Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, if I could continue to speak without my colleague interrupting me, which we also said—
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Mr. Speaker, of course, when it comes to foreign interference, we will never tolerate it, and that is exactly what I said to my counterpart when I met with him a month ago. That is also why we summoned the Chinese ambassador a bit earlier today. Now, we are also, as a thoughtful government, assessing all the interests that are at stake, because we know, based on the two Michaels' experience, that …
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Mr. Speaker, I fully understand the frustration and fear that our colleague felt knowing that he and his family could be targeted by the government in Beijing. That is why we have always said and will always say that any form of foreign interference is unacceptable. That is why my deputy minister summoned the Chinese ambassador earlier today.
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Mr. Speaker, getting Canadian residents and Canadians out of Sudan is absolutely our priority. Just a few days ago, the UN Secretary General called Sudan one of the most dangerous places in the world, so we are operating in a very volatile and very difficult environment. At this point, 200 Canadians have managed to leave the country. Two planes have left Sudan. The goal is to help all the Canadian…
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Mr. Speaker, I just want to set the record straight. It is important for Canadians to know that consular services helping on the crisis in Sudan right now are working 24-7. The strike is not affecting these services; there are 130 people right now at Global Affairs helping Canadians who are stranded in Sudan, and they will work until every single one of them is back.
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Mr. Speaker, since the beginning of this crisis, we have been at it. At Global Affairs Canada, 130 people have been reaching out to every single Canadian who has been registered online on the Global Affairs website: 800 Canadians have raised their hand for support and 200 Canadians have left. We will continue to help. This morning two Canadian planes left Sudan. They are on their way to a safe thi…
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Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased, on this wonderful evening and at this late hour, to rise to speak to this issue and answer my colleagues' questions. I will be sharing my time. I want to thank my colleague, the member for Sherwood Park—Fort Saskatchewan for his work and his interest in this issue. I thank him for having initiated this debate on the very serious and difficult situation in Sudan. It …
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Mr. Speaker, I think my colleague is referring to the fact that the Minister of Immigration announced that Sudanese nationals could apply for an extension of their status in Canada, and move between temporary streams, allowing them to continue to study, work or visit family, free of charge. I know that there is more to be done, to the member's point. In that sense, of course we are looking at diff…
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Mr. Speaker, regarding what is happening in Sudan, it goes without saying that we will continue to support the Sudanese people. We have done so for years. We have invested in humanitarian assistance in Sudan, but of course the situation is such that we need to step up and provide additional assistance, not only to the Sudanese people, but also to the neighbouring countries that are going to be aff…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to reassure this House because my colleague mentioned the fact that people stuck in Sudan are not able to get out of Sudan. Canadians right now are being contacted 24-7 because consular services are emergency services. We are there to help them. We have had 550 of them who raised their hands saying they need help; 100 have gotten out of Sudan. We are on this and we will m…
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Mr. Speaker, this is a very important question. First and foremost, yesterday my colleague, the Minister of Immigration also announced very important measures regarding the Sudanese people in Canada who, of course, would not have to go back to Sudan because of what is going on right now. Of course we can provide the specifics of these measures to our colleagues. This is public information. Second,…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to table a very important document for the House, and for you. Pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), and in accordance with the requirements set out in the current policy on the tabling of treaties in Parliament, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the treaty entitled “Agreement between the Government of Canada on the one hand and the Government of the Kin…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her important question. I share the concerns of Armenian Canadians, and Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh. We continue to call on Azerbaijan authorities to reopen the Lachin corridor. We need to prevent the worsening of the humanitarian crisis. Canada supports the 2020 ceasefire agreement, including the return of Armenian prisoners of war. It is impo…
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Mr. Speaker, President Biden's visit last week provided an opportunity to make very important announcements: historic investments in our Great Lakes; expanding the safe third country agreement to cover the full border; additional commitments to NORAD to protect our skies; and creating good jobs, including union jobs, on both sides of the border. When it comes to our closest friend and ally, we can…
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Mr. Speaker, as I have said a number of times in the House, bringing back the two Michaels was the utmost priority of this government. That was the priority of the Prime Minister, of several foreign affairs ministers and of all the members of the House. We worked with numerous counterparts around the world to ensure support for the two Michaels and to put pressure on China to achieve a positive ou…
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Mr. Speaker, bringing back the two Michaels, Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, was the top priority of the government and, I would say, of all members of the House and all Canadians. We worked tirelessly for two years to bring these two men, who were arbitrarily detained by China, back to Canada, and all members of the House should know that.
