44th Parl. 1st Sess.
May 8, 2023 11:00AM
- May/8/23 2:28:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is because we want to protect democracy here in Canada.
The Prime Minister was not courageous enough to answer the questions. His minister said that the government will never tolerate foreign interference, but that is exactly what the government is doing right now. If the government and the Prime Minister want to protect our democracy, then they need to throw out the agent responsible for the threats against a member of Parliament here in Canada.
Will the Prime Minister show some courage and kick this agent out today?
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- May/8/23 2:29:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, last week, the Minister of Foreign Affairs summoned the Chinese ambassador to make clear the parameters of legitimate foreign operations. Canada will always condemn any activities that go beyond what is set out in agreements and the law.
What is more, we have already put in place the required authorities and strengthened transparency to defend our democratic institutions, and we will continue to do so.
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- May/8/23 2:29:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, let us talk about the Century Initiative, the goal of which is to triple the population to 100 million by 2100 through immigration.
Even the initiative's creators admit that the initiative does not take into account the future of French or the political weight of Quebec or the first nations. It is strictly about economics. The Liberals never announced that they were espousing this idea, but their immigration targets for 2023 and 2025 already match the initiative's objectives.
If the government is going to use the Century Initiative as its immigration policy, will it at least announce it openly?
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- May/8/23 2:30:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is essential that every member of the House understand that it is possible to increase the number of newcomers in general while protecting the demographic weight of francophones across the country.
That is clear because, last year, for the first time in our country's history, our government met its target of 4.4% of francophone newcomers. That is very important. Last year, we also had the largest number of newcomers in Canada's history in general.
That is a good thing for our communities.
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- May/8/23 2:31:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Century Initiative is strictly about economics. On February 1, its co-founder, Dominic Barton, a former director of McKinsey, was asked if he had considered the future of French. He replied, and I quote, “the focus...was just on economics. It wasn't thinking about the social context. It was on productivity.” There is not a single word about French in the 88 pages of the initiative.
Since it is not considering the future of French, what other studies on this topic did the government consult before adopting the initiative's immigration targets? Will it disclose those studies?
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- May/8/23 2:31:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I have good news for my colleague. Our government is the one making the decisions on our country's immigration policy. It is not Mr. Barton, and it is not the Century Initiative.
This is very important. Our government's perspective is economic, social and demographic. It is essential to consider these factors because when we use them, we make the right decisions for our country.
Last year, we protected the demographic weight of francophones across our country and supported the francophone minority community.
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- May/8/23 2:32:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, CSIS informed Canadians and the government that multiple members of this House have been targeted by foreign interference. All parliamentarians need assurance that their safety, their families' safety and their freedom of expression are not threatened. Canadians need to know that their vote counts and that our democratic process is free of foreign interference.
The government needs to assure Canadians that it is acting on these serious allegations. Let us start with some transparency. Have all MPs impacted by interference been fully notified by the government?
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- May/8/23 2:33:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I share the concerns of my colleague. That is why last week I tabled an annual report of CSIS, which illustrated that they have provided briefings to 49 federal parliamentarians. We will continue to provide the support that is needed for every member in this chamber to be able to do their job, secure in the knowledge that they are representing their communities in a way that is safe.
This is a government that will continue to do everything that is necessary to defend our democratic institutions, including the people who work in them.
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- May/8/23 2:33:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I imagine that just like everyone else you have a good appetite and enjoy a good meal. I also imagine that you like to know what is in your food. This will no longer be the case because of the Liberal government.
The Liberals gave in to the financial interests of the industry, which wants to secretly introduce new GMOs into our food. Voluntary transparency no longer exists. It is an illusion.
Will the Liberals have the courage to stand firm against the interests of the big companies and defend the rights of consumers?
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- May/8/23 2:34:22 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his question.
Yes, we did establish new rules. Yes, there will be a review process to protect the organic sector across Canada. Yes, we will continue to work with the sector to ensure its growth.
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- May/8/23 2:34:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, when something happens once, it is a mistake. When something happens twice, it is a pattern. When something happens three or four or five times, it is a decision.
The Prime Minister and members of his party have all perpetuated the myth that the member for Wellington—Halton Hills knew about the threats against his family because he was briefed two years ago. It is false. At some point, someone made a conscious decision to gaslight Canadians.
