Parliamentary Speeches

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I read just yesterday that Canada is the only oil-producing nation that is bringing in a cap system on methane, which is a very powerful greenhouse gas. It is 30 times more powerful and damaging than carbon dioxide. As such, we are at the forefront, and we are putting in a cap. We are looking at doing so on methane. It is a challenge because we need to have the technology available …

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, this Saturday, I will be attending the annual Saint Valentine's Gala of Montreal's West Island Italian Association, a marquee event that is among the highlights of the West Island social and cultural calendar. This year's gala is particularly special. The association is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Founded in 1992, the West Island Italian Association gives people of Italian origi…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her speech. Her words are always well-thought-out. I would like to take a moment to address the official opposition’s opposition to this bill. It says that it cannot support the bill because the system or framework being created does not meet all child care needs. What we are creating is a system, a base to which we can add more flexibility later…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I dare to believe and hope that a publicly owned corporation as big as Hydro-Québec has the resources to protect itself properly. Obviously, it provides a critical service. I think I said that in my speech. We hope that this bill will also serve as a model for other levels of government. I think that, just like protecting the environment, cybersecurity is a team effort. We have to w…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I would also like to thank the member for taking part in a panel in front of about 40 students from the Max Bell School of Public Policy this morning. It was wonderful to have her perspective as a westerner, and as a parliamentarian generally. I would imagine that, when we are dealing with matters of national security in cybersecurity and systems that are key to our well-being, ther…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I know that the Huawei case has been studied extensively with the involvement of our security agencies. I would like to think that the government and security agencies have learned a great deal. They have learned lessons that they can apply in the future to better protect Canadian businesses and critical infrastructure. In terms of catching up, yes, technology moves so fast that oft…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, it is an honour for me to rise at second reading stage of Bill C-26, an act respecting cyber security, amending the Telecommunications Act and making consequential amendments to other Acts. When we consider the opportunities and challenges before us in this area, we see that the theme of collaboration underpins all that we do. Take, for example, the prevalence of cybercrime in an in…

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, progress depends on sound public policy. Public policy is both a science and an art. It relies on rigorous analysis and an acute sense of the possible. Today, graduate students from McGill's Max Bell School of Public Policy are on Parliament Hill to build on their study and exploration of the issues facing our country. They are here to learn first-hand about government decision-making…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, as we recover from the pandemic, we must address existing challenges that were made worse for many people in Canada over the past two years. This week, I was happy to learn that the Minister of Health and the Minister of Mental Health and Addictions announced an agreement with Quebec that will continue to support improved access to home care as well as mental health and addiction serv…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian representatives at the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference worked hard with developed and developing countries to come to an agreement that every country could buy into. Yesterday we heard the Conservatives mislead the House on global carbon pricing. Can the Minister of Environment and Climate Change set the record straight?

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, the Conservatives tend to focus on correlation rather than causation, so they will say there is a Liberal government in Ottawa and there is global inflation, including bad inflation in England, and therefore it is the Liberal government's fault. However, that is not how economics works. We have to look at causation. I would like to understand a bit more the member's logic about food…

Routine Proceedings

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development in relation to Bill C-248, An Act to amend the Canada National Parks Act (Ojibway National Urban Park of Canada). The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House without amendment.

Routine Proceedings

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fifth report of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development in relation to Bill C‑226, an act respecting the development of a national strategy to assess, prevent and address environmental racism and to advance environmental justice. The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill…

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, I am not a member of the government; I am a member of Parliament. I do not sit in cabinet. I share the objective of other members of Parliament, including those in the opposition, which is the goal of bringing attention to issues that the government needs to deal with. I hope that through the debate we are having today and, yes, through the report, some good concrete action will com…

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, as I mentioned in my speech, budget 2021 and budget 2022 did include some infusions of funding specifically to address the problem of homeless veterans, so yes, there is funding. I am sure there are areas where there could be more funding, but citizens step in even when there is ample government funding. We see it in the hospital sector, for example, where foundations are created be…

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, I commend my colleague on a fantastic speech, which I found very interesting, particularly the part about the history of his family and his parents. Like all my colleagues here in the House of Commons, I am very thankful for what the members of the Canadian Armed Forces do for the well-being of everyone, the well-being of the country and peace in the world. Obviously, we are all dee…

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, my colleague raises a very interesting point. Earlier I was talking about the Senneville Lodge, an asset belonging to Veterans Affairs Canada. A local association wanted to acquire the land in order to build seniors residences with a focus on veterans. However, there is a process to go through when the government wants to divest its assets. It is a rather objective and complex proce…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, I rise to highlight the visit we had this week from Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission. Our trade relationship with Africa is vital, and there are many opportunities on the continent for Canadian companies. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development update the House on …

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that the Conservatives are loath to support this bill because they feel that all government spending is inflationary, even though economists have said that the amount of government spending in this bill would not cause inflationary pressure. Does the member believe that providing dental care to children 12 and under would cause the price of dental care to go up?

