Justin Trudeau

[Families, Children and Social Development, November 20th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Kitchener South—Hespeler for her advocacy.

Today, millions of families across the country are receiving their Canada child benefit cheques to help with everyday expenses. As a reminder, the Conservatives voted against the CCB. At the same time, the Conservative leader now threatens to cut those cheques along with vital programs like dental care.

He is gaslighting Canadians, claiming his Conservative cuts will somehow make life better for Canadians receiving those programs right now. It is time for him to admit the truth: His real priority is only cutting services and not supporting families.

[Public Safety, November 20th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition knows full well that these are decisions taken by the arm's-length Parole Board and that the minister is engaged on this issue, but that will not prevent him from instrumentalizing the grief and anguish of families who are victims of crime for his own narrow personal gain.

If he actually cared about public safety and national security, he would not have proposed a cut from police services and border agencies, he would not be proposing to put more guns on our streets and he certainly would have accepted the national security briefings that would allow him to keep his own party safe.

[Public Safety, November 20th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the opposition leader knows full well that this decision was made not by the government, but by an independent agency. That does not stop him from instrumentalizing people who have suffered terribly just to score some political points.

If he actually cared about national security, he would not have been part of a government that made cuts to security personnel and police, he would not be planning to put more guns in our streets and he would have chosen to receive a security briefing to keep Canadians safe.

[Housing, November 20th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I am listening to the Conservative leader criticize our housing accelerator fund, but at least 18 of his members have directly contradicted him by asking the federal government to invest in their communities to accelerate housing construction, increase densification and eliminate red tape.

Conservative members know how important it is to invest in housing, but the Conservative leader is preventing them from speaking and is offering only cuts and austerity, which will not help anyone.

[Housing, November 20th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Brampton Centre, like most of us in this House, understands how important it is to be a community voice here in Ottawa and not Ottawa's voice in the community. I say most of us in this House, but apparently not those in the Conservative Party of Canada, because the Conservative leader has decided to prevent his own members of Parliament, in communities across the country, from speaking up for their communities. He is muzzling his MPs, forcing them to be the leader's voice in their communities instead.

[Housing, November 20th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, on housing, the Leader of the Opposition's own MPs have been asking us, for example, about the $31 million we are sending to Kelowna in the riding of Kelowna—Lake Country, a Conservative riding. This is money that is going to make a real difference in their communities.

However, the Leader of the Opposition is preventing his MPs from standing up and advocating for their communities. This place is supposed to be a place where members are the voices of their communities here in Ottawa. Instead, he is sending them to be his voice in their communities. That is not how it works.

[Housing, November 20th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, once again, the member is attacking the mayors of municipalities across the country, who are working with the federal government to accelerate housing construction, cut red tape and increase densification.

This program is working. I know it is, because at least 18 members of his own caucus have advocated for municipalities in their ridings to get this money to accelerate housing construction.

Unfortunately, the Conservative leader is preventing his members from speaking on behalf of their communities and advancing the interests of their constituents.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, November 20th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, ensuring the integrity of our immigration system and our borders has always been a primary responsibility of this government. Yes, the world has faced difficult situations. That is why we have put the necessary measures in place to protect our principles and values and the integrity of our system. We will continue to ensure that we deploy the necessary personnel. Unlike the Conservatives, who reduced the number of border officers and made cuts to the RCMP when they were in power, we are continuing to invest in keeping Canadians safe.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, November 20th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I have a great deal of respect for the excellent, professional work the SQ does to protect every part of Quebec. It will continue to do so in partnership with federal agencies such as the RCMP and the CBSA.

I have long acknowledged the generosity of Quebeckers, who have done more than their share to welcome people from all over the country. That is why we are in the process of compensating them. That is also why I am still waiting for Mr. Legault's temporary immigration plan. We need to work together to resolve the immigration situation.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, November 20th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, as a government, we will always be there to defend the rule of law and the integrity of our borders. We have a plan to increase staff, police and vehicles at our borders. We will work with our provincial partners across the country. We will make sure that Canadians can continue to have confidence in their sovereignty, in the integrity of our immigration system and in our borders. That is a responsibility that we take very seriously, and we have shown our ability to overcome challenges over the past few years.