Parliamentary Speeches

With great ease, Mr. Speaker, because this money is not going to normal political speech. Let them give donations to those who want to support this, but they are giving money that is anonymous, that is unverified and that can come from foreign sources to get to politics through the back door as opposed to the front. Who were the people collecting and distributing this money before it was shut down? Are Lich, Barber and King the people we want to have access to this funding, which people gave in good faith because they wanted to talk about vaccine mandates but is being used for completely different purposes? There needs to be some transparency on it. If the hon. member had listened to me carefully, he would have heard me say that this is a great temporary measure now and that we should pass a law to deal with this going forward.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for his question. Again, the answer is yes. In the news, we clearly saw a trucker who was part of the blockade here in Ottawa saying that he had to leave because he had received a notice from his bank informing him that if he did not leave the illegal blockade, his assets could be seized. He added that he employs 55 people. It has worked. It will prevent potential blockades from happening in Windsor. We also heard from the Ottawa Police Service and the Windsor Police Service that with these measures, they finally had the ability to prevent—

Mr. Speaker, what I really like about this piece of legislation, and I would like to congratulate Brian Mulroney and his government for having introduced it, is that the Charter of Rights applies to it at all times. It is fixed for a certain amount of time and parliamentarians have to come together to talk about it. I have every confidence because it is targeted, it is appropriate and especially it is time-limited.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his speech. I appreciate his candour in voicing his concerns. I also appreciate the fact that he is open to the opinions of others. I too am not 100% certain that this is the absolute best course of action, but there is one thing I sincerely recognize. I hope my hon. colleague can tell me about it. I do not want to trivialize the decisions we are making, but would my hon. colleague agree that we are somewhat trivializing the situation in terms of the extremist voices we are hearing in our politics, both in Canada and around the world? Is it not time to set some limits before things get out of hand?

Mr. Speaker, earlier today, the Canadian women's hockey team won the gold medal, but I would like to talk about the next generation of players here in the Outaouais. The Intrépide, a peewee AAA team, is made up of 17 of the best players from my beautiful region. The team has qualified for the Quebec international peewee hockey tournament. To be invited to this prestigious tournament, the Intrépide de l'Outaouais had to rank among the 14 best teams in the Quebec hockey league of excellence. The Intrépide peewees met the challenge, and every player is very proud to represent the Outaouais region at the tournament being held in May. The excellence of Canada's Olympic team is a beacon for all Canadians, but nothing happens by accident. The team's victory represents years of hard work. The Intrépide de l'Outaouais is already on the right path. Congratulations and much success to the team. Go Intrépide, go!

Mr. Speaker, I would like to inform you that I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Scarborough—Agincourt. I am very pleased to participate in this debate, but I must admit that I am wondering why we are debating this motion tonight when we could quickly take action. If there is one time when members should be unanimous, it is this evening on this bill. We are here to debate Bill C-12, an act to amend the Old Age Security Act to provide a guaranteed income supplement exemption. I would like to explain this to the Canadians who are watching at home. Usually when we study a bill, it involves a rather complex process. To make amendments to a law, often many changes are needed here and there. We must be certain of the changes to be made. In this case, it is very simple. In the French version of the bill, only five lines were changed. Those five lines will change our tax system to eliminate a problem for seniors. All political parties in the House of Commons recognize that this problem must be fixed. My wonderful colleague from northern Ontario just expressed his approval. Earlier today there were speeches by Bloc Québécois members who indicated their support. The NDP members have said they support it. I cannot figure out why we are still debating this motion. We may even end up straying from the topic because some of the parties like playing political games. We really have to meet the needs of Canada's seniors. That is why I am urging my opposition party colleagues, especially the Conservative and Bloc Québécois members, to approve this. I hope that, once they have read these five lines, they will give their approval so we can get on with it. We know how we got to this point. The pandemic hit. Unfortunately, some seniors who had been working part time or full time to earn extra money had to stop working. The pandemic caused problems for everyone in Canada. People lost their jobs overnight. Everyone did their part to stop the spread of the virus. They had access to some substantial programs that we created to support Canadians and our businesses. They received money from the Canada emergency response benefit, or CERB. As my colleagues know, our public pension benefits and the guaranteed income supplement are calculated every year based on income received the previous year. These people will unfortunately be affected by this change, but amendments will solve this problem. I want to take a moment to explain exactly how it works. As many of my colleagues have already pointed out, these people will be penalized for this tax year, and we do not want that to happen, as we have heard from many people who have contacted our offices. We need to address this issue, and that is exactly what we are proposing to do. That is why I think it is important for us to take swift action, and that is what I am prepared to do. It is almost 7:40 p.m. eastern time. If everyone were to agree right now that no one else will speak to this bill, we could proceed directly to the vote. That would be a good thing for Canadians and would reassure them that we are finally going to fix this issue. The bill is a short one, with just five lines. That is why I think we need to take action, and I hope to convince my colleagues to join me. I want to be clear and remind everyone what Bill C‑12 will do. The bill will prevent the guaranteed income supplement and allowances from being reduced come July. That is it. This bill will stop a problem from happening. We all agree that pandemic-related benefits should not be considered income for the purposes of calculating the guaranteed income supplement. If we all agree, that is what Bill C‑12, a bill that is five lines long, will do. It is short, simple and clear. Let us get moving. We are moving quickly because we know that these supports need to be put into place quickly. As I have already mentioned, the system changes that are needed would be put into place by our incredible public servants, who are going to make sure that this happens in time. Seniors who have had to access these benefits to make ends meet during a public health crisis might be penalized because their Conservative and Bloc representatives are incapable of setting partisanship aside and are trying to thwart the process. That would be unfair. Once again, this should not surprise my colleagues. Unfortunately, the Conservatives have shown every step of the way that they are not there for Canadians, despite what the member who rose before me said: “We have your backs.” That is something the Prime Minister often says. If the Conservatives want to borrow our words, I encourage them to also get on board with how quickly we want to take action. On behalf of seniors, I hope my Conservative and Bloc Québécois friends will join us in supporting this motion without amendment, so we can deliver for seniors who need this support, seniors who have given so much throughout their lives. I know my colleagues support seniors. I encourage them to join us in getting this bill passed quickly so we can be there for Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, we are not perfect, but we try our best. We came up with many innovative ways to help support Canadians. I would like to thank the opposition parties, because during the beginning of the crisis, they were also there and Parliament did its best in supporting Canadians. I am very pleased to be part of a government that proposed these ideas and took on the best ideas of the opposition. We are, I hope, coming near the end of this pandemic. We all hope that. However, we are not quite there yet; we are still in it. We have an opportunity to help seniors right now, and I ask my hon. colleagues across the way to once again join hands and do what we did at the front end of this pandemic and support our seniors. There are five simple lines that we can adopt to make this happen. This is very important. I hope my colleagues will be there to support this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I am a really big believer in the parliamentary process. Usually, when we come to this place, we examine very complex pieces of legislation. It makes sense that we cannot always consider things as 338 people, so we send them to committee to be looked at. Those 12 people look very carefully at legislation. The bill is just five lines. It is not going to take us a long time to figure this out. I am certain the members across the way have come to an assessment of where they are, because all their speeches have said they are going to support it. Why not get ahead of the game and bring security to our seniors to show them we all have their backs and want to get this passed right away?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend from Trois-Rivières for his question. We work together at the Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics, and it is a pleasure for me. I agree, we must be very diligent. However, we are talking about five lines here. It is not complex. It is very simple. Not only do we all agree on the principle, but I am sure that we all agree on the text itself. That is why I think that in this case, we can all unite to pass this bill immediately and provide reassurance to our seniors.

