Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I have exciting news. June is Portuguese Heritage Month and today we also celebrate Dia de Portugal, de Camões e das Comunidades Portuguesas. Can the hon. Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages speak to the significance of the Portuguese Canadian community and its contribution to Canada's diversity?
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Mr. Speaker, conflicts around the world are intensifying, and Canadians are feeling their impact here at home. Meeting this moment means delivering on our security commitments and reinforcing the alliances that keep us safe. The Minister of Foreign Affairs recently came back from the NATO foreign ministers meeting in Sweden. Can the minister please share with the House how Canada is working with o…
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Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the sixth report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, in relation to the motion adopted Wednesday, April 15, 2026, regarding Canada's immigration system.
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Mr. Speaker, 52 years ago this month, on April 25, 1974, the Portuguese people ended nearly 40 years of dictatorship, and they did it almost without firing a shot. Soldiers placed carnations in the muzzle of their rifle. People then walked into the streets, and they chose democracy. In my constituency of Davenport, which is home to the largest Portuguese community in Canada, we remember 25 de abri…
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[Member spoke in Spanish, interpreted as follows:] Mr. Speaker, as the proud daughter of a Mexican immigrant, I rise on April 23 to celebrate Spanish Language Day, recognized by the United Nations and 21 countries around the world. Spanish is now the most widely spoken non-official language in Canada, connecting more than 1.7 million Canadians to their heritage, identity and traditions. Three prov…
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Mr. Speaker, what the member has raised is exactly what was raised by Davenport residents. The bill has been built carefully with judicial oversight at its core and with independent accountability layered throughout. It is not a choice between safety and rights. It is both, and it is the way Canadians expect us to work, by respecting their rights while allowing us to make the laws, enforce the law…
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Mr. Speaker, under our federal government, our approach to keeping Canadians safe rests on three pillars: stronger laws; stronger support for the front line, including 1,000 new RCMP officers and 1,000 new officers at our borders; and stronger upstream investments in housing, mental health and programs for at-risk youth. Bill C-22 sits inside the first two pillars. It would modernize our laws and …
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Mr. Speaker, on privacy, the first thing I would say is that we really spent the time over the last year to get this right. As I mentioned in my earlier answer, we met with constitutional experts, privacy groups and members from all parties in the House to try to make sure that we got this legislation right, that we were honouring our charter rights. However, we were also moving forward and making…
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Mr. Speaker, as always, it is a real pleasure to rise in the House on behalf of the residents of my riding of Davenport to speak in support of Bill C-22, the lawful access act, 2026. When I talk to Davenport residents, the issues they raise with me most often are affordability, housing and jobs. Those remain the top concerns, and I want to be honest about that, but when the conversation turns to s…
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Mr. Speaker, that is an important question. My colleague who gave the last speech said this, and I think he was right. We introduced Bill C-2. It had much more comprehensive legislation in it, but we came across a lot of concerns, so we pulled back this section of Bill C-2. Then we decided we were going to consult and listen further. We then went to privacy experts, civil liberties groups and memb…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for his participation in providing some input into Bill C-25. I think it is enormously important that we work across party lines. I am going to focus on the bill. The government is taking action to ensure that Canadians continue to have confidence in the integrity of our elections, and to further strengthen our democratic institutions in response to the…
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Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that we have started to incorporate a number of the recommendations that Justice Hogue made in the foreign interference report. It may not all be in the bill, but this is first reading. This bill will go to committee, and there will be an opportunity to propose and suggest additional amendments or additions. There is also an opportunity, in the near future, to intr…
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Mr. Speaker, as that has nothing to do with Bill C-25, which is before us right now, I will give a very general comment. Floor crossing has happened on both sides of the bench, and I think it has been part of our parliamentary tradition. However, today I am very pleased that our minister has introduced formally into the House Bill C-25. It is the strong and free elections act. It proposes targeted…
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Mr. Speaker, one of the things about the Canada Elections Act is that we have done a fairly good job over time of making sure that we are constantly updating it to meet the threats of the moment. Deepfakes are definitely one of the threats of the moment. I am very pleased that our minister responsible for democratic institutions has acted fast and has worked in coordination across party lines to a…
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Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is indeed right. The per-vote subsidy, as the main political party funding reform, is not in the bill. In the bill, we focus on political financing. We are trying to prevent foreign and dark money from getting into our political system. As I mentioned in my speech, we have many opportunities to continue to improve our democracy, to continue to improve the Canada Electi…
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Mr. Speaker, as always, it is such a pleasure for me to rise in the House on behalf of the residents of my riding of Davenport, to speak in strong support of Bill C-25, the strong and free elections act. Before I speak to the details of the bill, I want to step back and talk about the moment we are living in. Around the world, democracy is under pressure, authoritarian regimes are growing bolder, …
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Mr. Speaker, as chair of the immigration and citizenship committee, I am presenting two reports today. I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the fourth report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, entitled “Reconstituting Canada’s International Student Program”. Pursuant to Standing Order 109, the committee requests that the government table a comprehensive …
