Parliamentary Speeches
76 speeches by Emmanuella Lambropoulos — Page 1 of 2
Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, on March 25, 1821, the Greek War of Independence began with an insurrection led by such revolutionaries as the heroic Theodoros Kolokotronis, Laskarina Bouboulina and Rigas Feraios, who wrote that it is finer to live one hour as a free man than 40 years as a slave and prisoner. Today, Greeks around the world celebrate Greek Independence Day to honour the women and men who fought with …
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be in the House today, during my maternity leave, to mark the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. I stand here holding my daughter, Matina, in my arms. As I look at her, I think about the future I want for her. I am talking about a future where every woman and every girl can love, can dream and can walk alone freely without fear, a future where existence…
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Mr. Speaker, last Saturday, I had an opportunity to participate in the Peace Road in Beaudet Park in my riding. It is an event organized by the Universal Peace Federation as well as other organizations in Saint‑Laurent to celebrate the International Day of Peace. This event reminds us that peace starts here, at home. International Day of Peace, celebrated on September 21 each year, also reminds us…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, it is with a profound sense of duty that I rise today on behalf of the riding of Saint-Laurent to express my support for the Speech from the Throne. Let me take a moment to sincerely thank the voters who gave me the honour of representing them in the House of Commons for a fourth term. It is a great honour to once again serve the community that watched me grow up and that I have alway…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, we obviously have new leadership here at the Liberal Party, and we have a renewed focus. We are planning on making communities safer, and there are a slew of measures that will be introduced. One of them, as I mentioned in my speech, is that we will make bail harder to get for people who are accused of crimes and found guilty, including reoffenders of car theft and home invasion, etc.…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, Canadians in my riding were quite hopeful throughout the campaign. They saw a renewed hope within our country, and they saw a lot of opportunity for improvement as well. While there were many challenges over the last few months, and new challenges brought by other countries, I think this offers a very unique opportunity for Canada to be very strong, and a very strong leader in the G7 …
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, Quebec members are very strong voices for their communities. We are here for the well-being of Quebeckers, and we are doing what we can within our government to improve the well-being of Quebeckers. Our government is working with all the provinces and territories to find how best to make life better and more affordable for all Canadians across the country.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, last week marked the 35th anniversary of the École Polytechnique massacre. Quebeckers and Canadians across the country mourned the 14 women who were killed in a sadistic act of gender-based violence. In recent years, mass shootings have caused unbelievable tragedy in many communities, such as Portapique, Truro and Quebec City. Can the Prime Minister explain the measures that are being…
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Mr. Speaker, this summer, millions of Canadians enthusiastically cheered on team Canada. I would like to congratulate all the athletes who participated in the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, including Sofia Fassi‑Fehri of Saint-Laurent, an incredible Paralympic basketball player who embodies the dedication and perseverance it takes to achieve excellence. The journey from playground to podium i…
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Mr. Speaker, we know that the Conservative leader had a tough week because of the scandal caused by his plan to cancel the housing agreement with Quebec. Yesterday, we announced a major new investment in housing under this agreement. These investments will help fund several building projects over the coming years. This will add 8,000 affordable and social housing units to Quebec's existing supply.…
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Mr. Speaker, while our government has always protected women's right to choose, the anti-choice lobby controls the Conservative caucus and leader, according to a former Conservative MP. Anti-choice organizations that support Conservative MPs use misleading tactics to deter women from obtaining the full range of reproductive care through so-called pregnancy crisis centres. Can the Prime Minister te…
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Mr. Speaker, today Greeks around the world are celebrating the famous “no”, oxi, which refers to the response given by the prime minister of Greece, Ioannis Metaxas, on October 28, 1940, to an ultimatum given by the Axis forces to allow them to enter Greece in order to occupy strategic locations within the country. Metaxas rejected the ultimatum with the words “Then it is war”, which led the Axis …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the Pharmacare Act came into force in Canada this month. Nine million women can now make informed medical decisions about contraceptives without having to worry about the cost. Can the Minister of Tourism tell Canadians about how the Pharmacare Act guarantees women the reproductive autonomy they deserve?
