Official Languages  Mr. Speaker, I assure my colleague that the Conservatives will work in support of the French language. Not a week goes by without us hearing a story about this government's contempt for official languages. Last Thursday, the Parliamentary Budget Officer revealed that, in response to his inquiries, three departments refused to disclose their planned expenditures pertaining to the modernization of official languages.

Public Safety  Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' soft stance on crime only helps criminals. They are too tolerant of law breakers. The poor victims in all of this are our children, who are not even protected. This government has no regard for law-abiding Canadians and their safety. A responsible government would make Canadians safer.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship  Mr. Speaker, there is an urgent need to take action on the labour shortage. There are solutions, but this government has lost control. For example, a temporary foreign worker who has been coming here every year for the past 10 years has to attend an eligibility interview this year.

Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada’s Official Languages  Madam Speaker, I had the privilege of meeting with many organizations from Quebec and elsewhere in Canada who made their case. The list of things we will protect via amendment is long. First up is the central agency. Canada's governmental structure and governance include three organizations that can give instructions in various departments: the Department of Finance, the Privy Council and Treasury Board.

Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada’s Official Languages  Madam Speaker, yes, the francophone community is strong. We are fortunate that this is part of Canada's history, because it means that French is still spoken here in our country and we have a bilingual country. Yes, we must invest in and support our linguistic communities, especially in minority settings.

Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada’s Official Languages  Madam Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Joliette. I have enjoyed working with him since 2015. My colleague pointed to a glaring issue. How can we trust such an inconsistent government? In my speech, I presented what I feel are some very concrete facts to demonstrate this government's inconsistency.

Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada’s Official Languages  Madam Speaker, I listened closely to my Bloc colleague's speech. However, it seems as though some people are having conversations in the House right now. Could you please intervene, Madam Speaker?

Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada’s Official Languages  Madam Speaker, thank you for your kind description of my speech. Today is the second time I rise in the House to speak to the bill to modernize official languages. What parliamentarians are trying to do here today is establish rules to stop the decline of French, protect it and promote it.

Act for the Substantive Equality of Canada’s Official Languages  Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Rimouski-Neigette—Témiscouata—Les Basques for his intervention. I think he and I share the same concern for the French fact. His concern is focused more on French in Quebec, while the French fact as a whole, in Quebec and across Canada, is what matters to me.

Official Languages Act  Madam Speaker, how does the minister feel today knowing that the House is debating Bill C‑13 while government lawyers are preparing a court challenge against francophones in British Columbia?

Official Languages Act  Madam Speaker, I think the Minister of Official Languages needs to understand that this issue is very important to the Conservative Party of Canada, and it is something we want to work on. If she had listened to my speech during the first day of debate in the House of Commons, during which she gave parliamentarians the privilege of speaking, I made it clear that the Conservative Party was reaching out to the government to improve this bill.

Official Languages Act  Madam Speaker, I want to commend my colleague, the chair of the Standing Committee on Official Languages. We are working together to advance the cause. We now have the proof that this government is not really paying attention to the French language and has no real intention of protecting it.

Official Languages Act  Madam Speaker, right now, the House is debating Bill C‑13. We are not debating procedure. I do not need a lecture from the NDP—

Official Languages Act  Madam Speaker, I like what my colleague, the Minister of Official Languages, is saying, but the government is not walking the talk. In my opinion, Bill C-13 is very important because it establishes rules to ensure that, in 50 years, Canada will still be a bilingual country, where both French and English are spoken.

Health  Mr. Speaker, the pandemic has had a tremendous negative impact. The cost of living is rising, businesses are having real supply chain issues and we are experiencing an unprecedented labour shortage. Another major problem is the huge rise in mental health issues. This Liberal government must act now.