Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I am humbled to rise and pay tribute to Monique Bégin, a member of Parliament who was a pioneer in the House for many years. She played an important role in improving the lives of all Canadians. She was the executive secretary of the Royal Commission on the Status of Women in Canada. Fifty years ago, she was one of the first three women from Quebec to be elected to the House. She was …
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Mr. Speaker, this week, young people in my riding are celebrating their last days of school before the summer break. Some will even be celebrating their high school graduation. The end of students' high school studies can be an exhilarating experience, as well as a daunting one. Some may move on to post-secondary studies at CEGEP and then move on to studies at a college or university. Others may f…
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Madam Speaker, this Sunday we will be celebrating our fathers and the sacrifices they made for all of us. I dedicate this statement to my 91-year-old father, Elias, who survived the war and who, in 1957, left his very poor village in Greece to move to the modern city of Montreal, without an education or money and without being able to speak anything other than Greek. He immediately started working…
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Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure for me to stand in the House today to speak about the penitentiary agricultural program with the member for Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston. I would like to begin my remarks today by reiterating what the Government of Canada shared with this House back in May 2022 pertaining to the operations of this program. At the time, it was noted that the Correctional Service of Cana…
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Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for the opportunity for us to recognize the outstanding efforts performed by CSC employees on a daily basis, as well as the inherent risks performed by many correctional officers. It also permits us to recognize the meetings that occur between CSC and its union partners that prioritize the safety of staff. CSC has implemented many policies and practices to ac…
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Madam Speaker, the provision of intercity passenger rail in Canada's most densely populated areas is a priority for our government. High-frequency rail between Quebec City and Toronto is central to the transformation of rail service for Canadians. High-frequency trains will significantly expand and improve passenger rail service in Canada. Via Rail and its employees will play a vital role in this …
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Madam Speaker, the Government of Canada is not privatizing Via Rail. The Government of Canada will retain ownership of Via Rail, its subsidiary, and all high-frequency train infrastructure and assets. A significant amount of analysis and due diligence was completed to determine the best delivery model for this transformational project. This included studying a whole spectrum of procurement options…
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Mr. Speaker, on May 18, the Tamil community celebrates the day of remembrance, Mullivaikkal, which commemorates the lives lost during the 25-year civil war in Sri Lanka. As we honour the victims of this tragedy, we are reminded of the strength and resilience of the Tamil community in Canada and around the world. During the Mullivaikkal massacre in 2009, Tamils held rallies and protests in Canadian…
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Mr. Speaker, we will always make sure that there is appropriate funding in our budgets and in our programs to make sure that Canadians have the public rail service they deserve.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for the good work that he does on the transport committee with me. Canadians deserve reliable railway service and public funds are—
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Madam Speaker, protecting the rights of air passengers when air travel does not go as planned is a priority of our government. Creating the air passenger protection regulations provided an important framework for travellers' rights; however, lessons learned throughout the pandemic, which began shortly after the regulations were implemented, have provided the Government of Canada with valuable info…
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Madam Speaker, the Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that travellers' rights are respected by airlines when air travel does not go according to plan. The proposed amendments to the Canada Transportation Act will increase airlines' burden of proof by requiring them to compensate travellers unless they can prove that a disruption was caused by a circumstance set out in the list of except…
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Mr. Speaker, today, as a proud Canadian of Greek origin, I rise in the House to commemorate Greek Independence Day and the struggle of the Greek people to break free from the Ottoman Empire. March 25, 1821, symbolizes the courage and fortitude of the Greek people who fought a formidable power to gain their independence. On this day, we honour all the heroes who sacrificed their lives for the re-es…
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Madam Speaker, the hon. member on the opposite side is raising a very important issue. Canadians from coast to coast to coast deserve to have reliable infrastructure and to be able to commute from anywhere they live across this beautiful country. I look forward to working with him across the aisle to make sure that Canadians always receive the services that they deserve and need.
