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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for raising this very important point. Canada is deeply concerned about the humanitarian toll the war is taking, and we are concerned about the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which is threatening global energy security and economic stability. As we have emphasized, Canada's focus is on humanitarianism, de-escalation and ensuring the unimpeded flow of energy…
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Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary return in question was submitted in error and will be corrected at the earliest opportunity. The Prime Minister has been clear that while in Beijing Canada's positions on areas of concern, including human rights, were raised proactively at multiple levels, including by the Prime Minister and his counterparts. I also raised the matter with my counterpart while in Chin…
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Mr. Speaker, in my role, I have the privilege of speaking with leaders and citizens around the world, and I repeatedly hear that countries respect and want to emulate the immigration system in this country. In addition, I would ask the opposition to vote with us on Bill C-12. This would be a reform to strengthen our asylum system. We have also recently announced changes to the interim health care …
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Mr. Speaker, on this, the fourth anniversary of the illegal further invasion by Russia of Ukraine, Canada continues to stand with Ukraine in the short and the long term. This morning, I announced $20 million in supports for Ukraine's energy infrastructure. In addition, this brings our total investment and supports for Ukraine to $25.5 billion. Canada stands with Ukraine and makes sure that we are …
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Mr. Speaker, it is shocking that the opposition members do not recognize the measures the government has taken to support the auto sector, to support workers and to make sure that we are investing in national projects. They vote against us every single time. We have an auto strategy. We have a liquidity management fund. We are reducing tariffs. We are making sure we are building Canada strong. We …
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Mr. Speaker, I come from a riding with and I represent auto workers and the auto sector. They want this government to keep doing what we have been doing, which is to support auto workers, support unions, support auto manufacturing and ensure that we are, together, building Canada strong. This is what we do in times of economic stress. We band together. On this side of the House, we urge them to vo…
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Mr. Speaker, this transition is an important step toward stabilizing Haiti, including general elections. Canada is a leader in the world. We have invested $450 million in stabilizing Haiti, and we are also co-operating with the diaspora. We are committed to fighting for a healthier and safer future for Haiti.
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Mr. Speaker, we are deeply concerned by the deteriorating conditions in Cuba. Our consular officials are actively engaged. They stand ready to support Canadians in need. We are also working with the Cuban authorities and Canadian tourism stakeholders to ensure a timely and effective response. We understand that aircraft carriers from Canadian airlines will be picking up Canadians. Our top priority…
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Mr. Speaker, Canada is deeply disappointed by the tragic sentencing of Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong. We call for the immediate release of Jimmy Lai. In fact, we have consistently spoken out against the national security law since its imposition in 2020. While in Beijing, I reiterated Canada's long-standing position to my counterpart: The persecution of journalists, media workers and activists is unaccep…
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Mr. Speaker, this week, I will be travelling to Nuuk, Greenland, to formally open the Canadian consulate there. I will be meeting with my Danish and Greenlandic counterparts, where I will be reiterating the principles of state sovereignty, territorial integrity and co-operation amongst Arctic states, including the Nordic five. Here at home, we are investing more than $80 billion in Canada's defenc…
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Mr. Speaker, I urge the member opposite to be accurate in her representation of Canadian law. First, Canada has one of the strongest export permit regimes in the world. Second, Canada has not approved any new permits for items to Israel that could be used in the current conflict in Gaza since January 8, 2024. Third, all permits suspended in 2024 remain suspended and cannot be used to export to Isr…
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Mr. Speaker, the reality is that we remain committed in our partnerships with all industry stakeholders in the beef and canola industries, in the agriculture industry. At the same time, we will continue to diversify our supply chains for our domestic economy. That is in the national interest and that is our plan on this side of the House.
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Mr. Speaker, as I said, we have had discussions with China about several sectors of our economy, including pork, beef and canola. Each time, we continue to say that it is in Canada's interest to have a “friendly” agreement for our pork sector and for our economy. That is our strategy on this side of the House.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's work on the world—
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's work on the world stage with his counterparts to bring an end to the conflict in the Middle East is extremely important. He is continuing to be engaged on the peace plan in the Middle East. The plan, in fact, reflects Canada's long-standing position that Hamas should have no role in the governance of Palestine, and the ceasefire provides an opportunity for the Pri…
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Mr. Speaker, the French language and French culture are very important. They are at the heart of our Canadian identity. That is why, this week, we announced Canada's bid to host the 2028 Sommet de la Francophonie right here in the national capital region. Hosting this summit will launch new economic partnerships for Canadians. This is good news for the economy and for francophones.
