Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, because the member mentioned the Canadian Armed Forces, I will say that the government is proud to champion the outstanding work of the women and men of the Canadian Armed Forces. Last month, our forces were deployed on Operation Caribbe, where they successfully conducted seizures of more than 1,300 kilograms of cocaine in the Caribbean Sea. This month, our forces have been deployed a…
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday this government announced a generational $9.3 billion investment in Canada's national defence. This means we will reach NATO's 2% spending target this fiscal year. Reaching NATO's 2% target also means rebuilding our defence industrial capacity here at home, including in Nova Scotia. There are almost 300,000 jobs across Canada in the broader defence sector, and this investmen…
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Mr. Speaker, this is good news for Canada, for Canadians and the Canadian Armed Forces. Yesterday, the Prime Minister announced a $9.3 billion investment in Canada's defence, which means that, in this fiscal year, we will meet NATO's 2% target. We are reinforcing Canada's role as a strong and reliable international partner in NATO while rebuilding and arming the Canadian Armed Forces.
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Mr. Speaker, we are proud to support Canada and to invest in Canada, in Canadians and in the Canadian Armed Forces. Reaching the 2% target set by NATO also means rebuilding our defence industry capabilities here at home. There are already close to 300,000 jobs in Canada in the broader defence sector. This investment will allow us to increase that number. We will, of course, support our Canadian Ar…
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Mr. Speaker, we thank the Auditor General for her work. For a project of this magnitude, it is not unusual for costs to change over time, especially given the challenges posed by the pandemic and inflation. National Defence monitors costs closely and works hand in hand with industry. We are making the largest investment in the Royal Canadian Air Force in more than 30 years.
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Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the six following reports of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union: the report respecting its participation at the annual parliamentary hearing at the United Nations in New York, New York, United States of America, from February 13 to 15, 2023; the report respecting i…
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Mr. Speaker, the International Day of Parliamentarism is celebrated every year on June 30. This year, June 30 also marks the 135th anniversary of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the IPU. Having begun as a small group of parliamentarians in 1889, today the IPU is a thriving international organization of 180 national parliaments, open to 46,000 parliamentarians. While Canada first joined the IPU in 1…
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Mr. Speaker, today is McHappy Day, an annual celebration of giving to support Ronald McDonald House Charities. Across Canada, 16 Ronald McDonald houses and 18 Ronald McDonald family rooms give families a place to stay together while their child is being treated at a nearby hospital. I was honoured to announce $9.3 million for the expansion of the Ottawa house, only 167 steps from the Children's Ho…
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Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1) I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union on its 145th assembly and related meetings in Kigali, Rwanda, from October 11 to 15, 2022.
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Mr. Speaker, the 2332 Major EJG Holland VC Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps was founded on November 25, 1948. It will celebrate its 75th anniversary this month with a ceremonial parade. Eighty cadets strong, and with a dedicated team of officers and civilian volunteers, this unit has volunteered with the Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Campaign, the Army Run, Christmas toy drives, the Boots on the Grou…
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Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to rise today to mark the 60th anniversary of Sainte‑Geneviève parish in the riding of Ottawa South. The parish dates back to May 28, 1963, when Father Gaston Croteau was appointed as the founding pastor. At the time, the parishioners would gather for Sunday mass in the chapel of Mazenod Seminary on Smyth Road. In late July 1963, the parish purchased a piece of land to…
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Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36, I rise today to table a petition on behalf of St. Joseph's Parish here in Ottawa. The petition is regarding the overseas practices of Canada-owned extractive industries. It was circulated across Canada by Development and Peace Caritas Canada, an organization that continues with the important mission of promoting social justice. I am honoured to present t…
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Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, the report of the delegation of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union respecting its participation in the parliamentary forum at the United Nations high-level political forum on sustainable development held in New York, United States of America, from July 12 to July 1…
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Mr. Speaker, it is hard for me to comment on the geopolitics of the region now, except to say that we know that the French government is taking the leadership in rebuilding much of Beirut. Canada has been there since the beginning, but I think, as legislators here on Canadian soil, one of our responsibilities is to ensure that the diverse and inclusive communities each of us represent stick togeth…
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Mr. Speaker, I do not like to dance, but I know there will be a lot of dancing. Just this morning, I had the privilege of being with one of our ministers to make an announcement on a very important initiative for my own district and across the city in different schools pursuant to Black History Month, which will help bring together teachers and children who are facing some mental health crises to …
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Mr. Speaker, where can I begin? How many are there? How can one count the number of contributions? I do recall the coming together of the Lebanese-Canadian community here in Ottawa just recently, after the terrible explosions in Beirut. I remember it coming together, with incredible generosity, to match federal government offerings in funding for support right across, not just the greater Ottawa a…
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moved that the bill be concurred in.
