Government Orders
Madam Chair, I thank my hon. colleague for his comment and his interest. Politics gets in the way of a lot of things. At the end of the day, I think every single person in this House wants to see Ukraine do well. As chair of the international trade committee, when we dealt with the Canada free trade agreement with Ukraine, it was an enormous pleasure to be able to talk with a variety of people who…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 107(3), I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the eighth report of the Liaison Committee, entitled “Committee Activities and Expenditures: April 1, 2023 - December 31, 2023”. This report highlights the work and accomplishments of each committee, as well as detailing the budgets that fund the activities approved by the committee members.
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Mr. Chair, it is a real pleasure tonight to have a few minutes to stand and talk about the relationship between Canada and Ukraine. The fact that the free trade agreement was passed yesterday is one of the additional symbolic things we can be doing to show our support for Ukraine. Once the world witnessed the brutal unprovoked attack on democracy, freedom and the rules-based international order wh…
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Madam Chair, I have to say that, when this war started, I was so impressed by that countries all around the world that pledged their support and stood beside Ukraine. What has happened in the last six months, with the unexpected holdup in the U.S. with the House of Representatives, is that the funding Ukraine needs has still not been approved. If we really support it, as Canada has done, we need t…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, as we welcome the honourable Kelly Hsieh, the deputy minister of foreign affairs of the Republic of China, on Parliament Hill today, let us celebrate our friendship between Canada and Taiwan. I rise today to acknowledge Taiwan as an important stakeholder and a valuable partner for Canada and the international community. The signing of the FIPA between Canada and Taiwan in December 2…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, today I would like to urgently bring to members' attention a significant safety issue in civil aviation across the Taiwan Strait. This issue has arisen due to China's unilateral actions in changing the M503 southbound flight route on January 30, 2024. China has changed flight routes and revoked the 2015 cross-strait agreement without any consultation with Taiwan. Its actions seriously…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, strong, vibrant communities are good for everyone. In my riding, Maxxmar Window Fashions, led by Norbert Marocco, has been operating since 2007 and continues to help make ridings like mine and Canada a better place to live, work and raise a family. A key ingredient for any successful business, of course, is drive and a determination to grow and keep building on past successes. Anyone …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to present two petitions that have been certified by the House that call on the government to support Bill C-284. Given the fact that over eight million people are suffering from eye diseases and 1.2 million live with vision loss or blindness, 75% of vision-loss cases, if diagnosed and treated early, are preventable. Historically, the federal government has lacked any s…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, February is Age-Related Macular Degeneration Awareness Month, and yesterday was AMD awareness day on the Hill. A number of stakeholders and specialists in eye care are here in Ottawa this week to meet with members of the House and of the other place to speak about vision care issues. We salute them and the work they do on behalf of all of us. I also take this opportunity to thank all …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I stand in the House today to emphasize the crucial importance of Canada's unwavering support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. This month, we approach the second anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. It has been two years in which the values that we hold dear, freedom and democracy, continue to be threatened. The people of Ukraine have a right to their sovereignty…
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Mr. Speaker, I am happy to share today that Taiwan successfully completed presidential and legislative elections on January 13, 2024. This marks the eighth milestone in Taiwan's history, and I would like to congratulate the new President of Taiwan, Mr. William Lai. With a proven track record of dedication to public service and a deep commitment to the values that define Taiwan, President Lai embod…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, my colleague is a wonderful member of the international trade committee, who contributes very significantly to whatever the discussion or debate is in a very comprehensive and thoughtful way. I understand, after the next election, he is not going to be returning to the House, which I think is a real loss for the House of Commons, because he adds a tremendous amount in the House and …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties, and if you seek it, I believe you would find unanimous consent to adopt the following motion. I move: Whereas Jimmy Lai stands for so many of the values championed by Canadians, most importantly, media freedom, respect for the rule of law and standing up for what is right; Whereas Mr. Lai is a peaceful pro-democracy campaigner and publish…
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Madam Speaker, I want to applaud the efforts of my colleague, along with many other members of the House of Commons, to advance this free trade agreement between Canada and Ukraine and the importance of it. We know Ukrainians are fighting an illegal Russian aggression against them. I would like to know what else the hon. member suggests we could be doing to advance and promote the free trade agree…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to acknowledge Mr. Jimmy Lai, a 75-year-old U.K. citizen imprisoned in Hong Kong. Mr. Lai has been a leading pro-democracy campaigner in Hong Kong since 1989. He is a well-known and high-profile advocate for democracy and he has been an outspoken critic of human rights violations by the government of China. For this work, Mr. Lai has been subjected to a barrage of …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, today, we remember the 14 young women who were killed during the École Polytechnique massacre. As the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence comes to an end, we are reminded that our work must continue until we achieve a Canada free of gender-based violence. Can the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth update the House on how our government is addressing the pre…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, recent incidents targeting our Jewish and Muslim communities concern all of us deeply. Many Canadians, including my colleagues in the House, are being targeted based on their religious or cultural backgrounds, and this is unacceptable to everyone. Let us stand together as a testament that Canadians value each other as colleagues and as fellow citizens, and that it is paramount to supp…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, it is truly a great honour for me to present, in both official languages, the 13th report of the Standing Committee on International Trade in relation to Bill C-57, an act to implement the 2023 free trade agreement between Canada and Ukraine. The committee has studied the bill and has decided to report the bill back to the House with amendments.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the hon. member is asking me to comment on something that is not within a jurisdiction that we have a direct effect on. Let us be honest. This past summer, we had wildfires, floods and hurricanes everywhere, and they were all a result of climate change. Whatever we can do to reduce exposure is an important move for us to be making. The fact is that farmers are going to compensated i…
