Adjournment Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Edmonton Strathcona for the passion, compassion, intelligence and wisdom she brings to this subject, not only today but every day, and for the ongoing work we are attempting to do together in a really horrific situation. Canadians were shocked to see the unspeakable atrocities that were committed by the terrorist organization Hamas. Hamas is recognized b…
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Mr. Speaker, let me add my congratulations on your election. As Speaker, may you have the wisdom of Solomon and the patience of Job. Like all of us in this chamber, you will be assisted by a bright and eager group of House of Commons pages. I welcome the new cohort to this place, and thank them for their willingness to be here, helping us to be our best selves and making this chamber effective and…
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Mr. Speaker, I will splitting my time with the member for Richmond Hill. It is an honour to rise to participate in today's debate in support of Bill C-56, the affordable housing and groceries act. I have heard from many residents in my riding of Don Valley West about the rising prices they face every day, about the impact of inflation on their daily lives, and especially about the rising cost of r…
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Mr. Speaker, the member will get no argument whatsoever from me about the importance of building co-operative housing. I have four such buildings in my riding, and I want eight or 10 or 12. We have to set the conditions for co-operative housing to be increased. I am happy to be on record as saying that I will push my own government to make sure that we have a way to encourage such projects. They a…
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Mr. Speaker, housing subsidies and other measures offered on the market, including by not-for-profit organizations, are not the same. It is a complex situation, with an integrated market overlapping two sectors. I think it is necessary to have housing supports offered by not-for-profit organizations and others aimed at the private market. Both sectors need different things in different parts of th…
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Mr. Speaker, as the hon. member knows, we have a market-driven economy that builds houses across this country in many different ways. There are houses that are built as rental units. There are apartments that are built and condominiums that are built. I invite him to come to the riding of Don Valley West to the area at Redpath and Broadway to see the construction project, which is a fascinating pu…
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Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate all graduates across Canada, especially those in my riding of Don Valley West. Graduation marks the culmination of years of hard work, opening the door toward a future filled with endless possibilities. I would say that the graduates at Leaside High School, Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute, York Mills Collegiate Institute, École secondaire Étienne-Brûlé…
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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 treaties entitled “Agreement between Canada and the Republic of Finland concerning Youth Mobility”, done at Helsinki on March 31, 2023; and “Amendments to Annex III of the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Conse…
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Madam Speaker, I rise today to honour the life of my friend, colleague and constituent, Ian Gordon McBride. Ian was a resident of my riding in Thorncliffe Park and an active member of The United Church of Canada. Sadly, Ian died very recently, far too soon after his well-deserved retirement began. Ian worked tirelessly as executive director of the Anglican United Refugee Alliance, or AURA. In his …
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate a monumental milestone: the 50th anniversary of Living and Learning in Retirement at York University's Glendon College. For five decades, LLIR has been a beacon of intellectual growth and community engagement for seniors in Don Valley West and across Toronto. LLIR is lifelong learning at its best, proving that education knows no age limits. On the Glendon cam…
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Mr. Speaker, the government is taking this matter very seriously. As soon as we received confirmation, I quickly took action. One does not get the attention of the Chinese government by yelling and screaming and by making noise on that side of the House. One gets the attention of the Chinese government by taking direct action, by expelling a diplomat and by doing it carefully and consciously. That…
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Mr. Speaker, this is a case in point. One gets the attention of the Chinese government to stop it from interfering in Canadians' lives by taking direct action and doing it carefully and prudently. That is exactly what the Minister of Foreign Affairs did this week when she declared a Chinese diplomat persona non grata. That is what we are doing on this side of the House. We do not yell. We do not s…
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Mr. Speaker, the following reflects a consolidated response approved on behalf of Global Affairs Canada ministers. With regard to parts (a) to (d), Global Affairs Canada manages an extensive network of 176 missions in 110 countries worldwide. The department undertook an extensive preliminary search in order to determine the amount of information that would fall within the scope of the question and…
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Mr. Speaker, it is really important to say that no one is misleading the House in this matter. There are steps that need to be taken, always, if we are going to expel a diplomat. It is due process. Conservatives might say that we do not need to follow the rule of law. They do not need to say that, on that side of the House. On this side of the House, we will always do due diligence, follow the evi…
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Mr. Speaker, again, let me assure every member of this House that there are always repercussions if anybody breaks a law and if anybody goes outside their Vienna Convention responsibilities. Canada will continue to work to ensure that Canadians and members of this Parliament are safe.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to assure every member of the House that we take this situation extremely seriously, as we have been doing with foreign interference for many years. We will continue to look at the situation as we have heard it. We will continue to do due diligence, and the minister will act with the right decision at the right time. This House needs to hear that.
