Robert Chisholm

[Main Estimates, 2014-15, June 10th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I listened with interest to the member's speech. He spent a great deal of his time talking about the NDP and our approach toward reforming the Senate, abolishing the Senate, and changing the democratic process in this country to make it more accountable to the people, the people who pay the taxes and vote to make sure that the institutions are working for them. What I did not hear him talk about at all was what we are here to talk about tonight, which is why we should grant another $92 million to the Senate, an institution that is utterly and inexplicably unaccountable. There was example after example given of the problems that arise when we do not have accountability mechanisms, where people run off with credit cards and are not held accountable for that.

I would like to ask the member this. Would he please explain to me and to the half a dozen people who might be watching this show why it is that he does not think it is important that the Senate be held accountable and that the government be held accountable for giving the Senate, an unaccountable body, $92 million?

[Main Estimates, 2014-15, June 10th, 2014]

EI.

[Main Estimates, 2014-15, June 10th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I have only been in the House for three years, so I have not had the opportunity to hear the member for Timmins—James Bay go on about this issue in the way that he has, and to clearly articulate what the problems are with the Senate. In this forum, we are talking about holding some accountability on $92 million and the fact that not only will the government not respond, but the Liberal Party will not respond as to why Canadians deserve to have some answers and understand why we do not have a better sense of control over that $92 million.

Could the member explain to us why these two parties continue to fight to protect the Senate and that $92 million of taxpayers' money that gets flushed down the toilet every single year?

[Main Estimates, 2014-15, June 10th, 2014]

That's comparable. Sure.

[Lake Banook, June 3rd, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, Lake Banook is located in the heart of my riding of Dartmouth—Cole Harbour. Home to three different canoe/kayak clubs, it is widely recognized as one of the best natural paddling courses in the world. In fact, our community has hosted several world championship events, and just last week, CanoeKayak Canada announced that Lake Banook will be one of four national team training centres in the country. That is amazing news.

Residents know, however, that the lake is not without its challenges. Environmental issues have created problems with excessive weed growth that inhibits our ability to use the lake to its full potential.

Considering the federal government's responsibilities for environmental protection and Dartmouth's commitment to the lake as a national and international sports venue, I encourage the government to work with the municipality to address this issue so we can keep the lake in great shape for many years to come.

[Petitions, May 30th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to table this petition, which is signed by nearly 400 of my constituents from Dartmouth—Cole Harbour.

Petitioners are asking the government to stop the cuts to our postal services. People in my community feel that door-to-door service is important. The 8,000 well-paying jobs that will be lost are a serious problem. They feel Canada Post should be looking at options to ensure that it can raise additional revenue to maintain this service for constituents in Dartmouth—Cole Harbour and across the country.

[Veterans Affairs, May 30th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, Jenny Migneault was speaking for many across the country when she said, “You're forgetting us once more. We're nothing to you.”

People in Dartmouth—Cole Harbour are feeling this kind of callous behaviour on behalf of the minister. Instead of blowing $4 million on ads claiming to respect veterans, why does the minister not actually respect veterans, invest in supporting them, and at least, heaven forbid, talk to them?

When is the minister going to start taking veterans' issues seriously and apologize?

[Veterans Affairs, May 30th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the minister expects people to believe that he did not know that Ms. Migneault was the spouse of a veteran, even though she said flat out, “I'm just a vet's spouse” while standing a few feet away. Instead of showing her basic courtesy, he and his staff bolted. It is pathetic. Veterans and their families are tired of being treated with this level of disdain.

Would the minister apologize to Ms. Migneault and veterans and families across this country?

[Employment Insurance Act, May 29th, 2014]

moved for leave to introduce Bill C-605, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (protecting the Employment Insurance Operating Account).

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to stand in the House today to introduce my bill on the protection of the employment insurance operating account. I want to thank my colleague, the member for Trois-Rivières, for seconding the motion. The bill essentially builds a fence around the account to protect the premiums paid into the EI account by workers and employers. It safeguards the account so that contributions can only be used for the purposes of the Employment Insurance Act. Why is that important? It is important because Liberal and Conservative governments have taken off with $57 billion of contributions made by workers and businesses to ensure that the fund was there when workers were unemployed and needed it. It has been desperately painful.

As a result of changes that the Liberals and the Conservatives have made to employment insurance, the use and eligibility has now dropped to an all-time low under the current government, whereby only 37% of EI applicants are eligible for benefits. I am pleased to be able to introduce the bill. I believe it will go some considerable distance to show workers and employers that this place has some faith in their ability to make sure that the fund is there when workers need it.

(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

[Employment Insurance, May 27th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, premiers in Atlantic Canada understand their region. They know what their economies need to grow and flourish. They are unanimous that the changes the federal government made to EI without any consultation are damaging to our region's economy.

Why are the Conservatives so allergic to working with the provinces, and why will they not sit down with them now and agree to fix the problems they have created with these changes?