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Mr. Speaker, it is true that we need to continue having conversations with the United States. We need to be at the table for these conversations and negotiations. At the same time, we continue to diversify our supply chains and our trade partners, like India, Indonesia and Mexico. On this side, we are continuing to build our economy. On the opposition side, that is not the case. Every single time,…
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Mr. Speaker, over the past three and a half years, the Government of Canada has provided approximately $22 billion in multi-faceted support for Ukraine's military, as well as financial and economic support. This week, at NATO, I committed another $235 million for Ukraine in the defence of its sovereignty and security, and to ensure that its soldiers can make it through the winter as they fight on …
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister and the rest of the government are here for the whole country, not just for one province, not just for one territory. We are here for Canadian jobs, for our industries and to build the strongest economy in the G7. At the same time, we are building supply chains and partnerships with all global economies. The reason is that the world is changing, the geopolitical sit…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her question. I will be at NATO next week to discuss very important issues with our allies, including topics like Ukraine, the Arctic and our collective defence. With an $80-billion investment in budget 2025, we are here for the Canadian Armed Forces and our defence sector. Canada will always play its part in collective defence and in protecting our cou…
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Madam Speaker, with our Arctic foreign policy, we are continually ensuring that the sovereignty and the livelihood of the Arctic are protected. That is why we are putting on the table $80 billion for defence spending. In conjunction with indigenous peoples, we are going to make sure that we protect the Arctic and defend the Arctic, and we will do so with our international allies. I will be travell…
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Madam Speaker, it appears that my hon. colleague has not really been cognizant of what the Prime Minister has been doing: $70 billion in a financial commitment of investment from the U.A.E. We can also list the Philippines, Indonesia, Germany, Thailand and India. These are the trade deals we are embarking upon. On the other side of the House, they focus on issues that Canadians are not going to be…
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Mr. Speaker, everywhere I go, people say they want more Canada. Last week, the Prime Minister confirmed the largest foreign investment commitment in Canadian history at $70 billion. In addition, we have launched trade negotiations with India for a comprehensive economic partnership agreement. We are building the strongest economy in the G7 by unlocking generational investments. Long live Canada.
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Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is overlooking that Canada has a AAA credit rating, has the lowest net debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7, has been world acclaimed as a home for direct foreign investment and is top of the G20. The difference between that side of the House and this side of the House is that we believe in Canada. We believe in Canadians. We are diversifying supply chains, and we are inves…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. Of course, our government does not support forced labour in any way. We will continue to stand up for human rights around the world, especially within multilateral organizations. We will also continue to invest in our economy and maintain the bilateral relationships that are necessary for our country throughout the world.
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Mr. Speaker, Canada is extremely concerned about the treatment of Uyghurs in China. The report was an essential step and revealed an alarming pattern. China has yet to take meaningful action in response. Canada will continue to work with its international partners to address this situation. Canada remains committed to defending human rights in international organizations. This is a priority for us…
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Mr. Speaker, numerous times I have reiterated in this House the importance of diversifying Canada's supply chains. Over the past number of months, I have spoken with my counterpart in Pakistan. Pakistan is one of the world's largest importers of canola. This morning, he confirmed to me that Pakistan will open its doors to Canadian canola. In fact, he confirmed to me that orders have already been p…
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Mr. Speaker, I am going to reiterate that we are actively making sure that countries hear the interests of Canadian farmers, Canadian suppliers and Canadian producers. Not only is Pakistan opening its doors to Canadian canola, but I raised potash, canola, agriculture and seafood in my recent trip to the Indo-Pacific. The governments with which I spoke assured me that we will continue to work toget…
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Mr. Speaker, it is completely false to claim that the government is not advancing the interests of Canadian farmers and Canadian agriculture. When I was in the Indo-Pacific just 10 days ago, I raised the issues related to agriculture with my Chinese and Indian counterparts. Let me assure the House that, at all times, we are advancing the interests of our farmers. Let me assure the House that the m…
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Mr. Speaker, let me reiterate. When I was in the Indo-Pacific, I reiterated the interests of Canadian farmers and the agricultural sector writ large on canola and agricultural products, as well as on seafood and other items. Let me also reiterate that we will seek to diversify supply chains for Canadian industry across the board with countries outside and inside the region so as to grow this econo…
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Mr. Speaker, for months, we have been emphasizing the importance of distinguishing between what we can control and what we cannot control. We remain ready to resume negotiations. However, we can still take action here, at home, by launching national construction projects, and by growing and diversifying Canada's economy. We can also build our supply chains. We are going to be here for a strong Can…
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Mr. Speaker, for months, we have been drawing the distinction between what we can and what we cannot control, including the trade policy of the United States, which has fundamentally shifted. We remain ready to restart negotiations. At the same time, we are building Canada strong; we are diversifying our supply chains with major economies in the Indo-Pacific, we are reducing internal barriers to t…
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Mr. Speaker, the opposition members know that we are here for Canadians, including Quebeckers. We are here with support for the auto industry, the lumber industry and industry in general, with a $5-billion strategic fund. At the same time, we are diversifying our supply chains. We will build the Canadian economy, and we will be here for a strong Canada. Will my colleague support us?
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Mr. Speaker, we have always known that this would be a volatile situation. We are keeping a steady hand to continue supporting industry and workers. We are making historic investments in supporting our workforce. For example, we have set aside $5 billion for a strategic response fund. We are signing agreements with other countries to build a strong economy.
