Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary courage of the Iranian people, who continue to stand for their dignity, their freedoms and their fundamental right to determine their own future. The Iranian regime's brutal use of violence, arbitrary detention and intimidation against peaceful protesters must end. In Canada, many Iranian Canadians are watching these events unfold and are he…
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Mr. Speaker, through the Canada summer jobs program, young people in my community are gaining valuable work experience, developing new skills and earning an income while contributing to our community. Last summer, our government committed more than $1.3 million to youth in my community. This funding helped create over 320 amazing student jobs. These opportunities are helping young people grow thro…
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Madam Speaker, this feels a little disconnected. Just last session, we saw the opposition vote against a national school food program, but there is good news. They have a chance to do what is right, correct their error of the past and vote to support our budget in just a few days' time to make that program permanent. Will they do that, or will they vote for a Christmas election that nobody wants?
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Mr. Speaker, today, an amazing company called Solink, an AI-first, Canadian scale-up and global leader in AI-powered video and data intelligence, celebrated the opening of its newly expanded headquarters, joined by the Minister of Artificial Intelligence in celebrating this milestone. I first met the Solink team back in 2015, when it was a team of just 20. Today, Solink has grown into a leading te…
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Mr. Speaker, today, I am excited to announce the launch of Canada's first all-season, medium-speed autonomous shuttle right here in Ottawa in my riding of Kanata in Canada's largest technology park. Operating along a 4.5-kilometre route with eight stops, the shuttle connects employees, students and visitors throughout the park. It reduces emissions, improves accessibility and supports a more conne…
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Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise today to present a petition on behalf of the residents of Kanata. This petition, to date, has over 1,000 signatures from individuals who have expressed concerns about the situation in Iran and are seeking government support for family members who are already lawfully in Canada. They share that the current situation has created severe consequences for families: …
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Madam Speaker, Canada Post is in deep financial difficulty. Our government is clear that endless government bailouts are not the answer. We have already stepped in with significant support, but without real reform, the future of this public service, and the jobs that depend on it, is at risk. Our government has directed Canada Post to take concrete steps. These changes will put Canada Post on a mo…
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Madam Speaker, Canada faces a pivotal moment in the global technology race, with artificial intelligence driving unprecedented demand for faster, energy-efficient communication technologies. Ottawa has a proud history as a hub for photonics innovation, built on decades of research, amazing talent and companies like Ranovus, Ciena and Inpho. The Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre, based right he…
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Mr. Speaker, it is true that not only are we making generational investments in the Canadian Armed Forces to reach our NATO target, but we are going to leverage and grow Canada's defence industry to create and support good-paying jobs, get the equipment that our forces need, and deliver to our allies. We will be launching Canada's defence industrial strategy to protect Canadian sovereignty, safegu…
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Mr. Speaker, please note that the extreme cold weather sleeping bag system is not a replacement for the general purpose sleeping bag system; it is complementary. To better support operations in all weather conditions, the Canadian Armed Forces is expanding the thermal protection of the general purpose sleeping bag system with the addition of an alternative inner bag, the extreme cold sleeping bag,…
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Mr. Speaker, I am presenting responses to the questions concerning the finding of the "National Cyber Threat Assessment 2025-2026" that vendor concentration in technology services increases cyber vulnerability. With regard to (a), Shared Services Canada has not conducted a formal quantitative assessment on individual dominant technology services providers. However, the Government of Canada has tak…
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Mr. Speaker, in response to part (a) of the question, Public Services and Procurement Canada has two leases with Importations Guay Limitée in Lacolle, Quebec, at 337 Guay Road and 339 Guay Road. The leases did not end in March 2023. In response to parts (b) and (c) of the question, Public Services and Procurement Canada’s lease for 337 Guay Road ends March 31, 2027. Public Services and Procurement…
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Mr. Speaker, our new government is committed to ensuring that federal procurement is conducted in an open, fair and transparent manner. When it comes to the situation in question, I would point to the investment that our government made most recently through the housing accelerator fund here in the city of Ottawa. This is our commitment to work with municipalities to ensure that we get the housing…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for the question and the opportunity to rise tonight to address it. Whether it is creating more affordable housing or boosting our defence efforts, this new government is committed to building Canada strong and delivering for Canadians. With the appointment of a new Minister of Government Transformation, we are focused on transforming the way we do business. That me…
