Parliamentary Speeches
333 speeches by Marie-France Lalonde — Page 1 of 7
Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, on March 20, we celebrated the International Day of La Francophonie, a perfect opportunity to highlight the vitality and impact of the French language and the richness of our linguistic duality, which strengthens our identity and unites us. All month long, francophone communities have been actively celebrating our heritage. The theme of the 28th Rendez-vous de la Francophonie was “Act…
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Mr. Speaker, Ontario is home to a vibrant francophone community. Now more than ever, I am proud to rise in the House to celebrate the wealth of the French language. The International Day of La Francophonie is an important time to strengthen the francophone presence and attract and retain francophone talent in Ontario and across Canada. Can the Minister of Immigration tell us what our government is…
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Mr. Speaker, March 8 was International Women's Day. This day gives us an opportunity to highlight the progress made in advancing women's rights, while also recognizing the work that remains to be done. On March 6, I had the honour of hosting my 12th annual International Women's Day breakfast, followed by the Orléans Leading Women and Girls Recognition Awards, celebrating outstanding women and girl…
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Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the following reports of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, or APF. The first report concerns its participation in the 40th session of the APF America Regional Assembly, held in Quebec City, Canada, from September 9 to 11, 2025. The second report…
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Mr. Speaker, on November 29, our community came alive as thousands of residents, including families, children and even a few pets, all gathered along St. Joseph Boulevard to witness the magical Orléans Santa's parade of lights. More than 60 beautifully designed floats made their way down our main street, each meticulously crafted and decorated, and sprinkled with that special Orléans charm. The pa…
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Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs entitled “The Experience of Indigenous Veterans”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to the report.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question, because I think 343 members have been able to take advantage of this program over the past few years. I know it has been useful to me in Orléans. I have always been well aware of the significant benefits of this program, which is making a difference. We have been asking for this program to be enhanced for several years now, and that is what this …
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Mr. Speaker, I am proud to answer this question because we have increased funding over the past few years for transfer payments. I was previously a member of a provincial cabinet. I can assure the member that funding was increased by more than $200 billion, which the provinces have been able to benefit from in recent years. We will continue to be there for the health of Canadians.
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Mr. Speaker, of all the questions my colleague could have asked, I am glad he chose that one. With all due respect to him, what I will say to Canadians and to the people of Orleans that I represent is that our government is there for them. Our government will protect the necessary investments that are important to them while allowing for responsible budgetary expenditures. We are in an era of mode…
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Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the following reports of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, or APF. The first report concerns the Bureau meeting of the APF and the Parliamentary Conference on Francophone Cooperation in the Areas of Sustainable Agriculture, Food Security and Cli…
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Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise in the House today to speak about budget 2025, the “Canada Strong” budget. I will be sharing my time with my great colleague, the hon. member for Kanata. On Tuesday, the government presented a plan that makes a generational investment to build the foundation of a stronger, more resilient Canada. It is a plan to build more homes for Canadians, to deliver major…
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Mr. Speaker, I know how much of an advocate this member has been on the subject of mental health, and I want to commend him for his advocacy. As a former social worker who has first-hand experience on the impacts on mental health, I have to say it is most important that we continue. I was actually quite pleased to see, in the past few years, our federal government, while doing its accord on health…
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Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise today to pay tribute to Juliette Trudeau, who is retiring after 39 years of devoted service to Parliament. Originally from Charlo, New Brunswick, Juliette began her career as a legal secretary before moving to Ottawa in 1986. That same year, she came to work for the House of Commons, where she served as a parliamentary assistant and then a ministerial assistant. …
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Mr. Speaker, in my role as chair of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, I had the privilege of presenting the insignia of the Ordre de la Pléiade to five extraordinary Canadians at a ceremony held on September 23. These leaders of the French fact were recognized for their ongoing commitment and dedication to promoting the French language in the arts, business, co…
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moved for leave to introduce Bill C-248, An Act respecting the holding of a pan-Canadian conference on time change. Mr. Speaker, as the Government of Canada focuses on building one economy that works for everyone, by removing federal barriers, expediting nation-building projects and making things more affordable, we must look at all avenues that can supplement this effort. That is why today I am p…
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Mr. Speaker, 50 years ago today, our magnificent green and white flag, a symbol of Franco-Ontarians, was raised for the first time in Sudbury. This morning, together with the Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages and colleagues from across Canada, we proudly raised the flag on Parliament Hill. Ontario is home to the largest francophone population…
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Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise today to pay tribute to a remarkable man and a dear friend our Orléans community has lost, Vaughan Patrick Martin. A proud Canadian and a devoted public servant, Vaughan served as director of protocol at Global Affairs Canada, a role he called the best job in government. He played a key role in organizing major international events, including G7, NATO and Commo…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the following two reports of the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs. The first report is entitled “The Persian Gulf War Was a War”. The second report is entitled “Reforming Transition from Military to Civilian Life”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to e…
