Parliamentary Speeches

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I want to point out one thing. This bill is not a controversial bill by any stretch. We are all in agreement about the importance of putting this bill back—

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak to Bill S-4, an act to amend the Criminal Code and the Identification of Criminals Act and to make related amendments to other acts (COVID-19 response and other measures). The judicial system has been facing a series of delays in cases proceeding to trial, which has been made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Conservatives have raised concerns a…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I referred to it with respect to justice, and hopefully all Canadians would have equal opportunities to use technology and that must be provided, especially in rural areas. With respect to the level of technology that is available to make this bill specifically of better use to Canadians, and to make justice fair, we need to be more technologically fit. We need more Internet, especi…

Government Orders

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I am respectfully asking you to really point out to the member that this speech is about Bill S-4, and she must stick to the subject.

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, we spoke earlier about cybersecurity, which I think is a bill that will be discussed too. However, any time we use technology, there is a risk of someone breaking through, and they may see the selection of jurors, which has to be anonymous for the protection of the people who get selected to be jurors. It is an observation, but I hope that a bill such as this would be equipped with …

Statements by Members

Mr. Speaker, as a young man filled with hopes and dreams, I came to Canada from Lebanon, which is a country rich in tradition. Here, I found opportunities that led to a career, a family and now the privilege of serving the people of Edmonton Manning in the House. I love Canada, but I will never forget my homeland. Today, Lebanese people celebrate their independence day. It has been 79 years of dem…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, it is very concerning when the government is living on a completely different planet than reality. Usually with math and the economy, good formulas deliver good numbers. If the numbers are wrong, that means the method is wrong and the plan is wrong. The plan which the government is trying to say is working and there is nothing to be concerned about is not working. The government nee…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, will the hon. member be able to tell us what the interest payment will be on just the $38-billion deficit we are carrying this year?

Routine Proceedings

With regard to the commitment of the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship in January of 2022 to eliminate backlogs caused by the COVID-19 pandemic by the end of the current year: (a) what are the current backlogs, broken down by immigration stream or program; (b) will the backlogs be eliminated by the end of the year; and (c) if the answer to (b) is negative, when will the backlogs be…

Routine Proceedings

With regard to the request made by Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) to the government to list noma on the World Health Organization's (WHO) list of neglected tropical diseases: (a) what is the government rationale for (i) supporting, (ii) not supporting, the request; and (b) if the answer in (a) is affirmative, what are the details, including the dates, of how this support has be…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, government revenues have increased by $40.1 billion this year. This is not economic growth; this is more taxes for Canadians on top of the increasing cost for essentials such as gas, groceries and home heating. Why will the Liberals not give Canadians some relief and cancel their plan to triple taxes on gas, groceries and home heating?

Statements by Members

Madam Speaker, Conservatives put the Canadian people first, protecting their savings, paycheques, homes and their country. The immigration system is broken. The Liberals must know this after years of their mismanagement and backlogs. It is time for an immigration system that works. Doctors and nurses who dreamed of coming to Canada should not be denied work just because they come from another coun…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, there are times when we all wish that certain legislation was unnecessary. Certainly, that is true for this bill, Bill S-5, an act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. It would be so nice to live in a world where there was no need for laws to protect the environment because everyone, individuals and corporations, understood their responsibilities and acted accordingly…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I have thought the Green Party has been silent on the environmental policies, and I would like to see more coming from its side.

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, the bill is not perfect. We would like to see it perfect coming out of the committee, after all the amendments that would take place. I also spoke about how there is no definition for rights in the bill, as far as environment, water and clean air. The bill is yet to be perfect. I hope that, through the committee and through consultation, we would get a nice piece of legislation that…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, on the same note, there is going to be a time, as I indicated in my speech, when we all have concerns about the environment. No one has more concerns than others in that competition toward a better environment, clean water. I am surprised to hear the question from Quebec, where sewage is being dropped in the rivers in Quebec. Where is the Bloc Québécois on that? Why have they never …

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I indicated that we are supporting this bill going to the committee stage, which we believe is very important and worthwhile. As far as policy, I do not think the government has a plan for the environment. The government has a plan for taxation. That is exactly what the government has. It has not hit even one single target that it has been boasting about for the last seven years and…

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, I am tabling a petition today in support of Bill S-223, a bill that seeks to combat forced organ harvesting and trafficking. The bill has been before the House in various forms for approaching 15 years. The petitioners want to see Bill S-223 passed as soon as possible.

