Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like to start by saying that, as I stand in the House to speak on behalf of people in London, Ontario who have lost their lives to this crisis, it is tone-deaf for the member opposite to say that we are speaking in rhetoric. It is the Conservatives who are making this a very partisan issue, when we have people from across the country. This is an issue that has no party lines…
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Madam Speaker, I am sorry to have annoyed my colleague opposite for mentioning all the work we are doing to ensure that we deal with this very important crisis affecting the entire country, a crisis that is affecting everyone with children and families. That said, there are always opportunities to do more and to ensure that we do so in areas that have not yet received funding. If earlier I mention…
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Madam Speaker, when I talk about how this is an issue that has no party lines, I think my colleague from London—Fanshawe and I can agree that we have worked together to respond to this crisis when I was a city councillor and even now, as members of Parliament. Not too long ago, my colleague from London—Fanshawe and I were at a wraparound service housing initiative that had been invested in by the …
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Madam Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Winnipeg North. I am grateful for this opportunity to speak today to discuss the ongoing toxic drug overdose crisis. While I do that, my thoughts are on the many people we have lost in London, Ontario, a lot of friends and family, to this overdose crisis, which continues to exact a heartbreaking toll on individuals, families and commun…
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Mr. Speaker, I had some technical difficulties with my voting app. I had my hand up while they were calling the votes, but the Speaker did not recognize me, so I would like to request unanimous consent to have my vote counted as yea for the last vote, which was for Bill C-13.
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Mr. Speaker, I am a strong believer that the right to choose for women should not be politicized, and I think that many Canadians without a doubt can agree with that. However, here we are politicizing how women can access health care and debating choices they have to make. I believe all Canadians deserve to know what the government is doing to protect the right to choose and access to important he…
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Mr. Speaker, on May 5 we recognize the International Day of the Midwife, a day to recognize the essential contributions that midwives make to ensuring safe, quality reproductive and newborn care to pregnant people, mothers and babies everywhere. The Canadian Association of Midwives not only supports midwives in Canada, but also works toward improving sexual and reproductive health, and rights of w…
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Madam Speaker, it is important to highlight that this budget targets families and young children. There would be dental care for families in need. I just mentioned that this budget really targets families that are struggling, and that is what our government is trying to do right now to support Canadians who are struggling the most. The grocery rebate would go 11 million targeted Canadians to make …
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Madam Speaker, I have had multiple occasions to talk with my colleague about similar, shared interests and how we are both working to serve Canadians. I do agree that we care about a lot of similar things, including health care. I want to talk about how this budget would help Canadians. This budget would ensure that all Canadians have access to health care, dental care and doctors. We also need to…
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Madam Speaker, I greatly appreciate my colleague's commitment to making sure all Canadians have access to housing, to a home. This government has invested a lot in housing. We can talk about the $40,000 that young people like me can invest today to be able to buy a home. We can talk about the interest that has been removed from student loans so students can have money to invest in a home. We can a…
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Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to join the debate on Bill C‑47 and highlight our government's efforts to support the middle class, build a strong and prosperous economy, and help Canadians cope with the rising cost of living. The 2023 budget tabled last month by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance proposes, for one, targeted inflation relief for 11 million Canadians and families. T…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for making very important comments on this important debate we are having tonight on supporting Sudanese people in this conflict, as well as bringing Sudanese communities home. I lived in war, so I know how war affects people. It directly affects women and children. Can the member opposite talk about some of the important measures that we need to con…
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Mr. Speaker, I have not had many opportunities to work with the member, but I have seen her show up on the international issues in a very strong way, and I appreciate the way she has shown up. Today, a group of Sudanese women released a statement. They said a couple of things that they want to see the international community do and support because of the impact this is having on children and women…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to thank my colleague for his speech on this issue that is very important not only to Sudanese Canadians, but also to our communities. Large Sudanese communities have contacted me since the conflict began. They had a lot to say about the women and children caught up in this conflict. In the past, the Bloc Québécois has not always voted in favour o…
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Mr. Speaker, last week, I had the honour of going to Kigali in my capacity as a Canadian MP to attend the 29th Commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda. On April 7, we began the 100-day mourning period. Today, on Parliament Hill, we will be commemorating the genocide against the Tutsis where we will do our part in marching toward a world that truly represents the sentiment o…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise to discuss the important matters raised by Bill C-280, which would amend the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, or BIA, and the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act, to provide the claims of the sellers with a deemed trust. This means that their claims would be paid first, in full, ahead of the claims of all other creditors if the buyer was subject to a bankruptcy o…
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Mr. Speaker, we know that provincial and territorial programs do not cover dental care needs equally across Canada. Yesterday, as part of the 2023 budget, our government announced that it was committed to moving forward with a transformative investment to provide dental care to Canadians who need it by creating the new Canadian dental care plan. Can the Minister of Health tell us more about the cu…
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Mr. Speaker, after a decade of neglect under the Harper Government, the Canadian auto sector is finally re-emerging as a global leader. When asked about the opposition leader's criticisms of the Volkswagen investment our government has attracted to Canada, the Ontario premier shrugged them off and characterized them as political comments. Even the Conservative premier of Ontario knows that this is…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to request a recorded division.
