Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, this government always stands with its legal obligations. At the same time, we have introduced Bill C-35, and we very much hope that the opposition will work with us. Through the summer, we will be consulting, and we will be coming up with a list of goods that will be the subject of sanctions in the case of forced labour. We stand up for human rights. We stand up for …
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Mr. Speaker, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is on the front lines of our relationship with China and countries around the world. We wholeheartedly and emphatically condemn forced labour wherever it occurs. In addition, in our free trade negotiations with countries around the world, we underline and ensure that we are condemning forced labour. Finally, we will continue to grow the Canadian economy…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to underline that Canada will always protect the rights of workers within and outside this country. The $600 million allocated in last year's budget was on top of a number of measures that we have taken in our negotiations, in our free trade agreements with other countries around the world, a point I emphasized last Friday when I spoke with China's Minister of Foreign Affairs. …
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Mr. Speaker, Canada has some of the most rigorous forced labour laws in the world. We condemn forced labour everywhere it exists, including in my meeting last Friday with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of China. Every good that enters this country is subject to rigorous import controls and screening. We allocated $600 million in last year's budget to address forced labour. We prioritize the inclu…
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Mr. Speaker, we are creating over 1,000 jobs through Nouveau Monde Graphite, supporting 18,000 construction jobs, and the Darlington nuclear project is supporting 18,000 construction jobs. This is just an example of the types of investments the Government of Canada is putting into the Canadian economy. Just recently, we secured the largest order of Canadian-built aircraft in our history, 150 Airbu…
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Mr. Speaker, last year, Canadian exports to non-U.S. markets grew by more than 17%. Canada has the fastest-growing economy in the G7, this year and next. In the first four months of this year alone, we secured more than $10 billion in commercial deals for Canadian businesses. Speaking of infrastructure investments, there is Ksi Lisims, Mackenzie Valley Highway and Contrecoeur. Canada was ranked th…
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Mr. Speaker, our government has delivered real affordability measures, including cutting the gas excise tax, all while ensuring that we are reducing our projected deficit by more than $11 billion. Our trade agreements have opened up preferential access to 1.5 billion consumers across 16 trade agreements, 51 countries and roughly two-thirds of global GDP. Those are the facts. Maybe opposition membe…
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Mr. Speaker, let me be frank with this House and with Canadians: Canada has entered into MOUs with China with respect to combatting crime in various forms since 2010 and, as has historically been the case with this agreement, the advice of Canada's intelligence agencies is always followed. I had a productive exchange with China's minister of foreign affairs regarding areas of mutual interest. I ra…
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Mr. Speaker, last year Canadian exports to non-U.S. markets grew by over 17%. Canada is expected to have the second-fastest growing economy in the G7 this year and next, and in the first four months of this year alone, we landed over $10 billion in commercial deals. Over the past year, Canada has secured more than 20 economic and defence agreements across five continents. Countries are choosing Ca…
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Mr. Speaker, Canada has entered into MOUs with China on combatting crime in varied forms since 2010. As has been the case historically, we have entered into these agreements on the advice of Canada's intelligence and law enforcement agencies, and they have also not been released publicly. I look forward to meeting with China's foreign minister and having a constructive exchange on areas of mutual …
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Mr. Speaker, our government will always stand up for Canadians, protect our national interests and engage from a position of strength. We welcome the upcoming visit of Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi, the first such bilateral visit to Canada in nearly a decade. We will also work with China where it advances Canada's national interests, including on trade, economic stability and global security, w…
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Mr. Speaker, I am going to reiterate that in these conversations, including my conversation with Minister Wang Yi tomorrow, we will ensure that the guardrails in place will continue protecting Canada's security, protecting Canada's sovereignty and ensuring Canada's greatest economic resilience. Our government has taken concrete action to combat foreign interference, including establishing the fore…
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Mr. Speaker, last week, I met with my NATO counterparts in Sweden following its historic accession to the NATO alliance, of which Canada was the first ratifier. As global conflicts disrupt our supply chains, Canada is investing in our defence industry to meet 2% of GDP, reaffirming the support for Ukraine, condemning ongoing aggression and attacks against Ukraine and securing the confidence of our…
