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Mr. Kevin Lamoureux (Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, Lib.)

Feb/8/24 1:51:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, when I take a look at the larger picture of immigration, what we have seen over the last 15 or 20 years is a movement towards more provincial participation. To amplify that fact, one only needs to take a look at the provincial nominee program. Over 100,000 people will be coming, targeted, over the next year under that program alone. I wonder if the member could provide her thoughts in regard to the fact that when we talk about the supports that need to be put into place, provincial jurisdictions also have a role to play, given that they also have an interest in the immigrants who are coming to Canada.

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Ms. Christine Normandin

Feb/8/24 1:52:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the provinces certainly do have a role to play in immigration, especially Quebec, because of the language issue. The problem is that despite the role Quebec already has, the system is clearly not working, since Quebec's minister of immigration, francization and integration is so fed up that she is threatening to hold a referendum to repatriate all immigration powers. This comes from a party that is not really known for wanting to talk about referendums. On the contrary, it campaigned on the fact that it would never speak of holding a referendum on Quebec's independence. Now that party has reached the point where it has to talk about having a referendum because this is not working. Even though there are powers for Quebec, Ottawa is clearly turning a deaf ear, and this is the result. Theoretically, the provinces and Quebec have powers, but in reality, if the government decides to do as it pleases, which apparently it is perfectly capable of doing, then we end up in the situation we are in. Everyone is shouting that the threshold has been exceeded, that the government is managing immigration irresponsibly and that newcomers are the ones paying the price.

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Mr. Gérard Deltell (Louis-Saint-Laurent, CPC)

Feb/8/24 1:53:42 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Saint-Jean for her speech, which was interesting as always. I think that 338 parliamentarians can say with one voice that our riding offices are overwhelmed with the backlog of immigration applications. There is a backlog of nearly one million applications. That is the reality after eight years of this Liberal government. Could the member tell us if she is seeing this situation in her riding? How is she managing the situation?

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Ms. Christine Normandin

Feb/8/24 1:54:14 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I can confirm to my colleague that he is not the only one getting calls about immigration. All of our offices are being contacted, sometimes even by people who live in government members' ridings, if I may take a little shot at them, because they cannot get services from their own member and they know that the Bloc Québécois is good at its job. They are calling us and asking us for help with their problems because, once again, we are showing that the government is incompetent when it comes to managing immigration. One example is the backlog of one million applications. Every day, we get one phone call after another, proving that it is not working and that the government is missing in action.

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Mr. Francesco Sorbara (Vaughan—Woodbridge, Lib.)

Feb/8/24 1:55:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Kings—Hants. I am pleased to rise today to discuss Canada's immigration system as it relates to asylum claims. As we are all aware, the world continues to face an unprecedented migration crisis. Canada is not alone in welcoming a significant number of people fleeing violence, war and persecution to seek refuge at our borders. Canada has made a commitment, grounded in domestic law and international conventions, to provide support to individuals who apply for asylum. The federal government is meeting its legal and humanitarian obligations, and we are continuing to provide support at a level that reflects the ongoing consequences of asylum claims across the country. Our government continues to work with our provincial, territorial and municipal partners to determine how we can support them better and support them as effectively as possible. To that end, we have put additional resources at their disposal. While the provinces and municipalities are responsible for housing and support for asylum claimants, we recognize the need for the federal government to play a role and for all levels of government to continue working together on finding solutions. We have been there throughout the entire process and we will continue to be there. Since its inception in 2017, the federal interim housing assistance program, or IHAP, has been providing funding to provincial and municipal governments on a cost-shared basis to alleviate housing pressures and boost capacity to better respond to the increased volume of asylum claims. IHAP reimburses direct housing costs, such as shelters, hotel rooms and other interim housing arrangements; triage and transportation operations; and indirect costs, such as meals. Amounts per area of jurisdiction are set following the submission of requests for reimbursement and allocated based on the available envelope. To date, the federal government has provided provinces and municipalities with nearly $750 million in IHAP funds to help alleviate housing pressures related to asylum seekers. Since 2017, nearly half of all federal IHAP funding has gone to Quebec to support the increased need for housing for asylum seekers. The Government of Canada is committed to working collaboratively with provinces and municipalities to implement permanent housing solutions. That is why, last July, the government contributed an additional $212 million through IHAP and extended the program in response to the higher volume of asylum seekers. Last week, my colleague, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, announced an additional $362.4 million for the program. In all, a total of $150 million has been given to Quebec under IHAP during this fiscal year. This new funding will help the provinces and municipalities deal with a surge in demand for places in shelters. This will help stop asylum seekers from becoming homeless. I wanted to talk about Reaching Home, Canada's homelessness strategy, but I see that I am out of time.