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Madam Speaker, our government understands how the delays and cancellations this holiday season were extremely frustrating for travellers. We expect all airlines to communicate with passengers and keep them informed of delays or cancellations. We are always looking at ways to strengthen rights for passengers, and we will continue to ensure these rights are protected and that the Canadian Transporta…
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Madam Speaker, our government will continue to strengthen everything that Canadians require to have a smooth experience in travel. We continue to dialogue with our airports. The minister's office and the minister himself continue to meet with them and have that conversation. We will always be there to listen to concerns and needs. We will deliver for all Canadians across the country.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the hard work and dedication of Dr. Lucy Gilbert and her team, who developed DOvEEgene, the world's first genomic uterine cancer screening test, at the McGill University Health Centre. Ovarian and endometrial cancers are the fourth most common cause of cancer deaths in Canadian women. Deaths related to endometrial cancers are rising while the five-year surviv…
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Mr. Speaker, as we have said time and time again, Canadians must have confidence in our law enforcement agencies, which begins by building public trust. One way to do that is to ensure that we have adequate funding. This is why we have put in the budget extra funding for the CBSA. The CBSA is a very important agency. It helps keep Canadians feeling safe and secure. On this side of the House, we wi…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to Bill C-20, an act establishing the public complaints and review commission and amending certain acts and statutory instruments. Canadians must have confidence in the agencies tasked with keeping them safe. Be it in our communities or at our borders, public trust is essential to the work of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canada Border Services Agency…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the question. It is an important question. Our goal is for all agencies to have more transparency and credibility. We will issue a report immediately after the bill passes. In committee, we can make more recommendations and suggestions, but our goal is to issue a report for all Canadians.
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Mr. Speaker, as we have always said, this government ensures that we consult with our indigenous peoples to make sure we hear of all their worries and the things that preoccupy their communities, and that they are well served. If the hon. member has specific recommendations she would like to see on what more we could be doing to engage our indigenous communities, I welcome that conversation with h…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for pointing out the correction. I really appreciate it. In no way did I mean to disrespect indigenous peoples in Canada. Yes, I do agree there should be consultation with indigenous peoples to make sure there is no gap in the bill.
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Mr. Speaker, today marks the first day of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. These 16 days are an opportunity to come together as Canadians and with partners from around the world to fight gender-based violence. This year's theme, “It's Not Just”, highlights the real impact of the actions that are sometimes cast aside as playful banter, “boys being boys”, or “locker room talk”.…
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Madam Speaker, I am pleased to be here today to support Bill S‑227, an act to establish food day in Canada. Food day in Canada will be the perfect opportunity for Canadians to celebrate our country's outstanding agriculture and agri-food sector. We can thank all those who work hard, from farm to table, to feed Canadians and the world's growing population. We cannot talk about a food day in Canada …
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Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to acknowledge that October 28 is Oxi Day. Oxi Day, or “no” day, commemorates the moment in 1940, at the start of the Second World War, when Greece rejected Mussolini's ultimatum calling for the occupation of Greece by Italy's fascist forces, allies of the Germans and the Japanese. Oxi became a rallying call for Greek resistance to fascist aggression. Unified…
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today in the House in support of Bill C-242, which seeks to improve the super visa for parents or grandparents visiting their families in Canada for extended periods of time. I want to thank the member for Dufferin—Caledon for introducing this bill. I also want to thank all the committee members, who have been working to improve family reunification, for their co-…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to recognize October as autism awareness month. As a nation, we have made great strides in our knowledge of the autism spectrum, and much of that success is due to the efforts of organizations like the Société de l'autisme et des TED de Laval. However, there is still much to be done. Persons on the spectrum are an essential part of our society and we, as a pe…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today about the great news that Moderna will set up its first vaccine manufacturing plant outside the United States in my riding of Vimy. As we all know, Moderna manufactures one of the two vaccines that have helped ensure Canadians' safety during the COVID‑19 pandemic and saved many lives. It continues to be one of the world's leading biotech companies. The Moderna plant will …
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Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise in the House today to celebrate the 62nd anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Cyprus, which is October 1. Canada and Cyprus have maintained a historic relationship since 1960. Our two countries have developed a strong partnership with respect to our membership and our work in multilateral organizations, such as la Francophonie, the Organization for …
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Mr. Speaker, students in Vimy and across Canada will be finishing their school year in the next few days. I still remember how stressful and exciting June was, what with exams, graduation ceremonies, prom and the start of summer vacation. I am proud of the dedicated teachers and staff at the excellent schools in my riding of Vimy, such as Laval Junior Academy, École Socrates-Démosthène and École S…
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Madam Speaker, as I have said several times throughout the last couple of days, we understand how frustrating it is for Canadians to experience long lines and delays at airports. This is clearly not a staffing issue alone. CATSA is at 90% of prepandemic staffing levels, while travel is at 70% of what it was in 2019. Our government is working really hard with the aviation sector and all the agencie…
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Madam Speaker, we know that Canadians are tired, but ignoring COVID-19 will not make it go away. We understand how frustrating it is for Canadians to experience long lines and delays at airports. Canadians can rest assured that we are working to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. We have hired approximately 400 new screening officers, who are currently in different phases of their training…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his speech. I also want to share some information with Canadians who may be watching us right now regarding the ArriveCAN app. Up to 72 hours before arriving in Canada, or before making a short trip outside of Canada, travellers can log on to ArriveCAN from a computer to obtain a receipt, print it out and have it on hand while travelling. Individuals may al…
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Mr. Speaker, we understand how frustrating it is for Canadians to experience long lines and delays at airports. Canadians can rest assured that we are working to resolve this issue as quickly as possible. As I said earlier in the House today, we have hired approximately 400 new screening officers who are currently in different phases of their training across the country. We are taking affirmative …
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Madam Speaker, I know my colleague was dissatisfied with my response to his previous question about reviewing public health measures at airports. I would like to clarify that a review of measures is ongoing and constant. Health Canada is always reassessing the latest public health data to better dictate our decision-making at airports. There is no completion date, as this is ongoing. It will also …
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for this important question. Our government is always ready to work with all parties in the House to come up with solutions and reach compromises. We are always ready and willing to work together. I would therefore invite my colleague to contact me or Transport Canada.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to reiterate that ultimately each country is responsible for the safety and security of its own people. They have their own public health experts that provide them with information. We have our own public health professionals who are world-renowned scientists and researchers. We take guidance from our public health professionals, and we will continue to do so.