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Actually, Mr. Speaker, the member opposite is not accurately reflecting the importance we place on the Indo-Pacific region in general, including Taiwan, which is an important economic partner. We enjoy strong people-to-people ties with Taiwan, and we will continue to ensure that Taiwan continues to be an important economic partner for this country as we diversify trade and double non-U.S. trade ov…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question. What he said is not true. We are continuing to build a strong economy in Canada with trade agreements around the world. For example, we signed an agreement with Indonesia last year, and we have agreements with Indo‑Pacific countries, including ASEAN in 2026. We are going to keep building the economy through agreements like these. I would like to kn…
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Mr. Speaker, we are unlocking trade opportunities for Canadians and Canadian farmers around the world. Let us look at China. Let us look at Mexico, for example, where we are continuing to stand with Canadian farmers. At the same time, we are unlocking trade agreements and investment directly into Canada, around the world, and negotiating and concluding over 20 trade agreements over the past six mo…
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Mr. Speaker, Canada has the lowest debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7. At the same time, in direct response to my colleague's question, we have reduced the deficit by $11 billion, as announced yesterday. One thing the Conservatives have failed to do is to vote for Canadians, vote for dental care, vote for pharmacare, vote for the groceries and essentials benefit, vote for housing and vote for supporting …
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Mr. Speaker, it is clear that Canada has one of the strongest positions fiscally in the G7. In addition to maintaining and growing that position, we are also delivering for Canadians: $6 billion for investing in the skilled trades; more than $700 million for athletics in this country, from playground to podium; building Canada's homes by providing low-cost financing; and ensuring that there is a g…
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Mr. Speaker, when I was in France last month, I submitted Canada's bid to host the Sommet de la Francophonie in our country. This summit will help strengthen economic ties in our francophone and acadian communities. I also met with the secretary general of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie to reaffirm Canada's commitment to economic and cultural partnership. The French language re…
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Mr. Speaker, our strategy is actually to double non-U.S. trade over the next 10 years and to continue working on the CUSMA review, as the minister is doing. I will also say that, in the meantime, we are building trade relationships with Indonesia, China, India, Mexico and Brazil. We are looking forward to an FTA with the ASEAN in 2026 and working on Mercosur as well. That is what working for the C…
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Mr. Speaker, the reality is that we, along with this country as a whole, are continuing to diversify non-U.S. trade. That means real results. There have been more than 12 agreements over the past six months across four continents, which is a result that I ask my hon. colleague to acknowledge. Furthermore, as we work to double non-U.S. trade, we will build Canada strong internally. We will bring do…
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Mr. Speaker, as the Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade has indicated, our talks with the United States continue, as they do with Mexico. In the meantime, we will continue to diversify our trade relationships, with over a dozen new deals signed in the past six months, combined with FDI, foreign direct investment. We are also looking to conclude additional FTAs this year, including with ASEA…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for raising this very important point. Canada is deeply concerned about the humanitarian toll the war is taking, and we are concerned about the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which is threatening global energy security and economic stability. As we have emphasized, Canada's focus is on humanitarianism, de-escalation and ensuring the unimpeded flow of energy…
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Mr. Speaker, the parliamentary return in question was submitted in error and will be corrected at the earliest opportunity. The Prime Minister has been clear that while in Beijing Canada's positions on areas of concern, including human rights, were raised proactively at multiple levels, including by the Prime Minister and his counterparts. I also raised the matter with my counterpart while in Chin…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to confirm that all Canadian Armed Forces members in the region are safe and accounted for. For operational security reasons, we cannot provide further details, but I would like to be clear: Canada has not been consulted regarding offensive strikes against Iran, has not participated in them and does not intend to participate in them, period.
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Mr. Speaker, I do not know whether my hon. colleague heard today's announcement, but our government has announced support for Lebanon. It consists of $37.7 million in humanitarian aid for people suffering due to the situation in Lebanon. We will continue to be present with humanitarian aid. We will continue to ensure that we support—
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Mr. Speaker, Canada was not consulted, did not participate and will not participate in offensive strikes against Iran. All Canadian Armed Forces members in the region are safe and sound and have been located. For operational security reasons, we cannot provide more details, but I want to thank the Canadian Armed Forces for the work they do every day for our country.
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Mr. Speaker, as I said, all Canadian Armed Forces members in the region are safe and accounted for. As we keep saying, Canada reaffirms that international law applies to all parties and actors, including the United States and Israel, which must follow the rules of international law. Once again, I would like to thank the Canadian Armed Forces for all of the work that they do for our country.