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Mr. Speaker, the world is becoming an increasingly dangerous and uncertain place, from rising geopolitical tension and economic instability to the impacts of climate change and conflict, yet Canadians can be confident that their government is putting their safety, security and prosperity first by working closely with our allies and defending the values that matter to us. Can the Minister of Foreig…
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Mr. Speaker, since this is National Public Service Week, I would like to begin by thanking all public servants in Orléans and across Canada for their essential work. The next two weeks mark the beginning of graduation season for grade 12 students. I want to congratulate the 1,514 graduates from the eight high schools in Orléans. I congratulate the class of 2025. They did it. I look forward to seei…
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday, we marked a historic moment: the 50th anniversary of the Festival franco-ontarien. For half a century, this festival has been proudly celebrating the culture, language and identity of francophones in Ontario through music. It is an opportunity to bring together different generations, showcase local and foreign artists and celebrate the wealth of our francophone heritage. I …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the following reports of the Canadian Branch of the Assemblée parlementaire de la Francophonie, or APF. The first concerns its participation in the commemoration of the the 30th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide in Kigali, Rwanda, on April 6 and 7, 2024. The second concerns its participation …
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank the residents of Orléans for giving me the opportunity to represent them in the House of Commons. I consider it a tremendous honour and privilege, and I am grateful for their trust. I also want to thank my campaign team and the hundreds of volunteers who took the time, day after day, to come out and help us spread our message. The people of Orléans shared their c…
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Mr. Speaker, as 2024 comes to an end, I want to extend my warmest wishes to everyone in the House and to the people of Orléans. As the representative of the most beautiful riding in Canada, I want to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of the residents of Orléans. Their unwavering support, leadership and dedication to our community has made a profound impa…
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Mr. Speaker, it is with gratitude and admiration that I thank Robert Rainboth of the Ottawa Professional Fire Fighters Association for organizing the Orléans Parade of Lights for the past 27 years. Thanks to his vision and leadership, this event has come to symbolize real joy and magic in Orléans. Every year, he made the eyes of young and old alike sparkle and gave the community a unique opportuni…
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Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to acknowledge the excellent work done by Royal Canadian Legion Branch 632 to support our veterans. I want to take this opportunity to thank the organizers, Serge Lavoie and Jim Grant, and all the volunteers for their efforts throughout the poppy campaign, which raised just over $150,000. I want to thank the Orléans community for its continued generosity. I also wa…
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Madam Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to thank our members and our veterans for their service and their sacrifice. What the member is alleging is absolutely not true, and I feel ashamed that he is proclaiming this. As we said, we have not banned prayer. We are looking to reflect the diversity of our CAF, and this is a directive that comes from the chaplain general.
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Madam Speaker, our government has been clear. Our CAF members and veterans deserve better than Conservative cuts and office closures. This week, I was pleased to join the Minister of Veterans Affairs and my colleagues from the national capital region in announcing more than $11 million to support the veteran well-being fund. We will always stand up for our serving members and veterans. Today and e…
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Madam Speaker, first, I want to take this opportunity to thank our members and our veterans for their service and their sacrifice. However, let us be absolutely clear: The chaplain general issued this directive independently, and it does not ban prayer. Actually, the directive simply seeks to help our CAF chaplains make their public addresses more inclusive, reflecting the spiritual diversity of C…
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Madam Speaker, I want to once again take the opportunity to thank our members and our veterans for their service—
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Mr. Speaker, as outlined in “Our North, Strong and Free”, Canada has always believed that a multilateral approach is critical to the effective delivery of the defence mandate. That is why National Defence has many partnerships on the continent and around the globe, including through the Five Eyes alliance with the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. In relation to the que…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I have to say that the member gets a gold star, because she actually mentioned something so important: The average household gets back more than it pays. The Conservatives seem to be obsessed with the idea of a secret cover-up, but there is none. We have always fully cooperated with the Parliamentary Budget Officer and will always do so. Our government has been clear: The vast majorit…
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Mr. Speaker, let me say that, as a government, we remain committed to fighting climate change while putting more money back in the pockets of Canadians. Experts agree that putting a price on pollution is the most cost-effective way of fighting climate change. Climate change is real, and unlike the Conservatives, who are trying to avoid the conversation on the world stage, we as a government have a…
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Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to have the opportunity to speak to how we are supporting our Canadian Armed Forces members. Let us be quite strong in saying that I think, collectively, that the member opposite and I believe that CAF members are the backbone of our defence team. They are responsible for defending us, our values and our country. It is our responsibility as elected officials…
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Mr. Speaker, this is a very serious issue. Certainly, when I think about the seriousness, I want to make sure I respond accordingly. The Government of Canada recognizes that safe recycling processes are vital to ensuring the careful and secure handling of environmentally hazardous substances such as asbestos, heavy metals, hydrocarbons and ozone-depleting substances. Canada aims to ensure that shi…
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Mr. Speaker, we certainly do not take this as a joke. I am sorry to hear the member feels this way, and I want to thank him for his advocacy. Ship recycling is a complex multinational industry. It has also been a growing area of focus for the International Maritime Organization, which has been working over the course of the last two decades to support safe, environmentally sound ship recycling wor…
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Mr. Speaker, I smile because I am trying not to be too political here on the late show. This is about sending a clear message to our Canadian Armed Forces that we have its back and will continue to invest. We understand the challenges it is facing, and we will deliver on our initiative to improve the housing conditions on military bases.
