Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I certainly would agree. I want to commend the member, who is a new member but has not hesitated to delve in. He is doing a fantastic job on the finance committee. The member talked about food prices. The Dalhousie University report that members in the Conservative Party have quoted frequently in the past few days makes clear that a major contributing factor to meat prices, in particu…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, my colleague can look to Dalhousie University's food price index of 2026. He can look to the recent TD report. We know climate change is a key factor when it comes to the increase in the price of food. This is admittedly a challenge for this country. This is why the Canada groceries and essentials benefit is so important. Let us move beyond the script for a moment. The Conservatives s…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague represents the area of what was once called London North Centre, north of Fanshawe Park Road, and I look forward to continuing to work with her. Her point about manufacturing and businesses is interesting. The member said that she hears time and again about the industrial carbon tax issue. I would welcome her to present a single letter from a business that mentions this p…
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Mr. Speaker, I have a great deal of respect for our colleague, and it is always a pleasure to take part in a House debate with him. There is a climate change crisis in Canada and around the world. Every government has a responsibility to respond with serious policies, because it is a challenge for the future. I have a four-year-old daughter, and I am worried about her future. Every government must…
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Mr. Speaker, a fiscally responsible approach is what the government is committed to, and that is exactly what we will fulfill. I already mentioned the International Monetary Fund. I know that for colleagues across the way, multilateral organizations, not all of them but many of them, unfortunately, are not to be dealt with. These conspiracies continue to circulate on that side of the House. Howeve…
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Mr. Speaker, it is a classic technique of right-wing populism to identify every problem imaginable and invent some too, and not propose serious solutions. Only a few months ago the Leader of the Opposition was calling for the firing of the Bank of Canada. On this side of the House, we take seriously what the Bank of Canada says. We are seeing, in this country, inflation within the target rate. We …
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Mr. Speaker, I said it already today and will repeat it: The target rate of inflation is within what the Bank of Canada gives as a guideline, which is 2.4%. On the food inflation the member points out, yes, this is admittedly a challenge for the country. The Conservatives are fond of citing reports. The problem is that they never read those reports. Dalhousie University's food price index says tha…
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Mr. Speaker, how about having the backs of Canadian families, the middle class and low-income Canadians who need a serious government now to respond to their everyday challenges? That is why we have put in place this particular benefit. That is why we are increasing the GST credit. Furthermore, if the Conservatives are serious about the challenges of this country, I would hope that, beyond inventi…
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Madam Speaker, the member is or should be aware of the landmark Supreme Court decision of 2013 that says that the courts, and judges in particular, can take note of the immigration status of an individual but cannot use that to condition sentencing in a way that would avoid immigration consequences. The question is not a serious one. The point is that if we are going to do immigration policy serio…
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Madam Speaker, the member knows very well that those who are not eligible to be here will face the consequences of Canadian law. We trust authorities to carry that out. As for services in this country, we understand that there has been a strain on services and that the immigration system has a part to play in that. What is also at stake is that we put policy on the table to address those issues. A…
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Madam Speaker, I say this with all due respect. The member has been the immigration critic for the Conservative Party for almost 10 years. She knows very well that when new information comes in, it can lead to the cancellation of existing visas that allow individuals to be in Canada in the first place. When we understand these matters, we leave it in the hands of authorities to address those matte…
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Madam Speaker, the slogans continue on the other side. What is lacking is seriousness. They condemn a decision signed by the Premier of Alberta. Yesterday was a great day for Alberta and for Canada. The government was elected on a policy vision to ensure more jobs in this country, economic stewardship and environmental stewardship at the same time. We will maintain that vision from start to finish…
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Mr. Speaker, Canada has been an example for the world, particularly when it comes to responding to the Uyghur issue in China, among other global crises affecting fundamental human rights. We continue to look at this issue, and we continue to put in place measures, but the hon. member knows that the circumstances are very challenging indeed. When individuals come to Canada, of course, a number of c…
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Mr. Speaker, I would urge colleagues across the way to think twice about putting on the floor of the House of Commons unverified reports from anonymous sources. Security is of paramount importance in this country. That is a sacrosanct principle upheld by successive Conservative and Liberal governments. We maintain that principle from start to finish. As for the comments about the program that was …
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Mr. Speaker, the member continues to cite anonymous sources on the floor of the House of Commons. The reality is that security remains always a fundamental responsibility that we take seriously. When security agencies become aware of potential threats to this country, they act accordingly, We trust them to do that. As for the point that was raised before, relating to what was discussed this week a…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, today, November 20, is World Pancreatic Cancer Day. Every year, 7,000 Canadians are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and more than 6,000 succumb to this terrible disease. One was my late aunt, Eleni Dellaporta, who passed away this past January at the young age of 58. She leaves behind two extraordinary sons, Nikos and Panagis; her beloved husband, Petros; and her soon-to-be daughter…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I will, I am afraid, repeat myself. Individual cases are not something I am going to address on the floor of the House of Commons. I am also not going to address the authorizations issued by particular departments. The member is able to contact the relevant departments and seek an answer that way. I invite her to do so if she wishes.
