Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to participate in this debate on the NDP motion submitted by the hon. member for Cowichan—Malahat—Langford in relation to the price of essential foods and the conduct of grocery giants, such as Loblaws, Metro and Sobeys. The proposed motion is timely, because by voting in favour of Bill C-59 last week, this House approved the latest initiative in the government's comprehens…
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Mr. Speaker, our government has invested and increased the budget by over $150 million to help northerners. Our government is absolutely committed to ensuring that 100% of the retail subsidy is directly passed on to northerners. Prices are too high in the north. We have worked, and will continue to work, with territorial governments, indigenous partners and people who live in the north and the Arc…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member, who has been a good friend for many years. In terms of the bills I already mentioned, whether it is Bill C-56 or Bill C-59, we are going to make sure that they bring in legislative measures and give more powers to the bureau and the controllers. In that way, they will be able to control those subsidies, including the one that the hon. member is talking…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 19th report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration in relation to the motion adopted on Monday, May 6, regarding the processing times for permanent residence pathways for Hong Kong residents. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive response to this r…
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Mr. Speaker, I have run into many different members from different communities, such as people from the Iranian community and people of Chinese origin, who have come to me and said they have been victims of foreign interference. In fact, members of Parliament from different diasporas have been victims of intimidation and acts of political interference. This motion says that we should focus on ever…
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moved: That: (a) the House recognize that, (i) Canada takes global security very seriously and has several cooperative agreements with various foreign states to share security intelligence, protect democratic institutions, maintain the rule of law, and prevent violence and terrorism, (ii) recent events, including the credible allegations of a link between agents of the Government of India and the …
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member from the Bloc Québécois for supporting this motion. As I mentioned, some steps that our government has taken include the appointment of Justice Hogue to lead a public inquiry, with a final report due by the end of the year; investing in our national security agencies to help them detect and stop malicious activities, including nearly $50 million f…
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Mr. Speaker, I had the privilege of working with the hon. member for New Westminster—Burnaby for many, many years. In fact, when I first landed in B.C., it was in New Westminster. To answer his question, yes, I am also actively advocating that the foreign registry should come into effect immediately. I would also like to thank the hon. member from the NDP for seconding this, as well as the NDP for…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, the strength of our communities is its people, especially those who commit to helping others in need. This past weekend, I attended the South Asian Community Hub’s first annual fundraising gala, which was a huge success. SACH is a non-profit organization offering wraparound services to individuals and families facing health and social challenges. Its mission is to foster the well-bein…
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Madam Speaker, when it comes to banning military-style assault rifles, our government has shown leadership. This issue is very important to my constituents as well. It was much appreciated when we banned those assault rifles. Even though the Conservative Party never supported this or the buy-back program, we are committed to that. We are committed to buying those rifles back and to taking them off…
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Madam Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for Vancouver East for the passionate work that she does for her constituents, and not only for her constituents but for the people who need it most. When it comes to investments in housing, this is the first budget that has ever made historic investments in housing, which we will continue to make so that affordable housing can be the dream of future …
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Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the very passionate and hard-working member for Châteauguay—Lacolle. I rise today to speak to budget 2024. This budget represents a significant step forward in achieving the goals set by our government to uplift Canadians and build a stronger, safer nation. Our government’s plan is to build a Canada that works better for everyone, but particularly thos…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the hon. member from British Columbia whether he supports banning assault rifles to make our communities safer. Does he support banning handguns to keep our communities safer? All police forces have come together in my part of the neighbourhood to support those initiatives. I would also like to tell the hon. member that the safe consumption sites work. People who…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the hon. member for Edmonton Mill Woods for bringing this bill forward. When it comes to extortion, B.C. is one of the provinces he mentioned. In fact, all orders of government, irrespective of their political stripe, and all police forces in Canada have to come together to find a smart and tough solution to deal with these situations. I wonder if the hon. memb…
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[Member spoke in Punjabi] [English] Mr. Speaker, this month marks the fifth anniversary of Sikh Heritage Month. This act, which I introduced as a private members' bill, received royal assent on April 30, 2019. Sikh Heritage Month allows us to celebrate and educate future generations about the inspirational role that Sikh Canadians have played and continue to play in communities across Canada. On A…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Right Hon. Brian Mulroney, a remarkable individual who served in the chamber for over a decade but who served this country his entire life. In January 1984, I immigrated to Canada. It was later that year that I witnessed my first Canadian federal election, in which the Right Hon. Brian Mulroney was first elected as the 18th Prime Minister of Canada. …
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Mr. Speaker, this week marks the 10th anniversary of Canadian School Counselling Week, celebrated by the school counsellors chapter of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. The week recognizes the contributions of the school counselling profession to the personal, social, educational and career development of students at all grade levels. School counsellors support students in th…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a community leader, Mr. Ajit Singh Badh, who passed away on January 13 at the age of 87. Mr. Ajit Singh Badh immigrated to Canada in 1969, and over half a century, he made several impactful community contributions. He was a founding member of the first Canadian Sikh Panth magazine, Sikh Samachar, and the first individual to own and operate a Punjabi-lang…
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Mr. Speaker, earlier the hon. member for New Westminster—Burnaby and the government House leader mentioned this is costing $70,000 an hour, so we should pass this on division. I, as a constituent of the hon. member for South Surrey—White Rock, request that she take this into consideration and pass it on division.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, on the anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of the Sikh religion, two local media outlets in Surrey—Newton, Connect FM and RED FM, held radiothon fundraisers. Through the generous support of the community, RED FM raised over $1 million for the Surrey Hospitals Foundation, to bring two much-needed cardiac cath labs to Surrey Memorial Hospital, which will be the fi…
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Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Battle River—Crowfoot left the chamber before the vote was counted, so his vote should not be counted.
