House of Commons photo

Crucial Fact

  • His favourite word was community.

Last in Parliament October 2015, as NDP MP for Jeanne-Le Ber (Québec)

Won his last election, in 2011, with 45% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Petitions June 17th, 2015

Mr. Speaker, the third petition is signed by hundreds of individuals across the country. They are calling for better support for public health. The petitioners feel that the government is failing in that regard.

Petitions June 17th, 2015

Mr. Speaker, the second petition, which has quite a few signatories, is to ensure the dignity of Canada's veterans.

The petitioners feel that the families of veterans and veterans themselves do not have proper access to the services they were promised.

Petitions June 17th, 2015

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions to present.

The first is another petition opposing the cuts to Canada Post. People want home delivery service to be restored because it affects seniors and people with disabilities.

Yukon and Nunavut Regulatory Improvement Act June 5th, 2015

Mr. Speaker, my esteemed colleague took the words right out of my mouth. I was going to ask her to comment on the blatant paternalistic attitude of the Conservative government in terms of its dealings with our first nation brothers and sisters, especially in light of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's report about coming together.

I would ask the member if she would comment further on how Bill S-6 flies in the face of the spirit and meaning of the Truth and Reconciliation report.

Petitions June 5th, 2015

Mr. Speaker, the final petition is signed by a number of individuals across the country who are calling for legislation with regard to the proper marking of carcinogenic materials in the products we use on a daily basis.

Petitions June 5th, 2015

Mr. Speaker, the second petition that I am presenting is signed by Canadians who want life to be more affordable. More specifically, they are calling on the government to eliminate pay-to-pay fees, curtail the activities of payday lenders and set limits on the price of gas.

Petitions June 5th, 2015

Mr. Speaker, I have three petitions to present.

The first is a petition signed by youth and adults who are calling for the government to ban the flavouring of tobacco products as it leads to increasing addictive behaviour in young people. This is something the petitioners are not in agreement with.

Committees of the House June 2nd, 2015

Mr. Speaker, I would like to go back to what my colleague spoke about with respect to the need for continued research into medical marijuana. There is an operation in my riding that supplies medical marijuana and it has helped many people with issues such as cancer and glaucoma. I have heard members on the other side sort of allude to the apparent safety of standardized drugs. I am sure members have heard the ads that list a litany of harmful side effects that some prescription drugs have, including death, as well as the growing problem among young people about using prescription drugs illegally.

I have a two-part question. Would my colleague like to comment on the importance of research into medical marijuana and the irony of the government's support of prescription drugs but not the medical use of marijuana?

Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act May 28th, 2015

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for a very eloquent and powerful sharing of thoughts.

We hear the title of the bill and we are told by the Conservatives that it does not mean anything, that it is not separating anybody. However, we use the terms “cultural diversity” and “cultural communities”. We are using the term “barbaric cultural practices”. People hear the word “cultural”, and there is an instinctive walk toward certain communities.

I would ask my hon. colleague if she would care to comment on whether she feels this bill would actually open the door, on an immigration level, to a certain type of profiling—cultural profiling, if you will. I would ask my colleague to comment on that.

Diabetes Day on the Hill May 26th, 2015

Mr. Speaker, diabetes is an insidious disease. Like cancer, it can eat away at our bodies, but unlike cancer, diabetes is preventable.

The incidences of obesity, inactivity, and unhealthy eating habits are at an all-time high in our communities. We have sacrificed the future health of our children for the sake of convenience and we have clouded the adverse effects of additives, such as salt and sugar, despite the detrimental effects they have on our health.

Today, on Parliament Hill, we are fortunate to welcome representatives from several organizations dedicated to promoting awareness of diabetes. I invite all of my colleagues to take the time to learn about the extraordinary work being done to fight this disease and, especially, to support this work in the future.

We are nothing without our health.

A cure for diabetes is possible, with the right resources and the right attitude.