Parliamentary Speeches
184 speeches by Anthony Housefather — Page 1 of 4
Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I have some good news for my colleague. Last week, I was with the Minister of Finance in my riding, where Kraft Heinz announced a $250-million investment to increase the number of Canadian products being made here at home in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. That is because Kraft Heinz has confidence that the new government knows what it is doing with the economy. I think we should look at th…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the first thing I want to say is that this bill, when we talk about anti-Semitism, is something that has been asked for by all of the main Jewish organizations in Canada, including CIJA, B’nai Brith and the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center. I can go on and on about the Jewish organizations that support the bill and have asked for the bill. They want to see actual action, not just wo…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I have been asking for this bill for two years. This is a bill I feel passionately about, and it is a bill that is desperately needed. In the last month, three synagogues in Toronto were shot at. Jewish institutions were shot at in Belgium and Holland. A synagogue in Detroit was attacked with a car by a guy who was armed. He rammed into the gate. Over and over in this world, we have s…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, of course the answer is no. It is clear that people could read any sacred text, pray to it, or do anything else, and no one would be charged for reading a sacred text. The issue here is the promotion of hatred, that is, deliberately wanting someone to be slandered. The idea that this would happen simply because a person goes to church and reads the Bible there makes no sense. It is no…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I extend the same appreciation to my colleague, whom I often work with and very much enjoy working with. The member asked about two things. First, I have called for the repeal of the religious-based defence since early 2024, when CIJA called for it, and I agreed with them, following what happened with Charkaoui in Montreal. I have supported removing that for two years. It has never su…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I think the most important thing is that all members of the Canadian Armed Forces in the region are safe. Our priority as a government and as parliamentarians should be the safety and security of our armed forces who are currently operating in a theatre of war. I will say that our government's priority will always be to maximize the safety and security of our armed forces.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I believe we all need to prioritize the safety and security of the Canadian Armed Forces and not expose them to unnecessary risks. There are members of our armed forces, brave men and women, operating in a theatre of war where Iran is launching missiles and drones. For reasons of operational security, specific measures to protect the forces are not disclosed.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, as always, my colleague gave a very interesting speech. The last part, part (d) of the motion, calls for the repeal of Bill C-75, which would essentially put the criminal law back to the state it was in before Bill C-75. Bill C-75 did a number of important things, one of which was to repeal the bawdy house laws and vagrancy laws that led to the mass jailing of gay men in Toronto and…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, on September 11, 2001, I was in New York when terrorists attacked the World Trade Center. I saw the bravery and solidarity and shared the anguish first-hand. As a Canadian, I was incredibly proud of how we rose to the occasion to support our closest friend and ally. From the hospitality showed by the people of Gander to fundraising campaigns to support the victims, to our government b…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I would like to present petition e-6903, which has been signed by 2,275 people. The petitioners are asking for faster processing times for humanitarian and compassionate applications. They want to see a transparent action plan to address the backlog and ensure reasonable decision timelines and they are asking the Minister of Immigration and the House to consider that.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, Quebec's National Assembly adopted Bill 2 last month. On November 9, 20 clinics in my riding and nearby warned that they may need to close their doors as a direct result of Bill 2. Government funding and the salaries of the doctors who finance these public clinics will decrease significantly. Meanwhile, these clinics will be forced to see more patients more quickly, with fewer resourc…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise today in support of budget 2025. We are building Canada strong. This is a plan that would protect our communities, empower Canadians with better careers and make life more affordable. We are creating an economy by Canadians for Canadians. Our government is cutting spending, building more and honouring our commitments, because that is how we are investing in Can…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I completely agree that the health care system in Quebec, and in several other provinces, is very fragile. Federal government investments are very important. However, the questions I am hearing from the doctors in my community concern Quebec's Bill 2 and the problems it will cause, including the closure of family medicine clinics in almost every region of Quebec. In my riding, 20 clin…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, my businesses have also reacted very well to the tax credits and the tax breaks that are being given in the budget. I believe my population has also reacted well to the general tax cut that was given to all Canadians in the very first law the House passed in the spring.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the budget talks about jobs for all Canadians. We care about people who work in sawmills, and we care about people who work in every industry. That is why this budget builds jobs and gives money to those industries that need it the most and are impacted by the U.S. tariffs. The budget also deals with climate change, and we deal with emergency management. I do not agree with the way th…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I share the hon. member's concern about wildfires that are caused by climate change. This is a first step. It is a good first step. I want to continue to work with her and other members to continue to support the provinces in their fight against wildfires.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, our top priority is keeping our roads and drivers safe. The minister made an honest mistake, but budget 2025 includes funding for a targeted $77-million program to address the issue of non-compliance related to contractor services and service fees. The Bloc Québécois can vote for that and for the budget, thereby preventing a Christmas election. Will the Bloc do so?
