Situation in Ukraine  Madam Chair, I am pleased to underline that it is a continued preoccupation of this government to have a feminist foreign policy, which is certainly something that the Minister of Foreign Affairs is actively engaged in. In terms of concretely on the ground, when I was last in Ukraine I engaged directly with members of civil society to talk about how Canada was supporting various actors to encourage full gender equality in their approach.

Situation in Ukraine  Madam Chair, I will point out that Canada has been steadfast in its support of Ukraine, and that is why we have engaged directly with Ukraine and Ukraine's leadership to hear what they need. The number one ask from President Zelensky was economic support, which we delivered in a $120-million sovereign loan to help the Ukrainians counter the economic destabilization in which Russia is engaging.

Situation in Ukraine  moved: That this committee take note of the situation in Ukraine. Madam Chair, I will be sharing my time this evening with the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Canada has always been clear about our steadfast support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, from being the first western country to recognize Ukraine's independence to the deep partnership we have developed in the years since and to the expanded support our government has announced in recent days.

COVID-19 Economic Measures  Mr. Speaker, we will continue to do what we have been doing all along. We will do whatever it takes to support Canadians for as long as we need to. We will secure vaccines, provide rapid tests, send billions of dollars to the provinces for their health care systems, and support the workers, seniors and families who need it.

Public Safety  Mr. Speaker, I thank the Leader of the NDP for bringing up this important issue. Obviously, like him, we vigorously condemn the hatred and the intolerance that we have seen in the streets of Ottawa over the past number of days. We know all Canadians are frustrated, all Canadians are tired of this pandemic, but the vast majority of Canadians know that listening to science, getting vaccinated and continuing to be there for each other with respect and openness is the best and really only way through this pandemic.

Public Safety  Mr. Speaker, the government is going to stand in solidarity with the vast majority of Canadians who have made sacrifices and are fed up with COVID-19, but who continue to respect and be there for each other, for health care workers and for those who provide essential services. These individuals are showing us the way through this pandemic, and they are the ones we will focus on.

COVID-19 Protest  Mr. Speaker, everyone agrees that we want to be done with COVID-19. We are all tired of COVID-19. That is why we are using the best tool we have, which is vaccination. That is why we have been absolutely clear that people need to get vaccinated to protect themselves, to protect health care workers, and to get the economy and supply chains back where they need to be.

Foreign Affairs  Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what we have done in standing up for Ukraine unequivocally, and not just right now. We have been doing so for the past many years. In my numerous conversations with President Zelensky and in the engagements that our ministers have had in the region, we have been listening to Ukraine in terms of what it most needs.

Foreign Affairs  Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, we are answering the call of our Ukrainian friends. We will always stand with them against Russian aggression. That is why we have extended and expanded the united mission to train Ukrainian troops. That is why we sent $120 million in aid and economic support.

Public Safety  Mr. Speaker, of course we will always support the freedom to protest and to disagree with government policies, but we will also take a very firm stand against violence, hatred and intolerance, which, unfortunately, we also saw in this protest. The police are there to protect people to the extent possible.

COVID-19 Protest  Mr. Speaker, the science is very clear: The best way through this pandemic is to get people vaccinated. That is how we end the disruptions to our supply chains that are caused by this global pandemic. That is how we get back to the things we love to do. That is why we have been unequivocal on the need to get vaccinated and, great news, Canadians across the country stepped up.

COVID-19 Protest  Mr. Speaker, I know and all Canadians know how frustrating it is to have to deal with this pandemic for two years now and ongoing. However, Canadians also have never been so united in stepping up. Almost 90% of Canadians have been vaccinated, and that means they are protecting our front-line health workers and they are making sure that we are getting through this the best we possibly can.

Child Care  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the outstanding member for Saint John—Rothesay for his advocacy for families in his riding. For Canadian families, child care is not a luxury, it is a priority. Our agreement with New Brunswick will improve child care for all children in the province no matter where they live.

Government Program  Mr. Speaker, from the very beginning, our government's priority has been to be there for the most vulnerable, including our seniors. That is why we worked hard to strengthen income security for seniors, including with increases to the GIS. We know seniors accessed income support because they needed it during the crisis.

Government Program  Mr. Speaker, Canadians living with a disability face higher levels of poverty and marginalization than just about any other group in Canada. That is why we have committed to moving forward with a Canada disability benefit. We continue to work hand in hand with stakeholders and community members.