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Mr. Speaker, I first want to say that there was a lot of heat in the House last week about this issue and not a lot of light. I think what we all, on this side of the House, want to do is express our concern for the member for Wellington—Halton Hills and for every Canadian who could be the subject, the target, of any interference from China, from Russia or from any other country in the world. We w…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to inform the House that the Government of Canada has declared the individual in question today, a diplomat from China, Mr. Zhao Wei, persona non grata. Our government has been clear we will not tolerate any form of foreign interference in our internal affairs. The Minister of Foreign Affairs has taken this decision carefully after considering all facto…
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Mr. Speaker, let us dial down the rhetoric on this a little bit. Let us dial down the temperature a little bit. I will state very clearly that their government might have operated in their best interest, but this government will always operate in the best interest of all Canadians, every member of Parliament and all people of every persuasion. We will act with due diligence, following the rule of …
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Mr. Speaker, I want to be extra clear: Our Minister of Foreign Affairs has been clear to her Chinese counterpart, as recently as a few weeks ago, when she was absolutely clear that any interference in Canada by any agency of the Chinese government is inappropriate and we will deal with it.
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Mr. Speaker, it is increasingly clear, and it has been for several years, that China is a disruptive power. China is interfering in our society. We are very aware of that and we are fighting it every day. We are also very aware of the Vienna Convention. We are very aware of our abilities and our responsibilities.
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Mr. Speaker, that assertion is utterly false and below the dignity of this chamber. Let me be very clear. Our government has repeatedly stated that we follow the Vienna Convention. If there is any evidence that is brought to our attention that a diplomat is acting outside of the Vienna Convention, we will act upon it because we take the rule of law seriously, and we take the rule of law to the cor…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Mr. Speaker, the following reflects a consolidated response approved on behalf of Global Affairs Canada ministers. On April 25, the Minister of Foreign Affairs tabled in Parliament the agreement between the Government of Canada on the one hand and the Government of the Kingdom of Denmark together with the Government of Greenland on the other hand, on the maritime and land boundaries in the area be…
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Mr. Speaker, the following reflects a consolidated response approved on behalf of Global Affairs Canada ministers. Diplomatic representation varies considerably by country and depends on a host of factors, such as foreign policy objectives, the size of the diaspora community requiring consular services, and the need for specialized technical and language services. With regard to part (a), based up…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to take a moment, and this is uncharacteristic of me, to express my outrage at what has happened to the member for Wellington—Halton Hills. It could be any of us in this House who was targeted for actions we have taken. It is an outrage, and we should all express that collectively. The Prime Minister will continue to work for Canadians and for Canadian democracy. We will contin…
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition initiated by residents of Don Valley West. I want to thank Gilles Fecteau for his leadership on this issue. This petition calls on the Minister of Natural Resources to direct the Canada Energy Regulator to limit Canadian oil exports by requiring that they do not exceed Canada's current percentage of total world exports and by banning the transfer of …
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Mr. Speaker, Canada expects all foreign representatives to exercise their functions in keeping with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, or VCDR, and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, or VCCR, including respecting applicable Canadian laws and regulations and avoiding interference in internal affairs. The context for a decision to declare a foreign representative persona non gr…
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Mr. Speaker, the hon. member raises an important question. It took a long time today to get out of the weeds and into a very life-threatening situation. The situation in Sudan is changing by the minute. The minister is in constant conversation with her counterparts around the world. I want to take a moment to thank our diplomats, who have been courageous and working extremely hard. They have now b…
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Madam Speaker, with all her concerns about Facebook, is the member aware she is broadcasting this speech today live on her Facebook feed?
