Emergency Debate
Mr. Speaker, the lumber industry is a very important industry to Canada. It provides support to thousands of families in B.C., Quebec, eastern Canada and all across our country. It is important that we continue to talk to industry, to consult with industry as we work through this, because we know that we want to continue to be there for industry, especially the softwood lumber industry, as its mem…
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Mr. Speaker, the U.S. and Mexico are very important trading partners to Canada. Our supply chains are intertwined. We need to continue to build up that resiliency, whether it is for our workers, our supply chains or our products. Of course, we will continue working with both parties, the U.S. and Mexico. However, as we have heard from the Prime Minister, there are concerns about Mexico being a bac…
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Madam Speaker, respect for human rights, labour and the environment lies at the heart of our trade policies and our high-standard trade agreements. Canada's trade agreements prioritize Canadian values, focusing on workers' rights, environmental standards and opportunities for under-represented businesses like SMEs, women-owned businesses and indigenous enterprises. It is the current government tha…
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Madam Speaker, I had hoped to answer the question in French; I am working on my French. The member's question is an important one. When we talk about forced labour, something that has come up in our international trade committee from the Bloc member is the importance of the legislation. I asked the member at committee, as well as outside the committee, whether, if this was so important and such a …
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Madam Speaker, the member opposite and I sat on the trade committee together, and I enjoy working with him. I think it is important to note that CBSA has intercepted shipments; it has done due diligence. Of course there is always more to do and nothing is ever perfect. I think it is very important that in addition to shipment interceptions, we withdraw trade commissioner services that support busi…
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Madam Speaker, I do miss seeing the hon. member across the way at trade committee. It is very important that he mentions CORE and the mandate we have given it. I know that the ombudsperson has active investigations going on with companies that are operating around the world. Again, as I said, we expect Canadian enterprises and businesses that are operating anywhere in the world to make sure that t…
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Madam Speaker, the hon. member mentioned private member's bills. Bill S-211, which was brought forward to the House, brought up the very important issue from my colleague from Scarborough—Guildwood about forced labour. The member has a very good point: With the Conservatives' teaming up with other opposition parties gumming up the House, we are not able to bring forward important private member bi…
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Madam Speaker, we are ready to get to work for Canadians. I hope, as I said before, the Conservatives end their delay tactics and follow the processes in place. It is not up to MPs to talk down the RCMP or the Auditor General. It is important that we follow the process brought forward.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to wish the Sikh, Hindu, Jain and Buddhist community across Canada a very happy Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas. It is a wonderful opportunity for us to reflect on the victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. Also known as the festival of lights, it is the largest festival celebrated in Brampton. During Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas, commun…
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Mr. Speaker, Canada emergency business account applicants are not required to provide industry information at the time of application. Therefore, bankruptcy data by industry sector is not available.
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Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), and consistent with the policy on the tabling of treaties in Parliament, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the treaty entitled “Decision No 1/2024 of the Joint Committee established by the Agreement Between Canada and the European Community on Trade in Wines and Spirit Drinks of 4 April 2024 amending Annexes I, III(a), III(b), IV…
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Mr. Speaker, four out of the five leaders represented in this very chamber have either received their security clearance or are in the process of doing so. There is only one party leader in this chamber who chooses to close his eyes and remain oblivious to foreign interference, refusing to get a security clearance, and that is the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. The Conservative leader…
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Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the member for Surrey Centre. The constituents in my riding of Brampton East are very anxious. They are anxious about acts of violence targeting the Sikh and broader South Asian community, about foreign interference in our democratic processes, and about these being directly tied to agents of the Government of India, as the RCMP commissioner publicly a…
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Mr. Speaker, I did not oppose that motion. I think it is important to note that the public safety committee does have a study ongoing now, with six meetings. I know that the Minister of Public Safety and, I believe, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will be appearing at that committee. We also have very important work going on through the foreign interference inquiry, through the Hogue commission. I…
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for asking a very important question on local community safety. He is probably getting the same calls I am getting from constituents who are worried about extortion calls to their neighbours and worried about violence and threats against their neighbours. Working with the RCMP, Peel police have taken a very active stance. As I said, close to 22 people …
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Mr. Speaker, that is a very important question that Canadians are asking at this important time. They are wondering why someone who hopes to be the future prime minister of this country would not want a security clearance. As I said, four of the five leaders in the House of Commons either have had a security clearance or have applied to get one. He is the only leader in the House who does not want…
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Mr. Speaker, a lot of Canadians are asking why the Leader of the Opposition does not want to do his job. He does not want to hold his party accountable. He does not want to see the details. He does not want to get a security clearance. There are a lot of things the Conservative leader is avoiding, and we want to know why. If a person claiming to be the leader of the opposition of Canada does not w…
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Mr. Speaker, in this chamber, four of the five leaders either have a security clearance or are in the process of getting a security clearance. A lot of residents of Brampton are wondering why the Leader of the Opposition is not getting his security clearance. Is there something he does not want to know? Maybe the member can speak to that.