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Mr. Speaker, as chair of the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association, I know that parliamentarians across the alliance and countries on both sides of the Atlantic are looking to Canada for leadership in new cutting-edge defence technologies and innovation. It is critical that we rearm, rebuild and reinvest in the Canadian Armed Forces while building up Canadian industry. Can the Minister of Nation…
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Mr. Speaker, I am so pleased to rise to speak to Bill C-220, introduced by the hon. member for Calgary Nose Hill. My remarks today will focus on the immigration implications of the bill and what I believe is at stake for all of us as Canadians. Before I turn to the substance of the legislation, I want to say something that I believe deeply and that I know the vast majority of Canadians share. We a…
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Mr. Speaker, last week thousands of investors, workers and innovators gathered in Toronto for the PDAC convention, the world's largest mining conference. Canada has the critical minerals that the world needs for electric vehicles, clean technology and national security. Last week our government announced new investments to accelerate mining projects and strengthen our supply chains with allies. Co…
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Mr. Speaker, there is great news. We have already seen Build Canada Homes move quickly from promise to progress, delivering real results for Canadians. A great example is Dunn House phase two, located in Toronto's Parkdale community, which will provide supportive housing for at-risk seniors. Can the Minister of Jobs and Families, on behalf of the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, update the …
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Mr. Speaker, I am not going to be as passionate an intervenor as my dear colleague from Winnipeg North, but nonetheless I have a few very important things to say about the opposition day motion today. I appreciate the opportunity to participate in the debate today. As the chair of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration and as someone who has heard testimony from legal experts, law e…
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Mr. Speaker, we have a series of bills that are before the House that are going to make Canadians safer. I would ask the hon. member on the other side to consider passing those bills collectively. All of those bills would address all of the major issues that have been raised in the House and would ensure that Canadians are safer.
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Mr. Speaker, if we asked Canadians today, the vast majority of them would say they are concerned about public safety. I am very proud of our government. In a very short period of time, we have introduced a whole series of measures and legislation taken directly from key stakeholders, victims groups, police associations, municipalities and provincial leaders to address the major safety issues that …
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Mr. Speaker, when we came back and the House went into session after the holiday season, my Conservative colleagues made a number of statements saying that they wanted to be more collaborative, more positive and wanted to work with us. I would say, in that spirit, that I hope it is true that they want to work with us. We have important business at hand. There is important legislation before us. We…
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Mr. Speaker, I think I was very articulate in my speech about why I was very supportive of Bill C-5 and Bill C-75. Canadians are now looking to us to see what the issues are and what actions we need to take now. They are asking the House to work together. They are asking us to work collaboratively. They are asking us to pass the pieces of legislation that are in front of the House right now in ord…
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Mr. Speaker, last spring, Canadians elected us on the promise to make life more affordable. My constituents in Davenport and Canadians across the country know we have taken action to cut income taxes for 22 million Canadians. We have cut the GST for first-time homebuyers, and we are building homes across the nation at a pace not seen in generations. Earlier this week, the Prime Minister announced …
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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 following reports: the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association respecting its participation at the Parliamentary Transatlantic Forum in Washington, D.C., United States of America, from December 4 to 6, 2023; the Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association concerning its participati…
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Mr. Speaker, in my riding of Davenport, I have veterans who served in Afghanistan. When I ask them about their service, the answer is simple. They are proud to have served. They are proud Canadians. Let the record be clear. Canada is a founding member of NATO. We have participated in nearly every mission since 1949. More than 40,000 Canadians served in Afghanistan, and 158 made the ultimate sacrif…
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Madam Speaker, first I want to say happy new year to everyone. It is a real pleasure to be back in the House with all my colleagues to do the important work for Canadians. I will be sharing my time with the wonderful member for South Shore—St. Margarets. I rise today to speak in strong support of Bill C-16, the protecting victims act, one of the most consequential updates to Canada's criminal code…
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Madam Speaker, I think this year is going to be a year of action. I want to say to the hon. member that I was very hopeful when I heard some of the speeches this morning. There is a spirit of co-operation, a spirit of positivity and a spirit that shows we will work together to make sure we are passing legislation that will protect Canadians. I am very proud of the legislation being introduced toda…
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Madam Speaker, the protecting victims act, Bill C-16, would be one of the most significant updates to Canada's criminal justice system in generations. I heard there are concerns on the other side about there being a court challenge. As the minister said this morning, he has taken into consideration what has happened in the Supreme Court. This has provided some guidance on how we can avoid these ty…
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Madam Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for recognizing this extraordinary woman. I am going to repeat something the minister said this morning after he gave his speech. There is work behind Bill C-16, which, as I mentioned before, would be one of the most significant updates to Canada's criminal justice system. It is very aggressive in ensuring that we modernize the Criminal Code to respon…
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Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the third report of the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, entitled “Supplementary Estimates (B), 2025-26: Votes 1b and 10b under Department of Citizenship and Immigration”.
