Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, it is important that we commemorate Canada's history, but let us not pretend that the only place we are able to do that is inside the pages of our passport. I know about Vimy Ridge because I have read books about it, researched it independently and talked to veterans who served in the military. I know that Brigadier-General A. E. Ross said, “in those few minutes I witnessed the birth …
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my esteemed colleague for her question. This is a challenge not just for Quebec businesses, but also for francophone communities across the country, where it is a big problem. When touring the community of Saint‑Quentin in northern New Brunswick, we introduced a new pilot program for essential workers. When I visited the plants that were using this immigration program, I saw w…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for her service before politics to support newcomers in the community that she calls home. There are a number of different reasons why I think we need to embrace immigration if we are going to benefit from what diversity can offer our communities. In particular, there is a reason we need to continue to bring more French-speaking newcomers to communities across Canad…
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Mr. Speaker, I have a clear answer because, today, a new applicant coming through the federal express entry system is expected to take six months. The posted timelines reflect applications that may have been approved recently but that may have been in the system for a significant period of time. There is presently an anomaly because we have gotten through the majority of the cases that have been i…
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Mr. Speaker, I just want to clarify something. There is a reason why Prince Edward Island has four seats in the House of Commons. We have an obligation, under the Constitution, to maintain that number of seats in the House, and so does the other place. Any immigration policy will have more profound implications than that. The policy affects more than just the number of seats in the House of Common…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my dear colleagues for giving me the opportunity to take part in the important debate we are having here in the House of Commons today. I would also like to thank my colleagues for their support as I attempt to improve the quality of my French. Members from every party have helped me learn this new language. When I arrived in Ottawa after the 2015 election, I did…
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Mr. Speaker, in my opinion, immigration is essential to grow the economy and meet the demographic challenge posed by the aging population. I completely agree with the principle that it is important to make the necessary investments to ensure a good quality of life for newcomers. It is up to Quebec to decide how many newcomers will settle in Quebec under the Canada-Quebec accord. However, if the me…
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Mr. Speaker, it is very important that nobody in the House claims a monopoly over caring for our national heroes, such as Terry Fox, or claims a monopoly over caring about our nation's history. The reality is that over the past 10 years, an exercise to consult Canadians was taken on to understand what people wanted reflected in their travel document. We have themes recognizing the different region…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for her advocacy on behalf of the Canadian Pakistani community, as well as my other caucus colleagues who recently approached me to discuss this issue. I have good news. Today an application for a TRV from a Pakistani applicant is expected to take 60 days. We anticipate, very soon, returning to the 30-day standard we enjoyed before the pandemic. The website …
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to share with members of the House that my hon. colleague is deeply mistaken. With regard to the ability of Canadians to get their passports in a timely way, I want to credit the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development for her work to eliminate the backlogs so Canadians can get passports for travel where and when they were needed. With respect to the changes…
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Mr. Speaker, that is interesting. It is obvious that my friend across the way did not read the federal government's plan for immigration levels. If he had read the chapter on francophone immigration, then he would know that it is possible to create a system that will welcome the largest number of francophone newcomers in the history of Canada. That is the government's plan right now. However, the …
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to let the hon. member know that from the very time we formed government we have been laser-focused on making life more affordable for Canadians. I note that at every step along the way when we have cut taxes for the middle class or delivered benefits directly to families, the Conservatives have reliably been there to vote against the measures we put forward. With respect…
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Mr. Speaker, the purpose of the federal government's immigration plan is to grow our economy. People need to recognize that it is possible to grow the economy while protecting the French language and francophones' demographic weight. We will continue to increase the number of francophone newcomers. That is good for official language minority communities and it is good for our economy too.
