Orders of the Day
Madam Speaker, the decision we are required to make today in this vote is without question one of the most important that a parliamentarian may be called to make. History will judge our votes and our debates in the House. This vote is about fundamental issues in a democracy. On the one hand, it is about the duty of the government to protect our institutions and the public order, which is necessary…
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Mr. Speaker, although we are seeing some encouraging signs of economic recovery, it is also clear that not all regions of the country nor all sectors are recovering at the same pace. That is especially true for the tourism sector. I can see it in my region which, to my impartial eye, is the most beautiful in Canada. My region usually welcomes thousands upon thousands of tourists every year and has…
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Madam Speaker, sadly, last night, Montreal was once again witness to a shooting that took the life of a young man and injured another. It is imperative to our government that we take every measure at our disposal to stem the flow of guns that are illegally diverted through theft, fake purchases or smuggling at the border. On that, I would ask the Minister of Public Safety to inform the House of th…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Madam Speaker, as the summer approaches after a tougher-than-usual year, I want to pay tribute to my constituency team in Louis‑Hébert. I have the best team in the country, if I do say so myself. Filip Novakovic, a Bosnian refugee, dearly loves both his country of origin and his adopted country. He is a humanist in both his ideals and his everyday actions. Everyone in the riding loves him because …
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Madam Speaker, we want to thank Amnesty International for its report. We will certainly take the time to read through it. I do want to make a few reminders. Immigrant detention is a measure of last resort. It is used only in certain circumstances. Furthermore, long-term detention is used only when the individual in detention poses a danger to the public, when alternatives to detention do not adequ…
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Madam Speaker, last year we introduced major reciprocal border restrictions with countries like the United States for public health reasons. That was an evidence-based decision to protect the health of Canadians. We ensure that our border services officers have the most relevant, up-to-date information so they can make quick decisions for citizens who have to cross the border for essential reasons…
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Madam Speaker, the case the member raised is certainly very disturbing. The Parole Board of Canada operates independently and makes decisions based on well-established criteria. I would definitely like to take a look at this case with the opposition member to find out more.
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, with regard to part (a), the Canada Border Services Agency, CBSA, works in close co-operation with the Public Health Agency of Canada, PHAC, to implement and operationalize the travel restrictions and public health measures at the port of entry. The measures that have been implemented are layered, and together, aim to reduce the risk of the importation and transmission of COVID-19 and…
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Mr. Speaker, in response to (a), (i) no decision has been made specific to tier 2; (ii) tier 3 volunteers were approved pending the drafting and signing of a memorandum of understanding. In response to (b), (i) the Alberta RCMP, in consultation with the Government of Alberta, decided to allow the resumption of the usage of tier 3 volunteers, pending the drafting and signing of a memorandum of unde…
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Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank the hon. member for Saint John—Rothesay for all he has done over the years in advocating for pardon reform. The presence of a criminal record has led to indigenous, Black and other racialized communities being disproportionately represented in our criminal justice system. These records create barriers to accessing a job, housing and education, which can, in…
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Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, our thoughts are with the family and friends of Chantel Moore through these difficult times. Following the tragic passing of Ms. Moore after an interaction with the Edmundston Police Force, the minister has spoken with the New Brunswick regional chief and the president of the Nuu-Chah-Nulth Tribal Council to discuss wellness checks and the different roles of police…
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Mr. Speaker, in response to part (a), the official who signed the statement of completeness, SOC, for the original input provided by the Canada Border Services Agency, CBSA, is the vice-president, intelligence and enforcement branch. The official who signed the SOC for the original input provided by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, RCMP, is the senior director, strategic policy and government af…
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Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is committed to upholding human rights and international labour standards. Forced labour in any form, anywhere in the world, is completely unacceptable. The CBSA actively collaborates with Employment and Social Development Canada to monitor and research evidence related to problematic supply chains. Shipments containing products suspected of being produced by …
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. Our government is actively monitoring the flood levels. We need to determine which measures to take, and we will certainly support the provinces and territories if they ask for help. Through the Government Operations Centre, Public Safety Canada is closely monitoring high-risk zones, including in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Langley—Aldergrove for his comments today. I had the pleasure of sitting with him on the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security. This is a very important issue and a reminder that every incident of gun violence in Canada is one too many. We really must do everything we can to combat this type of violence, which we have certainly seen too …
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Madam Speaker, in a minority government, both the government and the opposition parties have a responsibility to ensure that an election is not triggered. As the NDP member just said in her question, if we lose a confidence vote, then we automatically have an election. Why is the Bloc Québécois refusing the proposed amendment to add the responsibility of the opposition parties?
