Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, we all know we are living through one of the most dangerous and divided moments the world has seen in generations. We all know the pressure that is coming toward Canadians is not coming from just one direction, but all directions at once. We know our closest ally and trading partner has imposed tariffs at levels we have not seen in living memory. Wars are being fought in Europe and th…
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Mr. Speaker, if we look at the number of trade agreements we now have with countries around the world, we can see that countries are seeking to invest in Canada. Whether they are countries in the Middle East or Europe, or our partners in the EU, more and more countries are looking at Canada with confidence as the place to invest. Why? It is because there is a government they can trust and rely on.…
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Mr. Speaker, in English, we say we should be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. We believe we need to work toward resolving the issue of U.S. tariffs. That is what we are doing. At the same time, we believe it is important to diversify our trade with other countries. That is why we have succeeded in establishing agreements with other countries for Canadian products, thereby creating oppor…
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Mr. Speaker, I am not sure exactly what the question was. It sounded yet again like a litany of complaints and no new ideas, which is exactly what the opposition is devoid of. Perhaps I could tell them something they might be hopeful about. In my province of British Columbia, there are now four projects at the Major Projects Office. I understand that the Government of Alberta is looking forward to…
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Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Madawaska—Restigouche. I would like to begin where this motion does not. I will not begin with the numbers, but with the people this motion is supposed to be about. Somewhere, today, there is a parent at a kitchen table, running the math on a mortgage renewal for a second time because the first answer could not possibly be right. There is …
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Mr. Speaker, I rise this afternoon to speak to Bill C-264, and I will say at the outset what the central problem with this bill is. It is a one-line proposition dressed up as serious policy. It is a slogan in legislative form. It asks this Parliament to do something that the legislative record, the scientific record, the consultation record and the conservation record of this country have all deci…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, earlier this month, I attended the blessing ceremony of Sen̓áḵw, a housing development in my riding of Vancouver Granville. When complete, Sen̓áḵw will bring more than 6,000 rental homes to Vancouver open to everyone, including much-needed affordable and below-market housing units for families, workers and newcomers alike. However, Sen̓áḵw is more than a housing project. It is a homec…
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Mr. Speaker, yet again, it is either misinformation or disinformation coming from the Conservatives. Either way, Canadians need to understand the facts. The facts are that the government is appealing the Cowichan decision in the courts today and that the government has stood up for the rights of private property owners. It is also important that Canadians understand that not a single Canadian has …
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Mr. Speaker, I thank the member opposite for yet again, like his colleagues, making light of what is a very serious situation for folks in Vancouver and across British Columbia. There are people who listen to the debates in this Parliament and expect serious discussion and serious debate. What they hear is misinformation, which leads to market uncertainty. Market uncertainty leads to builders not …
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Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for South Surrey—White Rock. I rise this afternoon to speak about a court decision that has caused real worry in my province and to speak directly to the Canadians, particularly British Columbians, who have been watching this debate and wondering what it means for them and for their homes. Let us begin with the facts, because the facts have be…
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Mr. Speaker, I think the simple answer is no. I would invite members opposite to read beyond the first line of the directive because they would see there is substantial depth there. They should choose to look at the facts. I know my hon. friend here, who is a lawyer, has read the entirety of the decision and would understand why we have to read the whole thing, not just the headlines.
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Mr. Speaker, I am so pleased the member opposite chose to hang his entire argument on the word “viable”. The whole premise of our legal system is based on viable argument, on the fact that we make arguments that can stand up in court and that we win or lose decisions on the basis of the quality of our arguments and our understanding of the law. I would invite the member opposite to look at the agr…
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Mr. Speaker, I noted that in the member opposite's comments, he expressed that somehow these Musqueam agreements were secret. If he would like, I am more than happy to share with him the links online, where they are available to the public. He also spoke about the need for true reconciliation, which he alleges his party believes in. Does that strategy of true reconciliation include condemning the …
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Mr. Speaker, it is sad that we have to rise in the House to even address this issue. I suppose when we are dealing with an opposition party whose leader once said that indigenous people needed a better work ethic, not support, this is what we get. There are members across the way who have made comments that have disparaged indigenous people, directly and indirectly. Their arguments about this case…
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Mr. Speaker, let us be clear about what the facts are. The fact is that the Prime Minister has stood and said very clearly that our government is going to protect private property rights. Let us be clear about the facts. We have said that we are appealing the decision, which we are. Let us also be clear that the fearmongering and misinformation coming from the other side of the House is causing un…
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Mr. Speaker, this May, Canadians mark Asian Heritage Month, and someone who comes from a city like Vancouver, as I do, does not have to look far to understand why that matters. There is no one Asian story in Canada; there are tens of thousands. They are written in many languages, carried through many faiths, shaped by many histories and lived through families that crossed oceans, built lives from …
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Mr. Speaker, British Columbia and Vancouver's Greek community lost a giant earlier this month with the passing of Andreas Arsoniadis. Those of us who grew up in Vancouver remember Andreas not for his incredible skill with numbers or his entrepreneurial spirit but as the guy who was responsible for feeding us some of the most incredible food: Greek food, pizzas and the most generous portions one co…
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Mr. Speaker, let us be clear about a few things. First of all, our government has been opposed to the B.C. Supreme Court decision, which is why we are appealing that decision. However, let us also understand a few other things. Not a single negotiation, not a single agreement with a first nation since the 1970s has resulted in a single Canadian losing any of their private property. The Conservativ…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for the work he has put in, and for his advocacy on behalf of his citizens and, of course, all Canadians when it comes to matters of public safety. The reality is that this bill works precisely within the limitations of the law. It works within the instructions of the court and ensures that the rights of Canadians are protected. That includes their privacy…
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Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Hull—Aylmer. I am pleased to rise today to speak to Bill C-22, an act respecting lawful access. I want to start by asking two questions that I think Canadians are rightly asking. The first is this: Are we meeting the moment when it comes to investigating crimes in a digital world? The tools that criminals use today, including encrypted com…
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Mr. Speaker, as I said in my speech, this bill represents exactly that. It reflects the changing reality that we are currently facing. This bill is designed to protect rights while providing responsible support to law enforcement in a digital environment that has become very complex. It reflects both the desire and the need to take significant yet responsible action for Canadians.