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Mr. Speaker, for over three years, Ukrainians have fought valiantly against Russia's illegal and brutal invasion, defending not just their homeland, but also the principles that borders must not be changed by force and that every nation has a right to determine its own future. Canada has stood with Ukraine from day one, and now more than ever, Ukrainians need our support on the battlefield, where …
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Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Beauport—Limoilou. I rise today to speak to Bill C-4, the making life more affordable for Canadians act. For over a decade, I have had the enormous privilege and honour of representing the amazing people of my constituency of Davenport. It is a riding in the heart of downtown west Toronto, and it is home to 120,000 residents. It is a commu…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for his great work on the citizenship and immigration committee. He started off by saying that there is minimal savings through our middle-class income tax cut. I completely disagree with this statement. For a two-income family, it is $840 more in their pockets every single year. As someone who grew up in a working-class family, $840 extra a year would …
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Mr. Speaker, it is not just that we are providing this tax cut, which I believe will put more immediate funds into the pockets of 22 million Canadians; over the last 10 years, we have introduced the Canada child benefit, national child care and the dental care plan. We have introduced a whole series of measures that are supporting our families and helping them live affordable lives and—
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Mr. Speaker, yes, I truly believe that the three measures contained in Bill C-4 would be very beneficial for all Canadians because they would provide direct, immediate relief that will reach Canadians where they need it most. It would be an early Christmas gift that we could provide to all Canadians.
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Mr. Speaker, the first-time homebuyers' GST rebate in Bill C-4 would help thousands of people who want to buy their first home, and it would be a very effective tool. I will also say that in budget 2025, we are investing an additional $25 billion. We are determined to increase housing supply in this country, and we are trying to increase housing supply across the whole spectrum of housing. With th…
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Mr. Speaker, as always, it is such a pleasure for me to rise in the House on behalf of the residents of my riding of Davenport to speak to budget 2025. This is an important budget delivered in extraordinary times. Let us start off by being very honest about where we are. The world is more dangerous and divided, and Canada is very much facing a world that is rapidly changing and is increasingly unc…
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Mr. Speaker, the hon. member's question, comment and statement were excellent, and I agree with him. In Canada, we are very blessed despite the changes that are happening in the world today. Despite many of the challenges that Canada is facing, we are acting from a strong fiscal position, and budget 2025 is our plan to ensure that we are building our economy, lowering our costs and making smart in…
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Mr. Speaker, I do not agree with the hon. member. Canada's government is presenting a responsible economic plan that leverages our world-class industries, our skills and talented workers, our diverse trade partnerships and a strong domestic market where Canadians can be our own best customers. We also have a very clear mandate, which is to spend less so we can invest more. I hosted a big town hall…
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Mr. Speaker, where I agree with my hon. colleague in his question is that we do have to build our economy bigger and faster than ever before so we are not reliant on any one country. We have been too reliant for too long on one huge partner. It has been very beneficial for us for almost 100 years, but now we are taking urgent, immediate and big actions to reorientate our economy, not only to stren…
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Mr. Speaker, this week, the House reiterated its confidence in our government and in budget 2025. Indeed, budget 2025 is an expression of confidence in Canada. In the face of uncertainty, Canadians are going to build a future we want for ourselves. That includes our new buy Canadian policy, which is strengthening our economy by prioritizing Canadian-made steel, aluminum and softwood lumber. It is …
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Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure, as always, to rise in the House on behalf of the residents of my riding of Davenport to speak to budget 2025. This is a very important budget, delivered in extraordinary times. Let me begin by being very honest about where we are. The world is more dangerous and divided. The United States, our largest trading partner, is fundamentally changing its trade relationships…
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Mr. Speaker, I will start from maintaining integrity and fairness. The integrity of Canadian citizenship depends on applying the right standards in the right context. For people who move to Canada, the naturalization process assesses their readiness to join the Canadian family. It requires establishing a substantial connection to this country through recent residence, knowledge of Canada and knowl…
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Mr. Speaker, I agree wholeheartedly with my colleague. We have to deal with some of these issues when we find that our laws are not constitutional. I do think it is a priority for us to make sure we handle them as expeditiously as possible. There are a lot of items that are going to be before the House. I know everybody is looking forward to budget 2025 being introduced today. I think that as soon…
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Mr. Speaker, I have tried to spell this out in my 10 minutes of speaking. We treat Canadians differently than we do newcomers to our country. If I am born here as a Canadian, I am not tested as to whether I speak a certain level of French or a certain level of English in order to be Canadian. It is the same requirement that we are applying to Canadians of descent. That is the reason.
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Mr. Speaker, I do not agree with the premise of the member's question. We have a bill that is very strong before the House. I think it meets the requirements of the constitutional test that have been raised by the Ontario Superior Court judge. I think we put forward an excellent piece of legislation.
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