Mr. Speaker, every February, I normally rise to encourage parliamentarians and Canadians to celebrate Black History Month. These are not normal times. This past weekend, a small minority thought it acceptable to bring swastikas and Confederate flags to Parliament Hill. Let us not mince words: The Confederate flag is a symbol for slavery. Whips deformed Black bodies. Forced labour mangled limbs. Torture almost always preceded lynchings. Intellectually, I know that very few people today would support what the Confederate flag represented. I will assume that the Confederate flag was tolerated this weekend out of respect for the individuals' freedom of expression. However, in my heart I was left wondering who else supports this flag. Without real-time denunciations, how am I to know? That is what scares me. Even 188 years after the abolition of slavery in Canada, in some people's eyes I am not equal, nor should I be free. This is why I celebrate Black history, and Black Canadian history, every February and throughout the year.

Mr. Speaker, the following is the response by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, TBS, on behalf of the Government of Canada. In response to (a), each fiscal year, TBS collects data on the number of requests received, completed, closed and responded to according to legislative timelines, 30 days; extensions taken, broken down by length of time taken, 30 days or less, 31 to 60 days, 61 to 120 days, 121 to 180 days, 181 to 365 days or more than 365 days; as well as the amount of time required to close requests, 0 to 30 days, 31 to 60 days, 61 to 120 days, or 121 days or more. TBS publishes a summary of this information annually in the Access to Information and Privacy Statistical Report as well as datasets which contain all the statistical data reported by all institutions, broken down by institution at https://www.canada.ca/en/treasury-board-secretariat/services/access-information-privacy/statistics-atip.html. The information requested can be calculated based on the published datasets. Institutions also individually report this information to Parliament in their annual reports on the Access to Information Act and Privacy Acts, which institutions table in Parliament and publish online each fall. In response to (b) and (c), the latest available data is for fiscal year 2020-2, April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021. Data for fiscal year 2021-22 is expected to be collected by the end of September 2022 and published by December 31, 2022.

Mr. Speaker, last Saturday, the parliamentary community lost one of its most beloved members. Nicole Beaudin worked at the House of Commons for more than 50 years, 20 of them in the office of the Speaker, serving speakers Milliken, Scheer and Regan, as well as our current Speaker. Nicole was a cherished friend and colleague, a woman filled with energy, generosity and joie de vivre. A fan of Elvis, the Senators and bingo, by her example, she showed us how to live life to the fullest. From now on, our days will be a little duller. On behalf of her many colleagues, I would like to express my deepest condolences to Nicole's family: her husband Guy, her son Guy Junior, her grandchildren Gabrielle and Alexandre, and her beloved great-grandson Jayse.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House to speak to Bill C-5. This bill was introduced during the previous Parliament. It is very important for all Canadians, but especially for Black Canadians and indigenous people. It is also important for the safety of Canadians in general, because Bill C-5 seeks to address two problems with our system. First, it is important to do away with minimum mandatory penalties in the penitentiary system. Second, the bill provides for more flexibility, more latitude, which is a good thing when it comes to conditional sentencing. I therefore hope that all members will not only support the bill, but also add measures that are in keeping with the spirit of the bill, so that we can do even more. In my opinion, it is extremely important that my colleagues support this bill. I want to begin by talking about mandatory minimum penalties. It makes no sense to keep incarcerating people and eliminating the flexibility that every judge and court needs. Judges have a responsibility to judge a situation and enhance Canadians' safety. They also propose a sentence that reflects the severity of the crime that was committed. Removing flexibility and having parliamentarians set an arbitrary duration makes no sense. This does not help keep Canadians safe and, in many cases, it also punishes people because they receive the wrong sentence. Members of the House of Commons enjoy two remarkable benefits. The first is that we have the right to visit any Canadian Armed Forces unit; the second is that we have the right to visit prisons or penitentiaries. In 2015, after my election, I did that very thing. I would not say it was a pleasure, but I can say that it completely changed the way I look at Canada's penitentiary system. I had the chance to visit institutions where the incarcerated were serving maximum, minimum or medium sentences. It was remarkable and it really opened my eyes. I saw the conditions people were living in. I must say, in all sincerity, that I do not think those conditions are conducive to rehabilitating incarcerated people. I soon came to the conclusion that we have to leave prisons for people who truly pose a risk to Canadians. People may have mental health or addiction issues for any number of reasons: not having been able to keep a job, learning survival of the fittest on the streets of Canadian cities. These people do not need to be incarcerated. They need access to other options, such as addiction treatment. These are people who may never have felt a sense of belonging. As a father of three and grandfather of two, I know just how crucial that sense of security and belonging is to young people. Some never have that with their family, so they find it with a gang because there are no other options. I feel it is our duty as parliamentarians to find and fund ways to make sure that these people have other options before throwing them in jail. As I said, prison is the worst possible place to put people if we are hoping to mould them into model citizens. That is not how it works. I would encourage my colleagues to visit a prison during their time in politics. They should see how it works with their own eyes. I am hearing some people say that because handgun use is skyrocketing in my hometown of Montreal and other Canadian cities, this is not the right time to introduce a bill like this. They are saying that they do not want to lighten the penalties in place, that it is not the right time. I have to ask, though, when will it be the right time? Let us look at the situation logically. In the current environment, where these minimum sentences exist, we are seeing an increase in the use of handguns. Nothing has changed. For a generation, we have been tightening up and toughening up penalties, but the result has been the skyrocketing use of handguns. Let us then try something different. We cannot keep doing the same thing and expecting different results. That does not make sense. I think we need to start looking for a new model, a new way to respond to the current situation. We have to trust that judges will use their judgment. We need to invest money to give these young people options other than street gangs. Bill C‑5 is a step in the right direction. I hope we will be bold enough to do things differently and provide a solution that can finally keep Canadians safe.