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Mr. Speaker, the law is clear in that regard. We need to create an environment where service providers must work with and help law enforcement in a way that respects the law. As the member opposite knows, it is important to make sure these definitions are clear and correct. This bill does that. It makes sure that the folks who are in the positions to provide that information, the service providers…
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Mr. Speaker, our government has made it clear, first by appealing the decision and then by making clear statements that we not only stand for property rights but also defend them. The concern here is that the opposition is not interested in the answer. What its members are interested in is fearmongering, spreading misinformation, driving mistrust in the market and creating economic uncertainty. Th…
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Mr. Speaker, tomorrow Canadians will welcome His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan, the 50th hereditary imam of the Ismaili Muslims, to Canada. It is his first visit to Canada since his ascension to the imamate. Canada and the Ismaili imamate have a decades-long history of partnership and co-operation, built on shared values and a commitment to improving the quality of life of people around the world…
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Mr. Speaker, that is a very good question because it illustrates some of the information that I think people should have access to. As each department has gone through and looked at their land inventories, that is one step in the process. There is also a process by which Build Canada Homes will ask pointed questions when inventories do not look like they line up with reality. I will give a good ex…
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Mr. Speaker, I want to begin not with a policy argument but with something more fundamental, a question that I think most Canadians are grappling with right now: Can the next generation afford to live in the communities they grew up? For too many Canadians, and certainly this is the case in my riding of Vancouver Granville, the answer is no. I think it is worth sitting with that for a moment befor…
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Mr. Speaker, in my opinion, this agreement between Quebec and Canada to work together within the Build Canada Homes framework should reassure my colleague that the Quebec government is committed to protecting the rights of Quebec and Quebeckers. We can draw on Quebec's experience and capabilities to assure Quebeckers that the federal government's involvement in this matter will benefit Quebec. In …
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the amazing work that she does in that community. The example she presented is a perfect example of how community-led initiatives give government the priorities that it should be using. When we look at the types of projects that communities need, we see that communities know best what they need. By being able to work through the Build Canada Homes process…
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Mr. Speaker, building a strong economy is not just about looking at any single sector. It is about looking at all sectors. It is about making sure we are investing in the economy of the future today, making sure we are investing in technology, making sure we are investing in artificial intelligence, and making sure we are creating the jobs of the future in industries where Canadians can lead. As w…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, on February 4, Ismaili Muslims across Canada and around the world will celebrate Imamat Day, marking one year since His Highness Prince Rahim Aga Khan became the 50th hereditary imam of the Ismaili Muslims. In that time, Mawlana Hazar Imam has worked tirelessly to build bridges between nations, to advance the fight against climate change, to support community resilience and to improve…
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Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his passion. I wish he showed the same passion for working collaboratively to get things built in this country. As we all know, in the decades that the Leader of the Opposition has been the leader, under his personal watch, nothing has ever gotten built. In the six months that the Prime Minister has been the Prime Minister, in British Columbia alone, we…
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Madam Speaker, it is a privilege to rise in the House today to speak on behalf of and for British Columbians on building a united country and against a divisive motion from a divisive and divided Conservative Party, whose members cannot figure out whether they support British Columbia from one day to the next. It has become clear, from looking at the flawed text of this motion, that it belies a ve…
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Madam Speaker, my hon. friend's question reminds us of exactly what Canadians chose. British Columbians chose to elect more members of Parliament on this side of the House than ever before, because they saw a Prime Minister who understood the urgency of working with British Columbia. They saw a Prime Minister who understood the urgency of building things, with the ability, the experience and the k…
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Madam Speaker, I am glad to see a member from British Columbia in the House. I look forward to the questions that I am certain he will ask. I look forward to answering them. The motion that has been put forward actually leaves out the conditions that Alberta must meet before the federal government would support any such project. That is an important consideration. When we leave out the details and…
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Madam Speaker, in order to be competitive, we have to understand the rules of the game, how to play the game and how to win. In order to be able to win, we have to understand that building things in a way that is responsible for the future is critical. In this MOU, we have managed to get Alberta to agree to cutting methane emissions, the first time in an incredibly long time this conversation has …
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Mr. Speaker, what we are hearing from the member opposite is exactly the problem with this MOU. It discounts several things. One is that in a federation we work together. We work with provinces and we work with indigenous communities to make things happen. Getting out of the way is only a strategy if we want to get nothing done. The way to get things done is to work together, and for every single …
