Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I agree that every sector of our economy from coast to coast to coast matters. Canada united and supporting every industry throughout the country is important, which includes, of course, those very same companies in Quebec. When the auto sector took a dive in 2008, the Ontario government and the federal government at the time stepped in to provide that support. Had it not been for tha…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to discuss the future of Canada's automotive industry and how the government is working to protect the industry and Canadian workers. Canada's automotive sector has long been and remains a cornerstone of our economy. It has defined communities, strengthened our middle class and anchored Canada as a trusted partner in global manufacturing, while supporting hundreds of thou…
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Mr. Speaker, the member reminds us that when I was finance minister, we bailed out and supported the auto industry in Windsor. If it were not for Ontario's participation, against the wishes of the Conservatives, they would have faltered. We stood by the Canadian auto workers, we stood by the industry and we safeguarded those jobs and those companies. We will continue to do so. Foreign direct inves…
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Mr. Speaker, it is important that Canada stays at the forefront of industry and innovation. It is important that we continue to attract investment because we are trusted partners. It is important that we look at the auto sector in a broader scope. It is important that we look to the future of auto. We do not pick winners and losers. They are picking losers. We need to ensure that those competitors…
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Madam Speaker, having engaged with the member opposite in OGGO, I appreciate his reminding the House that I did six budgets and that I did balance the books. Ontario was the largest contributor to the rest of the federation. Even when it was a so-called have-not province, we contributed more to Canada, over $11 billion, than all the other provinces, while Quebec and others were receiving some of t…
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Madam Speaker, it is an essential part of the budget. Expanding our trade routes and expanding trade across the world is part of what gives Canada an opportunity to provide a measure, a step, for some countries to deal in the western hemisphere. Canada has been succeeding. Over $1 trillion is now being projected in supports with Canada's engagement. We are punching above our weight. In fact, Canad…
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Madam Speaker, the question enables us to talk about some of the measures that I took when I was minister of finance, as the member opposite reminds us. We brought in a cap-and-trade system in Ontario, aligning ourselves with Quebec. Quebec was part of the western climate initiative with California. Ontario had decarbonized its system, so we were great receivers of $1.3 billion annually through th…
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Thank you, Madam Speaker. I know the members are very interested in what is happening. It is creating discussion, and that is important. After 25 years in the private sector, I wanted to give back to a society that enabled us to have opportunity. Many of us are products of immigration. My parents came in 1953 from a postwar fascist regime in Europe, seeking that opportunity to continue to prosper,…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the world is changing rapidly and Canadians gave the government a strong mandate to protect our workers and industries, all while building Canada strong. Last week, we announced the defence industrial strategy, designed to transform our defence industry and make Canada more secure. Can the Minister of Industry please share what this strategy means for Canadian workers and industries a…
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Madam Speaker, the member opposite is speaking about exemptions for opportunities to make Canada more effective, to expedite matters more essential to our economy. I would refer her to those particulars. Every exemption that occurs has to be fully transparent. There is one thing that should never be hampered but is when the Conservatives try to control the Governor of the Bank of Canada, the Ontar…
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Madam Speaker, I appreciate that very much, and I think all of us appreciate it. All of us in the House should stand proud and tall for the fact that Canada is seen around the world, and by the G7 and the IMF, for its ability and capacity to grow and invest. Canada has done extraordinary things during downturns. Certainly in 2008, we weathered it better than any other part of the world because we …
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Madam Speaker, the member opposite may or may not know that CANDU reactors and the corporation are within my riding. I have met with representatives of Candu Energy on a number of occasions. We talked about small modular reactors providing supports and electricity to those remote communities in the far north that rely primarily on diesel, which is extremely dirty, to provide greater sources of, an…