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Madam Speaker, I just want to start by thanking my hon. colleagues who have spoken in support of the motion. We have not only heard from the House, but we have also heard from community members and have spent a year working on the motion. I appreciate the fact that everybody sees its importance. I have had the honour and privilege of engaging many stakeholders serving members within the disability…
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Mr. Speaker, as we acknowledge and celebrate the contributions of women and girls in our communities today, there is clearly still work to be done to achieve full gender equality. We have seen a recent increase in anti-feminist and violent rhetoric. This rhetoric is dangerous and has a tangible, harmful impact on our communities. Can the Prime Minister enlighten us as to where he stands on the iss…
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Madam Speaker, I wish my colleagues a good afternoon. I am very pleased to rise in the House today to speak on the recently proposed offer to provinces and territories regarding the federal investments in our health care system, an offer that I am pleased to say provincial and territorial premiers signalled their agreement to work on this plan on February 13. I think that is good news, and I want …
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for mentioning the mental health advocacy that I continue to do, for people in not only London West but also across the country. I believe that supporting the mental health and well-being of Canadians, especially young Canadians, is really important. I also just talked about how important it is to support the providers as well, and to give resources to care prov…
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Madam Speaker, I think that a health care system that works for all Canadians is a good system. We had the opportunity to hear from all of the provincial leaders, those from Quebec, Ontario and all over. These discussions are ongoing. We want to invest in a health care system that works for everyone. That is why even the provincial leaders decided to come to the table and agreed to work with us. I…
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Madam Speaker, I had a conversation with someone who has been on the front line supporting mental health for young people in the city of Ottawa. As we increase the wages for health care providers, it is important that we talk about supporting the mental health of providers as well. I had conversations with many care providers in London, Ontario, who told me that they need that kind of support. Inv…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from London—Fanshawe for her question. The question is really important, because this is a conversation we continue to have with different health care providers across the city of London. As I stand in the House today to speak on behalf of London West, our government will continue to ensure that we protect the Canada Health Act and that the money t…
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Mr. Speaker, since the COVID‑19 pandemic, our Canadian athletes have been asking more and more for support and resources for their mental health. Can the Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec tell the House about the initiatives she put in place recently to help Canadian athletes?
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, as we continue to honour the legacies of Black Canadians, “Ours to tell” is the theme encouraging us to look within our own villages to find Black Canadian trailblazers in our ridings and celebrate them. Many of us know a lot of first, second and third Black Canadians in many fields, but to quote Ben Okri: There is no exhaustion where there is much To be hoped for, much to work toward…
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Mr. Speaker, my constituents in London West and all Canadians have been through a lot this year, whether it is the pandemic, global inflation, the devastating effects of climate change or the growing uncertainty on the world stage. Canadians are looking to their government for both stability and solutions. As we approach this holiday season, can the Prime Minister inform us of the steps the govern…
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Mr. Speaker, the 18th Francophonie Summit in Djerba just wrapped up, but efforts to fight the decline of French here in Canada and around the world are more important than ever. Canada remains a major player and has reiterated its steadfast commitment to ongoing sustainable development in French-speaking areas. Both nationally, with Bill C‑13, and internationally, our government is still a leader …
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Mr. Speaker, today, marks three decades of Canadian global nutrition leadership. That is 30 years of Nutrition International being Canada’s flagship nutrition organization, whose work to eliminate malnutrition worldwide has saved over seven million lives. Ensuring people have not only food but the right nutrition to allow them to survive and then thrive is more important than ever now. In this cha…
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Madam Speaker, I equally appreciate the member on the other side, her policies on housing and the work she has done in her community. I am very happy to sit in the House with her. I am calling on the government to repair the units with a lens to including access to non-visible disabilities. We have programs, many programs. In my riding I can mention a number of them that the national housing strat…
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moved: That, in the opinion of the House, the government should continue to work in consultation with representatives of the provincial and territorial governments, the Federal Housing Advocate, Indigenous governing bodies, service providers to people with disabilities, housing providers, and other relevant stakeholders, in upholding a federal framework to improve access to adaptable affordable ho…
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Madam Speaker, inflation is a situation that the whole world is experiencing, and our government has committed and continues to commit to building affordable housing. This motion is an extra layer that seeks to support all the bills we have passed to support Canadians who are in need. Now I am putting forward particular language that supports Canadians with non-visible disabilities. I really hope …
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Madam Speaker, I will start by thanking my Bloc Québécois colleague for his question. I really appreciate the passion for affordable housing that he brings to the House. As I said earlier, budget 2022 is built around affordable housing. That has been proven. It is in our report. We have invested a lot of money in the affordable housing system. Once again, as I said earlier, the motion I moved toda…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise to mark World Cerebral Palsy Day. Cerebral palsy is a permanent disability that affects movement and posture. Its impact can range from a weakness in one hand to almost a complete lack of voluntary movement. There are over 17 million people in the world living with cerebral palsy, and approximately 80,000 of those individuals live in Canada. As we celebrate this day and support…
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Mr. Speaker, protecting all Canadians is an absolute priority for our government. It means working to have a justice system that is effective and fair, and, above all, one that is compassionate towards victims. Given that it is vital that victims have a strong voice to represent them, can the Minister of Justice tell us more about the recent appointment of the victims ombudsman?
