Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from La Prairie for his question. My Bloc Québécois colleague is well aware that the government is fully focused on providing the assistance required to protect Canadians during the pandemic. That is why, throughout this pandemic, we have taken the time in the House of Commons to implement measures that provide direct support to Canadians. We also believe that whe…
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Mr. Speaker, I promise that this answer will be just as good as the first one, just like it was a good question. My Bloc Québécois colleague is well aware that the government is fully focused on providing the assistance required to protect Canadians during the pandemic. However, we also thought it was a good idea to respond to the report of the Chief Electoral Officer, who asked Parliament in Octo…
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Mr. Speaker, we do realize that. That is why we are asking parliamentarians to consider Bill C-19 in committee. With regard to the idea that a minority government could impose legislation on Parliament, I think that my colleague, who has quite a bit of experience, knows that we would need the consent of the other parties to move forward with such a bill. My colleague is the one who is about to tri…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, today Canadians join Her Majesty the Queen, members of the royal family, citizens of the Commonwealth and people around the world in mourning the loss of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. This sad occasion gives us an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate a life given in the service of others. His Royal Highness's life of service began when he joined the Royal…
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moved that Bill C-19, An Act to amend the Canada Elections Act (COVID-19 response), be read the second time and referred to a committee. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to begin the debate at second reading of Bill C-19, an act to amend the Canada Elections Act, COVID-19 response. Across Canada, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to change the way we live and interact to protect the health an…
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Madam Speaker, my colleague and I have served on a number of committees together as well as in the House of Commons. On a personal level, I very much appreciate his kind remarks and thank him for that. Our colleague from Lanark—Frontenac—Kingston has a lot of experience regarding Canada's Elections Act. He has been a steady and effective voice on these issues for a long time. I served on the proce…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague, the member for Beauport—Limoilou, for her question. That is an example of the kind of adaptation we would like to put forward. I am sure we all want to eliminate the possibility of electoral fraud. Nobody in the House wants to enable people to cheat. We believe that signing a declaration should deter people with dishonest intentions. It will be pretty easy for …
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Madam Speaker, the member for Elmwood—Transcona has offered very constructive suggestions in the past with respect to the elections act. It is obviously the government's intention to work with all parties and all colleagues in the House to find the appropriate temporary amendments to the Elections Act that would make an election more accessible and safer for Canadians should one be required. Are w…
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Madam Speaker, when Frank Valeriote was the member of Parliament for Guelph, I remember that there was some controversy surrounding robocalls and some attempt to suppress the vote in that election. Obviously I share our colleague's view that having consistency in polling locations increases voter reliability and accessibility. We would support any enhancements that would allow Elections Canada to …
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Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Saanich—Gulf Islands for her kindness and generosity towards me personally. We have discussed this in the past, and I share her concerns about the increase of disinformation, and about attempts to hack elections and election processes. The Prime Minister has asked me to work with colleagues in Parliament on the issue of disinformation in the elector…
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Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to the debate, because I was hoping to be able to speak to Bill C-19, which was introduced in December and helps prepare for the potential election in the context of a pandemic. It is legislation that the Chief Electoral Officer had asked the House to consider. I listened intently to members who spoke and to the parliamentary secretary, and he began not only talki…
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Mr. Speaker, our government has, from the very beginning, made it clear that no Canadian should work in a place that is not respectful, safe and healthy. The Prime Minister has made that commitment to all people who work in Canada's public service, and we have taken action in legislative ways to ensure that this is also the case in other workplaces. We continue to say to all Canadians that it is a…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows very well that the Governor General's retirement benefits are prescribed by law. Before making things up and assuming that this was a promise made by the government, he should read the act. He knows that this is prescribed by law. That is the exact amount that the former governor general will be entitled to. With regard to additional spending, the Treasury Board obv…
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Mr. Speaker, last week, after receiving a report with respect to workplace conditions at Rideau Hall, the Prime Minister accepted the resignation of the Governor General. In the interim, as my colleague knows, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Wagner, can ensure all of the constitutional continuity in this role. The government has made no decisions with respect to the selection…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague and friend for his question. As he is well aware, the Prime Minister accepted the Governor General's resignation last week. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court will carry out the constitutional duties of the position in the meantime. The government has not yet made any decisions about the process or measures that must be taken to recommend the best person …
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