Health  Mr. Speaker, after years of delay, Canadian Blood Services has finally announced its commitment to end the discriminatory blood ban. It is a step in the right direction, yes, but questions remain. Health Canada still needs to approve its submission. The government was told back in June that this submission would be coming.

Health  Mr. Speaker, I am sorry, but that was absolutely shameful as an answer. You have always known this was discrimination. You have known for six months that this submission would be coming, yet you cannot give a date. You cannot outline what that process is. To the minister, people are watching and waiting.

Telecommunications  Mr. Speaker, that was not even close to an acceptable answer. They cannot even get the okay to apply to the universal broadband fund that the minister and the government continue to tout provides better Internet access. One hundred and four heads of council in eastern Ontario are behind this project, and it is valued at $1.6 billion.

World Blood Donor Day  Mr. Speaker, yesterday was World Blood Donor Day. Here is how the United Kingdom celebrated it: For the first time, all donors will now be asked the same questions about their sexual behaviours in a gender-neutral manner, meaning that gay and bisexual men in monogamous relationships can donate blood and make a difference for the first time.

Government Business No. 10—Broadcasting Act  Mr. Speaker, my colleague and fellow eastern Ontarian is a former mayor and we have worked together doing previous work. The people who will probably be the most happy with this legislation are the lawyers, who will get rich off this in the coming years through CRTC decisions.

Government Business No. 10—Broadcasting Act  Mr. Speaker, to assure the member, when we talk about Canadian content, that includes anglophone and francophone content in every part and every region of the country. I have to give the members of the Bloc Québécois a bit of a shot. At different times today, and over the course of the last few weeks, they have criticized the process and said that the government really bungled this, that it did not consult properly and that there were a lot of things they would do differently.

Government Business No. 10—Broadcasting Act  Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise for the second time in the chamber to debate Bill C-10. I had the opportunity to debate it back in December at second reading. I will be splitting my time with the member for Carleton. Bill C-10 will be remembered as an iconic piece of legislation if it is passed, but not for the reasons the government would want.

Government Business No. 10—Broadcasting Act  Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my colleague's interventions here in the chamber. They are always well said and well researched. She mentioned the process in response to the last question, about the committee work about what has been done or, as a matter of fact, what has not been done in terms of accountability.

Questions on the Order Paper  With regard to the decision announced by the government on the evening of April 22, 2021, to ban direct flights from India and Pakistan: (a) when did the government make the decision; (b) did the government inform the member from Surrey—Newton about the decision or pending decision prior to making the announcement public, and, if so, when was the member from Surrey—Newton informed; (c) did the government advise the member from Surrey—Newton to issue the tweet on April 21, 2021, encouraging Canadians travelling in India to consider coming home immediately; and (d) if the answer to (c) is negative, did the government provide any information to the member from Surrey—Newton, prior to April 22, 2021, which would indicate that a flight ban was likely forthcoming, and, if so, what are the details of the interaction?

Citizenship Act  Madam Speaker, to my Bloc colleague, I think it was a summary of what I had illustrated. It has been 2,100 days since the TRC report was released, and it has been 2,100 days of dealing with Bill C-8: call to action 94. As I mentioned, and as the member alluded to, the discovery last week was a wake-up call for millions of Canadians.

Citizenship Act  Madam Speaker, I want to thank my fellow eastern Ontarian for that question from the government side. It provides an opportunity for me to again state the principles of UNDRIP. The overwhelming majority of the declaration is not an issue. However, for far too long and in far too many examples in our history, we have not seen the proper parliamentary work and consultation to get some of the details in that legislation resolved early.

Citizenship Act  Madam Speaker, 13 years ago next week, the chamber of the House of Commons was filled with tears and a lot of raw emotion. Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued the apology for the treatment that residential school survivors experienced at federally funded schools across the country.

Diversity and Inclusion  Mr. Speaker, I do not know where to start with those comments from the parliamentary secretary. Canadians are expecting leadership from the government, which said it would get rid of the blood ban. That answer was an absolute slap in the face. As a proud gay man, about 17 years ago I went to donate blood, only to find out that I was disqualified simply because I am gay.

Diversity and Inclusion  Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to rise in the late show here tonight to follow up on my questions to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health on ending the blood ban in Canada. This is timely, and this has been said in many speeches today, as tomorrow marks the beginning of pride month.

Retirement Congratulations  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Bill Makinson, a well-known local media personality and civic leader in Cornwall and surrounding communities, who announced that after volunteering and working with YourTV in Cornwall since 1976, he will retire on Friday. While Bill has spent numerous hours in the studio, his commitment to volunteerism has been matched by only a few people over the years: Big Brothers Big Sisters, United Way, Crafting a Cure, the MS golf tournament, the Cornwall and Area Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health, just to name a few.