West Island Black Community Association  Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay homage to Ms. Elizabeth-Ann Williams, who, for over 25 years, has been volunteering with the West Island Black Community Association. WIBCA, as it is known, is a wonderful organization that provides programs, workshops, and social activities for a

Parliamentary Poet Laureate  Mr. Speaker, I call on the House to applaud Mr. George Elliott Clarke, our current Parliamentary Poet Laureate. While his tenure is coming to an end this year, his work as a poet, a playwright, and an activist will continue to live on. Indeed, he has written over 50 poems during

Salaries Act  Mr. Speaker, I enjoyed what the member for Kitchener—Conestoga had to say because it really reflects the strong difference between our respective governments. I would like to alight on the idea of the Minister of Science and her ministry not being viewed as a strong one, or that

Or Shalom Synagogue  Mr. Speaker, on November 17, I will have the pleasure of attending the 40th anniversary celebrations for the Or Shalom Synagogue in Dollard-des-Ormeaux. Or Shalom is the first and only Sephardic synagogue in west end Montreal, and its mission has expanded considerably in order to

Michael Pitfield  Mr. Speaker, yesterday we were saddened to learn of the death of former senator Michael Pitfield. He was an exceptional individual who, among other things, helped modernize the public service and had a role in the patriation of our Constitution. Mr. Pitfield had a long and brill

Business of Supply  Yes, it wasn't important enough to trump character assassination. Members could say they see a problem with how it is affecting small business, but it was not important enough to trump character assassination. There is an old saying, “If you live in a glass house, don't throw ro

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, my problem is this. We have different sections in government. Different people do different things. For example, we have the Ethics Commissioner. It is the Ethics Commissioner's job to look over these documents, and she has done her job. If there has been an oversigh

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I have spoken to a number of small business owners for whom this tax cut is no mere distraction. They welcome this measure and are very happy about it. They think it is an excellent initiative on the part of our government, one that was part of our election platform.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, the member touched on a number of issues. I was trying to keep track of them as he was going along, but there were so many. He was all over the place, and I had a hard time catching it. What I can say is that the finance minister has been doing his job, collaborati

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, the motion before us essentially casts aspersions on the character of our finance minister. It talks about accusations. It talks about the minister standing to benefit. It is a simple motion. Before I get in to the motion, I have a confession to make. I have been i

Business of Supply  Yes, I have done it for multiple years.

Business of Supply  I have been buying RRSPs. I am deferring my taxes as well, but I am avoiding taxes and I am doing it legally. I plan to continue to do it. My point is that tax planning is legitimate. The government puts in a number of rules to encourage us to plan in certain ways. RRSPs are des

Air Transportation  Mr. Speaker, everyone in Montreal, including my constituents in Pierrefonds—Dollard, heard about the serious problem of wait times at Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport in Montreal in the summer of 2016. Airports are key drivers of local economies. It is crucial that they operate ef

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom  Mr. Speaker, today we welcome the Right Honourable Theresa May, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. I am proud of the fact that the relationship between our two countries has always been positive and based on mutual trust. The United Kingdom is an important ally to Canada in a

Public Transit  Mr. Speaker, Canadians know how important transportation is when it comes to ensuring a reliable and efficient trip to work, to visit their friends or families, or to go home after a long day. In the greater Montreal area, it is more important than ever to have a world-class publ