- Member of Parliament
- Prime Minister
Leader of the Liberal Party
- Liberal
- Papineau
- Quebec
- Voting Attendance: 52%
- Expenses Last Quarter: $79,187.97
- Government Page
- May/29/24 2:34:29 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, from day one we have been actively engaged in promoting and establishing peace and humanitarian aid. We are among the biggest UNRWA donor countries per capita in the world. We will continue to be there to help provide humanitarian care, medical aid, food and supplies.
We will also do the necessary work to continue to establish a path to a two-state solution, despite efforts by the Netanyahu government to undermine any possible two-state solution.
We will continue to be there and we will continue to seek peace.
91 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/29/24 2:33:01 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we are horrified by the civilian deaths caused by the Israeli strikes in Rafah. We need to see an end to the violence and the humanitarian tragedy that is ongoing, which is why we are continuing to put pressure on the Israeli government to cease its military operations in Rafah. That is why we are calling for more humanitarian aid to get in. That is why we have been calling for a ceasefire since December, including in votes at the UN, and we will continue to.
We need to see more humanitarian aid get in. We need to see hostages released. We need to see an end to the violence and a path toward a two-state solution once again.
122 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/29/24 2:30:36 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we are deeply concerned about the violence in Gaza and the devastating actions of the Israeli army in Rafah.
We continue to call for an immediate ceasefire, as we have been doing since December. We are calling for much more humanitarian aid to be delivered to the people of Gaza. We continue to work with our partners, allies and friends in the region to establish a process towards a two-state solution, with a secure and recognized Palestinian state.
Yes, we are working towards that.
87 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Jan/31/24 2:50:08 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we are, of course, deeply concerned with the devastating scale of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We recognize UNRWA's essential role in providing life-saving assistance under dangerous conditions, so we will work with the agency and other donors to support the investigation into the serious allegations against its staff.
Let me be extremely clear: Our determination to provide relief to Palestinian civilians has not changed, and our work with our partners is constant. We are looking at ways to continue to provide additional support to those desperately in need, in addition to the $40 million we just announced yesterday.
103 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/8/23 2:34:47 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we are calling for a humanitarian truce, a humanitarian pause, to allow the hostages, Canadians and other foreign nationals from all over the world, to get out of Gaza and, more importantly, to send humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza. Violence must be curbed. We need to create a path towards a two-state solution. The terrible images we are seeing every night must stop. They are breaking the hearts of all Canadians and people around the world. We will continue to work together for peace and security for all.
92 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/25/23 3:26:56 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we unequivocally condemn Hamas's terrorist attack against Israel and we support Israel's right to defend itself in accordance with international law. Of course, we are deeply concerned with the situation in Gaza. As I said, there are ongoing diplomatic conversations about consideration of humanitarian pauses, which is something that Canada supports. Desperately needed humanitarian aid must reach vulnerable Palestinian civilians at risk in Gaza. Canada is closely engaged with partners to build a humanitarian corridor. Hamas must release hostages, and we have to get foreign nationals, particularly Canadians, safely out of Gaza.
96 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/25/23 3:02:35 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we unequivocally condemn Hamas's terrorist attack against Israel. We support Israel's right to defend itself in accordance with international law.
We are deeply concerned about the situation in Gaza. As I said, there are ongoing diplomatic conversations about the consideration of humanitarian pauses, and that is something Canada supports.
Desperately needed humanitarian aid must reach vulnerable Palestinian civilians in Gaza, and Canada is working closely with partners to build a humanitarian corridor. Hamas must immediately release all hostages, and Canadians and foreign nationals who wish to leave Gaza must be allowed to do so.
98 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/24/23 2:28:38 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, I spoke with President Biden this weekend, and we continue to do everything necessary as allies to ensure that humanitarian goods and aid are delivered through access corridors into Gaza. We will continue to push for that and for humanitarian truces that will allow aid to reach innocent civilians.