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Madam Speaker, constituents in Surrey—Newton and across Canada are watching to see that we are investing in Canadians. They are going to see who is supporting them and who is not, so I request a recorded division.
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Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. It has been over 12 hours of continuous voting, and I want to thank all the table officers, the pages, the security officers and the support staff who have put the effort in to make this possible. The only thing it has served is the ego and the arrogance of the leader of the official opposition.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, workers have built this country and they will build the Canada of tomorrow. Our government recently introduced important legislation that would ban replacement workers. While the opposition pretends to be for workers, it has stalled the passing of the legislation. Can the Prime Minister tell workers across the country why we have their backs?
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Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the hon. minister for his leadership during the recent strike at the port. Many of the workers from my constituency wanted to thank him. I also want to thank him for bringing the legislation before us, which was long overdue. The minister mentioned certainty, stability and balance. Could the minister tell us how the bill would help workers while at the same time help…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, on November 12, in my riding of Surrey—Newton and in communities throughout Canada, both Bandi Chhor Divas and Diwali will be celebrated. On Bandi Chhor Divas, Sikhs commemorate the story of Shri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji, as we reflect on the importance of serving those in need and standing in solidarity with those facing injustices. Diwali brings people together to reflect on the vict…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, in Surrey—Newton, a team of 10 science-loving students from Princess Margaret Secondary have rocketed into the NASA-backed Human Exploration Rover Challenge, a competition taking place in April at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center located in Alabama. Students Omar Arain, Mehul Bhanot, Jasmeet Dhaliwal, Parneet Dhesi, Haardik Garg, Alex Gupta, Victor Gupta, Manroop Padda, Jeevan Sandhu an…
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Mr. Speaker, I have been in the House for many years, and I have always been respectful to the Chair and tried never to be disrespectful. However, today, it went beyond my tolerance when you, Mr. Speaker, were not respected. The rule of the House is that when the Speaker is up, every member should sit down. The Leader of the Opposition did not follow that. He was so arrogant that, time and time ag…
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Madam Speaker, each year, when the targets are revised, the government consults with the provinces and territories, including Quebec. We put resources in so immigrants can settle. There are many organizations that help. When it comes to francophone immigration, particularly outside of Quebec, the B.C. francophone association has always advocated to have more francophones settle in British Columbia…
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Madam Speaker, it is very important to have the say of the provinces and territories, and municipalities of course. The needs vary from one province to another province and from one part of the country to other parts of the country. For example, British Columbia, particularly in the cities, has a housing market that needs construction workers. We have hospitals and a health care system that need h…
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Mr. Speaker, francophone immigration is very important to British Columbia. The B.C. francophone federation does great work when it comes to helping francophones coming into British Columbia. I have a francophone school in my constituency. The minister has mentioned that when it comes to francophone immigration, the government has achieved 4.4% outside of Quebec but that more work has to be done. …
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Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Edmonton Mill Woods did not mention one category of immigrants that is key to bringing in the brightest immigrants to Canada. This is the parents category. The reason he did not mention it is that, under the previous Conservative government, it took seven years for parents to come and join their families; for spouses, it took four years. However, under the Liberals…
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Madam Speaker, I would love to wish all the kids and families in Surrey—Newton, and from coast to coast to coast, a happy Halloween. Enjoy the tricks and treats. As an immigrant, I support the motion brought forward by the Bloc Québécois. I am pleased today to rise in the House and share my time with an honourable member, who I believed in before he was elected in the by-election. I remember that …
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Madam Speaker, when it comes to Quebec, it has exclusive powers to select the majority of its immigrants. Under the Canada–Québec accord, financial compensation is given to Quebec annually to ensure that the right correlation of newcomers is there. The total funding included in the 2023-24 estimates for grants to Quebec is $726.7 million. Quebec's immigration jurisdictions are always respected—
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Madam Speaker, I totally understand how important this $4-billion accelerator fund is to the municipalities, particularly in Surrey—Newton. As I said earlier, the wait-list for the plans and projects is too long. We have to bring it down. We need to have those efforts with Quebec. Similarly, all those efforts are not only needed in Surrey, but they are needed across the country, including in Quebe…
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Madam Speaker, we are also looking to give more powers to the Competition Bureau to conduct marketing studies and compel information from companies so a decision can be made to bring the prices down.