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Mr. Majid Jowhari (Richmond Hill, Lib.)

Feb/8/24 2:00:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, representing Richmond Hill has given me the privilege of learning about different cultures, joining in their celebrations and, most notably, enjoying lots of delicious food. I am delighted to rise today to acknowledge the beautiful celebration of the lunar new year, which is taking place on February 10. Many Canadians of Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and other Asian heritage will celebrate the start of the year of the golden wood dragon. My riding is home to many of these vibrant communities. Over the past two weeks, I have had the honour and the privilege of celebrating this occasion with different community members, organizations and representatives, where we were able to enjoy lively performances, music, art and, especially, food. My family would like to wish all families lots of joy, good health and good fortune this new year. Long nian kuai le. Long nin fai lok. Saehae bok mani badeuseyo. Chúc mung năm moi. Happy lunar new year. San nin faai lok.

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Mr. Kevin Waugh (Saskatoon—Grasswood, CPC)

Feb/8/24 2:01:24 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the Liberal government, living has never been more expensive for Canadians. The temperatures in Saskatoon were below -30°C for 10 days straight in January, and now the bills are coming in from that cold spell. It is shocking how much the carbon tax is costing businesses. For one owner, 33% of their bill was carbon tax and GST on the carbon tax. That amounted to $1,127 for one month. For another, 35% of their bill was carbon tax. That amounted to $1,690 in one month. Now the Liberals plan to quadruple the tax with another increase coming on April 1. Common-sense Conservatives would build the homes, fix the budget, stop the crime and, more importantly, axe the tax.

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Mr. Paul Chiang (Markham—Unionville, Lib.)

Feb/8/24 2:02:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as the member of Parliament for Markham—Unionville, I rise today to celebrate the lunar new year, the year of the dragon. This culturally significant occasion brings our diverse communities across Canada together in joyous celebration, reflecting on traditions and values that enhance our nation. In Markham—Unionville, the lunar new year holds a special place in our hearts, as we embrace the rich diversity of Asian cultures that contribute to our community's sense of belonging. From vibrant parades to festive gatherings, the spirit of renewal and hope resonates throughout our riding. On behalf of the constituents of Markham—Unionville, I extend warm wishes to all Canadians celebrating the lunar new year. May the year of the dragon bring abundance, happiness and good fortune to all of their loved ones. [Member spoke in Mandarin]

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Mr. Luc Desilets (Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, BQ)

Feb/8/24 2:03:37 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, one year ago today, people were horror-struck in Laval as a city bus hit the Ste-Rose day care, killing two of the children and seriously injuring many. Last year, I was there with the leader of the Bloc Québécois. It was shocking to experience such emotions, especially for someone who has spent their life with children, as I did as a school principal, In that tragic moment, some people were able to rise to the occasion and show compassion and admirable composure, such as Mike Haddad, who had just dropped his son off at the day care. He promptly acted to help the children trapped under the bus, in addition to controlling the driver, who was the suspect. Today, let us commend his extraordinary courage. While we still do not understand at all what could have led the driver to commit such an appalling act, today we have a duty to think of the innocent victims and their grieving families.

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Mr. Sukh Dhaliwal (Surrey—Newton, Lib.)

