Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of Bill C-223, the keeping children safe act, introduced by my friend and colleague the member for Hamilton Mountain. I will begin by acknowledging the courage of the many survivors, advocates, legal experts and organizations who have spent years bringing these issues forward, often at great personal cost. I also want to acknowledge the work of the hundreds o…
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Madam Speaker, I rise to present petition e-6827. In the context of the forthcoming elections in Bangladesh, the petitioners call on the Government of Canada to call for cessation of and accountability for human rights violations, political persecution, religiously motivated violence, illegal detentions and extrajudicial killings. The petitioners are asking for internationally monitored free and f…
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Madam Speaker, aging is difficult for most people, but for those who have experienced addictions and mental health challenges, including hospitalization and periods of homelessness throughout their lives, it is even more challenging. Recently, I toured the soon-to-open Ottawa Salus 54-unit affordable housing complex in my riding of Ottawa West—Nepean. This federally funded project will provide low…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, just a couple of weeks ago in my riding, a Jewish woman was stabbed while she was shopping in the kosher section of a grocery store. I have been meeting in living rooms with the Jewish community in my riding, and this is a culmination of what is a deplorable increase in anti-Semitism. I wonder if the secretary of state could reassure my constituents, who are scared to even go out in p…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the incredible communities of Ambleside and Northwest One in Ottawa West—Nepean. Both of these are celebrating their 50th anniversary. These are more than just condo towers; they are what we call NORCs, naturally occurring retirement communities. Ambleside One and Two and the Northwest One towers, Poulin and Regina, are home to many long-time residents, inclu…
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Mr. Speaker, throughout history, women have stepped up to serve our country in the Canadian Armed Forces: from the Wrens in World War II to the Persian Gulf War, where women first served in combat roles, to today, with a female chief of the defence staff. Women have come a long way, but it was not always easy. Women veterans still suffer today from health issues, military sexual trauma and other h…
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Mr. Speaker, the people of the country of Georgia are courageously fighting for their freedom, democracy and a European future. Tens of thousands are protesting peacefully despite facing intimidation, violence and mass arrests. In the last two weeks, 500 individuals have been detained, with 70% reporting ill treatment, and over 80 required hospitalization, yet no accountability has been demanded f…
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Madam Speaker, last week, I hosted the meeting of the Global Network of Women Legislators in Defence, Security and Peace Portfolios, or WLID, here in Parliament, where we heard from Ukrainian MPs about being legislators in a time of war, including having an app that tells them when to leave the chamber and go to the bomb shelters. Their courage was inspiring and also reinforces our own determinati…
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Madam Speaker, I think this issue about religion and rights is actually a very important one. This is about supporting a woman's right to choose. Look at the case that I talked about. This was someone who was deeply religious and she made a choice. I think it is not up to anybody, no matter what their faith, to tell another person what they should do, any more than we would tell that person of fai…
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Madam Speaker, today I will be splitting my time with the member for Kingston and the Islands. I want to start by thanking the member for Edmonton Strathcona for bringing up this vitally important issue and also for bringing up the fact that, for 18 hours, it was filibustered in committee by the Conservatives, because I think that says something. People say that abortion rights are not up for disc…
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Madam Speaker, “procedural nonsense” were the words used by the member opposite. The chair of the status of women committee is saying that a debate in the House about protecting women's rights and their autonomy is procedural nonsense. I think they have just revealed exactly who they are.
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Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8)(a), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to seven petitions. These returns will be tabled in an electronic format.
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Madam Speaker, I am very happy that my hon. colleague raised the issue of what has happened in the United States, because there is an increase in the demeaning objectification of women. Words matter. What they say has led to an eroding of rights of women in the United States. The irony is that a family member of mine had to go to the United States to be able to get an abortion, and now there are w…
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Mr. Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, this week, I attended the launch of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence at Ottawa City Hall, hosted by GRAN advocates, Interval House of Ottawa and the Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women. We joined together to light buildings in purple, including City Hall and the Peace Tower, to symbolize our determination to end violence against women. For the dedicat…
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Mr. Speaker, the following reflects a consolidated response approved on behalf of Global Affairs Canada, GAC, ministers. With regard to part (a), on September 27, 2023, the Government of Canada publicly announced funding for two development assistance projects, valued at a total of $14 million, in support of Afghan refugees and host-communities impacted by the 2022 flood crisis in Pakistan. Of the…
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Madam Speaker, this Remembrance Week, we do more than remember those who sacrificed for our country; we also remember why they served. My father's family was in the Dutch resistance during World War II. He was just a little boy, but he never forgot the liberation. My father got his first candy from a Canadian soldier. Particularly today, after what happened last night in Amsterdam, it is more impo…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member calling for a ceasefire, for diplomacy and for de-escalation. She also mentioned that we are giving $10 million in humanitarian aid immediately. I wonder if she can tell us why that is so important.