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Mr. Speaker, let me be clear that bringing back the two Michaels, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, was the utmost priority of this government, of all members of the House, of all Canadians across the country. For two years, we have worked tirelessly to make sure that these two Michaels, who were arbitrarily detained by China, would be coming back home safe. That is what we did and that was the o…
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Mr. Speaker, September 24, 2021 was a great day for Canada and it was the day when the two Michaels, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, came back safely home to Canada. I think it was a day when the government, all members of the House and all Canadians were proud of what we did, because, indeed, the two Michaels were arbitrarily detained for too long in China. This will always be our priority as …
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank all the members of the House who were involved in making sure we could raise the case of the two Michaels for two years, because we worked with friends and allies, different states around the world, to make sure that we could advocate their case and that, on September 24, 2021, they would be coming back here to Canada. In that sense, we will stand up against any …
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister knew very well what was happening to the two Michaels and made sure that his government would be standing up against China in the context of their arbitrary detention. In that sense, we will never accept any form of premise that this government and Canadians did not work enough to bring them back home. It was our priority, and members can be convinced that it will a…
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Mr. Speaker, I must reassure the House and, of course, my dear colleague that bringing the two Michaels, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, back to Canada was always a priority for this government. I believe it was also a priority for all members of the House and certainly for all Canadians. September 24, 2021, was a great day because they finally came home. Protecting Canadians around the world, …
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Mr. Speaker, when it comes to making sure the two Michaels, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, would be coming home, it was this government's utmost priority. For two years, the Prime Minister and foreign affairs ministers were heavily involved. All members of cabinet were talking to counterparts from around the world. Implying that this was not the case is absolutely false. We hope that all membe…
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Mr. Speaker, what my colleague opposite needs to understand is that bringing home both Michaels was a priority. It was a priority for this government. Any insinuations to the contrary are absolutely false. Thus, I am answering the question, or the premise of the question: Canada, the government and all Canadians worked extremely hard to bring home Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, two people who …
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians do indeed have a right to be informed. For two years, they were informed that it was this government's priority to bring home two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, who were arbitrarily detained in China. For two years, people across the country were clear. This was their priority, so it had to be the priority of the government and all members of the House too. We…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Mississauga—Malton for his important question. We appreciate his concerns and those of many members in the House. We are aware of the evolving situation in Punjab, and we are following it very closely. We look forward to a return to a more stable situation. Canadians can always count on the Government of Canada to make sure that we will continue…
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Mr. Speaker, we will always make certain that our position on China clear, and it is clear. We will never tolerate any form of interference in Canada's democracy or domestic affairs. I think it is important for all my colleagues to understand that we are always going to make a distinction between the Chinese government and the Chinese people themselves. Unfortunately, Chinese Canadians in this cou…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Etobicoke Centre for his important question and also commend him for his excellent French. I had the opportunity to welcome my British counterpart to Toronto a few weeks ago. Together with our allies, we will ensure that the Russian regime is punished for its actions. We have already announced strong sanctions against more than 2,000 Russians an…
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Mr. Speaker, indeed, we have imposed extremely strong sanctions against Russian oligarchs, Belarusian oligarchs, Haiti elite members and Iranians. We want to make sure that now we implement new legislation that we have passed, which will allow us to not only seize assets but to forfeit them. I look forward to working with the member on this very important duty we have. We are the first country in …
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Mr. Speaker, we have been clear in the Indo-Pacific strategy. When it comes to China, we need to be eyes wide open, and that is why we need to make sure that our national security is always protected. That is why the Minister of Innovation is working on it. Not only that, we will be working with universities and with provinces and territories to make sure that this national security lens is impose…
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Madam Speaker, my colleague asked an important question. Indeed, it is very concerning. Also, our independent public service never should have signed that contract. Under the circumstances, we expect national security issues to be at the heart of every decision we make. That is why, in the Indo-Pacific strategy, we mentioned that we will view things through a national security lens when it comes t…
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Madam Speaker, I think that my colleague should read Canada's Indo-Pacific strategy. It clearly seems as though he has not read it. I think that, if members are going to ask us questions, they should be informed about the government's foreign policy and, of course, its national security policies. As I mentioned earlier, matters of national security must be taken into account in all of the decision…
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Madam Speaker, I am concerned, as my colleague is, about this very issue, and I look forward to working with him on it. Obviously the health and safety of our diplomats and their families is at the core of our priorities. We are working with the RCMP, Health Canada and also within Global Affairs Canada through an expert team to address this issue. However, as mentioned, it would be a pleasure to w…
