Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I was at the federal finance committee yesterday with the hon. member. He knows how the answer was put forward by Mr. Cory of the Infrastructure Bank. There is no deal with Lion Electric. What happened with Lion in terms of the bankruptcy obviously is regrettable, certainly, but the buses that were intended to be procured are on the road under the operation of another company. The com…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I have known my colleague for a long time. He does have passion, I will grant him that, but sometimes that passion leads him to act a bit too quickly. He forgot to talk to unions. Earlier this week, he and other Conservatives raised the situation of workers at CAMI in Ingersoll. They were talking about the withholding of severance. What he forgot to do was actually talk to Unifor. Loc…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I know the member's community. I know his riding very well. Its residents expect better than his hurling insults. That is not a way to get things done in the House of Commons. The member talks about the London Home Builders' Association. That is good. We met this week as well. They talked about, among other things, the housing accelerator fund, which in St. Thomas alone is leading to …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the industry minister and the Prime Minister, along with every minister and this entire caucus, are devoted to ensuring the well-being and future of the Canadian auto sector and its workers. I invite Conservatives to support the government in continuing to ensure that measures are put in place to ensure the future well-being of that sector.
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, first of all, I know the member, not terribly well, but well enough to say that I respect him very much. I know how hard he has worked to become a member of Parliament, and I know the riding he represents, which is very close to my community of London. I would simply say a few things. I acknowledge what he is saying, at least on the individual side. For constituents in his riding, i…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, with great respect to my colleague, he knows that there has not been a shred of credible evidence to suggest that the industrial carbon tax is primarily responsible, or remotely responsible, for the increases in prices that people are seeing at the grocery store. His point, though, on increasing competition in the grocery sector is well taken. I agree that we need greater competitio…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, almost 240 agreements have been signed between the federal government and various municipalities, large and small, for the housing accelerator fund. They want to talk about getting things done and anti-development. The facts do not line up with that narrative. The reality is that we need to build more: duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes. That is the kind of vision being put in place t…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I know the member, and I know he cares about those workers, as do we. The CAMI plant in Ingersoll is a half-hour from my house. I regularly speak to Mayor Brian Petrie, who is doing an excellent job in very trying circumstances. I know the business owners who rely on the presence of the plant. I know the leaders and the staff of the social agencies that are responding to the crisis on…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, 134,000 jobs were created in the past year. Wages have been outpacing inflation for almost three years, with a rate of inflation that is well within the Bank of Canada's guidelines at 2.4%. However, we will not rest on that. We cannot, because the aim now must always be to secure Canada's future. Budget 2025 puts a foundation for that in place. Will the Conservatives join us and put t…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, Canadians are looking for hope, but they are also looking for people to work together in the House of Commons to support them at this time, in the short term and in the long term. In the short term, what this means is, and we saw it, in fact, the spirit of collaboration that helped to bring about Bill C-19. Bill C-19, of course, is the Canada groceries and essentials benefit that wi…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, our colleague served his community as mayor. He is now fighting for his constituents in the House of Commons. We have an opportunity to come together and do the very same for all our constituents. What will the Conservatives do? Will they get behind budget 2025? It is a landmark budget that invests in housing, in defence, and in infrastructure to build this country up and put in pla…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Madam Speaker, for generations, the people of London, Ontario, have counted on The London Free Press, our daily paper, to capture their hopes, their aspirations, their cares, their concerns and their worries for the future. This is true of its journalists, and it is true of its photographers. Derek Ruttan was an extraordinary talent. He passed away at the age of 60 in late January. He will be reme…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, total employment is up, in fact, by 134,000 jobs over the past year. Most of those jobs are in the private sector. We see a rate of inflation of 2.4%, which is well within the Bank of Canada's guideline, and also an unemployment rate that is now down to 6.5%, but we do not rest on that. There is anxiety in Canada, but there is also resilience that defines this country and defines it…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, unemployment is down to 6.5%. Inflation is within the Bank of Canada guidelines. We have a AAA credit rating and record foreign direct investment. In fact, we are building up the country for the success of current and future generations. I am going to go off the script for a moment. He is on it, and the previous member was on it. They both care about defence. I know that about these…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, the Conservative call for focusing on taxes in this particular instance is out of place. No serious analysis has given any credibility to what the Conservatives have put forward on the issue of food inflation. I shared earlier this week, as we all know and the Bank of Canada recently affirmed, that climate change is a key factor, and the key factor when it comes to the increase in p…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, we have gone back to the script. We have an opportunity. If Conservative members do not want to listen to Liberals, as I advised just a few days ago in question period, they can listen to their former leader. Former prime minister Harper made it clear that we have an opportunity to rise above partisanship now. At a moment of crisis and at a moment of rupture, to use that appropriate…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, I was intrigued when I heard “team Canada approach”. I agree that we need a team Canada approach. I think we should focus on serious solutions, and there are solutions for the short term and the long term. The groceries and essentials benefit that they collaborated on, thankfully, is just one short-term measure. I agree that it is not a magic bullet. It is certainly not that. What d…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, that is interesting. I am tempted to talk about the Conservative record on health care. I will not because, as I say, I think we need to embrace these issues.