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Mr. Speaker, today, I want to take a moment to recognize the remarkable achievements of our athletes from the summer Paris 2024 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. We won an astounding 27 Olympic medals this year, making the Paris 2024 Olympic Games our best performing Olympics in history. This could not have been possible without the incredible efforts of our amazing athletes and teams, who have …
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Mr. Speaker, in response to parts (i) to (vi) of the question, Export Development Canada, or EDC, undertook an extensive preliminary search to determine the amount of information that would fall within the scope of the question and the amount of time that would be required to prepare a comprehensive response. EDC concluded that producing and validating a comprehensive response to this question is …
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Mr. Speaker, with regard to parts (i) to (vii), Invest in Canada undertook an extensive preliminary search to determine the amount of information that would fall within the scope of the question and the amount of time that would be required to prepare a comprehensive response. Invest in Canada concluded that producing and validating a comprehensive response to this question is not possible in the …
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Mr. Speaker, as you may be aware, the 2024 summer Olympics are next month in Paris. Our team Canada athletes are a beacon of inspiration for our country, and they bring us so much pride and unity. This year, I want to recognize some of our very talented athletes from Brampton who have shown excellence in sports while representing Canada, athletes like Michael Ciepiela, who competed in last year's …
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Mr. Speaker, I hope to reply in French one day; I am still learning French. In response to the member's very important question, of course there have to be many different options for housing, including co-op housing. I am sure members have seen that we have recently announced more funding for co-op housing initiatives. With respect to growing and giving more options to municipalities across Canada…
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Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise in the House today to speak about our Liberal government's plan, through budget 2024, to support Canadians both now and for future generations. It is a budget that I know will help grow our economy, help young Canadians and bring meaningful investments to support so many families in my riding of Brampton East. Through budget 2024, our government is taking swift a…
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Mr. Speaker, that is a very important question. Of course we want to continue supporting our farmers. The Indo-Pacific strategy is a $2.3–billion investment, and part of that investment includes a new agriculture office that has now been opened in Manila, Philippines, to give farmers access to new and growing markets around the world. The Canada brand is very strong around the world, and farmers a…
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Mr. Speaker, infrastructure helps enable building communities, and infrastructure helps enable building transit capacity, so Brampton MPs have come together and advocated for many different projects, like the Riverwalk project in the downtown Brampton core, which will help unlock flood-lands that are prone to flooding, in order to enable the building of more housing on that land. We have unlocked …
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Mr. Speaker, that is a very important question. Of course Ukraine is a very important ally and partner, and Canada has committed to always being there for Ukraine through many different ways, including humanitarian support, military support, resources and, of course, trade support. The member spoke about a recent vote for the modernized Canada-Ukraine free trade agreement, which the party opposite…
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Mr. Speaker, dental care is health care, and I am proud to be part of a team that is making dental care more accessible and affordable for millions of Canadians, including so many in my riding of Brampton East. More than two million Canadians have successfully signed up for the Canadian dental care plan. Over 10,000 dentists and oral health providers have signed up to participate in this plan. In …
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honour of National Nursing Week to recognize and celebrate the incredible contribution of nurses, who are true heroes of our medical system. The theme of this year's National Nursing Week is “Changing Lives. Shaping Tomorrow.” This statement is certainly true. Nurses play a critical role in our health care system and in the future of our health. They are often the firs…
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Madam Speaker, I had the honour of attending the OECD ministerial meeting, where I met with key allies and stakeholders to discuss the importance of inclusive, resilient and sustainable trade, especially in this space of rising populism and protectionism. We know that promoting free trade and investments grows the economy and creates good jobs right across Canada. I would like to thank the member …
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Mr. Chair, I would like to thank my colleague from B.C. for his tireless advocacy on this very important topic and for his constituents. Of course, we will continue to advocate on behalf of Canadian exporters and producers, but really when we come back to this agreement that the Conservatives keep highlighting from the Harper era, lumber producers are still feeling the impacts of that. Absolutely,…
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Mr. Chair, that is a very important and very valid question. Recently, we launched our team Canada-U.S. engagement strategy, where we are doing just that. We are leading team Canada's efforts to engage with our counterparts in the U.S., whether through industry groups or on the government side. We want to make sure that we involve everyone in the House because it is a team Canada approach. We repr…
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Mr. Chair, as the parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development, I am proud to participate in this vital take-note debate and to highlight our government's steadfast support of Canada's softwood lumber industry. We are here tonight because the softwood lumber dispute between Canada and the United States is a long-standing trade irritant i…
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Mr. Chair, I would like to thank the member opposite for that very important question. We have heard time and time again today the Conservatives highlighting the supposed deal that former prime minister Stephen Harper signed. It is easy to sign a deal when one is going to fold and capitulate on an industry. That is what the Conservatives urged us to do during the CUSMA negotiations, and that is wh…
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Mr. Chair, I hope to answer the member in French one day. I am working on my French. The member opposite mentioned advocacy efforts. We take every opportunity and the Prime Minister takes every opportunity. Last year when President Biden visited Canada in March, the Prime Minister raised it with President Biden. At every opportunity, the trade minister brings this up, as do many ministers in cabin…
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Madam Chair, as members know, the lumber industry supports thousands of jobs and communities across the country. We are working collectively to make sure that we are protecting our softwood lumber industry, but I would like to know why the Conservatives, including the member opposite, voted against funding to support the softwood lumber industry that our government put forward.