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member for her thoughtful contribution to this debate. I think she opened a couple of important doors, such as the need for good governance, which is critical, but also the possibility that AI can be used for good if it is governed appropriately. With respect to that, I just want to draw her attention to Mila, the Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, w…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, while I appreciate the hon. member's consideration on this issue, he is completely wrong. He is off the mark. If he has any evidence of individuals doing wrong, it is his responsibility to report that to the authorities. That is his responsibility. We cannot just cast aspersions in the House. We cannot just say anything we want without evidence. I wish to be very clear. Our governme…
Read full speech →Adjournment Proceedings
Madam Speaker, the Government of Canada, as I want to say very clearly to the House, takes any allegation of inappropriate or illicit behaviour by any foreign representative or diplomat in Canada extremely seriously, including interference in the internal affairs of Canada. The Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister have both been very clear that Canada will never tolerate any form of …
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Madam Speaker, it is really a privilege to rise in yet another budget debate where we are taking time to analyze the budget. What also happens in these debates is that they reveal our visions, our values and our priorities. I want to begin by commending the Minister of Finance for her excellent effort in having listened to Canadians and having tested the waters with experts and individuals in comm…
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Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Chatham-Kent—Leamington for his interventions and also for a good, collegial approach to our work. Canada is obviously part of a world economy. We see inflation as a worldwide phenomenon. We also see Canada's response to inflation being targeted and careful. I would describe this as a business-friendly budget, one that makes sure those who may be…
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Madam Speaker, I actually think we are very consistent. I want to thank the member for her earnest and always important contributions on climate change and on a greener economy. However, I would like to take the opportunity to get to a paragraph of my speech that I was not able to put in due to time. That is our proposal in the 2023 budget to introduce a 15% refundable tax credit for eligible inve…
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Madam Speaker, indeed, I actually believe we have already started on that practice. We have been engaged in it for the last seven and a half years. We have found a way to encourage investment in greener energies while continuing to support those who make their living in fossil fuels. That has been part of our goal. The Liberal government is a government for all of Canada. This is a government for …
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I can safely say that everyone in this House shares at least two things in common: We are all committed to working for human and civil rights in Iran, and we all get frustrated from time to time. Last week, after three hours of a Nowruz event, organized by the wonderful Tirgan community, I became frustrated with what I felt were inaccurate and unfair commen…
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Mr. Speaker, I think I can say safely that, without exception, everyone in this House stands with the people of Iran and their struggles against the regime, making sure that they stand with human rights. Every one of us is incredibly aligned on that issue. Canada is recognized as a world leader in leading the way against the regime and for human rights. We have announced the 10th package of sancti…
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Madam Speaker, is the member aware of the sanctions that were announced yesterday by the Minister of Foreign Affairs? This is the 10th package of sanctions. Canada is leading the way in the world. In addition, does the member know that Canada is actually considered the second leader, if not the leader, in the strongest sanctions and measures against Iran? This includes understanding the state as a…
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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 treaties entitled “Decision No 1/2022 of the Canada-European Union Joint Customs Cooperation Committee Concerning the Mutual Recognition of the Partners in Protection Programme of Canada and the Authorised Econom…
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Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to congratulate the 2023 recipient of the City of Toronto's Agnes Macphail Award, Dr. Shakhlo Sharipova, a proud resident of Thorncliffe Park. This award is presented annually to the volunteer in East York who has made a significant community impact. Agnes Macphail was the first woman elected to the House of Commons and served provincially in what is now Don Valley …
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Mr. Speaker, last fall, Canadians mourned the death of a monarch of 70 years. We had a delegation led by our Governor General and our Prime Minister that was appropriate and was important for Canadians. It was actually essential we attend that. While that side of the House is focusing on us, we are focusing on Canadians. We are focusing on their cost of living. We are focusing on their cost of hou…
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Mr. Speaker, in response to parts (a) and (b), while in The Hague, Netherlands, the Minister of Foreign Affairs co-chaired the high-level round table on anti-corruption with her counterparts from Ecuador and the Netherlands. The ministers discussed efforts to advance global anti-corruption commitments, including the potential establishment of an international anti-corruption court, and committed t…
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Madam Speaker, as the government has said repeatedly in recent days, weeks and months, there is no place for foreign interference in Canada. There is no place for foreign intimidation in Canada. There is no place for the suppression of human rights by a foreign power in Canada. We will continue to act on that daily.
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Madam Speaker, with unanimous consent, I would like to share my time with the member for Parkdale—High Park. I also just want to acknowledge the death of our colleague and friend, Jim Carr, the long-time member for Winnipeg South Centre. As I look over to the member for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount and see the flowers on Jim's seat at his desk, I am moved by his sense of compassion, his intellige…
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Madam Speaker, the Government of Canada supports, fully, the middle way approach. This is our understanding of the best way to move forward for the rights of the Tibetan people. I do not think Canada, the Canadian Parliament or the Canadian government should ever dictate what happens in the solutions to these issues. That is for the Tibetan people to engage with themselves. We will be supportive. …
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Madam Speaker, the parliamentary secretary's comment references our new Indo-Pacific strategy, which I think is both a strong and brave document outlining our approach to the entire region. It highlights both economic opportunities and cultural engagement, while also reminding the whole world that Canada will always do those things ethically and with humans rights as our principle guiding force. O…
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Mr. Speaker, the following reflects a consolidated response approved on behalf of Global Affairs Canada ministers. In response to parts (a) to (e) of the question, the special economic measures (Russia) regulations, or the Russia regulations, consist of a wide range of measures, including a dealings ban on listed persons. As of October 8, 2022, in response to the invasion in February 2022, Canada …
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Madam Speaker, tomorrow we will mark an important milestone, with the 25th anniversary of the signing of the mine ban treaty, or, as we all know it, the Ottawa Convention. In October 1996, then Canadian foreign minister, the indomitable Lloyd Axworthy, boldly challenged the international community to follow through with a global ban on landmines. The following year, on December 3, 1997, 122 countr…
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Madam Speaker, I thank the hon. member for raising the issue of chaplaincy in the national defence forces. It is absolutely important to do spiritual care that is sensitive and culturally aware and that engages all people from different faith communities. This government is committed to doing that. We will take his question under advisement and get back to him.
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