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Madam Speaker, I move: That the House do now adjourn. (Motion agreed to)
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Mr. Speaker, as my hon. colleague, the Minister of Environment, pointed out just a few minutes ago, that member campaigned in the last federal election under a commitment to implement carbon pricing. The reality is that we have discovered a way to make sure that we put a price on pollution that makes it more expensive for polluters to damage our atmosphere at the same time as we put more money in …
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Mr. Speaker, that is very interesting. It is clear that the hon. member has read the McKinsey plan and the Century Initiative plan. It is equally clear that he has not read the Government of Canada's plan. If he is interested in reading that plan, as I am and as our government is, I can easily send him an email with the chapter on francophone immigration after question period. I have one priority:…
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Mr. Speaker, I am making decisions that are essential to supporting our economy and ensuring population growth in our community. It is important that every member of the House understand that protecting the demographic weight of francophones in this country can be achieved while also increasing the number of newcomers. As the member well knows, it is up to the Government of Quebec to set the immig…
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Mr. Speaker, it is essential that every member of the House understand that it is possible to increase the number of newcomers in general while protecting the demographic weight of francophones across the country. That is clear because, last year, for the first time in our country's history, our government met its target of 4.4% of francophone newcomers. That is very important. Last year, we also …
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Mr. Speaker, I have good news for my colleague. Our government is the one making the decisions on our country's immigration policy. It is not Mr. Barton, and it is not the Century Initiative. This is very important. Our government's perspective is economic, social and demographic. It is essential to consider these factors because when we use them, we make the right decisions for our country. Last …
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Mr. Speaker, my friend is totally missing the mark. In reality, it is up to the Government of Quebec to set immigration thresholds for that province. If members from the Bloc Québécois want the federal government to establish these thresholds for the Province of Quebec, then I invite them to appeal to my counterpart, Minister Fréchette. It would be interesting to hear how that conversation goes. I…
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Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, it is not up to me to defend the Century Initiative's decisions. However, it is up to me to put forward ideas for our government. I am the one who decides on the targets set out in the federal government's immigration plan. Those targets take into account economic and social factors, particularly the decision to increase the number of francophone newcomers. Last y…
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Mr. Speaker, the crisis situation during the evacuation in Kabul presented extraordinary challenges. Despite those challenges, thousands of people were able to escape and their lives were saved. I am so pleased to share that there are more than 30,000 Afghan refugees living in Canada today as a result of this initiative. These are people I have met. They are living in our communities. I happened t…
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Mr. Speaker, the evacuation of Kabul was an absolute crisis situation. The response by the Government of Canada during that time saved thousands of lives. I am pleased to share with members of the House that, today, there are more than 30,000 vulnerable Afghan refugees who have received a second lease on life. When it comes to the issuance of facilitation letters, we used those to move people thro…
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Mr. Speaker, there is no question that there are Canadians across this country who have been having a hard time with the cost of living, but we should put this into perspective. Over the course of the economic recovery from COVID-19, we have now seen more than 850,000 people with a job today who did not have one before the pandemic. However, to help those people who are still struggling, we are ma…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his advocacy over the years. I have known him to support some of the world's most vulnerable. We know that when refugees or displaced people come to Canada they arrive with a heck of a lot more than what they are carrying in their bags. These are people who have skills to contribute. They will grow our economy and give back to the communities that have gi…
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Mr. Speaker, talking about targets, when it comes to our emissions, I would remind the hon. member that the target we have set is for the year 2030. I would remind all members of this House that 2030 is seven years from now. We are going to continue to work to hit that target, as we have projected we would. However, it is telling that when the Conservatives are confronted with an analysis that the…
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Mr. Speaker, I would point out that the exact same report from the PBO confirms that eight out of 10 Canadian households will receive more from the climate action dividend than they pay out in any fuel charge. What is fascinating is that if the hon. member actually considers the analysis behind the report, the only expenditure he is referring to assumes that the alternative is taking no further ac…
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Mr. Speaker, if my hon. colleague is asking what the Prime Minister is standing up for, he is standing up for the people who live in my community, like the low-income families who now receive more through the Canada child benefit than they did when the Conservatives were in power. He is standing up for workers' rights to collect their Canada pension plan, which the opposition leader has criticized…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague not just for her question but for being on hand to welcome that charter flight, which marks the arrival of the 30,000th Afghan refugee in this country. To put this into perspective, I live in a town with less than 10,000 people. Repeat it three times over: that many people have been given a new lease on life. However, we know that there are thousands…
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Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives' argument rests upon the premise that the alternative to putting a price on pollution is to do nothing to fight climate change. Every measure that they have put forward would have a greater cost than putting a price on pollution. Look to the court decisions, including those from western Canada, that said putting a price on pollution is the most effective way to comba…
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to correct the record. The hon. member knows that Canadians will receive more than they actually pay as a result of the increased prices. The only thing that the Conservatives' argument hedges upon is the belief that the alternative is to take no action—
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Mr. Speaker, I would remind the hon. member that, despite the extraordinary need to respond to a once-in-a-century global pandemic, Canada maintains the healthiest fiscal position of any G7 economy. The reality is that it is fascinating for me to watch the Conservatives refuse to acknowledge the measures we are putting in place to support Canadians. These are the measures to ensure that people can…
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Mr. Speaker, we have been doing the right thing since we first formed government in 2015. When we formed government, the very first thing we did was raise taxes on the wealthiest 1% so we could cut them for the middle class. Then we decided to stop sending child care cheques to millionaires so we could put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 Canadian families. Through the pandemic, we were…
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Mr. Speaker, Canada has a proud tradition of resettling some of the world's most vulnerable people. Of course we, through the pandemic, resettled more refugees than any other country in the world. We know that when people come here, having the desire to travel and to see loved ones in other parts of the world is a priority for them. Over the course of the past year and a half, we have made signifi…
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Mr. Speaker, as the member well knows, closing Roxham Road is not a simple matter. It is essential that we work with the communities, with the province and with our partners in the United States. I will continue to work with our partners in the United States and in Canada to ensure that Canada meets its obligations to refugee claimants.