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Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member states, this is a problem that is not specific or unique to Canada. There are labour shortages throughout. There are committees looking at labour shortages. There is communication among departments and allies around the world to make sure that we are well aligned and answering the needs of the labour shortages. As we see, it is not only transportation, airports, air…
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Mr. Speaker, ultimately, each country is responsible for the safety and security of its own people. Each country is experiencing unique factors, such as vaccine availability, as per my speech, the vaccination rate and the number of hospitalizations. Each country adjusts its measures to best fit its unique context. I agree with the hon. member that perhaps there should be a list compiled of all the…
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Mr. Speaker, as we have said numerous times, this is an evolving situation. We follow the guidelines of public health. The emergence of the omicron variant and others was a clear reminder that the pandemic continues to evolve. That is why we continue to require vaccination to travel when departing by train, plane or cruise ship. Again, from day one, our public health measures have been based on th…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for that important question. As we have said before, since the beginning of the pandemic, our government has focused on the health and safety of Canadians by following the latest science. Canada's border measures will remain flexible and adaptable, guided by science and prudence. We are currently reviewing the Auditor General's report. I have no doubt that Tr…
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Mr. Speaker, vaccines are an important tool to protect Canadians and stop the spread of COVID-19. Science is clear on this matter. Vaccines are safe and effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19, as well as reducing severe cases and hospitalizations and protecting health. On this side of the House, we will always look to science to help us monitor and mitigate all unnecessary risks to the Canad…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for raising that important point. It is duly noted. With four major airports to hear directly about what was happening on the ground and to discuss solutions, airports, airlines and CATSA are working to make sure communication to travellers is clear so they can better anticipate processing requirements. TC, PHAC and CBSA are working with airports and air carriers …
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for Thornhill for having raised this important question, which I know is a concern for many Canadian travellers. I will begin by saying that I understand and share their frustration. I myself am a traveller, and I have experienced delays at the airport. I know it can be aggravating. I also know that airport delays have an economic cost and that th…
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Mr. Speaker, I will endeavour to get more information and will respond to the member in a quick manner.
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Madam Speaker, we have some wonderful, talented women in Vimy. Dispersa Inc. is a woman-led company that focuses on biosurfactants, which are biodegradable and ecofriendly products for cleaning and personal care. Since being elected in 2019, I have seen Dispersa grow and gain recognition for the incredible work its team is doing to make our homes greener. This week, Dispersa was selected as one of…
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Mr. Speaker, last weekend, I had the honour of joining members of the Armenian community to mark the 107th anniversary of the genocide. We heard very personal stories about their family members who experienced and witnessed the atrocities. That pain will never go away. On April 24, 1915, the Ottoman Turks began a genocide that resulted in the death of 1.5 million Armenians. Shedding light on the t…
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House that Autism Month has begun. Yesterday, in my riding of Vimy, I had the honour of attending an event alongside people who are dedicated to the cause. I would like to thank and congratulate the Société de l'autisme et des TED de Laval for all of its work. As the ambassador for the month, I would like to raise awareness about the challenges that people w…
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Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, March 25, marks the 201st anniversary of the Greek war of independence. This day is important not only to Canadians of Hellenic origin, but also to people all over the world. I remind everyone that this day is dedicated to all those who love liberty and freedom, and I warn all who would deny them these human values. This is a moment for Greeks to celebrate and an invitation …
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