Matt DeCourcey

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, October 3rd, 2018]

Madam Speaker, I want to assure my colleague across the way that as the Minister of Border Security works with his colleagues in the U.S. to modernize the safe third country agreement and as our government works to properly triage and provide refuge to irregular migrants in accordance with Canadian law in our international obligations, I am happy to stand and remind the member opposite of the humanitarian leadership, the action taken and the results delivered by this government over the last number of years.

To begin, I would remind her of the national effort that led to the welcoming and resettlement of over 50,000 Syrians in less than two years.

Thanks to the generosity of Canadians across the country, we were able to give these refugees hope and a fresh start. The quick and efficient resettlement of Syrian refugees by Canada was praised around the world.

As well, I would remind the House and Canadians that our government has provided assistance to survivors of Daesh and their family members, including vulnerable Yazidi women and children.

Since December 31, 2017, Canada has issued just over 1,200 visas to survivors of Daesh sponsored by the government. We worked closely with several international organizations to ensure their safe travel and to help them resettle in Canada.

Canada has earned a reputation as a recognized international leader as well in settlement and integration. Newcomers to Canada receive the information that they need about life in Canada as well as the communities in which they intend to settle. They receive language training. They receive help finding a job. They connect with established immigrants and Canadians to help survey the community, get around and become comfortable.

Once they are here, immigrants and refugees have access to a full suite of settlement supports and services provided by over 500 specialized service provider organizations from coast to coast to coast in all regions of Canada.

Our government is also making significant new investments in our settlement programming, and we have enhanced coordination with our provincial and territorial counterparts to ensure stronger outcomes, particularly for refugees.

When it comes to planning resettlement, under our multi-year immigration levels plan, government-assisted refugees landing in Canada will increase from 7,500 in 2018 to 10,000 government-assisted refugees in 2020. That is an increase of over 33%. Our plan to resettle 18,000 privately-sponsored refugees in 2018 is more than triple what was in place when we took power in 2018. Also, under this government, Canada's 2018 target to resettle refugees has doubled to 20,000 refugees across all streams.

Finally, in budget 2018, our government announced a new commitment to welcome and resettle an additional 1,000 vulnerable women and girls, who we know will be welcomed with open arms in Canada. This additional 1,000 refugees are in addition to the government-assisted refugee targets in our multi-year immigration levels plan, and are accompanied by the appropriate budget allocations to ensure its success.

I conclude by saying we continue to show leadership on the international stage in our humanitarian efforts.

[New Brunswick Election, September 25th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my sincere thanks to all New Brunswickers who participated in last night's successful provincial election.

First of all, I want to congratulate all the candidates for their hard work over the past few weeks. I also want to thank all the poll workers for being there for our candidates and political parties. Lastly, I want to thank all the volunteers who worked so hard over the past few weeks.

Volunteers help our candidates so much during an election campaign. Volunteers donate their hard-earned dollars, volunteers make sandwiches and cook dinner, and volunteers provide energy and support for candidates who are tired as they knock on doors and make phone calls. Everyone in the chamber I know appreciates the work of volunteers who support them on the campaign trail.

To our volunteers, merci beaucoup.

[Accessible Canada Act, September 24th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, in his intervention my colleague told a story about a friend of his who has been successful in navigating sometimes challenging physical and intangible environments that persons living with different disabilities face. This piece of legislation is there to provide more opportunities for people like the friend of my colleague opposite in order for them to become fully included and contributing members of society, in order for them to be able to take part in an equal way in the economy and in order for them to claim their equal rights and share the same equal human dignity that all other persons in Canada can.

Once again, I will reiterate, if we can find ways to help include more people working in our economy, people who are living with different ability challenges, we can add up to $38.5 billion to our GDP. I hope the Conservatives, in addition to supporting this bill on its human rights merits, will support this bill because it is tremendously important for Canada's economy and for middle-class Canadians and those working hard to join the middle class.

[Accessible Canada Act, September 24th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague claimed that we took far too long to introduce the legislation and therefore it was not a priority. Then he said that we rushed it and therefore it was not a priority. He cannot have it both ways and he is wrong on both counts. This is very much a priority for this government and part of our plan to support middle-class Canadians and those working hard to join it.

That is why there was such extensive consultation with groups and stakeholders across the country, including the leadership of the Canadian Association for Community Living, executive vice-president Krista Carr, her right hand Kurt Goddard and board member Joy Bacon, who live in Fredericton and who I have the honour of working with closely on a day-to-day basis.

The legislation presents a great opportunity for many in Canada. One thing it does in addition is that it has the potential to enhance economic growth for the country. We know that if we give persons living disabilities an opportunity to work at an equal rate in the workforce, we can grow our economy by anywhere up to $38.5 billion.

I know the Conservatives have voted against other legislation coming from the government that supports economic growth, but will they stand with us on this important economic growth measure that would also provide many Canadians with an opportunity to claim their rights?