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Madam Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise today to speak to Bill C-56, the affordable housing and groceries act. The entire world is experiencing a global inflation crisis. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine and supply chain and climate change challenges, inflation is a worldwide issue. Compared to other G7 countries, Canada has fared very well, but that does not m…
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Madam Speaker, I am very proud of the fiscal prudence our government brought to Canada. Our government absolutely understands that our job is to balance fiscal responsibility and compassion, and we have done that. If we review our record, Canada has the lowest deficit in the G7 nations. Canada also has the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7. Canada's AAA credit rating was reaffirmed just two weeks…
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Madam Speaker, I see a pattern from the hon. member for South Surrey—White Rock when it comes to misleading Canadians. I will mention two instances. The minister was in Surrey to plant trees and bring in a program to plant trees. I recall the hon. member tweeting that we did not meet the targets. In fact, the truth was that I was able to come up with the numbers that clearly show that we are ahead…
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Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. leader of the Bloc Québécois for his leadership on this file. The member mentioned that the leader of the Conservative Party did not know anything about Quebec. He has come to British Columbia a few times, but I personally believe he does not know about British Columbia either. British Columbia was the very first province—
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Madam Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to take part in this debate today. Our government is relentlessly focused on building an economy with stable prices, steady growth and abundant, good middle-class jobs. The last three years have been difficult, which has increased the financial pressure on Canadians. First the country was slammed by the COVID pandemic, then came the COVID recession,…
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Madam Speaker, I know why those members are aggravated. They know that he does not know anything about British Columbia. British Columbia was the first province to bring in a carbon tax in 2008. It covers 70% of the emissions created by fossil fuels. What are his comments about British Columbia being the leader in that future?
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Madam Speaker, I will go back to my home province of British Columbia where the government implemented carbon pricing in 2008. Now, it covers approximately 70% of the provincial greenhouse gas emissions. It helps, but there is more to be done, and our government is committed to doing that.
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Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Windsor West for bringing up this issue. I am very proud of the Liberal government. The legislation that we brought forward has always been well thought out and has helped middle-class families in Canada, whether it was to do with the Canada child benefit, the environment or safety. All the legislation that we brought forward was very well thought out and…
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Mr. Chair, on June 18, a respected community leader from my riding of Surrey—Newton was brutally killed at Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara Surrey—Delta in my constituency. I want to extend my thoughts and prayers for the soul of Mr. Hardeep Singh Nijjar to his family, friends and loved ones. The tragic assassination of Mr. Hardeep Singh Nijjar has shaken the entire community. Every Canadian deserves to f…
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Madam Chair, the hon. leader of the NDP mentioned the intimidation by the Indian government when someone speaks out against human rights violations. I can say that he has faced many challenges. I will give a personal example. When I presented a petition on genocide in 2010, I was denied a visa to India for three years. I want to know from the leader if he is aware of many situations like this of o…
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Madam Chair, after 1984, when the Golden Temple was demolished by a military attack in India, there was a genocide of Sikhs in Delhi. After that, emotions were very high in the community across the globe when he was growing up. In fact, one casualty was here at home. I am speaking of the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities, whose own maternal uncle, her mom's brother, wa…
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Madam Chair, the member mentioned in his speech that the Conservatives are not speaking in the House today and that their leader is backtracking from the statement he made yesterday in the House. I just want to find out from the hon. member if the Conservatives got a call from Prime Minister Modi or former prime minister Stephen Harper to not speak on this topic and to backtrack from the statement…
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Mr. Chair, I just want to thank the hon. member and her family, who have been involved in Sikh diaspora issues for many years. It is very important that we stand up for human rights, not only in Canada but also around the globe. Any person who tries to raise their voice, whether it is a minister in this cabinet, the leader of the NDP or myself previously, can have consequences for raising those is…
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Mr. Chair, the member is concerned about how we can all work together. Personally, I would love to see that. As members of Parliament, in 338 constituencies, we should be able to reach out to the Sikh diaspora and other diasporas that feel intimidated or at risk from foreign interference. We have to go to them and bring that voice back to the minister and the government about what can be done. It …
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