COVID-19 Protests  Mr. Speaker, I am totally flabbergasted by the response that the Minister of Public Safety gave to the leader of the Bloc Québécois. He just confirmed, in front of everyone here, that the federal government has not even tried to talk to the various spokespeople for those responsible for the protest in Ottawa.

COVID-19 Protests  Mr. Speaker, what is happening in Ottawa is no longer a protest. It is the siege of a G7 country. However, we feel that the federal government is taking this lightly. The federal government must create a crisis task force that includes members of all levels of government and all police services.

Natural Resources  Mr. Speaker, there have been consultations among the parties, and I believe you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That the House deem the occupation in front of the parliamentary precinct in Ottawa to be illegal, that it ask GoFundMe to put all funds intended for this siege on hold, and that it call on participants to leave peacefully.

COVID-19 Protests  Mr. Speaker, we know that the Ottawa police are expecting more protesters on the weekend. We know that the trucks are equipped to stay for weeks, even months. We know that the organizers are receiving money from international sources. This is a planned occupation and the federal government is leaving Ottawa and its residents to fend for themselves.

COVID-19 Protests  Mr. Speaker, the crisis is not going to resolve itself. The Minister of Public Safety needs to set up an official crisis task force with all police forces, the Government of Ontario and the City of Ottawa. He needs to provide a daily update on the situation, the way a real leader would do in a crisis.

Economic and Fiscal Update Implementation Act, 2021  Madam Speaker, to be honest, I am not sure where my colleague was going with all that. He said a lot of things in his speech that I find problematic, including the fact that he is questioning the science here. I am not sure that we are all ready to say that people are free to think differently and to believe that what science is telling us now is wrong.

Economic and Fiscal Update Implementation Act, 2021  Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his speech and congratulate him on his efforts to learn French. He began his speech in French and he is getting better every day. I noted several very interesting points in his speech that I would have liked to discuss. However, he ended by talking about small, or modular, nuclear reactors.

Economic and Fiscal Update Implementation Act, 2021  Mr. Speaker, I thank the minister for his speech. I have a question for him about the new federal tax on underused housing. The government claims that this new tax will bring in some $700 million over four years and that will help fix the housing crisis. Earlier this week, the Parliamentary Budget Officer reported that the tax would bring in $100 million less than that.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech. She talked about gun control. I hear her talk about that topic often. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the vigil for the fifth anniversary of the Quebec City mosque shooting. Several events were organized by the mosque, in collaboration with Polytechnique.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Madam Speaker, I appreciate my colleague's very specific question. I would not want to speak about something I am not familiar with, as I have not read the bill she mentioned. However, I completely agree with her that we must address the issue of poverty. I mentioned that the rising cost of living is having a devastating effect on so many people, especially the most vulnerable.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. Perhaps my remarks were misunderstood. I may not agree with everything the government does in general, but at least we agree on one thing: The health measures in place right now are legitimate. I always say that as much as I can to anyone who will listen when I am interviewed on television.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. I agree that we can walk and chew gum at the same time. I think the government has shown some goodwill in that regard. There are a number of major projects under way, but the housing crisis is a recurring issue in big cities.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Madam Speaker, I would like to wish you a happy new year. I believe this is the last day we are allowed to do that. I am really happy to be here and to get back to the work of Parliament. We have been looking forward to coming back, albeit under unusual circumstances, in a situation that we have not seen very often on Parliament Hill in recent years.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Madam Speaker, my father is also a truck driver, and I am extremely proud of him and what he does. I did not know that I had this in common with my colleague. Like 90% of truckers and other Canadians, my father has had his three doses of the vaccine. Most of them have received two doses and will soon be getting their third.

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply  Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for her speech. I would also like to thank my colleagues for their presence today and wish them a good session. My colleague mentioned what is happening on Parliament Hill right now. It is troubling to see what is happening and to see people who are fed up with the situation.