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Mr. Speaker, the government opposes the bill. Canada has one of the strongest export regimes in the world, with human rights considerations applied to every single permit issued for military goods. The changes proposed in the bill would decimate Canada's defence industry, weaken Canada's role in NATO and jeopardize the capabilities of our Canadian Armed Forces. The bill would not close a loophole.…
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Mr. Speaker, we support Iran's never obtaining a nuclear weapon. That has been the policy position of successive governments of Canada. Iran must never have nuclear capacity. The support is not a blank cheque. Canada reaffirms that international law binds all parties. Canada is a country of international law, and all actors, including the United States and Israel, must respect the rules of interna…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate that the Canadian Armed Forces have been supporting our consular services and supporting diplomatic efforts throughout the world, including in the region, over the last number of decades. In particular, I will say that they take it very seriously to ensure that we are, wherever possible, protecting civilians. Our position on that matter could not be more clear: Inn…
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Mr. Speaker, I have a lot of respect for my colleague. Let me be clear. While we support efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, our support is not a free pass. Canada reaffirms that international law applies to all parties. All actors, including the United States and Israel, must respect the rules of international law. International mechanisms exist to determine compliance with in…
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has been clear. Canada was not consulted, Canada did not participate, and Canada has no plans to participate in the offensive strikes against Iran. We support efforts to end the Iranian nuclear program and the regime's decades-long pattern of state-sponsored terrorism. Canada's priorities are clear. Civilians and civilian infrastructure must be protected, internatio…
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Mr. Speaker, Canada had no advance notice of these strikes and we were not consulted. We have no plans to become involved in offensive actions taken by the United States and Israel. Canada supports preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and preventing its regime from further threatening international peace and security. We have been clear for years that Iran's nuclear proliferation is una…
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Mr. Speaker, while we support Iran's never obtaining a nuclear weapon, this support is not a blank cheque. Canada reaffirms that international law binds all parties. All actors, including the United States and Israel, must respect the rules of international engagement. There are established international processes for making determinations about international law, and our immediate priority is goi…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to clarify the government's position for my hon. colleague—
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Mr. Speaker, for the benefit of my hon. colleague, allow me to clarify that successive Canadian governments have held that Iran is the principal source of terror in the region. That is why, more than 18 months ago, Canada declared the IRGC a terrorist entity. That is why Canada supports all efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. That is why we have declared Iran a state sponsor of…
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Mr. Speaker, the department at IRCC has a rigorous process for vetting all applicants who are applying for a visa. In addition, we encourage the opposition to vote in favour of Bill C-9, which it is refusing to do. Finally, let me clarify again that on this side of the House, the Iranian regime is a terrorist entity. It is a state sponsor of terrorism. We encourage all parties to respect the rules…
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moved: That this committee take note of the hostilities in Iran and the Middle East, and the impact for Canadians abroad. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the hostilities currently unfolding in Iran and throughout the Middle East and the very real impact they are having on Canadians abroad. The situation in the region is changing by the hour. Military strikes and retaliatory attacks have d…
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Mr. Speaker, of course we do. We have a very robust approach to ensuring we are bringing Canadians home and have already arranged for hundreds of Canadians to return home. I will specifically underline the three particular means of bringing Canadians home: first, through charter flights; second, through blocked bookings on commercial airlines; and third, through buses that transport Canadians to c…
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Mr. Speaker, for the benefit of my hon. colleague and this House, I will reiterate that Canada has long spoken out against Iran's nuclear proliferation. We strongly support nuclear non-proliferation internationally. Therefore, we will continue to reiterate that Iran must not have nuclear weapons. In addition, the clarity of our foreign policy in terms of international law must be underscored. We a…
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Mr. Speaker, on this, the fourth anniversary of the illegal further invasion by Russia of Ukraine, Canada continues to stand with Ukraine in the short and the long term. This morning, I announced $20 million in supports for Ukraine's energy infrastructure. In addition, this brings our total investment and supports for Ukraine to $25.5 billion. Canada stands with Ukraine and makes sure that we are …
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Mr. Speaker, in my role, I have the privilege of speaking with leaders and citizens around the world, and I repeatedly hear that countries respect and want to emulate the immigration system in this country. In addition, I would ask the opposition to vote with us on Bill C-12. This would be a reform to strengthen our asylum system. We have also recently announced changes to the interim health care …
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Mr. Speaker, we are deeply concerned by the deteriorating conditions in Cuba. Our consular officials are actively engaged. They stand ready to support Canadians in need. We are also working with the Cuban authorities and Canadian tourism stakeholders to ensure a timely and effective response. We understand that aircraft carriers from Canadian airlines will be picking up Canadians. Our top priority…
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Mr. Speaker, I come from a riding with and I represent auto workers and the auto sector. They want this government to keep doing what we have been doing, which is to support auto workers, support unions, support auto manufacturing and ensure that we are, together, building Canada strong. This is what we do in times of economic stress. We band together. On this side of the House, we urge them to vo…
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Mr. Speaker, this transition is an important step toward stabilizing Haiti, including general elections. Canada is a leader in the world. We have invested $450 million in stabilizing Haiti, and we are also co-operating with the diaspora. We are committed to fighting for a healthier and safer future for Haiti.
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Mr. Speaker, it is shocking that the opposition members do not recognize the measures the government has taken to support the auto sector, to support workers and to make sure that we are investing in national projects. They vote against us every single time. We have an auto strategy. We have a liquidity management fund. We are reducing tariffs. We are making sure we are building Canada strong. We …
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Mr. Speaker, Canada is deeply disappointed by the tragic sentencing of Jimmy Lai in Hong Kong. We call for the immediate release of Jimmy Lai. In fact, we have consistently spoken out against the national security law since its imposition in 2020. While in Beijing, I reiterated Canada's long-standing position to my counterpart: The persecution of journalists, media workers and activists is unaccep…
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Mr. Speaker, this week, I will be travelling to Nuuk, Greenland, to formally open the Canadian consulate there. I will be meeting with my Danish and Greenlandic counterparts, where I will be reiterating the principles of state sovereignty, territorial integrity and co-operation amongst Arctic states, including the Nordic five. Here at home, we are investing more than $80 billion in Canada's defenc…
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Mr. Speaker, I urge the member opposite to be accurate in her representation of Canadian law. First, Canada has one of the strongest export permit regimes in the world. Second, Canada has not approved any new permits for items to Israel that could be used in the current conflict in Gaza since January 8, 2024. Third, all permits suspended in 2024 remain suspended and cannot be used to export to Isr…
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