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Ms. Joanne Thompson (St. John's East, Lib.)

Mar/9/23 2:07:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, theatre has the power to challenge our assumptions about the world and about ourselves. It allows us to connect with each other through stories of love, hate and forgiveness. One such story belongs to Scott Jones, who was paralyzed from the waist down in 2013 as the result of a violent homophobic attack. Scott’s story caught national attention when he publicly forgave his attacker just months after the event. I Forgive You, a verbatim theatre piece, is co-written by Robert Chafe and Scott Jones and features a children’s choir conducted by Scott himself. The celebrated Newfoundland and Labrador theatre company Artistic Fraud has brought I Forgive You to Ottawa, where it is playing this week at the National Arts Centre. This story of resilience and recovery dares to share what often goes unshared: that forgiveness is not a static moment, but rather, a non-linear journey.

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Mr. Chandra Arya (Nepean, Lib.)

Mar/9/23 2:08:20 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Invest Ottawa's Nepean-based Area X.O is the first integrated test facility of its kind in North America, featuring technologies for connected and autonomous vehicles, 5G-enabled smart mobility and advanced connectivity applications to help Canadian entrepreneurs fast-track product design, testing, research and development to commercialize products and reach global markets. I am proud that a federal government investment of $7 million was instrumental in the creation of Area X.O. I am pleased to state that, last month, we announced new funding of $5.4 million to expand Area X.O. I will continue to work hard to ensure Canada remains relevant and competitive in the new technology-based economic order so our future generations continue to have the same prosperity and standard of living we have today.

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Hon. Erin O'Toole (Durham, CPC)

Mar/9/23 2:09:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, all members of the House depend on family to support us in our public service: our family at home and our political family here in Ottawa. It is with great sadness that I rise to talk about the passing of an important member of the Conservative political family. John MacDonell was an incredible volunteer and adviser. He was my chief of staff during the Conservative government, and for seven years, he was chief of staff to the hon. Peter MacKay, including during the Afghanistan war. We would have no modern Conservative Party but for John MacDonell's tireless work as the national councillor for Nova Scotia. A proud lawyer and graduate from Dalhousie University, he encouraged me to go to law school, and I worked under his tutelage for a summer at Stewart McKelvey. A bursary in his name is being established at Dalhousie University. I want to say that John will be missed. The pride of John's life was his son, Jack, who was the apple of his eye. We are sending Jack love from John's political family. A lawyer, a Tory and a patriot, John MacDonell will be missed. We offer our sincere condolences to his family and friends.

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Ms. Leah Taylor Roy (Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, Lib.)

Mar/9/23 2:10:54 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday, March 8, marked International Women’s Day. Last week, I had the privilege of hosting York Region women to gather, celebrate and listen to the words of several women. Our York Region Liberal caucus joined together to recognize the importance of International Women's Day not only in celebrating women but also in recognizing the need for ongoing efforts to reach gender equity. I could not emphasize how powerful it was to sit in here and listen to the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth and the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development. We also had three guest speakers: Anastasia Dieieva, a powerful woman from Ukraine, spoke of the challenges facing women in her home country; Lily Pourzand, a gender equality specialist and Iranian Canadian, addressed the heroic efforts of women in Iran; and Malika Khimji, a young woman who lives in our riding, shared her thoughts on the challenges and opportunities young women experience. International Women's Day is one day a year, a very important one with a long history. We must continue to observe it, to remember the work that has been done and continues to be done. Moreover, every day, we must all work toward gender equity. We still have a long way to go. Worldwide, only 24% of parliamentarians are women. In Canada, just over 30% are. Of course, women from marginalized communities are even less proportionally represented. We are doing a disservice to our country by not fully engaging all the talent we have in positions of leadership. I want to end with a quote from Nellie McClung, a well-known Canadian suffragist and early member of the Alberta legislature: “Never Apologize. Never retract. Never explain. Get the thing done and let them howl.”

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Mr. Len Webber (Calgary Confederation, CPC)

Mar/9/23 2:12:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in 2016, my constituent, 20-something-year-old Anton came into my office asking for access to medical assistance in dying. He was a strong, strapping, articulate young man. He was obviously suffering mentally, as he wanted to die. Shockingly, he had never seen a doctor or received any psychological counselling. We talked for hours, and I encouraged Anton not to give up and to get the mental help that he needed. The problem is that many Canadians are just not getting the mental help they need. My Conservative colleagues and I do not believe that medical assistance in dying is an acceptable solution to mental illness and psychological suffering. The Conservatives wish to put vulnerable Canadians back in control of their lives. We want to see them get the help that they need and provide them with the needed social and mental health supports. We must never give up on anyone.

