Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honour the life of Donald Rickerd, a distinguished Canadian whose contributions to law education and public service left a lasting impact on our country. Don Rickerd studied at Queen's, Oxford and Osgoode Hall. He practised law and served as a faculty member and administrator at York University. He later served as president of the William H. Donner Foundation and the D…
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Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if the member has spoken to anyone in the agricultural sector about this enhanced trade deal with the U.K., and if so, what opportunities they have identified and what their position is on this overall.
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Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to rise in the House today to mark Black History Month, to honour Black excellence, resilience and brilliance across our great country. This year, 2026, marks 30 years since Black History Month was formally recognized in the House. However, we know that Black history goes back centuries here in what we call Canada. From early settlers to abolitionists, commu…
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Mr. Speaker, as members of Parliament we have a responsibility to help build an economy where everyone has the opportunity to find success. While some Conservatives continue to dismiss diversity, equity and inclusion, the government knows that empowering under-represented entrepreneurs strengthens communities and helps build a stronger Canada. As we mark the beginning of Black History Month, can t…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the second report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, entitled “Protecting Canada's poultry industry: for a better control of spent fowl imports into Canada”.
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
moved that Bill S-201, An Act respecting a national framework on sickle cell disease be read the first time. Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise to introduce Bill S-201, the national framework on sickle cell disease act. Sickle cell disease is one of the most common genetic conditions in the world, yet it remains largely invisible in our health care system. Here in Canada, thousands of people, disp…
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Mr. Speaker, I support the MOU. I believe we need to build partnerships in order to move forward on major projects. With regard to indigenous communities, do you think they should have a say when it comes to the future of pipelines in this country?
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Mr. Speaker, I have the distinct honour to present, in both official languages, the first report of the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food, entitled “Unleashing the Potential of the Canadian Agriculture and Agri-Food Sector through Regulatory Reform”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this report. We know that …
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Mr. Speaker, the member did mention health care workers, and the tax credit's being applied to personal support workers. It is something I have advocated for. I would like to just find out from the member why he thought this was important and what kind of changes it will bring. I know the Conservatives brought this up as an issue. Why would they vote against something like this?
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians and the great people of Scarborough—Woburn voted for a government to build more homes, and they are looking to their new federal government to lead with real solutions. Could the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure update the House on what concrete steps the government is taking to accelerate the building of affordable homes here in Ontario?
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Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member's grandchild was not afforded Canadian citizenship after he has contributed so much to Parliament, it would be a real shame.
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Mr. Speaker, I was not at the committee when these issues were being deliberated on, but I am happy to hear that the Bloc Québécois is participating in the democratic process and making suggestions in the committee process for consideration. Some amendments will be passed and some will not, but I thank the member for his contribution to the strengthening of this bill.
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Mr. Speaker, that was a very informative speech. Can the member speak a bit more about the consequences of implementing a new law and the impact the Ontario Superior Court ruling would have on that decision if the law was not implemented?
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Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Davenport, a great member of Parliament. It is an honour to stand in the House of Commons today on behalf of the people of Scarborough—Woburn to talk about this important issue, Bill C-3, an act to amend the Citizenship Act. To me, this is a very simple piece of legislation that would extend automatic citizenship to anyone who was bor…
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Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, the member has to go back and check the notes he was provided. It sounds like his question was not very precise and to the point and does not reflect the proposed legislation.
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Mr. Speaker, the member opposite must be reading something he was given by his whip, because I never talked about somebody being deployed and then coming back here. What I did talk about was that the bill would extend automatic citizenship to anyone who was born abroad to Canadian parents before the legislation came into force.
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Madam Speaker, the hon. member talked a lot about Canadian values and what our Canadian identity is. I am a big supporter of diversity in this country. I am a big supporter of equality and, of course, building an inclusive society. Does the member agree that those three elements are part of the Canadian identity, and are they things he personally supports?
