Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the government is cutting thousands of public sector jobs, like those of the people who process EI, OAS and CPP claims and passports; agricultural researchers; and 1,300 food inspectors. These are not numbers on a CEO's spreadsheet. They are real people. They work to help Canadians. They support family farmers. They keep our food safe. Instead of giving his friends a tax break on thei…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I asked a question of the government on the privatization of health care in Alberta. I want to be very clear: This is something that is starting in Alberta but something that I am deeply worried will have impacts across this country. I also want to be clear: This is not a theoretical issue. This is a debate; it is a conversation that Canadians need to have. On December 22, a father of…
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Mr. Speaker, Canada is in a national housing emergency. Rents are skyrocketing, home ownership is slipping out of reach and encampments are growing in every city. This did not happen by accident, and it is not inevitable; it is the result of a government that has failed to act with the urgency and the scale that this crisis demands. Housing is a human right. We need public builders, real investmen…
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Mr. Speaker, that was not a response to my question about when the government is going to step in to tell Danielle Smith to adhere to the Canada Health Act. I want to talk about one other piece that Danielle Smith is attacking, which is the rights of trans kids and trans people in my province. She is interfering in the relationships that trans people have with their doctors. There are three people…
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moved for leave to introduce Bill C-259, An Act to amend the Canada Labour Code (fair representation). Mr. Speaker, I rise today to table the fair representation act. This law protects workers' rights. This legislation would protect workers' fundamental right to organize freely and know that they are being represented by an independent and democratic union. The CLAC is the largest example of a com…
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Mr. Speaker, families in Edmonton Strathcona and across the country cannot wait until June to get help with their groceries. In 2022, the House passed legislation and there was an emergency payment done in weeks. Instead of making Canadians wait for months, will the Prime Minister work with the NDP to get help for Canadians immediately? If the Liberals are interested in lowering the rate for groce…
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians do not want coal mines destroying our cherished Rocky Mountains. Four years ago, the minister promised new coal mine selenium regulations that would protect our rivers and lakes from toxic pollution. Now we discover that instead of providing protection, the Liberals are allowing a dramatic increase in the pollutants going into rivers and lakes. The government is betraying it…
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Mr. Speaker, I have two petitions to table today. In the first petition, petitioners from across Canada have noted that nickel is an important raw material in the manufacturing of arms and that Canada is a strong producer of nickel. Knowing that Israel is committing a genocide in Palestine, these citizens have asked the Canadian government to ensure that there is a ban on any Canadian nickel being…
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Mr. Speaker, I have another petition as well. This petition was signed by 850 Canadians. Knowing that the population of Gaza is enduring an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe, including forced starvation, displacement and systematic attacks on civilians, in blatant violation of international law, and knowing that the Gaza temporary resident visa program, launched by Canada, has been an incredi…
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Mr. Speaker, this weekend, we lost an extraordinary Edmontonian, a beautiful human being who devoted his life to serving his community, his country and this planet. Hans Smits was an educator and a former associate dean at the University of Calgary. His passion for learning and his lifelong dedication to the teaching profession inspired thousands across Canada and around the world. Hans was deeply…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, across this country, from the schools in Alberta to the factories in Ontario and from the farms in the Prairies to the offices and hospitals in our cities, it is the workers of Canada who build this nation every single day. Workers' rights are not gifts handed down. They are victories won through courage, solidarity and sacrifice. Every fair wage, every safe workplace and every weeken…
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Mr. Speaker, Albertans are being charged $100 for a COVID-19 vaccination while other Canadians are getting their vaccinations for free. The Canada Health Act guarantees access to necessary health services for everyone regardless of where they live, but the government is doing nothing while premiers break the law and Canadians' health suffers. I wrote to the Prime Minister about this months ago and…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I am standing here today in solidarity with the over 60,000 CUPW workers in this country, workers the government has turned its back on. Last spring, I asked the Minister of Jobs and Families why the Liberals were not protecting postal services and our posties. She said, “Federal mediators continue to work with the parties on a solution”. That is not true. None of that is happening. T…
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Mr. Speaker, the third is a petition that is being presented in the context of the deteriorating political situation in Pakistan, concerning democracy, human rights and the safety of Canadian Pakistanis who have been vocal in their support for these causes. Those who have signed this petition ask the Government of Canada to call for an immediate inquiry into the tragic events of November 26, 2024,…
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Mr. Speaker, postal workers are the backbone of our communities. They deliver prescriptions, they deliver cheques and they deliver vital communications. They could expand services as well, to include things like postal banking and seniors' check-ins, yet instead of supporting the workers and allowing them to bargain, the Liberal government has chosen to fight with over 65,000 workers. The governme…