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Ms. Michelle Ferreri (Peterborough—Kawartha, CPC)

Mar/9/23 2:13:47 p.m.
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Re: Bill C-11

Mr. Speaker, “Whoever controls the media, controls the mind” is a quote from musician Jim Morrison. Bill C-11 aims to do exactly that. This far-overreaching bill gives control to the government to decide what online media is and is not shown to Canadians. Famed Canadian author Margaret Atwood said it best, “All you have to do is read some biographies of writers writing in the Soviet Union and the degrees of censorship they had to go through - government bureaucrats.... So it is creeping totalitarianism if governments are telling creators what to create.” Art is subjective. The Liberal government will stop at nothing to control what Canadians see online. If Bill C-11 passes, it kicks open the door to government censorship, empowering the Liberals to strengthen voices they deem good and silence those they deem bad. Conservatives trust Canadians to choose what they want to watch online. Enough is enough. Let us stop with the controlling legislation and kill Bill C-11.

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Ms. Soraya Martinez Ferrada (Hochelaga, Lib.)

Mar/9/23 2:14:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on March 11, Quebec will celebrate its Journée nationale du microcrédit, or national microcredit day. MicroEntreprendre is a group of 20 organizations that promote economic and social development, particularly for low-income women, immigrants or people with disabilities. Through their guidance and support, they help make the dreams of thousands of entrepreneurs come true. So far, more than 6,384 businesses have been created and maintained. In Hochelaga, the Nabou Beauty hair salon was financed by Microcredit Montréal. Ms. Dieynaba Samb is proud to have created a mini Senegal where her community can, for the length of time it takes to get their hair cut, reminisce about their country. For 32 years, Microcredit Montréal has been fighting poverty and exclusion by providing small loans for people who do not have access to the traditional financing system. The five-year survival rate among these businesses is twice the Quebec average and the repayment rate exceeds 90%. The secret to this success is proximity, trust, guidance, a Quebec-style microcredit approach that means community credit.

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The Speaker

Mar/9/23 2:16:10 p.m.
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I would like to remind members that there are statements going on. We will continue statements with the hon. member for London—Fanshawe.

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Ms. Lindsay Mathyssen (London—Fanshawe, NDP)

Mar/9/23 2:16:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my gratitude to members of the Canadian Ukrainian Logistics Division. This is a group of Londoner volunteers who use their experience in military and policing to organize and deliver aid directly to Ukrainians. Steve Long, Rafal Schubert, Scott McCallum and Peter Kwiatkowski first travelled to Ukraine last may to track London community donations and deliver supplies. On the one-year anniversary of Putin's illegal war, three of their members were again at the front lines in Ukraine to deliver support. They saw first-hand the homes and communities destroyed by Putin and the resilience of brave Ukrainian women and men fighting for democracy. With their assistance, London has been able to collect and ship over 100 tonnes of aid, including enough purification devices for 20 million litres of water. I ask all members to join me in thanking these brave volunteers for bringing London's spirit of solidarity to Ukraine.

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Mr. Martin Champoux (Drummond, BQ)

Mar/9/23 2:17:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge in the House the great honour that Quebec writer Hélène Dorion just received. Throughout her prolific career she has already earned honours as prestigious as the Order of Canada and the Ordre national du Québec, and will now have her work Mes forêts studied as part of the university curriculum for poetry in France. She is not only the first Quebecker to receive such an honour, but she is the first woman of any nationality to see her work become part of the curriculum in her lifetime. Thousands of French students will dive into the words of the Hélène Dorion, become steeped in her poetry and share her wonderment at nature, an eternal source of inspiration for her, as evidenced by this passage from Mes forêts: my forests are ghost-filled atticsthey are the masts of stationary journeysa wind garden where collide the fruitof a season past heading back toward tomorrow Congratulations, Hélène Dorion.

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Mr. Pierre Paul-Hus (Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, CPC)

Mar/9/23 2:18:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, not only are Canadians worried about foreign interference in our elections, but they are also shocked at the Liberal government's inability to take this crisis seriously. It is clear that this Prime Minister is more concerned about polling numbers than about Canadians' safety. For example, instead of agreeing to the proposal put forward by all the opposition parties to launch an independent public inquiry, he opted for a secret process involving a secret committee and secret hearings, where the evidence will be kept secret and the truth of what happened will never be revealed to Canadians. Furthermore, we learned this morning that the RCMP is actively investigating two Chinese-run police stations in Brossard and Montreal. This is not a partisan game. This is about Canada's public safety. We want to make sure Canadians continue to have confidence in our democratic electoral system and that communities across Canada are not being harassed by the communist regime in Beijing. The Prime Minister needs to be honest. Canadians deserve answers and an independent public inquiry. If the Liberal government does not agree to our requests, Canadians will be happy to get themselves a new prime minister.

