House of Commons photoLost his last election, in 2025, with 18% of the vote.
Housing October 19th, 2023
Mr. Speaker, the minister should try that answer on someone who has to live on the streets.
The story of 76-year-old Jeannette Chiasson, who was evicted from her home and forced to move into a smaller, less suitable and more expensive apartment, is unacceptable. The Conservatives and Liberals let more than one million affordable housing units slip through the cracks, and this is the result.
Why is the Prime Minister turning his back on Jeannette Chiasson and thousands like her?
Housing October 19th, 2023
Mr. Speaker, Toronto's housing crisis is out of control, worsened by the loss of thousands of affordable homes by both Conservative and Liberal governments.
Asylum seekers were left homeless this summer, while the City of Toronto had to carry the weight of housing them. The federal government promised $97 million in assistance, but Toronto has not yet received it.
Why are all the Toronto Liberal MPs so ineffective and unable to convince their own Prime Minister to deliver the help Toronto needs?
Grocery Industry October 18th, 2023
Mr. Speaker, clearly the minister's plan to ask them nicely is not working.
Let me summarize the situation. Earlier, the minister said that prices in the flyers are dropping but, now, he does not know how CEOs plan to stabilize prices because their plans are too secret. It is quite clear that the minister does not have a plan, so we are going to give him one.
We have moved a new motion to force the CEOs of the big grocery stores to appear before the committee again. Will the government support it, yes or no?
Grocery Industry October 18th, 2023
Mr. Speaker, before Thanksgiving, the Minister of Industry said that prices for groceries were coming down and that Canadians just needed to check out grocery flyers. Now the minister is backtracking and saying that, well, he is not sure because the grocery CEOs' plans are too secret.
If the minister cannot get answers, then we will. Will the minister of grocery flyers support our motion to summon the grocery CEOs back to Parliament?
Foreign Affairs October 17th, 2023
Mr. Speaker, we have to put a stop to the death and destruction going on in Israel and Palestine.
We just learned that a hospital may have been hit in Gaza. The New Democrats have called for the release of hostages and a ceasefire. Some Liberal members also called for a ceasefire, but the Prime Minister rejected these calls.
Is the Prime Minister willing to agree today that Canada must now push for the release of the hostages and a ceasefire?
Foreign Affairs October 17th, 2023
Mr. Speaker, hundreds of Canadians are stranded in Gaza. We have heard the distressing accounts of Canadian citizens who have been told to evacuate but have nowhere to go. Water, food and medicine are running out. Canadians waiting at the closed Rafah border crossing are pleading for help, saying they are looking for any glimpse of hope. Lives are at risk. We cannot abandon them or the hostages.
Will the Prime Minister ensure today that all Canadians can safely get out of Gaza?
Situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank October 16th, 2023
Mr. Chair, we are denouncing and are concerned about an approach of collective punishment. Of course, there are serious concerns, and we denounce the terrorist attack of Hamas.
However, our concern is that there are many innocent lives that are being put in a condition of desperation and a dire lack of access to basic necessities. That is a serious concern. The approach that we have to take is one in which we resolve conflicts through peace and through a desire to achieve safety and security for everyone. That cannot be achieved with more war.
Situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank October 16th, 2023
Mr. Chair, the only solution to conflict is a political and diplomatic solution, not war. That is what we are proposing because we know that war only leads to more death, destruction and devastation. That is why we are calling for a ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and a path to peace and security. That is the only way to find a solution.
Situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank October 16th, 2023
Mr. Chair, I understand that there are very real emotions and really serious concerns, and I respect and acknowledge that.
What we are concerned about are the conditions right now that are being imposed on the people of Gaza, the conditions which involve no more electricity, no more clean water, no more access to food and no more access to the resources necessary to run a hospital. These conditions being imposed on an entire population are very serious. The consequences of actions like that are very dire. The United Nations has pointed out that the consequences of a path where necessary resources are withheld from a population could be devastating and dire. That is what I am expressing as a very deep concern. That is why we reiterate our call. Release all the hostages. We need to ensure that there is a ceasefire. We need to see a path of peace because we need to save all lives.
Innocent lives have been lost. More will be lost if the steps that are being taken continue.
Situation in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank October 16th, 2023
Mr. Chair, we are in a very horrible time right now, and it is important to acknowledge how painful and how difficult this is. What my hon. colleague is pointing out is that the path we are suggesting is to look at our collective humanity, to not lose sight of the fact that every life is precious and dear and that we do not want to walk down a path that will result in even more death, destruction and despair.
That is the path we are on right now. That is the path the world is headed on. We are calling out, as difficult as it is and understanding how horrible the circumstances are, and saying that more war and more violence will result only in more loss of life. We need to find a better way forward. That is why we are calling for a release of all hostages. We are calling for a ceasefire. We are calling for a path of peace. The only outcome of more war is more death, and we have to prevent that.