SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 46

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
March 25, 2022 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 46 - Mar/25/22
Hon. Lawrence MacAulay (Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, Lib.)
  • Mar/25/22 11:54:40 a.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, we recognize that more needs to be done to ensure that francophone veterans receive decisions on their applications in a timely manner. That is why we established a dedicated francophone unit to improve processing. We have hired more francophone and bilingual staff to further reduce wait times for francophone veterans. With our nearly $200-million investment, we have reduced the backlog by 40%, and I can assure my hon. colleague that we will continue to work to make sure we reduce it even further.
86 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Luc Desilets (Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, BQ)
  • Mar/25/22 11:55:21 a.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, the minister supplied the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs with numbers suggesting that processing times for applications in French were down by 10%. The independent analysts, however, say it is worse than ever and that francophones are now waiting 76 weeks. Witnesses have even told us that government officials advise veterans to submit their applications in English because the situation is so bad. That is how the federal government treats francophones. Will the minister explain why his numbers are being challenged and why francophones are being treated so poorly?
91 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. Lawrence MacAulay (Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, Lib.)
  • Mar/25/22 11:56:02 a.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, as I indicated to my hon. colleague, we have hired more francophone and bilingual employees to make sure we reduce the backlog. That is why we invested $200 million, and just previously another $140 million, to make sure we continued to reduce the backlog. With more francophone and bilingual employees, we will make sure that francophone applications are reviewed in an appropriate manner. We are making sure this is done appropriately because veterans truly deserve—
78 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)
  • Mar/25/22 11:56:44 a.m.
  • Watch
The hon. member for Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier.
8 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Joël Godin (Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, CPC)
  • Mar/25/22 11:56:49 a.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, I would like my Bloc Québécois colleague to be called to order. It is not the federal government, but rather the Liberals who are against francophones. A Le Droit headline reads, “The federal government is dragging francophones to the Supreme Court of Canada”. How can the Minister of Official Languages accept and endorse the fact that her government is attacking francophones and blocking their access to French-language services in British Columbia?
80 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. David Lametti (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.)
  • Mar/25/22 11:57:18 a.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, as I explained earlier, we support francophone communities across Canada, as well as the anglophone community in Quebec. Bill C-13 will really anchor our protection of and support for official languages across the country. The precedent set by this decision could affect the Government of Canada's ability to enter into agreements with the provinces and territories in all areas. We should keep the record straight. Our commitment to official languages remains firm, and we look forward to seeing the provisions of Bill C-13—
89 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)
  • Mar/25/22 11:57:59 a.m.
  • Watch
Order. The hon. member for Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier.
9 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Joël Godin (Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, CPC)
  • Mar/25/22 11:58:04 a.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Official Languages. This government is talking out of both sides of its mouth. First, the Minister of Official Languages claims to want to protect the French language, but then, her colleague, the Minister of Justice, rejects the ruling from the Federal Court of Appeal and wants to take francophones to court. Talk about hypocrisy. Will the Minister of Official Languages show some respect for francophones and put a stop to this legal action?
82 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. David Lametti (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Lib.)
  • Mar/25/22 11:58:35 a.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, we made the difficult decision to seek leave to appeal the ruling to the Supreme Court of Canada. We do not take this decision lightly. Our government has committed to strengthening the Official Languages Act, which we have done with Bill C‑13. Unfortunately, we do not agree with some aspects of the Federal Court of Appeal's ruling that could jeopardize the training and employment support received by 80,000 British Columbians.
77 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Rick Perkins (South Shore—St. Margarets, CPC)
  • Mar/25/22 11:59:11 a.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, last year, a week into the Atlantic mackerel season, a confused DFO closed it. A few days later, it opened it and fishermen landed their quota within about two days in locations where mackerel are not traditionally found. DFO has not assessed the stock off the Scotian shelf in more than a decade, yet it continues to cut the quota. The NDP-Liberal government just closed the healthy Pacific herring stocks against the science. Holy mackerel. Will the current government start listening to fishermen, or is it “just incompetent”?
93 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. Joyce Murray (Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Lib.)
  • Mar/25/22 11:59:55 a.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, I have taken many opportunities to be on the wharfs to listen to fishers, boat owners and processors. My goal is to build a healthy, sustainable and growing fish and seafood sector, and for that we need sustainable stocks. There is no decision at this point on mackerel stocks, but I can assure the member that while conservation is the baseline for future growth of the stock—
70 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)
  • Mar/25/22 12:00:38 p.m.
  • Watch
The hon. member for Pontiac.
5 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mrs. Sophie Chatel (Pontiac, Lib.)
  • Mar/25/22 12:00:42 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, speaking of incompetence, after the Harper Conservative government neglected the Canadian space industry for a decade, our government reinvested in that sector. In fact, the national capital region is a booming hub for this sector of innovation that helps Canada gain a unique perspective on our world, support science and implement revolutionary services. Can—
57 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)
  • Mar/25/22 12:01:22 p.m.
  • Watch
Order. The hon. minister.
4 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Hon. François-Philippe Champagne (Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Lib.)
  • Mar/25/22 12:01:26 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, I sense the enthusiasm of my colleagues across the way, but I would like to begin by thanking my hon. colleague for her question and her work. Earlier, I announced— Some hon. members: Oh, oh! Hon. François-Philippe Champagne: Madam Speaker, my colleagues are right to applaud. She clearly works hard. At the beginning of the year, I announced Canada's strategy for satellite Earth observation. It is an historic program that will create jobs, stimulate economic growth and help us gain a better understanding of our planet and our universe. The strategy is designed to provide information—
104 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)
  • Mar/25/22 12:02:02 p.m.
  • Watch
Order. I give the floor to the hon. member for Hastings—Lennox and Addington.
15 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mrs. Shelby Kramp-Neuman (Hastings—Lennox and Addington, CPC)
  • Mar/25/22 12:02:06 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, tax season is a very stressful time for many Canadians, especially seniors who rely on paper packages to file because they do not have access to digital options. This year, on top of having their GIS clawed back, many working seniors are now facing the prospect of filing late because the government is incapable of sending out timely or accurate T4s, which affects seniors such as Rosemary in Calgary. When can Canadian seniors expect to receive their accurate tax information, and will this government extend the filing date for financially at-risk seniors?
95 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Peter Fragiskatos (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue, Lib.)
  • Mar/25/22 12:02:47 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, the CRA understands that this has been a stressful time for seniors. While paper T4A forms were initially misprinted, the digital copies given to the CRA have been accurate since the start of tax season. Impacted seniors can file online at any time using these digital documents. There is therefore no plan to extend the tax filing deadline at this time.
63 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
Mr. Tony Baldinelli (Niagara Falls, CPC)
  • Mar/25/22 12:03:11 p.m.
  • Watch
Madam Speaker, my riding of Niagara is the number one leisure tourism destination in the country, yet since April 2020 there has been zero representation from Niagara on Destination Canada's board of directors. This means that, through the whole pandemic, which has hit our national tourism sector the hardest, Niagara has been without a voice at the table, despite there being two vacancies right now in need of appointment. Does no one in this NDP-Liberal government understand the significance of Niagara to Canada's tourism economy? When will they reappoint someone from Niagara to Destination—
98 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border
The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès)
  • Mar/25/22 12:03:51 p.m.
  • Watch
The hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance.
14 words
  • Hear!
  • Rabble!
  • star_border