Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the government has been clear as to where we stand on the war in Ukraine. We understand that the Ukrainian people are not just fighting for their own freedom and survival, but are also fighting for us, and that we need to be fighting for them.
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Mr. Speaker, the government has been clear as to where we stand on the war in Ukraine. We know that the Ukrainian people are not only fighting for their own freedom and survival, but are also fighting for us, and that we need to be fighting for them. It is also clear now where Conservative MPs stand. Their leader has never advocated more military, financial or humanitarian support for Ukraine. The…
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Mr. Speaker, it is clear where the government stands on Ukraine. We understand that the Ukrainian people are not only fighting for their own freedom and survival, but are also fighting for us, and that we need to be fighting for them. It is also clear where Conservative MPs stand. Their leader has never advocated military, financial or humanitarian support for Ukraine. They voted against the Canad…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his speech, his comments, and his and his party’s support for the Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement. I would like to ask him why he thinks this agreement is important for Canada and Ukraine.
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Madam Speaker, it is critical that we continue to work with our allies and encourage them to support Ukraine until it wins. That is a critical step. We have seen some wavering of support among some in the United States. It is important that we buffer that support. Canada can help Ukraine by continuing to send military aid to Ukraine, by continuing to train the Ukrainian armed forces and by continu…
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Madam Speaker, during this debate and during their consistent opposition to measures that help Ukraine over the last few weeks especially, Conservatives focus on the past, on nostalgia: what Mulroney did, what Diefenbaker did, what somebody did 10 years ago, what somebody did two years ago. What the Ukrainian people need is not nostalgia. They need help. They are fighting for their lives, and they…
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Madam Speaker, the leader of the Conservative Party has echoed false narratives about the war, suggesting the war does not affect us and does not affect inflation in Canada. He has said that in this House multiple times, which is of course not true. We know that not to be true. The Conservatives specifically challenged spending in our budget and voted to cut Operation Unifier, Canada's training mi…
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Madam Speaker, my Conservative colleague is heckling me as I speak, so clearly he does not support that. We have provided about $2.4 billion in military support that is going to help the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the front line fight against this invasion. There has been over $350 million in humanitarian assistance, $127 million in development assistance, and over $102 million in security and stab…
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Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Humber River—Black Creek. As we speak, the Ukrainian people are risking their lives and sacrificing their lives to defend their homeland. Notwithstanding the courage and resolve of the Ukrainian people, the situation in Ukraine is dire. There are millions of refugees inside and outside Ukraine. Russia is committing genocide in Ukraine ev…
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Madam Speaker, I hear the member's points about the process in negotiating free trade agreements and have taken that under advisement and to heart. One of the things he did speak about was that the carbon tax purportedly is the reason the Conservative Party has voted against this agreement and does not support this agreement. I am wondering if he could share with the House and with Canadians what …
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Madam Speaker, in his remarks, the member spoke about why all Conservatives oppose the Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement. He cited two things. First, there is the mention of carbon pricing in it, which, of course, is not a legitimate reason, because Ukraine has already had carbon pricing since 2011 and needs carbon pricing to enter the EU, which it is desperately trying to do. The agreement woul…
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Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of International Trade on the Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement. I have been speaking with Ukrainian Canadian Congress branches across Canada, and they have been telling me how important this agreement is to both Canada's economy and Ukraine's economy and to Ukraine's rebuild. Now, it has been over a week since the Ukrainian Canadian Congress wrote to …
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Madam Speaker, I rise to present a petition today on behalf of over 550 members in my community of Etobicoke Centre and communities across Canada. The petitioners note the fact that, from 1869 to 1948, over 100,000 British children were sent to Canada from Great Britain. These home children often found themselves in indentured servitude on farms or as domestic labourers. Many faced cruel abuse. To…
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Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Prime Minister with respect to Bill C-57. This fall, as the Ukrainian people fight to defend themselves against Russia's genocidal invasion, the Canadian government has signed a historic, modernized Canada- Ukraine free trade agreement with the Government of Ukraine. It is important to remember that the Ukrainian people are not just fighting for their own freedo…
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Mr. Speaker, climate change costs the Canadian economy and Canadians' pocketbooks every day. If there is no plan for the environment, there is no plan for the economy. Despite Conservatives' denying climate change, the government understands the need to act now with an economic plan that supports the middle class and creates good jobs, all while protecting the planet. Could the parliamentary secre…
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Mr. Speaker, Conservative members are trying to blame their vote against the agreement on language about carbon pricing, which is a red herring, because Ukraine has had carbon pricing since 2011 and it needs it to get into the EU. Could the Minister of International Trade share with Canadians why this agreement is so important to Canada—
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Mr. Speaker, it is clear that the Conservative Party, under its leader, does not support Ukraine. He has not advocated for more military, financial or humanitarian support for Ukraine. He has not called out the vicious acts of genocide. This week, that leader and every MP in his caucus voted against the Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement. The Conservatives are trying to blame their decision on a …
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Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the famine genocide in Ukraine known as the Holodomor, when Joseph Stalin closed Ukraine's borders and confiscated all food to destroy a Ukrainian population that was opposed to his rule. Nineteen people per minute, 1,200 per hour and 28,000 per day were dying of famine at the height of the Holodomor. The world was silent, and millions die…
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Mr. Speaker, in the past number of budgets, we have seen the federal government commit significant funding to support the people of Ukraine in their fight against Russia's genocidal invasion. We just saw Conservative Party MPs vote against the Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement, basically voting against support for Ukraine. Could the minister clarify what this government's position is on support …
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Mr. Speaker, today is a special day for me because my father was in the gallery for the first time, watching question period. I attempted to take a photo of him. To the extent that I broke the rules, I apologize to all members of the House.