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, we live in an era of mistrust and distrust, which is at the same time sad and disturbing. It is sad because Canadians would like Canada to be a place where we trust each other. It is disturbing because the erosion of trust in our society causes friction and discord. We have to wonder where it will end, and whether we can continue to function as a society if we do not have any trust …

Statements By Members

Mr. Speaker, runaway inflation is hurting Canadian students. The University of Alberta campus food bank is facing the highest demand ever. In the past year, the food bank has gone from serving fewer than 300 families to having more than 1,100 clients. Most of these new food bank users are international students. Four litres of milk is $1 more than last year, and it costs 60¢ more for a loaf of bre…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, in the drama show of the NDP, it is trying to take credit for everything that is happening today, especially with this bill. NDP members say they just forced the government to do this. Everybody cares about the health of Canadians. It does not matter what that aspect is, whether it is dental or other health care things. Every one of us has stories from our own riding when it comes t…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I would advise the hon. member to wait for our platform on this issue, because everyone wants a better health care system for Canadians, all of us. No one would disagree on that. This is just about how we are going to approach that and how to bring better quality health care to Canadians. That will always remain the debate among all parties. The one that has a better approach is, I …

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, the members opposite have finally become aware of a problem that is obvious to every Canadian except for the Prime Minister and his cabinet. Inflation is a problem. Canadians are being hurt by it. Liberal government policies are making things worse. I am pleased that the Liberals have finally realized inflation is a problem for our country. I am less pleased with their solution. App…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I thought bringing the definition of inflation to the member and his government would make him understand exactly what he is doing. What his government is doing is bringing in taxes at a time of inflation and spending money where it should not be spending. It is putting fuel on the fire at the wrong time. If I had known that I would get from him that kind of question, I would never …

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I just listened to the hon. member speak about everything except what is happening right now with how much Canadians have to face. They are paying extra taxes, and with inflation, everything is expensive. It seems like he spent time giving himself credit and attacking the Conservatives, when he should have probably focused on examining this and telling Canadians that he does underst…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, it is a point of order. I did not mean to do so, but it is misleading and I would ask the member to apologize—

Government Orders

That is misleading.

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, my constituent, Kerrie Russ, is increasingly frustrated with having a prime minister who has forgotten working Canadians. After paying their mortgage, utility bills, gas, food, child care and school fees, Kerrie and her husband are left with $200 each month. The family does not qualify for the GST benefit and their child benefit has been reduced. What Kerrie Russ wants to know: Will t…

Mr. Speaker, Canadians' hearts are heavy as we remember our Queen, Elizabeth II. During her visits to this country, she touched so many lives. To the world, she was the Queen of England. She was also very much the Queen of Canada. Even though they had never met the Queen, she impacted my wife's parents in a deeply personal way. Like so many have done, Sam and Rabha came to Canada as immigrants fro…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, from time to time, it is nice to correct some of the facts. I am not sure if the member remembers this, but I was not here before 2015.

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, the focus of my speech and those of my colleagues is on being tough on crime, and on making sure the borders are protected and smugglers do not bring illegal guns to Canada. Any effort that goes in that direction is well supported by us. That should be the spirit of any bill brought to this place, or to be brought to this place in the future. This is the only point that we disagree …

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, I will forgive him because of his short memory. They are known for their short memories on the other side. I will also forgive him for not understanding the difference between broccoli and firearms.

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, from time to time, I have been critical of the record of the Liberal government when it comes to fiscal matters. It has consistently shown that it has no clue how an economy works and what policies are good for Canadians. In fairness though, I feel I must congratulate the Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Safety for their unintentional boost to the Canadian economy with Bill…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, it is a question of fairness too. That is why I said that this bill is falling short on so many fronts. One of them is this point. The government should have thought about it longer and deeper to do a better job of bringing a good piece of legislation forward that would really help Canadians.

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, we would like to see a complete solution to a big problem that is facing Canada and Canadians. We do not want to see any crimes happening in any part of Canada, whether in an urban city or in rural areas. We believe that this bill is falling short in dealing with the problem and bringing the remedy needed to make sure that we have solutions to the big issues we are facing.

