Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, there can be no perception of political interference in any investigation, particularly in a case as sensitive as one related to allegations of sexual misconduct at the highest levels of our military. It would undermine the integrity of the investigation and put a just outcome at risk. It would mean no justice for a victim and no accountability for a perpetrator. This, in turn, coul…
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Madam Speaker, eliminating all forms of misconduct and abuse of power and creating a safe work environment for everyone in the defence team have always been our top priority. We know that any organization, including the Canadian Armed Forces, must work hard to eliminate the toxic masculinity that creates an unacceptable culture. Fundamentally, harassment of any kind is morally wrong and counter to…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Madam Speaker, I rise today to bring the attention of this House to a painful disorder called endometriosis. Endometriosis is a gynecological condition that causes severe pain, inflammation, fatigue and infertility. It impacts one in 10 women, as well as transgender and non-binary persons. Despite its prevalence, many women experience long delays to diagnosis. Our government has provided funding t…
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Madam Speaker, the hon. member opposite cited a figure for the number of cases of COVID-19 within the Canadian Armed Forces, but it is nowhere near accurate. In fact, the number of cases within the Canadian Armed Forces is much lower than the number in the general population. The health and well-being of Canadian Armed Forces members have always been our top priority. That is why Canada's defence …
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, with regard to part (a) and part (b), concerning meetings between the Minister of National Defence and the former ombudsman Mr. Gary Walbourne between January 1, 2018, and October 31, 2018, there was one meeting on March 1, 2018.
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, with regard to part (a) and part (b), between January 1, 2018, and October 31, 2018, the Minister of National Defence met with the former National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces ombudsman once, on March 1, 2018.
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, we will continue to ensure that our soldiers are supported physically and mentally and that they have access to safe, modern health facilities. Throughout this period, we have maintained health services for our brave women and men in uniform. This includes mental health support services and maintaining operations for all 37 primary health care clinics for Canadian Armed Forces membe…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, the Minister of National Defence has asked Lieutenant-General Eyre to review how this matter was handled. Let me be clear, the minister has not directed any investigation. Drawing an elected official, a politician, into the sequence of an investigation would have been wrong and dangerous. Politicizing any investigation threatens a just outcome for those who come forward.
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Madam Speaker, as we have said, the minister followed the proper processes. When the former ombudsman came to the minister, he brought the matter to the Privy Council Office, which reached out to the former ombudsman the very next day to obtain the information to start an investigation, but that information was not provided. The former national security adviser was not part of that process, becaus…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Chair, I want to thank everybody participating tonight in a historic and vitally important debate. It is the first time the House of Commons is having a take-note debate on the issue of gender-based violence. I know there has been a lot of mention of control, but we also know there is economic abuse. When women are being controlled financially, that can happen with or without violence, but i…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the Department of National Defence issues thousands of contracts each year to facilitate its operations and to better serve Canadians at home and abroad. These contracts are subject to national defence’s procurement processes, which allow the department to deliver the right equipment and quality service to the Canadian Armed Forces in a timely manner. As part of its commitment to open…
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Madam Speaker, we have no tolerance for any form of sexual misconduct. This is something we take very, very seriously. I want to acknowledge the courage of the survivors who have come forward. The minister has always ensured that any allegations that are brought to his attention have been reported to the appropriate authorities to begin investigations regardless of rank or position. Every person d…
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Madam Speaker, I said that the time for patience has passed. All allegations brought to our attention were immediately reported to the proper authorities. In fact, the day after informing the minister about his concerns, the former ombudsman was contacted by the Privy Council Office to begin an investigation. Politicians should not be doing the investigating. All allegations of sexual misconduct a…
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Madam Speaker, the government has no tolerance for any form of misconduct. It is absolutely unacceptable that anyone who makes allegations of sexual assault or harassment be subjected to intimidation or threats. Although changing the institutional culture is a complex process that takes time, the time for patience has passed. We must make sure that anyone who wants to come forward feels safe to do…
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Madam Speaker, we know that every single woman who serves this country in the Canadian Armed Forces deserves to be safe while doing so. We have no tolerance for misconduct. It is unacceptable that anyone with these allegations of assault or harassment who comes forward would themselves be victims of bullying or threats. Though institutional culture is complex and change takes time, as I said earli…
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Madam Speaker, we know it is evident in the Canadian Armed Force that there are cultural problems of intolerance, harassment and abuse, which are completely unacceptable. We are examining various measures to ensure that there are tangible supports for those who come forward with allegations of assault or harassment. It is clear that the measures we have done already, and those are many, since bein…