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I call on Conservatives, yes, to work with us. We can work together for the betterment of this country. What did we see yesterday? If the Conservatives do not want to listen to Liberals, that is fine. They should listen to Prime Minister Harper, who called on us in a moment of crisis, a moment of rupture for this country, to do what is right for Canada. We have an opportunity. We saw …
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, my colleague is an experienced member, and I know how much he cares about the economy and his community. Of course he is immersed in these issues, as we all are. To reassure him, I would point to the December 5 statement issued by the International Monetary Fund. The IMF, one of the most respected multilateral organizations in the world, said a great deal about Canada's current fisc…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, it is a touchy subject for the Conservatives. We need to embrace these issues wherever possible with a lack of partisanship and be serious about the issues of the day. Yes, there is debt and deficit in this country, as there is in every democracy, but again, we can look to the International Monetary Fund. If it is not the IMF that the members want to look to, they can look at the Wo…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives have mentioned beef. They have mentioned coffee, fruits and vegetables. The Bank of Canada has affirmed what we already know; it made clear that import costs are crucial when it comes to food inflation. Which kind of import costs in particular is this? It is climate change, dramatic weather events around the world and domestically. It is obvious; when we have more fl…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I certainly would agree. I want to commend the member, who is a new member but has not hesitated to delve in. He is doing a fantastic job on the finance committee. The member talked about food prices. The Dalhousie University report that members in the Conservative Party have quoted frequently in the past few days makes clear that a major contributing factor to meat prices, in particu…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, my colleague can look to Dalhousie University's food price index of 2026. He can look to the recent TD report. We know climate change is a key factor when it comes to the increase in the price of food. This is admittedly a challenge for this country. This is why the Canada groceries and essentials benefit is so important. Let us move beyond the script for a moment. The Conservatives s…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I have a great deal of respect for our colleague, and it is always a pleasure to take part in a House debate with him. There is a climate change crisis in Canada and around the world. Every government has a responsibility to respond with serious policies, because it is a challenge for the future. I have a four-year-old daughter, and I am worried about her future. Every government must…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, up until recently, the Conservatives have been frequently quoting Food Banks Canada. They have stopped, and I wonder why. I wonder if it is because the organization has suggested a key recommendation that the government is now fulfilling, which is the groceries and essentials benefit of almost $1,900 for a family of four. What about other supports that the Conservatives are against? T…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to address the House on this very important matter. I will say at the outset that I will be splitting my time with the member for Desnethé—Missinippi—Churchill River. This is an important debate. My colleagues might be surprised across the way, but I want to thank them for raising it. Though it is interesting how they politicize it, this is exactly the type of issue th…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, my colleague represents the area of what was once called London North Centre, north of Fanshawe Park Road, and I look forward to continuing to work with her. Her point about manufacturing and businesses is interesting. The member said that she hears time and again about the industrial carbon tax issue. I would welcome her to present a single letter from a business that mentions this p…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, it is a classic technique of right-wing populism to identify every problem imaginable and invent some too, and not propose serious solutions. Only a few months ago the Leader of the Opposition was calling for the firing of the Bank of Canada. On this side of the House, we take seriously what the Bank of Canada says. We are seeing, in this country, inflation within the target rate. We …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, how about having the backs of Canadian families, the middle class and low-income Canadians who need a serious government now to respond to their everyday challenges? That is why we have put in place this particular benefit. That is why we are increasing the GST credit. Furthermore, if the Conservatives are serious about the challenges of this country, I would hope that, beyond inventi…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I said it already today and will repeat it: The target rate of inflation is within what the Bank of Canada gives as a guideline, which is 2.4%. On the food inflation the member points out, yes, this is admittedly a challenge for the country. The Conservatives are fond of citing reports. The problem is that they never read those reports. Dalhousie University's food price index says tha…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, a fiscally responsible approach is what the government is committed to, and that is exactly what we will fulfill. I already mentioned the International Monetary Fund. I know that for colleagues across the way, multilateral organizations, not all of them but many of them, unfortunately, are not to be dealt with. These conspiracies continue to circulate on that side of the House. Howeve…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, the member is or should be aware of the landmark Supreme Court decision of 2013 that says that the courts, and judges in particular, can take note of the immigration status of an individual but cannot use that to condition sentencing in a way that would avoid immigration consequences. The question is not a serious one. The point is that if we are going to do immigration policy serio…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, I say this with all due respect. The