Parliamentary Speeches
333 speeches by Marie-France Lalonde — Page 3 of 7
Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I agree with the hon. member. We need to replace the CP-140 Aurora patrol aircraft. However, we need to replace them with something that will serve the operational capability of the armed forces. No decision has been made yet.
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Mr. Speaker, November is Diabetes Awareness Month. It is important to remember that one Canadian is diagnosed with diabetes every three minutes. Yesterday, I met with Raina Smith, an extraordinary 12-year-old and leader from Orléans. Raina has lived with type 1 diabetes since she was five years old. We discussed the important role that governments can play to raise awareness to combat diabetes in …
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Mr. Speaker, budget 2023 committed to reducing government spending by more than $15 billion, while ensuring that we continue to deliver the services and direct supports that Canadians rely on. This is an important and necessary initiative to ensure that Canadians’ tax dollars are being used effectively. Expenditure reviews are an essential part of responsible management, and as one of the largest …
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Mr. Speaker, in relation to the question above, the CC-130H Hercules is predominantly used for search and rescue and air-to-air refuelling operations. As this aircraft is not typically used for transporting the Prime Minister or any other ministers, the information being sought is not centrally tracked. Based on an initial manual search, within the time allotted, National Defence did not find inst…
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Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a) to (d), Canadian Armed Forces, or CAF, personnel often face dangers and discomfort while deployed on operations around the globe. Their extraordinary dedication does not go unrecognized. Allowances accorded to deployed members serving in theatres of operation are reviewed regularly. A wide range of factors including conditions faced by members while deployed are con…
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Mr. Speaker, a third location decompression, TLD, is a period intended to provide Canadian Armed Forces, CAF, personnel who have undergone periods of prolonged and/or intense stress during an operational deployment with a period of rest and relaxation at a location away from the operational theatre before they return home to reintegrate with their families and communities. Members are also provide…
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Mr. Speaker, the recent conflict and crisis in Ukraine has exacerbated global tensions and threats to the rules-based international order. This has resulted in competition for limited supply, increases to lead time, costs, and challenges for governments all over the world to resupply their inventories. Particularly, the 155mm artillery shell is globally in demand, with Partners and Allies looking …
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Mr. Speaker, with regard to (a), (e), (f) and (g), when it comes to 105mm artillery shells, the Canadian Armed Forces, or CAF, currently have sufficient levels of supply. The Munitions Supply Program, or MSP, established in the 1970s, provides a framework under which the Government of Canada sources ammunition and small arms for National Defence from unique domestic industrial facilities that have…
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Mr. Speaker, November marks Hindu Heritage Month in Canada. I would like to thank the Hindu community in Orléans and across the country for their contribution to our society. I was very pleased to attend the Diwali events this week on Parliament Hill. I am also very excited to welcome in this House 90 students from four civic classes of Cairine Wilson Secondary School in Orleans. I thank their tea…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to be very clear: We are not providing military assistance to Israel. What we are doing is providing force protection for Canadians and assisting the Canadian embassy in Israel with contingency planning. This is similar to the CANSOFCOM presence and assistance we have provided in other instances, including in Sudan.
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Mr. Speaker, last Friday, I had the privilege of attending the poppy campaign kickoff of the Orléans Royal Canadian Legion. It was an honour beyond words to place the very first poppy on the lapel of esteemed veteran retired warrant officer Serge Millen, a gesture symbolizing our immense gratitude for his service and sacrifice to our country. Let us all help our Canadian legions by donating to the…
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Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), and consistent with the current policy on the tabling of treaties in Parliament, I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the treaty entitled “Framework Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of the Federative Republic of Brazil Concerning Defence Cooperation”, done at Brasilia on June 27, 2023.
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Mr. Speaker, October 24 was World Polio Day. As a Rotarian and proud member of the Rotary Club of Orléans, I want to acknowledge the vital work Rotary clubs across Canada and internationally are doing to raise awareness of the importance of polio vaccination to protect every child from this devastating disease. It is a day to celebrate the many parents, professionals and volunteers whose contribut…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for his question because it allows me to validate some of the measures and supports that we have put in place for our military. As I mentioned earlier, we are reimbursing the legal and real estate fees. We are covering some expenses for dual residency for up to six months if a CAF member cannot sell their residence. We will continue to support our Canadian A…
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Mr. Speaker, before answering my colleague's question, I would like to underscore that today, we remember Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent, who lost his life in 2014. Regarding the hon. member's question, I would like to say that when we think about the housing situation, just last year, in our fiscal update, we put $55 million of support toward residential housing for CAF members. I would also lik…
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Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honour the passing of a resident of Orléans, Jean Belanger, who dedicated his life to championing sustainability and responsible practices in Canada's chemistry sector, earning the prestigious Order of Canada for his pivotal role in founding Responsible Care. Locally, Jean was also a community builder, serving as a board member on the Shepherds of Good Hope. Internatio…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for raising this. As an advocate, she has brought forward a lot of issues in the House. However, let me be very clear. Military members and their families are our top priority, and we are taking steps to ensure that they are supported. This is why we are working with our stakeholders to align resources and acquire additional housing. In budget 2022-23 alone,…
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Mr. Speaker, I will not take any lessons today from that side of the House. When the Conservatives were in power, they actually cut spending to fall below 1%. Let me be very clear: Military members and their families are our top priority. We are taking steps to ensure that they are supported. In budget 2022, we invested $55 million in residential housing for CAF members. We will be there for our t…
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Mr. Speaker, today I would like to thank our members of the armed forces and all the veterans who have served our country. Every day in Canada, we must say thank you to these men and women who, in these times in particular, are defending what we do. On November 11, like many of my friends here and my colleagues, we remember. We will always remember the sacrifice of our veterans.
