Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, as I said a moment ago, we are proud of the fiscal and economic record of this government. This is a record of supporting Canadians through the pandemic. This is a record of investing in entrepreneurship and innovation. This is a record of providing, for example, Canadians with $10-a-day child care, historic investments that speak to not only affordability issues, but growing the econ…
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Mr. Speaker, far from misleading Canadians, the government thinks it is important to be transparent in terms of the fiscal picture of the government. This is why, based on legal advice and accounting practices, the government booked contingent liabilities that increased the initial deficit projection to the level my colleague referred to. This is about righting historical wrongs with indigenous pe…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank our colleague for his congratulations. It will come as no surprise that we do not share his pessimism. We have every confidence in the Canadian economy, in Canadian workers and in the fall economic statement, which gave Canadians a great deal of hope in terms of support for these difficult economic times. We have also announced significant investments. I look forward to sharin…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to start by thanking the opposition House Leader for his heartfelt congratulations on my new role. I want to tell him and all Canadians that our government is very proud of the fall economic statement we made public yesterday. The fall economic statement speaks to growth in the Canadian economy. It speaks to supporting Canadians with serious affordability challenges. It speaks …
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the leader of the Bloc Québécois for his congratulations. A government is legitimate when it has the confidence of the House of Commons. That is exactly what the House gave the government several times last week. As the leader of the Bloc Québécois mentioned, our objective remains to support Canadians in tough economic times and to work with the administration of President-ele…
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Mr. Speaker, once again, Canadians expect the federal government, in partnership with provincial governments of course, to be hard at work protecting the economy from the threat of tariffs. This is precisely the work we have been doing since the dinner we had in Florida with President-elect Trump. I can inform our colleagues that I have had quite encouraging exchanges with the incoming commerce se…
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Mr. Speaker, our colleague is talking about the government's deficit. He knows full well that the net debt-to-GDP ratio is dropping. He knows that this is the best performance in the G7. He also knows that Canadians expect their government to support them in tough economic times, whether it be with $10-a-day child care or a dental care program. The Conservatives actually voted against all of those…
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Mr. Speaker, the fall economic statement was indeed tabled in the House of Commons yesterday. It is an economic statement that focuses on economic growth and the need to support Canadians during hard times, given the cost of living. That remains our government's primary objective, as it should. This statement also shows that we are using taxpayers' money responsibly. That is exactly what we will k…
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Mr. Speaker, our colleague will not be surprised that we do not agree with the idea of having a Conservative government that wants to cut programs that support Canadians, that voted against $10 child care to support Canadian families, and that voted against a dental care program in Canada. Canadians expect to have a responsible government that works to support them in economically tough times. Tha…
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians expect their government to be focused on their economic concerns. They expect their government to be focused on the real threat that 25% tariffs across the board would mean to the Canadian economy. That is the work our government is doing. I can report that I had an encouraging preliminary conversation with the foreign affairs minister yesterday, with the U.S. border czar, M…
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Mr. Speaker, our colleague is well aware that deporting people who do not have legal status in Canada and who have violated our criminal law is a serious responsibility that we accept. It goes without saying that it is a serious responsibility to work with our police forces and the CBSA. We are also working with our partners in some provinces to ensure that we can detain anyone who poses a real th…
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Mr. Speaker, I do not want to correct my colleague, but he said that the committee adopted a motion unanimously, implying that our Liberal colleagues also adopted it. This confirms our desire to see parliamentary committees fulfill their responsibilities while respecting the independence of the Auditor General. If the Auditor General decides to investigate, the government will obviously be very ha…
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Mr. Speaker, it will come as no surprise to my colleague that the answer is neither. Many countries around the world are experiencing similar situations as the number of asylum seekers is increasing. However, we accept that we have a responsibility, by law, and in accordance with the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, to ensure that certain individuals who pose a threat to Canada's public sa…
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Mr. Speaker, we certainly share our colleague's concerns about the circumstances of what happened at the Laval centre on the weekend. I have asked border services to conduct an immediate review of the facility's security systems. We have tripled the number of guards on site. We have changed protocols for certain people to access certain parts of the facility. We will keep working to ensure that th…
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Mr. Speaker, we are always in problem-solving mode. As my colleague knows, this system replaced a 36-year-old system that was at risk of failing across the board. It is used for assessing $40 billion in duties and taxes every year. A responsible government always tries to secure such an important system for the Canadian economy. We are addressing all the problems quickly to guarantee quick respons…
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Mr. Speaker, again, we obviously share our colleague's concerns. We want to support Canadian businesses and ensure that their payments are accurate and efficient. We want to avoid extra costs for these businesses. That was the point of modernizing this technology, a process, I would remind my colleagues, that began in 2010. It is not just one government that made the decision to take on this moder…
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Mr. Speaker, here in the House, we have repeatedly talked about the how important the work of our border services officers is. They keep our country safe, process immigration cases when necessary and prevent drugs like fentanyl from crossing our borders. CBSA officers do important work for our country every day. We have full confidence in that work. We are going to invest more to support their imp…
