Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2) and consistent with the current policy on the tabling of treaties in Parliament, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, five treaties this morning. The first is entitled “amendments to Annex I of the International Convention against Doping in Sport” notified on October 1, 2021. The second is the exchange of letters between the Governme…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, as usual, I agree with most of what the hon. member has said. First, on the issue of women and girls in Afghanistan, it is critical. It is absolutely essential that we find ways to address it. Do I think we have bureaucratic structures and systems that sometimes get in the way? Absolutely. I have been frustrated, as have others, with respect to all of that. Some of those are put in …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, yes, absolutely. We need to work with civil society organizations. I have had conversations with Rainbow Railroad. I have had conversations with a number of organizations that are attempting to find pathways in a very, very difficult situation. I would not say that no one could have predicted what was going to happen. When the decision was made by the United States to withdraw on Se…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I agree. I believe such a review is indispensable. However, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development must also conduct its own study. That is very important.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the officials at IRCC are working day and night to do these processes. This is not something new. I was in opposition during the Harper government, and believe me, I waited years and years to help refugees at that time. The system does not work perfectly. Can we find ways to improve it? Absolutely. Let us take that to the citizenship and immigration committee, which needs to do it. …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I begin by congratulating the member for Wellington—Halton Hills on once again being the official opposition's critic and also the critic of the Bloc Québécois and the critic of the New Democrats. I begin today's discussion with two people in mind. The first is Wahida, a young Afghan girl who was nine years old when she was sponsored by the church at which I was the minister in 2001…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, obviously we have a concern about that because we already have a taxed public service. We have a holiday period coming up. We think it is unreasonable, and we have to find ways to work around that. We also have suggestions, and we have a proposal right now on how we should be handling documents that we think parliamentarians should have access to. We will find a way—
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, my apologies. I thought you were recognizing the next debater. On the question, let me be very clear that in four months, this government brought in more Afghan interpreters than the previous Conservative government brought here in four years. That is absolutely true. I know those people; they live in my riding. I am in contact with them every day. I understand what that was about. …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Chair, I will simply repeat that we will not use bully tactics. We will use steady, careful negotiating tactics using the laws at hand, whether it is the WTO mechanisms, the CUSMA mechanisms or other trade mechanisms that are in place to ensure we have fair disputes. This is not a new situation. Whether it is in Canada, the United States or any of our trading partners, we are a trading natio…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Chair, with all due respect, that is not the way international trade disputes work. The fact is that we will steadily and carefully take our case to the places where trade dispute mechanisms actually exist. I remind members of the House we have consistently won. This is because we are clear, we know where Canada stands on these issues, we listen to our industry partners, we are able to look …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Chair, I will be sharing my time with the member for Fleetwood—Port Kells. As this is my first opportunity to speak in this House during this Parliament, traditionally we all thank our voters, I will thank them, but also pledge to do my very best to uphold both their interests and their dreams for Canada. Their interests do extend to softwood lumber and this issue. I know that causes some am…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Chair, the member will know very clearly I am not privy to that information. I do not know the facts of this particular mill. I am interested in it, though. I am interested in anything where the entrepreneurial spirit of indigenous communities of Canada can be unleashed and work. This government has been more committed than any government to ensuring indigenous companies, corporations and in…
Read full speech →