Parliamentary Speeches

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I would like to reassure my dear colleague from Quebec that there is a great deal of enthusiasm for this project. It is not because the project will pass directly through Hull—Aylmer. Unfortunately, it will not, as much as we would like that. In our community, we are preparing a proposal for a tramway in Gatineau. What is more, this tramway is a project that I have been working on sin…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I would first like to correct the premise of my hon. colleague's question. What exists right now is a proposal to identify the general corridors. Part of the project involves consulting the communities to identify where things will broadly go. Following the consultations, it is possible that by some time next fall Alto may have identified a specific location or route. From there, we w…

Routine Proceedings

Mr. Speaker, this is the first time in the 45th Parliament that I have risen to present a petition. I am presenting petition e-6685, signed by nearly 600 Canadians. This petition stems from the efforts of a great Canadian, a veteran, retired captain Jocelyn Démétré. I know I am not supposed to recognize any individual in the gallery, so I will not recognize the former captain in the gallery. Howev…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, my mother-in-law has Alzheimer's. I know how devastating this disease can be. She is far from alone. Every day, 300 Canadians are diagnosed with dementia. Although there is no cure, we know that community initiatives can make a big difference for people with dementia and their families, friends and caregivers. Could the Minister of Health tell us what steps the government is taking to…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, last week Canadians watched in horror as hurricane Melissa, which was the strongest hurricane in the Caribbean's history, tore through the region, leaving widespread destruction in its wake. Hundreds of thousands of people were affected, lives were lost, homes and infrastructure were damaged and destroyed, and families were affected by the flooding and landslides. As the people of Jam…

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, it is always a pleasure to see you in the chair and to take part in these debates. I listened very carefully to my friend from the Bloc Québécois, a very experienced member. All through his speech, however, I asked myself one question. What could have changed in a process that was previously considered perfectly acceptable until the day this new Prime Minister arrived? Is anything s…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech and for his service in the Canadian Armed Forces. I am very grateful to him. I am also very pleased to know that he and his colleagues are going to support this bill. He asked a very sincere question. I have a question for him too. Does he believe that the current military court system serves the interests of Canadian Armed Forces members who are vi…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to debate a bill that is very important for the military community and for Canadians, that is, Bill C‑11, the military justice system modernization act. This bill will have a significant impact on members of the Canadian Armed Forces as well as veterans. Indeed, Bill C‑11 address the concerns that victims and survivors within Canada's military c…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I am deeply grateful for the support of my colleague from Laurentides—Labelle. She listed the reasons why these sexual offence complaints need to be handled by civilian courts. She talked about the importance of implementing policies that support military members and veterans who intend to file complaints. Would she be able to elaborate on the type of policy she would like to see prop…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, this is a very important point the member for Winnipeg North raises in the House. Because the system has been in place and there has been action already on some of the reports that have been brought forward, which understand the scope and severity of the situation, these things have been acted on. Now we are codifying this. Now we are making sure that the resources are put in place. N…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for sharing his personal testimony on this bill. I would like to confirm whether I understand correctly that the official opposition intends to support this bill at second reading so that it can be sent to committee for study. I would also like him to explain what he expects from this study in committee. Can he tell us about one or two amendments that he would lik…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I have come to know my hon. colleague very well, and I know he takes these issues very seriously. It is not a guarantee that the culture will change, but it is clear that we must take every step possible. One of the first things to do is assure victims of sexual harassment or misbehaviour that the system is not stacked against them. The way to do that, as we saw in the report by Madam…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, there are many elements to the premise of that question that I have some difficulty with, but there are two things that should give the hon. member some confidence. First of all, this legislation reflects directly the recommendations by former Supreme Court justices Louise Arbour and Morris Fish. Second, the member can take confidence in the fact that the person responsible for making…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Shefford for her very informed speech. She is always very well prepared for all the debates she takes part in. I am pleased that she mentioned in her speech that the Bloc Québécois supports this bill in principle. As I said, my colleague always backs up what she says in her speeches with facts and figures. Beyond supporting this bill in principle, does my col…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I would like my colleague to tell us about the importance of supporting our soldiers overseas on missions outside Canada and, more importantly, of ensuring that our female soldiers can have confidence in the system that determines when there has been a breach of the rules against sexual misconduct in the CAF.

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, for many years, Canada has opened the doors for women to be part of the Canadian Armed Forces, but unfortunately, they have not had justice when they faced sexual discrimination or sexual misconduct. Bill C-11 offers an opportunity to take these particular issues out of the military justice system and into the civilian courts. Can the member talk about why that is an important develop…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his speech. We work together in committee, and because he is a lawyer, I greatly appreciate his thoughts on this bill. I am very pleased to learn that the Bloc Québécois will support this bill so that we can pass it quickly. I think that is very important. Toward the end of his speech, my colleague talked about the importance of giving military personnel,…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, every October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month in Canada. This initiative aims to educate us all about the importance of good cybersecurity practices. Can the parliamentary secretary tell us about the steps our government has taken to strengthen the cybersecurity of individuals and businesses in the face of increasingly sophisticated threats?