[Foreign Affairs, June 14th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives continue to make Canada's long-standing steadfast support for Israel a partisan issue despite being told not to do so. Canada has long been a friend of Israel and we believe that resolutions at the UN should accurately reflect the situation on the ground. That is why Canada supported a U.S. amendment to yesterday's resolution that would have explicitly referred to the role of Hamas in the situation in Gaza. Hamas is a terrorist organization, and Canada calls on the international community to stand up to Hamas. Hamas must end its incitement of violence against Israel.

[Foreign Affairs, June 14th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, Canadian officials, both on the political side and our tremendous civil servants, always raise our human rights concerns and raise specific cases with our Chinese counterparts at every opportunity. As I said earlier, I have had the chance to do so. My colleague, the parliamentary secretary responsible for consular cases, has done so. The Prime Minister does when he has the opportunity to do so. Members of the government always raise our human rights concerns, as it is a core and fundamental part of our international engagement everywhere we go. Certainly that holds true in our exchanges in our relationship with our Chinese counterparts.

In addition, Canada and Hong Kong share extensive commercial, institutional, and close people-to-people ties. The ability to gather and protest peacefully is a core human right that we believe in, and we see that it must be protected.

Our long-standing position is clear. We support the one country, two systems framework. There are rights guaranteed under Hong Kong's basic law, and Canada will continue to call on China to uphold its international human rights obligations.

[Foreign Affairs, June 14th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, after what I know has been a long and difficult night for my colleague across the way, I am glad we have a chance to exchange in this important conversation.

My colleague will know that the promotion and protection of human rights is a core and fundamental part of our foreign policy, and it remains an unwavering priority for our government, for Canadians, and for Canada's engagement abroad. We are well aware of the recent sentencing of Edward Leung Tin-kei for his conviction on the charge of rioting.

The ability to gather and protest peacefully is a core human right. Hong Kong is widely recognized as an open society with a long tradition of popular engagement in political expression, and we support efforts to ensure this tradition continues. Canada strongly supports the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary in Hong Kong under the one country, two systems principle under Hong Kong basic law. Hong Kong's protection of civil and political rights guaranteed under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights has been essential for the integrity of this framework.

Canada champions the values of pluralism, democracy, inclusive and accountable governance and respect for diversity, and universal human rights, and we do so at every opportunity. Our government has never and will never hesitate to voice our human rights concerns at every possible opportunity in our exchanges with China. This is a core component of our engagement, of Canada's engagement with China. Canada has expressed concerns about the shrinking space for civil society in China, and raises human rights situations in China with Chinese officials regularly. I have had the chance to do so, as has my colleague sitting beside me.

Canadian engagement on human rights is done in high-level visits, public statements, and outreach to both government officials and civil society in mainland China, Hong Kong, in multilateral fora, and here at home. Canada has consistently called on China to respect, protect, and promote the freedom of opinion and expression, freedom of assembly and association, and freedom of religion or belief of all Chinese citizens.

Canada has a strong interest in a stable and prosperous Hong Kong. We share very strong people-to-people ties, and Hong Kong is an important trade and investment partner for Canada. An estimated 300,000 Canadians reside in Hong Kong, and there are approximately 500,000 people of Hong Kong descent living in Canada. Canada and Hong Kong also share a Commonwealth heritage with a number of values, including the rule of law and freedom of expression, which are essential components of Hong Kong's stability and prosperity. Young people in Hong Kong should not be discouraged from exercising their rights of freedom of expression and peaceful demonstration.

Canada calls for Hong Kong's legal status to be protected.

[Foreign Affairs, June 14th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and pursuant to Standing Order 32(2), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the treaty entitled “Statute of the International Renewable Energy Agency” signed in Bonn on January 26, 2009.

An explanatory memorandum is included with the treaty.

[Foreign Affairs, June 11th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity to get up in this House many times to talk about how proud our government is to see Bill C-47 move through Parliament so Canada can accede to the ATT. Here is what Bill C-47 would allow Canada to do. It would allow Canada to set an example for countries that do not have effective arms controls. It would enshrine international human rights law and gender-based violence, in law, as criteria for arms exports, and it would control arms brokering. It would allow Canada to do all of that, and the NDP voted against it all as well.

[Foreign Affairs, June 11th, 2018]

Mr. Speaker, let me be clear. We deeply oppose Iran's support for terrorist organizations, its threats toward Israel, its ballistic missile program, and its support for the murderous Assad regime in Syria. As my colleague just said, the focus of any discussions with the Government of Iran will be on ensuring the safe return of Maryam Mombeini and to ask it questions in the suspicious death of her husband, Professor Seyed-Emami.

In November, Canada led a UN resolution calling on Iran to comply with its human rights obligations. We will always hold Iran to account for its actions.