Fair Representation Act  Mr. Speaker, I want to comment on the unfair Liberal approach, which would create winners and losers and negatively impact smaller provinces. Could the member tell us where and when Liberals have already consulted Manitobans and other Canadians on their proposal?

Fair Representation Act  Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for all of his hard work on this legislation, as well as the member for his speech today. My constituents in Simcoe—Grey view this bill as a welcomed opportunity for being represented fairly and I think it is because they carry the same values as all Canadians.

Organ Donations  Madam Chair, many of us have had friends and family, individuals whether through idiopathic disease or congenital illness who require a transplant or, as in the case the parliamentary secretary outlined, in a crisis situation. As he mentioned, these are challenging circumstances, one that hopefully no one in the House, their families witness or have to endure, but some may have to do that in the future.

Volunteerism  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate International Volunteer Day. Millions of volunteers, almost half our population, donate their time to help others, without accepting anything in return. If we could count the number of hours of service they put in, it would be equal to over 1 million full-time jobs or about $14 billion a year.

Persons with Disabilities  Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in the House today to celebrate the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. In March 2007, Canada was one of the first countries to sign the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. In March 2010, we ratified this convention.

Service Canada  Mr. Speaker, we are committed to providing Canadians with the best possible service. Service Canada is modernizing its EI processing systems to ensure that Canadians have the best possible service. While this Conservative government continues on its strong direction, reducing taxes and creating jobs for Canadians, we urge the opposition to stop obstructing this great plan to create efficiencies and provide better services for Canadians.

Seniors  Mr. Speaker, our government has made great progress in providing for seniors. We have increased the GIS and appointed a minister to ensure that we have enhanced opportunities for seniors. We have expanded the new horizons fund to encourage seniors to mentor students and their family members to get involved in their communities.

Service Canada  Mr. Speaker, our government's top priority is job creation and economic growth. We are committed to providing timely service to all Canadians who access the system. Service Canada is modernizing its EI processing systems to ensure that Canadians receive the best possible service.

House debate  Mr. Speaker, with continuous improvements to our business model, such as increasing automation, improved e-services, national workload management and document imaging, Service Canada is positioned to manage its workload in a very effective way. The government is clearly adopting measures to ensure that the employment insurance program is delivered effectively and in a way that is most beneficial to Canadians.

House debate  Mr. Speaker, I cannot speak specifically to all of the numbers and cases the member for Cape Breton—Canso seems to want to bring up, but I can say that the government is committed to delivering programs and services in an effective and efficient way. Our government received a clear mandate from Canadians to eliminate the deficit, keep taxes low and continue creating jobs for Canadians.

Employment Insurance Act  Madam Speaker, I rise before the House today to support Bill C-316, An Act to amend the Employment Insurance Act (incarceration), presented by my colleague from the riding of Cariboo—Prince George. I want to commend this member for all his hard work on this bill. I can also indicate that our caucus will be supporting Bill C-316 with two friendly amendments.

Safe Streets and Communities Act  Madam Speaker, this government focused on the serious issue of protecting victims and it campaigned on a promise to be tough on child sex offenders and to crack down on illegal drug trafficking, really unlike our colleagues across the aisle in the NDP. Could the parliamentary secretary please comment on what the bill does to protect children from these serious crimes?

House debate  Madam Speaker, our government is concerned about ensuring students have access to post-secondary education, whether it be college or university. That is why we introduced initiatives such as the apprentice incentive grant and the completion grant. Our government has also introduced the Canada student grants program that is helping over 190,000 students more than the previous Liberal plan.

House debate  Madam Speaker, I thank the House for the opportunity to address the concerns of the member for Scarborough—Rouge River on Canada student loans. Rest assured our government is closely monitoring the student loan portfolio. Students will receive the financial assistance to which they are entitled.

Poverty  Madam Speaker, the average Canadian family now spends $3,000 less per year in taxes. Those are funds that Canadians can use to invest in their family and their own children, thanks to this Conservative government. Whether it is enhancing the national child benefit, or enhancing the child tax benefit, this government is working for Canadian families and their children.