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, let me reiterate that our top priority is keeping our roads and drivers safe. Budget 2025 includes important measures to ensure roadway safety. The two opposition parties have a choice. Will they vote in favour of a budget that advances the cause of trucker safety? I hope so.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, today, I want to welcome the Jewish community leaders from the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs and the Jewish Federations of Canada, who are here on Parliament Hill for their annual advocacy day. They come at a time when Canada's Jewish community is facing an alarming rise in anti-Semitism. Though Jewish Canadians make up just 1.2% of the population, we make up 70% of all religio…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, Alex Look was a force of nature. He embodied love, generosity and courage. He was Raquel and Alain's son and Kayla's brother. He had friends and family who loved him. He grew up in Montreal but was also a man of the world who spoke seven languages and ran an international business. He was the life of any room. Alex was also a proud Jew. On October 7, 2023, he was vacationing in Israel…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I did not hear a question in there, but let me just say, again, that I think it is really important. I appreciate the substantive question I am sure my colleague was coming to. The government's factum does not contest the ability of a province or the federal Parliament to use the notwithstanding clause, although personally, my position has always been that we should not do so. The fac…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I thank my Bloc Québécois colleagues who moved this opposition day motion. I am pleased to speak in the House of Commons as a Quebecker because it is very important to show that Quebeckers have a wide range of opinions on Bill 21 and the pre-emptive use of the notwithstanding clause. The Bloc Québécois does not have a monopoly on speaking in the House of Commons on behalf of all Quebe…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I thank the leader of the Bloc Québécois for his speech. I must point out that the matter of whether the clause may be used pre-emptively does not even appear in the government's factum. It was not even raised. The Bloc is calling on us to withdraw the factum filed with the Supreme Court, but there is a very important question that needs to be addressed. The Quebec Superior Court and …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech. I am somewhat surprised that the Bloc Québécois motion calls for the Attorney General of Canada to withdraw his factum in a case where the notwithstanding clause affects not only the provinces, but also the Government of Canada. It also affects the House of Commons and the Senate too. It can be used. Does the Bloc Québécois believe that the Gover…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his kind words. I also want to wish the entire Jewish community in Canada a Shana Tova. When a factum is put before a court, it is a message to the judges. It is not meant for the public, and it is not about politics. The matter before the court is whether limitations on section 33 that are not procedural in nature are permissible. Examples are given t…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I fully agree with my colleague. Even if the notwithstanding clause is used legitimately, it is very important, if a right is violated in a way that is not reasonable in a free and democratic society, that a court is able to advise the people in this respect. As we explained in the factum, it is very important for the court to study the manner in which this was done in order to rule o…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that the Canada Elections Act requires somebody to swear that they are voting in the last riding that they lived in in Canada, and they have to disclose that address. Would that not be correct, and would that not prevent some of what the hon. member is suggesting might happen?
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, my hope is that everybody looking at the challenges we are facing from the United States will come to the rationalization that we need to exploit Canadian energy to its potential. I am going to hope and pray that everyone will look at this as rational actors and will understand that we need to be resilient across our country first so that we are not buying oil from other countries to …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, they talk about redistribution, but fail to say that there are several provinces that do not receive equalization payments. Albert and Saskatchewan do not receive any money through this redistribution, while Quebec does. As a Quebecker, I am very pleased to live in a federation where there is a willingness to help one another. I am grateful to the people of Alberta and Saskatchewan wh…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, they come from Alberta and other provinces; that is correct. When we look at federal programs, we see that federal programs' monies do not always flow equally to every single province. They flow directly to different things in different programs. We would imagine, in the end, that the country is made better as a whole by all the programs we have. The idea that we would take each and e…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me welcome my colleague from Kitchener South—Hespeler to the House. It is always nice to have more doctors in the House. I think they say that often. It is funny that he is talking about prepared talking notes, because I think people watching me will note that I did not use any talking notes whatsoever for my speech, which is actually how I think speeches should be g…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, congratulations on your appointment to the role of Deputy Speaker of the House. I will be sharing my time with the member for Compton—Stanstead. I am very proud to be in the House with this new member because there are now 44 of us members from Quebec on the Liberal side. With the 11 members from Quebec on the Conservative side, there are 55 members who are able to be both proud Quebe…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I think there are those who would argue that it is not the only measure that has brought down emissions, and I am sure the government will come forward with its plan in due time.