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Madam Speaker, as the minister has said repeatedly, any allegations that were brought forward were immediately put to the proper authorities. In fact, the very next day, after informing the minister of his concerns, the former ombudsman was contacted by the PCO to begin an investigation. I think we all agree that politicians are not the ones who should be conducting these kinds of investigations. …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, in 2010, 11 years ago now, I sat down with leaders from the francophone community who wanted to create the Maison de la francophonie d'Ottawa, a place to promote services in French and French-language development for francophones and francophiles. The Maison de la francophonie, a non-profit organization, is now up and running in my riding, Ottawa West—Nepean. Bilingualism defines us…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, two years ago, I stood in the House to call for an end to the arbitrary detention of Senator Leila de Lima of the Philippines, who was imprisoned in February 2017 for speaking out on human rights abuses, including leading a senate inquiry into the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines' war on drugs. It is appalling that today she is still in prison. The UN Working Group on Arbit…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have the opportunity today to speak to Bill C-218, an act to amend the Criminal Code with regard to sports betting, sponsored by the member for Saskatoon—Grasswood. Today, legal betting on sports events occurs throughout Canada in the form of parlay betting and parimutuel betting. Parlay betting allows individuals to wager on the outcome of multiple sporting events, …
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Madam Speaker, February is Black History Month, when we recognize the contributions of Black Canadians throughout Canada’s history. It is also a chance to share the stories of today. I would like to pay tribute to Black youth in my riding, who are making their voices heard through “The House” podcast of the Britannia Woods Community House. “The House” podcast is a platform where the authentic voic…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would debate the premise of that question. As my hon. colleague knows, there has been no disruption in our trade with the U.K. This is a continuity agreement. We will continue and negotiate a permanent bilateral comprehensive agreement and, in fact, our supply chains have not been impacted. The supply chains continue with the U.K., and that is exactly what this agreement is about …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like to remind my hon. colleague that because of this agreement Canada is ahead of China and the U.S. right now in having preferential market access to the U.K. When we modernize the agreement, we will be looking at including more for small businesses, for women, for the environment and on digital trade. That is the purpose of modernizing the agreement, and that takes time. …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is an honour to be here in this chamber today, as a local member of Parliament from Ottawa, to give my colleagues the flexibility to follow public health measures and participate virtually. I am speaking today about the importance of the agreement on trade continuity between Canada and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Government of Canada's trade nego…
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Madam Speaker, I prefer to wear a mask for the sake of my health. However, I will speak more slowly and hope that will improve things. I would like to highlight some of the additional key benefits of the TCA. From a trade and environment perspective, both Canada and the U.K. have agreed to pursue high levels of environmental protection. In doing so, we also recognize that products traded from sust…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, as the minister mentioned this morning, this is something that we have been working on from the beginning. As the member can see, there has been no disruption or pause in our trade with the U.K. This is, of course, a continuity agreement. We will be able to provide assurance and predictability for businesses, aquaculture and agriculture while we negotiate a bilateral comprehensive a…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I am here today to present petition e-2740 on Holocaust education, with 747 signatures, including those of former prime ministers Joe Clark and Paul Martin. The petitioners are concerned about increasing anti-Semitism, and the fact that there are fewer survivors alive to tell the stories about the horrors of the Holocaust to young people. They are calling for increased investment in H…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the question and the work we are doing together, especially on the human rights committee, which met earlier this evening on the important topic of the Uighurs. I would like to respond to him by saying that we have already deployed over 15 million rapid tests. He also mentioned contact tracing. Right now there are public servants and Canadian Armed Forc…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, I do believe that we have said it in the House today. We have been providing answers and we will continue to. By the end of March, there will be six million doses. By the end of September, every Canadian who wants a vaccination will be able to receive a vaccination. Major-General Fortin is doing incredible work. The current delay is temporary. We will be receiving all of the doses s…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, I am sorry I misunderstood the question. I truly believe that we need national standards.
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Dartmouth—Cole Harbour. It is such an honour to join my colleagues this evening for this incredibly important debate on one of the greatest challenges that has ever faced our country. Many of my hon. colleagues have spoken about the whole-of-government effort to provide vaccines to Canadians and keep Canadians safe. I would like to focus…
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I believe the hon. member intended to split her time with the member for Winnipeg North.
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, today I am presenting petition e-2868, with 3,710 signatures. It is petitioning the Minister of Health regarding a rare disease, spinal muscular atrophy. Health Canada has just approved a gene therapy called Zolgensma that can be close to a cure if administered before the age of two, but it costs $2.8 million per dose. The petitioners are asking the federal government to work with the…
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Mr. Speaker, I would also like to present petition e-2378. This petition has over 1,000 signatures. The petitioners are calling on Parliament to amend legislation on medical assistance in dying to allow for advance requests if individuals have lost cognizance or cannot provide consent prior to the MAID process.
Read full speech →Emergency Debate
Madam Speaker, I agree, we need national elder care standards. The situation our Canadian Armed Forces encountered in seniors' homes was terrible. I completely agree with my colleague that we need those standards. We continue to help the provinces care for seniors along with the Red Cross—
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, National Defence is taking concrete steps to reduce its carbon footprint in its real property and its fleets. This includes greenhouse gas emissions reduction measures such as energy performance contracts at defence installations across the country, clean-energy purchases and improved energy management. National Defence’s continued investments to upgrade and replace critical National …
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Mr. Speaker, as outlined in Canada’s defence policy, “Strong, Secure, Engaged”, National Defence is committed to continental defence and to the protection of North America. This includes commitments to ensure that the North American Aerospace Defense Command, NORAD, is modernized to meet existing and future threats and challenges. In response to part (a), National Defence is currently examining a …
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