raif Badawi and to allow him to join his family in Sherbrooke.

[Democratic Reform, February 4th, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, nearly a year ago, we asked the Minister of State for Democratic Reform if he had consulted the Chief Electoral Officer about his unfair elections act.

He said he did, but he did not. Now we have another bill before us that is violating Canadians' right to vote.

Did the minister actually consult Elections Canada this time?

[National Defence, February 3rd, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have abandoned not only our veterans, but also our military heritage. Two armouries in Sherbrooke are in a very sorry state. The health and safety of the staff who work there are even at risk. The problem has been known for too long, while the Department of National Defence has been dragging its feet.

Is the government going to do something about this, or is it going to continue putting our soldiers and the staff at those two armouries at risk?

[Citizen Voting Act, February 3rd, 2015]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his speech.

Does he also have concerns about the coming into force of the bill? Clause 20 of Bill C-50 states that the bill will come into force 60 days after it receives royal assent. Elections Canada will only have 60 days to implement the new provisions and make the changes to the register of electors required by the bill.

Does he think that this is a reasonable amount of time for Elections Canada? Should the government at least give Elections Canada the time it needs to make the necessary changes?