Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, we all know that life for Canadians is a little tough right now. We will continue to work together to improve the situation. We will continue to work with all the provinces and Quebec to help on various fronts, particularly on the issue of food for children. We will continue to work together to do just that.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, it is unacceptable that there are children in this country, whoever and wherever they may be, who are having trouble getting enough to eat. Everyone must have access to food. There is no denying that we need to keep working with the provinces and we will continue to work closely with them to fix the situation. That is very important to all of us here.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, the unfortunate and deeply embarrassing events in this House a couple of weeks ago have provided us an important reminder of the need for Holocaust education. For those of us from metro Vancouver, the work of the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre in my riding of Vancouver Granville seeks to do exactly this. Through education and remembrance it engages students, educators and the br…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, there is no question that Canada has been working and continues to work for the country in the region. Yesterday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs announced the appointment of a new ambassador to continue this work on Canada's behalf. We will remain a partner for the country in the region. Clearly, the situation there today is very dangerous for the people in the region. It is very imp…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I think it is very important that any time Canada is involved in anything related to the sale of arms, to arms agreements, etc., that they not be used outside the purpose for which they were intended or used to harm civilians. I think we have to really think very carefully and act in a way that gives us confidence that what we are sharing, particularly with NATO partners, is not misus…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite knows very well that we have a strong policy related to our arms control. He also knows our position on Turkey vis-à-vis this issue. He knows the actions that we have taken in the past, and he knows that we have been unequivocal in that.
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the Minister of Foreign Affairs. I just want to begin my comments by speaking to the many Armenian Canadians who live in my riding of Vancouver Granville and expressing my own grave concern about what has been happening over the course of the last few days in Nagorno-Karabakh and in terms of the potential humanitarian catastrophe that may unfold. I wan…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to rise and speak on Bill C-41. First, I want to begin by thanking all of my colleagues from all parties who have been working hard at this, particularly my colleague from Oakville North—Burlington, who has really made this, in many ways, an important part of all of the work that she has done in Parliament. I think we should be very proud that we are at this point. O…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for her impassioned speech but, more importantly, for the work that she has done and for the work that she continues to do to advocate for those less fortunate around the world. Perhaps I do not have as much experience as my colleague, but I have had the privilege of working with NGOs that are doing a tremendous amount of work in Afghanistan. I …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I have been plagued by this question for quite some time. All of us have an obligation to protect the interests of our constituents, to make sure that we improve their quality of life. If those of us in the Chamber can benefit from publicly funded dental care, we have an obligation to protect the interests of our constituents from coast to coast to coast who need it and should have …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I think we are all seized with the challenge of food security. We all need to be taking it seriously. There is also a bit of a false dichotomy in saying that we simply cannot be thinking about food insecurity if we are thinking about fuel standards and about how we deal with energy in this country. It is important for us to be able to make the right investments in promoting food sec…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I share with the hon. member a desire to deal with climate change in a meaningful and thoughtful way. With respect to the direction of the decisions the government has taken, we have put in some of the most substantial measures ever in this country to combat climate change. Different and changing circumstances require us to be adaptive in the way in which we respond, but our commitm…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, my hon. colleague gave a very important speech. As I listened to what he was saying, I was reflecting on the things that are in this budget, such as dental care, support for improving our health care across the country, dealing with climate change and supporting our most vulnerable. My question for the hon. member is this: Why are the opposition and the Leader of the Opposition so i…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is a great joy for me to rise today in support of Bill C-47 for a couple of reasons. One reason is that this is a budget that is focused on Canadians. It is a budget that is focused on increasing affordability and improving the quality of life for Canadians. However, it is also important for us to use this occasion to understand and articulate to Canadians what the opposition is …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the overdose and toxic drug supply crisis is having a devastating impact on Canadian communities and families of all backgrounds from all walks of life. From Fort Mac to St. John's, from downtown Montreal to my own riding of Vancouver Granville, the illegal supply laced with toxic substances is killing people. Moms Stop the Harm, a network of Canadian families impacted by substance us…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, as has now become very clear, I am a member of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security. We have spent months on the legislation. I thank my colleague from Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia and my colleague from New Westminster—Burnaby for their work and their co-operation. We worked together to introduce a better bill for Canada and for Canadians. It is also im…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is a privilege to rise today on legislation that I know will help save lives in our country. I am very pleased to see the member for Kildonan—St. Paul. We missed her at committee the last couple of days.