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to welcome the member for Toronto—St. Paul's to the House. She is a true ally of the Jewish community. In terms of what she said in her speech, just in the last 10 days, two Jews were killed in Washington, D.C., while leaving an American Jewish Committee event. We had the incident this weekend where people who were marching for the release of the hostages were attacke…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, we will continue to work with the province. We will continue to work with investors. We are going to make sure we do everything we can, because this industry is the future of Canada, the future of Quebec. We absolutely want this to work.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, through the zero emission transit fund, the federal government is helping the public transit and school bus operators in the country electrify their fleet. This initiative builds on the work of the Canada Infrastructure Bank to provide to public transit and school bus operators low-cost loans for electrification. Through these two initiatives, the federal government is supporting the …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, under section 35.2 of the Public Service Employment Act, former ministers’ exempt staff who have been employed for at least three successive years as exempt staff in a minister’s office, in the office of the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, or in the office of the Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons, may be eligible to participate in internal advertised appointment…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the Access to Information Act requires that the package of briefing materials prepared for a minister or deputy head for the purpose of an appearance before a committee of Parliament be proactively published within 120 days after the appearance. The act does not make any distinction regarding the type or format of the information that comprises the package of briefing materials. Minis…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, I very much thank, as always, my entertaining colleague and the chairman of the ethics committee for his speech, although it really pains me deeply to be identified as obstructionist. I do not think I am obstructionist and I am sure the member would like to correct that on the record when he speaks. I looked at the minutes of the July meeting where we reported Mr. Anderson to the Ho…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, we obviously recognize the very important work done by the federal public service. We want to make sure that we look into this matter very carefully. As to where this money will go, it will go into the general accounts for the moment. We will be discussing this with different parts of the government, including the unions, and we will come to the right decision.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, we care deeply about first nations children. Jordan's principle ensures first nations children can access the care they need when they need it, regardless of where they live. Since 2016, Indigenous Services Canada has funded approximately 7.8 million products, services and supports for first nations children. The number of requests has grown exponentially over the years, and we are in…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties, and I believe if you seek it, you will find unanimous consent for the following motion. I move: That the House: (a) firmly condemn the violent acts and the antisemitic gestures which took place during the demonstrations in Montreal on November 21 and 22; (b) condemn all attacks against the Jewish community and state clearly that Jewish Ca…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, a few weeks ago we were all shocked when a Conservative member told a francophone minister that he should not speak French in the House. I found that shameful, but the member graciously apologized. I am now shocked to hear a member of the Bloc Québécois say that, as an anglophone member from Quebec, I should not speak English in the House of Commons. I use both official languages in…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I am a proud Canadian. I love this country from coast to coast to coast. Apparently, one need only look at the separatist governments that have taken power in Quebec to see that very few people in Quebec's anglophone community believe our rights would be better protected in an independent Quebec than in Canada. That said, I would have a major quarrel with any government that cut the C…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Etobicoke—Lakeshore. It was wonderful to hear the speech by the member for New Westminster—Burnaby and see that there are anglophone MPs from British Columbia who speak impeccable French in the House. Today we saw anglophone members from all parties who are able to manage in French in the House. This is part of Canada's richness. We have p…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I could not agree more. His comments give me the opportunity to share another obvious point. There is a member from northern Ontario here in the House who speaks perfect French. It is proof that Canada can work. It is true that, in the hon. member's region, Radio-Canada's resources are mixed with the CBC's. Therefore, if the CBC is cut, all the equipment, all the trucks and all the pe…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for his remarks. I want to ask about the English-language CBC. It is the Conservative Party's position, as articulated in the member's speech, to cut off English-language services from the CBC, but for the English-language minority communities of Quebec outside of Montreal, the CBC offers a vital service. In many rural parts of Quebec, the CBC is the only link to …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I do not believe that the country will long sustain Radio-Canada without the CBC. As I mentioned, Radio-Canada services outside Quebec, where the populations are the most vulnerable, are using CBC offices, CBC cameras, CBC equipment and CBC personnel to cover the news and to do shows in French. The idea that Radio-Canada would sustain itself outside of Quebec very easily without the C…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I wish to welcome my colleague to the House. This is the first time we have had the opportunity to share ideas. I agree, this is realpolitik. Canada is a bilingual country where both official languages are supposed to be present in every province, with national services available in both languages. I will always fight to ensure that all services available in English are also available…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate that the government is proud of the work of our public service. They work hard for Canadians every day, and the experience of working in the public service should be the same no matter where someone is in the country. We have adopted a common hybrid work model that aims to foster the kind of culture we need to best serve Canadians. While any transition of this scal…
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