Marc Serré

[Interparliamentary Delegations, December 6th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present to the House, in both official languages, two reports of the Canadian Section of ParlAmericas.

The first report concerns its participation in the 17th ParlAmericas Plenary Assembly, which was held virtually on November 16 and 29, 2020. The second report concerns its participation in the 5th Gathering of ParlAmericas' Parliamentary Network on Climate Change, which was held virtually on June 4, 15 and 25, 2021.

[Josée Forest-Niesing, November 30th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, we are heartbroken to hear of the tragic passing of our colleague and friend, the Hon. Senator Josée Forest-Niesing. Her ambition to help others was embedded in her DNA. She was a fierce advocate and champion for the most vulnerable, promoting the abilities of people and protecting our environment.

She shared the passion of her parents, Normand and Marie-Paule, for protecting the French language and heritage. Her incredible accomplishments, her generosity, and the many people she touched and helped will never be forgotten.

A fund has been created in memory of Josée Forest-Niesing at Place des Arts in Greater Sudbury. We will always remember her beautiful smile and her joie de vivre.

I offer sincere condolences to her husband Robert, her children Véronique and Philippe, her mother Marie-Paule, her sisters Sylvie and Dominique, and to all those who knew and loved her.

Rest in peace, Josée, dear friend to all.

[Petitions, June 22nd, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I have a petition to the Minister of Indigenous Services.

Citizens of the Mattawa/North Bay Algonquin first nations community call upon the hon. minister to take action on the unfairness and discriminatory selection for membership by the Algonquin nation, its consultant, Joan Holmes and Associates Inc. and its solicitor, Mr. Potts. They ask for a review of all memberships revoked based on the April 2020 proposed beneficiary criteria for contradicting interpretation of the consultant office and the Mattawa/North Bay community office. There was no input from the members, as required under section 10(2). Memberships were revoked under the proposed beneficiary criteria. They seek for all chiefs to comply with the same criteria as the members, including proof of documentation on their Algonquin ancestry to be verified by an independent genealogist.

The petitioners ask for their appeals to be heard prior to the next election, in order to allow successful appeals for an individual's right to vote to not be suppressed.

[Petitions, June 22nd, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask for unanimous consent to present a petition signed by over 800 people regarding indigenous rights in northern Ontario. The petition could not be certified because of a formatting issue.

[Natural Resources, June 18th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, I encourage all members opposite to actually read the amicus brief to understand the Government of Canada's legal position on this issue. It has been endorsed by the Conservative governments of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario as well as by the Government of Quebec. It has been endorsed by Sarnia's mayor, Mike Bradley, and by industry and labour: the building trades and Unifor.

The 1977 transit pipelines treaty remains in effect. The State of Michigan proposes measures at present, but we are supporting our workers, we are supporting Line 5 and we will do everything that it takes to make it—

[Natural Resources, June 18th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, Michigan's response was a routine step of its court process. We are strongly supporting Line 5. Canada's amicus brief clearly and directly expressed the government's legal position that Line 5 is an important and safe piece of infrastructure benefiting both Canada and the United States.

Negotiating an agreement that respects all parties is the best solution, and we are confident that a solution will be reached. Yes, we are behind Line 5. We have done all that we need to do to make sure that Line 5 continues to operate. We are behind the energy workers and we will have no Canadians left—

[Peru, June 17th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, this year marks Peru's 200th anniversary of independence. Peru is Canada's third-largest bilateral trading partner in Latin America, with Canadian exports in Peru reaching $871 million in 2020 and Canadian merchandise imports from Peru reaching $3.7 billion.

In December 2020, the Peruvian Canadian Institute was launched in partnership with me and Dr. Kevin McCormick, president of Huntington University. It fosters friendship between countries and brings together leaders to collaborate on important topics such as education, politics, trade, culture, environmental sustainability and gender equality.

I encourage all members of the House to join ParlAmericas's international activities to strengthen our strong ties with Caribbean and Latin American countries like Peru.

I would like to congratulate the people of Peru on the important historical milestone.

[Questions on the Order Paper, June 16th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, with regard to part (a), the Canada greener homes grant initiative, announced in the fall economic statement, launched on May 27, 2021.

With regard to part (b), to be eligible for retroactive payment, homeowners must document their retrofit journey and are asked to keep copies of all invoices both for the EnerGuide home evaluation and for their retrofit work. The home energy adviser will take before and after photos. Homeowners can access the online portal to register and submit this information for reimbursement, provided the retrofit measures undertaken are on the list of eligible measures.

With regard to part (c), to be eligible for reimbursement, participants in the Canada greener homes grant initiative must obtain an EnerGuide home evaluation before the retrofit and then a post-retrofit evaluation once retrofit work is completed. Call centre operators and program officers are available to help homeowners navigate the program’s eligibility requirements. Should the homeowner not be eligible for reimbursement under the Canada greener homes grant initiative, program officers can assist in identifying other federal, provincial/territorial, municipal and/or regional programs for which the homeowner may be eligible.

With regard to part (d), in the fall economic statement, the government committed to launching the Canada greener homes grant initiative during the spring of 2021. Government officials have been working in an expeditious manner since this announcement and the Canada greener homes grant initiative launched during the spring of 2021 as announced.

[Ontario's Francophonie, June 14th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, June 24 is Saint‑Jean-Baptiste Day. It is an important day for francophones and francophiles to celebrate their culture, language and traditions. This day is also an opportunity to commemorate the sacrifices our parents and grandparents made to defend our language.

This month, Collège Boréal will also celebrate its 25th anniversary. For 25 years, Collège Boréal has consistently provided a high-quality education and served as a leader at the local and international levels. Collège Boréal has built strong ties with the industry and provides its students with a learning environment designed to help them succeed.

I thank all who contribute to a vibrant francophone community in the Nickel Belt and greater Sudbury area.

I also want to wish the Montreal Canadiens good luck on the road to their 25th Stanley Cup.

[Natural Resources, May 25th, 2021]

Madam Speaker, we recognize that many across the country are concerned about Line 5. That is why I am proud that our Prime Minister has continued to stand up for this vital piece of energy infrastructure at every turn, as has every minister, every parliamentarian and every senior official wherever and whenever there is a chance to engage with their American counterparts.

Members of the four official parties asked Enbridge and the State of Michigan to settle this matter out of court. Line 5 is vital to the economy and security of both our countries, and maintaining operations supports good jobs for the middle class and thousands of workers in western Canada and in Sarnia, Montreal, Lévis and Quebec City.

I thank my hon. colleague for asking the question and for continuing to work together as part of Team Canada to put pressure on the State of Michigan to resolve this matter in consultation with Enbridge.