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Mr. Speaker, today I am wearing a forget-me-not pin to recognize World Alzheimer's Month and to stand with the more than 700,000 Canadians living with dementia, a number projected to rise to 1.7 million by 2050. Dementia costs Canadians over $10 billion annually, but the personal toll on individuals and their families is immeasurable. In 2017, the House unanimously supported the national dementia …
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a remarkable constituent of mine, Varavadi Monaghan. When she arrived in Canada 30 years ago, the first books her husband, Harry, gave to her were the classic Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery. She loved the books so much that she decided to translate them into Thai, her mother language. It took over a year to translate them; it was a true labour…
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday the UN voted to establish the International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 Genocide in Srebrenica, when 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were taken by Serb forces from a UN safe zone, shot and buried in mass graves. After years of painstaking documentation, in 2004 and 2007 international courts ruled that the crimes committed in Srebrenica constitute genoci…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, our government has been there since day one for Ukraine. Budget 2024 is yet another step in making sure that Ukraine wins in its fight against Putin's illegal invasion. This budget includes almost $3 billion in additional financing, including for lethal and non-lethal weapons, including funding through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for the reconstruction of Uk…
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to table petition e-4758. The petitioners are calling on the Government of Canada, particularly IRCC, to develop a list of laws that are known, in repressive regimes such as Russia, to be used to persecute human rights defenders, democracy activists and political dissidents. The petitioners are concerned that such laws, if they are deemed to have a Canadian …
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Mr. Speaker, the following reflects a consolidated response approved on behalf of Global Affairs Canada ministers. In response to part (a) of the question, since January 1, 2023, Global Affairs Canada has disbursed a total of $49.9 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in support of essential humanitarian services such as education, health care and fo…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the international community must continue to provide humanitarian aid to those who so badly need it in Gaza. On January 30, Canada announced $40 million in additional humanitarian assistance to help the most vulnerable Palestinian civilians. This brings Canada's total commitment to $100 million. As is the case for all humanitarian and development funding to the Palestinians, our addit…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise to table petition e-4660, initiated by the remarkable women at the Canadian Center for Women's Empowerment. The petitioners are calling for November 26 to be named as “national economic abuse awareness day”. The petitioners note that economic abuse is a pervasive but often overlooked form of abuse that impacts 95% of women who face intimate partner violence, but it can also hap…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, we unequivocally condemn Hamas's brutal terrorist attacks on October 7, which included the killing, maiming and abduction of innocent civilians. Nothing can justify these abhorrent acts. Canada continues to support Israel's right to defend itself in accordance with international law. At the same time, Canada has been deeply concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and its impac…
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Mr. Speaker, I recently visited the grade 6 social entrepreneurship class at St. Gregory Catholic School in my riding. These smart and creative kids have raised over $700 for the Ottawa Food Bank by making greeting cards and 3-D printed items, such as jewellery and key chains, and selling them on Shopify. Through work-based learning, they use their business skills to address UN sustainable develop…
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Madam Speaker, in 2010, I was working in Africa when one of my colleagues turned to me and said that Canadian women are hypocrites. I was stunned. She went on to say that she had studied at McGill, and she knew Canadian women had reproductive rights, but it was not good enough for African women. I was mortified, and I decided right then that I was going to run for office and to change that policy.…
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Mr. Speaker, we know that medical assistance in dying is a deeply personal issue that is very difficult. I wonder if my hon. colleague could talk about the fact that we need to base this on principles of personal autonomy, dignity and choice.
