A noteworthy exchange from question period Thursday in the House of Commons

OTTAWA – The Canadian Press is always on the lookout for noteworthy or zesty exchanges on the floor of the House of Commons. Here is today’s selection from question period, in which the Opposition demands an inquiry into unsolved cases of missing and murdered aboriginal women.

Aboriginal Affairs critic Jean Crowder: Mr. Speaker, more than 1,000 aboriginal women are missing or murdered, yet the minister does not seem to appreciate this staggering number. The status quo is not working.

As a member of Parliament, as a Canadian, as a grandmother, as a friend, as an aunt, I ask once again. Will the government shed light on this tragedy by publicly releasing the RCMP report and by calling for a national inquiry?

Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney: Mr. Speaker, as a father, I am very proud to have supported more than 30 measures to keep our streets safer, including tougher sentencing for murder, sexual assault, and kidnapping.

I will stand in this House and support a $25 million strategy for aboriginal missing and murdered women. Again, that is $25 million. Why is the member not doing the right thing and supporting budget 2014?