Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, that is an important question. I want to make it very clear to all members of the House that our government takes foreign interference very seriously. We are aware of the concerns around the RCMP's contract with Sinclair Technologies, and it is our understanding that the RCMP has suspended that contract. We are also undertaking a review to ensure that never at any point is Canadian …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I rise to present a petition on behalf of my constituents here in Ottawa Centre. The petition concerns the corporate social responsibility of Canadian companies, in particular as it relates to human rights abuses and environmental damage around the world. The petitioners from my community want to make sure that companies, Canadian companies in particular, prevent adverse human rights …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, housing is a human right. I am proud of our government that is investing in building affordable and social housing in our communities. In fact, these investments in building new homes are taking place now. Just last week, I was honoured to announce funding for 240 new affordable homes in my community of Ottawa Centre, along with our Minister of Housing. This includes projects led by C…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to rise today, following Veterans' Week, to highlight the work veterans across my community of Ottawa Centre have been doing to commemorate and remember those lost serving our country at home and abroad. I was honoured to begin this year's Veterans' Week by taking part in a community-led ceremony, organized by local veterans, at the Brantwood Place Gates in Old Ott…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I have two petitions to present on behalf of my constituents of Ottawa Centre. As we all know, climate change is real and is a concern for all of us. It is something that I hear about regularly from members of my community in Ottawa Centre. Both petitions deal with the issue of climate change. The first petition talks about the role that businesses and companies can play in protecti…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I enjoy being recognized as the member for Ottawa Centre, because those are the great people who have given me the opportunity to serve them in this place. As always, every single day it is an honour to represent my community. I am thrilled to speak on Bill S-245. I heard the comments of members who spoke on it and I too speak in support of the bill. I am a proud Canadian and very m…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I think we all recognize that the world has just gone through a global pandemic that has threatened so many lives, including the lives of Canadians. We as a government had to take every step necessary to ensure that Canadians were safe and protected. That is why we made sure that we invested in vaccinations and got Canadians vaccinated as quickly as possible. That included our Canadia…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I join my Ottawa caucus colleagues to congratulate Mark Sutcliffe, the new mayor of our nation's capital. Mark is a community leader. He has an incredible capacity to bring people together, to listen and to be a mayor for all of Ottawa. I also want to thank Catherine McKenney for running a strong campaign and really having a positive vision for our community. We thank Catherine for th…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, I can tell members from first-hand experience, as the local member of Parliament for the area, that the occupation and downtown Ottawa were extremely distressing for the residents who live in the downtown core, and for many businesses. The federal government worked extremely closely with the municipal government and its provincial counterparts to make sure all the resources that wer…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, I do want to again stress the fact that the commissioner testified to parliamentarians at a committee in July, where she said, “I did not receive direction and I was not influenced by government officials regarding the public release of information”. She is stating exactly the practice, which is that politicians do not interfere in police operations or police investigations. Our gov…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, the members opposite can ask the same question as many ways as possible. The answer remains the same. In our democracy, one of the fundamental principles is that we, the government, do not interfere in any police operation or police investigation.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, I can tell members that the federal government was engaged in ensuring that we ended the illegal occupation of Ottawa and the illegal closure of our borders as well. We worked very closely with local police authorities that were responsible for providing policing here, in the case of Ottawa for instance, by providing resources as they were needed. At the end of the day, we needed to…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, I agree with the member. In our democracy, politicians do not interfere in police operations or police investigations, and they did not do so in this matter. We did not interfere in a police operation or a police investigation. That was confirmed by the commissioner herself when she testified before a parliamentary committee in July of this year. She clearly said she was not asked t…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, the independence of police operations is a key principle in our democracy and one that our government deeply respects. At no time did our government attempt to interfere in police operations.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, what happened in Nova Scotia by way of the mass shooting is an absolute tragedy. Innocent people lost their lives. Our focus has been to ensure that through this inquiry—
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, the independence of police operations is a key principle in our democracy and one that our government deeply respects. At no time did our government attempt to interfere in police operations. That has never taken place. It is a sacrosanct principle of our democracy and we will always live by it.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, at no point did our government attempt to direct or otherwise interfere in the police operation that was taking place after that tragic incident that took place in Nova Scotia. Let me quote again what the commissioner said in a parliamentary committee on July 25. She stated, “Let me be clear. I did not interfere in the investigation, I did not receive direction and I was not influen…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, I will restate this really important principle, because it is worth repeating. In our democratic system, politicians do not interfere in police operations or police investigations. At no point did our government instruct anyone to release any information, because we would never violate the sacrosanct principle of non-interference in a police investigation or police operation, as was…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, I want to remind the member opposite again, and I am sure he is aware of this most important principle in our democracy. Politicians do not interfere in police operations. They do not interfere in police investigations. That is a sacrosanct principle that our government will always live by. At no point ever did the minister or the government interfere in a matter of police operation…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, let me repeat, once again: At no point did our government attempt to direct or otherwise interfere with police operations. Let me quote what the commissioner herself stated as testimony to parliamentarians. She said: Let me be clear. I did not interfere in the investigation, I did not receive direction and I was not influenced by government officials regarding the public release of …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, the member opposite knows really well that one of the most fundamental principles of our democracy is that politicians do not interfere in police investigations or police operations. Let me be absolutely clear. We believe that this is a sacrosanct principle of our democracy and at no moment, ever, has our government interfered in police investigations or police operations, nor will …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, let me first reiterate our government's sincere condolences to those who lost loved ones in this unbelievable act of violence. I am keeping them in my thoughts. The independence of police operations is a key principle of our democracy and one that our government deeply respects. At no point did our government attempt to interfere with police operations.