Sean Casey

[Respecting Families of Murdered and Brutalized Persons Act, May 30th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to speak to Bill C-587, which sadly, is another initiative from a Conservative backbench to weaken the coherence of the Criminal Code of Canada.

The hon. member in whose name the bill resides is introducing a bill that is to a certain extent, sadly, a solution in search of a problem. Or if we were to be just a wee bit cynical, this private member's bill is a solution in search of a fundraising letter.

The member will know that much of what his political party is really concerned with is raising money from its political base and there seems to be an obsession with the Criminal Code. This is not unlike the Conservative approach to veterans in Canada, an approach where symbolism is more important than substance. We saw an example of that just last night where the Minister of Veterans Affairs is spending another $4 million on self-promotion, all the while ignoring the real problems affecting our veterans.

It is galling that the Conservatives would cut district offices for veterans, cut support staff and those who work with them using the excuse of cutting costs, while they spend another $4 million on advertising that is not meant to do anything except promote the Conservative Party and using taxpayers' dollars to do that—

[Petitions, May 30th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I also rise to present a petition on behalf of residents and visitors to Canada's smallest and nicest province with respect to the cuts at Canada Post. Petitioners are concerned about the impact of these cuts on the general public, on postal workers, and on the disabled. They are calling on the Government of Canada to reverse the cuts announced by Canada Post and to look for ways to innovate, including areas such as postal banking.

[Employment, May 30th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, we know the Conservatives do not care about Atlantic Canada, so let us try out west. The president of the Alberta Federation of Labour says the temporary foreign worker program has gone off the rails and is driving down wages. The Alberta jobs minister says, “What you really need is to bring compliance measures into that program and enforcement measures and punish those who abuse the program.”

Why has the federal government let abuses of this program become so pervasive?

[Employment, May 30th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, Conservatives named and shamed no one. In my province of Prince Edward Island 11% of the workforce is ready, able, and willing to work and cannot find a job. At the same time, the Conservatives have quadrupled the number of temporary foreign workers in my province. What the program has done under the Conservatives' watch has distorted the labour market and driven down Canadian wages. Why is it that the government oversight of this program is next to non-existent?

[Employment, May 30th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the government would have us believe that it is banning abusive employers from using the temporary foreign worker program. However, last year, at least 250 temporary foreign workers complained that they were mistreated. In spite of these complaints, the government's black list shows that it has not banned any company for mistreating its temporary workers.

Why is the government not monitoring the program?

[Bold Vision, May 30th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, on Prince Edward Island, we have a deep appreciation for our history and a determination to continue playing a key role in shaping our country. It was 150 years ago that Charlottetown welcomed the 23 Fathers of Confederation, who provided a vision for the country we know today.

As Prince Edward Island prepared to celebrate this historic anniversary, a small group of Islanders explored a single question: what would 23 women have envisioned for the future of Canada? This September, our island will welcome 23 Canadian women from across the country. They will share their bold vision for the next 150 years.

These 23 women come from varied backgrounds, including rocket scientists, social activists, physicians, politicians, journalists, educators, artists, and electricians, and each of them has at least one thing in common: they have a profound love of Canada.

I am proud to stand in the House today and congratulate these 23 women, who include three colleagues from the House of Commons, the members for St. Paul's, Churchill, and Ahuntsic.

Bold Vision is a collaborative effort of Women's Network PEI, the PEI Coalition for Women in Government, the PEI Business Women's Association, the Prince Edward Island Advisory Council on the Status of Women, and the Interministerial Women's Secretariat.

[Justice, May 29th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, the process the government used to appoint Justice Nadon was a disaster. In anticipation of Justice LeBel's imminent retirement this fall, can the minister tell us what lessons the government has learned and what process will be used to replace Justice LeBel so that Quebec does not have to go another year without its full contingent of judges on the Supreme Court?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, May 26th, 2014]

With regard to contracts under $10,000 granted by Justice Canada since January 1, 2013: what are the (a) vendors' names; (b) contracts' reference numbers; (c) dates of the contracts; (d) descriptions of the services provided; (e) delivery dates; (f) original contracts' values; and (g) final contracts' values if different from the original contracts' values?

[Petitions, May 13th, 2014]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition signed by several residents of the province of Quebec with respect to the situation in Venezuela. They are calling on the Canadian government to take action through the Organization of American States, including economic sanctions, regarding the situation in Venezuela.

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, May 12th, 2014]

With regard to the purchase of cosmetics by Ministers' offices, Ministers of State and Parliamentary Secretaries, since December 13, 2011: (a) how much money has each Minister's office, Minister of State and Parliamentary Secretary spent on (i) cosmetics, (ii) hair products, (iii) beauty supplies; (b) what were the dates of each purchase; and (c) what were the brands and names of the individual products purchased?