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Mr. Parm Bains (Steveston—Richmond East, Lib.)

Mar/9/23 2:19:40 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, March 9 is World Kidney Day. World Kidney Day promotes preventative education and advanced screening to improve kidney health around the world. After a year of serving my constituents locally, in person and virtually in Parliament, this week also marks my in-person return to Parliament. Hybrid Parliament played a crucial role in my health journey. It allowed me to fulfill all responsibilities as the MP for Steveston—Richmond East and protect my health at the same time. I was able to serve my community while I received dialysis treatment and recover from a kidney transplant I received last summer. In closing, I want to thank BC Renal, the Kidney Transplant Clinic, the health and dialysis teams at Vancouver General Hospital and the Richmond Community Dialysis Unit, my colleagues across all aisles, and my family. Without them, my recovery and the honour of serving my community would not be possible. For overall health, we must protect our kidneys, get screened and stay informed.

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)

Mar/9/23 2:20:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today we learned that the RCMP is investigating two alleged Chinese police stations, this time in Quebec. The Prime Minister has known about Beijing's interference for the past 10 years, when Beijing gave the Trudeau Foundation $200,000. He has known about these threats for years. He has had plenty of time to consult. I want a date, please. When will we have a foreign influence registry?

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)

Mar/9/23 2:21:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, when foreign agents attempt to influence, monitor, intimidate or threaten Canadians, it is unacceptable. The RCMP has said it is actively investigating these alleged police stations. As they have done in the past, they will not hesitate to act again. Everyone should feel safe in this country. We will spare no effort to protect Canadians from the unacceptable actions of hostile authoritarian states.

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)

Mar/9/23 2:22:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the question was on what date the Prime Minister will bring in a foreign influence registry. This is something his own top public servant has suggested and something he has discussed with the Australian Prime Minister, an idea he has known about for years and could have consulted on all of that time. One has to register if one wants to lobby on behalf of the food bank, but one does not have to register if one wants to manipulate our democracy on behalf of a foreign dictatorship. That is the case after eight years of the current Prime Minister. Eight years is long enough. There has been enough talk. On what date will we have a foreign influence registry?

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)

Mar/9/23 2:22:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I will take no lessons from a former minister of democratic institutions whose shining achievement was actually making it harder for Canadians to vote in elections. Over the past eight years, we have done more than any previous government to ensure that we have mechanisms, tools and ways to prevent and counter foreign interference and reassure Canadians that everything is being done. We will continue to do even more, including a foreign agent registry. We know how important it is to do everything to keep Canadians and our institutions safe.

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)

Mar/9/23 2:23:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I asked a second time for the date for a foreign influence registry, and he refuses to answer the question. Here is another question. The Prime Minister's department prepared a briefing that said there was a “large clandestine transfer of funds earmarked for the federal election from the PRC Consulate in Toronto”. Will the Prime Minister commit to returning any of the funds the Liberal Party, its local associations, his leadership campaign or any Liberal nomination contestants received from the PRC?

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)

Mar/9/23 2:24:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we have long known that politicians across political parties, across levels of government and around the world are targeted by foreign interference. This is a fact. Just yesterday, the 2023 annual threat assessment of the U.S. intelligence community spoke of China's “willingness to meddle in select election races that involved perceived anti-China politicians”, so this is not a threat that Canada faces alone. We continue to work with our partners around the world. At the same time, let me be clear that any suggestion that any member on either side of this House is not loyal to their constituents, but a foreign government, not only is dangerous but undermines our democracy.

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Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Leader of the Opposition, CPC)

Mar/9/23 2:24:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the question was whether the Prime Minister will commit to the Liberal Party, his leadership campaign or any other branches of his party returning any funds they received from this “large clandestine transfer”. This information was in a briefing note that he received from his own department. He has known about this for months. Once again, will the Prime Minister commit to returning any money that his party, his leadership campaign or any other branch of the Liberal Party got from the PRC?

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Right Hon. Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister, Lib.)

Mar/9/23 2:25:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, despite the efforts of the Leader of the Opposition, Canadians know that foreign interference is not, and should never be, a partisan issue. That is why we will be appointing an independent expert to identify any gaps in our system. They will make public recommendations, which could include a formal inquiry or some other independent review process, and we will abide by those recommendations. We also have two national security bodies that will undertake independent reviews of foreign interference in our elections, and we are also taking further immediate action to bolster our institutions, better coordinate government efforts to combat foreign interference and more.

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