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Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Châteauguay—Lacolle for her excellent question. The matter of human rights is central to our foreign policy. That is why, today, we are imposing sanctions on 67 individuals and nine entities that are complicit in human rights violations in Russia, Iran and Myanmar. Canada will continue to fight for justice and hold to account those who violate human…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his incredible question and also his leadership on the Haitian issue. We have imposed severe sanctions on members of the economic and political elite in Haiti who are profiting from gang violence. At present, our objective is to advance the political dialogue. That is why our ambassador to the United Nations, Bob Rae, is currently in Haiti. Our goal co…
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Mr. Speaker, this week I had the pleasure of seeing my good friend from Belarus, Sviatlana. We had the chance to discuss our new sanctions against Lukashenko's regime with respect to its complicity in Russia's war of choice. We also talked about the brutal disregard for human rights by the Lukashenko regime. Of course we want to do more, and we will do more to amplify the democratic voices within …
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Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleague. Obviously, what is happening in Iran is completely unacceptable. That is why we are taking strong measures against the Iranian regime, which include sanctions against it. Yesterday, I announced strong sanctions, which also include isolating Iran at the UN Human Rights Council, particularly for women's rights. Now we are going to announce more sanctions. We w…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for Scarborough—Agincourt for her strong advocacy for the Armenian community. I announced back in June that Canada would be opening a new embassy in Yerevan, and that has been long awaited by many. This will also allow our countries to have stronger ties. We know there is a lot of instability and security challenges in the region. Canada will step up…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Willowdale for his solidarity with the Iranian people. Today we announced a new round of sanctions against the Iranian regime. Those sanctions target senior officials and Iranian regime supporters who participated in human rights violations. We will continue to do everything we can to hold the Iranian regime accountable for its oppression and brutalit…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his important question and his support for the people of Haiti. Like many Canadians, I am very concerned about what is happening in Haiti right now. Solutions need to be found by and for Haitians. The Prime Minister and I are working with our counterparts on the issue. That is also why we recently sent safety equipment to the Haitian national pol…
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Mr. Speaker, I understand the frustration with what is going on in Ukraine, and of course we have to do more. However, we have done a lot since the beginning of this illegal invasion. We have put sanctions on entities and on 2,000 people. We have put $3 billion on the table for financial assistance, military assistance and humanitarian aid assistance. Indeed, we need to do more and we will do more…
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Mr. Speaker, of course, I agree with my colleague and her outrage regarding what is going on in Iran. For all of the Mahsa Aminis in the world, we need to stand up, and we are standing up. That is why we are sanctioning the IRGC and sanctioning the key leaders, the perpetrators, behind this tragedy and these atrocities. However, we indeed need to do more. We need to shed light on what is going on …
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Mr. Speaker, what is happening in Iran is completely unacceptable. This is the regime that is persecuting women. This is the same regime that decided to down Flight PS752. Therefore, we are sanctioning the IRGC's core leadership. We are imposing new sanctions and we will do more, because more needs to be done.
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Mr. Speaker, obviously we are standing with the courageous women and all the people of Iran who are standing up and fighting for their freedom and, I must say, for their future. That is why I raised this very issue not only at the UN last Monday, but also when I was in Washington on Friday at ICAO and over the weekend with key Iranian women. This morning we also met with families regarding flight …
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Mr. Speaker, this is not a partisan issue. We are all together in denouncing what is happening in Iran. I really hope I can work with my colleague on this and with all members of the opposition, because, of course, we are united in making sure to hold accountable the perpetrators in this awful regime. We want to make sure that we do things right—
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Mr. Speaker, obviously this is a very important question for Canada. We want to make sure that we work all together in this House. Indeed, we need to make sure that this is not a partisan issue. This is a question of making sure that perpetrators are held accountable at the international level. We need to make sure that we work all together on this. We will work with other countries in the world. …
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Mr. Speaker, what is currently happening in Iran is completely unacceptable. This is the regime that is persecuting women. This is the same regime that downed flight PS752. Under the circumstances, impunity is not an option. That is why we have imposed strong sanctions, and that is why we will continue to impose strong sanctions. I hope that my colleague will not play politics, because right now, …
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Mr. Speaker, clearly, the members opposite need to take back their fake outrage.
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Mr. Speaker, obviously, we know inflation is having an impact on Canadian lives, but I would like to take my colleague down memory lane. He referred to the expenses linked to alcohol. Stephen Harper's delegation took 348 bottles when it went to South Africa in 2013. I just wanted to state the facts. Of course, I hope—
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moved: That, in accordance with subsection 53(1) of the Privacy Act, R.S.C., 1985, c. P-21, and pursuant to Standing Order 111.1(2), the House approve the appointment of Philippe Dufresne as Privacy Commissioner, for a term of seven years.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my great colleague and friend from Scarborough—Agincourt for her fantastic work. Canada is a friend to the Armenian community, and we know also that Armenia needs support for its democracy. I would like to thank special envoy Stéphane Dion for his important report. We welcome his recommendations and look forward to putting these recommendations in place as concre…
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