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Madam Speaker, listening to Conservatives in the House today is like going back in time to the 1990s, when Republicans were talking about “three strikes and you're out”, which does not work. What Conservatives are proposing does not work. That is why we have come up with a piece of legislation that is right for this moment. It is interesting that the Conservatives say this bill copies Conservative…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, Bill C-238 looks at putting first responders, victims and communities at the forefront of justice and repair. I would like to ask the member to take a minute to explain the balance between justice and punishment, and repair.
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Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the member opposite if he will be supporting this bill that really would reform the justice act to put in place harsher sentences when it comes to bail reform. I also want to know if the Conservatives will help pass the legislation.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, there is some big news coming from Scarborough. Our government is investing billions into Scarborough transit. The Scarborough subway station will extend line 2 from Kennedy Station to Sheppard Avenue, stopping at McCowan Road and the Scarborough Town Centre. This will cut travel times and connect residents to jobs, schools and services. This is one of the largest transit investments …
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Mr. Speaker, I want to re-approach the question asked by one of the members on this side. We think the first line of defence for mitigating crime in this country is building a relationship with law enforcement. The Leader of the Opposition clearly showed huge disrespect towards some of the top RCMP and police officials in this country. Does the member opposite think that in order for us to move fo…
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Mr. Speaker, I know there are going to be some enhancements to border security and additional RCMP officers. For the member's province, I am sure this would have a very positive impact. I know that, for Ontario, it would be quite good. Could the hon. member talk about some of those enhancements, like the new police officers, and how he thinks they would impact border security in Canada?
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government takes our borders quite seriously, especially strategic borders like Niagara and others in Ontario. There is the largest infrastructure project to build a great bridge out in Windsor. There is investment in these regions because we know it is part of our economic trade and development, and it connects us to our largest trade partner. However, I want to talk abou…
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Mr. Speaker, the immigration system is an important aspect of building a strong country. I am an immigrant. I came here from the U.K. when I was four years old, almost five years old. I would like to ask the member, why is building a strong immigration system so essential in this country?
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Mr. Speaker, this country has been built by immigrants. Outside the indigenous community, we are all from immigrants at some point in time. Immigration is part of our past; it is part of who we are today, and it will be a big part of who we are in the future. I know that constituents in Pickering—Brooklin share many different immigration stories. How important is it to get the immigration file rig…
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Mr. Speaker, in my community of Scarborough—Woburn, border protection is an important aspect. I am quite happy that the government has looked for ways to enhance our border security. Has the hon. member had conversations in his community about border security? What does the bill mean for the people he represents in his riding?
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Mr. Speaker, the hon. member talked a bit about some of the pieces that will have an impact on businesses and our border and will enhance our system overall, with more compliance issues. Would the member care to expand on some of those pieces that will be important for building a stronger border and immigration system in Canada?
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Mr. Speaker, the member said this was a historical moment, and it is a historical moment. That is one of the most positive speeches I have heard from the opposition in a long time, with a constructive approach to building good government policies and strengthening bills. He talked about the police being effective. He talked about being very supportive of many of the measures. It is a huge contrast…
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Mr. Speaker, the member brought up several concerns about asylum seekers. Some pretty substantial changes are being proposed in this bill in order to strengthen our asylum processing system. Is the member prepared to join Canadians in supporting a bill that would bring more integrity to the asylum system here in Canada, yes or no?
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Madam Speaker, I congratulate the member. I want to find out if the member is going to be supporting our initiative to lower income taxes for Canadians.
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, as members and a new government come forward, we all have to work together to find solutions so that we can help build a stronger country for all Canadians.