Madam Speaker, first I would like to congratulate my colleague for being elected to the House of Commons. From the comfort of our living room at home, wherever we might be in Canada, we believe that incarcerating people and toughening sentences will magically make Canadians safer. However, that is just not true, as the data collected over a generation has shown us. We need to focus on another approach, specifically helping people, giving them the chance to be part of a community, and working in every way possible with community groups in each region to ensure that people see there are alternatives to violence.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Beauport—Limoilou. We had the opportunity to work together before this past election and I truly appreciate her wisdom. We agree on the basic premise of her question. We want to reduce mandatory minimum penalties, so I commend her on that. We also want to increase funding for the community groups that help these people; we do not want to needlessly incarcerate them. We do share the same values.

Madam Speaker, first of all, let me thank the member from Edmonton for her work and support on these files. I certainly have heard her throughout the last Parliament advocating for this. I will be very, very quick. We do not all start off with an equal playing field. We do need to make sure that we invest in ways that can respond to the individual needs of the people and not a cookie-cutter approach, which we have tried for the last 30 years, and which has clearly failed on any measure. I will not let—

Mr. Chair, I would like to thank you for allowing me to participate in this session of the committee of the whole of the House of Commons. In the recent federal election, Canadians made it clear: Housing affordability is one of their top issues. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted and worsened Canada's serious housing challenges. Far too many Canadians cannot afford an adequate and affordable place to call home. This puts at risk the well-being of Canadian families, our communities and also our economic recovery. It is why our government continues to strengthen and extend the national housing strategy, our 10-year, $72-billion plan to give more Canadians a place to call their home. Today I am pleased to have the opportunity to demonstrate how investments in two important programs under the national housing strategy will benefit Canadians. I will discuss these programs and how, with additional funding, they will ensure that more Canadians have an affordable home where they can safely get through this pandemic and plan for a better future. One program provides much-needed rental housing for middle-income Canadians in cities with some of the most expensive rents. We all know them. The other serves more vulnerable Canadians, ensuring they have safe, well-maintained housing with subsidies, to help them make ends meet at the end of every month. Let us start with the rental construction financing initiative. This program has seen incredible uptake since it was launched five years ago, and it is making a real difference for middle-income Canadians and people in my riding of Hull—Aylmer. It is a well-known fact that there is a shortage of purpose-built rental supply in Canada. Many of our cities have extremely low vacancy rates. This has driven up prices to the point where the very people who make our cities run, like nurses, shopkeepers and teachers, can no longer afford to live in them. We just cannot keep pushing the middle class to the suburbs if we want vibrant, inclusive and inspiring cities that meet our climate goals. One of the barriers to more rental supply is that many developers feel there are too many financial risks and obstacles to building rental projects. Simply put, they have told us these types of projects are not economically feasible. The rental construction financing initiative, delivered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, or CMHC, addresses this problem. It gives developers low-cost loans during the most risky phases of construction. This helps developers to better predict costs, and they are more incentivized to build rental projects, all while meeting important criteria in terms of affordability, accessibility and energy efficiency. I had the privilege of taking part in two announcements in Hull—Aylmer, one at the Zibi island development and the other in the village of Aylmer with the British Square, where precisely we are looking to incentivize builders to build affordable rental housing as part of their larger rental stock. From the beginning, the program generated great interest from the housing sector. To meet growing demand, we increased our investments to $13.75 billion. Already, as of just the end of September of this year, over $12 billion has been committed to create more than 34,000 rental homes. This will make a huge difference for so many Canadian families. As uptake of the program continued, we saw a need to make further investments in it. We committed an additional $12 billion over seven years, and we will use $300 million specifically to help the conversion of vacant commercial property into housing. The funding requested this year represents the first part of this new commitment. It is estimated that when the rental construction financing initiative comes to an end in 2028, the $26 billion invested will have created more than 71,000 new rental housing units across the country. In other words, 71,000 more middle-income families will be able to find housing they can afford in the cities in which they live. This is a win-win-win for Canadian families, and it is a win for our cities. It makes them more inclusive, cuts down on transportation-related costs and emissions, and attracts more employers. I would now like to draw the committee's attention to the second program that I want to address during this discussion, the federal community housing initiative. While the previous program I mentioned focused on the needs of middle-income Canadians, this one supports some of our most vulnerable populations. Currently, thousands of low‑income Canadians across the country live in federally administered community housing. They receive rent subsidies to help them make ends meet at the end of the month. When our government began its first term, many of the subsidy agreements were about to expire, which would have been disastrous for the families affected. That is why, in 2017, we launched the federal community housing initiative, a program that provides $500 million over 10 years to protect tenants and stabilize the operations of more than 55,000 units of federally administered community housing projects. During phase one of the initiative, we gave community housing providers a two‑year funding extension so that they could continue to provide much‑needed subsidies to their tenants. This phase, which ended in September 2020, supported over 26,700 households with a total investment of over $42 million. We are now in phase two of the program, which makes rental assistance available to community housing providers for their tenants. By September 2021, we had already provided over $29 million in rental assistance to nearly 6,000 low-income households for over 27,000 units across the country. The additional funding requested for 2021 started with a top-up of $105 million over seven years proposed in budget 2021. This top-up will help community housing providers offer an additional 2,700 units to low-income households. Again, this has a big impact for Canadians. The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly had a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable families. I should mention that some of those families belong to minority communities across Canada. They are the most vulnerable when we take an intersectional approach. Now more than ever, they need access to affordable housing. That is how they will get through this pandemic safely, and it is essential if they are to be part of an economic recovery that gives everyone in Canada the chance to thrive and prosper. At the same time, with the skyrocketing cost of home ownership, we also need to provide low-income Canadians with affordable rental options. Instead of building apartments only in the outer suburbs, we need to ensure that people are able to live close to work, school and the centre where they spend their time. This will keep our cities resilient and better able to recover from the pandemic. Canadians have sent us a message that could not be any clearer. They care deeply about housing affordability. They want us to work together to provide them with affordable options, no matter what their housing status is. Since I am almost out of time, I would like to conclude with the issue of affordability and the other forms of financial support we have provided to Canadians, such as the Canada emergency response benefit and the Canada emergency wage subsidy. The rental construction financing initiative and the federal community housing initiative are proven, safe and reliable programs, programs that are consistent, programs that have helped Canadians, especially the most vulnerable. They are delivering results. They have made a real difference and will continue to do so. With additional investments, they can benefit even more families across this great country of Canada. Before I ask our Minister of Tourism a question, I think it is very important to say that the range of support measures that were put in place to help Canadians get through the pandemic was extraordinary. As the minister mentioned in his last exchange with a member of the opposition, Canadians have been counting a lot on their government, which reflects the Canadian population. The government is a reflection of the people. We know that Canada is a northern country, a country where the strongest, richest person cannot survive alone with our long, hard winters. We have to work together. This attitude has been part of the Canadian spirit for centuries. It certainly began with indigenous people welcoming the Europeans who came to Canada. They clearly demonstrated the importance of working together to survive our long winters. Generation after generation of immigrants to Canada have learned the same lesson. That is why it was only natural for the Canadian government to come up with support programs when we were backed into a corner when the pandemic first emerged in March 2020. Mr. Chair, could you let me know if I can ask the minister my question now?

