Alexandra Mendes

Madam Speaker, this week is National Safe Driving Week. As my colleagues probably already know, impaired driving is a serious crime that injures and kills thousands of Canadians every year. In 2015, the police reported 72,000 incidents of impaired driving, 3,000 of which were drug-related.Could the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Justice explain what our government is doing to address this serious issue of impaired driving and to make our roads safer for all Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, Cyclone Idai devastated Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. It destroyed homes and families, affecting more than 1.8 million people. Canada has not ignored the tragic plight of the thousands of people who fled their towns and villages. Our thoughts are with all those who are picking up the pieces after Cyclone Idai.Could the Prime Minister tell the House about the support Canada has offered the people and communities affected by Cyclone Idai?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect high-quality services delivered in a timely and efficient way. Our government is committed to modernizing the Canada Revenue Agency's services to better reflect Canadians' expectations.Would the Minister of National Revenue update us on the measures she has taken to provide innovative digital services to taxpayers?

Mr. Speaker, we often hear the official opposition ask for a minister responsible for seniors. It is rather surprising to see them fight so hard for seniors, because when they were in government, they did the complete opposite. They increased the age of eligibility for old age security and the guaranteed income supplement, which would have put many people in a vulnerable position. They also ignored all suggestions to improve the Canada Pension Plan.Could the minister responsible remind the House of what our government has done to ensure our seniors can live in dignity?

Mr. Speaker, our government enhanced the Canada pension plan, restored the eligibility age for old age security and the guaranteed income supplement to 65, and implemented automatic registration for the GIS. That is how we are addressing the problems Canadian seniors are worried about. Last week, the minister responsible for seniors met with the National Seniors Council.Can the minister tell us about the council's mandate and how its work will help the government continue to meet seniors' needs?

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.October is Women's History Month in Canada. We are celebrating women's achievements and the obstacles that they have managed to overcome.However, women still face many obstacles in the business community. The boards of directors of Canadian corporations are not very visibly diverse. Given that federally regulated companies fall under the minister's jurisdiction, what does he suggest to remedy this situation?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday marked the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The government has put a lot of emphasis on protecting and promoting human rights in Canada and abroad. The first-ever national housing strategy is a perfect example. The government has announced the progressive implementation of every Canadian's right to adequate housing.Could the minister responsible for housing tell us what that means for Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, we were saddened to hear about the tragic events caused by the earthquake in Ecuador on Saturday. Can the government update the House on recent developments and on the services for Canadians who are in the affected area?

Mr. Speaker, Canada continues to welcome Syrian refugees, who need the help of all levels of government in order to obtain immediate access to health care and other essential services.Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship tell the House about the government's announcement regarding the interim federal health program?

Mr. Speaker, the people of Brossard—Saint-Lambert know that cultural and recreational facilities make for stronger communities and contribute to a better quality of life for all residents.Our government has made cultural and recreational infrastructure a priority because it is an important part of community-building in Quebec and across Canada. Can the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities update the House on the government's work on this important file?

Mr. Speaker, Canada has made major contributions to space science and technology, such as satellite communications technology, the Canadarm and satellites in space. When we invest in science, innovation and research, we foster economic growth, create thousands of jobs for Canadian workers and gain a better understanding of our world. Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development tell us a bit more about this?

Mr. Speaker, today, the residents of Brossard—Saint-Lambert and I were delighted to learn that the new Samuel De Champlain Bridge will be opening soon. Our government was clear in 2015. We wanted to make it easier for families to commute so that they could spend more time together rather than stuck in traffic.Could my hon. colleague, the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, give us some highlights and updates on the opening of the new Samuel De Champlain Bridge?

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to making major changes to the way Parliament operates. Can the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons update us on the initiatives that have already been undertaken and tell us about the action plan adopted by the government to implement the desired reforms?

Mr. Speaker, refocusing Canada's international assistance on the most vulnerable, especially women and girls, is not just about words or simple rebranding. It takes commitment and concrete actions.Could the Prime Minister tell the House what progress was made at the G7 summit with respect to education for women and girls?

