House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2025, with 62% of the vote.
Sports November 24th, 2017
Madam Speaker, Canada's 105th Grey Cup will be played this weekend here in the national capital region. We will get to see Toronto take on Calgary in a game that will hopefully be as gripping as last year's.
Certainly several thousands of young people from across the country will watch it on TV and see some of the best athletes competing.
Could the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities tell us about the inspiration these events provide to young people?
Bowvember November 9th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, I am honoured to rise today to talk about the only charity in Quebec entirely devoted to fighting prostrate cancer. Procure is an organization that specializes in research, awareness, information, and support for men and their families.
As hon. members know, I am a proud supporter of Bow Tie Thursdays. That is why I am acting as an ambassador for Procure's Bowvember campaign. I invite every member of the House to contact my office in order to get a bow tie. I challenge every member to wear a bow tie here in the House every Thursday in November, in support of the fight against prostate cancer.
Together we can make a difference.
Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No. 2 November 6th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, I very much appreciate the question from my hon. colleague from Laurentides—Labelle. I can assure him that I have some good news on this and that the federal government has certainly shown leadership when it comes to investing in Quebec. The Canada child benefit is a major part of this budget. We saw in the economic statement that we are going to invest in this benefit anew.
In my riding, Hull—Aylmer, in my colleague's riding, and in every riding in Canada, this new social initiative has benefited every Canadian, especially those with children and those in need.
This is an important investment. It proves that the federal government can play an important role together with the provinces in eliminating poverty everywhere.
Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No. 2 November 6th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his question and comments. Before I answer his main question, I want to say that I reject the premises of his question about the government's intentions with respect to implementing cannabis education programs.
Certainly our goal has always been to put a program in place to deter cannabis use through education. As the date approaches and we coordinate our actions with the provinces and territories, Canadians will see more and more proof of the government's plan to launch major awareness campaigns about issues associated with cannabis use. Those campaigns will target youth in particular as well as the general public.
To get back to my colleague's main question, the reason I gave this speech and the reason these measures are in the 2017 budget implementation act No. 2 is that we want to make sure the provinces, the territories, and the federal government coordinate their actions. This is a long-term undertaking that we will accomplish together.
I would ask my hon. colleague to be a little more patient and give the provinces and territories time to negotiate with the federal government. That is how we will keep taxes as low as possible and eliminate or significantly reduce the sale of cannabis by organized crime.
Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No. 2 November 6th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise on the subject of Bill C-63, the budget implementation act, 2017, No. 2, today. Specifically, I am pleased to talk about the government's plan to invest in people and communities to build a stronger, healthier, better Canada.
If we were to ask Canadians, the vast majority of them would say they are very proud of our public health system. The 2017 federal budget recognizes that and includes over $37 billion in transfers to the provinces and territories under the Canada health transfer.
A prosperous country such as ours also needs a comprehensive strategy on drugs and other substances. When it comes to cannabis control, the current system is obviously not working. It does not do a good enough job of protecting Canadians' health and safety, especially not our youth. It is often easier for our children to acquire cannabis than cigarettes.
As everyone knows, our government plans to legalize and strictly regulate cannabis. This policy is necessary and has two main objectives: on the one hand, to keep marijuana out of the hands of youth, and on the other, to deprive criminals of any profits from illegal cannabis sales.
In advance of the government's plan to legalize cannabis, budget 2017 allocated several million dollars to public education programming and monitoring activities.
Taxation is one of the key factors that will play an important role in ensuring that our objectives are met. As the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance have clearly stated, taxes must be low from the beginning, and the federal, provincial, and territorial governments must continue to work together to guarantee a coordinated approach. Co-operation is critical, and the federal government wants to engage our provincial and territorial partners in order to develop a coordinated approach to cannabis taxation.
This second budget implementation act lays the groundwork for such a partnership. It amends the Federal-Provincial Fiscal Arrangements Act to allow the Minister of Finance, on behalf of the federal government and with the consent of the Governor in Council, to enter into coordinated tax agreements with the provincial and territorial governments on cannabis taxation.
All governments must endeavour to maintain an effective level of taxation over time, one that helps balance our social and health objectives, the risks associated with the illicit market, as well as our tax priorities. All levels of government will have a significant role to play. It is important to remember that the framework for the production, sale, and distribution of cannabis for non-medical purposes will be based on the sharing of responsibilities. The federal government will be responsible for granting licences for production, cultivation, and manufacture, while the provinces and territories will be responsible for granting distribution and retail licences.