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to see that the official opposition has, for once, asked a question relevant to the debate that we are having today and not backing it on other issues. I thank the hon. member for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan for asking this question. It goes right back to my speech, which said that the use of the notwithstanding clause is legitimate. The adoption of various laws …

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question, but I cannot provide a specific answer. I can say that, in theory, the pre-emptive use and constant re-invocation of the notwithstanding clause raises a problem: It basically denies the fundamental rights of people who need them. We cannot do that, because that would permanently infringe on rights, which amounts to a constitutional amendment thro…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I thank my Bloc colleague for his question. I do not want to raise the temperature on this any further, so I will just answer his question. I do not think that the premise of his question is valid. The Canadian government firmly believes that the Government of Quebec has the right and the responsibility, as does the federal government, to protect the French language. However, when we …

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise in the House to take part in this debate. Let me begin by saying that I will be sharing my time with my hon. colleague from Mount Royal. In this debate, it is very important to remember how we got here. We are here to discuss a motion presented by my hon. colleagues from the Bloc Québécois. There are three parts to this motion, the first of which “calls on th…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, as a Quebecker, I found it very interesting to listen to my colleague. I am a very proud Quebecker, and I listened carefully to his speech. I would like to ask him a question that relates to the debate we are having, but it is a little more theoretical. Is it important to ensure that rights remain rights, not only in Quebec but across Canada?

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his speech. I am glad that he came to Canada and exercised his Canadian citizenship rights. However, I think it is very important that we avoid creating a bogeyman or criticizing something that is not true. I am going to share a little story. I am hoping my colleague can give me some advice about one of my constituents, born to Canadian de…

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, this week, we are celebrating National Public Service Week. This is a perfect opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding work of those who keep our country running smoothly every day. The public service of 2025 needs to take advantage of new technologies and AI, which can help us build a more agile and efficient public service. Our government will give public servants the tools they n…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate my colleague on the quality of his French. There is a strong trend around the world right now. Will the future lead to electric vehicles or not? If we know that the trend is going in that direction, would it not be better for the Canadian economy to have policies in place that can support this transition?

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Humber River—Black Creek, not only for her very interesting speech, but also for her perspective. In her long career here in Parliament, I imagine she has seen trends evolve. Could she tell the House about the current trend toward electric vehicles? Can she tell us about the opportunity Canada has to become a leader not only in electric car pr…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, my colleague mentioned that we are a government of action. I would like to know how he sees the tax cut, the program to help children get food in their school and the reduction in the cost of child care. How is all of this going to help Canadians deal with the challenges they are facing today?

Statements By Members

Mr. Speaker, last night, the National Holocaust Monument was vandalized. Are there no limits? The monument commemorates not only the six million murdered Jewish women, men and children but the millions of other victims of Nazism and its collaborators during the Second World War. More than that, the National Holocaust Monument is a statement for today. It is an ever-living declaration by right-mind…

Mr. Chair, thank you. Colleagues, today, like all days, we pay our respects to the Anishinabe Algonquin people on whose unceded land we stand. Regardless of what part of the country we come from, what political party we belong to or what our political ideas are, the fact is that each of us, every one of us in this chamber, frankly, has a lot more in common than we often care to admit. We all remem…

Statements by Members

Madam Speaker, September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. Tomorrow, we will gather on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe Nation to commemorate the immense significance of this day, as we come together to remember, to reflect and to take collective action. To be clear, this is not a one-day conversation. It is a call to become lifelong learners, constantly strivin…

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, it is my duty to table a petition on behalf of Canadians, particularly post-doctoral researchers and graduate students. The petitioners are calling upon the Government of Canada to do the following: increase the value of tri-agency graduate scholarships and post-doctoral fellowships by 50%; increase the number of tri-agency graduate student scholarships by 50%; increase the number o…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, I invite my hon. colleague to have a look at the budget. He can look directly at the budget to see very clearly that the deficit will continue to decline every year for the next five years, despite the headwinds we face. The Conservative Party's reckless austerity measures would be very problematic. Our government has the lowest deficit in the G7. We have the lowest debt and the lowes…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, as I just said, Canada is forecast to have the strongest economic growth among G7 countries this year and next. One thing my hon. colleague did not mention is the fact that just today, almost 900,000 more Canadians have recovered the jobs they lost during the pandemic. There are 128% more jobs than there were before the pandemic. Canadians can be confident about their future.

