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Mr. Speaker, I share my colleague from Windsor West's support for the extraordinary women and men who work for the Canada Border Services Agency. Like him, I had an opportunity to meet many of these women and men who serve in protecting the security of our country and do very important work. I was glad the member highlighted the draconian cuts that the previous Conservative government made to the …
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Mr. Speaker, I do not want to disagree with my friend for Edmonton—Griesbach, but the idea that we came back empty-handed is completely false. He knows very well that we had a productive discussion with Mr. Trump and his future cabinet secretaries. The Prime Minister, of course, spoke about the importance of protecting the Canadian economy and Canadian workers from tariffs. We also discussed with …
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague is absolutely correct. Imposing the tariffs that the Americans are considering will harm Canadian workers and the Canadian economy, but also the American economy and American workers. That is why we spoke with President Trump and his future secretaries about the importance of working together and recognizing the integration between our two economies. Obviously, we discuss…
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Mr. Speaker, we do understand the importance of supporting our police forces, the RCMP and border services, but we did not just realize it now. We have been doing exactly that for the past nine years. We have exactly the same interests as the Americans, namely, to strengthen the integrity of our border and to enable Canadians to choose who enters Canada. It is the same thing for the United States.…
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Mr. Speaker, again, we have always allocated sufficient resources to support the extraordinary work that the RCMP and CBSA do with their law enforcement partners, whether it is the Sûreté du Québec or their American partners. The good news is that we are going to continue to make sure they have the technology and the people they need. We are going to further support these technologies and personne…
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Mr. Speaker, we are always ready to support good ideas that aim to assist our law enforcement agencies in their fight against organized crime. Provisions already exist in the Criminal Code that allow law enforcement and the courts to seize property and bank accounts that are the proceeds of crime. However, if my colleague has other suggestions, we would gladly look into what we can do to constantl…
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Mr. Speaker, again, I thank my colleague for underscoring the fact that it is important to support law enforcement and prosecutors and ensure that no one profits from crime, especially organized crime. We recognize the important work that the RCMP does with its partners such as the Sûreté du Québec, the Ontario Provincial Police and municipal police forces. Provisions in the Criminal Code already …
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Mr. Speaker, I will repeat what I just said. Our government condemns the violence and criminal acts that we saw in the streets of Montreal in all of our policies. It is completely unacceptable to express a political view by destroying Canadians' property, committing assault and attacking police officers. These people are not demonstrating peacefully. They are criminals and they will have to face C…
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Mr. Speaker, the RCMP continues to work closely with law enforcement agencies in Montreal, namely the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal, which is doing a good job. The RCMP always supports its partners, whether in Montreal, Quebec or other parts of the country. We have criticized and will continue to criticize the increase in anti-Semitism and hate crimes in Canada. We will continue to wor…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague, I think the Minister of defence properly explained the outrage all Canadians felt at the wanton, reckless violence on the streets of Montreal. We condemn unequivocally the rising and concerning rates of anti-Semitism and all other hate crimes in the country. We are working with provincial authorities and local police to combat them. Let me be very clear: No matter what g…
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Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what our government does. It supports police doing dangerous and difficult work across the country. I was briefed on the incident in Winnipeg. I share the hon. member's relief that the officer is expected to recover. These are exactly the kinds of incidents that should make all members of the House support, in a non-partisan way, the important work that police forces d…
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Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, now is the time to support our law enforcement agencies, to support the RCMP, to support border services, and to work with law enforcement authorities in the province of Quebec, as we always do. This is a joint effort between Canadian law enforcement and our American partners. This is exactly what our government has done from the beginning. We reversed the Conservativ…
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Mr. Speaker, what is not contradictory is working with our American partners, as we always do, and supporting the RCMP and the people who work at the CBSA, so they can do the work Canadians expect them to do. That is exactly what we are doing. I can assure my colleague that reducing the hours of service at certain border crossings is obviously being done in collaboration with the U.S. All staff wi…
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Mr. Speaker, like all members of the House, we are concerned when we hear stories like that. That is precisely why we are working with law enforcement, for example Montreal's SPVM, the Sûreté du Québec and other police forces in Quebec and the other provinces. We have transferred hundreds of millions of dollars to support this important work. We increased RCMP funding and staffing. We will keep fi…
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Mr. Speaker, our colleague knows very well that is not the case. He knows that all members of the House should properly be concerned about victims of crime. I think all members of the House should also be judicious with respect to continually repeating in the House the names of Canada's most heinous criminals. We think, on this side, that is also disrespectful to victims. Heinous criminals remain …
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Mr. Speaker, we have been working with the U.S. authorities for months, over a year, in fact, to find the best way to harmonize hours of service at certain secondary border crossings. This will do two things. In the event that someone shows up on the Canadian side of the border and is not admissible to Canada, it will allow us to send them back to a U.S. customs office that will actually be open. …
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Mr. Speaker, I am happy to withdraw those words. I think it is important that hon. members in this House who allege a series of circumstances be sure that they are accurate. When the hon. member asked in what scenario that particular conduct that she alleges would be appropriate, the answer is in no scenario in Canada. So, she can wonder why she keeps talking about issues that she knows are entire…
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Mr. Speaker, this member does a disservice to and is disrespectful of the victims of these very people he keeps naming in the House of Commons. The persons the member just named are inmates in federal correctional facilities. He pretends that the most important criterion for their incarceration is not the public safety of Canadians. He knows that is false, and he does victims a disservice by conti…
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Mr. Speaker, the hon. member knows that the facts that she just alleged are entirely fabricated. She asked in what universe would that—
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Mr. Speaker, at no time will any government allow that kind of thing to happen. My colleague is well aware that the program she referred to has been in place since 2011. It was in place throughout the Harper government years. The most important criterion is, of course, the children's safety. I have full confidence that the correctional service will rigorously apply these criteria.