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Mr. Speaker, suspending the agreement with the United States will just move the problem elsewhere. It is not a real solution. It is essential that we work with communities across the country. It is essential that we continue our work with the United States and the provinces. I have a meeting with my counterpart from Quebec. I will continue to work with her and with the other provinces and communit…
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Madam Speaker, I am beginning to feel tired of the way the Conservatives begin their questions by talking down Canada. I am proud to be from this country. There is not a country I would rather call home. Are there challenges with communities that are welcoming asylum seekers right now? Absolutely there are. We have worked with members of the community in Cornwall in the past, and we will work with…
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Madam Speaker, with respect to the resettlement effort and support for asylum seekers who are seeking safe haven in Canada, we want to ensure that we are working with all provinces so that the disproportionate pressures that happen at border communities are not felt in a single place. Regarding his allegation that the immigration system is somehow broken, I would like to correct the record. We hav…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question. It is vital that we continue to work with our partners. My department's representatives have had many discussions with our American counterparts about modernizing the agreement with the U.S. and finding a permanent solution. At the same time, we must continue to work with the Province of Quebec. It is important that we meet our obligations to s…
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Madam Speaker, the decision to suspend the agreement with the United States will only shift the problem elsewhere. There is no magic solution. It is essential to continue our work with our American partners to modernize our agreements with them. At the same time, we must continue to co-operate with our counterparts in the province of Quebec to support their efforts. This is an important issue. It …
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Mr. Speaker, it is disappointing to see the Conservatives try to create fear among Canadians for political gain, when we understand they are vulnerable. He should know that his constituents will actually, on average, receive more money as the result of the policy to put a price on pollution. It is extraordinary to me that the Conservatives have a plan to take money away from families so they can g…
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Mr. Speaker, I can assure the hon. member that we are taking the issue very seriously, and we are working to verify the claims that were reported in the Post just a few days ago. The reality is that a long-term solution is being negotiated with the United States through the modernization of the safe third country agreement. We are working very closely with our provincial counterparts in the meanti…
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Mr. Speaker, we know that Canadians are struggling, and that is why we continue to advance programs that put more money in their pockets. I have spent seven years in this chamber watching the Conservatives use the families that might be in need as an excuse to do nothing on climate change because they do not see that climate change is costing families dearly. They should come to my community. They…
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Mr. Speaker, this is no laughing matter. Debates in the House of Commons should be taken seriously. Our government collaborated with the Province of Quebec. It participated in talks to modernize the agreement with the United States and come up with a permanent solution. My friend is trying to pick a fight, but what I have to offer is a solution.
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Mr. Speaker, the solution my friend is proposing would only shift the problem elsewhere. There is no magic solution here. Serious solutions are needed. Last week, I met with my Quebec counterpart to discuss both a solution and the federal government's role in supporting the Quebec government's efforts. Meanwhile, our government is continuing its work to modernize the agreement with the United Stat…
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Mr. Speaker, the hon. member represents communities that are very much similar in kind to the ones that are in my backyard, and the reality is that the policies we have introduced over the last seven years in government are making a meaningful difference. We can look at the Canada child benefit, which puts more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 Canadian families. We changed that program, so w…
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Mr. Speaker, I empathize with any member of the House who wants to do more to support vulnerable seniors from a low-income background in my home province of Nova Scotia. The reality is that the programs we have been putting in place since 2015 have been designed specifically to help people such as Maynard. We can look at the increase to old age security. We can look at the increase to the guarante…
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Mr. Speaker, I trust everyone in the House wants to tackle the challenges Canadian families are facing when it comes to affordability. What confuses me is the Conservatives seem to not understand that the plan to put a price on pollution is going to put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 Canadian families. The reality is that they would take that money from families so they could make it …
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Mr. Speaker, it is important to understand that every member of the House wants to tackle the challenges families are facing when it comes to affordability. That is why we put a plan in place to put a price on pollution that will put more money in the pockets of nine out of 10 Canadian families. Their strategy is to take money from those families so they can make it free to pollute, and there is a…
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Mr. Speaker, some Conservative voices who have historically supported a carbon price include Preston Manning and Stephen Harper. Doug Ford's chief budget adviser testified before the Senate in 2016, saying that this was the most effective thing we could do to reduce emissions. We have discovered a way to put more money in the pockets of Canadians. At the same time, we have an effective policy to r…
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