It would also be much better to have a coordinated approach on the taxation side of things. Legalizing cannabis will help the government increase tax revenues, but it is important to keep in mind that that is not the primary objective here. The primary objective of legalizing marijuana is to try to keep marijuana out of the hands of children and keep the profits out of the hands of criminals.
The best way to do that is to have a coordinated approach to taxation across the country. As the Minister of Finance said, we have to get this right and we have to work with the provinces and territories. Budget implementation act, 2017, No. 2 will implement the framework for this coordinated approach when cannabis for non-medical use becomes legal in Canada, the intention being that this occur at the latest in the first half of 2018.
As I said, taxation is one of the key factors that support the objectives of cannabis legalization, but it is not the only one. The government plans to take a number of measures to regulate non-medical cannabis. There will also need to be investment in awareness and education programs to inform Canadians, especially young Canadians, of the risks to both health and safety associated with cannabis use.
Although access to cannabis for non-medical purposes will be restricted and strictly regulated, various federal agencies will also be required to do more. Public awareness campaigns will help inform Canadians about the dangers of driving under the influence of cannabis and other drugs.
Police forces will also need new tools to better detect drug-impaired drivers. Physical inspections at companies that produce cannabis will be necessary. We heard this during the Standing Committee on Finance's cross-Canada pre-budget tour. I am very pleased to see that the fall economic statement tabled last week allocates significant funding to the development of a new framework to regulate and restrict access to cannabis.
As I just mentioned, I was pleased to see that the fall economic statement allocates significant funding to the development of new legal frameworks. Health Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canada Border Services Agency, and Public Safety Canada will all receive funding to ensure that they have the resources they need to issue licenses, conduct inspections, enforce all the aspects of the cannabis bill, and conduct meaningful public awareness and outreach.
In conclusion, the government's intention is to legalize cannabis for non-medical purposes in Canada. Legalization will keep cannabis out of the hands of youth and keep profits out of the hands of criminals. To support this dual objective, coordination between governments is essential. We are committed to working with the provinces and territories. The budget implementation act, 2017, No. 2 is part of the federal government's ongoing efforts in that regard.
I urge all hon. members to support this important legislation. It will help us give our children and grandchildren a stronger, better, and healthier Canada.
Indigenous Affairs November 3rd, 2017
Mr. Speaker, the recognition of rights, and in particular the inherent right to self-government and the right to self-determination, is fundamental to advancing reconciliation in Canada.
Could the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs update the House on the concrete measures Canada is taking with its indigenous partners to promote self-determination and facilitate self-government?
Criminal Code October 27th, 2017
Madam Speaker, I think you will find unanimous consent to see the clock as 1:30 p.m.
Criminal Code October 27th, 2017
Madam Speaker, I have a point of order.
I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion:
That, notwithstanding any Standing Order or usual practice of the House, the deferred recorded division on the motion for third reading of Bill C-46, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (offences relating to conveyances) and to make consequential amendments to other Acts, be further deferred until the expiry of the time provided for oral questions on Tuesday, October 31, 2017.
Business of Supply October 23rd, 2017
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the question from my colleague from Kitchener—Conestoga, whom I know quite well. I really respect him and the work he does in the House and especially what he does outside the House on spiritual matters. I appreciate his work in that regard.
My hon. colleague raised a number of topics, including the pension system, taxes, and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. I will address them all quickly. As for the pension system, the Minister of Finance ensured the sustainability of the pension plan through the agreement reached with the provinces. As for taxes, we cut taxes for the middle class. We also made historic investments in the CMHC.
On top of all those great things the Minister of Finance did, he also acted on the advice of the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner. He has done so from the very beginning of his time in office, and continues to do so. He even went further than what the commissioner recommended.
Business of Supply October 23rd, 2017
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Sherbrooke, a man I respect very much. We share a birthday, but we were not born in the same year.
I take this all very seriously because it is critical. It is why the minister consulted the Ethics Commissioner when he took office. It is also why the Ethics Commissioner has never said that the Minister of Finance was in violation of the law. On the contrary, he consulted the commissioner, followed her recommendations, and they agreed on what he needed to do in order to be able to continue his work.
I take this matter very seriously and the Minister of Finance has shown that he took it very seriously as well. As I said at the beginning of my speech, in the wake of the outcry no one can say that the minister did not follow the recommendations of the Ethics Commissioner. He even decided to go above and beyond what she expected of him. This shows that he is a man of integrity and a credit to all hon. members.