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Mr. Speaker, I hope that the hon. member opposite will be voting in favour of the budget to support those projects that are happening in his community. I sat across from the Premier of British Columbia on Monday. We talked about the importance of projects that are going to make British Columbia's economy move forward, including communities like that of the member opposite. That is why there is the…
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Mr. Speaker, my hon. friend knows well that this problem with softwood predates any Liberal government. This is a problem that governments of all stripes have had to deal with for generations in terms of the United States. That is the reality of having to deal with the United States on the issue of softwood. That is why, this past Monday, I was there with many of our ministers to ensure that we wo…
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Mr. Speaker, climate change is very real for all of us, especially for the people of British Columbia. There are provisions in this budget for methane regulations and climate regulations that will be in place. I am confident that we will be able to work with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to ensure that these regulations are in place to protect the environment and fight climate cha…
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Madam Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for his speech and the thoughts he has shared with us. He comes from a province where the arts and culture are such an important part of the fabric of the island. It is a part of the country I have really come to love. I wonder if he could share with the House the importance of the support in this budget for culture and the arts, something very dear…
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Madam Speaker, it is such a privilege to rise in this House to speak in favour of the budget that was tabled by the Minister of Finance in the House yesterday. This is a budget that is about building. It is about building the type of Canada that each and every one of us deserves, that our kids deserve. It is about building the economy of the future today, about investing in the future of this coun…
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Mr. Speaker, our government and our Prime Minister have been working hard to ensure that Canadian farmers have access to markets around the world. Part of the work they have been doing is exactly that: cutting deals with more and more countries to ensure that Canadian farmers can sell their products to more and more markets around the world. That is exactly what we have been doing, from Singapore …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in the House to congratulate my constituent Ms. Amel Misbah on receiving the 2025 Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence in STEM. This award, Canada's highest honour for elementary and secondary school teachers, recognizes STEM educators who go above and beyond in fostering engaging learning environments and preparing students for a digital and innovation-based ec…
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to speak about Bill C-3 and the transformative power of Canadian citizenship. At the heart of it, the bill is about Canadians, families, their histories, their sacrifices and their deep and abiding connection to Canada, no matter where their careers or lives may take them. Since second reading, the immigration committee has completed its review of the bill, …
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Mr. Speaker, the only reason we started talking about immigration and not just citizenship is that the members of the Conservative Party started talking about immigration and the problems related to the system. It is hard for us to have a meaningful discussion about the concept of citizenship without acknowledging the problems with the immigration system in relation to obtaining citizenship. Even …
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Mr. Speaker, as is the custom for members on this side, we consider every single amendment, we consider the impact of those amendments on the lives of Canadians and we make our voting decisions accordingly. With respect to some of the amendments that were put forward, we heard the term “chain migration” being used. This is very dangerous language use in this place, because it fundamentally misrepr…
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Mr. Speaker, I have a lot of respect for the member. I want to say two things. First, I think we all agree that there is an important moment in this country's history to be able to reform the immigration system so that it works in a thoughtful, meaningful way, which is exactly what our government has said we are doing, and that is exactly what we are doing. The member opposite said that I made a b…
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Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member opposite commenting on my capability. That is much appreciated. When we talk about what Canada is, it is very different from the Conservatives' vision of Canada. The Conservatives talk about the Canada that was, not the Canada that could be. On this side of the House, we talk about the Canada that could be, the Canada that can be and the Canada that will be. It…
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The Conservatives may laugh, Mr. Speaker. They may laugh because they think it is funny to think about the concept of managing our economy in a responsible way, making prudent investments that are going to be there for the future of Canadians. That is okay because they are not running this country; thankfully, we are. The reason that we are in this position is that Canadians trusted the vision of …
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Mr. Speaker, I have been following this conversation with a lot of interest, and I am quite surprised by what we are hearing from members opposite. They claim to know the economy, fiscal prudence and what investment is about, but as we heard in question period yesterday, they do not seem to know what the private sector really is. I suppose one thing I might share with my colleagues across the way …
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