House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2021, with 54% of the vote.
The Economy February 20th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, as a person who uses VIA Rail on a weekly basis, I am certainly very aware of the situation. It is a regrettable situation. However, at the moment, because of blockading, it is not possible to achieve all the services VIA Rail would like to give. However, the good news is that certain VIA trains are operating, among others, between Toronto and Windsor, as well as between Montreal and Ottawa. Some services have resumed, and we hope to get them all resuming as soon as possible.
The Economy February 20th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, we are very aware that the protests have caused shortages of some products that are important to Canadians, in particular the propane that farmers use to dry their grain. We are well aware of the propane shortage.
We are working hard to resolve this problem as quickly as possible to get our railways back in service, so that the products Canadians need can be delivered.
The Economy February 20th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, we understand how disruptive the blockades can be for travellers in Canada. In this case, we are referring to VIA Rail and Exo, as well as CN freight service. We understand that finding a long-term solution requires dialogue, and that is the approach we are taking.
We are working very hard to put an end to these blockades and to get the trains running again as quickly as possible. We are working with our provincial partners. The Prime Minister will be speaking with his counterparts later today.
The Economy February 20th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, we are fully aware of the magnitude of this issue. We completely understand the difficulties Canadians are facing because of these blockades.
We know we need to find a solution as quickly as possible. We also know that this solution can only be found through dialogue, which will allow us to reach a long-term, lasting, peaceful solution.
Employment February 20th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, I want to reassure my colleague and all Canadians that we are well aware of the economic impact of the protests taking place right now, and we are focused on resolving them as quickly as possible.
We know that there is a shortage of certain products. We are aware that there have been layoffs. We want to end this as quickly as possible by opening a dialogue to find a peaceful resolution to this problem. That is what we are doing.
Indigenous Affairs February 20th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, we understand the situation very well. We are working very closely with all the provinces because this is a challenge that the provincial and federal governments must tackle together. That is why the Prime Minister will be speaking with Premier Legault and his other provincial counterparts this afternoon.
Public Safety February 18th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his comments.
I agree with him that the situation is serious. We are well aware of the impacts this is currently having in Quebec and throughout Canada, namely the shortages of important commodities, the impacts on other goods and the movement of people. We are working on a solution and we believe that we must find it through dialogue, which is what we are in the process of doing.
Public Safety February 18th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, we are extremely concerned about the impact of these blockades on those who rely on public transit, not only Canadians, but also those who rely on the freight system. We are seized with the issue. We are well aware of the problem and want to resolve it as quickly as possible. As we have been saying from the outset, we will resolve this matter through dialogue.
Public Safety February 18th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, I would like to correct my colleague. The federal government knows it has a role to play and that this role is extremely important.
To answer the question, when there is an injunction, we must respect the authority of the provincial police, which has the discretion to decide how to handle the matter.
That said, the federal government has an important role to play, and that is why we will work with our provincial counterparts to solve this problem.
Public Safety February 18th, 2020
Mr. Speaker, let me explain it to my colleague. When an activity of tampering occurs and we detect it, we try to follow up. Because it is a criminal activity, we need to have clues and evidence to find out who the perpetrator is. It is called detective work and that is what we are doing.