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moved that the bill be read the third time and passed. Mr. Speaker, good evening to you and to colleagues in the House, and to those who may be watching these proceedings. I am delighted to speak at third reading on my private member's bill, Bill C-232, which would designate every April as Arab heritage month. I would like to thank members from all sides of the House for their support thus far. I …
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Mr. Speaker, I am rising today to recognize my constituent and a long-time dedicated employee of the House of Commons. Mr. Claude St-Germain, assistant sergeant-at-arms and risk management and investigations officer, is retiring after 35 years of outstanding service. Mr. St-Germain joined the House of Commons security services on September 21, 1987, moving to Ottawa from his hometown of Sudbury. O…
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Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, a report of the delegation of the Canadian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union respecting its participation in the 142nd assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and related meetings, held by video conference from April 13 to May 27, 2021.
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Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(6), I rise to present a petition on behalf of constituents in my riding of Ottawa South. The petitioners are calling on the government to enact just transition legislation to address the climate emergency. As an environmental lawyer, I am very pleased to present this petition. I would like to thank my constituent Dr. Sarah Charron for organizing this impo…
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Madam Speaker, good evening to you, colleagues and the viewers who are tuning in to this important debate. After almost 18 years in the House, I know that sometimes there are moments when the House truly comes together. Sometimes there are moments when Parliament can showcase its ability to come together, overcome partisanship and pursue something that I believe all of us here find to be good, fin…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for a thoughtful and important question. I see my Arab Canadian neighbours and friends. I see the entrepreneurs and the investors. I see Arab Canadians in senior ranks of the public service, in Parliament, in medicine, in law, in engineering, running real estate companies, doing international trade and running airlines. I see Arab Canadians as unbelievable citizen…
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moved that Bill C-232, an act respecting Arab heritage month, be read a second time and referred to a committee. Madam Speaker, it is an honour and a privilege to rise in the House this evening to begin the debate on my private member's bill, which would establish the month of April in Canada as Arab heritage month. The first immigrants of Arab origin arrived in Canada in 1882, in the early years …
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Mr. Speaker, what I would like to see is shawarma in the House of Commons lobbies so we can all enjoy a tasty meal. The good thing about a month like this is that it will enable Canadian Heritage to plan and financially support celebrations across Canada in small communities and big cities. Arab communities will be able to ask for funding to recognize the contributions of Arab Canadians and help t…
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Madam Speaker, in 2014, I had the distinct privilege of conducting a pre-election assessment for the entire country of Ukraine for the National Democratic Institute in Washington, D.C. I was part of a delegation of five or six members. At that time, it was clear to us that Ukraine was struggling to become the modern democracy that it has since become. Unfortunately, I think a choice was made by th…
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Mr. Speaker, I will use this short answer to commemorate my good friend Arnold Chan, a young man who I actually drafted into public life. He was a very fine and decent man. I would recommend everybody watch the video. It was one of his final speeches and, in fact, a very moving invocation of what we are supposed to be doing here as we come together at our best.
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Mr. Speaker, that is a profoundly important question, and one that is steeped in truth. It is clear that we have seen all kinds of abuse, all kinds of profiling and all kinds of hatred directed at different parts of Canadian society, including our Arab Canadian neighbours and community members. I am hoping that this bill and an Arab heritage month will help elevate understanding, will help celebra…
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Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. Many business owners from my riding of Ottawa South had to close their downtown establishments in the face of the illegal blockades. The occupation carried on for more than 20 days, and the cost to local businesses was simply staggering. Could the minister please update the Ho…
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moved for leave to introduce Bill C-232, An Act respecting Arab Heritage Month. Mr. Speaker, it is indeed an honour and a privilege to rise in the House of Commons to introduce my private member's bill, which would establish the month of April in Canada as Arab heritage month. The first persons of Arab origin arrived in Canada in 1882 in the early years after Confederation some 140 years ago. Sinc…
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Madam Speaker, although I am desirous of seeing the kind of consistency the member alludes to, one size does not fit all. When there is a crime being adjudicated in a court, judges have a specific responsibility to adduce and hear all of the evidence; to consider it; and to take into consideration background, mental health and addiction. We have heard repeatedly on the floor of the House that this…
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Madam Speaker, the answer is yes, we are treating this as a health issue. Yes, this government remains open to the concept of decriminalization based on evidence and comparative experience, and I would encourage the member to bring that evidence forward to committee when this bill is being studied.
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Madam Speaker, I want to pick up, if I could, where I left off, and that is the role and purpose of judges and the difficult role they fulfill when they sit as triers of fact. I remember when I began my career as a young articling student with a criminal law firm, and I was struck by the difficulty judges face when these cases are presented to them. I was also struck by the connection between crim…
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Madam Speaker, I want to begin by thanking the voters of Ottawa South. This is my seventh consecutive election. I am honoured and privileged to represent such a magnificent riding, a very diverse riding, with over 82 languages spoken and over 160 countries of origin. I like to describe my riding as “the United Nations of Ottawa South”. A great deal of time has already been spent describing the obj…
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