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Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities and I had the great pleasure of officially opening the new NATO DIANA centre in Halifax. NATO DIANA will help develop dual-use technologies that address challenges affecting security and defence. This initiative puts Canada at the heart of NATO's efforts to maintain its technological edge and preserve peace and securit…
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Madam Speaker, as a proud founding member of NATO, we know Canada must do our fair share on the world stage. This week, I was very pleased to open one of three international headquarters for the NATO Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic, or DIANA, in Halifax. DIANA will facilitate co-operation between military operators and NATO's best and brightest start-ups, researchers and tech…
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Madam Speaker, on Saturday, I had the privilege of welcoming to Parliament Hill, alongside my colleague the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, dozens of cyclists who participated in the Spinning Wheels relay to end Parkinson's. Three teams of cyclists completed a combined 10,000 kilometres across Canada. They travelled through all 10 provinces and through two territories, including…
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Mr. Speaker, today I join all francophones and francophiles across Ontario in celebrating Franco‑Ontarian Day. On this day we proudly celebrate our francophone heritage. We are a strong community united by our love for our language and our desire to see it thrive for generations to come. In my beautiful riding of Orléans, we are fortunate to have the MIFO community centre, a vital organization tha…
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Madam Speaker, today marks Military Family Appreciation Day, a day dedicated to recognizing and honouring the sacrifices and unwavering strength of our military families, the backbone of our Canadian Armed Forces. Their dedication and love are fundamental to the success of our service members, enabling them to carry out their vital missions. They sometimes feel overlooked, which is why, in the def…
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Madam Speaker, before I begin, I would like to say that I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Scarborough—Guildwood. It is truly an honour to rise in the House today to speak to Bill C‑66 and the important work that our government is doing to modernize the military justice system and the culture of our armed forces. Members of the Canadian Armed Forces work tirelessly to defend Canadi…
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Madam Speaker, my colleague is talking about a previous government that allegedly did all sorts of great things for military justice reform. His party did nothing. It did nothing at all during the nine years it was in power, and yet my colleague comes here to criticize. We all agreed that this bill is important. A number of measures have been taken in recent years. Twenty of Ms. Arbour's 48 recomm…
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Mr. Speaker, the Royal Canadian Air Force, RCAF, currently has a fill rate of 64% for frontline fighter pilot squadrons. Detailed information regarding pilot numbers is considered sensitive, as it can provide adversaries with information about CF-18 and broader NORAD capabilities, which could then be injurious to the defence of Canada and North America. As the RCAF transitions to a fifth generatio…
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Mr. Speaker, with regard to part (a), the North American Aerospace Defense Command, NORAD, and the Canadian Armed Forces, CAF, have standard procedures to detect, identify and assess airborne objects. Specifically, NORAD responds to unknown radar tracks by correlating radar data with various data sources and means, including NORAD aircraft, to inspect the source. If NORAD assesses that an object d…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome members back to the House, and I also want to wish all students in Orléans every success in the classroom as they kick off a new school year. Many thanks to all the teachers and staff at our schools for guiding and supporting them in their achievements. On August 29, I was extremely pleased to welcome over 600 residents of my community to my annual corn roast a…
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Mr. Speaker, as part of its mandate, Communications Security Establishment Canada, CSE, protects electronic information and information infrastructures that are of importance to the Government of Canada, helping to thwart criminal or state-sponsored cyber threat activity targeting our systems. Every day, CSE uses its sophisticated cyber capabilities and technical expertise to identify and defend a…
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Mr. Speaker, as to part (a), the overall cost of moving National Defence employees from the 400 Cumberland location to the Major-General George R. Pearkes Building is estimated at approximately $1 million. This amount includes approximately $20,000 for space cleaning and building preparation, and $980,000 for moving personnel and equipment. As to part (b), up to 995 National Defence personnel will…
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Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8)(a), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to three petitions. These returns will be tabled in an electronic format.
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