House of Commons photoLost her last election, in 2015, with 24% of the vote.
Arts and Culture May 18th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, after hearing the minister's comments, some parents trusted his words and were opposed to the exhibit but many checked it out for themselves and saw the educational value and brought their children in. Come on, daddio, it is time for the minister to get back in the DeLorean. It is not 1955. Sex happens and it is better if youth are more informed, not less.
Will the government commit to stop interfering with museums, culture and science?
Arts and Culture May 18th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Canadian Heritage had no qualms about publicly criticizing the Canada Science and Technology Museum. Now he is washing his hands of the whole matter by saying that he simply gave his opinion.
Come on. Clearly, if the minister criticizes something loudly and clearly, it has an impact. He has failed to respect the independence of museums—period.
Since today is International Museum Day, will the government take this opportunity to promise to stop meddling in the exhibit choices of museums?
Canadian Heritage May 17th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, Molière wrote, “Cover up that bosom, which I cannot endure to look on”. The Conservatives are getting up on their high horses over an exhibit in a museum. I cannot believe what prudes they are.
The exhibit was very successful when it was on display in Montreal, and no holier-than-thou hypocrites were offended. After all, sex education is not the devil's work.
Will the minister promise to stop meddling in the exhibit decisions of Canadian museums? Or will the department of censorship blacklist anything that it does not agree with?
G20 Summit May 17th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the report on police actions during the G20 came down yesterday like a ton of bricks. First of all, the temporary detention facility did not meet the most rudimentary standards. Furthermore, illegal mass arrests were made. And, finally, excessive violence was used.
None of this would have happened if the government had focused more on organizing the summit rather than creating the G8 slush fund.
Will this government admit its responsibility in this fiasco?
Justice May 15th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, we already know the minister's script, but what Canadians want is real answers to questions.
Quebec's public safety department has estimated construction costs for new detention facilities at $750 million. And that was before the Conservatives announced their decision to close the Leclerc Institution in Laval.
Where will all those inmates be placed? Can the minister explain how it is possible to shut down penitentiaries, impose legislation that will increase the prison population by 20% and say that it will not cost a penny more?
Justice May 15th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives continue to boast about their tough on crime agenda, but the more we look into it, the more we realize that it was written on the back of a napkin.
Quebec's public safety department estimates that Bill C-10 will increase the prison population by 20%. That means an additional 1,000 people in the prison system, which is already 96% full.
If the government were serious, it would co-operate with the provinces to make sure they have the necessary resources.
For the time being, the only thing it does is send the bill to the provinces. Why?
The Budget May 11th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, considering what the government opposite is doing, it is as though all oversight mechanisms automatically create obstacles, so they had to be eliminated as soon as possible.
The reality is that the Inspector General found some major weaknesses at CSIS concerning the agency's operational mechanisms here in Canada. The problem is that if the government goes ahead with these extremely irresponsible changes, Canadians will never hear about this again.
Will the minister reverse this dangerous decision and finally show some transparency?
The Budget May 11th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, the government just keeps hiding from accountability. With its massive budget bill it wants to get rid of the oversight of CSIS. The former senior chief counsel to CSIS put it simply in saying that the CSIS Inspector General makes sure that CSIS is accountable to the minister and to Canadians.
What do the Conservatives have against being accountable?
RCMP May 10th, 2012
Mr. Speaker, it is really time that the government started walking the walk.
The problem of sexual harassment within the RCMP is not new. We have known about it for years. What is the minister's solution? He has washed his hands of the issue and referred it to a commission.
Do the Conservatives think that RCMP officers, who risk their lives every day to protect Canadians, deserve only empty words? Or will they finally give the RCMP the resources it needs to combat sexual harassment?
Mr. Speaker, what is surprising is seeing the parliamentary secretary confusing “criminals” and “refugees”. We are talking about refugees who are incarcerated, families who arrive with young children. The men and women are separated. They are treated like real criminals and are imprisoned. They sleep in dormitories. It is appalling.
I do not know if the parliamentary secretary has ever gone to visit one of these immigration detention centres. I pass by one of these centres every day when I am in my riding, for it is not far from my house. Armed security guards from the Canada Border Services Agency patrol the roof. People come out of there with their wrists and ankles shackled.
These situations are completely unacceptable considering what these people have been through in their own countries. It is absolutely appalling to think that, as a G8 country, Canada would treat people who come here seeking refuge as common criminals.
I therefore ask the parliamentary secretary why she is confusing refugee families, people who arrive here in good faith, with criminals. Does she not understand the difference between the two?