Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, Concussion Awareness Week is being marked across the country this week. It is estimated that 46,000 children and youth were officially diagnosed with a concussion by hospital emergency departments in 2018-19 after suffering an injury while being active. Could the Minister of Sport please tell us what our government is doing to reduce the number of accidents as much as possible?
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today in support of my private member's bill, Bill C-252, known as the child health protection act, which aims to help the youngest and most impressionable Canadians maintain and improve their health by restricting the advertisement of certain foods to them. I am confident that hon. members in this chamber can agree on the harms that diets with exce…
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Madam Speaker, I request a recorded vote.
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Mr. Speaker, an investment in recreational and sports infrastructure is an investment in the health and well-being of our constituents. Could the minister update us on what he is doing to give Quebeckers access to safe, sustainable facilities that promote recreational and sports activities in our communities?
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Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Canadian Heritage organized a summit on culture in Ottawa. One of the main subjects was the modernization of legislation to support our online culture. Passing Bill C-11 is key to achieving that. However, the Conservatives would rather play politics and are doing everything they can to block this bill. Can the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell us why the cu…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his excellent question. As I mentioned in my speech, it has been estimated that it is costing Canadians $13.8 billion annually to deal with diseases that are compounded and related to unhealthy eating habits. I think that in the long run, investing and putting forward these types of restrictions would contribute to reducing the health care that Canadians nee…
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Madam Speaker, in essence, the bill looks to restrict all types of advertising, including characters or anything that would appeal to children to persuade them to pester their parents, if I can express myself that way, to buy these products. Using mascots, logos or fantasy characters would all be restricted.
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for her very relevant question. This bill was indeed inspired by Quebec's Consumer Protection Act, which I think has been very successful. In the past, we saw this kind of advertising at amusement parks, like La Ronde, and at water parks. We need to have a system in place to determine what kinds of advertising break the law, so that we can manage and reg…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his excellent question. The bill encompasses all types of advertising, including digital advertising. I hope measures will be taken to tackle and stop big companies from being able to target our children via digital channels, whether it be through cell phones, computers or online media.
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
moved that Bill C-252, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (prohibition of food and beverage marketing directed at children), be read the second time and referred to a committee. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise in the House today to take part in the discussion on Bill C-252, which aims to support restrictions on commercial marketing and advertising on certain foods and beverages to children…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Madam Speaker, I shall proceed. As per the FDA, “food” includes beverages, and “advertisement” is defined in broad terms, including any representation by any means by promoting directly or indirectly the sale of products controlled by legislation. The notion of advertisement is media neutral, which encompasses the latest technologies and evolving methods. Clause 4 of Bill C-252 adds a new section …
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Mr. Speaker, we are living in an information age. With the Internet, news from around the world is available at the blink of an eye. That being said, we must admit that there is an imbalance of power. For years now, hundreds of local news outlets have had to close their doors for lack of revenue, while the web giants literally have a monopoly on advertising revenue. What is our government doing to…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Madam Speaker, our government has always supported and promoted the important role that our SMEs play in developing our local economies. I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the 50th anniversary of a family-owned business located in the heart of Saint-Michel. Founded in 1972, Casavogue specializes in the sale of high-quality Italian furniture. Its 50 years of service have been characteri…
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Mr. Speaker, on Friday, the Government of Quebec, the City of Montreal, and the Government of Canada announced the new version and reconfiguration of the Montreal metro blue line extension project. This project has been highly anticipated by the metropolitan community for several decades. Can the hon. Minister of Canadian Heritage and Quebec lieutenant explain to the House how the federal governme…
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the House began debate on second reading of the online streaming act. During the debate, certain opposition colleagues raised interesting questions, even though others practised their leadership race speeches. Can the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell us what Bill C-11 proposes to do?