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, as we are coming to the end of Small Business Week, let me take members on a very quick tour of the incredible small businesses in my community of Ottawa Centre. There is Devinder Chaudhary, owner of the Aiana Restaurant Collective in downtown Ottawa, who is changing the restaurant industry by paying his staff a living wage. Then there is Paula Naponse of Beandigen Cafe in Lansdowne…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Our focus, Madam Speaker, through the inquiry, has been to make sure we learn the lessons on how to prevent such mass shootings ever taking place in any part of Canada. That investigation was led by the RCMP. The government did not interfere in that investigation, because that is a fundamental principle of our democracy. Politicians do not interfere with police operations.
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize a resident of my community of Ottawa—Centre who has been an invaluable resource to the House of Commons. That person is Heather Bradley, Director of Communications at the Office of the Speaker, who is leaving us after 28 years of service to begin her well-deserved retirement. Throughout her time on Parliament Hill, Heather Bradley has served five Speakers ove…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Kingston and the Islands for his timely comments about the need for this legislation and how it is going to help hard-working Canadians who are suffering as a result of inflation. I have also heard from a lot of people who took the advice of the Leader of the Opposition on cryptocurrency because somehow they thought it was a legitimate way of investing t…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise today on the traditional territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe people to pay my respects and commemorate those lost as a result of our nation's colonial past. Tomorrow is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, an opportunity to reflect on the tragic history of colonialism and the intergenerational impacts of residential schools. On a day such as this, I often talk to my…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I want to convey my sympathies with the member in what his constituents are facing in Newfoundland and Labrador. Everyone is playing a very important role in providing care and services to members of communities who are affected by the storm. We have a long-standing relationship with Red Cross. It has a demonstrated ability to provide services at a large scale, as we are seeing right …
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the Minister of National Defence. While it is always an honour to speak in this place, I deeply wish it was under different circumstances. Canadians from coast to coast to coast have seen the terrible images coming out of Atlantic Canada and eastern Quebec over the weekend. Homes have been destroyed by fallen trees, had their roofs blown off by extreme w…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, let me first of all extend my gratitude to the member opposite. I know his community has been directly hit and he has been actively trying to help his constituents. I have offered my assistance to him. I am available if he needs any information. I know that just this morning, the Prime Minister and I, along with the member for Ottawa South, visited Hydro Ottawa crews that were going t…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question. As I was saying earlier, we need to continue to invest in adaptation strategies. We know that weather-related events impacted by climate change are becoming more frequent because climate change is real. We need to make sure we are not only fighting pollution by not making pollution free and not only curbing pollution to fight climate change, but in…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, our focus right now is to provide the necessary help so those who are affected, and there are many unfortunately, can recover, and to restore power and get fresh water back to them so they can get to their workplaces. In our effort, we have learned, as the member stated, that when we prepare for emergencies like these, our response is better and we can prevent the …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to speak to Bill C-30, which is an act to amend the Income Tax Act as it relates to the goods and services tax and harmonized sales tax credits. It is a bill that is very much focused on targeted tax relief for the most deserving in our communities. However, before I speak to the bill, I just want to quickly state that as this is the first time I am…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I want to first thank my friend from across the way and his party for supporting Bill C-30. It is a very positive step for all Canadians, and hopefully all parties will be supporting this important piece of legislation. Yes, we do hope the inflation will abate. That is why programs such as the child care and dental programs are important. It is because they are permanent in nature. …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I welcome my colleague's question. If one looks at the kind of programs we are putting in place, taking child care as an example, it is not a program without a plan. It is a program that has been sought for a very long time by Canadians, especially Canadian women, who have argued that, for them to thrive economically, we need to make sure there is affordable child care available coa…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, we work our very best when we work with each other, share ideas and put them in place. I am really happy to see our government is working well with the NDP and making sure we work in a collaborative way that is in the best interest of Canadians. I am happy to see the opposition supporting this important initiative as well, because that means Canadians are going to be first. We have …
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, following the last two years of pandemic hardship, downtown Ottawa has changed significantly. Downtown office workers from communities across the region have changed their commuting habits. A business community that once relied on daily foot traffic of tens of thousands is struggling to get by. Ottawa's transit system, once envisioned to bring workers from the suburbs to downtown, has…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I am so pleased to rise today to welcome back, after two long years of waiting, the in-person Italian Week Ottawa celebrations in my community of Ottawa Centre. Italian Week is focused on creating exciting experiences that share Italian culture with all of us. The events scheduled this year include a film screening, master classes, children's bedtime stories and much more. The grand f…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, given the member was involved in the initial study that was done by the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, perhaps he could outline some of the other recommendations that were part of the report on juror support.
