Petitions  Mr. Speaker, the second petition that I would like to present on behalf of the Nigerian Canadian community, which calls upon Parliament to condemn the violence against unarmed protesters at the Lekki toll gate in October in Nigeria. This is an issue that has been of great concern to the Nigerian diaspora in Canada.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, the last petition I would like to present is also signed by many Canadians. They are calling on not just the government but also the House of Commons to do everything possible to combat climate change. More specifically, they are calling on us to put a price on pollution and to impose border tax adjustments for goods that cross our border.

Petitions  Mr. Speaker, it is a great privilege to be able to present three petitions today. Before I do, I would like to join my colleagues in wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, happy holidays, happy Hanukkah and happy Kwanza. In the same vein, the first petition I am presenting, which was signed by several hundred Canadians, calls on Parliament to ensure that we change Canada's history books to include a detailed account of the history of slavery in Canada and the Black slave trade in our country.

Official Languages  Mr. Speaker, our government is determined to ensure that our programs and services produce results for Canadians. In their review of the proposed Canada student service grant, Treasury Board officials explored a number of avenues to ensure due diligence. The secretariat determined that the Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth had the necessary authority under the policy on transfer payments to set up the program.

Official Languages  Mr. Speaker, promoting official bilingualism and defending the French language have been a top priority for our government since 2015. French is here to stay. It is part of our history, our identity and our future. It is our duty to defend and promote it. On this side of the House, we are proud to be francophones and francophiles, and we are proud of the concrete action we have taken to defend French.

Public Service of Canada  Mr. Speaker, we cannot ignore that racism is a lived reality for Black Canadians, indigenous peoples and people of colour. We have to make sure that our public service is not only representative of the population it serves but that it offers an opportunity for all employees to express their full potential.

Old Aylmer Christmas Market  Madam Speaker, the first snowfall heralded an abrupt start to winter and people are beginning to prepare for the upcoming holiday season. That is a good thing for the Old Aylmer Christmas Market, which has a warm and lively experience in store for shoppers in this its seventh year of operation.

Hull Volunteer Centre  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the excellent work done by the Centre d'action bénévole de Hull, which is celebrating 25 years of service in my riding, Hull—Aylmer. Delivering meals to people's homes, driving them to appointments and hosting tax clinics are just a few of the ways this organization is improving the lives of thousands of residents.

Questions on the Order Paper  Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is committed to supporting employees, whether physically in the workplace or at home. Together and apart, the government will continue to deliver information, advice, programs and services that Canadians need. The Government of Canada continues to take exceptional measures to curb the COVID-19 pandemic and to protect the health and safety of its employees.

Office of the Auditor General  Madam Speaker, let me start by assuring the new Auditor General of my full collaboration and that of the President of the Treasury Board. Our government is committed to supporting her important ongoing work. As the Auditor General told the committee, she is feeling very positive about the work that is going on between her office and the Department of Finance.

Office of the Auditor General  Madam Speaker, that is a great question. After Stephen Harper's Conservatives cut the Auditor General's budget by nearly $6.5 million, we took steps to restore that funding. In budget 2018, we invested over $41 million in additional funding for the Office of the Auditor General.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, when I think about what happened in 1970, I also remember the people I grew up with who lived through that period or whose parents were involved in the nationalist movement or the federalist movement. Everyone was afraid. The advantage of time allows me to better understand what happened.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, those who do not understand history are doomed to repeat it. I felt it was important to make the connection between the two crises.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, we need to talk about the past. We need to know about it and learn from it. That is essential. At the same time, we must never forget to think about our constituents who are suffering at this very moment. We must never forget to focus all our energy on getting through this crisis.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Vancouver Island for the link he made to his uncle's experiences during the war. It is important for us to understand and place ourselves in the time when this was happening. We now have the benefit of looking back at history with assurance as to what the results have been because we did not live through them.