Robert Aubin

[Business of Supply, February 26th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, to begin, I would like to thank the member for Trinity—Spadina for her incredible leadership in this area.

Over the past few months, we have met with dozens of municipal representatives across Canada, and not a single one was opposed to the motion moved by my colleague this morning. It is unanimous. There is something much larger than a consensus on this issue. It would appear that there are anywhere from 150 to 200 people who are prepared to vote against this motion, namely the Conservatives on the other side.

Am I right? Did my colleague find even one organization that has reservations about this motion, or have I understood correctly and people are unanimous in their support? Is there really a consensus about what needs to happen with Canada's infrastructure?

[Infrastructure, February 25th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, it seems clear that the Conservatives want the people of Montreal's south shore to pay for the construction of the new Champlain bridge. Toll booths could be installed on every bridge and tunnel leading to the south shore.

The problem with the minister's plan is that it leads to the federal government abdicating its responsibility for infrastructure.

Before implementing a tax on transportation in the Montreal area, why not work with the municipalities on coming up with a stable, predictable strategy for funding infrastructure on an ongoing basis?

[Canada Post Corporation, February 14th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives' lack of consistency has reached new heights.

In June 2011, the Conservatives said that our economy would be devastated if we did not force Canada Post employees back to work. They said that businesses and Canadians would pay dearly for the reduced services.

Yesterday CTV news was reporting that the Conservatives might reduce mail delivery from five to three days a week.

If a simple rotating strike presented such a serious threat to our economy, what sort of impact would a permanent reduction have? Would it be the apocalypse?

[Transportation, February 14th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, traffic congestion is a problem that can no longer be ignored. Every day in Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver and many other cities, people have trouble getting to work, which means billions of dollars' worth of lost productivity. To help our economy, we must invest in effective solutions, and the best solution, hands down, is public transit.

Has the minister included funding for public transit in the next infrastructure program in order to reduce traffic congestion?

[Petitions, February 13th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, according to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, access to secure, accessible and affordable housing is not a privilege, it is a fundamental right. But in Canada, a rich country, this is not yet the case.

That is why hundreds of people are adding their voices to the debates in Parliament in support of Bill C-400.

I am pleased to present this petition.

[Safer Witnesses Act, February 11th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I have been listening closely to the debate for hours. It is becoming increasingly clear that there is no funding set aside for this program. I would be pleasantly surprised to see something in the budget, but I will not count on it.

I am very disappointed to see that the government is asking everyone to do more with less. It is asking that of us, of the RCMP, of everyone except itself. The bill does not reflect any of the recommendations that came out of the Air India inquiry, for one. That inquiry recommended a transparent eligibility process and more rigorous accountability.

Finally, what is this wishful thinking? What are the Conservatives doing by giving us this bill and asking us to find a way to make it happen?

[Safer Witnesses Act, February 11th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for shedding some light on the subject we are dealing with today.

I could understand why, at first, she was enthusiastic about this bill. But now I am somewhat confused. The members on the other side of the House are telling us that there will be no extra money to put new measures in place.

In her speech, my colleague said that the number of people put in the witness protection program is low compared to the number of requests. At the other end of the spectrum are all of the community organizations that are working to prevent crime by tackling its root causes. They have had their funding drastically cut. It is clear that the Conservatives are singing that familiar refrain of “cuts, cuts”.

How can we hope that the bill will get the funding it needs to meet its goals?

[Safer Witnesses Act, February 11th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, the position described by my party and my colleague with regard to our support at second reading is a clear indication that we approach each bill with a clean slate and hope for the best for our constituents, the people we work for.

I have a quick question. Have we taken this bill as far as we possibly can without adding more money, which, I fear, is the direction the government plans to take?

[Enhancing Royal Canadian Mounted Police Accountability Act, February 11th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, it seems to me that it is the norm now.

[Enhancing Royal Canadian Mounted Police Accountability Act, February 11th, 2013]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for the relevant question.

I believe that this is a clear illustration of the corporate culture at the RCMP. The fact that they did not instantly agree on the benefits of sexual harassment training clearly shows that their corporate culture is still hierarchical and quasi-militaristic.

It is 2013, and we need to get on with it.