Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. I completely agree that we need a multi-faceted plan to fight climate change. That is what we are implementing. Our historic $3.16-billion plan includes planting two billion trees, which will help us meet and also exceed our Paris Agreement targets, while ensuring that we leave a healthier Canada for our children and a positive legacy for …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, there are a couple of points I would like to clarify. Firstly, we are still dedicated to phasing out fossil fuel subsidies by 2025 and we have already been able to remove eight fossil fuel subsidies. This budget delivers in so many ways with regard to climate change. In fact, it is the largest investment ever made by any government in history in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Th…
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Mr. Speaker, immigration is essential to the economic recovery in Quebec and all of Canada. This year, we welcomed more than 7,000 new skilled permanent residents in Quebec, which represents a 54% increase compared to the same period last year. We are on track to meet the immigration targets set by Quebec, including getting caught up on the 2020 files. We will continue to work with the Government …
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Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague knows very well that last year, we were in a global pandemic, but since then, we have added additional resources where they were needed the most and moved from paper-based applications to digital. This has allowed us to admit over 7,000 skilled workers, an improvement of more than 56% compared to the same period last year. We will continue to work with our Quebec cou…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, not so long ago, in a galaxy not so far away, a rebel alliance of scientists and researchers, including a few Jedi, I am sure, worked together to eradicate smallpox and polio. Because of their courage and that all the Padawans who did their part by getting vaccinated, a new hope emerged and these diseases are something we mostly only hear about. Unfortunately, last year, we all learne…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I am thankful for the chance to address the question from the hon. member. I want to start by emphasizing that safeguarding applicants' personal information and privacy is always the top priority for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, or IRCC, and the Government of Canada. In fact, IRCC uses visa application centres, or VACs, to provide administrative support and biometri…
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Madam Speaker, I will repeat for the benefit of my hon. colleague that VACs do not play a role in the decision-making process and are expressly forbidden to provide any visa-related advice to applicants. In fact, as I stated, all immigration information gathered at VACs is transmitted directly to Canada and is stored in Canada. This is a one-way process, and it operates similar to a client-facing …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark Ramadan, the holy month of fasting and revelation for those of the Muslim faith in my community of Vaudreuil—Soulanges. While activities may be virtual and Iftar, the communal breaking of the fast, will only occur with family this year, the light is no less dampened by these challenges. Ramadan reminds us of the importance of the values of sharing and caring and b…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Madam Speaker, as I enter my ninth year of remission following treatment for testicular cancer, I rise today to recognize the hard work of nurses and all frontline health care workers who continue to save lives during this health crisis. Yesterday, as I walked through the halls of Montreal's Jewish General Hospital for my annual blood work and X-rays, the experience was understandably different, b…
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Madam Speaker, the pandemic has affected almost every aspect of our lives, and we have brought in innovative measures to process active cases as quickly as possible and minimize delays caused by COVID-19. We have prioritized applications from Canadians and permanent residents returning to Canada, as well as people providing essential services and support. There is still work to be done, but we sta…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I am thankful for the chance to address the question from the hon. member. Let me say, to begin, that as the newly appointed parliamentary secretary for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, I very much look forward to working with the hon. member in the coming weeks and months. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenging time for everyone. To protect the health and safety of Canadi…
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Can you hear me now, Mr. Speaker?
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, in September, to speed up processing and reduce the wait for couples to reunite in Canada, we increased the number of decision-makers on spousal applications by 66% to reach the goal of nearly 49,000 application decisions by the end of 2020. In fact, no spousal or common-law permanent resident application that is in progress will be closed or refused because of document delays resulti…
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Mr. Speaker, in our operations and processing, we have made significant progress, and we are going to continue to work to better serve Canadians and the loved ones they are trying to reunite with. We have introduced measures to streamline the processing of permanent resident applications, including spouse or common-law partnership applications, and provided applicants additional time to provide do…
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Madam Speaker, this Canadian net-zero emissions accountability act has robust accountability and transparency. Just to name a few aspects, it has a legally binding process for the federal government to set climate targets and bring forward plans to meet those targets, rigorous ongoing progress reports, yearly reports by the independent advisory body and ongoing audits by the commissioner of the en…
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Madam Speaker, we committed to Canadians that we would not only take action to reduce our GHG emissions and meet and exceed our Paris Agreement targets, but also do so by growing the economy at the same time. That is what we are delivering on and have delivered on over the last five to six years. Just look at our most recent strengthened climate plan, which not only shows in detail how we are goin…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, although there will be no St. Patrick's Day parade in Hudson this year, the spirit of Irish generosity is alive and well in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges community. This Saturday, March 13, Ken Doran and the Soulanges Irish Society are hosting Local Supporting Locals in support of our local restaurants and not-for-profits, which have all been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic over the last …
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Mr. Speaker, this investigation, related prosecution matters and the judge's approval of Volkswagen AG's penalty are independent of the minister's office, and the hon. member knows that very well. The conclusion of this investigation has resulted in the company paying an unprecedented fine in Canada. It is 26 times greater than the highest federal environmental fine ever imposed in Canada, and mon…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It may have been a simple oversight, but I had planned to deliver an S. O. 31 as the 16th speaker on the roster today. I am hoping that I can still move forward with delivering that statement.
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Mr. Speaker, from Montreal to mission control, I rise today on behalf of the House of Commons to congratulate Quebec's own Dr. Farah Alibay, who recently helped the Perseverance rover land safely on Mars. Her academic achievements at the University of Cambridge and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her personal perseverance led her to play a key role in this mission, which could confir…
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Madam Speaker, today I rise to honour the life of Sharon Braunstein. Sharon was best known for being a pioneer in Canada's beauty industry, bringing an unprecedented level of commitment and passion to her craft. For decades, she was focused on one thing, which was lifting, empowering and supporting the women around her. However, that was not her only legacy. Throughout her life, Sharon wanted to h…
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Madam Speaker, we are proud to be the first government in history to put forward a bill that legislates carbon neutrality between now and 2050. We are diligently working, not only with Canadians but community groups as well as opposition parties, including the hon. member, to look at all possible ways that the bill could be improved upon. We look forward to moving through that process in the House…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, January and February can be difficult at the best of times when it comes to mental health, and the economic and health crisis brought on by this pandemic have added to an already difficult time. Whether I am speaking to parents, teachers, nurses, business owners, seniors or students, one thing is clear: Everyone is having a hard time coping. That is why I am rising today to thank the …
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Mr. Speaker, climate change threatens our health, our way of life and our planet. That is why our government is taking significant action to address this crisis. My hon. colleague knows that full well. We are delivering on our promise to Canadians to bring forward a strengthened climate plan that includes creating thousands of jobs across the country, ensuring that we not only meet but exceed our …
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to talk about Bill C-204, an act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. Issues around plastic and plastic waste are complex and multi-dimensional. Our government recognizes that plastic serves Canadians in many ways and plays an important role in the Canadian economy. This pandemic has shown us that some plastics play a key role in saving lives …
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