Cannabis Act  Mr. Speaker, it is a privilege to speak on Bill C-45, because so many Canadians are talking about it right now. If one goes to a school in the Pontiac, and I have visited several, or to a municipal council to talk about what the federal government is doing that is new, much of the same thing is heard, which is that Canadians are interested and concerned.

Quebec Municipal Elections  Mr. Speaker, as you may know, Quebec is holding municipal elections this Sunday. On November 5, the voters of Pontiac will elect 41 mayors, 243 councillors, and 2 prefects. More than 500 residents of Pontiac have thrown their hat in the ring. I would like to thank all candidates for their participation and for reminding us that all politics truly are local, especially in the Pontiac.

Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Act  Mr. Speaker, it feels like this is reflective of the high-handed, unconstitutional approach the previous government took to relations with our indigenous peoples. I would like to return to the argument the member for Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo made before. She alluded to the fact that there was a global recession, as though that is some kind of justification for unilateral changes to rights that are constitutionally protected.

Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Act  Mr. Speaker, the hon. member for Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo is a colleague of mine on the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs, and this is a subject we have debated together. I am curious, though, because there is a question that goes to the heart of the honour of the crown.

Federal Sustainable Development Act  Madam Speaker, the member asked a good question, because at the end of the day Canadians need to understand the concrete purpose of this legislation. Department by department, there are sustainable development strategies that are developed pursuant to the existing law, but there are many federal agencies that are not covered within the ambit of this legislation, Canada Post, for example.

Federal Sustainable Development Act  Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands for the positive comment about the committee's work, and absolutely for the reference to former member Mr. Godfrey, who was a witness before our committee. His service over many years to Canadians in the direction of sustainable development was remarkable.

Federal Sustainable Development Act  Mr. Speaker, today I will be sharing my time with the member for Whitby. I would like to speak about an issue in relation to Bill C-57 that is really important, not just to all Canadians but to many of my Pontiac constituents. There are a great number of Pontiac residents who work as public servants within the federal civil service.

Committees of the House  Mr. Speaker, I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 10th report of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs in relation to Bill C-17, an act to amend the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act and to make a consequential amendment to another act.

Indigenous Affairs  Mr. Speaker, the sixties scoop is a dark and painful chapter in Canada's history. The national settlement is a critical step toward reconciliation with indigenous peoples. Those affected by the scoop suffered considerable harm, including losing their culture and heritage. Can the minister tell the House what efforts were made to reach a national settlement?

Mexico  Mr. Speaker, today I planned to acknowledge Mexico Independence Day, which was celebrated on September 16 by nearly 100,000 Canadians of Mexican descent, including my wife and my family. However, as co-chair of the Canada-Mexico Parliamentary Friendship Group I want to offer my thoughts and prayers as Mexico grapples with a second earthquake in as many weeks.

Indigenous Languages  Mr. Speaker, on National Aboriginal Day, it is essential that we focus on the beauty and preservation of those indigenous languages that are critically endangered. The Algonquin people of the Pontiac are working hard to preserve their language and its dialects. I want them to know that all Canadians are behind them.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I am not sure if the member opposite had the opportunity to hear the first five or six minutes of my speech, which I delivered in French. It was 100% entirely on the issue of nominations, so I am not sure what was missed there. Therefore, it is entirely appropriate for the full breadth of the issue of nominations to be discussed in the House.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, it is important to distinguish between the nomination and appointments process that our government has brought about and the one that was previously in place. We have made it quite clear, and I did as well in my earlier comments, that the spirit of openness, transparency, merit, and diversity are the fundamental values and principles at the core of the Government of Canada's new approach to appointments.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, it is fair to say there are many different ways that Parliament can be consulted before nominations and appointments are made. The important thing for Canadians is that they be done in an independent manner, that the process be inclusive, and that it be merit-based.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the comments on making sure that we hold true to the point of discussion on the opposition motion today. However, I think this is relevant, because at the end of the day, what we are talking about is how we achieve good nominations and how we achieve great appointments in Canada.