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Mr. Speaker, I am proud to stand before the House to speak to the third reading of the budget. The finance minister has done an extraordinary job of putting forward a blueprint for Canada that would enable us to be more competitive, to provide for prosperity and to protect our sovereignty. These are important steps, so I thank the minister of finance for doing so. These are values that are critica…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on National Defence in relation to Bill C-11, an act to amend the National Defence Act and other acts. The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House with amendments.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, it is with heavy hearts that we mourn the passing of Miguel Domingos. A cherished leader and musician, he was a pillar of the Portuguese community. Miguel was a maestro of his beloved Banda do Sagrado Coração de Jesus of Toronto for decades and the conductor of the Banda do Senhor Santo Cristo. In their words, he stood at the helm of these marching bands, guiding their musicians with …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I am very fortunate to live in a community that comes together to support those most in need. For the 17th year in a row, I am proud to partner with 'Twas the Bite Before Christmas and my annual holiday turkey drive. Over these years, working together, we have raised more than $1.2 million to support food banks in Mississauga. We are once again raising money to provide turkey dinners …
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Mr. Speaker, we recognize it very well. My colleague, the former minister of finance for Quebec, and I delivered around 11 budgets between us. One thing we did that is similar to what is in this budget was ensure that we distinguished between borrowing for operating and borrowing to make investments and increase our prosperity. We delved very precisely into infrastructure spending programs, which …
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Mr. Speaker, the question is about debt and deficits. I understand them fully. I delivered six budgets in the past. I recognized, after the 2008 financial crisis, that we were at the lowest we could be across Canada, not just in Ontario. We invested in infrastructure to stimulate economic growth and we tackled the situation by growing and stimulating the economy. Debt is a function of wealth. We c…
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Mr. Speaker, it is important to recognize that there are two ways to stimulate economic growth in this country. One way is monetary policy, which the opposition has determined should not even exist. We need to have an independent and arm's-length overview of monetary policy to control inflation, and it has happened. Canadians had to endure some suffering, but the world suffers still to this day. T…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Marc-Aurèle-Fortin for sharing his time. I am proud to rise today in support of budget 2025. The budget would address the global challenges Canada is facing and seize the opportunity to reshape our economy and our nation’s future. I want to thank the many residents of Mississauga—Lakeshore who have spoken to me directly at town halls and constituency meetings to…
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Mr. Speaker, it is interesting. The Charter of Rights protects the very individual asking that question. The judicial system is there to protect individuals. If someone is a criminal, and they have committed a violent crime, they have to face the consequences by law, but the right is there to protect the victims too. We will always fight to have a fair judicial system and to ensure that criminals …
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Mr. Speaker, it was important that the leader of the Liberal Party, as all of us did during the election, recognized some of the concerns that our constituents have with crime, but make no mistake that they had concerns with crime for many years prior, even during the time the Conservatives were in power. Our leader took the time and had the consideration to listen, make commitments and put forwar…
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Mr. Speaker, that is another great question. We need a coordinated effort. We need to ensure that the federal government and provincial jurisdictions, which act on the law and are supposed to enforce laws, deal with matters like court delays, the collection of bail data, the funding and resources necessary, and even the justice platform by the BQ. We will continue to work in collaboration with the…
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Mr. Speaker, I am a proud representative of Mississauga—Lakeshore, and I will be sharing my time with the member for Calgary Signal Hill. As I rise to debate the opposition motion before us, I want to talk particularly about its narrative and the appropriate steps moving forward. My community, like many communities, is concerned. We have a number of town halls. We have talk groups. We have ongoing…
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Mr. Speaker, there we go. The member opposite is making a personal attack over the fact that I balanced the books in Ontario, which did not happen under the Conservatives in the last go-around. We will continue to fight for Canadians. We will continue to fight for public safety. I will not be addressing rhetoric like that. It only causes concern and enables the heightening of people's hate, which …
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Absolutely, I do. Mr. Speaker, I take offence to the very nature of that notion. The fact that individuals are suggesting any member of this Parliament would prefer not to put a criminal in jail is offensive in its own right. There are laws that are in place. There are laws that have been in place all along. We have to enforce the law. These changes were not the result of partisan initiatives. The…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the following two reports of the Standing Committee on National Defence. The first report is entitled “Gaps to Fill: Housing and Other Needed Supports for Canadian Armed Forces Members and Their Families”, and the second report is entitled “Rebuilding Trust: Transparency and Accountability in the Department of National Defence …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, earlier this week, Peel police announced the outcome of project outsource, an 11-month project that has led to multiple arrests connected with extortions, shootings and fraud. This affects my community and others. Can the Secretary of State for Combatting Crime speak to the actions the government is taking to crack down on organized crime, protect our streets and keep Canadians safe?
