Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, our government cares deeply about Montreal East. This area has long been neglected and associated with refineries and heavy industry, but the time has come to transform it into a hub of economic and social development. Can the minister tell us how the federal government is working with other levels of government to help revitalize Montreal East and support businesses like Les Laborato…
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Mr. Speaker, many countries have agreed to triple their production of renewable energies, such as solar energy, wind energy and hydroelectricity. This commitment stands in sharp contrast with the approach of the opposition leader, who promotes oil production and wants to go back to the Stone Age when it comes to fighting climate change. Can the minister tell us about the commitment that our govern…
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Mr. Speaker, in yesterday's economic statement, the government announced measures to support housing co-operatives. There are 1,130 co-ops in Quebec, representing more than 22,000 housing units. The Leader of the Opposition referred to co-ops as Soviet-style housing. That shows his contempt for this type of housing. Can the minister explain to Canadians the impact that yesterday's measures will ha…
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Mr. Speaker, last week, members of this House voted on my private member's bill, Bill C-252, which aims to prohibit the marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children aged 13 and under. While the Bloc and the NDP voted in favour of this initiative to protect the health of children, the Conservatives voted against it, once again demonstrating that the health of Canadians is always their las…
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Madam Speaker, it is an honour and a privilege for me to rise this evening in this House to bring forward once again my private member's bill, Bill C-252, which aims to prohibit the marketing of certain foods and beverages directly to children. I would like to begin by sincerely thanking all my colleagues here for offering their opinions and contributing to the important conversation on Bill C-252…
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Mr. Speaker, I was happy to join the Minister of Small Business to kick off Small Business Week in Montreal, where we met amazing small businesses such as Camillette Jewelry, Unel and Cookine. Les Délices Lafrenaie, a small must-try bakery located in my riding, is one of the many businesses that form the backbone of our economy. Can the Minister of Small Business tell us how the government is supp…
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Mr. Speaker, after years of inaction under the Conservative government, our government became the first to adopt a regime to protect passenger rights, establishing a common set of obligations that all airlines must respect. To strengthen this regime, additional measures were introduced in Bill C‑47, creating even stricter regulations for airlines and ensuring that passengers are always protected. …
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Congratulations, Mr. Speaker. October is Women's History Month in Canada. It is an opportunity to reflect on and to honour the efforts and dedicated work of countless women in the feminist movement. One such actor is the Montreal Council of Women. I joined them this weekend to celebrate their 130th anniversary. MCW has played a pivotal role, not only in empowering women but in encouraging them to …
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Mr. Speaker, today I wish to acknowledge the loss of a great woman in Canadian politics, the Hon. Monique Bégin. She was member of Parliament for Saint-Michel in 1972, and for Saint-Léonard—Anjou in 1974, 1979 and 1980. Not only was she a pioneer, becoming one of the first three Quebec women elected to the Canadian Parliament, but she also defended her progressive family values with conviction and…
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Mr. Speaker, that is an excellent question. In fact, the bill contains a provision that would mandate Health Canada to monitor impacts of this bill on the marketing of foods and beverages to teenagers aged between 13 and 18. This would be done specifically in an effort to ensure that food companies and advertisers would not simply, as I mentioned, turn around and ramp up their marketing to teenage…
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moved that the bill be concurred in.
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moved that the bill be read the third time and passed. Mr. Speaker, it is an honour for me to rise today to discuss my bill, Bill C-252. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank my colleagues for all their support and hard work in advancing the bill. Bill C-252 essentially seeks to prohibit the marketing of foods that contain excessive amounts of sugar, sodium and saturated fats to…
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Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, Quebec has served as a model in terms of not targeting marketing to kids. However, this bill goes a lot further and is much broader. We want to put more measures in place to ensure that foods that are unhealthy for kids are not marketed to them. Obviously, there have been industries that have tried, in various forms and through various attempts, to still market to youn…
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Mr. Speaker, the goal is not to encroach on areas of provincial jurisdiction. The goal is to protect the well-being of our children and to ensure that children are not targeted by advertising campaigns that promote unhealthy eating. Health Canada looks after its areas of jurisdiction and the provinces have theirs.
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, my colleague has an excellent question. If such a law had been adopted a few years back, when Senator Greene Raine brought it before the Senate, we probably would have decreased the number of deaths that I have reported since then. More important, we know this is putting a strain on our health care system and is costing, in Canada, $13.8 billion a year. Therefore, it is monetary, in e…
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Mr. Speaker, firmly rooted in the Saint-Michel neighbourhood and at the heart of the Cité des arts du cirque, TOHU is a place of creation, culture and community engagement that contributes considerably to Montreal's reputation as an international capital of the circus arts. TOHU recently won in two categories at Tourism Montreal's Distinction Awards for its 3GIANTS project, presented during the 20…
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Mr. Speaker, today marks the beginning of Italian Heritage Month here in Canada. Over the next 30 days, we will have the opportunity to celebrate and honour the richness of the Italian language, culture and heritage. From generation to generation, Italian Canadians have visibly and vastly contributed to the economic growth of our country and marked the history of Canada with their many achievement…
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Mr. Speaker, our government is working hard to help Canadians have a healthier lifestyle. We have implemented important initiatives, such as an updated Canada's food guide, new nutrition labelling standards and investments of $10 million in budget 2023 to encourage people to adopt a more active lifestyle. Can the Minister of Health tell us what new measures might be added to Canada's healthy eatin…
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Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize the hard work and dedication of a group of 17 young female athletes in my riding and members of Les Suprêmes Novice de Saint-Léonard, who won gold at the 2023 Novice Canadian Championships, 2023 Skate Canada Cup. Les Suprêmes delivered an outstanding performance in the synchronized skating competition held in Calgary. Congratulations go to Siena Ferrant…
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Mr. Speaker, this Black History Month, let us continue to honour the legacy and contributions of Black communities in Canada. I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the invaluable work done by the various Black-led organizations in Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, including the Association haïtiano-canado-québécoise d'aide aux démunis, the Centre Lasallien, Compagnie Théâtre créole, and Maison …
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Mr. Speaker, this week is Canadian School Counselling Week, an opportunity for us to recognize the remarkable work done by school counsellors to support the academic, social and emotional growth, and career development of students at all grade levels. According to a survey conducted by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, the main challenges facing our youth are feelings of isolation and loneli…
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Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice just announced today his intention to delay by one year the expansion of the medical assistance in dying legislation to those suffering solely from a mental illness. We know that medical assistance in dying is a complex issue and very personal for many Canadians. Can the minister explain the reasons for his decision?