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Mr. Speaker, it is our responsibility to manage public funds in a way that ensures Canadian taxpayers are getting the best possible value for their dollars. I would suggest to my colleagues opposite that it is time to stop the political games of the last Parliament, and it is time to get to work on the things that matter to Canadians and the things that we talked about throughout the campaign that…
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Mr. Speaker, today I rise to congratulate the outstanding class of 2025 from my riding of Kanata. To the students of AY Jackson, Earl of March, West Carleton, Holy Trinity, All Saints, Maurice-Lapointe, Bell High School and Franco-Ouest, this is a moment to be proud of. They have worked hard, shown resilience and hopefully had some fun along the way. Now they step into the world with the knowledge…
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Mr. Speaker, this week marks Ottawa Innovation Week, a celebration of brilliant minds, bold ideas and cutting-edge technology shaping Canada's capital city. Ottawa is home to the highest concentration of tech talent in North America, with over 13% of our workforce in the tech sector. Our innovation ecosystem includes more than 65 federal research labs and world-class institutions like Area X.O. My…
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Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we have made investments to ensure that Canadians, including those in Peterborough—Kawartha, have the support they need, whether that be through affordable child care or through an HST holiday. The people of Peterborough—Kawartha can rely on us and know that we on this side of the House will fight for them when their member of Parliament will do everything s…
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Mr. Speaker, I often take the opportunity to meet with volunteers at food banks in my community here in Ottawa and across the country. What I hear about consistently is what a difference the Canada child benefit has made for families who are relying on a food bank for service. The Canada child benefit provides monthly support for families, up to $7,800 a year per child. This is timely support that…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to remind the member that, the last time they were in government, the poverty rate for children was 16%. We have lifted hundreds of thousands of kids out of poverty, and the single most effective measure in doing that is the Canada child benefit, which ensures that parents have support each and every month to be able to afford the essentials for their family. Can we gue…
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Madam Speaker, when I was out and about in my community talking to parents, I recently had a conversation with Olivier, who just had his fourth child. He shared with me the impact of the Canada child benefit on his family. He shared with me the impact of affordable child care, which has enabled both of them to go back to work. These are meaningful measures we have taken to address affordability fo…
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Madam Speaker, I challenge the member to point to a single thing that her party has done to help Canadians address affordability issues. Frankly, it is appalling. On this side of the House, we will continue to put forward measures like a GST holiday and like the Canada child benefit to ensure that families have the support they need through these expensive times, while the Conservatives continue t…
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Madam Speaker, I have some good news to share with the member. Just a few weeks ago, we signed an agreement with the Province of Ontario for our national school food program. This means that an additional 160,000 kids will have access to healthy food at school this school year. This is help for parents in a stressful and expensive time. It ensures that kids can focus on being kids and can focus on…
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Mr. Speaker, this is a reminder that the member and all Conservatives have had an opportunity to support the work we are doing to provide relief to families in New Brunswick and across the country. I look to the national school food program. So far, four provinces have signed on, meaning that over 184,000 kids will receive food at school this school year. That is more than 1.5 million meals. The C…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the member that, the last time Conservatives were in government, more than 16% of kids were living in poverty. That is over a million children. Since we came into government, we have lifted hundreds of thousands of kids out of poverty through such measures as the Canada child benefit, which is supporting families each and every month with up to over $700, and th…
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Mr. Speaker, last week, in P.E.I., we announced that 1,500 more children will receive lunch this school year, and 800 more kids will get breakfast or snacks at school. Because of this program, 184,000 more kids this school year will receive food at school, almost 1.5 million meals. Now, the leader of the Conservatives said even today that this does not exist. I challenge him to ask the 184,000 kid…
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Mr. Speaker, I have great news. Last week I was in P.E.I., where we announced that it was another province that has signed on to the national school food program. That is 184,000 kids this school year who will receive food at school and almost 1.5 million more meals at school, for a program that the Leader of the Opposition contends does not exist. I challenge him to ask those 184,000 children who…
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Mr. Speaker, of course we thank Feed Ontario and the food banks across this country that do amazing work. Let me quote from the report that was just mentioned: “In June 2022, those over the age of 75 received a permanent 10 per cent increase in Old Age Security ... alongside the regular inflationary increases... After that change, the percentage of food bank visitors who were seniors began to decr…
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Mr. Speaker, this tax break is exactly the kind of relief that Canadians need right now. The Conservative leader contends to be a champion of taxpayers, but when given the opportunity to axe a tax, he will not do it. Conservative MPs are turning their backs on Canadians. While they may prefer slogans to solutions, on this side we will continue to deliver for Canadians.