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Mr. Speaker, of course we share the concerns of all Canadians when it comes to securing the border. Our government has stood by this commitment from day one. We have made significant investments to ensure that the CBSA and RCMP have the resources they need to make absolutely sure our border is safe and secure. Here is the good news. The RCMP commissioner and the CBSA president give our government …
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Absolutely, Mr. Speaker, and that is why we worked with our American partners to harmonize the hours of operation at certain border crossings. Obviously, that also allows us to reassign resources, as needed, to other areas that might be under pressure. This is a discussion that we have been having with the U.S. government for several years now, and it will enable us to apply the safe third country…
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Mr. Speaker, our government has invested a lot in protecting our border and will continue to do so. We reversed the cuts that the previous Conservative government made to the Canada Border Services Agency. We gave the RCMP the tools it needed to work with its U.S. partners to keep the border secure. I am very proud of the operation that the RCMP carried out a few weeks ago with its U.S. partners. …
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Mr. Speaker, the safety of children who participate in this long-standing mother-child program is obviously a top priority for the Correctional Service. There are rigorous eligibility criteria in place to participate in this program. It includes child welfare screening completed by provincial family services, as well as ensuring that people residing in the mother-child living unit have not been co…
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Mr. Speaker, our colleague is falsely using the word “inaction”. He knows perfectly well that our government has been investing in law enforcement agencies like the RCMP, border services and our provincial and municipal partners for several years now to combat auto theft. We recognize that this situation is completely unacceptable for Canadians. The good news is that the number of cars being stole…
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Mr. Speaker, it is important for all members in the House not to use the names of some of the most notorious killers in the country and give them the exact publicity that they crave. This individual is locked up in a federal prison behind two very high fences with a lot of razor wire. I saw, for myself, the secure federal correctional facility that this individual is in. My colleague also knows th…
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Mr. Speaker, our government works very effectively with law enforcement professionals across the country, including the Peel Regional Police that my colleague referred to, the City of Toronto and the York Regional Police. We have invested money that the Conservatives cut in the RCMP and border services to prevent illegal guns from entering the country. We are very surprised that the Conservative P…
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Mr. Speaker, I greatly appreciate my colleague's question. What is more, I enjoyed appearing before the committee today. We discussed this specific issue. I reassured the committee that the RCMP and border services are always prepared for any eventuality. My colleague was there. The plans have been in place for several months. I think we have to trust them and understand that describing the detail…
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Mr. Speaker, the RCMP commissioner and the RCMP's commanding officer in Quebec have both made it clear that the RCMP has not reduced its numbers in Quebec. In fact, we have invested more in the RCMP and in border services. I have great confidence that they are prepared to deal with any eventuality at any time. It is their job to be ready and to anticipate events at the border, and that is precisel…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Windsor is right. At a time when the Conservatives were supporting the illegal acts of the convoy, the City of Windsor and the Province of Ontario were partners with the Government of Canada in trying to bring this horrible crisis to a peaceful conclusion. I was happy some months ago to have an opportunity to talk to the mayor of Windsor. My colleagues on this side o…
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Mr. Speaker, we are going to keep working with police forces. My colleague mentioned the SPVM. We hold regular discussions with chief Fady Dagher, among others. I told him as recently as last week that we support their important work. We also support the work of the RCMP and border services, which play a supportive role for municipal and provincial police forces. This is part of the work we are do…
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Mr. Speaker, we are taking action. We are already deploying several technologies to federal prisons. Obviously, we are not going to publicly discuss the details and capabilities of those technologies. I myself have visited federal institutions in Quebec and seen how these technologies are being used. I had a very good discussion with Quebec's Minister Bonnardel on what we can do to help the Govern…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows perfectly well that the Parole Board operates at arm's length from the government. It makes good decisions, and the most important criterion it uses is, of course, public safety. We will not comment on cases before the Parole Board. We have confidence in its work. However, as my colleague, the Minister of National Defence, just said, we are a bit surprised that the …
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Mr. Speaker, of course, we are doing just that, as my colleague is well aware. I will be in Quebec again on Friday. I will be touring a prison with the deputy commissioner of Correctional Service Canada responsible for Quebec. We will be discussing this exact issue. I would be happy to organize a briefing for our Bloc Québécois colleagues to discuss the technologies that are in place and why it is…
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Mr. Speaker, I naturally share my colleague's concerns. These concerns are shared by everyone in the House. I have met with representatives of the Correctional Service Canada union and administration to discuss next steps, as well as additional tools and technologies that we can add to the technologies we are already using to eliminate situations like the one described by my colleague. We are also…