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Madam Speaker, it boils down to the fact that Conservatives do not understand the impact that climate change is having on our country and around the world. The majority of members of the EU all have a plan with a carbon tax, yet the Conservatives clearly do not support it, do not want to support it and do not believe in it. Maybe they need to spend a little time focusing more on the impacts climat…
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Madam Speaker, from the comments made earlier, Conservatives do not seem to understand how the Senate works. Conservative senators are threatening other senators and so on, based on what I hear in the media. I want to congratulate Bloc, NDP and Liberal members today for the work they did on the Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement. There was a variety of amendments moved that were out of the scope …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to acknowledge a historic milestone for Taiwan's defence and technological prowess. The unveiling of Taiwan's first indigenous defence submarine, the first domestically made submarine, in September this year stands as a testament to Taiwan's commitment to security and innovation. This achievement is not merely a symbol of maritime strength but a testament to the de…
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Madam Speaker, I am pleased to stand today for a few minutes and speak about this bill that is here as an opposition day motion. I found the conversation actually quite comical as I was observing it. I will be sharing my time with the member for Lac-Saint-Louis. Rather than indulge the Conservative partisan attacks on the pollution price, let us talk about what matters most to all Canadians. That …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, this year marks the 90th year since the great famine of 1932 to 1944 in Ukraine: the Holodomor. It was recognized by the Government of Canada as a genocide of the Ukrainian people, in which millions died of starvation and murder. Today is also an opportunity to honour the resilience and strength of the Ukrainian people. As the world reflects on this painful historical event, Moscow is…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the following two reports of the Standing Committee on International Trade: the 11th report, entitled “The Underused Housing Tax: Potential impacts and proposed actions”; and the 12th report, entitled “Anti-dumping and countervailing duties being applied on certain Canadian softwood lumber products”. Pursuant to Standing Orde…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, in the second petition, petitioners draw attention to the Falun Gong. They request that the Canadian Parliament and government pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist Regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs, to amend the Canadian legislation to combat forced organ harvesting and to promptly call for an end to…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to finally have the opportunity to present these petitions. Over eight million people are suffering from eye diseases, and 1.2 million live with vision loss or blindness. Therefore, petitioners call upon the House of Commons to adopt Bill C-284, an act that would establish a national strategy for eye care, as soon as possible. This was done a few days ago, and I am very…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I am extremely honoured to recognize the stellar career path of the Honourable Judy Foote, a colleague and a friend to many of us in this House. As she is leaving her position as Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, I would like to thank her for her dedicated service to Canadians for over 30 years in politics. Ms. Foote brought the best practices from the place where she …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 107(3), I have the honour to present, in both official language, the seventh report of the Liaison Committee, entitled “Committee Activities and Expenditures: April 1, 2023 - August 31, 2023”. This report highlights the work and accomplishments of each committee, as well as detailing the budgets that fund the activities approved by committee members.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, earlier this year, my family and I, along with all those in my riding of Humber River—Black Creek, lost a close friend in Sam Russo, the husband of Louise Russo. Sam is survived by Louise and their children. Sam was always a vital member of our community and played an integral role in supporting Louise's advocacy against violence and gun control after being shot in a random shooting. …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, every time a free trade agreement is set up, there are always challenges to move things along. Certainly with the war in Ukraine and the terrible things that have been going on there, it is crucially important that we get this right. A number of discussions have been ongoing in order to make sure that Bill C-57 is accurate. It will go to committee, where there will be further discus…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I listened intently to my colleague, as I try to do most of the time when he is speaking on the floor. I am quite surprised. Given what is going on in Ukraine and the desire of everyone to get this agreement through properly, faster and effectively, I am surprised. Maybe I misunderstood my hon. colleague, but I was hoping that we were going to complete these discussions on Bill C-57…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to be here today to speak to something that I think is very important to all of us here in the chamber, the legislation for the modernized Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement. It is my honour to rise in the House today in support of legislation to implement, as quickly as possible, the modernized Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement, or CUFTA, as it is often referred to.…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I believe we will continue to negotiate on behalf of Canada. My Canada includes Quebec, now and forever.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, we all want these agreements to be successful. We want to make sure that everything has been put in place. There have been extensive discussions and negotiations for a long time on this agreement, as with other agreements. I am quite confident, given the importance of this agreement, that the right steps will be in the legislation and that it will move forward as quickly as it possi…
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Madam Speaker, every agreement that goes forward must have all of those requirements. I would like to see that entrenched as much as possible in every piece of legislation that we do. Any work that we do with other countries around the world should be concerned with what the human rights impacts are and how we protect the environment, as well as the indigenous communities. We have an opportunity t…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, as I have been working on the eye care bill, Bill C-284, I have learned that many people take their eyesight for granted. Today I want to recognize Dr. Steve Arshinoff, the president of the Eye Foundation of Canada, a remarkable ophthalmologist from my very own riding who improves the lives of many Canadians. Dr. Arshinoff has been actively helping remote communities as well by spendi…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, I would like a recorded vote.