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Mr. Speaker, since rolling out the Canada-wide early learning and child care system, we have seen over a million children benefit from this affordable care, but, as the member points out, more work needs to be done to ensure that the workforce is well supported. Later this week, I will have the opportunity to meet with all ministers responsible for early learning and child care at the provincial a…
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Mr. Speaker, I have great news. Last week, Ontario signed on. This school year, more than 160,000 kids will receive food at school here in Ontario thanks to the national school food program. This will save an average family of four about $800 in groceries. The president of the Ontario Public School Boards' Association said that “this funding will have a tremendous impact on school communities and …
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Mr. Speaker, what we will call for is a tax break through the winter and the holidays for Canadians across the country. I had the chance this morning to talk with a dad in my riding, Chris, who told me how much this would save him on diapers and the basics that families need day in and day out. We are moving forward with a tax holiday to support Canadians in these expensive times. I think the ques…
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Mr. Speaker, our Liberal government has been working to help families put food on the table and in their kids' lunch boxes. We know the Conservative leader would pursue dangerous cuts. The difference could not be more stark. While Liberals work to ensure kids have food, Conservatives would cut the programs that Canadian families are relying on. I do not know what the Conservative leader's obsessio…
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Mr. Speaker, when I visit food banks and speak to volunteers here in Ottawa and across the country, they share with me not only the pride and the importance of what they are doing but also the importance of the Canada child benefit and how it impacts the families they serve. It is not only the Canada child benefit but also moving forward with the national school food programming, ensuring that kid…
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Mr. Speaker, it is great to hear the member speak about the importance of the investments that we have made in child care. We have been able to help almost a million families, real people we have been able to support, to get them into affordable, high-quality child care, saving them thousands of dollars each and every year. The Conservatives have made it clear that they do not support affordable c…
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Mr. Speaker, as the member has rightly pointed out, on this side of the House, we are moving forward with a national school food program, which we have heard, again and again, the leader of the Conservative Party call bureaucracy. Bureaucracy is not what is happening. We are seeing thousands of children already this school year receive food at school because of this investment in our children. We …
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Mr. Speaker, I welcome the opportunity to talk about the child care numbers that are up. Just last week, Comox Valley Schools announced a new child care facility with 108 new spots for children. In Winnipeg, the Splash child care centre has announced an additional 40 new spots for children. That is 148 new spots for kids here in our country. High-quality, affordable care is what is up.
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Mr. Speaker, we all suffer when we know that fellow Canadians are struggling. We have made historic investments as a government to ensure that our social security net is strong for Canadians, whether that is with $10-a-day child care or restoring the retirement age to 65. However, let us not pretend that the Conservatives really care about helping Canadians. If they did, they would be supporting t…
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Mr. Speaker, I am thrilled to have the opportunity once again today to talk about what is up. I will tell members what is up. Women's participation in the workforce is way up and has reached a record high. New child care spots are being built, and that means 250,000 new spaces by 2026. We know the Conservatives would like to cut these programs, but on this side of the House, we will fight for Cana…
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity that the Conservatives have given me to speak about what is up. Do members know what is up? The number of child care spaces available for families across this country is up. In addition, women's participation in the workforce is at an all-time high. Because of our investments in the early childhood educator workforce, we have also seen that wages have gone…
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Mr. Speaker, as we have just returned from the summer break, I would like to take a moment to talk about the programs that a Conservative government professes to want to cut. Over the summer, we have made a number of announcements on new, affordable, $10-a-day child care spots. Look at this: 600 new spots in B.C., 950 new spots in Manitoba, and here we have 5,000 new spots over the next year in Sa…
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Mr. Speaker, there we have it. Conservatives have just confirmed they will cut the programs that Canadian families are relying on, the $10-a-day child care that is saving families thousands of dollars, the national school food program that is ensuring that children are not at school hungry. We heard it here. They plan to cut the supports that Canadian families need.
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Mr. Speaker, Conservatives have just admitted they would cut the very programs that Canadian families are relying on, families who are benefiting from—
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Mr. Speaker, we all suffer when we know that some of our fellow Canadians are suffering. We have made historic investments as a government, delivering programs and investing in the well-being of Canadians. However, let us not kid ourselves. Conservatives would cut these very programs that Canadians are relying on. They would cut child care. They would cut the food program for kids in schools. They…
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Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House, we are proud of the programs that we have put in place to help Canadian families get ahead. Generational fairness means asking the most fortunate Canadians to pay a little more. It means ensuring that our tax system is fair. Today, Conservatives have made it clear that they are not in favour of fairness. They would rather cancel $10-a-day child care, cancel …
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her advocacy. I know she cares deeply about early childhood education. I am happy to share back in response to her question that we are working with the provinces and territories on a national strategy for the workforce. I look forward to moving that forward. There is a lot of work to be done as we work to create 250,000 new spaces, and the early childhoo…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to share today some of the feedback on our announcement of a national school food program in budget 2024. The Coalition for Healthy School Food released a statement applauding the federal government for the investment and urging all provinces and territories to sign on to the new policy to provide nutritious, culturally appropriate, sustainable and affordable food to scho…
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Mr. Speaker, I will say it once again: We see the Conservatives stand in the House and we hear them profess their support for Canadians, but I have to say that is not what we see day after day. When we put forward measures like the national school food program to ensure 400,000 more children have access to food at school, what do we see? We see the Conservatives vote against. We put forward the Ca…
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Mr. Speaker, today I would like to share one of the responses to budget 2024 and the announcement of the funding of the national school food program. Breakfast Club of Canada released a statement saying that this program “marks a turning point in the country's commitment to the well-being of all children”. Children learn best on a full stomach, and investments today in children are investments for…
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Mr. Speaker, I have a really hard time listening to the Conservatives on that side of the House profess concern for Canadians who are struggling, when we continue to see them vote against the measures that we put forward to support Canadians when they need us, such as efforts to support and strengthen the social safety net, like $10-a-day child care, like moving forward with a national school food…
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