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to engage in debate, particularly with this member, whom I have now known for the better part of 10 years. I respect his passion, and I say that sincerely. I know he is a student of many, and Milton Friedman would be counted on that list. I say that because he said that intention does not matter, outcome matters. That is what Milton Friedman had argued. I would…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, my friend accuses me of not answering the question, but his question was all over the place. I am not sure what exactly he was talking about. I am genuinely very interested in the youth employment plan of the Conservatives. I will look it up, but we do not know about it. Perhaps some of us do, but I think I follow things pretty closely, and I have not seen it. As far as the immigratio…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the member knows the respect that I and other colleagues hold for her. Of course, she has served this country and never fails to bring up matters that are important to her and her constituents. I understand that very well. What I would say, and she knows this as well, is that individual cases, for privacy reasons, should not be brought forward on the floor of the House of Commons. She…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, he apparently has spoken about it before. I do not know if there has been another Conservative talking about conscription. We can raise all sorts of hypotheticals. The key is that, as we said before, citizenship law in Canada has to be consistent. It cannot be two-tiered. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice said that it is two-tiered and that we have to act to rectify this.
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Mr. Speaker, he said, “Supreme Court”. In any case, what is required is a law that is consistent with the charter. The cumulative test provides a substantial connection that meets the requirement set out by the court. As for the Westminster system, I am glad the member has served on the student council at Queen's University. I congratulate him on that, but this is the House of Commons, and what is…
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Mr. Speaker, I might have missed something, but at no point have I ever heard this, whether in the press or from advocates. I would say that this is the first Conservative talking about conscription, in my experience.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague of almost 10 years, who devotes herself every day to the needs, interests and concerns of the people of Waterloo. I will focus on this: Ultimately, this is a bill relating to citizenship and, yes, immigration. My colleague mentioned the Leader of the Opposition, who never fails to play games on issues of immigration. Just a few years ago, he was talking about Cana…
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Mr. Speaker, our colleague, as he so often does, points to a number of critical things. First of all, on his question about what would happen if this bill does not pass, we would have a citizenship law that is not consistent with the requirements of the Charter of Rights, especially the equality provisions. If citizenship laws are to mean anything in Canada, as I mentioned here today and on previo…
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Mr. Speaker, it was an Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruling, but I digress.
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Mr. Speaker, our country is a bilingual country. We are very proud of that. My colleague talked about the work done in committee. A few amendments were adopted in committee, but the House of Commons is sovereign. I mentioned that in my speech. Parliament and, in this case, the House decide. We saw that yesterday. That is a sacrosanct principle.
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Mr. Speaker, there was a prorogation during the time of the previous government. That is a practice available to parliaments in Canada and elsewhere. This is the Westminster tradition. We should focus on the present, and especially the future. The court is asking us to do exactly that. If members across the way want to continue to dwell on the Trudeau years, they can do that. It seems they have an…
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Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to stand in the House once again to speak to Bill C-3. It is a very important bill that seeks to respond to an important court challenge calling into question citizenship law in Canada. It would do so by pointing to an inconsistency in citizenship law that has to be rectified in order for it to be what it should always be: equal and applicable to all. In my previous s…
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Madam Speaker, from the moment she was elected, that member has committed herself to matters of fundamental justice, and that is exactly what is at stake with Bill C-3. In December 2023, as colleagues will know, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled that there is an inconsistency in Canadian citizenship law, so Bill C-3 would rectify that inconsistency. Whereas Canadians who were born here o…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Colour by Schubert, an extraordinary London business in place since 1982, carrying out custom image framing, restoring trusted images and doing incredible high-quality prints for decades. The photography world has changed, as we know, but what has never been unwavering is its commitment to its customers and to our community. This is an extraordinary business, …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, insofar as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, or IRCC, is concerned, immigration is a shared jurisdiction while education is the responsibility of the provinces and territories. With respect to the implementation of the intake cap on study permit applications, IRCC has allocated study permit application spaces under the cap to provinces and territories, which are in turn re…
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Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to be here again after a summer in London engaging with constituents and listening to their concerns. I very much look forward to working with all colleagues in the House on matters of immigration, obviously, but, in general terms, we have a lot to do to serve our constituents and ensure that our country is on a very good footing going forward. Today, obviously, with …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, regarding (a), the 20242025 expenditures are currently unavailable and will only be accessible once the public accounts have been tabled in the House of Commons, which is expected in the fall. Program expenditures will be made public following the tabling of the Departmental Results Report, which is also expected in the fall. With regard to (b), the full-time equivalent assigned by pr…