Will someone on the other side have the courage to stand up and apologize for the disgusting attempt to discredit a member of this House?
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- May/8/23 2:35:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as my colleague across the aisle knows full well, both the Prime Minister and I directly reached out to the member for Wellington—Halton Hills to share the concerns with regard to the reports around foreign interference and his family. We offered him a briefing, and we will continue to provide that support going forward.
What is also important is that while the Conservatives talk tough when it comes to national security, they never back it up. They cut nearly a billion dollars out of the national security apparatus. They stood in the way of the additional tools to our national security apparatus, which are there to defend the members of this chamber. If they are serious about uniting behind the cause of defending democracy, they will start doing it today.
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- May/8/23 2:36:01 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, he was not briefed two years ago on it. They know it and they are purposely victim blaming. They are gaslighting Canadians. This is about a member of this House serving his country and the safety of his family in the balance. It is appalling that the Liberals are tarnishing this MP, but it is even worse that the diplomat who perpetuated it is still here, with rights even Canadians do not have, given to him by that government.
If there are no consequences, it will just happen again. The diplomat needs to go back to Beijing, and it needs to happen now. Will they do it today?
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- May/8/23 2:36:40 p.m.
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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 will continue to take the steps to ensure that MPs are informed, that Canadians are informed and that we have a safe and secure democracy.
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- May/8/23 2:37:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is really trying hard to save face after his complete failure to protect our democracy, Canadians and members of this House from intimidation by the Beijing dictatorship. Last Friday, he doubled down and blamed and attacked the credibility of the member for Wellington—Halton Hills. The Prime Minister claimed that his office had not been briefed and that he knew nothing about this until recently.
Will the Prime Minister stop spreading this categorically false narrative and finally expel this Beijing agent today?
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- May/8/23 2:37:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the only falsehood that is being spread today is the outrageous suggestion that the members of the government on this side of the chamber have no care or regard for the member for Wellington—Halton Hills. Nothing could be further from the truth. That is why we are continuing to support him, and we will support all members when it comes to doing their job so that it is free from foreign interference.
The Conservatives need to stop politicizing this issue. That simply plays into the hands of foreign interference. We need to be united in defending our democracy, and we can do that work successfully only if we do it together.
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- May/8/23 2:38:31 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that Canadians do not believe the Prime Minister and, most assuredly, the minister. Canada's spy agency did in fact notify the government two years ago regarding Beijing's threat to a member of this House. Even the Prime Minister's own national security adviser confirmed that her office had received this information in 2021.
Enough of the smoke and mirrors. Will the Prime Minister apologize for deliberately misleading this House, be a leader for once, stand up for the security of all Canadians and finally expel that Beijing agent?
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- May/8/23 2:39:11 p.m.
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I just want to mention and make sure that everyone is clear that if you are misleading someone, you are doing it unintentionally, but “deliberately misleading” is not acceptable language. I am sure it was an error on the member—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
The Speaker: As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted, I want to remind everyone that there is certain language that is not allowed in the chamber, and deliberately misleading is not allowed.
The hon. Minister of Public Safety.
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- May/8/23 2:39:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank you for reminding our colleagues in the Conservative Party about that principle. In all candour, the only way that we are going to be able to do the work of defending our institutions is if we rid ourselves of the kind of partisanship and politicization that has been plaguing this subject for weeks.
It should be abundantly clear that if we want to protect our democratic institutions and the people who work in them, including every member in this chamber and their families, then we must do that together. This government has put in place new authorities and transparencies. Let us get behind the cause of defending it so we can have real debates that are rooted in our democratic principles.
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- May/8/23 2:40:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what an embarrassing answer. A member of the House and his family were targeted by a bully diplomat from Beijing following a vote in the House. The events occurred two years ago, yet the member was only informed last week.
Since then, the Liberals have been whipped into a frenzy. Instead of supporting our colleague, they have accused him. Who accused him? It was the member for Kingston and the Islands and the member for Winnipeg North. Worse, the member for Papineau and Prime Minister, who had to have known, claims that the opposition member knew, but the member in question told us that is not true.
Are all the Liberal ministers okay with defending a Beijing bully instead of a Canadian MP and his family?
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