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I listened intently to the member's speech and he created some very loose associations, starting with the fake Harper surplus of October 2015. I will read what Bill Curry of the Globe and Mail, a reputable newspaper in Canada, said at the time. It states, “The Conservative government's long-promised return to surplus relies on a series of accounting moves that includes slashing the co…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, if I just heaved a big sigh, it is because the Bloc Québécois seems to live in a somewhat theoretical reality. They were talking earlier as if the monarchy held all that power. However, it has no executive power and no legislative power. For example, looking at the United Kingdom, one could say that the monarchy protects democracy. If a government loses the confidence of the House, th…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I was here during the leader of the Bloc Québécois's speech. If I am not mistaken, he said or suggested that the Canadian Constitution is some kind of irrelevant foreign beast. However, the Constitution includes the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which Quebeckers use every day to defend their rights. Does the member opposite agree that the Constitution and the charter are …

Government Orders

Madam Chair, I appreciated the member's thoughtful speech and concrete suggestions. There is one issue which really has not been raised that I am curious about. We have heard a lot about the shortage of nurses, especially post-COVID. We know that people who are in distress need friendship, support and compassion from the people around them, but they also need qualified professional help. I am just…

Government Orders

Madam Chair, I have more of a comment than a question. I do not want to put the member on the spot. One thing I have observed is that there is a lot of expertise and a lot of insight in this House, at the federal level, into the problem of mental health. I know that typically, when we have funding for health-related initiatives, provinces say they are closer to the situation, therefore they do not…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, by requiring the government create a framework for defining and implementing the right to a healthy environment, the bill opens the conversation with stakeholders. Through the discussions, I think we will see that idea become more tangible and concrete, and one can no longer close the door on this idea. It is out there, and it will continue to inform policy, legislation and regulati…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to participate in this debate. Before I get into the substance of Bill S‑5, I would like to share a brief history of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, and before I do that, I want to talk about the harmful effects of pollution on human health and emphasize how crucial it is to keep enforcing tough regulations to minimize pollution. In 2017, The Lancet commissio…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, that is an interesting question. I would assume that there would have to be some kind of triaging system. One could ask the government to assess a substance that is totally harmless, so I think there would have to be some funnelling. However, the government has been assessing chemicals for a long time. This bill goes back to 1988, and I believe we have a lot of expertise in the gove…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I have a great deal of respect for the member. I had the pleasure of listening to one of her speeches during a Conservative Party opposition day. She delivered a magnificent speech on pricing pollution. Honestly, I would rather that we not open the Canadian Constitution. The member may want to see the Constitution reopened and constitutional discussions, but I remember constitutiona…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her ongoing focus on enforcement. As some members of the House may know, the member had the environment committee study enforcement. I agree that enforcement is really the name of the game. It is an issue that is more general than related to the right to a healthy environment. I believe that the right to a healthy environment is incorporated in many pieces of …

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I have seen the evolution of discourse in the House and in legislation. It is nice, heartening and encouraging to see references to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in an increasing number of pieces of legislation. Again, that speaks to the way the notion is permeating our political culture. Yes, I am very encouraged by that, but the bill's focus is also on vul…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, the discussion on the right to a healthy environment has been taking place for quite a while now. There have been debates about it in the House. However, a formal process of consultation injects rigour into the process and will lead to some tangible recommendations. That is where the difference is. We are focusing the discussion now. We are funnelling the discussion, and that will m…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, the member is touching on a bit of a separate issue. He is talking about the need for transitioning workers from fossil fuels to cleaner energies and those kinds of things. On the fight against climate change, the government's plan, which it has been implementing and is starting to show results, is extremely comprehensive and detailed. Unfortunately, that level of detail does not ma…

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, that is a good question. I am not intimately familiar with the Magnitsky act and the difference between that approach and the approach the government is taking. My sense, being on the government side, is that the government is looking for the most effective way of going about sanctioning individuals who deserve these sanctions. My sense also with the government is that it is always …

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, it is an interesting idea, and I look forward to following the debate. I am sure the government is quite open-minded to all kinds of proposals that will provide proper sanction to those who deserve it.