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I apologize to the member opposite unequivocally.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I do recall overlapping with him, and we had excellent exchanges at committee. I think it is important for Canadians to get their information where the information actually resides, and not from misinformation. The facts are clear. The legislation is clear, and the amendments are clear. I would invite any Canadian who is concerned about whether they are affected to read the law and …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her comments and her hard work on this file in committee. I cannot speak for the minister, but it is important for us to work together to improve our laws when we have the opportunity to do it, so we can protect Canadians' lives. The reality of a minority Parliament is that we have to collaborate with the other parties. I am very proud of the work we have do…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his hard work on this and his partnership in committee. However, it is not for me to determine why Conservatives would choose to block such an important piece of legislation. The only thing I can say is that it has been a very useful fundraising tool, and I think perhaps that may be their motivation, but I cannot speak to anything beyond that. I am perple…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech. One thing we heard from the Conservatives is their refrain that we want to take hunting rifles away from hunters and Canadians living in rural areas. We know that is not true. I believe that the member also represents a rural riding. Can she explain why she is comfortable with this definition of firearms so we can reassure Canadians from rural ar…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his work in committee and for his efforts in helping us all work together. I think we can all agree that we have achieved a good piece of legislation together. The work we did on ghost guns is critically important. Those of us from the Lower Mainland in Vancouver have heard police forces talking a lot about the importance of getting this right. The member…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, the 34th edition of the Festival d'été francophone de Vancouver will be held from June 14 to 25 at the Centre culturel francophone de Vancouver, which is in Vancouver Granville, and at other venues across Vancouver. This year, there will be 12 concerts featuring francophone artists from British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario and elsewhere. As usual, the festival will draw big names in Fren…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I listened with great interest to my colleague, with whom I serve on the public safety committee. He reflected on his career in law enforcement and his profound shock and disappointment at the foreign interference and the intimidation of the member for Wellington—Halton Hills. We all share that concern. I also note that the member opposite spent a considerable amount of time talking…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the hon. member opposite, having supported the convoy, and having met with the organizers of the convoy, if he is equally concerned about Russia's interference in amplifying the message of the convoy. If so, what does he propose to do about Russia's interference in that situation?
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, today marks World Ovarian Cancer Day. On this day, I would like to share the story of a constituent of mine who fought this debilitating disease that takes more than five Canadian women every single day. Erin Barrett is an ovarian cancer survivor and the proud chair of Ovarian Cancer Canada's board of directors. She was first diagnosed when she was 36 weeks pregnant with her daughter …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the hon. member noted that she was dealing with the criteria. She has ignored one important criteria that seeks to take the conversation—
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I was glad to hear the hon. member in her speech refer to the Vancouver Police Department and the concerns it has expressed about ghost guns. One of the things that is really important in my community is that we address the proliferation of these ghost guns, which are being seen more and more in criminal activity. What delays would be caused and what are the consequences of not movi…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, every single member in this House belongs to what I consider to be a parliamentary family. We may not agree on politics. We may not agree on policy. However, one thing that is important to me, as a Canadian and as somebody whose family left very difficult circumstances to come to this country because of the democracy we hold dear, is that I take threats to any member of this House v…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, allow me to clarify. That is not what I said. Asking questions and getting answers to those questions is very important. However, the danger, or the issue, arises when our rhetoric or our words are meant to create mistrust in our institutions. The act of asking questions in this chamber is critically important. I welcome, and we all welcome, these questions, but we should draw a fun…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, the way that the process works is that CSIS determines what the briefing should look like. If it rises to the level that it should reach the Prime Minister or the ministers, CSIS makes that determination. If that is not the case, and I am given to understand that it was not the case for the member for Wellington—Halton Hills, a defensive briefing is given to that particular member. …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is absolutely essential that every Canadian knows that we take very seriously the activity of foreign diplomats in this country. Concerning the Vienna Convention, any time the Vienna Convention is invoked and diplomats are expelled, it is important that countries do the work required to understand, number one, the implications, and number two, what implications might be felt by C…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I have not received a briefing of any kind from CSIS. I would say, as somebody who has worked in the public service, and who had the privilege of working with the folks at CSIS and the RCMP, briefings, when given, are taken seriously. When people are called by CSIS, those briefings should be taken seriously. What CSIS shares with one individual, when they