I think it is important in my riding of Hull—Aylmer. It was very clear that we needed to make sure that businesses were able to keep their doors open and that the government had their back. We said we would do anything necessary to do that. Opposition members have said they would not have supported Canadians through this pandemic. I find that very troubling, because programs like the CRB, the CERB and the CEWS were lifelines for millions of Canadians, and certainly to businesses and individuals in my riding. Could the minister expand on why it is so important for our government and why the government was so insistent on providing support to Canadian workers and businesses during the pandemic?

Madam Speaker, I just want to mention that I will share my time with the member for Scarborough Centre, a colleague I respect deeply, like very much and have had the pleasure of knowing for six years now. Before I begin my speech, I would like to congratulate you, Madam Speaker, on your appointment to the position of Assistant Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons. I appreciate the dignity and wisdom you bring to the role of House of Commons referee. I rise in the House today to discuss the opposition's proposals with respect to the situation in Afghanistan. Their goal is to determine how we can help Afghan refugees. This is a very serious matter. Where to begin? First of all, this is a life and death issue. As several members have already mentioned, it is a real shame the Conservatives are making political hay out of this situation. It is outrageous. I think that all members of the House want us to reach out to the Afghans who are at risk in Afghanistan because of the Taliban government, and I would venture to say that the vast majority of Canadians want that as well. We want to help those Afghans, especially the men and women who helped us and our allies’ troops, who have been trying to bring stability to that country, which unfortunately has been torn apart by civil war and Taliban forces. No one is going to tell me that the Taliban can improve the well-being of the Afghan people. It is unfortunately a government run by radical Islamist forces that completely distort the tenets of this major religion. As a politician, I have had the pleasure of learning more about this religion, as I have gotten to know my Muslim constituents. The government, the Canadian Armed Forces and Global Affairs Canada have been working very hard to ensure that we can welcome those who helped us in Afghanistan. That is remarkable. As a government, we made a solemn commitment to bring 40,000 Afghan refugees to Canada. We have made a lot of progress despite some very difficult situations. Almost 4,000 people have regained their freedom here in Canada. We are working very hard on this. Tomorrow, another 500 Afghan refugees will arrive safely in Canada on two chartered flights. As part of a commitment we made, we are also working with the various governments to bring another 9,000 Afghan refugees to Canada. Some progress has been made, although the situation is far from ideal. Very few credible individuals really understood how quickly the Afghan government collapsed over the summer. In spite of that, we have made a serious commitment to put in our share of the effort and bring these people home. I cannot begin to describe how harmful the Taliban is to women's rights in Afghanistan. The situation that Afghans, especially women and girls, are facing is absolutely terrible. When I was younger, I studied international relations in university and I remember that we looked at what was happening in Afghanistan. It was horrifying. I think Canada had the right to intervene and to be part of the coalition forces that went into Afghanistan to stabilize the country and form a democratic government accountable to Afghans. Unfortunately, that was not enough. The Canadian Armed Forces have been out of Afghanistan for a long time now. Several governments have had the opportunity to carry on the work and do their part to welcome Afghan refugees. Everyone tried, but no government's commitment was as firm and ambitious as the one we made last summer. We made that promise to Afghans and to Canadians, and we will keep it. We are keeping up our efforts in Afghanistan to bring these refugees here. We will be there for vulnerable Afghans. We will be there to repay the Afghans for their service in support of the Canadian Armed Forces stationed there. We will be there for our translators, our interpreters and the people who forged connections between our military personnel and the Afghan people. We really want to help those who need it most, and we will be there for them. It is important to look beyond the creation of another committee, that is, a special committee that would look at these matters. I think we are all very aware of the workload that we have. We do not need a new committee. There are already committees where these issues can be addressed. We have the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration and the Standing Committee on National Defence. Let us use the tools already available to us instead of just empty rhetoric.

Madam Speaker, I would like to acknowledge my friend from the opposition, with whom I had the opportunity to work on a private member’s bill. He asked a very simple question, but life is rarely so simple, and simplistic solutions rarely work in complex situations. We saw a very unusual situation with the fall of the Afghan government and the return of the Taliban, which very few serious people saw coming. We made a firm commitment. Our National Defence staff, security forces, and diplomats are working very hard and are moving heaven and earth to make sure that we honour our commitment to those who helped us when the Canadian Forces were there.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Milton and commend him on the quality of his French. He has worked very hard these past two years, and I congratulate him for the progress he has made. As members of Parliament, we have an obligation to deal with this issue in a non-partisan way, especially when discussing matters of life and death. The best way to achieve this objective is to work with the existing House committees, such as the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, the Standing Committee on National Defence, the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration—

Mr. Speaker, the great William Faulkner wrote, “The past is never dead. It's not even past.” Unfortunately, we see that reflected in the scourge of slavery. Today is the United Nations International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. Slavery still exists today. Its modern forms include sexual exploitation, forced labour, forced marriages and the recruitment of children in armed conflict. Slavery was abolished in Canada in 1834, freeing indigenous and Black people from this most disgusting form of abuse. However, according to the latest estimates, more than 40 million people are still victims of modern slavery. Nearly three-quarters are women and girls, and more than one-quarter are children. We, as Canadian parliamentarians, who are among the most privileged in the world, must speak out against modern slavery at every opportunity and use every tool at our disposal to act wisely. The world is watching, especially those under the yoke of slavery.

Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate my colleague from Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques on his re-election and thank him for his question. I know he supports diversity. It is very simple. First, I would like to congratulate the Prime Minister for having the courage to admit that unconscious discrimination, systemic racism, exists in all institutions, whether in government, the private sector or NGOs. It is also a federal concern. There is an easy way to fix this problem. The governments of Quebec and Canada need to work together on immigration, especially when it comes to foreign students. If we want to have more students from francophone African countries, we can perhaps make it easier for international students to manage the tuition fees they have to pay and help them make the transition from student life to citizenship so they can become good citizens of Quebec and Canada.

Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate you on your appointment as Assistant Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons. Once again, it is an honour to work with you, as well as with all of the members and my colleagues in the House. Before I start my remarks, I would like to inform you that I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Steveston—Richmond East in British Columbia. He became a dear friend very shortly after his election in 2021. I would also like to mention that we are on the traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe Nation. We are very grateful to be here and to share the territory with them. This is my first official speech in the House of Commons, and I am very proud to be able to represent voters and residents of Hull—Aylmer for the third time. I am truly grateful and, to be frank, I am humbled to know that the people of Hull—Aylmer have entrusted me with a third term. I would therefore like to thank them and to reassure them that I will work very hard and devote all of my efforts to making sure that we can build a stronger, more united and more sustainable Hull—Aylmer, Quebec and Canada. Before talking about the throne speech, I would like to thank the men and women from all parties who ran for election in 2021 in Hull—Aylmer, those from the Bloc Québécois, the New Democratic Party, the Conservative Party, the Green Party and the others. These women and men had the courage to take part in the democratic process to discuss their ideas and debate in a very respectful manner. I think that the true winners of the election are the residents of Hull—Aylmer, given the quality of the candidates who ran in the last election. I love Parliament. I love the idea of our constitutional democracy. I think that we, the 338 members of the House, are fortunate to be able to debate ideas and the major issues of our day. As I said, I will devote all of my efforts to the job, but I would like to point out that I am not a perfect man. I will make mistakes. I have made many in the past, but I do my best to get back on track and continue to do the work, which leads me to the throne speech. The Speech from the Throne is truly an expression of our government’s desire to do our best to ensure a better, more sustainable and more prosperous future for all Canadians. I love the fact that the throne speech—I will be the first to admit it—is imperfect. It is not the Gospel, but it is a good plan, even an excellent plan, for Canada and Canadians. Our top priority reflects the times we are living through and it is putting an end to the pandemic. We know that when we are on lockdown we cannot enjoy all of our freedoms or do the things we should be doing. That is why we must use all the means at our disposal to put an end to the pandemic and allow all Canadians to thrive, whether by creating social cohesion, fighting climate change or creating a stronger, more sustainable and more prosperous economy. There is a plan in the throne speech to put an end to the pandemic. Our main goal, right now, is to get the pandemic under control and to complete the vaccination process. In so doing, as I said, we can create real opportunities for all Canadians to shine and thrive. I am proud of what Canadians have done. Almost 88% of us have been vaccinated. That is an outstanding rate. Canadians decided to accept science and all the good work that our scientists and researchers have done in Canada and around the world. Canadians stood in line to get vaccinated because it was their duty as citizens to do so. I am very pleased to see that most Canadians took part in this remarkable effort. As a member from the national capital region, I must also say how proud I am that federal public servants have stepped up and gotten vaccinated. They did their duty to better protect not only their own health, but also that of their colleagues. I know that the member for Ottawa West—Nepean here beside me, who is also a member from the national capital region, is also very proud that 98% of Canadian public servants are vaccinated. That is an extraordinary number, and I commend them for that. As the son of an immigrant, I tend to be dissatisfied with the missing 2%. I wish that we could reach 100%. Let us move on to other major themes that were addressed in this throne speech. There is one thing that is personal to me, and it relates to my last comment. I am referring to the diversity and inclusion initiatives. As a member of a visible minority, a Black Canadian and the son of two people who had the courage to leave their home country and settle here in Quebec, Canada, in order to create a better world for their family and contribute to Canadian society, it touches me deeply to find the issue of diversity and inclusion not only in the throne speech, but also in the 2021 budget. In the two previous budgets, there were also initiatives that for the first time specifically addressed issues affecting Black Canadians. I am very proud that the economic statement includes specific initiatives to fulfill the Government of Canada’s solemn declaration to include the talents of all Canadians, no matter where they come from. I will conclude by saying that the throne speech includes initiatives to end the pandemic, as well as initiatives on diversity and inclusion. Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to talk about the existential debate on the environment and all the related measures. This throne speech is worthy of the support of all members of the House of Commons.

Madam Speaker, I congratulate my colleague from Kenora on his re-election. I have had the pleasure of visiting his riding a number of times. I am particularly proud of our record on reconciliation. When we were elected in 2015, there were 105 boil water advisories on reserves. By 2021, this problem has been addressed in more than 110 of these communities. My colleagues are probably wondering how we addressed more cases than the number announced in 2015, but that is because new cases came up during that time. The government continues to work on addressing these problems and ensuring that reserves have access to clean drinking water, as all Canadians and human beings should.

Madam Speaker, I would like to begin by congratulating the member for North Island—Powell River on her re-election. In answer to her interesting question about oceans, I would say that I am proud to be part of a government that has its own oceans protection plan. When we took office, very few of the oceans around Canada were protected. However, we have already managed to protect 20%, and we have a target of 25% by 2025 and 30% by 2030. Not only is that a good record, but it is also a great goal.

Madam Speaker, before I speak for the first time in the House in this 44th Parliament, I would obviously like to thank my constituents and congratulate all the members. I also congratulate you, Madam Speaker, along with the new members. To them I say welcome, because this is the experience of a lifetime. My question is for the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons. Over his career, which began in 2004, has he ever seen a situation where the members were forced to leave the House because of a health crisis? Has there ever been a situation where the tools and the means were created to allow the members to continue their work, whether it is representing their constituents in the House of Commons and in committees or asking questions to ensure that the government remains accountable to Canadians? Why does the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons think that it is important to maintain this flexibility, should a health crisis arise again?

Mr. Speaker, approximately 3,000 families in Canada are affected by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. Every year, 1,000 Canadians die from this disease. Sometimes, we can put a human face on these statistics. That was the case five years ago when we lost our dear friend and colleague, Mauril Bélanger, to ALS. It sadly became the case again for me this past weekend when my friend Daniel Rousseau passed away from ALS, leaving in mourning his loving family, Kelly and their three teenaged sons. Daniel was an exceptional man. He never, not once, succumbed to self-pity, but rather exuded gratitude. He and his family have been models of grace from the early diagnosis of ALS right to his passing last weekend. Daniel and Kelly advocated for the need to give Canadians fair, fast and affordable access to treatment. That is why I am rising today during ALS Awareness Month to honour the memory of my friend Daniel and to recommit to working for a future without ALS.