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to increase awareness and raise funds for research into breast cancer's cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure. Our government funded the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care to expedite updates to breast cancer screening guidelines as more and more women, particularly indigenous, Asian and Black women, are developing…
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians have been expressing their concerns about auto theft over the past year and have asked for solutions. We took their concerns to heart and we took action. We updated the Criminal Code and provided funding to law enforcement through budget 2024 and our national action plan on combatting auto theft. Can the Minister of Justice outline some of the progress we have made in protec…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, I believe that there is no one better in the House to provide input. I think that the government should listen, and that is the whole point. The thing is that communities, indigenous communities, need to be the ones at the forefront, letting the government know what exactly is needed in order to create a safe space and environment for them. I know that the government has already opene…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Winnipeg Centre. Before I begin, I would like to acknowledge that Canada's Parliament is located on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe people. In less than one month, Canada has become witness to the tragic deaths of no fewer than six people from first nations communities across our country. Although the circumst…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, I believe that any initiatives that bring the communities to the elected officials to let them know what exactly their communities need are going to be beneficial, and that is the key. It is really about communication. Indigenous-led initiatives are the ones that are going to make a difference within their communities. Here in Ottawa, we do not necessarily know what people in their co…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, yes, that is the case. On the committee, we have done a lot of work to better the relationship between the government and these women and girls who suffer more than anybody else in the country and who are victimized more often than anybody else in the country. This is something we need to take extremely seriously. The fact is that the current laws we have in our country are not necess…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, at this time two years ago, Roe v. Wade was overturned in the United States. The fear and uncertainty this has caused millions of women cannot be minimized. It is a reminder that here in Canada, choice for women is paramount. While Conservative MPs celebrated the overturning of Roe v. Wade, our government stood committed to ensuring that choice for women remains a fundamental right. C…
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Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we know that the countries that create major inequalities between the rich and the poor end up failing. Whether we are talking about child care, the Canada child benefit, dental care, affordable housing and so on, we are there to support those who need it. In Canada, we are bringing in a fairer tax system for all generations. Can the minister tell us what ou…
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Mr. Speaker, every single Conservative MP voted against pharmacare to provide universal access to contraception, and the party's own caucus members have expressed anti-choice rhetoric. One Conservative member has referenced the legislation as “focusing on wiping out or tapering off the population”. Could the Minister of Health please share how the Conservative member is missing the point of the le…
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Mr. Speaker, on May 19, Greeks across Canada and around the world commemorated the 105th anniversary of the Pontic genocide. The Pontic genocide, which was part of the Greek genocide, was a deliberate and systematic destruction of the indigenous Greek community in the Pontus region, and was the result of an Ottoman government-issued decree that led to the systematic annihilation and brutal extermi…
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Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition has made his position clear: If he is prime minister, he will pick and choose which rights and freedoms Canadians can have. That is a slippery slope. There was the overturning of Roe v. Wade in the United States. Do Canadian women have to worry about being denied their right to choose? Could the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth remind the H…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, there are obviously many measures that the government has put in place to help build as many homes as possible for Canadians. I would be happy to work with the member to at least bring these issues to the attention of the government.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I think Canadians need help right now. I think all provinces, territories and the Government of Canada should work together to provide that much-needed help to Canadians. It would be really great to have all the provinces co-operate so that we can give this help to the people who need it most.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to contribute to this debate today in support of budget 2024. The budget aims to make our country fairer for everyone, for all generations. As one of the younger MPs in this place, I have heard countless times from people my age and younger how difficult it is for them to visualize the future they had always imagined for themselves. Millennials and gen Zs are the f…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I regret that my earpiece was not working for the first part of the member's question, but I think I got the gist of it. I do think that the government has the best of intentions with this budget to help Canadians now that they need help the most. Our young Canadians are in a place where past generations have not been at the age they currently are. We obviously need to step it up an…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for raising this concern. I was not aware of her friend's situation. Of course, I cannot commit to anything on behalf of the government, but I can commit to working with the member to bring this to the attention of the government so that something can be done about it.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, on March 25, Greeks around the world will celebrate Greek Independence Day to honour the women and men who fought with courage, pride and determination for the freedom of their people, for future generations of Greeks and for a liberated Greece. On March 25, 1821, the Greek War of Independence began with an insurrection led by such revolutionaries as the heroic Theodoros Kolokotronis,…
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Mr. Speaker, today is Pink Shirt Day. In Canada, this day is devoted to raising awareness against bullying in schools, in workplaces, at home and online. People may be wondering how Pink Shirt Day came to be. It all started in a small town in Nova Scotia when two teenagers saw a new kid being bullied at school for wearing a pink shirt. They could have watched from the sidelines, but they did not d…
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Mr. Speaker, today I rise to speak about perinatal mental health. The perinatal period begins at conception and ends a year after childbirth. Twenty per cent of women will experience depression during this period. Children of perinatally depressed mothers are at increased risk of anxiety, depression, ADHD and autism. Longitudinal studies have found a 70% increase in the odds of depression among ad…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, as a member of the parliamentary aerospace caucus, I was delighted to participate in this week's events organized by the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada. Canada's aerospace industry is an asset for our economy, our workforce and our overall growth. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry tell us about the important role this sector plays in Quebec and across …