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Mr. Speaker, our colleague is well aware that the government does not give instructions to the Auditor General. We respect the freedom of committees to study what they want and to invite the Auditor General to look at issues that are important to Canadians. The CARM replaced a 36-year-old system that was likely to fail. We understand the concerns of businesses and the private sector. I have full c…
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Mr. Speaker, we have made clear, and the Prime Minister repeated it again just a few minutes ago, that we will continue to support the important work done by the women and men who work for the Canada Border Services Agency and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. We think it is unfortunate the previous Conservative government cut the money available for this important work. We have also said that we…
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Mr. Speaker, the safety and security of children who participate in the mother-child program is obviously a top priority for the Correctional Service of Canada. It is important to understand that this program has existed for decades, including during the time that Mr. Harper was prime minister of Canada. There are eligibility criteria and protocols to participate in this program. It includes child…
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Mr. Speaker, it is completely irresponsible to pretend that they can solve the problem by adding to the existing misinformation about the security of our border. I would ask our colleague to be more responsible before repeating slogans that I am sure his head office has forced on him. That is not in the interest of Canadians or in the interest of the Canadian economy. What is in our interest is to…
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Mr. Speaker, it would appear that the only plan the Conservatives have is to think up silly new rhymes in question period. What we said at the committee that the member referred to a few moments ago is something we have said for many months: We will continue to invest additional resources in the important work of the CBSA and of the RCMP. We are obviously looking at all ideas that would help stren…
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Mr. Speaker, we thank our colleague for that important question. We obviously share her concern and concern of all Canadians when we see these tragic outcomes. I have talked to the RCMP commissioner, the leadership of the RCMP, about this. I have had a chance to talk to indigenous leaders and territorial premiers about this. We share our colleague's concern about moving toward a circumstance where…
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Mr. Speaker, I share my colleague from Windsor West's support for the extraordinary women and men who work for the Canada Border Services Agency. Like him, I had an opportunity to meet many of these women and men who serve in protecting the security of our country and do very important work. I was glad the member highlighted the draconian cuts that the previous Conservative government made to the …
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Mr. Speaker, one of the first things in our plan was to reverse some of the draconian cuts that the previous Conservative government made to the brave women and men who work in our Canadian border services. We take the issue of border integrity and border security seriously, as do the Americans. Our discussion on Friday evening with our American friends was very much about the joint work that we c…
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Mr. Speaker, I do not want to disagree with my friend for Edmonton—Griesbach, but the idea that we came back empty-handed is completely false. He knows very well that we had a productive discussion with Mr. Trump and his future cabinet secretaries. The Prime Minister, of course, spoke about the importance of protecting the Canadian economy and Canadian workers from tariffs. We also discussed with …
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Mr. Speaker, once again, we had a very cordial and constructive conversation with our American partners on Friday evening. We talked about security at the Canada-U.S. border over the decades and the integration of Canadian police forces with their American partners. We talked, for example, about the important work that the RCMP is doing in the fight against fentanyl, which has led to drug seizures…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague across the way has a list of things that our government has actually done. We have worked with our law enforcement. We have invested more to reverse the cuts made by the former Conservative government. If my colleague is serious about our country's national security, I suggest that he encourage his boss to obtain the security clearance needed to access information that wi…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague is absolutely correct. Imposing the tariffs that the Americans are considering will harm Canadian workers and the Canadian economy, but also the American economy and American workers. That is why we spoke with President Trump and his future secretaries about the importance of working together and recognizing the integration between our two economies. Obviously, we discuss…
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Mr. Speaker, we do understand the importance of supporting our police forces, the RCMP and border services, but we did not just realize it now. We have been doing exactly that for the past nine years. We have exactly the same interests as the Americans, namely, to strengthen the integrity of our border and to enable Canadians to choose who enters Canada. It is the same thing for the United States.…
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Mr. Speaker, again, we have always allocated sufficient resources to support the extraordinary work that the RCMP and CBSA do with their law enforcement partners, whether it is the Sûreté du Québec or their American partners. The good news is that we are going to continue to make sure they have the technology and the people they need. We are going to further support these technologies and personne…
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Mr. Speaker, we are always ready to support good ideas that aim to assist our law enforcement agencies in their fight against organized crime. Provisions already exist in the Criminal Code that allow law enforcement and the courts to seize property and bank accounts that are the proceeds of crime. However, if my colleague has other suggestions, we would gladly look into what we can do to constantl…
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Mr. Speaker, again, I thank my colleague for underscoring the fact that it is important to support law enforcement and prosecutors and ensure that no one profits from crime, especially organized crime. We recognize the important work that the RCMP does with its partners such as the Sûreté du Québec, the Ontario Provincial Police and municipal police forces. Provisions in the Criminal Code already …