Madam Speaker, I am thankful for this opportunity to speak about the government-wide main estimates for 2021-22. As members know, on February 25, the hon. Minister of Seniors tabled, on behalf of the President of the Treasury Board, the annual departmental plans and the main estimates, 2021-22. These main estimates have been studied and last week the President of the Treasury Board put forward the motion that the main estimates, less the amounts voted in the interim supply, be approved by this House. Today, I would like to explain why this is so important and the steps the government has taken to ensure transparency and accountability in government spending. As Canadians continue to fight COVID‑19 and its devastating impacts, the main estimates set out the government's requests for the financing needed to fund its ongoing operations in the year ahead. As we all know, when the COVID‑19 pandemic hit, it plunged our country into our worst recession since the Great Depression. Tens of thousands of businesses closed down, and jobs and incomes were lost all across the country. The hardest hit were seniors, women, young people, racialized communities, low-income workers and small businesses, especially in the tourism and hospitality industry. The pandemic took the lives of too many Canadians. An essential part of Canada's fight against COVID‑19 has been the unprecedented support made available to Canadians and Canadian businesses by the government. We knew Canadians needed a lifeline to get through the COVID‑19 storm, so we launched programs to help our citizens, like the Canada emergency response benefit, the Canada emergency student benefit, the Canada emergency wage subsidy and targeted support for regions, economic sectors and not-for-profit organizations. This approach has worked, but the storm is not over. Canadians continue to need the government's ongoing support as businesses reopen and the economy is repaired and built back better for everyone. The funds requested in these main estimates will help the government do just that. Government organizations are seeking funds to continue delivering already approved programs and services and to make investments to support Canadians during the pandemic and create the right conditions for a successful economic recovery. The funds requested reflect our ongoing commitment to investing in Canada's pandemic response, from economic support for individuals and businesses to paying for vaccines, enhancing support for mental health tools, virtual health care and more. The main estimates provide information about the $342.2 billion in proposed expenditures for 123 organizations. That amount can be broken down into $141.9 billion for voted expenditures and $200.3 billion for statutory expenditures. Statutory expenditures have already been authorized in existing legislation, such as the COVID‑19 Emergency Response Act and the Canada Recovery Benefits Act, so they are presented in the budget for information only. In March, roughly $59 billion of the $141.9 billion in voted expenditures was approved to cover the requirements of organizations for the first three months of the fiscal year, including to continue the government's key operations, and for COVID‑19 response measures and emergency reports. Of the total $342.2 billion being requested in the main estimates, just over $22 billion is related to the COVID‑19 pandemic response, split almost evenly between voted and statutory expenditures. This includes just over $10 billion for the Canada recovery benefit, the Canada recovery sickness benefit and the Canada recovery caregiving benefit. Other significant changes in statutory spending from last year's main estimates include updates to major transfer payments, such as elderly benefits, the Canada health transfer and an increased climate action incentive payment published in the fall economic statement 2020. Let me now focus on some of the larger organizations in these estimates. There are six organizations seeking more than $5 billion each in voted budgetary expenditures. One of these is the Public Health Agency of Canada, which is asking Parliament for authorization to spend $8.7 billion. PHAC will use the money to continue its important work helping Canadians deal with the pandemic by investing in COVID‑19 vaccines, therapeutic products, medical equipment and PPE, as well as closing gaps in biomanufacturing. PHAC is also responsible for maintaining quarantine facilities funded by the federal government, strengthening its border and health travel program and helping municipalities offer safe voluntary isolation sites to prevent the virus from spreading further. Although the main estimates reflect government spending in response to the COVID‑19 pandemic, they also demonstrate ongoing support for other priorities that are crucial to Canadians' interests, such as national security and defence. The Department of National Defence is presenting $22.8 billion in voted expenditures in the 2021-22 main estimates, which include investments in the “Strong, Secure, Engaged” defence policy, as well as important funding for equipment upgrades. There is also the Department of Indigenous Services, which is seeking $13.4 billion. Included for Indigenous Services Canada in the estimates is a proposed net increase of $508.6 million to improve access to safe, clean drinking water in first nations communities. In addition, proposed spending includes increases of $122.6 million for supportive care in indigenous communities and $104.7 million for education programs at the elementary, secondary and post-secondary levels. The fourth organization I will highlight is the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat, which is seeking $7 billion through these main estimates. These planned expenditures include a number of votes that are centrally managed by Treasury Board ministers and total nearly $3.7 billion. The funds are allocated to federal organizations and facilitate the Treasury Board's roles as employer, management board and budget office of the government. Just over $3 billion is also set aside for its responsibilities as an employer. These expenditures will be used to make payments under the public service pension, benefits and insurance plans, including the employer's contribution to health, income maintenance and life insurance premiums. Finally, the main estimates of the Treasury Board Secretariat also include a net increase of $27 million for program spending. The main objective of this increase is to improve diversity and inclusion in the public service and to ensure that the Canadian Digital Service can continue to provide critical digital products and services related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Another important priority for the government is international development and diplomacy. Through the proposed funding of the $6.3 billion in these estimates, Global Affairs Canada will continue to implement Canada's feminist foreign policy and support actions to reduce poverty and fragility in developing countries. Global Affairs Canada will also work with global partners to promote trade and continue to strengthen its consular program. Hon. colleagues, Canadians also care about how we treat our veterans and how we want the government to honour their service. These men and women are the veterans who served to protect the very rights and freedoms we enjoy today. With the proposed funding in these estimates of $6.2 billion, Veterans Affairs Canada will continue to deliver important services and ensure benefit programs continue to meet the needs of our veterans. I would like to mention a couple of other organizations that provide essential services to Canadians: the Canada Border Services Agency, or CBSA, and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. The CBSA provides border services that support national security policies and facilitates the flow of people and goods across the border. To do this, it is requesting just over $1.8 billion. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation helps Canadians meet their housing needs. For example, it works with the provinces and territories, first nations, as well as the private and non-profit sectors to improve access to affordable housing. It is requesting approximately $3.3 billion to carry out its activities. We would also like to assure Canadians that their government is committed to the principles of openness, transparency and accountability, especially in times of rapid change. Let me turn to that now, beginning with the overall estimates process, of which these main estimates are a part. In our system of Parliament, the estimates are crucial to ensuring transparency and accountability in the government’s use of public money. The main estimates, supplementary estimates, departmental plans and departmental results reports, in conjunction with the public accounts, all help parliamentarians scrutinize government spending. I cannot overstate how important this information is to the functioning of our system of government. In fact, accountability is predicated on parliamentarians knowing how public funds are being spent, so that they can hold the government to account for its actions. The government fully recognizes its responsibility and its commitment to accountability to Canadians through the members of Parliament who represent them. This commitment has taken on a special significance since the outbreak of the COVID‑19 pandemic and the emergency measures taken by the government. Due to the unprecedented levels of spending in response to the pandemic, the government provided Parliament information that went beyond what is normally presented. For example, in the spring of 2020, the Minister of Finance began submitting to the Standing Committee on Finance a biweekly report on statutory spending in response to the pandemic. As for the estimates, we are providing side reports, with a detailed list of statutory authorities and an online annex on estimated pandemic-related expenditures. There is also a complete breakdown of these planned expenditures by standard object, such as personnel, professional services, transfer payments and more. This information on planned spending on the COVID-19 response, along with estimated expenditures, is also publicly available on GC InfoBase, an easy-to-use online tool, and through the open government portal. By developing these datasets and digital tools, we are demonstrating our commitment to providing parliamentarians and Canadians with more information on where public funds are going and how they are being spent. To close the loop on expenditure reporting for the fiscal year, the government will also report on actual expenditures and results in the public accounts and departmental results reports in the fall. Hon. colleagues, the government is committed to being open and transparent with Canadians and their representatives, particularly during this pandemic. We have introduced special measures to help our citizens, businesses and communities from all regions during these challenging times. Many of these measures were passed in Parliament through emergency legislation and continue to help Canadians through the crisis. Again, the full disclosure of all these is paramount for the government. I should also mention part III of the main estimates, the departmental plans and the departmental results reports, which work together and have been part of the government's efforts to improve accountability to Parliament for the last 25 years. In recent years, the government has tabled the main estimates and the departmental plans at about the same time. The departmental plans show how each department plans to achieve results and provide further details on the resources requested in the main estimates. They also establish a link between program performance, expected results, commitments set out in the ministers' mandate letters, and government priorities. Departmental plans are organized according to core responsibilities and expected results, which are the baseline against which organizations monitor and report on their end-of-year performance. That reporting and tracking is done through the department's subsequent departmental results reports, which are tabled in Parliament after the end of the fiscal year, at around the same time as the public accounts. All this detailed information is available on GC InfoBase, as well as departmental web sites. These reporting mechanisms ensure parliamentarians and Canadians can easily track our priorities and plan spending to see how we are achieving results. I have gone into some detail describing the monies requested through these main estimates, why it is important and how we are ensuring transparency and accountability with respect to government spending, but let me come back to the key point. The story of the main estimates 2021-22 is more than just a story about numbers and expenditure management. It is a story about Canadians looking after each other. We all know how hard the pandemic has hit Canadians and their families. It has been a matter of life and death for some, financial hardship for many and protecting our loved ones for us all. That is why the government acted quickly over the past year to provide financial help for individuals, businesses and the health care system. A good number of these measures are ongoing in 2021. These measures placed real pressure on many departments, which must continue to provide these emergency measures in addition to their core programs and services. As parliamentarians, our work consists in ensuring that government organizations have the financial resources required to do the work that Canadians expect of them. Departments must have the financial capacity to continue protecting Canadians, and the funding proposed in these estimates will let them do that this upcoming fiscal year. In closing, in the upcoming year, we will face ongoing and new challenges. The main estimates attest to the government's commitment to address these challenges while continuing to work on other national priorities. It has been a long journey, and if COVID-19 has taught us anything, it is that we are in this together. I would like to close my remarks by thanking my hon. colleagues on all sides of the House for their ongoing collaboration as we work together to help Canadians during these difficult times. As we finish the fight against COVID-19 and rebuild a resilient, economic recovery that creates jobs and growth for our people, I know that the government can count on members' support.