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Madam Speaker, I thank my esteemed colleague for her speech. I hold my colleague in high regard, and I am grateful for her work. I have a little less respect for her party. I would like to quote from an article published in the Journal de Québec on July 24, 2020, that refers to a Bloc Québécois press release. The article states: ...the Bloc Québécois calls on the Chief Electoral Officer of Canada …
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Madam Speaker, we know that there is no miracle solution. We have to work on all fronts and give the CBSA more resources to fight smuggling. We need stricter storage measures, as we are proposing in Bill C-21, and we must continue to make new investments like those we have made to prevent gun violence upstream. I am thinking in particular of the investments I mentioned in my first response. By fig…
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Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Kingston and the Islands for his speech, which he delivered with his customary eloquence. I am very perplexed that the Bloc Québécois is unable to support such a simple and clear amendment that certainly calls for responsibility on the part of the government, but also for responsibility on the part of the opposition parties. In the context of a minority govern…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for Markham—Stouffville for her tireless advocacy to promote safer communities in her part of the country and across the land. Tomorrow marks the one-year anniversary since weapons designed for military use were prohibited, and since we moved past thoughts and prayers and acted. Of the Five Eyes countries that have prohibited these rifles, none have exp…
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Mr. Speaker, I am always puzzled to hear those types of criticisms from the Conservative Party. When the Conservatives formed the government, they proceeded to make the biggest cuts to our intelligence services and our police forces, such as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the RCMP, and border services officers. Their austerity plan included massive cuts to technical resources and staff deploye…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Kenora for this interesting adjournment debate. It is a topic that concerns us. To answer the question he asked at the very end, I can assure him that there is nothing in Bill C-21 that takes aim at the vast majority of law-abiding Canadians, whether they are hunters, sport shooters or collectors who obey the law and who have our respect. There is absolutely …
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Madam Speaker, that was in fact one of the commitments we made at the request of municipalities across the country. They would like more authority to limit, regulate and ban firearms in their jurisdiction, and that is precisely what Bill C-21 is proposing. We are certainly listening, and we will always be prepared to work with the provinces, the municipalities and the opposition parties that want …
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Madam Speaker, I thank my distinguished and esteemed colleague for the question. Many communities, both urban and rural, have seen a rise in gun crime over the past few years. In response, our government has introduced robust and stricter laws to ensure better gun control, but we have also continued to make investments. We are continuing to invest in fighting this violence and going after those wh…
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Madam Speaker, I am eager for my colleague from Kingston and the Islands to learn French, and I am here if he needs help. I was saying that our approach is based on other countries' experiences. For instance, New Zealand has had limited success, if we compare the estimated number of firearms in circulation with the number of firearms surrendered to the government. With our approach, those who wish…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. We took an informed approach based on New Zealand's experience. It is estimated that its mandatory buyback program recovered just one-third of these weapons. Our approach is definitely different. Those who wish to surrender their weapons will be eligible to receive fair compensation from the government. Those who do not will have to register th…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Sarnia—Lambton. Today is a big day for her because she just became a grandmother. My congratulations, and I am happy to see her virtually. To answer her question, it is clear that no single measure will eliminate gun violence in Canada. We have to tackle it on all fronts. It is obviously important to take military-style assault rifles out of circulation, bu…
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Thank you, Madam Speaker. I will not talk about this in my speech, but I want to comment briefly on what the Conservative Party member just said. One of the important things we are doing with Bill C-21 is increasing maximum penalties for certain offences, such as trafficking and smuggling. We should all keep that in mind as we study the bill. That said, I appreciate this opportunity to add my voic…
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Madam Speaker, before I begin my speech, I would ask for the unanimous consent of the House to share my time with the member for Oakville North—Burlington.
