Citizenship and Immigration  Mr. Speaker, warning signs of mismanagement are mounting at Citizenship and Immigration. Excessive backlogs and wait times, cuts to successful programs, and a failure to address pressing labour needs are well-known. However now the Auditor General finds that officials lack the training they need, the manuals are out of date, and they are using 50-year-old health screening standards.

Poverty  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight an issue that touches far too many people in Canada: child and family poverty. It has been over 20 years since the House unanimously adopted an NDP motion to eradicate child poverty and yet, in 2011, the statistics are appalling: 639,000, nearly one in ten Canadian children, live in poverty today; and 52% of all single mothers with children under six live in poverty.

Citizenship and Immigration  Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General today reported that immigration officials are not adequately managing health and safety risks regarding visas. He said that officials lack the right tools and training, and decisions are rarely reviewed. Health screening has not changed in 50 years and one key manual was last updated in 1999.

Excise Tax Act  moved for leave to introduce Bill C-353, An Act to amend the Excise Tax Act and the Income Tax Act (extra-energy-efficient products). Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce a bill inspired by a young person in my riding, Hansel Fung. He, like many young people, is concerned about our excessive use of energy.

Canadian Autism Day Act  moved for leave to introduce Bill C-351, An Act respecting a Canadian Autism Day. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill respecting a national autism day. I am proud to introduce legislation that would recognize the work and struggles of those with autism. It also would recognize the challenges faced by friends and families of people with this condition, in particular, parents who raise an autistic child and all of the special people who work with and advocate for them.

National Office for Fire and Emergency Response Statistics Act  moved for leave to introduce Bill C-352, An Act to amend the Statistics Act (National Office for Fire and Emergency Response Statistics). Mr. Speaker, I rise to introduce a bill that would create a national office for fire and emergency response statistics. This office would build a database to compile fire and emergency response statistics from across Canada.

Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act  Mr. Speaker, I congratulate my hon. colleague from Nickel Belt on a very informed and thoughtful speech. We are talking about the Canada Wheat Board and the merits of keeping it. We have heard passionate arguments on both sides of the House, but the key question for me comes down to what the farmers of western Canada want.

Petitions  Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to rise to present a petition signed by hundreds of people all across British Columbia, calling for the establishment of a high commission in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. Many people from the Fijian community in Canada, which I would point out number over 100,000 strong, have pointed out that the lack of consular services in Fiji presents a lot of difficulties for them.

Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act  Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I apologize for interrupting my hon. colleague's speech, but it is a parliamentary rule in the House not to comment on the absence of someone in the House. I wonder if that rule also applies to committee, because my hon. colleague just pointed out that someone was absent from committee.

Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act  Madam Speaker, I want to bring a personal perspective to this debate. My grandfather, Vincent Varyu, who passed away in 1981, came to this country in 1926 from Hungary. He came pursuant to an immigration plan that encouraged farmers, particularly from Europe, to come to Canada. He landed in Halifax, took a train to the edge of Saskatchewan, walked 26 miles with his brother and came to a quarter section of land on the border of Saskatchewan and Alberta, near Dewberry, Alberta.

Citizenship and Immigration  Mr. Speaker, Sayed Sharifi is an Afghan interpreter who risked his life to help Canadian soldiers. They have hailed Mr. Sharifi's bravery under fire and his integrity and say he is the most skilled interpreter they have ever encountered. His life is at risk after receiving death threats from the Taliban.

Senate Reform Act  Mr. Speaker, on a point that I started to develop, I want to raise the question of who is going to be representative of the provinces. Currently we elect premiers, cabinets and governments in every province and territory, but the Senate was set up originally as a body to supposedly represent regional concerns.

Senate Reform Act  Mr. Speaker, that is one of the prime dangers of the bill. Up until now the senators in the other chamber have at least acknowledged that they do not have any democratic legitimacy. Therefore, they do committee work, study bills they hold up, but they would never, up until the current Conservative government of course, actually defeat a bill passed by the House of Commons.

Senate Reform Act  Mr. Speaker, I have a conceptual response for my hon. colleague and a practical one. The practical one is that, of course, we do not need a Senate. If we were to abolish it, there would be absolutely zero effect on the quality of legislation or study of social issues in this country.

Senate Reform Act  Mr. Speaker, part of the preamble to Bill C-7 states: --Parliament wishes to maintain the essential characteristics of the Senate within Canada’s parliamentary democracy as a chamber of independent, sober second thought-- I am going to focus on the word “independent” for a minute.