Parliamentary Speeches
946 speeches by Adam van Koeverden — Page 16 of 19
Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, it is so important that we are here tonight to talk about what we can do to help people who are affected by this in Atlantic Canada and throughout Quebec. It is also really important that we stick to the facts. Earlier today, in question period and throughout the afternoon, we have been hearing some misinformation about some occurrences. I just want to read into the record something p…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member for the great speech this evening and express condolences to his community and everybody across Atlantic Canada, throughout the Maritimes as well as in Quebec, and to all those who have been impacted by this tragic storm. Like many members of this House, I have spent a lot of time in Nova Scotia. My brother was born there. We lived in Dartmouth for a…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, on September 12, a tragic and terrifying series of gun attacks left our community shocked, scared and in mourning. A Toronto police officer, Constable Andrew Hong, and Shakeel Ashraf, a small business owner from our community in Milton, as well as his colleague, Satwinder Singh, an exchange student, were brutally murdered when a gunman terrorized our communities and the residents of M…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, in June, the Government of Canada suspended the vaccine mandate for federally regulated transportation sectors and federal employees. Compared to when the mandates were first introduced, Canada has higher levels of immunity from both vaccination and infection. There is a wider availability of antiviral drugs, and we are better equipped now to effectively manage the COVID-19 pandemic…
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Madam Speaker, public health experts use the latest scientific evidence available on effectiveness, availability and the uptake of vaccines when providing guidance and advice regarding vaccine mandates. The original question that the member asked does not resemble the one that he presented tonight. If he would like to talk about this, he has my phone number. I would be happy to chat any time.
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I appreciate having the opportunity tonight to talk about the Government of Canada's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In June, the Government of Canada suspended—
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, as of June 3, 2022, the in-force Order in Council, or OIC, regarding COVID-19 is OIC 2022-0567, “Minimizing the Risk of Exposure to COVID-19 in Canada Order”. OIC 2022-0567 came into force on May 31, 2022. The OIC was repealed and replaced by “OIC 2022-0836 Minimizing the Risk of Exposure to COVID-19 in Canada Order” on June 27 and remains in effect until September 30, 2022. With rega…
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Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), all participants of the peer review process, including peer reviewers, are subject to the conflict of interest and confidentiality policy of the federal research funding organizations, which defines conditions under which an individual cannot be a peer reviewer, in particular sections 6.2.1 and 6.2.2. Those conditions are further detailed in the Conflict of Interes…
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Mr. Speaker, in regard to part (a) of the question, since the onset of the pandemic, the Public Health Agency of Canada, or PHAC, has provided guidance and advice on public health measures at both the individual and community level to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health and safety of people living in Canada. PHAC’s guidance is informed by scientific evidence, expert opinion a…
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Mr. Speaker, in response to (a), in bringing the front-of-package, FOP, regulations forward, the government has given careful consideration and analyzed in detail the potential costs and benefits of its plan to inform Canadians of nutrients of concern in their food. All regulatory packages go through a rigorous cost-benefit analysis, which is summarized in the regulatory impact analysis statement,…
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Mr. Speaker, collective efforts by governments at all levels in gathering, sharing and analyzing data have allowed Canada to monitor and report on numbers and trends and make evidence-based public health decisions to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. There is no circumstance in which a public health authority can confirm with certainty the location in which an individual contracts COVID-19. The Pu…
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Mr. Speaker, the vaccine injury support program, VISP, provides financial support to people in Canada in the rare event that they experience a serious and permanent injury as a result of receiving a Health Canada-authorized vaccine administered in Canada on or after December 8, 2020. The program also provides death benefits and support for funeral expenses in the rare case of a death as a result o…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his collaboration on the health committee. Our government recognizes the importance of high-quality primary care and we also acknowledge that many Canadians are still struggling to access the care they need in a timely manner. Going forward, as outlined in budget 2022, our government will remain focused on advancing the priorities of Canadians in health, …
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Mr. Speaker, unlike my colleague opposite, we are concerned about the rising rates of chronic diseases in Canada. With last week being Men's Health Week, we talked in the House about how a disproportionately high number of men are dying from chronic diseases. I think we can all agree that more information at the grocery store is a good thing. Two in five adults currently report having at least one…
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Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we will always prioritize Canadians' health based on scientific evidence. These labels are widely recognized to be a good tool to support Canadians as they make good decisions at the grocery store. Let me be clear. Canadians will still produce and purchase ground meat. However, they now have a choice to make and an informed decision to limit their saturated …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, we need to talk about men's health. This is Men's Health Week, and June is Canadian Men's Health Month, but we need to recognize how important it is for men to be aware of their physical and mental health every day of the year. Canadian men die at alarmingly high rates of chronic illnesses in Canada, yet 70% of men's health problems are preventable just by living a healthier life. H…
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Madam Speaker, on this side of the House, we agree that Canadians want to get back to normal, and we all want to get back to normal but we have to be honest. The COVID pandemic is not over yet. At every step, we have adapted our COVID-19 measures based on the current situation. This week, we were able to announce that we are lifting the travel mandates. We are pausing them because this pandemic is…