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Madam Speaker, the Conservative leader's silence in his lack of support for Ukraine speaks volumes.
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Madam Speaker, once again it is the height of hypocrisy for the member to get up, suggest that I am lying and then to raise a point of order to suggest that I should not be challenging him and his leader for not telling the truth. However, I will finalize my remarks on this issue we are debating in the House by saying that the Conservative Party of Canada clearly does not support the people of Ukr…
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Madam Speaker, unity is what I am asking for. Unity around support for Ukraine is what I am asking for, and we are not getting it from the Conservative Party of Canada. We are certainly not getting it from the Leader of the Conservative Party. What I said about the Leader of the Conservative Party's record on Ukraine is absolutely true. Did the member just get up to say that the last time the Lead…
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Madam Speaker, absolutely, I think we do. That is why so many of us in the House, and so many of us on the government side as well, have worked with some colleagues in the NDP and the Bloc to make sure we advance policies that continue the fight against climate change, which is so important to the folks in the Arctic, and around the world, frankly. I would like to clarify for the member's understa…
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Madam Speaker, he has not once done that. Even the Conservative members are surprised.
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Mr. Speaker, I think we need to start by clarifying what we are debating and why we are debating it. For folks watching at home, we should be debating the Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement legislation, which is important to Canada and to Ukraine. It is important to help Ukraine win the war, and it is a priority for President Zelenskyy for a number of reasons, which I will get into. However, inst…
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Madam Speaker, it is interesting to hear Conservatives talking about telling the truth when they do exactly the opposite every day in this House, especially in question period and especially their leader. Last, I will say that—
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Mr. Speaker, we have worked very hard to ensure that Canada's unwavering support for Ukraine is shared by all parties in the House. Unfortunately, that support for Ukraine is not unanimous in the House. Conservatives are delaying Bill C-57, the Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement. Their MPs are calling the legislation “woke”. Most concerning is the Leader of the Conservative Party's silence on sup…
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moved for leave to introduce Bill C-361, Albanian Heritage Month Act. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill entitled the Albanian heritage month act. The bill, if passed, would designate the month of November every year as Albanian heritage month across Canada. I would like to thank the member for Toronto—Danforth for seconding this bill. I hope all members of the House will support it. Ca…
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Mr. Speaker, to begin, I would like to thank my Bloc Québécois colleague for his speech and his work, as well as for his solidarity with and support for the Ukrainian people. We know that since the Leader of the Opposition has been in that role, he has yet to speak out and call for additional aid for Ukraine, whether military, humanitarian or financial. He has not criticized the genocide currently…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the hon. member for her advocacy for and support of Ukraine during this important time. There are two points here on how this would help Ukraine. The first is that it would be of tremendous economic benefit, just like it would be to Canada. I think that is something we need to remember. This is a critical time for Ukraine, in terms of its economy, given the damag…
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Madam Speaker, last week I had the opportunity to be in the House when the minister introduced this legislation. I was very proud to sit beside her as she introduced it then, and I am very proud to stand here today to speak in support of this important legislation. This is, to me, good legislation for Canada and good legislation for Ukraine. It is great for our economy. It is not only good for Can…
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Madam Speaker, thank you for that reminder. It was inadvertent on my part. Around that time, the Prime Minister and President Zelenskyy announced plans to modernize CUFTA. Then came COVID-19, and those negotiations had to be delayed, understandably. In early 2021 and the fall of 2021, Russia started to amass soldiers around Ukraine's borders. Understandably, the discussions in Ukraine, around the …
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Mr. Speaker, the relationship between Canada and Ukraine is a sacred one. Canada was the first western nation to recognize Ukraine's independence in 1991. Since Russia's further invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Canada has been a global leader in supporting Ukraine, and today we are continuing to build that relationship here in the House as we debate the modernized Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement. …
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Mr. Speaker, as I was saying before question period, Ukrainians are not only fighting for their freedom but also fighting for all of us, and we need to be fighting for them. Canada has been fighting for them under the government. We have been a global leader in supporting Ukraine. Canada has committed over $9 billion in assistance in financial, military and humanitarian development, along with oth…
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Mr. Speaker, I will say a couple of things. One is that I cannot speak in depth about the process. I can speak about the contents of the bill. As I said during my remarks, I really do think this is a great bill for Canadian workers and businesses and a great bill for Ukraine economically as well. I would also say this when we think about the process around this bill: As I mentioned during my remar…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his question and for his work. As he said, we work very well together on many issues and as members of the parliamentary friendship group. We all support Ukraine together. I appreciate his support. Perhaps we should have a conversation outside the House regarding the details. From what I have seen and from all the advice from trade experts, I am …
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Mr. Speaker, many people in my riding are saying that it is difficult to access affordable housing. One of the reasons is the lack of rental housing in my community. Can the Prime Minister tell Canadians what the government is doing to encourage the construction of rental housing in order to address the concerns of my constituents and Canadians in general about housing affordability?