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Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to commemorate World Refugee Day. Seeking safety is a human right, no matter who one is or where one comes from—
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Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to commemorate World Refugee Day. Seeking safety is a human right, no matter who one is or where one comes from. Whenever one has been forced to flee, everyone has the right to seek safety. Let us acknowledge the 100 million displaced people across our planet as the precariousness of peace and climate change continue to be growing concerns. Canada must work h…
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Mr. Speaker, it has been a year since the Afzaal family was tragically murdered while walking in Hyde Park. Salman loved gardening. Yumna loved art. Madiha loved caring for others. Talat simply loved her grandchildren. The void they left on this earth is immeasurable. It was felt during the many events honouring their lives that I attended over the weekend. In the nine months after this tragedy, Y…
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Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question from my colleague across the aisle. I believe that our government has been working to invest in making life more affordable for Canadians. There are a number of measures that we put in budget 2022 to make sure that families are able to afford life. There are things that we are working through right now, after the pandemic, but we are taking strong measures …
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Madam Speaker, I find that question very interesting, because I did mention the numbers and the amount of money that we are going to be putting in the pockets of single people and families to make sure that Canadians are getting the money from this tax back. Once again, I just want to reiterate that budget 2022's main goal and primary driver is to make life more affordable for Canadians, and we ar…
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Madam Speaker, I appreciate this opportunity to take part in today's debate—
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Madam Speaker, once again, I want to reiterate that our government is committed to reducing fossil fuel subsidies. At COP26, we reiterated our commitment to phase out Canada's fossil fuel subsidies by 2023, two years earlier than originally planned. We continue to do that and we continue to do all that we can to have a green recovery for all Canadians.
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Mr. Speaker, Pearl, Ruth, Margus, Andre, Geraldine, Katherine, Roberta, Aaron, Celestine and Heyward, these are the names of the sons and daughters of a strong community who were senselessly gunned down while getting groceries this Saturday. Next week, a community in Central Park will not receive the food that Pearl Young fed them every Saturday for the last 25 years. No one is born hating; people…
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Madam Speaker, I am pleased that my colleagues are so excited to see me rising in the House. I will start again. I appreciate the opportunity to take part in today's debate. Our government fully understands the importance of phasing out or rationalizing inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. We take Canada's G20 commitment to do so very seriously. More importantly, we have already made important progr…
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Madam Speaker, I rise this evening to talk about our official languages and Bill C‑13, which proposes a long-awaited reform of our language framework. As a francophone from southwestern Ontario, I am proud to be able to rise in the House of Commons to speak to this bill, which would support the modernization of the Official Languages Act in Canada. We need to talk about the compliance of federal i…
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Madam Speaker, I think the bill is pretty specific. We are talking about francophone immigration outside Quebec and asking the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to work with everybody to make sure that francophone immigration continues to increase in Canada and Quebec. I do not think it is true that we have no targets and no specific measures. I just mentioned some of them. I would…
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Madam Speaker, I really appreciate that question from my colleague, who is also a member of the Standing Committee on Official Languages. As I just said in my speech on Bill C‑13, we want this policy to help the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship build on efforts to increase francophone immigration to Canada. Today he announced that we will continue to work on this. Let us not forge…
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Madam Speaker, I sincerely thank my colleague, who sits with me on the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration. I know he was there during today's committee meeting when the minister announced that we would be opening two more visa offices in Africa. My colleague knows that we are making a lot of progress. Unfortunately, I have to contradict him when he says that we are not doing much. F…
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