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
moved for leave to introduce Bill C-252, An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (prohibition of food and beverage marketing directed at children). Mr. Speaker, I am proud to introduce my bill today, which proposes to amend the Food and Drugs Act by restricting the marketing of food and beverages high in sugar, saturated fats or salt directed at children. Studies have shown that even before COVID-1…
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Mr. Speaker, over the holidays, omicron had a serious impact on constituents and businesses in my riding of Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel. Thankfully, the House had passed Bill C-2 before we rose, ensuring that we had support for businesses and individuals still facing restrictions and lockdowns put in place by provinces in response to the new wave. Can the Deputy Prime Minister remind the House of s…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride and humility that I undertake my second mandate as MP for the riding of Saint-Leonard—Saint-Michel. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to my constituents, volunteers, friends and family members for their continuous support and confidence in me. I am ready to serve my constituents and Canadians with dedication and determination as we face challenging issues, …
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Mr. Speaker, the pandemic has made the need for safe and affordable housing more obvious than ever. My constituents have told me that affordable housing is an urgent priority. Students, young families and seniors all need affordable housing to support their well-being and to help them meet their goals. Could the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development tell the House what has been don…
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Mr. Speaker, I thought all members of the House agreed that our artists have enabled us to stay strong and connected throughout this pandemic. That was why I was dismayed to hear the member for Lethbridge say, and I quote, “[t]hat arts fund actually goes toward a very niche group of artists that are stuck in the early 1990s because they haven’t managed to be competitive on new platforms. So they a…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, June has been officially recognized as Italian Heritage Month. As such, I would like to turn our attention toward the contributions made by Italian Canadians not only within their local communities, but across Canada. Within just the last few generations, there have been many Italian Canadians who have worked tirelessly and have been successful in the fields of business, science, educ…
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Madam Speaker, we continue to hear from hundreds of women about the need for child care. The lack of child care services is a huge contributor to the gender pay gap. We know that women are the ones who stay home to take care of their children, which limits their participation in the labour market. This also limits their access to education and skills training, on top of access to present and futur…
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians know that climate change is real. They understand that investments in clean technology will create thousands of well-paying jobs and also build a more sustainable future. Could the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry tell us today how the government is supporting Canadian innovators and helping Canada meet its climate targets for 2030 and the goal of net-zero emissi…
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Mr. Speaker, this week, Canadians, including my constituents in Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel, were delighted to open their mailboxes and find invitations to participate in the 2021 census. The government uses the census to shape the services it provides to Canadians, develop policies and build the public infrastructure that has a direct impact on Canadians' daily lives. Could the Minister of Innovat…
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Mr. Speaker, a little over a month ago, the Minister of Official Languages shared her vision for modernizing Canada's official languages legislation. In the budget, this government announced plans to invest over a quarter of a billion dollars in our official languages. Would the minister please tell us how these new investments will support the proposed modernization, strengthen our official langu…
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Mr. Speaker, Bill C-6 to eliminate conversion therapy was introduced last year. I know that the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights heard moving testimony about the importance of taking steps to ban this destructive practice. Bill C-6 will send a strong message to members of the LGBTQ2 community that this government cares for and protects them. Would the Minister of Diversity and Inclus…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, on March 28, the Italian Canadian community was saddened to learn of the passing of Senator Marisa Ferretti Barth, a caring and selfless woman, a pioneer. Senator Ferretti Barth was well known in Montreal. She dedicated her life to the well-being of seniors. She set up over 88 seniors' clubs and founded the Regional Council of Italian-Canadian Seniors, or RCICS. Thanks to her initiati…
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Mr. Speaker, the government recently announced the coming into force of the new version of the Divorce Act. The legislation, which passed in 2019, marks the first substantive changes to family laws in 20 years. Could the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada please update the House today regarding the changes that can be found in the new version?
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Mr. Speaker, linguistic duality is a key part of what makes Canada great, and nowhere is this more apparent than in Montreal's anglophone community. We are proud to live in Canada's only French province, proud of our English heritage and proud to speak both official languages. Can the Minister of Official Languages tell us how the language reform document tabled in the House last week protects the…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, last week, a horrific crime was committed in my riding. Meriem Boundaoui, a 15-year-old girl, was the victim of a bullet intended for someone else. This tragedy serves as a reminder of an insidious pandemic that is slowly spreading through our cities and towns. Gun violence is a real and urgent problem that we need to address. We have taken action to ban military-style weapons and we …
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, the pandemic has certainly helped drive consumers toward online shopping, which means more parcels are being shipped. I would therefore like to take a moment to talk about the difficult and important work that Canada Post employees all across our country have been doing. They deliver the goods as well as letters and cards, playing an essential role every day as they help our communiti…
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues. The pandemic has definitely contributed to the larger number of consumers shopping online, which in turn has fuelled growth in parcel delivery. I would like to take a moment today to highlight the important work and tireless efforts of Canada Post employees across the country. They are delivering goods as well as letters and cards. They play an essential role ev…
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Mr. Speaker, during my statement earlier, I believe some parts were cut off because of technical difficulties. With the unanimous consent of the House, I would like to repeat my statement.
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