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Sarnia—Lambton for her question. Concerning the transparency and availability of the data, which, as I mentioned, is available on GC InfoBase, it is very important for parliamentarians to have the means to do a proper analysis and ensure that the government is accountable for its spending. It is very important for members of Parliament, especially those members of Parliament who choose be part of the public accounts committee, to make sure they have information in a timely and fulsome way so they can truly determine how the Government of Canada is spending its money and that it is meeting the expected requirements set out in the departmental plans for the upcoming year. This is the reason why a couple of years ago we changed the way that we report the numbers to make sure the main estimates line up with—

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from British Columbia for his question. The government has been there from the beginning to support Canadians during this health crisis and the resulting economic crisis, the likes of which we have not seen in 100 years. That is why we created the CERB, to support Canadians during this very difficult period. That is why we also created a program to help businesses across Canada pay workers and keep their employees on the payroll, so as to help everyone through this health and economic crisis.

Madam Speaker, I would also like to commend my colleague from Calgary Midnapore, whom I had the pleasure of getting to know better through our interactions here in Canada and abroad. The reason I wanted to present an overview of this government spending to my hon. colleagues today is that the presentation by the next parliamentary secretary or minister will certainly deal specifically with the budget for the Department of Transport. However, I would like to remind the House that with help from the government, the large employer emergency financing facility will issue loans of $4 billion to Air Canada in order to protect jobs and ensure that it has the necessary liquidity to keep Canadians and Canadian markets connected. This is very important, and I am sure that my hon. colleague will have the chance to elaborate—

Madam Speaker, I have had the pleasure of serving with the member for Northumberland—Peterborough South for the past year on the public accounts committee, where we have had an opportunity to really review in-depth, and I believe in a very non-partisan way, the expenses of the government and to make sure Canadians are getting a full accounting. Details on that specific pointed question will follow in the next government member's speech on transport, but I would like my hon. colleague to share the message with his constituents that we have their backs. This is the reason we created the Canada emergency wage subsidy, to help businesses keep connections with their employees. It is the reason we supported individuals through the Canada emergency benefit. That way, we were able to ensure that Canadians got the support they needed at the worst point in the crisis. I am pleased to say and to see that we are emerging from the crisis. The economy is getting stronger across Canada, and I hope that will also be the case in my hon. colleague's riding.

Mr. Speaker, the forestry industry is one of Canada's main economic pillars. We recognize the huge contribution made by the more than 200,000 forestry workers who play a key role in Canada's production of high-quality wood products, which are prized around the world and generate economic spinoffs for all Canadians. I want to start this morning by unequivocally stating that the tariffs on softwood lumber imposed by the United States are unfair and unjust, and they are hurting workers and the industry on both sides of the border. The minister has raised this question at every opportunity with President Biden, with Katherine Tai, the U.S. trade representative, and with Gina Raimondo, the U.S. secretary of commerce. As we have always done, our government will continue to vigorously defend Canada's forestry sector, which supports hundreds of thousands of good middle-class jobs for Canadians across the country. We are taking a team Canada approach, working hand in hand with the softwood lumber industry, labour unions and provincial and territorial partners on all fronts. We have launched a series of challenges against the initial U.S. duties on softwood lumber through both the WTO and the new NAFTA. Over the years, we have consistently been awarded legal victories that clearly demonstrate that our softwood lumber industry is in full compliance with international trade rules and that Canada is a trading partner in good standing in the multilateral rules-based system. Our support for the softwood lumber industry and its workers is unequivocal. In 2017, our government announced the softwood lumber action plan, providing $867 million in measures to support forestry industry workers and their communities. During the pandemic, we supported around 8,500 forestry firms with a total of nearly $600 million from our government's emergency wage subsidy program. We know that market diversification for our wood products will create Canadian jobs and benefit the communities that rely on the forestry industry. That is why, in 2019, we made an additional investment of over $250 million for action plan programs to help producers tap into new markets and diversify production. Budget 2021 includes $54.8 million over two years to enhance investments in forestry industry transformation, including working with municipalities and community organizations ready for new forest-based economic opportunities. Forestry industry workers can rest assured that we will always be there to stand up for their interests, their families and their communities. Our government is working hard to achieve a result that benefits all Canadians. However, we will only accept an agreement that is good for our softwood lumber industry and protects Canadian jobs.