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Madam Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for his commitment to his constituents and his consistent advocacy, particularly for lower-income families in his riding. The health committee just concluded a study on the health care human resources crisis in this country. We are going to make sure that every Canadian has access to a family doctor, including through telehealth in remote ridings, s…
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Madam Speaker, on this side of the House, we are alarmed and concerned about the rising rates of illnesses, and particularly chronic illnesses, that are impacted by poor diets. These labels are widely recognized by health organizations and the scientific community as an effective tool to help counteract the rate of diet-related chronic disease that continues to rise in Canada. More information for…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, Canada's health measures have been and will continue to be based on review, analysis, expert opinion and science. We are going to continue to take into account the evolving scientific evidence related to the virus and its characteristics as well as its epidemiology. We will also consider emerging variants of concern, the value and impact of public health interventions and the impact o…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the member has such a long track record of service in this place, so I have a very broad question for him, because I know he has a lot of knowledge. This is a complicated thing to figure out, how to best represent our neighbours, given the geography of Canada and how far spread out we are. Could he expand on the importance of ensuring that from a riding size perspective and a popula…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, like the member, I have important infrastructure projects in my riding as well, including ones for transportation. I can tell him that we have benefited from recent investments and I would be happy to work with the member on future projects in his riding as well. The Government of Canada is committed to supporting Canada's ports as they are critical for Canada's economic recovery from…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his collaboration on the health committee over the last couple of months. It has been challenging. That said, I would just caution that when we use language like “the vaccines do not prevent transmission and do not prevent this and that,” it limits all of those things. It is very well-founded that the vaccines are very, very good at limiting all of those …
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague and friend for his advocacy for his neighbours. I would also like to thank him for his recent work on his private member's bill on decriminalization. It is so important and I was proud to support it in the way that I could. Let me put it that way. I have a lot of respect for the member and I want to support that work as best as I can. The member…
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Madam Speaker, since the beginning of this pandemic, our top priority has been the health and safety of Canadians. We are more than two years into this pandemic, and our priority remains exactly the same. That is why we continue to take actions at the border. Canadians have stepped up to protect themselves and the people around them from COVID-19 by getting vaccinated. Today, nearly 90% of the eli…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, on a point of order. I believe the hon. colleague was insinuating that the Prime Minister has some sort of close relationship with Cuba. I would ask him to withdraw that comment as unnecessary in the House.
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I would personally never dream of second-guessing my colleague and his expertise in military affairs, but I would say that we are all aware of how urgent the need is. I would also reiterate how close that contact has been between our defence minister and theirs and how steadfast we are in our support of Ukraine and its people. So far, we have responded to Ukraine's requests for aid …
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Madam Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague for his service to this country, as well as his consistent advocacy for members of the Canadian Armed Forces, and for Ukraine and Ukrainians. Canada has made it very clear that we stand firmly with Ukrainians in the face of this unjustified and unprovoked attack on their country. Following Russia's occupation and the attempted illegal annexation of Cr…
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Madam Speaker, this government has done more to address affordability and poverty in this country than any previous government, and I would say that we have actually built on the great legacy of previous prime ministers such as Paul Martin. I am someone who grew up in community housing in Oakville, Ontario. My parents, at different times in their lives, struggled with affordability. When I look at…
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Madam Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to discuss the important question of affordability tonight. Our government understands that Canadians are being hard hit by rising prices, particularly as they apply to energy and gasoline. That is why we are taking effective action to meaningfully support Canadians so they can continue to deal with this challenge. The current rate of inflation, which is…
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Madam Speaker, I admire my colleague's desire to stand up for rights in this country, and I just wish he would also stand up for the rights of women to access reproductive health services and abortions. The goal of Canada's COVID-19 response is to mitigate the risk of importation of COVID-19 and variants of concern. The government is committed to limiting social and economic disruptions, continuin…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, our government's priority has been and will always be the safety and protection of Canadians' health. Our government announced that mandatory randomized testing will be temporarily suspended at all airports from June 11 to June 30. Unvaccinated travellers will still be tested on site. Starting July 1, all testing, including unvaccinated travellers, will be performed off-site. We will …
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, today, Milton's orange crosswalk was unveiled. This important visual tribute and landmark was created to symbolize the strength and courage of residential school survivors and commemorate the victims, their families and their communities. This is a positive step forward in the path to reconciliation in Milton. This crosswalk is an opportunity for the people of Milton to learn more abo…
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Mr. Speaker, last week I responded in an unacceptable way to a message on social media, and I deeply regret it. I want to apologize to the person I offended and anybody else I let down. I realize that the past two years have been really difficult for a lot of people, but my conduct was unacceptable. We have an obligation to disagree without being disagreeable, and in that regard I failed.