The hostages must be released, and we need to protect the lives of innocent civilians. Canada is fully involved, including with shipments of humanitarian aid that are much bigger than average.
85 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/17/23 2:34:48 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we have called for the release of hostages from the start. The situation is devastating. We are also calling for compliance with international and humanitarian law. Being there to help civilians is important.
The news about the hospital is shocking and unacceptable. We are there to ensure that we are doing everything in our power to make sure international law is upheld, civilians are protected and hostages are released.
71 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/17/23 2:33:22 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, for the past 10 days, we have been directly focused on the safety of Canadians and all innocents in the region. We have effectively airlifted out over 1,300 people from Tel Aviv. We have seen more buses come out of the West Bank, and we continue to be extremely concerned about the hundreds of Canadians and their families in Gaza.
We are working with the international community. I spoke with President al-Sisi about the Rafah border crossing. I spoke with many allies about that. We are working directly to ensure humanitarian corridors into Gaza and exits for civilians, particularly foreign nationals like Canadians.
107 words
All Topics
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/17/23 2:30:25 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, as our colleagues are well aware, Canada is working very closely with all of its allies around the world. We had a call with the G7 foreign ministers this morning to better coordinate our efforts and ensure that aid gets into Gaza. We must be there to provide humanitarian assistance while this terrible crisis continues in the region.
We have evacuated Canadians. We have been working with our allies. We continue to push for evacuations of civilians from the affected areas. We will continue to work with all of our allies and we will keep the lines of communication open.
102 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 3:26:51 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I apologize.
The Minister of National Defence is working tirelessly to ensure that CAF evacuation flights are getting as many Canadians out of the region as possible, and the Minister of International Development is leading conversations with his international counterparts and with aid organizations, making sure essential support is getting to affected people.
Canada has committed an initial $10 million in humanitarian assistance to provide essentials such as food, water, emergency medical aid and protection assistance to those affected by the crisis in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel. I want to be clear: None of this aid is going to Hamas.
Hamas is a terrorist organization that slaughtered and brutalized innocent people. Hamas continues to commit unspeakable atrocities and is trying to instigate further acts of violence against Jewish people. Let me be clear about Hamas: Its members are not freedom fighters. They are not a resistance. They are terrorists. Terrorism is always indefensible, and nothing can justify Hamas's acts of terror or the killing, maiming and abduction of civilians.
Let me also be extremely clear that Hamas does not represent the Palestinian people or their legitimate aspirations. It does not speak for Muslim or Arab communities. It does not represent the better future that Palestinians and their children deserve. The only thing it stands for is more suffering for Israeli and Palestinian civilians.
Canada fully supports Israel's right to defend itself in accordance with international law. In Gaza, as elsewhere, international law must be upheld by all; this includes humanitarian law. Even wars have rules. Canada is always steadfast in our commitment to the rule of law. The rule of law is what we stand up for here in Parliament, what we advocate through diplomacy and what we will always fight for no matter the circumstance.
Emotions are running high in this country, in part because many of those stories are also Canadian stories. Because we are so diverse, many of us know someone who was affected or know someone who knows someone. I met with members of the Jewish community who are in mourning because of this tragedy. I heard about young people slain during a musical festival, about elderly people, women and children murdered and kidnapped. Members of the Jewish community told me about friends who died too young and their fear that loved ones have perhaps been taken hostage.
I met with leaders from the Muslim and Palestinian community. They told me about how families in Gaza are spreading themselves between homes to prevent the possibility that they could all be lost in a single moment. They told me that, from Canada, they worry desperately about their loved ones, but because electricity has been cut off, they have to rely on sporadic 15-second phone calls to know who is safe.
Their worries are not only for people overseas but also people here at home. Across our country, both Jewish parents and Muslim parents wonder whether their kids are safe at school. Families are worried about going to places of worship. Jewish people are wondering if they should not wear their Star of David or kippah in public. Muslim and Arab people are worried about being thought of as terrorists, once again. The list of worries is endless and the fear is real.