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Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with the hon. member on the committee responsible for immigration. The Conservatives continue to bring up matters of crime and tie them to this bill. Again, it opens the door to the argument, wide open in fact, that they are trying to politicize immigration. I know the hon. member is not trying to do that; he is a respected member of this House. I will focus …
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Mr. Speaker, the court provided its perspective on a very important matter for the House, and there is an issue. For that reason, we cannot get bogged down in what has happened in the past. I am not here to speak about the past. We can spend a great deal of time on that, but the courts have recognized that there are issues. They have put it to this House to rectify and they have given extensions w…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague who is among the most dedicated parliamentarians I have ever worked with in almost 10 years of serving the people of London Centre. I would say to the member what I have said throughout my time as an MP looking at legislation. The place to offer amendments and address concerns is not always in the House of Commons, where one can do that through debate and …
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Mr. Speaker, our colleague evidently read the article that was on the front page of National Newswatch yesterday, but he did not read it closely. What he would have seen if he had is that the issue is squarely in the provincial jurisdiction. We know there are American doctors trying to come to Canada, who are leaving the United States. Of course our health care system is in need of more doctors, b…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honour the extraordinary life of Beth Hundey, who passed away at the age of 40 this past April after a courageous battle with cancer. She was wife to Seneca and stepmother to Percy, cherished daughter of Rick and the late Jane Hundey, sister of Eric and Tim and their wives, Julie and Yvonne, and an aunt who was adored by her nieces and nephews. Incredibly bright, she f…
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Mr. Chair, congratulations on your post. I know that you are from southwestern Ontario as well. It is an honour to rise as the member for London North Centre and also as the newly appointed parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.
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Mr. Chair, Canada is a bilingual country and I am very proud of that. I wonder if the minister could say a few words about immigration and francophone communities. What is her vision for the future with regard to this issue?
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Mr. Chair, I also want to ask about Bill C-2. The government recently introduced the bill. It focuses on a number of areas, but it is in many ways a bill that strengthens our immigration system. Can the minister focus on particular aspects of Bill C-2 that she thinks really stand out for ensuring the integrity of the immigration system?
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I was not fishing, but I will take it. It is certainly going to be an honour as well to work with the minister, members of the government and all colleagues in this House on this very important issue. Mr. Chair, when we think of immigration, of course we think of many things, but at the core of it is finding a way forward to support our economy. That, I think, is central to this question: How can …
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Mr. Chair, I know the minister brings a great deal of experience to this role, including as minister responsible for immigration in the province of Nova Scotia. Could she speak about the importance of the provincial nominee program, her experience with it and her vision for it going forward?
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, in the long and storied history of the London Knights franchise, a new chapter was written just a few days ago: Memorial Cup champions. They are also champions of the Ontario Hockey League. This is an incredible franchise. Alumni include Darryl Sittler, Patrick Kane, one of my favourites and little talked about Kelly Cain, Chris Taylor, Mitch Marner, Matthew Tkachuk, Brendan Shanahan,…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, recently I had the honour, for the fourth time, to be sworn in as a member of Parliament, now representing the constituency of London Centre. Naturally, I thank my colleagues and look forward to working with everyone in this House. I thank my family, my beautiful wife Katy, our daughter Ava, and all the volunteers who put aside so much time to put in signs, to knock on doors and, yes,…
Read full speech →Speech from the Throne
Mr. Speaker, congratulations on your election as Chair. I look forward to working with you. The hon. member is a new member, and I thank him for his speech. I know that any number of us in the House of Commons have identified priorities that we wish to deliver to our communities. The member comes from a beautiful part of the country in Victoria. What is the number one priority that he wishes to de…
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Mr. Speaker, I know that this member is an honourable member, and I know that he cares about his community. A few weeks ago, I spoke with Peterborough's Mayor Jeff Leal, who is a good man. He cares about his community and is doing a great job in that city. I told him of the government's plan to invest over $10 million, through the housing accelerator fund, to build more housing. The Conservatives …
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are trying to distract from their voting record. In this House of Commons, when this government put forward legislation, affirmed last night by the Senate, to cut GST for families looking to buy kids' clothes, diapers and car seats; wanting to go out to a restaurant; or wanting to buy beer or cider, the Conservatives were against that. They have lots of slogans when …
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Mr. Speaker, throughout today, the Conservatives have launched personal attacks on the finance minister, who is responsible for, among other things, the Canada child benefit and who is responsible for, among other things, ensuring that child care is a priority in this country, moving toward $10 a day. What has that done for this country's economy? Among other things, 110,000 women have been able t…
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