member has been the immigration critic for the Conservative Party for almost 10 years. She knows very well that when new information comes in, it can lead to the cancellation of existing visas that allow individuals to be in Canada in the first place. When we understand these matters, we leave it in the hands of authorities to address those matte…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, the member knows very well that those who are not eligible to be here will face the consequences of Canadian law. We trust authorities to carry that out. As for services in this country, we understand that there has been a strain on services and that the immigration system has a part to play in that. What is also at stake is that we put policy on the table to address those issues. A…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, the slogans continue on the other side. What is lacking is seriousness. They condemn a decision signed by the Premier of Alberta. Yesterday was a great day for Alberta and for Canada. The government was elected on a policy vision to ensure more jobs in this country, economic stewardship and environmental stewardship at the same time. We will maintain that vision from start to finish…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, Canada has been an example for the world, particularly when it comes to responding to the Uyghur issue in China, among other global crises affecting fundamental human rights. We continue to look at this issue, and we continue to put in place measures, but the hon. member knows that the circumstances are very challenging indeed. When individuals come to Canada, of course, a number of c…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I would urge colleagues across the way to think twice about putting on the floor of the House of Commons unverified reports from anonymous sources. Security is of paramount importance in this country. That is a sacrosanct principle upheld by successive Conservative and Liberal governments. We maintain that principle from start to finish. As for the comments about the program that was …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the member continues to cite anonymous sources on the floor of the House of Commons. The reality is that security remains always a fundamental responsibility that we take seriously. When security agencies become aware of potential threats to this country, they act accordingly, We trust them to do that. As for the point that was raised before, relating to what was discussed this week a…
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, today, November 20, is World Pancreatic Cancer Day. Every year, 7,000 Canadians are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and more than 6,000 succumb to this terrible disease. One was my late aunt, Eleni Dellaporta, who passed away this past January at the young age of 58. She leaves behind two extraordinary sons, Nikos and Panagis; her beloved husband, Petros; and her soon-to-be daughter…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the member knows the respect that I and other colleagues hold for her. Of course, she has served this country and never fails to bring up matters that are important to her and her constituents. I understand that very well. What I would say, and she knows this as well, is that individual cases, for privacy reasons, should not be brought forward on the floor of the House of Commons. She…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I will, I am afraid, repeat myself. Individual cases are not something I am going to address on the floor of the House of Commons. I am also not going to address the authorizations issued by particular departments. The member is able to contact the relevant departments and seek an answer that way. I invite her to do so if she wishes.
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, my friend accuses me of not answering the question, but his question was all over the place. I am not sure what exactly he was talking about. I am genuinely very interested in the youth employment plan of the Conservatives. I will look it up, but we do not know about it. Perhaps some of us do, but I think I follow things pretty closely, and I have not seen it. As far as the immigratio…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure to engage in debate, particularly with this member, whom I have now known for the better part of 10 years. I respect his passion, and I say that sincerely. I know he is a student of many, and Milton Friedman would be counted on that list. I say that because he said that intention does not matter, outcome matters. That is what Milton Friedman had argued. I would…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, he said, “Supreme Court”. In any case, what is required is a law that is consistent with the charter. The cumulative test provides a substantial connection that meets the requirement set out by the court. As for the Westminster system, I am glad the member has served on the student council at Queen's University. I congratulate him on that, but this is the House of Commons, and what is…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague of almost 10 years, who devotes herself every day to the needs, interests and concerns of the people of Waterloo. I will focus on this: Ultimately, this is a bill relating to citizenship and, yes, immigration. My colleague mentioned the Leader of the Opposition, who never fails to play games on issues of immigration. Just a few years ago, he was talking about Cana…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I might have missed something, but at no point have I ever heard this, whether in the press or from advocates. I would say that this is the first Conservative talking about conscription, in my experience.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, he apparently has spoken about it before. I do not know if there has been another Conservative talking about conscription. We can raise all sorts of hypotheticals. The key is that, as we said before, citizenship law in Canada has to be consistent. It cannot be two-tiered. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice said that it is two-tiered and that we have to act to rectify this.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, our country is a bilingual country. We are very proud of that. My colleague talked about the work done in committee. A few amendments were adopted in committee, but the House of Commons is sovereign. I mentioned that in my speech. Parliament and, in this case, the House decide. We saw that yesterday. That is a sacrosanct principle.
Read full speech →