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Mr. Speaker, every day, approximately 12 people die by suicide in Canada. Each life lost by suicide can have far-reaching effects, whether it is families grappling with the loss of a loved one or the effects that are felt within communities. Last week, I was disappointed to see the Conservatives vote against funding to support the implementation of the new suicide crisis helpline. Can the Minister…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I am thrilled to have the opportunity to rise to speak in support of Bill C-322, an act to develop a national framework to establish a school food program. It is quite similar to a bill I put forward in 2021, an act to develop a national strategy on school food security. I chose this as my PMB because, as a former teacher, I have seen first-hand how desperately a national school foo…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, today is day three of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. I want to take this opportunity to talk about this issue, which continues to plague us. In 2022, 184 women were brutally killed in Canada, mainly by men. In other words, one woman or girl is killed every 48 hours. Thousands of women and children use the services of women's shelters, but every night, roughly 3…
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Mr. Speaker, on October 28, Greeks from across Canada and around the world will be celebrating the famous Oxi Day. Oxi is the Greek word for “no”. The Greek prime minister, Ioannis Metaxas, gave that as an answer to an ultimatum from Benito Mussolini on October 28, 1940, when he asked Greece to allow the Axis forces to enter and occupy certain strategic locations or to go to war. The rejection of …
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Mr. Speaker, last week, I visited an amazing new organization in my community. The work it is doing to meet the needs of Canada's most vulnerable population is incredible. The Action Centre is addressing a serious shortcoming in our society that definitely deserves more attention. Its mission is to raise general awareness about the needs and rights of adults with physical disabilities. They also s…
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Mr. Speaker, as someone who strongly supports women's rights, including a woman's right to choose, I was thrilled that our government invested $4.1 million to support organizations that help women receive reproductive health services, and that budget 2023 has carved out $36 million over three years to renew the sexual and reproductive health fund to make abortions and other sexual and reproductive…
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Madam Speaker, April is Autism Month and I am rising at the end of this month to speak on behalf of Canadians on the autism spectrum because this community wants to be heard and deserves to be heard. Before I became an MP, I was a teacher. Before that, I was a special education teacher for people with specific needs and I helped autistic students integrate into “neurotypical” classrooms. This is a…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I rise to present petition e-4350, a petition to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. On February 6, 2023, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake was recorded in Turkey and Northern Syria. Over 50,000 are dead and hundreds of thousands injured or left without shelter in freezing conditions. The 742 citizens and residents of Canada who have signed the petition call upon the Minis…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the Canada-Chile trade agreement was modernized over five years ago, and the two countries have had diplomatic relations for over 80 years. Canada is the largest investor in Chile, and developing this relationship could prove crucial, particularly in the areas of clean energy and technology. Can the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Develop…
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Mr. Speaker, on March 25, Greeks across Canada and around the world will celebrate Greek Independence Day. It is the day that marks the beginning of the Greek War of Independence, the start of the revolution which would allow the people of Greece to regain their freedom after 400 years of Ottoman occupation. On this day in 1821, the words “eleftheria i thanatos”, meaning “freedom or death”, became…
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Madam Speaker, tomorrow, March 8, is International Women's Day. This is a day to honour women of the past and present and to celebrate the achievements of the women who came before us and fought so hard to get us to where we are today. While we have come so far, there is still much for us to do to help future generations of women to live in a fairer world. Whether we are talking about under-repres…
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday marked 33 years since the horrific day that shocked Canadians across the country, the day that 14 bright young women were separated from the rest of their class and shot to death because they were women. I would like to say that misogyny and femicide are behind us, but that is not at all the case. Since today is one of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, I…
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Mr. Speaker, women are misdiagnosed 30% more often than men. This gender gap in medicine stems from the lack of knowledge of women’s medical conditions and experiences. That is why I am thrilled that our government just launched the national women's health research initiative, an investment of $20 million to enhance health outcomes for women and eliminate gaps. In the past, researchers excluded wo…
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Madam Speaker, this is Small Business Week, which gives us the opportunity to celebrate the contributions of small Canadian businesses that are the pillars of our economy and our communities. To help them prosper, we must reduce the burden of regulations that are no longer required. Can the President of the Treasury Board update the House on Bill S-6 and how it will help Canadian businesses?
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Madam Speaker, Synthia Bussières, a 38-year-old mother of two, was killed alongside her children less than two weeks ago at the hands of her spouse, making it the eighth femicide in eight weeks in Quebec. We cannot become indifferent to this very important issue. These women who are killed by angry men are our mothers, our daughters, our sisters, our friends. Every woman who is killed is one too m…
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Mr. Speaker, since the Supreme Court decisions on the use of extreme intoxication as a defence, I have noticed that many people around me, especially women and girls, are worried. They are seeing a number of contradictory messages on social media. Can the Minister of Justice reassure Canadians about the use of extreme intoxication as a defence?
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Mr. Speaker, I stand today to highlight an organization in the riding of Saint-Laurent that brightens the days of hundreds of seniors. Place à la Marche is a seniors organization that promotes healthy living by creating exercising and socializing opportunities at our local mall, Place Vertu. It caters to all seniors, but works primarily in English, being one of the only exercise groups that caters…
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