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, after peaking at 8.1% last year, the inflation rate now stands at 4.4%, and the Bank of Canada expects that to drop to less than 3% by the end of the fall. Canada delivered the strongest economic growth last year. The OECD predicts that Canada will once again have the strongest economic growth this year and next. Canadians can and should have confidence in the resilience of our econom…

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, last Monday was the 40th anniversary of Le Gîte Ami, a veritable beacon of compassion and community in my riding. Over the past four decades, this extraordinary organization has touched countless lives by providing shelter and support to those in need. Le Gîte Ami has become an integral part of our region, providing shelter, food and a glimmer of hope to the most vulnerable among us. …

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, 35 years ago, I was a parliamentary page in the House. Many of my page colleagues from 1988-89 are here with us today. We are honouring the memory of one of our colleagues, Carl Gillis, with a gift to the House of Commons. On a beautiful day in May 1996, Carl went rollerblading along one of Ottawa's famous paths. It was to be his last time. He suffered a devastating fall, and the resu…

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, I can reassure my colleague opposite by saying that the government will continue to work tirelessly to help Canadians. In budget 2023, we have already put measures in place to tax the wealthiest Canadians. We are proposing a 2% tax on repurchases of equity, and we will tax share dividends received by banks. We are ready to do all that, but the Conservatives always block our measures, …

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I want to congratulate my colleague from Ontario, who was born in British Columbia, on the quality of his French. I know that he is of Italian origin and he also speaks English, but it warms my heart to hear him speak French. Often, when people talk about the Century Initiative, they say that it is a federal government initiative. We know that is a false argument because it is just …

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I am pleased that my hon. colleague from Saint-Jean said that we should take immigrants' interests into account. We should not resort to a utilitarian argument to speak on behalf of these people. I am a Quebecker. If we want to ensure the vitality of the French language in Quebec and if we really want to put ourselves in the immigrants' shoes, we could ask the hundreds of thousands …

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, as a Quebecker, I would like to thank my colleague. We definitely do not have the same point of view. In my community, which is not that far from his, there are many francophones and many new immigrants from western Africa and Haiti. The percentage of these immigrants has increased significantly. Why are these people settling in Quebec? It is because they have the right to continue sp…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, it is rare that I have an opportunity to debate with the member. These people are francophone and do not need to be francized. We can attract teachers who are ready to teach. They could also offer their services to Quebeckers. Why not let these people determine their own future? Why, as Canadians, should we determine what they should do and in what conditions they should live? Why n…

Routine Proceedings

Mr. Speaker, on April 14, the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs received a response from the national security and intelligence adviser that details formal briefings to the Prime Minister, the Prime Minister’s Office, ministers and cabinet on the subject of foreign interference in elections.

Routine Proceedings

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Simcoe North, a person whom I have come to know. He is an hon. member, certainly, but I found his speech lacking because of the many examples he offered. If he were concerned about getting to the nub of the issue, he would look towards the testimony that we have had in committee when we had allegations floating around. When we get to the nub of it …

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, I have the pleasure of serving on several committees with the hon. member for Laurentides—Labelle. I would like to ask her a simple question. She said that she would have preferred to see the Prime Minister launch a public inquiry. Would she have been on board with the idea of the Prime Minister determining the parameters of that public inquiry she is calling for?

Adjournment Proceedings

Madam Speaker, I very much appreciate the question from my colleague from Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound. Before I answer his fundamental question, I would first like to provide an update to all my colleagues in the House of Commons and to Canadians. As I am sure everyone is aware, we have reached a tentative agreement with the Public Service Alliance of Canada, or PSAC, for the four bargaining units in th…

Adjournment Proceedings

Madam Speaker, the advice I would have is to start the negotiations as early as we can. There are times where it would be unreasonable to expect any future government to start negotiations years in advance of the ending of a contract because conditions will change over time. If we go back three years, I do not think people would have predicted that we would have seen interest rates rise to 5% or 6…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, unfortunately, I cannot, but I will engage to get back to the member and find out why that was the case. Labour is a very important element in terms of some of the key stakeholders, and we should be consulting not only with businesses, but also with labour, government and academics. I do engage to get back to the member with a response.

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, before I begin my speech, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge that we are gathered here on the unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe people. I am very pleased to add my voice to the debate on Bill S-6, an act respecting regulatory modernization. Regulations are the book of rules that govern how businesses operate and that protect consumers, the environment, our heal…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I know it sticks in the hon. member's craw that Canada is now making a transition to a clean, green economy, especially in key sectors, such as the automotive sector. Let me get back to Bill S-6. I can tell members why this process is so important. We are going to review all of the government regulations to ensure that they are still up to date. Any obsolete regulations that are no …