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Mr. Speaker, once again, Canada is ranked among the best places in the G20 to do business. We are strengthening our partnerships in Europe, in the Indo-Pacific region and in Africa. That is why we signed a historic trade agreement with Indonesia to create jobs here, at home. This is not just about agreements; it is also about wages for Canadian families. We are here to build a strong Canadian econ…
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Mr. Speaker, that is not true. For months, we have been emphasizing the importance of distinguishing between what we can control and what we cannot control, including U.S. trade policy. We remain ready to resume negotiations with them. However, we can take action here at home by launching national construction projects, by growing the Canadian economy by getting rid of internal barriers and divers…
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Mr. Speaker, for months we have been drawing the distinction between things that we can and cannot control. We cannot control the trade policy of the United States or any other country. We can control what we do here at home. We are building the strongest economy in the G7. We are doing that by reducing internal barriers to trade. We are doing that by supporting affected industries, including $5 b…
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Mr. Speaker, it is surprising that the member opposite does not recognize that this government has been there to support industry and affected sectors, with a $5-billion strategic response fund and $10 billion for liquidity management. At the same time, 80% of our trade is covered by an existing free trade agreement, and we are reducing internal barriers to trade to add up to $200 billion to the C…
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Mr. Speaker, let me reiterate that the public safety and security of Canadians, regardless of the time and place, are always top of mind for our government, including in our diplomatic relationships. At the same time, Canada will continue to become the strongest economy in the G7, and the way we do that is to diversify our supply chains while making sure we protect our citizens at home.
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Mr. Speaker, Canada believes in a world free of nuclear weapons, and the current arsenals around the world remain far too large. Deterrence is fundamental, and we share the concerns of the hon. member about the unacceptable slow pace of disarmament. We all share a responsibility to protect against these threats, including through the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. At the United Nations rec…
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Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we actually believe in the potential of this country. In fact, the statistics are bearing this out. We have the lowest net debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7. Inflation and wages are working in Canada's favour. We will continue to grow this economy by investing in workers and by investing in sectors, and we will do this while making sure that foreign direct investm…
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Mr. Speaker, while we are on the topic of Canadian workers, first of all, let me thank Canadian workers, in particular unionized workers, for contributing to the growth of our economy every single day. Our government has ensured that workers who are unionized will have 20 extra weeks of EI, which is expected to help thousands of workers. On top of that, we put in $450 million for retraining and up…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform my hon. colleague and the members of the House that we have provided billions of dollars of support for this economy, including $5 billion in a strategic response fund. We are doing this while supporting our workers, supporting sectors, including the auto sector, and maintaining Canada's AAA credit rating and the lowest net debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7. We will g…
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Mr. Speaker, every country with which I am speaking wants more of Canada. In fact, in the G20, Canada is ranked among the top two destinations for foreign direct investment. We are the only country in the world that has a free trade agreement with every other G7 country. We are forging new relationships in the Indo-Pacific, in Europe and in Africa. We will not stop until we get the best deal for C…
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Mr. Speaker, businesses from all over the world are choosing Canada as a foreign direct investment opportunity. We rank among the top two countries in the G20 for foreign direct investment. In fact, contrary to the words on the other side of the aisle, we have inflation coming down and the Bank of Canada cutting the benchmark interest rate to 2.5%. We are in a free trade agreement with every other…
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Mr. Speaker, we are making unprecedented investments in our auto sector, with a $5-billion strategic response fund, for example, and all the while, we are making sure that workers are supported. The company NextStar has committed to hiring 2,500 workers and has just hired its 1,000th worker. As an MP with the Ford Motor Company in their backyard, let me tell members that we are here for workers, w…
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Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, the Prime Minister is focused on protecting jobs and businesses, first by stabilizing supply chains through initiatives such as our strategic response fund, including on steel, aluminum, manufacturing, auto and agriculture, and by continuing to build supply chains while maintaining a strong domestic economy and the lowest net debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7 and while nego…
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Mr. Speaker, businesses from all over the world are choosing Canada. That is why, once again, we are ranked as one of the best countries in the G20 for doing business. We are deepening our partnerships in Europe, in the Indo-Pacific and in Africa, to create opportunities here at home. That is why we have just signed a historic deal with Indonesia, to create jobs and to diversify supply chains. The…
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that the Prime Minister and the president had a very productive discussion yesterday on steel, on aluminum and on energy for the benefit of the Canadian economy. On auto, I remind my colleague of the president's words: “we want Canada to do well making cars, so...we'll get there.” I encourage the Leader of the Opposition to take a look at Ford Canada in my ridin…
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Mr. Speaker, one thing that Canadians know, from Ingersoll to Windsor, Oakville and Oshawa, is that on this side of the House we will not let Canadians down. We have the strategic fund putting billions of dollars to support auto workers and the auto sector. We are supporting the agri-food business, and we will always be there for Canadian workers as well. On this side of the House, we are about di…
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