Feb/8/24 2:05:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this week marks the 10th anniversary of Canadian School Counselling Week, celebrated by the school counsellors chapter of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association. The week recognizes the contributions of the school counselling profession to the personal, social, educational and career development of students at all grade levels. School counsellors support students in their social and academic needs, as well as life and career planning. As mental health professionals, school counsellors are responsible for maintaining a very high standard of professional competence and ethical behaviour. Through comprehensive programs and services, school counsellors continue to make a positive and meaningful difference in the lives of children and youth in communities across Canada. I wish everyone a happy Canadian School Counselling Week.

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Mr. Len Webber (Calgary Confederation, CPC)

Feb/8/24 2:06:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the late Norman Kwong of Calgary will again make history next week when he is celebrated with his own Heritage Minute. A 60-second snapshot of his life will be thrust onto TV screens from coast to coast, injecting culturally historic education into an entertainment segment. Normie was the hard-working son of Chinese immigrants who had settled in Calgary and ran a grocery store in the early 1900s. He joined the Calgary Stampeders Football Club in 1948, just a year after the Chinese Exclusion Act was repealed, and he became the first player in the CFL of Chinese descent. He won four Grey Cups in his 12-year career. He was inducted into the CFL Hall of Fame. He was named to the Order of Canada and recognized with the Alberta Order of Excellence. He helped bring the Flames to Calgary and is one of five people with their name on both the Grey Cup and Stanley Cup. In 2005, he broke another barrier and became the first Alberta Lieutenant Governor of Chinese descent. That is a lot to fit into a minute.

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Mr. Ryan Turnbull (Whitby, Lib.)

Feb/8/24 2:07:16 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a sense of pride and admiration to recognize the outstanding achievement of one of Whitby's finest. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Juveria Zaheer on her remarkable and well-deserved triumph in the Jeopardy! Champions Wildcard tournament. I join our community in applauding Juveria's achievement and wish her continued success as she moves on now to the Tournament of Champions. Juveria has brought immense pride to our community, and she has proven herself a champion to her legion of fans. Her extraordinary achievement speaks to her incredible intelligence and commitment that brought her to this pinnacle of success. The Whitby mom and psychiatrist, who is the head of medical at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health's emergency department, has represented Whitby and Canada with distinction, and I am sure all members of the House will join me in wishing her continued success in future shows.

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Mr. Tony Van Bynen (Newmarket—Aurora, Lib.)

Feb/8/24 2:08:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, in December, Newmarket lost a true community leader. Terry Carter was a newsman, a historian, a business leader, a family man and my friend. His work as the editor of The Newmarket Era over 25 years reflected his caring perspective for the community he loved to call home. He had deep roots in our community. He was our historian. He played a significant role in the revitalization of the Sharon Temple, which gained a national historic site designation for this architectural gem. He embraced our heritage and dedicated much of his life to ensuring the history of Newmarket was well known and documented. In 2008, Terry received the Lieutenant Governor's Ontario Heritage Award for lifetime achievement. I was proud to have arranged the naming of Terry Carter Crescent to recognize his meaningful contributions to our community. Newmarket has lost a fine gentleman.

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Mr. Randy Hoback (Prince Albert, CPC)

Feb/8/24 2:09:23 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, for hundreds of years, first nations have suffered under a broken colonial system that takes power away from their communities and places it in the hands of politicians in Ottawa. The Indian Act hands over all resource land and money to the federal government. This means that first nations have to go to Ottawa to ask for the tax revenues collected from resource projects on their land. This outdated system puts power in the hands of bureaucrats, politicians and lobbyists, not first nations. The direct result of this Ottawa-knows-best approach has been poverty, substandard infrastructure and housing, unsafe drinking water, and despair. Conservatives have listened to first nations, and today, the Leader of the Opposition announced his support for an optional first nations resource charge that would enable them to take back control of their resources and money. Putting first nations back in control of their money and letting them bring home the benefits of their resources would also help get local buy-in for good projects into the future. Only common-sense Conservatives will fight for real economic reconciliation by supporting first nations taking back control of their lives.

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Mr. Darrell Samson (Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, Lib.)