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Mr. Speaker, I have four petitions to present today. The first petition comes from citizens across this country. More than 30,000 Canadians have signed this petition. It is a petition recognizing that there is an ongoing genocide happening in Gaza, that civilians in Gaza are enduring prolonged periods without food as aid is blocked, that UN agencies confirm mass starvation, that nearly 90% of Gaza…
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moved for leave to introduce Bill C-229, An Act to establish a national framework respecting attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Mr. Speaker, it is my great honour to stand in the House today and table this legislation. We all know somebody who has ADHD. For me, it is my son Maclean. When my son was young, we were able to get him the treatment and care he needed, but I found during the time …
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Mr. Speaker, finally, I present a petition that has been signed by Canadians from coast to coast. They note that during the dissolution of the 44th Parliament, petition e-5345 was not able to get a response, and this muzzled the voices of the 66,562 Canadians from 10 provinces and three territories who signed the petition. The petition declared that Donald J. Trump is a convicted and sentenced fel…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I have had flights delayed longer than it took the Liberal government to attack the rights of workers in this country. Over and over and over again, the Liberals have used section 107 of the Canada Labour Code to have back-to-work legislation by another name. They used it against Air Canada flight attendants. They used it against postal workers, who have been asking for a fair contrac…
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With regard to the government’s standing agreements with the state of Israel, including the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement and the Canada-Israel Strategic Partnership: (a) what are the timelines, including specific or approximate dates if available, for both annual and comprehensive reviews; (b) what is entailed and who is involved in the reviews; (c) which departments and agencies, and specif…
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With regard to Canada’s transfer of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter components to the United States, and the subsequent transfer of some of those components to the Israeli Air Force following their integration into the aircraft: (a) what is the current approximate value of Canadian technology integrated into each F-35; (b) what is the approximate value of Canadian technology integrated into each F-35 de…
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With regard to supply chain due diligence legislation and the office of the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise: (a) by what date will the government release the results of the five-year review of the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise, and what is the government’s plan for parliamentary input on this review; (b) by what date will a new Ombudsperson be appointed; (c) dur…
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With regard to the implementation of Bill C-41, An Act to amend the Criminal Code and to make consequential amendments to other Acts: (a) what funds have been allocated under the new system, including (i) to which organizations, (ii) for work in which countries; (b) how many authorization applications has the government (i) made for its own activities, (ii) received from outside government, (iii) …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, it has been four years since we were promised new selenium regulations to protect Canada's water and fish from the devastating impacts of coal mining. With the Conservatives and the Liberals in a bromance on Bill C-5, I am wondering whether the minister will be bringing these protections forward. Now that they have decided to ignore workers' rights, environmental laws and indigenous r…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, we are at a critical time in our nation's history. We know that Canada can no longer rely on the U.S. for our primary strategic trade and security needs. We must now forge a different and a strategic path to ensure that our security, our peace and our sovereignty are protected. However, right now in Alberta, separatist groups are preparing a referendum to separate from Canada, thanks …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the member spoke a lot about the mandate that the Canadian people have given his government. One of the things the Prime Minister ran on was the idea of “elbows up”, fighting back against Donald Trump and the illegal tariffs that he has put on Canada. However, we have now learned that they are texting, they are buddies and they are sending messages back and forth. They are agreeing on…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge that I stood with my colleague this week as we urged the government to provide honorary citizenship for Jimmy Lai. I appreciate his work on that. It is unfortunate that has not happened yet. The government has announced huge expenditures in defence spending. One of the things I worry about is that this is ultimately a procurement issue, and I am concerned about w…
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Mr. Speaker, in March, the government announced temporary EI relief because of foreign tariffs. It was lowering the hours needed, waiving the waiting weeks and suspending the severance clawbacks, but those changes are only temporary. I am wondering whether the government will be making those changes permanent for Canadian workers.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I would believe that questions on trade agreements would be something that the trade minister should be able to answer, and the fact that the minister is not answering that question makes me think he does not actually want to provide an answer to Canadians. Will the government introduce mandatory supply chain due diligence legislation requiring companies to address human rights, inclu…
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Mr. Speaker, with the ongoing genocide in Gaza by Netanyahu, the expansion of settlements, the announcement of 22 new settlements planned for the West Bank, and Canada's obligation under the Genocide Convention, is your government planning to suspend the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement as New Democrats have asked you to do?
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, will the minister be making those measures permanent for Canadian workers, as the New Democrats have been asking for some time?
