Tarik Brahmi

[Jobs, Growth and Long-term Prosperity Act, June 12th, 2012]

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

She spoke about something we often hear in the House. The government often tells people that they just have to use the Internet. She mentioned that a lot of people do not have access to Internet, but there is something else that she did not have time to mention: some people are not comfortable on the Internet. We all have constituents who come to our offices asking us to do Service Canada's job because they do not understand. When they call, they do not get an answer, and when they go online, things are not always clear.

I would like my colleague to tell us to what extent, in her day-to-day work, she can see how reductions in services and cuts to Service Canada are having a direct impact on the public.

[Points of Order, June 11th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I accept the hon. member's apology. I think it was an error made by his team and his staffers. I will not hold it against him.

[Situation in Syria, June 5th, 2012]

Mr. Chair, I listened closely to the member for Mississauga—Streetsville's remarks.

He provided a detailed description of the six-point plan put forward by Kofi Annan, the special envoy not only of the Security Council, as he mentioned, but also the Arab League.

Currently, it is clear that not one of the points in the plan has been implemented. Kofi Annan is scheduled to speak to the Security Council Thursday. I would like the member to tell us if he has any hope that Kofi Annan will come up with a new idea that will help put an end to the current impasse.

[Situation in Syria, June 5th, 2012]

Mr. Chair, I listened carefully to the speech by the member for Mississauga South. She mentioned a few times that binding sanctions should be adopted by the Security Council.

I wonder which precise examples of binding sanctions could be effective, useful and efficient in that specific situation?

[Situation in Syria, June 5th, 2012]

Madam Chair, I listened carefully to the member opposite's position and that of his party. I would like to ask him if, given the latest declaration of Mr. Gatilov, the deputy foreign minister for Russia, saying that it is not mandatory anymore to keep Assad in power, does the member think that it is an optimistic position that we can expect from that declaration?

[Situation in Syria, June 5th, 2012]

Mr. Chair, I congratulate the hon. member for La Pointe-de-l'Île for her speech.

She spoke about an important role, a key role, namely, that of Russia. Today, Russia has taken a small step in the right direction by recognizing that, from now on, maintaining Bashar al-Assad in power is no longer an necessary condition.

I would like to hear her comments on that, and I would like her to let us know how that can make us a little more optimistic about the situation.

[Situation in Syria, June 5th, 2012]

Madam Chair, I would like the hon. member for Ottawa Centre to say a few words about something he has not yet had time to raise, and that is the situation of ethnic minorities.

To what extent are the ethnic minorities at risk in the Syrian conflict? We know there are strong ethnic tensions in that region and in Syria in particular.

[Situation in Syria, June 5th, 2012]

Madam Chair, I would like to take this opportunity to turn again to Canada's diplomatic role in the world.

Could the parliamentary secretary briefly tell us how our role has changed since October 2010, when Canada lost its seat on the UN Security Council?

[Business of Supply, May 31st, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate the hon. member for Chambly—Borduas on his excellent presentation.

I am from Saint-Jean, the riding next to Chambly—Borduas, and I know how much the tourism industry in that riding has suffered as a result of the flooding in 2011, as has my riding of Saint-Jean.

I would like the hon. member to explain how this change to the Employment Insurance Act will add salt to the wound. Not only has this riding been affected by floods, but, as my colleague mentioned, the cuts to Parks Canada will affect the wonderful Fort Chambly site, which is an important national historic site, as my colleague said.

How will this change to employment insurance put even more pressure on seasonal jobs?

[World No Tobacco Day, May 28th, 2012]

Mr. Speaker, Thursday, May 31, 2012, is World No Tobacco Day.

This year, the World Health Organization has chosen “tobacco industry interference” as the theme of World No Tobacco Day.

The advertising campaign, which focuses on intimidation, will highlight the need to expose and counter—and I quote the WHO—“the tobacco industry's brazen and increasingly aggressive attempts”. This global epidemic kills nearly six million people every year, more than 600,000 of whom die from exposure to second-hand smoke.

I would therefore like to encourage Canadians to kick the habit and stop smoking. I would also like to express my great admiration for all young people who decide not to start smoking and to live a smoke-free life.