House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2025, with 64% of the vote.
Infrastructure February 17th, 2017
Madam Speaker, my colleague will be delighted to know that we have announced 61 projects in Quebec. The total eligible cost is $1.6 billion. These are projects that were chosen with the approval of Quebec. We are working very closely with our provincial partner and the municipalities. They are pleased with this collaboration. These are projects that take time to develop. We are going to move them forward for the good of Canadians.
Infrastructure February 17th, 2017
Madam Speaker, as my colleague knows very well, we have a historic plan to invest $180 billion in infrastructure. With regard to the reallocation of funds, these funds are allocated to specific projects. I assume that he does not want to take money away from specific projects, which are not yet paid for.
With respect to Quebec, monies are paid once projects are finished. Funds are assigned to projects and it would not be appropriate to reallocate them to the gas tax fund.
Funds that were to be redistributed were allocated to the gas tax fund.
Infrastructure February 10th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, as the member knows, we were elected on a platform to deliver a historic plan to invest in infrastructure. We are delivering on our commitment by investing more than $180 billion in over 12 years to create long-term growth jobs for the middle class, create a low-carbon economy, a green economy, and improve social inclusion. In Alberta, we have approved 127 projects, which compares favourably to five projects announced in 2014 and two projects in 2013. We are busy building an economy while the party opposite spent 10 years deconstructing—
Port of Québec February 6th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, the member for Beauport—Limoilou said that the federal government is not funding any projects in the Quebec City area, but that is not true. In fact, the government is funding several. The member need only check our website to confirm it.
The Government of Canada recognizes that investments in vital national trade and transportation infrastructure like the port of Quebec project will help create long-term economic growth in the province of Quebec, as well as to the rest of Canada.
We are currently developing an infrastructure plan that will allow us to invest a total of more than $180 billion in federal funding over 12 years. We have signed agreements with all the provinces and territories to provide them with federal funding for phase 1 of our plan, and more than $245 million has been approved so far in Quebec.
We will continue to work with Canada's provinces, territories, and municipalities to help strengthen our communities.
We look forward to continuing to work with our proponents to make investments like the port of Quebec Beauport 2020 project a reality.
Port of Québec February 6th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Beauport—Limoilou for his comments and involvement in the Port of Québec file and the project he mentioned.
The Government of Canada knows that infrastructure provides opportunities and can change lives. It helps people get to work and get their children to school. It can lift families out of poverty. It can help businesses grow. Infrastructure helps build better communities and strengthen Canada.
In budget 2016, we launched the first phase of our infrastructure plan, and we did not waste any time rolling it out. We signed bilateral agreements with all provinces and territories, and approved more than 1,200 projects, 65% of which are already under way.
On July 5, the Governments of Canada and Quebec signed the Canada-Quebec agreement on the public transit infrastructure fund and the clean water and waste water fund. Together, these funds will provide municipalities in Quebec with nearly $1.3 billion in federal funding for projects across the province.
To date, we have approved over $730 million to 57 projects. We look forward to announcing more projects with the province in the coming months.
With these investments, we will ensure that all Quebeckers have access to modern infrastructure, including to help shorten their daily commute and optimize their work-life balance, while encouraging job creation, especially for the middle class.
Our government is committed to making transformative investments in infrastructure and, as my colleague the hon. Minister of Finance announced on November 1, we will be providing more than $180 billion for infrastructure over 12 years.
These investments will address key areas such as public transit, green and social infrastructure, transportation infrastructure that supports trade, and rural and northern communities.
The government has received the Port of Québec's proposed Beauport 2020 Phase 1 project for funding consideration. This funding is subject to all applicable program terms and conditions. A federal environmental assessment review was required before this project could be approved and the previous government was well aware of that when it promised funding just before the election campaign. The assessment, led by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, is currently under way.
Infrastructure Canada will continue the project review once the environmental assessment is complete. We are pleased to provide funding consideration to projects such as the Beauport 2020 Phase 1 project.
We will continue to work with our counterparts in Quebec, the hon. member for Beauport—Limoilou of course, as well as municipal representatives to deliver on our shared infrastructure priorities.
Human Rights December 8th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, this Saturday we celebrate the 68th anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, drafted by John Peters Humphrey, an academic, human rights defender, and McGill graduate, of course. The declaration was the forerunner of countless human rights charters, including our own. It affirms the fundamental right of every individual to freedom and dignity and aims to transform states sweltering in the heat of oppression into oases of freedom and justice.
International Human Rights Day is an opportunity not only to mark the progress we have made, but also to think about all the work that remains to be done. Now more than ever, we must stand together to fight extremism, intolerance like Islamophobia, and violence.
I call on all members of the House as well as all Canadians to keep Mr. Humphrey's legacy alive and defend human rights all around the world, this Saturday and every day of the year.
Leonard Cohen November 15th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, I quote from The Partisan by Leonard Cohen:
When they poured across the border
I was cautioned to surrender,
this I could not do;
I took my gun and vanished.
I have changed my name so often,
I've lost my wife and children....
There were three of us this morning
I'm the only one this evening
but I must go on;
the frontiers are my prison.
Oh, the wind, the wind is blowing,
through the graves the wind is blowing,
freedom soon will come;...
The Germans were at my home
They told me to surrender
But this I could not do
...
I have changed names a hundred times
I have lost wife and children
But I have so many friends
And I have all of France
An old man in an attic
Hid us for the night
The Germans captured him
He died without surprise
Oh, the wind, the wind is blowing,
through the graves the wind is blowing,
freedom soon will come;
then we'll come from the shadows.
Rest in peace, Leonard.
Business of Supply October 20th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the question.
Indeed, we have to look not only at our military contribution, which has tripled, but also our humanitarian contribution.
As I said, $3.3 million have been invested in order to bring justice for past crimes, and several million dollars were committed to clear IEDs from the liberated areas. Obviously, this has to be done in concert with the other 65 countries and that is what we are doing.
Business of Supply October 20th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, I believe the hon. member heard today from the Minister of Immigration that Canada just returned from a mission in the area, and is examining the possibilities, obviously looking at best practices.
I am not privy to the confidential discussions, but I have been given assurances that our intervention in this respect has been accrued. I hope to see concrete results within the timeline, at least, that we have agreed to in concept over the next 120 days.
Business of Supply October 20th, 2016
Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his intervention. I can truly sympathize. I am the father of three children, including a girl. I understand the personal nature of his implication, and it should inflect in part our actions and our thoughts today.
It is difficult for me to reflect on my family without thinking what I would not do to protect them. I am a legislator in this noble House to represent the people in my riding and their needs. But quite obviously, when we see what is in the nature of the report, things touch us on a very personal basis, and my thoughts immediately turn to my wife and particularly my daughter. I do sympathize with the member's emotions today.
There seems to be this notion that Canada can act alone. It is almost a comic-book approach to international relations. It is odd; it is misguided. It does not reflect the reality of what exists on the international level. We are working with 65 countries. We are doing what we can. This caucus will certainly push to do more, and clearly more needs to be done.