Job and Growth Act, 2012  Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise the House that I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Malpeque. It is a pleasure for me to speak to the jobs and growth act, part of economic action plan 2012, and to talk about how economic action plan 2012 is playing out in my province.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General slammed government for its failure to include in its budget forecast the fact that there is a significant increase in Canadian Forces members dealing with mental health issues as they transition into civilian life. That same forecast resulted in 800 jobs being cut at Veterans Affairs, including 75 front-line workers, and the closure of district offices.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, last night the Conservatives delivered the final blow to a decorated veteran. The Conservatives fired Harold Leduc of the Veterans appeal board. Mr. Leduc was repeatedly harassed by Conservative appointees to the board. They even poked around in his personal medical files, all because he often sided with the veterans, giving them the benefit of the doubt on their appeals.

Employment Insurance  Mr. Speaker, changes to employment insurance are threatening a program that is supposed to be there for workers when they need it. We believe that government must ensure that all regions of the country have equal access to opportunity and prosperity. Therefore, any changes to employment insurance must be done with sensitivity to regional realities, including the impact on local economies.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, going back to the last answer that the House Leader of the Official Opposition gave with respect to new members of Parliament, I too am a new member of Parliament. When I came here, I thought that one excellent opportunity for me to make a contribution was at committee.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition on behalf of several residents of Prince Edward Island who are concerned about the proposed changes to the employment insurance program. In particular, they are concerned with the lack of consultation with respect to the fact that the changes will force people to drive two hours per day in rural areas in the wintertime at risk to their personal safety and that the changes will force employers to hire workers who are not adequately trained, which will further punish areas that are already economically disadvantaged.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I was interested to hear the member talk about knowing about investment and business. The member would know that probably the greatest enemy to investment and business is uncertainty. Given the government's promise to clarify in legislation the concept of net benefit, an uncertainty exists that is affecting business and our economy as a result of inaction.

Service Canada  Mr. Speaker, Prince Edward Island is the only province without a passport office. Prince Edward Island is the only province without a citizenship and immigration office. Prince Edward Island is the only province without a district office to serve veterans. Prince Edward Island is the only province with no counter service at Revenue Canada.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, during the course of this debate we have spent a fair bit of time talking about people on a first name basis and hypothetical people. I want to talk about Roger Byers, who has given me permission to use his last name. He is a real person who lives in a real apartment on Hillsborough Street in downtown Charlottetown.

Veterans Affairs  Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives spent $750,000 unsuccessfully fighting disabled veterans in court to justify clawing back their pensions. Disabled RCMP vets have also sued to stop the government from doing the very same thing to them. This morning, the Minister of National Defence spoke to an association of military ombudsmen about fair treatment and support for the defence family.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure to be able to pose a question for the member for Fort McMurray—Athabasca. Being from Prince Edward Island, I know many of the well-paying jobs for Islanders are also in Fort McMurray. Certainly the member referred to Newfoundlanders, but there are a fair number of Islanders there as well.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police  Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives spent close to $800,000 to fight the veterans represented by Dennis Manuge. RCMP veterans are in the same position. They have also had to give up part of their pension. Do the Conservatives intend to waste time and money dragging RCMP veterans before the courts, or are they going to do the right thing and include them in the discussions that are currently taking place on this issue?

Increasing Offenders' Accountability for Victims Act  I have a couple of points arising from that, Mr. Speaker. On Prince Edward Island there is an institution called the Addictions Research Centre, and one of its roles is to examine and study the link between addictions and crime. That is something that would provide evidence and research to that point.

Increasing Offenders' Accountability for Victims Act  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the slack being offered to me as a result of my juniority. As the hon. member went through the list of perceived wrongs of previous Liberal governments, the one that did stick out for me, not because I was here because I was not, was the national child care policy.

Increasing Offenders' Accountability for Victims Act  Mr. Speaker, there is no question that one's values are at the very core of what makes up a person. However, a question of that nature, once again, absolutely and unequivocally ignores the evidence. The evidence is indisputable that poverty drives crime and that our prisons are overrepresented with people who have low incomes.