Feb/8/24 2:10:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, February is Black History Month, a time to reflect on the many contributions Black communities have made to the fabric of our country. I am extremely proud to be the member of Parliament for Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, where we have the largest multi-generational Black community in Canada and also the largest Black Cultural Centre in Canada. We are proud of the remarkable social, economic and political achievements of Black Canadians and recognize that many barriers still exist. This month, we reaffirm our commitment to working with Black communities across the country to combat systemic anti-Black racism, support Black economic empowerment and help promote mental health and wellness.

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Mr. Jacques Gourde (Lévis—Lotbinière, CPC)

Feb/8/24 2:11:24 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to a remarkable man who, despite being required to leave the Senate, is not leaving behind his active involvement in our country. He is my colleague and friend, Senator Pierre‑Hugues Boisvenu. It takes courage and strength to survive the unspeakable, as suggested by the title of his 2008 book, where he shares his journey of resilience after the loss of his two daughters, whom he adored with all his heart. Pierre‑Hugues' fate led him to support women's safety and, out of pure kindness, he leaves us with the legacy of the Victims Bill of Rights to defend the rights and interests of victims within the criminal justice system. This bill of rights establishes fundamental principles for ensuring fair and respectful treatment of victims throughout the judicial process. If I had to sum up Pierre‑Hugues Boisvenu's career in one sentence, I would say that his commitment and his actions give new meaning and worth to the term human dignity. Thank you, Senator Pierre‑Hugues Boisvenu.

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Mrs. Karen Vecchio (Elgin—Middlesex—London, CPC)

Feb/8/24 2:12:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canada has seen a sharp increase of sexual assault reports since 2015, with 20,948 violations. Stats Canada has reported an increase between the years 2015 to 2022 at 71.66%. Although these stats are not broken down by gender, we know that the crime is more likely against female victims of violent crime, especially sexual assault. Women are five times more likely to experience sexual assault compared to men. According to a report, victimization reporting rates were 106 out of 1,000 for women and 59 men out of 1,000. These stats are a direct correlation to the failure of this government's catch-and-release bail policies passed in Bill C-75 and Bill C-5, which removes mandatory minimum sentences for certain major crimes. A common-sense government can ensure that repeat offenders remain behind bars while awaiting trial and will bring back mandatory jail time for serious violent crimes that were repealed by the Liberal government. Conservatives will always stand with victims of crimes. Conservatives will bring home safe—

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The Speaker

Feb/8/24 2:13:38 p.m.
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The hon. member for Mississauga—Erin Mills.

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Ms. Iqra Khalid (Mississauga—Erin Mills, Lib.)

Feb/8/24 2:13:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, one's car is not just a way of getting around. For many in my riding, it is a part of their livelihoods and a main source of income. In 2022, nearly 6,000 vehicles were stolen around Mississauga, and auto theft rates rose by 48.3% in Ontario alone. I have been working on this issue within my community, including with Chief Nishan Duraiappah of the Peel Regional Police and with federal agencies to fight auto theft and to make our community safer. This is why our government has committed $121 million to fight gun and gang violence, including auto thefts, with $28 million more to the CBSA. It is why, as we speak, the Liberal government is hosting a national summit on combatting auto theft, with all levels of government, police and industry leaders, to build real solutions. We will keep working diligently with all partners to reduce crime in our communities and to keep us all safe.

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Mr. Alexandre Boulerice (Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, NDP)

Feb/8/24 2:14:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our aerospace sector is something to be proud of. It accounts for 212,000 jobs in Canada and more than 37,000 in Quebec. These are good jobs, often unionized, with unparalleled expertise. We are one of the few places in the world where our companies can create, simulate, manufacture, assemble and certify an airplane, a helicopter or a surveillance aircraft. Yesterday and today, I listened to Pierre, Michael, Peter, Pascale and Mélanie talk about their trades and professions with pride and passion. Their sector is one of the largest exporters and biggest investors in research and development. The federal government has to step up and help them innovate, train workers and be part of the green transition, which is so crucial to our shared future. A national aerospace strategy has been a long time coming. I am calling on the Liberal government to make up for lost time and take action now for this sector and its workers.

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