There are rising instances of anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. We saw the reports of hate crimes against a Muslim woman in Montreal and at a Hebrew school in Toronto, and our hearts break at the horrifying news that came out of Illinois yesterday.
There are so many people in Canada who are afraid of the escalating tension here at home. They are scared as they watch horrible things happen to people in places that they love in the Middle East, and who, for years, have lived somewhere between fear and hope: fear that escalation will tear them further apart and hope that, one day, peace could finally take root.
We must never forget that diversity is our strength. Canada welcomes people from all walks of life expressing identities of all kinds. We are a nation of neighbours, colleagues, friends and families who embody that diversity, who live it every day. Now, more than ever, we must come together. We must not let worry, suspicion and mistrust divide us.
We must remember that it is a short path from mistrusting one's neighbour to entrenching division. A peaceful society does not happen by accident and will not continue without effort. We live in a country that upholds the freedom of expression, including religious and cultural expression, and every Canadian should feel safe doing so. This is the right and freedom every Canadian has under our charter. Canadians' liberty is not about taking away the freedoms of others but living in a way that expands and strengthens freedom for everyone.
Mr. Speaker, as Canadians, we have proven that it is possible to build and define a country on the basis of shared values. Canada is defined not by a single historical, cultural, religious, ethnic or other identity, but by our shared values.
We are, once again, at a moment where our shared values are being put to the test. Unrest is being felt in big and small ways. Canadians are deeply worried, no matter their background. This is why we must hold on to our commitment to the idea of this country. We have been tested before about who we are and what we are, but the core values of Canada have always been there to guide us, to make us stronger and to bring us together when forces or events try to divide us.
Our diversity is our strength; we can never forget this. This is a time to reach out and support one another. It is a time to ask a friend, family member or colleague how they are doing or reach out to members of a different faith, offering to listen and help where we can. People are not all right, so let us make sure that they are not alone.
As I have said before, the Canadian idea of liberty is an inclusive, expansive freedom. Let us remember who we are as Canadians and what we stand for here and around the world: respect for everyone's rights and freedoms and the rule of law; respect for different languages, ethnicities and religions; respect for human life; and respect for each other.
1075 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Yukon for his excellent question and his hard work. We introduced Bill C‑41 to enable Canadian humanitarian organizations to provide vital aid to the Afghan people, while maintaining our strong anti-terrorism laws.
This is in addition to the $156 million we have allocated to international organizations since August 2021. I hope that my colleagues across the way will support the quick passage of Bill C‑41 and support quick aid for the Afghan people.
86 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- May/18/22 2:54:33 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Whitby for his hard work.
Millions of dollars' worth of our aid has arrived in the Ukraine and is making a critical difference on the ground. To support our European allies, the Royal Canadian Air Force's C-130s have now moved two million pounds of military and humanitarian aid destined for Ukraine across the European continent, and this work continues every single day. As Ukrainian heroes fight back against Putin, we will continue to help them win this war.
Slava Ukraini.
91 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/2/22 2:51:59 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Mississauga—Lakeshore for his hard work. Yesterday, our government announced an additional $100 million in funding for humanitarian assistance for the people of Ukraine and for those who have been forced to flee the country. This funding will help provide emergency health services, including trauma care, support to displaced populations and essential, life-saving services such as shelter, water, sanitation and food. We will always be there for our Ukrainian friends and continue to work with partners to see what more we can do to help those impacted by this conflict.
99 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/2/22 2:40:54 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate very much the question the member opposite has put forward. The reality is that we have demonstrated and will continue to demonstrate that we are willing to do anything and everything to help this situation. Whether it is unprecedented sanctions, whether it is military assistance, including lethal aid, whether it is humanitarian assistance or whether it is diplomatic leadership, we have continued to do it. Everything is on the table. We will continue to do things that we think can help resolve this situation, condemn Vladimir Putin and support a free Ukraine.
96 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- menumenu
- notificationsnotifications
- home
- mailmail
- searchsearch