Mr. Speaker, before I begin my remarks, I would like to take a moment to congratulate you on your distinguished career in Parliament. You are an honourable man. You have conducted yourself with great dignity as a member here and you will be greatly missed. It is a pleasure for me to answer the question from the member for Mégantic—L'Érable about the harm the Phoenix system caused to retired federal public servants. First, let me say that the government has the greatest respect for its dedicated and hard-working public servants, both retirees and those who are currently employed. All current and former public servants—

Mr. Speaker, first, let me say that the government has the greatest respect for its dedicated and hard-working public servants, both retirees and those who are currently employed. All current and former public servants deserve to be paid in an accurate and timely manner for their work on behalf of Canadians. We recognize that the implementation of the Phoenix pay system had direct and indirect impacts on many current and former employees. In June 2019, we reached an agreement with several public service unions to compensate current and former employees for the negative impacts caused by the system. Several elements of this agreement were implemented in 2019 and 2020. The process for claiming compensation for severe impacts and personal hardship was launched in January 2021, to be precise. The processes are now available to approximately 146,000 eligible current and former public servants. In addition, in October 2020, we finalized an agreement with the Public Service Alliance of Canada for damages caused by Phoenix, as well as the late implementation of the 2014 collective agreements. This agreement with PSAC, like the 2019 agreement with the other unions, provides general damages to current and former employees. Most employees represented by PSAC received a payment up to $2,500 on March 3 for general damages and compensation for the late implementation of the 2014 collective agreements. Government officials are working collaboratively with their Public Service Alliance of Canada colleagues to implement the terms of the agreement. There are a number of components to the agreement and we all want to make the process as easy as possible for those who wish to make a claim. Of course, this includes retirees and all former public servants. We have learned from our past experience. One of the lessons we learned is that rushing does not always yield the best results. We want to get this right. Former employees who were represented by PSAC will have to submit a claim to receive compensation. More information about when and how to do that will be provided in the months to come. In the meantime, former PSAC members can still submit claims under the process in place for out-of-pocket expenses, reimbursement for tax advice, and impacts on income taxes and government benefits. Let me assure my hon. colleague that we are working hard on behalf of retired and former public servants to get them the compensation they deserve.

Mr. Speaker, I did indeed hear the message from my hon. colleague's constituent. Canadians can rest assured that public servants will have the government's unconditional support. We believe in and support all of our federal public servants, including retirees. Retired public servants like my hon. colleague's constituent deserve a retirement free from financial worry after spending their careers serving Canadians. We understand the concerns of some retirees, and we are working hard, in collaboration with the unions, to make sure that eligible public service retirees are paid what they are owed in a timely manner. We are fully committed to fair and timely compensation for out-of-pocket expenses brought on by Phoenix-related compensation issues. We are moving forward with the damages process to look after all our retired public servants as quickly as we can. We will get there together, in co-operation with unions and current and former public servants.

Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to my hon. colleague, she is wrong. Canada has always vigorously defended the Canadian softwood lumber industry, and it continues to stand up for our forestry workers and our communities in every way possible. Our government raises the softwood lumber file with the United States every chance it gets. We firmly believe that a resolution is in the best interest of both countries, and we remain ready to talk about it with the United States. We will continue to legally defend our industry through every means, including the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, the North American Free Trade Agreement and the World Trade Organization. This government has had and will continue to have as a priority the challenges faced by the softwood lumber industry. We have won before; we will win again.

Mr. Speaker, TBS released the new “Directive on the Prevention and Resolution of Workplace Harassment and Violence”, available at https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=32671, in December 2020 in line with recent changes to the Canada Labour Code that apply to all federally regulated workplaces. The comprehensive directive requires organizations to better prevent and respond to harassment, and to provide support to those affected by harassment and violence in the federal public service. It also requires organizations to investigate, record and report all complaints of harassment and violence within their organizations. As heads of their organizations, deputy ministers are responsible for the safety and well-being of their employees, including developing targeted policies on workplace harassment and violence that meet the standards set out in the Treasury Board directive, and that respond to Canada Labour Code regulations. Deputy ministers also implement these policies within their organizations, in line with their operational contexts. TBS has been working with organizations to support the updating of each organization’s policies on workplace harassment and violence to meet those requirements outlined in the new Treasury Board directive and to respond to recent changes to the Canada Labour Code. Many organizations are reporting that they have implemented key elements of this new directive in their organizations, including updating their departmental policies and processes to receive new complaints and identifying new training for employees.

Madam Speaker, I rise this morning to acknowledge a remarkable man from Gatineau, Paul Mercier. Paul is a bit of an icon in my community, not because he seeks recognition for his many contributions to civic life, but precisely because he works tirelessly, often behind the scenes, to ensure that everyone has a shot at a decent life. Born in Ottawa in 1945, Paul quickly made a name for himself in the business world in Montreal, Quebec City and, since the 1990s, in Hull and Aylmer. He is now a full-time volunteer, donating his time here, there and everywhere. He is involved with the Royal Canadian Legion and the Knights of Columbus, but above all, he answers his neighbours' calls any time they are in need. I should definitely add that Paul considers every human being his neighbour, no matter where they live. I want to thank him for everything he does for our community. We truly appreciate him, and I wish him every success in all his endeavours.

Mr. Speaker, with regard to the prorogation of Parliament in August 2020, on February 16, 2021, the deputy secretary to the cabinet (governance) and the Canadian secretary to The Queen and director of policy, machinery of government from the Privy Council Office, PCO, appeared at the procedure and House affairs committee, PROC, and provided information responsive to these questions. On October 28, 2020, the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons tabled a report to Parliament outlining the reasons for the prorogation of the first session of the 43rd Parliament. On August 18, 2020, the two instruments of advice, one to prorogue the Parliament of Canada and the other to summon Parliament to meet for the dispatch of business, were signed. Furthermore, the Governor General signed the corresponding proclamations aided by the assistant clerk of the Privy Council. Once approved, the proclamations are published in the Canada Gazette, and are available at: www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2020/2020-08-19/html/si-tr58-eng.html and www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2020/2020-08-19/html/si-tr59-eng.html Leading up to the prorogation, the Privy Council Office supported the government by providing procedural information and advice.

Mr. Speaker, the Privy Council Office undertook an extensive preliminary search in order to determine the amount of information that would fall within the scope of the question and the amount of time that would be required to prepare a comprehensive response. It was concluded that producing and validating a comprehensive response to this question would require a manual collection, and careful analysis that is not possible in the time allotted and could lead to the disclosure of incomplete and misleading information.

Madam Speaker, yesterday Muslims in Hull—Aylmer celebrated the end of the month of Ramadan. This religious tradition gives believers an opportunity to reflect on values such as peace, harmony, forgiveness, and many other values that we all hold dear whether we are Muslim or not. Yesterday evening, many people observed Eid al-Fitr to mark the end of this sacred month despite the difficulties brought on by the pandemic. Unfortunately, this year, what is normally a warm celebration full of joy, happiness and communion was marred by tragedy: the death of a number of Muslims around the world. Now more than ever, these horrific acts demand that we reflect deeply on the values that Ramadan promotes and intensify our efforts to protect all members of the human family.