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, Canada mourns the loss of innocent Israeli and Palestinian lives in this conflict. We express our condolences to all families and communities affected by this violence. Canada unequivocally condemns the brutal terrorist attacks perpetrated by Hamas against Israel on October 7. Nothing can justify these acts of terror and the killing, maiming and abduction of civilians. At the same t…
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Madam Speaker, I know that Calgarians, like most Canadians, care deeply about the future for our children and about our natural environment. We know that we can make life more affordable for Canadians without destroying our environment. We are providing this support where it is the most effective and to those who need it most. We have taken measures to temporarily suspend the federal tax on home h…
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Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure this evening to be answering a question from the member for Calgary Rocky Ridge, who is a former classmate of mine from the University of Calgary. I also very much welcome the opportunity to once again clarify how having a price on carbon and making sure that it is no longer free to pollute is the most effective way of addressing climate change, curtailing its devas…
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Madam Speaker, this is a very serious situation. The minister acted immediately last week to pause funding to UNRWA. A pause means a pause. It means that, going forward, no Canadian funding will flow to UNRWA as the investigation unfolds. In the meantime, our humanitarian commitment to helping the most vulnerable Palestinian civilians in the region remains unwavering. We are going to continue work…
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Madam Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to participate in tonight's debate and to once again explain to my colleagues why we need to put a price on pollution. I appreciate the opportunity to explain why a price on pollution is the right thing to do, not only for ourselves but also for our children. When we consider all of the extreme weather events that have impacted Canada recently, it appear…
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Madam Speaker, Canadians see around them every day the cost of not acting on climate change, with forest fires, violent storms and tornadoes. Severe weather events are becoming more frequent as a result of climate change, and they have a significant impact on Canada's infrastructure and economy. Experts all agree that putting a price on pollution is the right approach to fight climate change. The …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, Canada disburses an average of approximately $55 million annually to help meet the development and humanitarian needs of vulnerable Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and neighbouring countries. All programming and funding mechanisms are thoroughly examined to be consistent with Canadian values and to meet the highest standards of transparency and accountability. Since the onset of t…
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Madam Speaker, today is World AIDS Day. The UN reports that one life is lost every single day to HIV/AIDS. Even today, 9.2 million people living with HIV around the world do not have access to life-saving antiretroviral therapy. However, in the last 20 years, the world has made considerable progress. Since 2002, Canada has been one of the main donors to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, we are in the middle of 16 days of activism to end gender-based violence. Meanwhile, the Conservatives have taken to social media to promote the harassment of women senators in the Senate. At the same time, they are blocking legislation here in the House and now they are trying to distract by bullying women parliamentarians. Conservatives' social media attacks are forcing women in t…
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Mr. Speaker, this week, we announced a total of $100 million in funding for 1,140 social purpose organizations through the investment readiness program. These organizations will continue to provide much-needed assistance to communities. Social purpose organizations provide much-needed help to our neighbours in need. I would especially like to thank Allan Reesor-McDowell and all of the volunteers a…
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Mr. Speaker, we commend the decision made by Israel and Egypt to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza through the Rafah crossing. This is an important step in making sure that Palestinian civilians in Gaza get humanitarian aid, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Rapid and unimpeded access to aid is essential to meet the urgent needs of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. International law must al…
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Mr. Speaker, alleviating human suffering is our top priority. We were the first western country to provide $10 million in humanitarian aid. We are actively using every diplomatic avenue. There is now constant communication with partners and organizations in the region. Our immediate objective is to open humanitarian corridors to provide safety and refuge to those fleeing the war and to allow aid t…
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Mr. Speaker, the government will always stand up for human rights. This is why we created the CORE to maintain social responsibility of businesses around the world. This is why we will continue always to ensure that when Canadians and others are doing business around the world, particularly mining companies, we will always stand up for human rights everywhere, all the time.
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Mr. Speaker, we have very strong export control mechanisms. We always stand up for human rights. The Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise was created specifically so that we can work together with businesses. We know that there are ways in which that can be strengthened. This is exactly why we are listening. It is why, when the Subcommittee on International Human Rights did a study, th…
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Mr. Speaker, right now, the alleviation of human suffering is our number one priority. We continue, and will continue, to push for all parties to respect humanitarian and international law. This means access for civilians. This means accountability for those who do not follow international law. This means that we are using every diplomatic channel that we have to alleviate the suffering, and ensur…
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Mr. Speaker, Canada will continue to support Palestinian civilians in Gaza facing urgent humanitarian needs. Our initial commitment of $10 million in humanitarian assistance to trusted partners in Gaza will provide food, water, emergency medical assistance and protection services. We were the first western country to do so, and others have now started following suit. We will continue to be there.
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Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to James Wilfred Eagle, a decorated veteran and respected community leader among the Ojibwa people, who passed away in April. Jim Eagle served in Korea with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry and went on to serve for 25 years in the CAF, reaching the rank of sergeant. Jim was a residential school survivor. He spoke his language fluently and p…
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Madam Speaker, I am excited to tell the House about a true success story in my riding and an example of what can happen when environmental organizations, community groups and government work together toward solutions for conservation and biodiversity. On the DND Carling campus, we have restored urban wetlands that just a few years ago had almost completely dried up because of water diversion and p…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to highlight the contributions to Have a Heart Day of students in my riding attending Dr. F. J. McDonald Catholic School, École élémentaire publique Charlotte-Lemieux and École élémentaire publique Mamawi. This annual event is organized by the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society and dedicated to indigenous reconciliation. On Have a Heart Day, these engaged youth t…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to bring to the attention of this House the situation of just one of many political prisoners in Iran, Mojahed Kourkour, who has been unjustly sentenced to death by the Iranian regime. He was wrongfully convicted for the murder of a nine-year-old boy, despite the boy’s parents having testified it was in fact state security officers who killed their son. Both parents wer…
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