Charlie Keagan  Mr. Speaker, I rise today as we mourn the loss of Charlie Keagan. Mr. Keagan served as a councillor for the town of North Sydney in the Cape Breton regional municipality. He was also a school board representative. Besides being an elected official and working for Marine Atlantic

Poverty  Mr. Speaker, it has just been revealed that my riding of Sydney—Victoria has the highest child poverty rate in Canada at 35%, and under the age of six, it is 43%. This is not acceptable when our children are living in one of the wealthiest countries in the world. My question i

Infrastructure  Mr. Speaker, it is now the end of June and here is another year lost in infrastructure for Cape Breton. Whether it is road works on the north side of New Waterford, police and firemen structures, waste water treatment and development of Sydney Harbour, or fresh drinking water for

Facilitating the Transfer of Family Farm or Fishing Corporations Act  Mr. Speaker, I am glad to rise today to speak on Bill C-661, introduced by the member for Joliette. I must first state that the Conservatives were speaking about how much they were supporting agriculture, but what we have seen over the last few months is pretty bad. Two things

Zero Tolerance for Barbaric Cultural Practices Act  Mr. Speaker, the member for Cape Breton—Canso and I are very close. We sit with each other and live with each other, but when I stood, I was called by his name and I would appreciate it if it were changed.

Economic Action Plan 2015 Act, No. 1  Mr. Speaker, in the hon. member's speech he mentioned that he represents a lot of farmers in his area. As a farmer and as the agriculture critic, I will focus on what the Conservatives have done wrong with agriculture and what they are still doing wrong with it. We know what hap

Presence in Gallery  Mr. Speaker, the member for Welland made a statement on supply management and about the Liberals which was not true. Could he retract those comments that he made today in the House?

Relay for Life  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life that was held in my riding over the weekend. This was the 13th year it has been held in Cape Breton. Relay for Life brings Canadians together from across this great country to join in the fight

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to the hon. member, I do not think his dad would appreciate what the Conservatives are doing to the people on EI, whether they are in remote fishing communities, whether they are substitute teachers or part-time workers. I hear stories in my ridi

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, it is comical listening to the Conservatives talk about EI and what they are doing to it. We see what they are doing with the seasonal workers, whether a part-time nurse, substitute teacher, or someone trying to get maternity EI benefits. The Conservatives have cut,

Lobster Season  Mr. Speaker, the lobster season in Cape Breton is off to a good start. Each year this is kicked off in the fishing community of Alder Point with the blessing of the fleet. It gives me great pleasure to rise in the House today and recognize Mrs. Eunice MacFarlane who started the

International Trade  Mr. Speaker, supply management is good for our farmers and our consumers. It puts nutritious eggs, chicken, turkey and dairy products on our plates every day at a reasonable price. Yesterday in question period, the member for Beauce cynically said that the Conservatives were on

Infrastructure  Mr. Speaker, spring has arrived in Cape Breton and in many communities across Canada. This is when our construction season normally is getting into high gear, but the Conservative government stalled infrastructure spending last year and it looks like this year will be another rep

An Act to amend the Heritage Lighthouse Protection Act (Sambro Island Lighthouse)  Mr. Speaker, it is with great pleasure that I rise today to speak to Bill C-588, an act to designate the Sambro Island lighthouse as a heritage lighthouse. I thank all my colleagues in the House and in the Senate who are supporting the bill, but especially my colleagues from No

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I thank the NDP for bringing this motion forward, but the reality is that the Conservatives are not going to change much. I am from a riding in Cape Breton, which, per capita, has made the largest contribution to any conflict in the last 100 years. There was a Veter