Children's Breakfast Club  Madam Speaker, for many years, the Children’s Breakfast Club has marked Black History Month in Canada by visiting Parliament Hill. Hundreds of children from across the greater Toronto area pack onto trains provided by Via Rail and make their way to the Hill. During their journey, they are accompanied by special guests, such as the Hon.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, we have an international human rights instrument that defines fundamental rights and freedoms. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a reflection of that in many ways, and in some ways it has gone much further than international norms. I think it is important that we all abide by a basic set of values; sections 7 to 15 of the charter are critical components of the protection of rights for individuals.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, I value the opportunity to respond to this. The Prime Minister has been absolutely clear that Canada is a country of the charter. We are the party of the charter. Our government is very much committed to ensuring that charter values are protected for all Canadians.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, I think it is fair to say that my colleague opposite is strongly defending what he believes is the right thing to do in Quebec. When my family came to Canada, Quebec was the first place we stayed, so I understand Quebec society fairly well. It is in many ways a model society when it comes to the protection of minorities within the context of a country such as Canada, and of course, there is more to do.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, throughout this historical overview, I hope to bring out two main points. The first point is who used the notwithstanding clause in a particular political and historical context. The use of the clause was exceptional until very recently, in the case of Ontario, where it was used pre-emptively.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, I am glad to speak this afternoon. I will be sharing my time with the member for Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill. Let me acknowledge at the outset that we are gathered here on the traditional unceded lands of the Algonquin people. Before I go into the speech, I have some important reflections on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Business of Supply  Madam Speaker, the Minister of Justice clearly indicated that the government had concerns about the pre-emptive use of the notwithstanding clause. The provinces should be convinced that their laws comply with the charter. We have serious concerns about the clause being used in this way.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his well-presented speech on the notwithstanding clause and in particular the impact it has had on LGBTQI rights. I know that last year, in the U.S., we saw Roe v. Wade get overturned. It has been highly problematic, and not just in the U.S.

Sri Lanka  Mr. Speaker, I rise to mark the 75th anniversary of the independence of Sri Lanka, a country that is both morally and economically bankrupt today. Since independence, Sri Lanka has gone to the IMF for bailouts 17 times, which is more than once every five years. Its leaders stand accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Justice  Madam Speaker, Canadians deserve to be safe and to feel safe. We all have a role to play in protecting communities. The laws on bail are very clear. If the accused poses a serious risk to public safety, they should be denied bail. At our direction, federal officials have been working for months with their provincial and territorial counterparts to develop ways to keep Canadians safe.

Justice  Madam Speaker, our hearts go out to those impacted by violence, and especially gun violence. As far as bail is concerned, there is no right to bail if someone poses a serious risk to public safety. There is, in fact, a reverse onus for bail imposed on the accused charged with certain firearms offences, including offences involving a firearm that are committed while subject to a weapons prohibition order.

Justice  Madam Speaker, let me be very clear on bail. The laws on bail are limited to those who do not pose a risk to public safety to be released on bail. If we look at the criminal justice system as a whole, we have a shared responsibility with the provincial and territorial governments.

David C. Onley  Madam Speaker, I rise to honour the late Hon. David C. Onley, the 28th lieutenant governor of Ontario, an iconic Canadian broadcaster, educator and disability rights advocate, and a long-time resident of Scarborough and Rouge Park. Onley contracted polio when he was just three, leaving him to use a motorized scooter throughout his life.

Public Safety  Madam Speaker, my condolences to members of his community who have been impacted by gun violence. It would appear that gun-related crimes are a problem in the member's community and across Canada. Of course that is one of the reasons why we brought forward legislation to address that.

Public Safety  Madam Speaker, our Minister of Justice has been committed to this for many years, and for the record, the work started many months ago. This past Monday, we passed a motion at our justice and human rights committed to study this issue. We are committed to working with our provincial and territorial counterparts.