Mr. Speaker, I believe that if you seek it, you will find agreement to apply the result from the previous vote to this vote, with the Liberal members voting in favour.
House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2021, with 60% of the vote.
Transportation Modernization Act October 30th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, I believe that if you seek it, you will find agreement to apply the result from the previous vote to this vote, with the Liberal members voting in favour.
Transportation Modernization Act October 30th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, I believe that if you seek it you will find agreement to apply the results from the previous vote to this vote, with Liberal members voting no.
President of Colombia October 30th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the President of Colombia, His Excellency Juan Manuel Santos Calderón, to Canada. Canada and Colombia are key commercial partners in the Americas and the Pacific region, with a shared commitment to progressive trade.
At a time when Colombia is engaged in a historic peace process, this visit gives us the opportunity to continue on this path and build on existing relationships in key sectors such as security, trade, and development.
This morning the President planted a bitternut hickory tree at Rideau Hall to commemorate his state visit to Canada. The durability and strength of the bitternut hickory reflect our countries' important and growing relationship.
On behalf of all Canadians, I welcome President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón.
[Member spoke in Spanish as follows:]
Bienvenido señor presidente. Que viva Colombia, y que viva Canadá!
Criminal Code October 24th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, I request that the division be deferred until tomorrow, Wednesday, October 25, at the end of the time provided for government orders.
Liberal Government of Canada October 19th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, two years ago, Canadians made a choice. They chose a government that wanted to invest in the middle class and invest in our families. Over the past two years, that is exactly what we have done. We have raised taxes on the wealthiest 1% so we could lower them for the middle class. We introduced the Canada child benefit, which is more generous and tax free. We have also made major investments in home care and mental health care. We have invested in our seniors. Our plan is working. More than 400,000 jobs have been created, most of them full-time. They are jealous. For two years now, we have been focusing on the middle class. I just want to say that we are going to keep going. We are not stopping here. We are going to do this for our youth, for our children, and for our families. We are going to do this for all Canadians.
Julie Payette October 2nd, 2017
Mr. Speaker, I am thrilled to rise today to congratulate our 29th Governor General, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Julie Payette, following her installation ceremony earlier today.
A scientific broadcaster, engineer, and astronaut, Ms. Payette has always been very active in her community and has captivated the collective imagination of our nation. She is an inspiring woman who has shown leadership and dedicated her entire life to exploring and broadening her perspective.
I know that as Her Majesty's representative in Canada, she will continue to make us proud here at home and abroad.
I would also like to take a moment to thank the Right Hon. David Johnston for his exceptional service and for fulfilling his duties with such integrity and grace. I believe I speak for all members of this House in wishing him and his wife Sharon all the best as he moves on to other projects.
Message from the Senate June 21st, 2017
Madam Speaker, I suspect if you were to canvass the House, you would find unanimous consent to see the clock as midnight.
On that note, I wish all of my colleagues an excellent summer.
Canada Business Corporations Act June 21st, 2017
Mr. Speaker, I believe that if you seek it, you will find agreement to apply the results of the previous vote to this vote, with the Liberal members voting in favour.
Hon. Member for Lac-Saint-Jean June 20th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, the walls of Parliament shook this week when the member for Roberval announced that he is leaving. It was such a surprise to all of the members that we decided to suspend the House immediately this week.
This is big news. The member for Roberval is a politician, a well-known and highly respected public figure, and he is also greatly liked by Quebecers. In fact, he is such a nice guy that I always suspected that he was a Liberal. We on both sides of the House will miss him very much.
I could easily talk about his career as a businessman, as the mayor of Roberval, as a member of Parliament, as a minister of half of the government, and as president of the Privy Council. I will stop here, because that is not what matters. Everything he has done is great, but what matters is the man behind it all. Behind the politician, the member of Parliament, and the minister, there is the man. Beyond the political adversary there is the man, the human being, a generous, passionate, fair and always smiling individual. He is Mr. Smile, in a way.
He is a father, grandfather, husband, friend, hockey player, golfer, badminton player, and champion cyclist. He is successful at everything he does; he is an accomplished athlete.
In other words, he is not just another pretty face. He is also a helluva good guy, and we will miss him.
He gave me a hard time. When I had the privilege of being the co-chair of the campaign in Quebec, I toured the regions and tried to get candidates. Every time I arrived somewhere, I was told that the hon. member for Roberval had just passed through. He's a damn good guy, and he was ahead of us every time. Whether it was by car or by bicycle, he was absolutely everywhere. He is a machine.
As I said earlier, what he did not do by car, he did by bicycle with the same smile and the same energy. He is a bit like the Energizer bunny; he keeps going and going. I saw him at work on the ground, and he won all my admiration and all my respect. It can be said that he served his constituents and his country with honour, dignity, and humility.
Today, he is heading home, to his region and to his family. He is so attached to that region, to his roots, that it was there that he announced his departure this week. I just hope he will not change his mind.
In preparing these notes, I reread an interview that I really liked and that touched me. The reporter asked him, “What have fatherhood and family changed in your life, your perspective on everyday life?”
He answered, “I have always considered family as being the essence, the reason why we do things, the foundation of everything. When you are in high places professionally, family becomes even more important. My family is my safe haven, where I am told the truth and I am supported as a person.”
The other question that he was asked was: “If you were to go back 30 years, would you have done some things differently with your children?”
He answered, “Although my children never complained about my absence, I would try to be more present.”
Today, he will go back home, he will be with his family and he will be much more present. On behalf of the Liberal members, I would like to thank and congratulate him for all his accomplishments.
On a more personal note, the next time I am in Roberval, if he is not away cycling up Mount Everest, we will sit down and solve the problems of the world over a glass of wine.
I wish him all the best.
Supplementary Estimates (A) June 14th, 2017
Mr. Speaker, I believe you will find unanimous consent to see the clock as midnight.