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of performing its duties and functions under the Canadian Security Intelligence Service Act, CSIS may, with approval of the minister, enter into an arrangement or otherwise co-operate with any department of the Government of Canada or the government of a province or any department thereof, or any police force in a province, with the approval of the minister responsible…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his important question. It is true that the closure of the Canada-U.S. border to non-essential travel has had its challenges. I can assure the House that the Canada Border Services Agency operates a 24-7 service to provide the best information possible to officers working on the front lines, in order to ensure they are making the right decisions with respect…
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Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for that important question. I would remind the House that in response to the pandemic and the closure of the Canada-U.S. border, for example for non-essential travel, the CBSA has expanded its support to frontline border services officers beyond what is required by current operational bulletins and guidelines. Officers now have direct access to support servi…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to begin by thanking the Auditor General for her report. The Canada Border Services Agency, or CBSA, accepts the Auditor General's recommendations and will take concerted action to implement them. The CBSA will continue to examine the findings and recommendations in the Auditor General's report and use them to guide its future activities. I can assure the opposition mem…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her important question. Our government is well aware that the threat of cyber-attacks is a constant concern for businesses in every sector. That is why the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness announced yesterday that the Community Safety Knowledge Alliance, or CSKA, will receive over $500,000 in funding for a project to strengthen cybersecur…
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Mr. Speaker, I just want to briefly respond to my colleague and assure him that this mistake was far from intentional. I will see to it that the situation is remedied as quickly as possible. Respect for official languages, and French in particular, in the House and in this institution is very important to me. That is why I chose to join the Liberal Party rather than the Conservative Party, which s…
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Mr. Speaker, I will do so with pleasure. I was simply saying that respect for official languages, and French in particular, is very important to me, so much so that I decided to join the Liberal Party rather than the Conservative Party, which, for 10 years under Stephen Harper, systematically appointed unilingual anglophones to our institutions and which is still refusing to appoint bilingual judg…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, every day, on average, four Canadians are killed by an alcohol- or drug-impaired driver. Every year, impaired driving is the leading criminal cause of death and injury in Canada. During the third week of March, we focus on preventing alcohol- and drug-impaired driving. This year, National Impaired Driving Prevention Week takes place from March 21 to 27. This is an opportunity for ever…
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Mr. Speaker, from December 2019 to January 26, 2021, with regard to (a), PBC received 37 applications for expungement. With regard to (b), 10) applications were accepted as eligible, and expungement was ordered for nine of them, 90%. The remaining application was refused because, upon investigation, the activity for which the person was convicted remains a criminal offence under the Criminal Code.…
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Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to ensuring that our border remains open to legitimate trade and travel while closed to those who seek to traffic or smuggle weapons or drugs. Following significant cuts by the previous Conservative government to our security agencies, in the last Parliament our government announced an investment of $327 million to combat gun and gang violence, with $86 mil…
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Madam Speaker, the list of terrorist entities is an important tool in preventing crime in Canada and granting authority to our intelligence agencies. We rely on the expertise of those agencies to ensure that any new organizations are added to the list, and I can assure members that our intelligence and law enforcement agencies are doing an outstanding job of protecting Canadians and keeping us saf…
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Madam Speaker, nothing could be further from the truth. We are in no way targeting legitimate, law-abiding firearms owners, such as hunters and farmers. That is neither our intention nor the effect of the bill we introduced. We know the Conservatives want to weaken gun control in Canada, whereas we have always sought to strengthen it. That is not all we are doing. We are investing in our border se…
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Mr. Speaker, today, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the 2020 annual report on the RCMP's use of the law enforcement justification provisions. This report addresses the RCMP's use of specific provisions of the law enforcement justification regime, as set out in sections 25.1 to 25.4 of the Criminal Code. The report also documents the nature of the investigations in which the…
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Madam Speaker, Bill C-21 is an important step towards better gun control in our municipalities and elsewhere. It fulfills a commitment we made during the last election campaign to give municipalities more power so they could, for example, ban the storage of handguns within their boundaries. This is a solution we put forward that is being applauded not only by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of …
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Madam Speaker, I want to reassure all hunters, farmers and sport shooters they are not being targeted in any way and that we have the greatest respect for them. Our bill actually targets criminals who are smuggling and trafficking firearms. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police says it wholeheartedly endorses all efforts to strengthen border controls and impose stronger penalties to combat …
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Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Brome—Missisquoi for her question. I know that this issue is especially important to her. I think it is safe to say that no other government has done as much to improve gun control in Canada. For example, our Bill C-71 enabled background checks. On May 1 of last year, our government banned 1,500 military-style assault weapons. This week, we are rein…
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Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a)(i), the Canadian firearms program stopped data entry of new applications for possession and acquisition licences into the Canadian firearms information system by the central processing site the week of March 16, 2020. Chief firearms officers continued to approve applications that had already been entered into the Canadian firearms information system. With regard to …
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Mr. Speaker, the Correctional Service of Canada is unable to provide a response to this question, as doing so would involve the extraction and analysis of a significant amount of information, which cannot be completed within the given time frame.
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