Mr. Speaker, the government firmly believes and agrees with the opposition that any instances of a member being impeded from attending the House of Commons, particularly for a vote, is an extremely serious situation that needs to be studied in detail. Mr. Speaker, this morning you ruled that you believe there are sufficient grounds for finding a prima facie question of privilege. We support your findings. The House has debated this important issue today, and I want to thank all members for their important contributions to this debate. However, I would like to draw to the attention of members what the consequences are of what the Conservatives have done with their amendment to their own motion. Their amendment seeks to direct the procedure and House affairs committee to drop whatever else it is working on. This amendment is highly unusual, and it has one purpose: to stop the procedure and House affairs committee from continuing the debate on the important issue of how we modernize the House of Commons. Our members on the committee have been hoping to debate the substance of these ideas, and this Conservative amendment is an attempt to block this important work. We will not allow the Conservatives to play politics with the rights and privileges of members of Parliament. This is just too important. We will also not let them try to block a study on how we modernize the rules of the House of Commons. During the election campaign, we committed to modernizing Parliament and making it a 21st century workplace. As a direct result of the Harper government's approach to Parliament over the past 10 years, we promised Canadians we would bring a new approach to Ottawa to ensure their voices were also heard in this place. We will not allow the Conservatives to play politics with the rights and privileges of members of Parliament. This is just too important.Therefore, the Liberal member for Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, who is a member of the procedure and House affairs committee, has today given notice of a motion that reads as follows: “That, the committee examine the question of privilege raised by the member for Milton respecting the free movement of members within the parliamentary precinct.” We look forward to this important debate at committee. I believe we must now return to debating the important legislation scheduled for today, Bill C-25, which would help increase shareholder democracy and participation, and increase women's participation on corporate boards and in senior management. Therefore, I move: That the House do now proceed to Orders of the Day.

Mr. Speaker, on February 21, the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie went to Paris for the Protecting Children from War conference.Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Development give this House an update on the announcement she made in Canada's name?

Mr. Speaker, it can be hard for parents to save for their children's post-secondary education. Day-to-day expenses, including everything from groceries to housing, always come first. However, saving for a child's education can have a huge impact on his or her future. Can the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour inform this House of the steps the government is taking to help parents save for their children's post-secondary education?

Mr. Speaker, 1975 was declared International Women's Year by the United Nations. Since then, we have celebrated International Women's Day on March 8. This date has become an international day to acknowledge the achievements of women and represents a call to action to advance gender equality.Will the Minister of Status of Women tell the House how we can celebrate Canada's progress toward achieving greater equality for women and people of all genders this coming International Women's Day?

Mr. Speaker, we were saddened to hear about the tragic events caused by the earthquake in Ecuador on Saturday. Can the government update the House on recent developments and on the services for Canadians who are in the affected area?

Mr. Speaker, Cyclone Idai devastated Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe. It destroyed homes and families, affecting more than 1.8 million people. Canada has not ignored the tragic plight of the thousands of people who fled their towns and villages. Our thoughts are with all those who are picking up the pieces after Cyclone Idai.Could the Prime Minister tell the House about the support Canada has offered the people and communities affected by Cyclone Idai?

Madam Speaker, this week is National Safe Driving Week. As my colleagues probably already know, impaired driving is a serious crime that injures and kills thousands of Canadians every year. In 2015, the police reported 72,000 incidents of impaired driving, 3,000 of which were drug-related.Could the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Justice explain what our government is doing to address this serious issue of impaired driving and to make our roads safer for all Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect high-quality services delivered in a timely and efficient way. Our government is committed to modernizing the Canada Revenue Agency's services to better reflect Canadians' expectations.Would the Minister of National Revenue update us on the measures she has taken to provide innovative digital services to taxpayers?

Mr. Speaker, today, the residents of Brossard—Saint-Lambert and I were delighted to learn that the new Samuel De Champlain Bridge will be opening soon. Our government was clear in 2015. We wanted to make it easier for families to commute so that they could spend more time together rather than stuck in traffic.Could my hon. colleague, the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, give us some highlights and updates on the opening of the new Samuel De Champlain Bridge?

Mr. Speaker, the people of Brossard—Saint-Lambert know that cultural and recreational facilities make for stronger communities and contribute to a better quality of life for all residents.Our government has made cultural and recreational infrastructure a priority because it is an important part of community-building in Quebec and across Canada. Can the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities update the House on the government's work on this important file?