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, it is an exciting day for me, as the presenter for this bill. From the beginning, I dedicated this bill to my grandmother, who was blind when she passed away; to my aunt, who had macular degeneration and was blind when she passed away a few weeks ago; and to my mentor, Paul Valenti. All suffered from blindness through various diseases. As we celebrate October as Vision Month and Child…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, last week, the Canadian Council of Imams hosted its annual gala dinner. Founded in 1990, the council has been a unifying forum for Canadian imams and chaplains. At this fifth annual gala dinner, a member of my constituency, Chaplain Imam Imran Ally, received the well-deserved Community Imam Award in recognition of his continuing service to society. Imran's dedication is truly inspirin…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, October 17 is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. This day is a moment to reflect on the amazing strides we have made as a world in reducing poverty, but also to recognize that there is still much to do. Between 1990 and 2014, the world made remarkable progress, with Canada being a leader in helping more than a billion people to move out of extreme poverty. However…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, this past Sunday, on October 1, Ukraine celebrated the Day of Defenders of Ukraine, a day that honours the bravery, sacrifice and resilience of the men and women who are defending their homeland against Russia's aggression. Defenders of Ukraine have faced numerous challenges and threats, yet they have remained steadfast in their commitment to safeguarding their nation's sovereignty, f…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, clearly it is the whole issue of awareness. We neglect far too many things, and eyes are another thing we neglect until we start to develop a problem, when it is often too late. Establishing a national eye care strategy with a framework would bring the provinces to the table with the federal government and other health officials to develop a plan to increase awareness and to make su…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague and I work very well together and advance a lot of good, important issues at the Standing Committee on International Trade. I have lobbied many of my colleagues over the last year and spoken to them about the bill. CNIB, Fighting Blindness Canada and the other 25 organizations that are supporting the bill have all sent letters, and they have all lobbied everybody. …
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, as I indicated earlier, it takes all of us to make a difference in this country. The national eye strategy was started by you, Madam Speaker. You were the one who started this several times through different motions that you tried to move forward. I suspect that if I had not had this opportunity because my name got picked out of the hat first, you would have been the one moving forw…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise in the House today to share the tragic passing of a great supporter of the Liberal Party and a truly great Canadian, Ernie Lustig. Ernie had been the riding president of Humber River—Black Creek since 1999. His contribution to the community and to my family and I was much appreciated. He was a passionate man committed to his family and his countr…
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moved: That Bill C-284, in Clause 2, be amended (a) by replacing, in the English version, line 10 on page 2 with the following: “(a) identify the needs of health care professionals and other professionals in relation to” (b) by replacing, in the English version, line 12 on page 2 with the following: “ment of eye disease and on vision rehabilitation;” The question was put on Motion No. 1 and it was…
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moved that the bill, as amended, be concurred in at report stage with a further amendment.
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
moved that the bill be now read the third time and passed. Madam Speaker, I want to begin, as always, by acknowledging my colleagues who are here, because it takes all of us for anything to get passed in this House. Bill C-284 is important to me, but it is very important to the communities that we all represent: CNIB, Fighting Blindness and all of those organizations plus all of the people who are…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I think one of the first things that have to happen as part of this framework is the establishment of someone from each province and territory who is going to sit down at the table with the federal government. Together they would move forward on how the framework will look and how it will establish the treatment opportunities for many people.
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