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to stand in the House today to recognize all the incredible small business owners in the community of Orléans and across Canada as we are celebrating Small Business Week. Whether it is local young entrepreneurs like Maissa Zemni of Makeup by Maissa Zemni; Elizabeth and Jordan, founders of Art of Bean Coffee Co.; or a small family business such as Beyond Café located on St…
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Mr. Speaker, on behalf of myself and my constituents in Orléans, I would like to congratulate you on your election as Speaker of the House. I would also like to thank the Société franco-ontarienne du patrimoine et de l'histoire d'Orléans for its leadership in organizing the third edition of the art and crafts market at the Shenkman Arts Centre in Orléans. It was a wonderful opportunity to discover…
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Mr. Speaker, as we commence this parliamentary season, our goals remain clear: to serve Canadians from all political backgrounds and effectively address their needs and concerns. I also want to wish Orléans students a successful back-to-school experience. May the school year be rewarding and successful for everyone. Turning our attention to the vibrant community of Orléans, I want to thank the 400…
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Mr. Speaker, this week marks the beginning of graduation for our grade 12 students. I want to take a moment to congratulate the 1,821 graduates from Orléans' 10 high schools. This morning I attended the graduation ceremony at École secondaire publique Gisèle‑Lalonde, where I had the privilege of presenting the Governor General's Academic Medal to Anaïs Gibbings. Congratulations to the class of 202…
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Mr. Speaker, IRCC uses artificial intelligence, AI, technology for purposes of advanced analytics to triage client enquiries and to identify routine and straightforward applications for faster processing within the programs of temporary resident visa for visitors, visitor records, and spouse and common-law partner in Canada applications. Advanced analytic tools are used to help determine the appli…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, while my colleague is speculating and somewhat making allegations, I will say what the government is actually doing. We are very committed to combatting foreign interference by protecting the Canadians and communities targeted by foreign state actors, safeguarding our democratic institutions and promoting economic security. This will not change. We are aware, as I mentioned, that ce…
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Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for his questions because they allow me to share some news and to validate some of the concerns that he expressed with today's announcement by the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, which addressed these concerns around the report of international students and graduates facing removal from Canada. As he said, letters of acceptance submitted…
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Madam Speaker, I want to clarify a few points for the member. First of all, I think that, collectively, all members of the House are generally concerned about the situation that has arisen over the last few months. I can assure the member opposite that several members on the side of the government have been strong advocates on this. The member refers to one instant where motions were tried by his …
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Madam Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to address the ongoing concerns of foreign interference in Canada. Canada is a country with open political systems, democratic processes, social cohesion, academic freedoms and prosperity. Although there are many reasons why people choose to come to Canada, our open society makes us an attractive target for foreign interference. Foreign interference…
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Mr. Speaker, it has been a busy week in Orléans and our surrounding communities. Last Sunday, I had the honour of attending the Balaji Kalyanam, an important spiritual celebration for the Hindu community in Orléans and in our national capital. June 3 was also a busy day. I started with Blackburn Hamlet's annual Blackburn Funfair parade, which was themed to honour our health care heroes. I then too…
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Mr. Speaker, certainly I want to reiterate to this House that the resettling of Afghans remains our very top priority. These Afghans have worked side by side with the Canadian Armed Forces in our mission in Afghanistan to promote peace and democracy in this region. Let me be very clear. We will not turn our backs on these brave Afghans who have worked with us and we will do everything we can to ge…
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Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear that we have zero tolerance for racism or discrimination of any kind. That is why we are already hard at work to address racism and create real, lasting change. We created the anti-racism task force. We continue to provide training to address unconscious bias for all of our employees. Also, IRCC has released our new anti-racism strategy 2.0. However, we know that …
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Mr. Speaker, IRCC undertook an extensive preliminary search to determine the amount of information that would fall within the scope of the request to provide details of the tables provided in annex A in response to Order Paper question Q-1146 broken down by category and country of origin. The data elements identified for this response would be too large to provide and could lead to the disclosure …
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Mr. Speaker, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, IRCC, undertook an extensive preliminary search in order 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. IRCC concluded that producing and validating a comprehensive response to this question would require a manual col…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for his question, because I think we collectively agree that this is unacceptable and we are seized with this situation that these international students are facing. Our focus is to make sure that we identify the perpetrator of this fraud and prevent them from abusing anyone again. At the same time, we recognize that there may be students in this cohort who are vuln…
