Citizenship Act  Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the question. Of course, the issues of fees and funding related to newcomers are very important. That is why there are different programs to welcome newcomers. The recent Syrian refugee program comes to mind. There has been some excellent collaboration between government services, the community, and the family members who are already here.

Citizenship Act  Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure today to be able to speak about Bill C-6. The government is committed to a Canada that is both diverse and inclusive. Canadians know and our government recognizes that historically we are strong because of our diversity, not in spite of it. The Prime Minister and the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship have been clear from the outset: flexibility and diversity are going to be crucial to our future as a country and in what we offer the world.

Syrian Family in Châteauguay—Lacolle  Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to publicly congratulate and thank the people of Châteauguay—Lacolle, especially Jean-François Lavallée, founder of the Comité d'accueil de réfugiés du Grand Châteauguay, and Anik Sauvé, president of Entraide Mercier, who set up a sponsorship group for a Syrian family, the first in our community.

Employment Insurance  Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her question. It is very important that we work hard together to create jobs. Under the Canada job fund agreements, the provinces and territories receive $500 million per year. That money is used to provide employment services and support to workers.

Employment Insurance  Indeed, Mr. Speaker, I think that is a cornerstone of the employment insurance program and its ability to respond to regional needs. Because we are a big country, we are spread out over many different types of micro-economies and it is very important to respond accordingly. The fact is that the government is sensitive, for example, to the ongoing situation resulting from lower oil prices in Alberta and Saskatchewan and has allowed the EI program to increase the level of EI benefits in all four economic regions in Alberta.

Employment Insurance  Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for New Brunswick Southwest. I rise in the House today to speak to this motion and express my disagreement with it. Despite its good intentions, it does not adequately address the real problem experienced by Canadian workers who have lost their jobs recently, especially after the changes that the previous Conservative government made to the employment insurance system.

Natural Resources  Mr. Speaker, last week in Winnipeg, the Minister of Natural Resources met with his counterparts from the United States and Mexico. At this meeting, they signed a memorandum of understanding on green energy collaboration. Can the minister describe this collaboration model and explain the benefits it will have for Canadian investments in green energy, energy efficiency, and green energy industries?

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Awards  Mr. Speaker, I want to extend my warm congratulations to three of my constituents of Châteauguay—Lacolle, who were honoured yesterday at Rideau Hall by the Governor General, His Excellency David Johnston, during the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, NSERC, award ceremony.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Mr. Speaker, this is a subject that is dear to my heart, the tax-free savings account. When I was working as a social work educator, I spoke to my students about this as a way to encourage asset-based savings to help people off of welfare and living on a month-to-month routine.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his question. As a matter of fact, we are investing in our youth by tying the Canada child benefit to basic income. This is not charity but rather a fair redistribution of our national resources. That is precisely why we set up this plan.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Mr. Speaker, I wish to inform you that I will be sharing my time with the member for Fredericton. It is an honour for me to rise and speak to the House for this, my first real speech. First of all, I want to once again thank the people of Châteauguay—Lacolle for the trust they have placed in me.

Châteauguay—Lacolle  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the people of Châteauguay—Lacolle for doing me this honour. I want the House to know that I will work very hard to be worthy of their faith in me. My riding is between the St. Lawrence and the American border. Part rural and part urban, it is blessed with rich land in Les Jardins-de-Napierville.