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, the government introduced the bill in the Senate because there was room in the Senate, whereas the agenda here was a bit more gridlocked. That shows that we were very much interested in expediting the bill. My second question to the member is whether it is possible that the Conservatives do not want to get to CEPA because CEPA is used to regulate greenhouse gases and vehicle emissio…

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak to this motion, though my reason for being in the House this morning was to get up and speak to Bill S-5. There will be time for that, obviously, a little later on. I have been listening intently to the words of all members in the House, and it is obvious that all of us, all Canadians, are profoundly scandalized by the war crimes that we have witnessed through …

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, it has been implied that somehow the government was not giving priority to Bill S-5. However, we introduced it in the Senate to make it go faster because—

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, the hon. member's question is a very good one. I do not think that there is a coordinated solution globally. Each freedom-loving country, each democratic country, has to take this problem, this dissemination of misinformation, very seriously. Things have changed. It used to be that we could have erroneous opinions and we could write them and send them in to the letters to the editor…

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, with Gazprom and the turbines, it has been said in the House that we did not want to give Vladimir Putin an excuse. That is as a pretext to say that we were making the situation worse. On another point, yes, we have to take difficult decisions, but there are going to be cases where we have to make some judgments. Does creating a complete energy crisis in Germany advance the goal of …

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, that is a deep question and it is not unusual for my colleague to really plumb the depths of an issue. Democracy is hard work. Sometimes people come to see me out of frustration. There are many good causes of frustration today, and there always have been really throughout history, but people ask me why the government cannot just does this or that and why it takes so long. I have to …

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, first of all, the price on carbon pollution does not apply in Quebec. Consequently, my colleague's constituents will not be affected by that measure, although they will benefit from the relief set out in Bill C-30. However, I want to put that aside for a moment. The price on pollution adds an estimated 2.2¢ to every litre of gasoline, but, in any event, Canadians are compensated for…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I listened carefully to my colleague's speech, which I thought was very clear. I would like to ask him for some clarification so I can better understand where the Conservatives are coming from. Why does he think the Conservatives are talking about an insurance premium as though it was a tax? I will make a comparison. When I pay my premium—

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, my home insurance premiums obviously increase the amount I have to spend on my home. Are we to consider this a tax?

Statements By Members

Mr. Speaker, the Teresa Dellar Palliative Care Residence, named in honour of its founder, is a leader in providing high quality end-of-life care. The residence, funded by the generosity of donors and supported by dedicated volunteers, occupies a unique place on the West Island of Montreal. Teresa left a priceless and inspiring legacy. She left us far too soon, but her memory and spirit inspire us …

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, the hon. member addressed the point I was going to bring up. In his speech, the Leader of the Opposition accused a member of the House from Quebec of wanting to tax Quebeckers through carbon pricing. He does not seem to realize that, since 2013, Quebec has had its own carbon pricing and that, as a result, the federal carbon pricing does not apply to the province. Does my colleague n…

Routine Proceedings

Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the fourth report of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, entitled “Canada and Radioactive Waste Management: Important Decisions for the Future”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report.

Mr. Speaker, I listened to almost all the speeches today, whether from here in my seat in this House of Parliament or behind the curtain when I had to step out. I found so many of the speeches erudite and touching. I learned about history. I learned about the history of our great nation. I learned about the history of democracy. I learned about the history of the Commonwealth. I shared in the wisd…

Statements By Members

Mr. Speaker, last Sunday, the congregation at Beaconsfield United Church celebrated Reverend Shaun Fryday as he prepared to embark on a well-deserved retirement after 22 years of dedicated pastoral service. Shaun’s boundless goodwill and warm humanity will be dearly missed by church members, and indeed by the entire Montreal West Island community. In addition to his role as a spiritual leader, Sha…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, that is a good question. I see these as two components. This bill seeks to freeze the legal gun market, including handguns. As far as the border is concerned, it is often a question of budget, which requires giving the departments the necessary resources to develop more effective strategies to deal with illegal firearms smuggling. To me, these are two different components. The fact th…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, my speech will be interrupted and I will resume after Private Members' Business. First of all, I would like to preface my remarks by saying that the gun owners I know, and I suppose out of all the people I know, I do not know who owns guns, but of those that I know who own guns, I can say they are sterling citizens. I am thinking of a couple of individuals in particular. They are pi…