Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I arrived here today to speak to the opposition motion on fundraising and federal cabinet ministers. Canadian politics is governed by some of the strictest political financial regulations found anywhere in our country and across North America, and the Liberal Party of Canada fully complies with all of the rules and regulations.

Business of Supply  In May of last year, the former minister, Chris Alexander, was the main attraction at a $3,000-a-head reception—

Immigration to Atlantic Canada  Mr. Speaker, it is an honour for me to speak today to this motion that has been brought forward by my friend and colleague from Fundy Royal. This has such an enormous impact on my riding of Moncton—Riverview—Dieppe, as well as neighbouring ridings in Atlantic Canada. I want to commend the member for introducing Motion No. 39 to the House as it specifically addresses the crucial question of immigration and, more importantly, the retention of newcomers.

Canada Pension Plan  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his speech. Could he tell us more about the personal benefits to Canadians of the increase in additional contributions to the Canada pension plan?

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her very thoughtful speech. All members certainly agree that the situation of these women and girls is just horrible. Could my colleague tell us more about why it is important to develop short-term and long-term plans to help these women in need?

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his very moving speech. I think every member of the House agrees that the Yazidis are in a horrible situation. Could my hon. colleague elaborate on the importance of humanitarian and development assistance, as well as stabilization and security?

Public Safety  Mr. Speaker, having worked with the Codiac Regional RCMP for over 23 years, I have seen the brave women and men in the RCMP put themselves in harm's way to keep Canadian communities safe, and they deserve to be treated with respect in the workplace. Sadly, we know that there has been a long-standing issue in our national police force involving workplace harassment.

Standing Orders and Procedure  Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his comment. Clearly, if we were not here on Fridays, that might also lighten the workload of the people who work in Ottawa, because they are always ready to support us.

Standing Orders and Procedure  Mr. Speaker, I can tell the member that, frankly, during the summer months I truly had an opportunity to engage with the constituents on a very regular basis. I had the opportunity to have 10 town hall meetings, for example. During those conversations, those meetings at the constituency office, we truly had an opportunity to really sense exactly what the concerns were of our constituents.

Standing Orders and Procedure  Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question and his comments. The suggestion that the House not sit on Fridays is not being tabled to accommodate us, but rather to accommodate our fellow citizens. In the end, they are the ones who want local access to their members of Parliament.

Standing Orders and Procedure  Mr. Speaker, I do appreciate the opportunity, today, to speak to the House regarding the debate on standing orders and procedures. As times change, I believe so should the rules governing the functioning of one of the greatest institutions: our own Parliament of Canada. The Fathers of Confederation recognized that the needs of the House of Commons and Parliament in general would change a great deal over time.

Access to Information  Mr. Speaker, today is the International Day for the Universal Access to Information, whose objective is to make people aware of their right to access information held by government institutions and to promote freedom of information as the basis for democracy and good governance.

World Alzheimer's Day  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring awareness of the impact that Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia have on Canadians. I know the personal toll that it can have on a family as my mother lives with Lewy body dementia. Today is World Alzheimer's Day. Mr. Speaker, the New Brunswick Alzheimer Society's six resource centres are organizing a week of activities to promote the different programs they offer and to acknowledge the 17,000 families in New Brunswick that benefit from their services, as well as the 3,000 people who will be diagnosed this year.

Seniors  Mr. Speaker, today, one in seven Canadians is over the age of 65 and seniors represent a growing segment of our population. In 2036, it is expected that seniors will make up 24% of our population. This government has taken practical measures to support our seniors. Can the minister responsible for seniors, the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, tell us about the additional measures this government is taking to help seniors across the country?

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I want to commend my hon. colleague from New Brunswick Southwest on the leadership she continues to show on the international trade committee. We would agree that different levels of government need to work collaboratively to take down the interprovincial trade barriers, in order to promote trade within our country.