are being briefed, is not n…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, as Liberals from across Canada gather in Ottawa this weekend, we will be missing a woman who left an indelible mark on our Vancouver Liberal family. On April 25, Audrey Sojonky, a tireless advocate for women in politics, passed away peacefully at her home in West Vancouver. She dedicated her life to education and to giving back to her community. She believed deeply in a progressive, i…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, in the remaining time I have, I would just like to say a couple of things. CSIS has been reporting on the challenges to our democracy and foreign interference since 2013. That was a time when many of the members opposite were part of the government, and the prime minister of the day chose not to act. The minister for democratic reform, who is now the Leader of the Opposition, chose …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, given all of the conversations that have been happening this morning, I want to begin by being very clear. On this side of the House, our government has zero tolerance for foreign interference. We take any attempt to undermine our democracy seriously, and we will continue to take all the actions that are necessary to protect our institutions. This is not a partisan issue, and it sho…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, as I said, they do so by cultivating witting or unwitting individuals to assist them, which enables them to operate with plausible deniability on Canadian soil. That is why it constitutes a threat to Canada's social cohesion, sovereignty and, indeed, our national security. That is why it is so important for us to double down on protecting our democratic processes and the values that…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I want to go back to what I was saying. I think we all recognize on this side of the House the concerns Canadians have. I want to reassure them that our government is taking these concerns very seriously. We are taking the proactive measures that are required to thwart outside meddling in our institutions and in our democracy, and we are going to safeguard our democratic institution…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, if the use of that word was offensive, I unreservedly apologize and withdraw the word. Instead, I would say that the name-calling from the opposition and the ongoing chirping do not help progress the conversation on working toward our democracy—
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, there are still too many victims of sexual violence. We know how important it is for police forces to have access to tools such as the national sex offender registry, to investigate and prevent sexual violence. We also know that the criminal justice process can be daunting for victims. Could the Minister of Justice tell us more about the bill we introduced to protect Canadians and emp…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, this is National Tourism Week. The tourism sector is a vital part of the economy of British Columbia and indeed Canada. It has been hit hard in recent years. Can the Minister of Tourism tell the House what the government is doing for this sector, which is so vital to the economy?
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I was listening to the speech by my colleague with great interest when he talked about the importance of reducing the cost of living for Canadians. I reflect on some of the things that our government has done, including working with every single province to implement affordable child care. I would love for the hon. member across the aisle to explain to Canadians and to us why he and h…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, next Wednesday, the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation will host its annual spring banquet. The foundation is dedicated to the revitalization of one of Vancouver’s most historic neighbourhoods, honouring a culture and community established in Vancouver over 100 years ago. It is building a more resilient and inclusive community, and preserving Chinatown’s irreplaceable cultural heritage, t…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise in this House to speak on behalf of my riding of Vancouver Granville. I want to talk a bit about the measures in budget 2023 that would improve the lives of my constituents in Vancouver Granville and indeed individuals across Canada. A lot of issues have been discussed over the course of the last little while. My friend and colleague just gave an important spee…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his advocacy. It is important for us to recognize a few things. First of all, our government has made historic investments in ensuring inclusivity and building an inclusive economy that considers the challenges faced by those with disabilities. There is always more we can do, and it is important for us to find ways, as we move forward, to make additional in…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, as the member across is well aware, every single member on this side of the House in our caucus is fully supportive of those measures. These are important measures to reduce the financialization of the housing market in this country. We are going to keep taking those up. I note the Conservatives continue to oppose those measures, and I would love for the member opposite to be explain …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, it is very complicated to get into a debate about our relationship with the monarchy. This is a very important subject for many Canadians, regardless of their point of view. Debates about our institutions that have a long-standing history and practice in our Constitution are things that are worthy of discussion and consideration. We should always be willing to have those conversations…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, this April marks the beginning of the Canadian Cancer Society's daffodil campaign, which raises awareness of and funding for Canadians who have been diagnosed with cancer, and for cancer research. We all know someone who has been affected by cancer: a friend, a parent, a child or a neighbour. Those affected are almost 50% of Canadians, young or old and from all backgrounds. This is wh…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, our government will always stand with Canadian workers and families. Measures like $10-a-day child care, support for renters and dental care for children are just a few of the measures we have brought in that are making a real difference in the lives of families across Canada. The federal minimum wage will increase to $16.65 an hour on April 1. This increase will benefit thousands of …
Read full speech →