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, let us be clear. We are trying to ensure that we balance the operating budget. We have done that. I did that for six budgets during my time when I was the minister of finance for the Province of Ontario. We balanced the books. We took advantage of low-cost interest to invest in infrastructure projects. We incited foreign direct investment and partnerships with the private sector, to e…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question. It is essential to invest in infrastructure, be it infrastructure in Via Rail or in high-speed rail throughout the corridor that is being proposed, through Windsor all the way to Quebec City, to ensure that we foster ways to be competitive. I think what we are highlighting is also the fact that the way it stands now is ineffective and is not sustai…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, first, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the people of Mississauga—Lakeshore for entrusting me with the honour of representing them here in Parliament. My wife, Zenny, and I are very grateful for their trust. Our community reflects the best of Canada: diverse, innovative, hard-working and compassionate. I am proud to be the voice of our community members in this chamber, and I…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, it is essential that partnerships exist in anything we go forward with, on the economic front and on the social front. Those partnerships with industry, with other levels of government and with indigenous communities are essential, because that co-operation is what enables us to succeed. We were able to do some of that, some of those nation-building exercises. More importantly, there …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, Conservatives pretend that they want to lower taxes, but when push comes to shove, they vote against it. Starting December 14, many items would be tax-free, and Canadians would be able to keep more of their money in their pockets, but not if the grinch in the Conservative bench has his way. Today, with Christmas around the corner, many people are looking forward to the spirit of givin…
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Mr. Speaker, Canada has the largest coastline in the world, and protecting that coastline is critical. Unlike what has happened with the Conservatives in the past, where they cut supports for our army and navy and supports for our servicemen on the front lines, we are increasing them. At the same time, we are looking at replacing the Victoria-class submarine, which is scheduled to depart in 2030. …
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Madam Speaker, let us be clear: It is completely unacceptable that there are any fraudulent billings. It is completely unacceptable for anyone in the public to try to abuse the system of working with government. That is why we have taken the necessary steps to protect Canadians and taxpayers by putting proper processes in place. We will continue to fight, and we will always support Canadians and s…
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Madam Speaker, I appreciate the concerns that we all have about ensuring that we can maintain transparency and have adequate procurement processes in place, which we do. We have initiated a number of practices and have worked closely with the Auditor General and the procurement officer to ensure that all of the processes are adhered to. I recognize that the member opposite is always looking for cl…
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Madam Speaker, let me reiterate. The company in question never received a contract as an indigenous business. The company was never on the indigenous business directory. We continue to work very closely with indigenous partners to ensure their success. We will do so even without the Conservatives, who are blocking and obstructing the very necessity of working closely with indigenous people so they…
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Madam Speaker, the company in question has never received contracts as an indigenous business and has never been listed on the indigenous business directory. However, unlike the Conservatives, we will continue to work and partner with indigenous people so they have economic reconciliation.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the article makes it very clear that the association being referenced here did not get a contract. It was not listed on the indigenous list, and we take the appropriate steps in a procurement to ensure that does not happen.
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Mr. Speaker, we are making every effort to ensure that indigenous people are properly associated with the contracts that are procured. That is why we have established the very motion that is going forward. Members opposite want to criticize and be critical of the program, but it is essential to ensure that indigenous people have the ability to gain economic success and integration so that they too…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is referring to an article that came out today, and I can assure everyone in the House and those watching that the article confirms that the company in question has never received any contracts as an indigenous business and has never been listed on the Indigenous Business Directory. Our focus is on building up indigenous businesses and entrepreneurs through procure…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the Translation Bureau, or the bureau, is continuing to meet its clients on a regular basis to review priorities, discuss processes and optimize resource allocation. It is also continuing with its efforts to foster the next generation of interpreters and enhance its interpretation capacity. These efforts enabled the bureau to cover all interpreted events for cabinet and cabinet commit…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, again, I appreciate the member's reinforcing the need for all of us, on all sides of the House, to take great care in the use of taxpayer monies for the purposes of providing services to Canadians. McKinsey is one of many contractors that are being applied and used, and it has been for many years. It is not the largest, by far; it is actually one of the smallest ones. Notwithstanding,…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the government indeed takes its responsibility as the steward of public funds very seriously. We are committed to making sure that government spending stands up to the highest levels of scrutiny. We have said many times already that we welcome and accept the findings and recommendations of the Auditor General and others with regard to their most recent report on procurement and profes…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, last week, the RCMP revealed that agents of the Indian government committed serious crimes on Canadian soil, including murder, extortion and foreign interference in our democratic process. At a time when the members of the House should be united against these appalling crimes, the Conservative leader's decision to prioritize his campaign over national security sends a message to Canad…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, with respect to part (a) of the question, to date, $79,465,823.04, including taxes, has been spent on the new system. With respect to part (b), seven vendors submitted bids to participate in the invitation to qualify process that closed in October 2018, including Canada Workday ULC, Ceridian Canada Ltd. (Dayforce), Freebalance Inc., Infor (Canada) Ltd, Oracle, Saba Software Inc., and …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, with regard to Canada Post's climate action targets, Canada Post is a Crown Corporation that operates at arm’s length from the Government and has the mandate to be financially self-sustaining in a highly competitive sector that includes global companies like Amazon, FedEx and UPS. Canada Post has a unique and long-standing mandate that requires the national postal service to be funded…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, as the Canadian Surface Combatant project, the CSC project, is currently in definition phase, the design of ships is not finalized and, consequently, construction has not commenced. As such, Public Services and Procurement Canada, PSPC, is not yet able to provide the percentage of all materials and equipment planned to be of Canadian manufacturing and origin. The selection of equipmen…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), Public Services and Procurement Canada, or PSPC, compensation officers tested the mPersona tool as part of their assigned duties to determine whether it could speed up payroll processing. PSPC employees received their regular salaries during the testing, and did not receive additional payments. With regard to (b), the source code for the mPersona application is ope…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the work done by the Auditor General. We thank her for her recommendations. We are all concerned about ensuring that there be transparency, accountability and integrity in all the work we do. There have been recommendations made by the Auditor General, the ombudsman and a number of others that reinforce concerns the government shares, which is why this review was initiate…
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