Madam Speaker, will the government build a new research reactor to replace NRU? Does the government believe that nuclear energy is the answer to climate change?
House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2011, with 39% of the vote.
Keeping Canada's Economy and Jobs Growing Act October 5th, 2011
Madam Speaker, will the government build a new research reactor to replace NRU? Does the government believe that nuclear energy is the answer to climate change?
Science and Technology October 5th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, in the budget a targeted area of R and D under the eco-energy innovation initiative is advanced energy storage: batteries. The National Research Council is undergoing a big reorganization. Scientists are waiting to learn if they have a future at NRC, including lithium ion battery researchers, whose contracts are ending in a few months.
Would the government please encourage NRC to quickly clarify the future of this group to retain our scientific resources and align them with Canada's economic priorities?
Aboriginal Affairs October 4th, 2011
Mr. Speaker, in Nunavik, the suicide rate is 25 times higher than the Quebec average, which is already the highest in the country. Earlier this year, two young people committed suicide in less than two months in Kuujjuaq, a community of less than 2,200 people. No government is doing enough to address the issue of suicide.
What does this government plan to do to improve support and health services in the community?
Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada's Immigration System Act October 3rd, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I am reminded that the rights we enjoy are affirmed when they are applied to the lowest in our society. I am also reminded of something that I personally believe, along with many others of different faiths, which is that we should have a preference for the poor. It is an opinion that many Canadians share.
When I talk to people about this legislation, there is a lot of fear about refugees coming to our country. I respectfully disagree with my colleagues on the other side of the House that this bill focuses on what a small, very visible stream of refugees coming to this country does with respect to what the members opposite would claim. It preys on the fear that people have that Canada is being overwhelmed by refugees. I would ask the member to comment on that.
Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada's Immigration System Act October 3rd, 2011
Mr. Speaker, seeing the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism across the floor, I would like to ask the hon. member if she would care to comment about the minister's argument that the purpose of the bill is to influence the economic decisions of people who undertake this very dangerous journey across the ocean and to influence the price point.
I am wondering if she thinks any of the people coming across the ocean on very dangerous voyages are really thinking about price points.
Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada's Immigration System Act October 3rd, 2011
Mr. Speaker, in my short time in this chamber, I have heard many times the Conservative government, in response to a question about an important issue, make the statement that it has done a little thing, which turns out to be a little band-aid and it usually starts out with, “We thank the Auditor General for her report”, and then continues.
It seems to me that this is another example of that where we take a small part of the overall refugee system, which is under some strain, and then the government proposes to deal with it in a kind of a sledgehammer way, not really thinking about the lack of resources that seems to be the real source of the problem.
I wonder if the member would care to comment about the fact that the number of people arriving in boats where there is a nice opportunity for a photo opportunity is actually a small percentage of the overall number of refugees coming into this country.
Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada's Immigration System Act October 3rd, 2011
Mr. Speaker, it strikes me that Bill C-4 is an example of legislation by news headline. I wonder if the government would really want to bother to go through the work of introducing the bill only to have it struck down by a court challenge if they did not get to have any photo ops on the beach in front of ships. It reminds me how the news tends to focus on airplane crashes when on an average day probably more people starve to death in this world than die from airplane crashes.
Would the member care to comment on that?
Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada's Immigration System Act October 3rd, 2011
Mr. Speaker, it strikes me as ironic that the Conservative government seems to care a lot about finances, but it does not seem to want to talk about the cost of its legislation. It seems to me this legislation, being unconstitutional, would just result in a lot of court challenges and a lot of work at the Supreme Court, and at the end of the day a lot of very smart people working a long time with the end result of no change.
I wonder if the member would care to comment about that.
Preventing Human Smugglers from Abusing Canada's Immigration System Act October 3rd, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I was struck by the point the hon. member made that Canadians are compassionate and have a history of reaching out and wanting to help those who are less fortunate around the world. She also commented on the fact that she finds it strange that we would single out a class of people arriving as refugees by a certain mode of transportation, people who represent only a small fraction of the total number of refugees.
I ask the hon. member to comment on whether she thinks that is fair.
Senate Reform Act October 3rd, 2011
Mr. Speaker, I have a question about the consultative process between the provinces and their citizens.
Let us imagine if the Prime Minister were to simply promise Canadians that he would consider lists of potential appointees submitted by the provinces. I fail to see the difference between that and the current bill. The current bill simply invites provinces to hold elections and to consult with their citizens. In both cases, whatever the provinces do, it is voluntary.
Now, the Conservatives could say that what is really going to happen is that there are going to be elections and we are going to have senators who are basically de facto elected senators.
To my mind, that is backdoor legislation. That is having an elected Senate by backdoor means. I do not think that is right.
In that case, if the Conservatives are saying that de facto we are going to have an elected Senate, we should be consulting with the provinces and the Supreme Court, because the reality is that senators would be elected. We should be dealing with reality instead of trying to trick Canadians about changing the Constitution, but not changing the Constitution because we are not allowed to.
Would the parliamentary secretary care to respond to that?