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Mr. Speaker, as we celebrate pride in Canada, Uganda passed one of the toughest draconian laws in the world, making it the 12th country to enact the death penalty against LGBTQI persons. Today, Canada is honoured to welcome Nobel Peace Prize nominee Dr. Frank Mugisha, executive director of SMUG and one of the leading human rights defenders in Uganda. He is with five parliamentarians who have brave…
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Mr. Speaker, I have to say that I will not take any lessons from the members of the official opposition on immigration cases. What I will say to the House, though, is this: We want to ensure that those who are not responsible for fraud will have an opportunity to demonstrate their situation and present evidence to support their case. At the same time, the integrity of our immigration system remain…
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Madam Speaker, I can assure the member opposite that we take these allegations of fraud very seriously. For these students—
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Madam Speaker, opposition members may want to listen to the answer. I can assure the member opposite that we take these allegations very seriously. For these students who may have been victims of fraud, we want to make it clear: They can benefit from full due process. We are also cracking down on these bad actors who prey on our most vulnerable. We will always be there for these vulnerable student…
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Madam Speaker, I want to say to those victims that I was a member of the provincial government, actually the former solicitor general, when these incidents happened. We collectively, as Canadians, stand very firm on the tragic loss of these wonderful young men who perished. I can assure the House that every day we remember them. We also know that there is a court case in place, and this is the cou…
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Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate my colleague's question, because it allows me to further reinforce the idea that, on that side of the House, what they were trying to do was virtually nothing. We worked very hard to renegotiate the agreement between the United States and Canada. We have always been there for people who ask for help. We are already seeing concrete results regarding asylum seeker…
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Mr. Speaker, as June marks Seniors Month, I was delighted to start visiting seniors' residences in my community of Orléans last week. After a few years without being able to meet with our seniors, it was so nice to sit down, hear their stories and simply enjoy their company. I have to say it was a joy to see the smiles on their faces. The resilience and strength exhibited by the residents was trul…
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Mr. Speaker, let me be very clear, our focus is on identifying culprits, not penalizing victims. Victims of fraud would have an opportunity to demonstrate their situation and present evidence to support their case. We recognize the immense contributions international students bring to our country. We will continue supporting them.
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Mr. Speaker, we understand that prospective students and the schools that accepted them are disappointed when applications are rejected. I want the House to know that last year I was in Tunisia where, during the Sommet de la Francophonie, I had the chance to meet with several leaders and players in our francophonie to come up with solutions to this problem. I would also like to point out to the Ho…
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Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleague in the sense that we need these people who come here. That is why we implemented the student direct stream for Senegal and Morocco to expedite the processing of applications. The approval rate has improved, but we know that there is still work to be done. We recognize the major social, cultural and economic advantages that international students bring to Queb…
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Mr. Speaker, as I said, international students make an important contribution to Canada. We have heard that loud and clear. That is why we started extending expired and expiring post-graduate work permits. As a result, nearly 100,000 international graduates have been able to continue working across the country. We also scrapped the 20-hour work week cap, and nearly 500,000 international students h…
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Mr. Speaker, if the Bloc Québécois wants to know how to protect Quebec's demographic weight, I urge its members to read the Canada-Quebec accord, which has been working for three decades. If they want to know what our plan is to reverse the decline of French, I urge them to read the new action plan for official languages. If they want to know what our plan is to support francophone communities acr…
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Mr. Speaker, it was a busy weekend. I had the pleasure of attending the Mother's Day high tea event on Saturday, which was organized by my fellow Rotarian members of the Rotary Club of Orléans. The event was significant and symbolic, with the aim of honouring the women who have played important roles in our lives. I wish them a happy Mother's Day. Also, summer is among us and it means it is the ti…
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Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois must think the government has some kind of crystal ball. Our immigration plans are based on the next three years, not the next 75 years. The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship has been very clear. His decision is based on what he believes to be the best immigration policy for Canada, based on the needs and capacity of Quebec and Canada. We will always…
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Mr. Speaker, I am proud to answer that question. I want to be very clear. We have made significant progress in reducing backlogs and improving services for our clients. Let us look at the numbers. We have reduced the backlog by over half a million. We finalized 5.2 million applications last year, twice as many as in 2021. We set the bar very high when it comes to providing quality services in Cana…
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Mr. Speaker, let me be perfectly clear. The Century Initiative is not a government policy. The government does not endorse the findings of this independent group. The government does not have a goal of increasing Canada's population to 100 million people. We have announced our immigration thresholds for the next three years. These thresholds were set according to the needs of Canadians and Quebeck…
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