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak today. I will be sharing my time with the member for Willowdale. First, I would like to congratulate all members of the House. As they say, there is not a bad seat in the House of Commons, so congratulations. We have a lot of work to do. Welcome to the 45th session of Parliament. I just reminded myself that throughout our political careers, we sho…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, as Canadians, we need to rethink how we approach trade. I meet with people who are promoting Africa and the African diaspora within the Americas. We have to look for alternative ways to build trade. In the Americas alone, there are 220 million people of African descent. Throughout the Caribbean and throughout America, there are chambers of commerce. We need to tap into those networks …
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Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the member on his recent election. I do not know if the member read the actual throne speech, but I would advise the member to take a look through it, because there are a lot of concepts and ideas. Some are traditional ideas that Liberals hold as values, but we do talk about lowering taxes. We talk about removing GST from homes and apartments. I am hoping that the membe…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, this is astonishing. I do not think folks on the other side have read the throne speech, because it is full of different solutions, ideas and themes, but what a throne speech really does is set the tone for the direction in which a government is going. I would be happy to talk about some of those—
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, when we look at history and the position of Liberals across the country and among members of Parliament, there is no question that, in the House, we have been at the forefront of looking for ways to mitigate climate change. We, as a country, are looking for different ways to do it, but I would say that all people in the House agree that we need to keep our country clean, and we need t…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, last week we found out the Conservative leader was silencing his members from supporting any federal funding for housing in their communities. It must have been very difficult for Conservatives to oppose funding for much-needed housing projects in the communities that sent them here to advocate for housing, not to do the opposite. Imagine how difficult it must have been for the member…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, October 6 marks the electrical injury day of recognition, an initiative led by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the Canadian Electrical Contractors Association, the National Electrical Trade Council and other industry groups. The day is dedicated to raising awareness about the dangers of electric shock injuries, which can have long-term health effects with no cure.…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, a lot of the debate today was based on climate change and its impact on agriculture. In 2024, the Conservative Party voted to reject a call to actually recognize climate change in Canada. In Ontario, 70,000 people work within the agriculture sector. It is a $60-billion sector. It is important to make sure we preserve and keep the integrity of the land and the weather conditions in o…
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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 two following reports of the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association: the report respecting its participation at the bilateral mission to Cameroon, Yaoundé, Cameroon, from November 13 to 17, 2023; and the report respecting its participation at the observation mission on the mar…
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Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to stand in the House of Commons on behalf of the great people of Don Valley East to speak to a very important bill, Bill C-65, the electoral participation act. The chief government whip talked about a noble pursuit to actually look at legislation and look for ways to increase participation, which is essentially what the bill is attempting to do. As members of Parli…
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Madam Speaker, that is an important question. We have such a beautiful country, from coast to coast to coast. There are so many different nationalities, a mosaic of different cultures, and it will always be difficult for us to find the perfect date. However, as MPs, we should be trying to accommodate people when possible. That should be a common-sense approach to picking an election day, and I thi…
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Madam Speaker, the member has been around here for a while, and he is a smart guy. He knows the process. The bill goes to committee. If improvements can be made, the member and his team can bring forward suggestions. I was given 10 minutes today to address the issues that I though were very important. That is why I talked about privacy, accessibility, integrity and trust. They mean a lot to me.
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Madam Speaker, my father is legally blind, so I go with him when he votes. I am always amazed at how he is accommodated. The first time we went when he needed assistance, I wondered how they would do it, but it was very professional. If we can look for ways to strengthen the process, through consultation with the disability community, and make it more accessible, it would be a huge priority for me…
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moved for leave to introduce Bill C-397, an act to amend the Excise Tax Act and the Department of Employment and Social Development Act. Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure today to table my first private member's bill. In 2020, I was in the U.K. when my mother passed away. As members know, when a loved one passes away there are a lot of administrative processes people have to go through. The private…
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Mr. Speaker, it is quite obvious that the Conservatives do not believe it is a good idea to invest in children. We are talking about a budget that would help feed young people who need food, fix teeth, invest in mental health and the most very basic form of child care, which is essential for strong families. Why does the parliamentary secretary believe that investing in children is one of the best…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, many young people in my riding of Don Valley East are worried about not being able to find a place to call their home. They see housing being used more and more as a way to make money, and it is hurting their possibility of home ownership. Can the Minister of Public Services and Procurement tell this House what the government's plan is to make housing more affordable and to help build…
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Mr. Speaker, one of the benefits of being Canadian is that we come together and work together to build national programs. Historically, through the provinces and the federal government collectively, we have built a strong health care system. Provincially, we have a universal education system. These things work. Over the last few years, we have seen the introduction of benefits for pharmacare and c…
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