Status of Women  Mr. Speaker, women have been waiting for fair wages from Canada Post for 30 years now. This is something they were entitled to and never received as a result of gender discrimination. One year ago, the Supreme Court ruled that Canada Post had to compensate employees for the wage gap.

Culture  Mr. Speaker, the fact remains that La Liberté, as a result of the change in this formula, will lose 50% of its funding, the oldest francophone newspaper in western Canada, a pillar of the francophonie in Manitoba. There is no two ways about it. Sophie Gaulin, the head of La Liberté, has been quoted as saying that it will have a huge impact.

Culture  Mr. Speaker, I am very proud to have the opportunity to speak this evening about a topic that is extremely important to my province of Manitoba. It is particularly important to francophones in this province, but also to all Manitobans and francophones in western Canada. In recent months, I have risen a number of times in this House to ask the government to reconsider its decision to change the funding formula for French-language newspapers, which will cause the Manitoba paper La Liberté to lose 50% of its funding in 2013.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, it is my honour to present petitions signed by my constituents from communities like South Indian Lake, Norway House, Wabowden, Easterville, Cross Lake, Berens River, the Opaskwayak Cree Nation, Grand Rapids, Bloodvein and Nelson House. These Canadians are living in communities that depend on seasonal industries, aboriginal communities that are very concerned about the changes made by the government to EI for seasonal workers.

Foreign Investment  Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday the Minister of Industry insulted the people of my riding. When I asked him about Vale's “more bad news” announcement for Thompson, Manitoba, all he did was regurgitate talking points about cutting red tape and the Conservative carbon farce. This one-sided foreign ownership deal with Vale highlights the failure of the government's net benefit policy.

Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act  Mr. Speaker, I am really disappointed that the government has lowered its standard of debate; although, I am not surprised because we see it everyday on that side of the House. I take encouragement from the other side that Conservatives are looking at recommendations that have been made by parliamentary studies.

Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for sharing the list of organizations, aboriginal women and leaders who oppose Bill S-2. This government is perpetuating a colonial and paternal relationship in which it wants to impose its own vision instead of respecting aboriginal women, instead of respecting the fact that they are the ones who must take the lead, and instead of respecting and focusing on the consultations.

Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act  Mr. Speaker, I would venture a guess that the hon. member is not reading from his speaking notes. To even utter the words that consultation is not important when one is working with aboriginal people is an affront to the kind of system that Canada is built on. It is a very dangerous statement to make and it really flies in the face of the kinds of agreements we have committed to.

Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act  Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague, who did an excellent job of presenting the NDP's position. The NDP is the only party that really stands in solidarity with first nations. The NDP has a vision of this country where first nations are respected on the basis of a nation-to-nation relationship.

Family Homes on Reserves and Matrimonial Interests or Rights Act  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand in this House as part of the official opposition to raise our position, which is very much founded on true consultation with partners, aboriginal women, aboriginal organizations and the voices in this country that are seeking real justice and real leadership from the federal government.

Status of Women  Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to express the concern and outrage I am hearing from Canadian women across the country. They have raised their voices to say that when the member for Saskatoon—Wanuskewin awarded medals of honour to anti-choice activists he crossed the line.

The Environment  Mr. Speaker, with all respect to the member across, it is a difficult message to believe after we have seen the changes the government has made to the Navigable Waters Protection Act. If I could note to the member across and to his government some information they already know, I would like to put it on the record that scientists say that transferring control of the program and its lakes to a university is not ideal.

The Environment  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity to revisit a very critical debate in this House, the future of the Experimental Lakes Area. Many of us in the NDP have raised this issue, this blight, and the work that the Conservative government has done to debase and weaken the environmental standards in our country.

Mining Industry  Mr. Speaker, six years after the government approved the Vale takeover of Inco and two years following Vale's announcement that it will shut down the refinery and smelter in Thompson, it is at it again. Vale is telling the people of Thompson that it is shutting down one mine site and shelving the proposition for a new mine, jobs lost in a community and a province that will continue to hurt.

Jobs and Growth Act, 2012  Mr. Speaker, the member made reference to the changes being made to the Canada Grain Act. He may not be aware but hundreds of jobs in inward inspection are going to be lost. The people doing those jobs ensure that western wheat going out for either domestic consumption or export coming to port or at different linkages throughout is both the quality and quantity that farmers want it to be.