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Madam Chair, supporting the softwood lumber industry through innovation and diversifying trade is one of our key priorities, but it is also to stand up for lumber industries and the workers in the industry. Therefore, we are advocating and will continue to advocate. The Prime Minister has raised this on many occasions. The minister of international trade has raised this on many occasions. We will …
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Madam Chair, today we heard about this wonderful deal that was signed during the Harper era. It really hurt the industry and hurt jobs across the sector for seven straight years. It imposed an export tax on producers, from 5% to 15%. Does the member opposite think that is a fair approach? What does the member opposite think about what the Conservatives are doing in terms of protecting our environm…
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Madam Chair, I have been listening to industry and hearing about the impacts of wildfires on the lumber industry. As we know, wildfires have destroyed thousands and thousands of acres of forest land. When we talk about supporting industry and innovation, the conversation should also be about climate change and how we can help mitigate its impacts on industries such as the lumber industry. What mor…
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Madam Speaker, the Canada-Africa Business Conference reaffirmed the incredible value of export diversification and growing trade across Africa for Canadian businesses. It was a great success, which I know will help in collaboration and growing our industries. While in Nairobi, I got to see first-hand why Canada is recognized among the leading aerospace industries in the world. Let us continue to b…
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Madam Speaker, I recently sat down with the Brampton Board of Trade, Bhive and the Brampton Economic Development team to discuss the important work our government is doing to promote trade and economic development. This is done through our lndo-Pacific strategy, CanExport, EDC and our Trade Commissioner Service, which provides support to Canadian businesses across our network of missions around th…
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Mr. Speaker, the following reflects a consolidated response approved on behalf of Global Affairs Canada ministers. The World Trade Organization, or WTO, specialty creams tariff rate quota, or TRQ, allocated annually on a dairy year basis, from August 1 to July 31, is not being impacted by the expiry of the cheese side letters. Therefore, the response below will primarily focus on the WTO “Cheeses …
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Madam Speaker, our government has been clear. We will always welcome foreign investment and trade that encourages economic growth, innovation and employment opportunities in Canada. We know that economic security is national security. The bill, which would amend the ICA, brings forward improvements so the government could act more quickly when required. We will continue to ensure Canada's prosperi…
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Madam Speaker, the Investment Canada Act provides for review of the most significant investments by non-Canadians to ensure their likely net benefit to the Canadian economy. All investments, no matter their value, are subject to a national security review under the Investment Canada Act. Therefore, the acquisitions of a Canadian company by a foreign company would be subject to a review under the I…
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Madam Speaker, let us be clear. As soon as we found out about these alleged allegations, the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development acted quickly. The Minister of Innovation has already accepted the resignation of the CEO Annette Verschuren. We take these allegations extremely seriously, which is why we are following proper due diligence. Our government is committed to ensure t…
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Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Etobicoke Centre for his tireless advocacy. Earlier this week, President Biden urged Republicans not to give Vladimir Putin an early Christmas gift and abandon Ukraine. It looks like Christmas came early for the MAGA-inspired Conservatives right here in Canada. While they are busy voting against trade and against Ukraine, we will not waver. At the internationa…
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Mr. Speaker, the member mentioned Ukraine. It was shameful to see Conservative MPs attempt, not once, but five times, to silence the MP for Etobicoke Centre when he pointed out the Conservative voting record against supporting Ukraine. Former Conservative cabinet minister Peter Kent—
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Mr. Speaker, former Conservative cabinet minister Peter Kent put it this way, “When partisan politics trumps principled unity and support for a valiant democracy.” He was referring to the Conservative record of voting against Ukraine and free trade. No amount of doublespeak or MP talking points will change that.
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Mr. Speaker, with regard to part (a), as of August 31, 2023, a total of 176,353 businesses that received CEBA funding have repaid their loan in full. The numbers are not available as of October 25, 2023. There is a reporting lag as businesses repay their financial institutions and the financial institutions remit to us. With regard to part (b), $38.669 million is the total dollar amount owing on t…
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Madam Speaker, we all know that the economy and trade go hand in hand. In fact, one in five jobs in Canada depend on trade, so let us talk about that. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress has once again expressed its disappointment with the Leader of the Opposition and the Conservatives for voting against Ukraine and free trade. The congress has written directly to the Conservative leader, calling on h…
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