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Mr. Speaker, as we speak, the Ukrainian people are risking everything and sacrificing their lives to defend their homeland against Russia's genocidal invasion. Russia's invasion is not just an existential threat to Ukraine. It is also the primary reason for food and energy price inflation here in Canada and around the world. It is a major threat to global security and to Canada's security. Canada …
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Madam Speaker, Canada's strength is reflected in the diversity of our population and of our local communities, and Canada is home to many Canadians of Somali heritage. Canadians of Somali descent have left, and continue to leave, a historic mark on Canada, with contributions that span communities across our country that are reflected in our economic, political, social and cultural life. If passed,…
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moved for leave to introduce Bill C-348, an act to establish Somali heritage month. Madam Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill, which is an act respecting Somali heritage month. If passed, the bill would declare July of every year in Canada Somali heritage month. I would like to thank the member for Etobicoke—Lakeshore for co-sponsoring this bill with me and the member for York South—Weston f…
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Mr. Speaker, this past weekend, as Ukrainians continued to fight valiantly for their freedom and for ours, our Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister made another visit to Kyiv to meet with President Zelenskyy and Prime Minister Shmyhal. For more than a year, Canada has remained a steadfast ally of Ukraine, with significant military aid, financial aid, sanctions on Russia, supports for Ukrainian…
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Mr. Speaker, the Crimean Tatars are the indigenous people of Crimea. On May 18, 1944, the Soviet Union began the “Sürgünlik”, which was the mass deportation of the Crimean Tatars. This was meant to destroy the Crimean Tatar people. The Sürgünlik led to hundreds of thousands of Crimean Tatars being deported and tens of thousands dying en route and afterward. It was a genocide. On May 18 last year, …
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Mr. Speaker, since Russia began its further genocidal invasion of Ukraine, I have advocated that we do everything possible to ensure that Ukraine achieves a decisive victory. Our government has said that Canada will stand with the Ukrainian people until they win, and that “victory is the only option”. Victory is the only option for Ukraine, but it is also the only option for Canada. If we want to …
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Mr. Speaker, it has now been over a year since Russia began its devastating further full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It is important to remember that this invasion is a threat not just to Ukraine's security but also to Canada's national security, to NATO and to countries around the world. Despite Putin’s war crimes and unrelenting aggression, today Ukraine stands strong. In my view, Canada's milita…
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Mr. Speaker, February 24 will mark one year since Russia began its further invasion of Ukraine. The Ukrainian people have been outnumbered and severely outgunned, but they have shown tremendous courage in defending their homeland. I believe that courage has inspired Canadians and people around the world. Nevertheless, the situation is dire. Russia is committing genocide every day. There are millio…
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Mr. Speaker, the people of Ukraine have been courageously defending their country against Russia's unjustified war of aggression for almost a year now. I recently had the opportunity to welcome the United Kingdom's Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to Toronto to meet with members of the Ukrainian Canadian community. This visit demonstrated that Canada and its allies stand resolutely with the …
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Mr. Speaker, it has been almost 10 months since Russia began its genocidal full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Ukrainian people have mounted a remarkable counteroffensive retaking territory and in so doing, defending our security and democracy around the world. The NATO secretary general has said that Canada's military support, including our training of the Ukrainian armed forces, has been integra…
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Mr. Speaker, global food insecurity has been growing for the last several years, but it has been brought to a critical level because of Russia's genocidal war in Ukraine and Russia blocking the food exports from Ukraine that feed hundreds of millions of people in countries around the world. As a result, countless people in countries around the world are facing food shortages and are facing starvat…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 89th anniversary of the famine genocide in Ukraine, known as the Holodomor, when the Soviet Union closed Ukraine's borders and confiscated all food to destroy a Ukrainian population opposed to its rule. There were 19 people per minute, 1,200 per hour and 28,000 per day dying of famine at the height of the Holodomor. The world was silent, and millions died as …
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