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Mr. Speaker, back in 2020, the Conservatives claimed we would not have enough vaccines for all Canadians. Let me be clear that Canada has a sufficient supply and will ensure that all eligible Canadians are protected for primary series and boosters, as well as for pediatrics and other therapeutics. In the face of omicron and other unfortunate variants, Canada will be able to onboard more sufficient…
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Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House our government will continue to make sure we are putting the health of Canadians first, because nobody wants another wave or more lockdowns due to COVID-19. Let us talk about what some of the Conservatives are saying about vaccination. The member for Yorkton—Melville claims that the government has a secret agenda and some kind of conspiracy, as she refuses to…
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Mr. Speaker, vaccines remain an important tool in stopping the spread of COVID-19 and variants, but the Conservatives just cannot seem to make up their minds about vaccinations. For example, the member for Yorkton—Melville claims that the government has a secret agenda, after refusing to get vaccinated, and that there is some sort of conspiracy theory. Another Conservative, the member for Niagara …
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Mr. Speaker, when are the Conservatives going to realize that COVID-19 is not over? The Conservatives are just in denial about the reality of this pandemic. We have seen, numerous times, Conservatives trying to immediately remove all federal COVID-19 restrictions. While we are in a much better place today than we were previously, this pandemic is not over and we must be prepared for any potential …
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Mr. Speaker, in order to keep Canadians safe, our government has put in place emergency border measures, which have been very effective in reducing the risk of importation and transmission of COVID‑19. While COVID‑19 cases in Canada have peaked, other countries are having a resurgence of cases and we need to remain vigilant. That is why we have extended Canada's existing border measures until June…
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Mr. Speaker, this type of rhetoric is divisive and all members of the House should stop trying to spread—
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives cannot seem to make up their minds about vaccinations. The member for Yorkton—Melville claims that the government has a secret agenda after refusing to get vaccinated.
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Mr. Speaker, I was at that meeting. I thank my hon. colleague for the collaboration on the health committee. All Canadians are sick and tired of COVID-19. We all agree that we want it to go away, but just wishing it away is not going to make it happen. Over the past few months we have made some amendments, we have made some changes, and we continue to see some deaths from COVID-19. In fact over 1,…
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Mr. Speaker, unlike the hon. members opposite, our government is concerned about the critically high rates of chronic disease in Canada. Across the country, two in five adults report having at least one of the 10 most common chronic illnesses, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. A poor diet, particularly one that is high in saturated fats, sugar and sodium, is a primary risk fact…
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Mr. Speaker, we on this side believe that more information for consumers is always a good thing. These labels are widely recognized by health organizations and the scientific community as an effective tool to help counteract rising rates of diet-related chronic disease that continue to rise in Canada. During our engagements with industry stakeholders, health experts and Canadians across the countr…
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Mr. Speaker, our government is concerned about the critically high rates of chronic disease in Canada. Across the country, two in five adults report having at least one of the 10 most common chronic illnesses, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Poor diets, including those that are really high in saturated fats, sugar and sodium are primary risks for those diseases. That is unacc…
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Mr. Speaker, let me first start by thanking our health care workers who have sacrificed so much over the last couple of years. They have spent two years on the front lines to protect us all and one of the best ways that we can support them and ensure that they stay safe is continue to encourage our constituents to get vaccinated. Vaccines remain an important tool in stopping the spread of COVID-19…
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Mr. Speaker, all Canadians are sick and tired of COVID-19. We all want to get back to normal, but just wishing away or ignoring COVID-19 is simply not going to work. Over the past few months, we continue to see more deaths from COVID-19. In fact, there have been 10,000 deaths in 2022 alone. The most important thing that we can do to get through this pandemic is to continue to ask Canadians to go a…
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives cannot seem to make up their minds about vaccinations. A year ago, they were saying we would never have enough vaccinations to get every Canadian vaccinated, yet lo and behold, we have got many vaccinations in the arms of Canadians. The member for Yorkton—Melville claims the government has some kind of secret agenda after refusing to get vaccinated herself. Her colle…
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives just cannot seem to make up their minds about vaccinations. The member for Yorkton—Melville claims the government has a secret agenda after she refused to get vaccinated. Another Conservative, the MP for Niagara West, tabled a petition in the House to ban all mRNA vaccines. Those are the vaccines that have saved millions of lives around the world. The science is clea…
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Mr. Speaker, all Canadians are sick and tired of COVID, and we all agree on that, but just wishing it away or ignoring it will not simply make it go away. Over the past three months, we continue to see more deaths from COVID. There were over 1,700 in the month of May. The most important thing we can do to get through this pandemic is to drive up vaccination rates. We will continue to be informed b…
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