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak to Bill S-206, an act to amend the Criminal Code relating to disclosure of information by jurors. We heard quite eloquently from the member for St. Albert—Edmonton of the need for and importance of the bill. I want to thank him again for his leadership, determination and co-operation with all members in this House and the Senate in getting the bill to this point. I wil…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I listened very intently to the member opposite's comments on Bill C-5. I had the opportunity to sit on the justice committee where the bill was deliberated. We heard from witness after witness talking about the negative impact of mandatory minimum sentences, especially on those who are of indigenous or racialized backgrounds. I want to talk to the point around discretion. In the me…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a remarkable person from my riding of Ottawa Centre who will be celebrating her 100th birthday on June 25. Rita Margaret MacKenzie Markey moved to Ottawa when she was 18 years old to help support her mother. She worked hard and was employed in this very House as a transcriber of Hansard. She is a proud Canadian who takes pride in the fact that she has vo…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, I can tell the member opposite that the storm impacted my community right here in Ottawa. We need to invest in building resiliency in our infrastructure. That is why there is an over $3-billion mitigation and adaptation fund available. We will continue to work with our respective local communities so that planning can take place and we can invest in building more resilient infrastru…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, over the May long weekend, my community of Ottawa Centre and many others across eastern Ontario and western Quebec experienced one of the strongest storms in living memory. What started as an emergency alert Saturday afternoon ended in tragedy, devastation and darkness for thousands of residents. My heart breaks for those who lost loved ones during this awful storm. Unfortunately, suc…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, that is a tall order to follow. Before I get into talking about the motion at hand, I want to take a moment to thank the member for Mississauga—Lakeshore for his service in this place. I am confident that his community is better for it, and definitely our country is better for it. It took me down memory lane when he was talking about immigrating from Germany and his parents telling hi…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, as we look at next steps, we need to keep listening to the advice of public health officials because they are telling us that we cannot rush into ending the requirements for people to get vaccinated or to wear masks, or to ensure we keep a safe distance from each other. I again remind hon. members in this place that we are still in the midst of a global pandemic. Just because we wish …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite heckled to me that he does. It is good for him if he does. Wishing does not make it so, because the scientists and experts around the world have not told us that. We need to start getting prepared to open up the world and our society as we start to resume our lives thanks to the high vaccination rates and the fact that Canadians stepped up and followed all the rule…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for finding common ground with what I was saying, which is that the mandates and the requirements for vaccines have saved lives, and we need to ensure that it happens around the world. I want to let the member know that I will continue to advocate for Canada to play an engaged role globally so that vaccines are available around the world and people, especial…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I concur with the member opposite. She is absolutely right: We need to develop plans. We need to have predictability and certainty as to the next steps as we come to an end to this pandemic. That is exactly what I was talking about. It is very similar to conversations I had with my constituents in the tourism sector that exists right here in Ottawa: the nation's capital. We agree that…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I try to do my very best to wear my mask because I want to keep myself safe and I want to keep my family safe. In fact, when my two young children go to school, they wear masks, even though they are not required to. They know better. They are six and 10 years old, and they continue to wear their masks. I do not even have to remind them and they do so because they want to protect thems…
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