Routine Proceedings

Mr. Speaker, I do not think the speech the member is delivering is really relevant to the discussion of the day. I would like to a see real conversation happen rather than speaking about the former leader of the Conservative Party.

Statements By Members

Mr. Speaker, I would like to draw the attention of the House to the inauguration of the BAPS Swaminarayan Research Institute on the premises of BAPS Hindu Mandir in Toronto last weekend. The June 4 inauguration marks the centenary celebrations of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, creator of this famous Hindu mandir. Under the spiritual leadership of His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj and guided b…

Routine Proceedings

Mr. Speaker, I pleased to present e-petition 3824 with 617 signatures. The petition states: Whereas: The vaccine injury support program (VISP) is open to individuals who have experienced a serious or permanent injury as a result of receiving a Health Canada authorized vaccine, administered in Canada, on or after December 8, 2020; Vaccine injuries have occurred before December 8, 2020, and the ment…

Oral Questions

Madam Speaker, in April 2022, airports in greater Toronto held more than two thousand planes on the tarmac. In April 2019, they only held eight. The reason is travel restrictions. Travellers suffered through thousands of hours of delays, no thanks to the government’s unnecessary travel policies. When will the Liberals allow Canadians to travel freely again?

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, what I heard today from the leader of the Bloc Québécois was more or less a speech in which he mentioned democratic evolution, scientific evolution, social evolution, the amalgamation of all philosophies together and the impact on society in a country such as Canada. I have a specific question: How does he see ideology in the world we live in, which is evolving to basically compete …

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, usually the legislation, motions or bills before the House are to benefit Canadians. I am puzzled as to what the motion is going to do to benefit Canadians, other than just wasting this day to discuss it.

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, I support the hon. member from the Bloc Québécois on the same point. There were only four people online, plus only a few here.

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, I respectfully disagree with the member for Winnipeg North on his remarks regarding the rules. He should know the rules; he is in government. I think you should check those rules and clarify them.

Statements By Members

Madam Speaker, every year about 1,000 Canadians are killed in workplace accidents or die from work-related injuries. No matter how careful we are, sometimes accidents happen. These human tragedies affect individuals and families in my riding of Edmonton Manning. That is why I support the Steps for Life walk taking place on May 14 at Edmonton's Rundle Park. The money raised by walkers will be used …

Routine Proceedings

Madam Speaker, Bill C-5 is Bill C-22 from a previous Parliament. It died on the Order Paper when the government went to an election. If the Liberals were so serious about passing such a bill, they could have done it. We believe in mandatory minimum sentences, strict monitoring for high-risk individuals, increased enforcement and prosecution of smuggling, safe storage provisions, firearms safety tr…

Private Members' Business

Madam Speaker, I congratulate the hon. member on her bill. I believe that the spirit of the bill is great, and I hope that she will be able to take it all the way through to royal assent. The challenge for the bill is digital advertisement. In a digitized world, where social media plays a big and fundamental role, how does the bill ensure that it would work properly and provide the conditions to m…

Private Members' Business

Madam Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to second this motion, and I commend the hon. member for Nepean for bringing this matter before the House. Canada, as is so often observed in this place, is a community of communities. We may not all be immigrants, but all of us, even our first nations, can trace our roots to another place. With such diversity, it is important to celebrate our heritage and…

Private Members' Business

Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate the hon. member for bringing this bill before the House. As he is a prominent member of the Hindu community in Canada, could he tell us how the community has integrated into Canadian society in the last decades?

Oral Questions

Mr. Speaker, Canadians have followed public health measures and have made tremendous sacrifices during the COVID-19 pandemic. Canada has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world. Provincial health officials have followed the science to remove vaccine and mask mandates. With all the provinces and most countries moving on from pandemic restrictions, why will the Prime Minister not follow th…

Government Orders

Madam Speaker, to the first part of the question, Canadians will answer to the mismanagement that is going on through the NDP-Liberal coalition or agreement, just to continue doing what they are doing until 2025. I believe the Bloc Québécois was part of that in 2008, trying to somehow topple the government, to disallow us to continue doing what we were doing to make sure we built the Canadian econ…