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Mr. Speaker, our colleague knows full well that the government is doing a lot about this. We have invested in technology. I saw the technology in action with my own eyes at a Correctional Service of Canada institution in Quebec. For example, I saw how drones can be intercepted before they get there. Obviously, we are not going to discuss the technology publicly so criminal gangs cannot find a way …
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Mr. Speaker, one thing that is definitely up is slogans in the House of Commons. We have said clearly that we will support law enforcement both at the RCMP and in terms of their partners in policing, including municipal police in British Columbia. That is why we renewed the guns and gangs program that precisely puts money in the hands of these brave women and men who serve in municipal and provinc…
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Mr. Speaker, one important difference between our government and the Conservative Party is that we do not believe that assault-style military firearms have a place on Canadian streets. We have made those firearms illegal. We are taking steps to compensate law-abiding gun owners who purchased these rifles, particularly so we can remove them from the streets. That is something that police officers, …
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Mr. Speaker, I was surprised that our colleague raised the issue of border security. Our government, unlike the previous Conservative government, has invested precisely so that the Canada Border Services Agency would be able to interdict the illegal firearms crossing our borders. We work with the RCMP, its policing partners and border services. The Conservatives cut the funding to these agencies, …
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Mr. Speaker, our government did precisely that. It listened to law enforcement professionals who asked us to reverse the cuts of the previous Harper government to the women and men who serve in our Border Services Agency and who do that excellent work at border crossings across the country. We also invested in the RCMP, which has responsibility between border crossings and works with American part…
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Mr. Speaker, our colleague raised the IRGC. Our government has been very clear. The Iranian government is a state sponsor of terrorism. We have said that consistently, and our government took the unprecedented step to list the IRGC as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code of Canada. Our colleague understands very well that nobody in this House is going to discuss specific immigration cases, b…
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Mr. Speaker, we understand the need to ensure public safety in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada. That is exactly what we are doing every single day. I am very heartened by the RCMP's work with its partners in Quebec, including the Sûreté du Québec, the Montreal police and the Quebec City police. RCMP Commissioner Duheme often talks to me about joint task forces, particularly to address the challenge…
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Mr. Speaker, we have been clear. We think all party leaders in this House should have the required security clearance so that they can receive information concerning the threats to this House or threats to Canada involving foreign interference. We also take the comments of the leader of the NDP very seriously with respect to protecting Sikh Canadians and protecting those who have been victims of t…
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has been clear. We fundamentally believe that all party leaders in the House should have the appropriate security clearance so that they can find out the information they need to manage their parliamentary caucus and understand the threats facing Canadians. I wholeheartedly endorse the sentiments of the NDP leader concerning the need to condemn the Government of Ind…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank our colleague from Surrey—Newton for that question. He is right. Last week, the RCMP took the unprecedented step of sharing with Canadians information about a significant public safety threat. The alleged actions are a grave violation of Canada's sovereignty and the rule of law. We stand with the Sikh and South Asian communities with respect to ensuring their safety. I…
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Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we are not waiting. We are taking action. We have added more RCMP members. While the Conservatives made cuts to border services, for example, we invested to crack down on criminal gangs. I had some very positive discussions with Minister Bonnardel at our federal-provincial meetings last week. We agreed to continue to work together. I will continue to support him in hi…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows very well that we are working with the provinces to address the situations he described. We are having ongoing discussions with the police forces and the provincial ministers responsible for public safety. We will continue to give law enforcement the resources they need. The Conservatives cannot say they did the same, because they cut funding to agencies like the CB…
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Mr. Speaker, the government's position has in fact been very clear. Decisions around listing terrorist entities are made based on the advice of security and intelligence officials. My colleague the parliamentary secretary made it clear yesterday that I have instructed the security and intelligence agencies that report to us to do, on an expedited basis, a review of these matters, and I have said w…
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Mr. Speaker, our government is deeply concerned about the national security interests of Canadians. That is why we support the law enforcement agencies and security agencies that do this important work. That is why we rely on their advice to decide when the government, under the Criminal Code of Canada, should list a terrorist entity. There is good news. These security agencies are constantly revi…
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague knows very well that the Parole Board, by law, operates independently of the government. Our responsibility is to ensure that the appropriate men and women serve on the Parole Board, something we have done with great seriousness. The Conservatives know that the most important criteria in any independent decision made by this quasi-judicial tribunal is public safety. My co…
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