Mr. Speaker, Canada has made major contributions to space science and technology, such as satellite communications technology, the Canadarm and satellites in space. When we invest in science, innovation and research, we foster economic growth, create thousands of jobs for Canadian workers and gain a better understanding of our world. Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development tell us a bit more about this?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday marked the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The government has put a lot of emphasis on protecting and promoting human rights in Canada and abroad. The first-ever national housing strategy is a perfect example. The government has announced the progressive implementation of every Canadian's right to adequate housing.Could the minister responsible for housing tell us what that means for Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, Canada continues to welcome Syrian refugees, who need the help of all levels of government in order to obtain immediate access to health care and other essential services.Can the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship tell the House about the government's announcement regarding the interim federal health program?

Mr. Speaker, the government firmly believes and agrees with the opposition that any instances of a member being impeded from attending the House of Commons, particularly for a vote, is an extremely serious situation that needs to be studied in detail. Mr. Speaker, this morning you ruled that you believe there are sufficient grounds for finding a prima facie question of privilege. We support your findings. The House has debated this important issue today, and I want to thank all members for their important contributions to this debate. However, I would like to draw to the attention of members what the consequences are of what the Conservatives have done with their amendment to their own motion. Their amendment seeks to direct the procedure and House affairs committee to drop whatever else it is working on. This amendment is highly unusual, and it has one purpose: to stop the procedure and House affairs committee from continuing the debate on the important issue of how we modernize the House of Commons. Our members on the committee have been hoping to debate the substance of these ideas, and this Conservative amendment is an attempt to block this important work. We will not allow the Conservatives to play politics with the rights and privileges of members of Parliament. This is just too important. We will also not let them try to block a study on how we modernize the rules of the House of Commons. During the election campaign, we committed to modernizing Parliament and making it a 21st century workplace. As a direct result of the Harper government's approach to Parliament over the past 10 years, we promised Canadians we would bring a new approach to Ottawa to ensure their voices were also heard in this place. We will not allow the Conservatives to play politics with the rights and privileges of members of Parliament. This is just too important.Therefore, the Liberal member for Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas, who is a member of the procedure and House affairs committee, has today given notice of a motion that reads as follows: “That, the committee examine the question of privilege raised by the member for Milton respecting the free movement of members within the parliamentary precinct.” We look forward to this important debate at committee. I believe we must now return to debating the important legislation scheduled for today, Bill C-25, which would help increase shareholder democracy and participation, and increase women's participation on corporate boards and in senior management. Therefore, I move: That the House do now proceed to Orders of the Day.

Mr. Speaker, 1975 was declared International Women's Year by the United Nations. Since then, we have celebrated International Women's Day on March 8. This date has become an international day to acknowledge the achievements of women and represents a call to action to advance gender equality.Will the Minister of Status of Women tell the House how we can celebrate Canada's progress toward achieving greater equality for women and people of all genders this coming International Women's Day?

Mr. Speaker, we often hear the official opposition ask for a minister responsible for seniors. It is rather surprising to see them fight so hard for seniors, because when they were in government, they did the complete opposite. They increased the age of eligibility for old age security and the guaranteed income supplement, which would have put many people in a vulnerable position. They also ignored all suggestions to improve the Canada Pension Plan.Could the minister responsible remind the House of what our government has done to ensure our seniors can live in dignity?

Mr. Speaker, our government enhanced the Canada pension plan, restored the eligibility age for old age security and the guaranteed income supplement to 65, and implemented automatic registration for the GIS. That is how we are addressing the problems Canadian seniors are worried about. Last week, the minister responsible for seniors met with the National Seniors Council.Can the minister tell us about the council's mandate and how its work will help the government continue to meet seniors' needs?

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.October is Women's History Month in Canada. We are celebrating women's achievements and the obstacles that they have managed to overcome.However, women still face many obstacles in the business community. The boards of directors of Canadian corporations are not very visibly diverse. Given that federally regulated companies fall under the minister's jurisdiction, what does he suggest to remedy this situation?

Mr. Speaker, it can be hard for parents to save for their children's post-secondary education. Day-to-day expenses, including everything from groceries to housing, always come first. However, saving for a child's education can have a huge impact on his or her future. Can the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour inform this House of the steps the government is taking to help parents save for their children's post-secondary education?

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to making major changes to the way Parliament operates. Can the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons update us on the initiatives that have already been undertaken and tell us about the action plan adopted by the government to implement the desired reforms?

Mr. Speaker, refocusing Canada's international assistance on the most vulnerable, especially women and girls, is not just about words or simple rebranding. It takes commitment and concrete actions.Could the Prime Minister tell the House what progress was made at the G7 summit with respect to education for women and girls?