Soraya Martinez Ferrada

[Holiday Greetings, December 10th, 2020]

Madam Speaker, it has been quite a year, and the people of Hochelaga have shown exceptional resilience in 2020.

This holiday season, I encourage everyone to give back, whether by donating to food banks or by volunteering. I encourage everyone to buy their presents from small local businesses, to thank all those who work in our health care system and in essential services, who are on the front lines of this crisis, and to protect their loved ones and themselves by continuing to follow public health rules.

I thank the community organizations that are stepping up their efforts to help the less fortunate during the holidays, including the Hochelaga community centre, Bouffe-Action in Rosemont, Projet Harmonie, Table de quartier Hochelaga-Maisonneuve and the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve community kitchen.

Happy holidays to the people of Hochelaga. Rest well so that we can start 2021 strong.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

[Women's Rights, December 1st, 2020]

Mr. Speaker, I am a little surprised to see how the Conservatives have been trying to rebuild their image with women over the past few weeks.

It will take more than just words to convince us women. I would like to remind the House of certain facts. When we introduced a bill on equal pay, the Conservatives voted against it. When we proposed historic funding to support the women's movement, they voted against that too. The word “gender” does not appear once in the Conservative leader's recent platform. When women do get mentioned, it is almost exclusively as mothers, not as business owners or people contributing to the labour market. Furthermore, the Conservative leader has frequently stated that he would not stop his members from proposing anti-abortion legislation.

We on this side of the House firmly believe that women have the right to make their own reproductive choices, and that is what we have decided. Women know that our government is putting out progressive, feminist policies and that it will always fight for women's rights.

[Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, November 27th, 2020]

Madam Speaker, the pandemic has impacted nearly every aspect of our lives.

Local restrictions have resulted in the closure of many international visa centres, but Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada's processing centres have remained open. We are continuing to increase capacity while respecting public health guidelines.

What is more, we have put a number of innovative measures in place to process existing applications as quickly as possible and reduce COVID-19-related delays.

[Hochelaga, November 27th, 2020]

Madam Speaker, Hochelaga is at the heart of Montreal East.

This vast part of Montreal has a long industrial past. Several million square feet of land are contaminated, and there is a desperate need for transportation infrastructure. However, we in the east end strongly believe that this area is a hub for future economic, social and environmental development, the kind of development that acknowledges the importance of fighting climate change.

To successfully revitalize Montreal East, we must take environmental action, such as decontaminating the soil, developing public transit, encouraging the creation of businesses that support the circular economy, and more.

Last week, our government introduced the Canadian net-zero emissions accountability act. This bill will ensure that the government will be accountable to Canadians with respect to environmental targets. It will take many years to realize the full potential of Montreal East, but I am committed to working with all stakeholders to achieve this.

[Status of the French Language in Montreal, November 25th, 2020]

Madam Chair, like my colleague from Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, I am also rather surprised by what the member for La Pointe-de-l'Île said.

I would like to quote the 2016 Samson report, which states that the decrease in French integration in Quebec is not attributable to a lack of interest in the French language on the part of immigrants or a lack of dedication on the part of those helping immigrants to learn French but to a lack of resources for French integration.

The Canada-Quebec accord gives Quebec a lot of authority over French integration and the selection of immigrants, especially in the economic stream.

What does the member think about the Canada-Quebec accord, which gives Quebec a lot of authority over immigration?

[Status of the French Language in Montreal, November 25th, 2020]

Madam Chair, I thank my colleague for her question.

One of the most important things is that for the first time, in the plan for immigration levels, there is a specific line for francophone immigration. This demonstrates the importance of maintaining the proportion of francophones across the country.

[Status of the French Language in Montreal, November 25th, 2020]

Madam Chair, I thank my opposition colleague for his question.

I would like to remind members that French is protected not just by one measure but by a series of measures. Over the past five years, our government has been working to protect French in Quebec, and we will continue to do so. I look forward to seeing the modernization plan that the Minister of Official Languages is going to present.

[Status of the French Language in Montreal, November 25th, 2020]

Madam Chair, I thank my colleague for his question. We are indeed neighbours, and our Montreal ridings each include a portion of the eastern part of Rosemont.

Interestingly, the 2016 Samson report concluded that a course correction was needed to strengthen the position of French as Quebec's common tongue, beginning with enhanced measures to help those who choose to come live here learn the language.

My colleague is well aware that many more immigrants are settling in Rosemont, in his riding. We need to make sure that immigrants can work and be taught in French. That is what we want to do.

[Status of the French Language in Montreal, November 25th, 2020]

Madam Chair, I thank my colleague and riding neighbour for his question.

I have always said that I was a child of Bill 101. It is because of Bill 101 that I, as an immigrant, speak French today. Our government will continue to promote and protect the French language.

[Status of the French Language in Montreal, November 25th, 2020]

Madam Chair, can I excuse myself on the grounds that I am new here?

There is no single solution, no small action we can take. A whole series of measures is needed, and those measures will require all of us to really want to protect French.

For the first time, the federal government is recognizing that there is a minority in Canada and North America: the francophone community. I am the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. Most importantly, I am an immigrant who went through the French integration process and the newcomer classes and who watched her mother make a concerted effort to integrate into her new city. To me, it is obvious that immigration is important and crucial to the future of French.

Our government is responsible for ensuring that the newcomers who come to Canada every year without knowing French start to learn French. We do that by transferring significant amounts of money to Quebec to support French integration, under the Canada-Quebec accord, which gives Quebec the exclusive power to select immigrants in several categories and to ensure that considerations such as French are respected and maintained.

According to Quebec's 2016 Samson report, more than 43% of those who settle in the Montreal area do not speak French when they arrive in Canada. As for the rest of Quebec, the statistics are a little more encouraging. Between 75% and 89% of newcomers, depending on the immigration class, say they speak French. However, 54% of those in the economic immigration class do not speak French when they arrive.

That is why investments in French integration are essential to ensure that all immigrants and newcomers like me, my family and my children can learn French, integrate into the host society, work in French, be taught in French and consume culture in French.

That is why the bill to modernize the Broadcasting Act put forward by my colleague the Minister of Canadian Heritage is important.

Like all members of the House, I want to ensure that we work together for the future of Quebec and Montreal in French because they must continue to be the cradle of the francophonie in North America.