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Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to congratulate Roberto Luongo, former Florida Panthers goaltender, on his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. A native of my riding of Saint-Léonard who also grew up on my street, Roberto Luongo is known for his on-ice butterfly style of goaltending and remains one of only three goaltenders in history to have played over 1,000 games in the NHL. He is a recipie…
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Mr. Speaker, Concussion Awareness Week is being marked across the country this week. It is estimated that 46,000 children and youth were officially diagnosed with a concussion by hospital emergency departments in 2018-19 after suffering an injury while being active. Could the Minister of Sport please tell us what our government is doing to reduce the number of accidents as much as possible?
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Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today in support of my private member's bill, Bill C-252, known as the child health protection act, which aims to help the youngest and most impressionable Canadians maintain and improve their health by restricting the advertisement of certain foods to them. I am confident that hon. members in this chamber can agree on the harms that diets with exce…
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Madam Speaker, I request a recorded vote.
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Mr. Speaker, an investment in recreational and sports infrastructure is an investment in the health and well-being of our constituents. Could the minister update us on what he is doing to give Quebeckers access to safe, sustainable facilities that promote recreational and sports activities in our communities?
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Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Canadian Heritage organized a summit on culture in Ottawa. One of the main subjects was the modernization of legislation to support our online culture. Passing Bill C-11 is key to achieving that. However, the Conservatives would rather play politics and are doing everything they can to block this bill. Can the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell us why the cu…
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moved that Bill C-252, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (prohibition of food and beverage marketing directed at children), be read the second time and referred to a committee. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to take part in the discussion on Bill C-252, which aims to support restrictions on commercial marketing and advertising on certain foods and beverages to children…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his excellent question. As I mentioned in my speech, it has been estimated that it is costing Canadians $13.8 billion annually to deal with diseases that are compounded and related to unhealthy eating habits. I think that in the long run, investing and putting forward these types of restrictions would contribute to reducing the health care that Canadians nee…
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Madam Speaker, in essence, the bill looks to restrict all types of advertising, including characters or anything that would appeal to children to persuade them to pester their parents, if I can express myself that way, to buy these products. Using mascots, logos or fantasy characters would all be restricted.
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Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for her very relevant question. This bill was indeed inspired by Quebec's Consumer Protection Act, which I think has been very successful. In the past, we saw this kind of advertising at amusement parks, like La Ronde, and at water parks. We need to have a system in place to determine what kinds of advertising break the law, so that we can manage and reg…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his excellent question. The bill encompasses all types of advertising, including digital advertising. I hope measures will be taken to tackle and stop big companies from being able to target our children via digital channels, whether it be through cell phones, computers or online media.
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Madam Speaker, I shall proceed. As per the FDA, “food” includes beverages, and “advertisement” is defined in broad terms, including any representation by any means by promoting directly or indirectly the sale of products controlled by legislation. The notion of advertisement is media neutral, which encompasses the latest technologies and evolving methods. Clause 4 of Bill C-252 adds a new section …
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Mr. Speaker, we are living in an information age. With the Internet, news from around the world is available at the blink of an eye. That being said, we must admit that there is an imbalance of power. For years now, hundreds of local news outlets have had to close their doors for lack of revenue, while the web giants literally have a monopoly on advertising revenue. What is our government doing to…
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Madam Speaker, our government has always supported and promoted the important role that our SMEs play in developing our local economies. I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the 50th anniversary of a family-owned business located in the heart of Saint-Michel. Founded in 1972, Casavogue specializes in the sale of high-quality Italian furniture. Its 50 years of service have been characteri…
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Mr. Speaker, on Friday, the Government of Quebec, the City of Montreal, and the Government of Canada announced the new version and reconfiguration of the Montreal metro blue line extension project. This project has been highly anticipated by the metropolitan community for several decades. Can the hon. Minister of Canadian Heritage and Quebec lieutenant explain to the House how the federal governme…
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the House began debate on second reading of the online streaming act. During the debate, certain opposition colleagues raised interesting questions, even though others practised their leadership race speeches. Can the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell us what Bill C-11 proposes to do?
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-252, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (prohibition of food and beverage marketing directed at children). Mr. Speaker, I am proud to introduce my bill today, which proposes to amend the Food and Drugs Act by restricting the marketing of food and beverages high in sugar, saturated fats or salt directed at children. Studies have shown that even before COVID-1…
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Mr. Speaker, over the holidays, omicron had a serious impact on constituents and businesses in my riding of Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel. Thankfully, the House had passed Bill C-2 before we rose, ensuring that we had support for businesses and individuals still facing restrictions and lockdowns put in place by provinces in response to the new wave. Can the Deputy Prime Minister remind the House of s…
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Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and humility that I undertake my second mandate as MP for the riding of Saint-Leonard—Saint-Michel. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to my constituents, volunteers, friends and family members for their continuous support and confidence in me. I am ready to serve my constituents and Canadians with dedication and determination as we face challenging issues, …
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