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Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the New Democratic Party of Canada, I want to take a moment, as the season is upon us and as we are ending 2024, to sincerely wish all of those who help us do our work a very happy holiday season. The people who keep this place running are so integral to all of the work that all of us do. Every single one of them makes sure that MPs can serve their constituents day in and…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, as this year comes to a close, I want to take a moment and send my warmest wishes to everyone in Edmonton Strathcona and across Canada this holiday season. As we wrap up 2024, a year that was full of challenges, I want to celebrate the amazing people of Edmonton Strathcona. Our community is full of people who volunteer, who support one another, who work together to make our community …
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her question. I am sorry I cannot answer in French, but this is a difficult subject for me. I thank the member for acknowledging that we try to bring a human lens to the work we do. The government has the ability to make these changes. As I read from the report, there are two concrete things that New Democrats think need to happen, and I think th…
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Mr. Speaker, Albertans are paying millions of dollars in health care fees for their aged loved ones who are stuck in hospitals because there are no spaces in long-term care. This is one more example of how Danielle Smith is turning our universal public health care system into a U.S.-style for-cash system. We know the Conservatives would cut public health care, and in true Liberal fashion, the gove…
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Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time today with the incredible member for New Westminster—Burnaby. I am quite honoured to be able to stand and speak to this debate today. I am very grateful to the member for North Island—Powell River for bringing this forward to the floor of the House of Commons. I have been listening to today's debate very carefully. It is something that all parties clearly…
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Mr. Speaker, I would just like to point out to the member that, while he has mentioned the whip, I am not his whip. I hope he is not informing me that he will be voting for the legislation. It does not matter who is the veteran and who is the spouse. What matters is that there is a principle of equity, a principle of justice; it is the idea of doing the right thing. I certainly would not hope that…
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Mr. Speaker, as my colleague correctly says, this is a watered-down report. That is why the New Democrats put two much stronger recommendations in the supplementary report that the member for North Island—Powell River brought forward. This could and should stop immediately; there is that possibility, and the government has the ability to do that. I cannot help but note that the member, as a member…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, a recent report issued by Women's Shelters Canada has found that the crisis in affordable housing is impacting women's shelters across Canada and putting women's lives at risk. As the executive director of Women's Shelters Canada explained, “Since there's no affordable housing, women are staying in shelters longer...new women can't move in if women already in shelter have nowhere to g…
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Mr. Speaker, the New Democrats agree to apply the vote and will be voting yes.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the NDP agrees to apply the vote and will be voting in favour.
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Mr. Speaker, the NDP agrees to apply the result of the previous vote to this vote and will vote in favour of the motion.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, late on Friday, we learned that the Vista thermal coal mine expansion in the Rocky Mountains is going ahead without an impact assessment, despite the fact that the former minister promised me twice over the past four years that the government would do that. Albertans do not want coal mining in the Rocky Mountains. The current government pretends to care about our environment even whil…
Read full speech →Orders of the Day
Mr. Speaker, I also would like to take a moment to share some of my thoughts on the matter of privilege which was raised on Friday morning by the Conservative Party deputy leader, the member for Thornhill. As the Conservative deputy whip said at the time, “a personal first-hand account is very much part of the information that the Speaker must [have]” to make a decision on the matter, and I would …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I have a problem. My seat is a ways away from yours and when members of the House are bringing forward points of order for your consideration, I often cannot hear what those points of order are, even with my earpiece, because the Conservatives are causing such an uproar. I have to say it appears that sometimes decisions are being made by the Table based on how much uproar and rude beh…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, this is the first time I am rising today, and I just wanted to take a moment before I asked my question to acknowledge the heartbreaking event that happened in Edmonton this weekend, where Mr. Singh, a young 20-year-old student on his third day of work as a security guard, was shot dead doing the work of trying to protect people in Edmonton. It is a really devastating time for our c…
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Madam Speaker, when we were having those discussions in the foreign affairs committee, I agreed very much with my colleague that we need to look at this as an issue of health care access for women. It is an issue of making sure that women around the world have access to health care, and there is no role for faith in that conversation. Every single person, man, woman or child, should have access to…
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Madam Speaker, one of the deep fears I have is that there is a creeping attack on women's rights in Canada and around the world. We know that, under Stephen Harper, the Conservative Party cut all supports for reproductive health care with regard to Global Affairs Canada and international affairs. The member spoke about some of the members of Parliament who are named as being supportive of attacks …
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Madam Speaker, I rise on a point or order. What we are debating today is women's access to reproductive rights. To this point I do not see the relevance in the speech of the member.
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Mr. Speaker, I move that the 20th report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, presented on Friday, June 16, 2023, be concurred in. I have the delight of sharing my time today with the member for Port Moody—Coquitlam. I am pleased to rise today to discuss my concurrence motion on the report of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Develop…
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