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Mr. Speaker, I will repeat what I just said. Our government condemns the violence and criminal acts that we saw in the streets of Montreal in all of our policies. It is completely unacceptable to express a political view by destroying Canadians' property, committing assault and attacking police officers. These people are not demonstrating peacefully. They are criminals and they will have to face C…
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Mr. Speaker, the RCMP continues to work closely with law enforcement agencies in Montreal, namely the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal, which is doing a good job. The RCMP always supports its partners, whether in Montreal, Quebec or other parts of the country. We have criticized and will continue to criticize the increase in anti-Semitism and hate crimes in Canada. We will continue to wor…
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Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what our government does. It supports police doing dangerous and difficult work across the country. I was briefed on the incident in Winnipeg. I share the hon. member's relief that the officer is expected to recover. These are exactly the kinds of incidents that should make all members of the House support, in a non-partisan way, the important work that police forces d…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague, I think the Minister of defence properly explained the outrage all Canadians felt at the wanton, reckless violence on the streets of Montreal. We condemn unequivocally the rising and concerning rates of anti-Semitism and all other hate crimes in the country. We are working with provincial authorities and local police to combat them. Let me be very clear: No matter what g…
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Mr. Speaker, like all members of the House, we are concerned when we hear stories like that. That is precisely why we are working with law enforcement, for example Montreal's SPVM, the Sûreté du Québec and other police forces in Quebec and the other provinces. We have transferred hundreds of millions of dollars to support this important work. We increased RCMP funding and staffing. We will keep fi…
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Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, now is the time to support our law enforcement agencies, to support the RCMP, to support border services, and to work with law enforcement authorities in the province of Quebec, as we always do. This is a joint effort between Canadian law enforcement and our American partners. This is exactly what our government has done from the beginning. We reversed the Conservativ…
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Mr. Speaker, what is not contradictory is working with our American partners, as we always do, and supporting the RCMP and the people who work at the CBSA, so they can do the work Canadians expect them to do. That is exactly what we are doing. I can assure my colleague that reducing the hours of service at certain border crossings is obviously being done in collaboration with the U.S. All staff wi…
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Mr. Speaker, we have been working with the U.S. authorities for months, over a year, in fact, to find the best way to harmonize hours of service at certain secondary border crossings. This will do two things. In the event that someone shows up on the Canadian side of the border and is not admissible to Canada, it will allow us to send them back to a U.S. customs office that will actually be open. …
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Mr. Speaker, of course we share the concerns of all Canadians when it comes to securing the border. Our government has stood by this commitment from day one. We have made significant investments to ensure that the CBSA and RCMP have the resources they need to make absolutely sure our border is safe and secure. Here is the good news. The RCMP commissioner and the CBSA president give our government …
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Absolutely, Mr. Speaker, and that is why we worked with our American partners to harmonize the hours of operation at certain border crossings. Obviously, that also allows us to reassign resources, as needed, to other areas that might be under pressure. This is a discussion that we have been having with the U.S. government for several years now, and it will enable us to apply the safe third country…
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Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows that the facts that she just alleged are entirely fabricated. She asked in what universe would that—
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Mr. Speaker, this member does a disservice to and is disrespectful of the victims of these very people he keeps naming in the House of Commons. The persons the member just named are inmates in federal correctional facilities. He pretends that the most important criterion for their incarceration is not the public safety of Canadians. He knows that is false, and he does victims a disservice by conti…
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Mr. Speaker, I am happy to withdraw those words. I think it is important that hon. members in this House who allege a series of circumstances be sure that they are accurate. When the hon. member asked in what scenario that particular conduct that she alleges would be appropriate, the answer is in no scenario in Canada. So, she can wonder why she keeps talking about issues that she knows are entire…
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Mr. Speaker, at no time will any government allow that kind of thing to happen. My colleague is well aware that the program she referred to has been in place since 2011. It was in place throughout the Harper government years. The most important criterion is, of course, the children's safety. I have full confidence that the correctional service will rigorously apply these criteria.
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Mr. Speaker, our government has invested a lot in protecting our border and will continue to do so. We reversed the cuts that the previous Conservative government made to the Canada Border Services Agency. We gave the RCMP the tools it needed to work with its U.S. partners to keep the border secure. I am very proud of the operation that the RCMP carried out a few weeks ago with its U.S. partners. …
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Mr. Speaker, the safety of children who participate in this long-standing mother-child program is obviously a top priority for the Correctional Service. There are rigorous eligibility criteria in place to participate in this program. It includes child welfare screening completed by provincial family services, as well as ensuring that people residing in the mother-child living unit have not been co…
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Mr. Speaker, our colleague is falsely using the word “inaction”. He knows perfectly well that our government has been investing in law enforcement agencies like the RCMP, border services and our provincial and municipal partners for several years now to combat auto theft. We recognize that this situation is completely unacceptable for Canadians. The good news is that the number of cars being stole…
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