Passports  Mr. Speaker, we have already done all of those things that my hon. colleague is calling for. It takes 15 weeks to train a passport officer. This has already been going on for months. The first class of passport officers starts on Monday. This is not something that changes overnig

Passports  Mr. Speaker, we are taking the situation very seriously. That is exactly why we adjusted our approach in Montreal. The situation in Montreal is exceptional. It is not like anywhere else in the country. Every day for the past seven days, between 1,500 and 2,000 people have lined

Passports  Mr. Speaker, the situation in Montreal is truly unacceptable. That is why, since yesterday, teams of 10 managers have been going down the line to ensure that everyone gets a chance to have a conversation and get an appointment ticket. Service Canada offices will be open until mi

Passports  Mr. Speaker, Service Canada employees are already working 12, 14 or 16 hours a day. They are there first thing in the morning. They are serving Canadians. They are also working Saturdays to process passports. They receive applications during the day. At night, they process them

Passports  Mr. Speaker, I understand Canadians' frustration with the passport situation. We implemented a new strategy as of yesterday. We saw the lines of people forming outside of the Saint-Laurent, Laval and Guy-Fravreau offices, so they received tickets and appointments. Today, 250 pe

Government Services  Mr. Speaker, first I want to clarify something. The members opposite keep saying that public servants need to get back to work. Public servants at Service Canada have been in offices for months. They have been working around the clock. The people they are talking about who are wo

Passports  Mr. Speaker, it is extraordinarily important that we get the integrity of passports right. That is something that I have been communicating, and when someone is applying for a passport for the first time, it is one of the reasons that we ensure we are getting this right. When we

Passports  Mr. Speaker, the situation in Montreal right now is like nowhere else in the country, with hundreds of people lining up at the three passport offices. With the Saint-Jean and Canada Day holidays coming up, we know that many Quebeckers want to travel. We have now changed our stra

Passports  Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, today, we adopted a new strategy to deal with applications in Montreal in particular. Hundreds and even thousands of people are waiting outside Service Canada offices. We gave out tickets for appointments. The director for Quebec assured me that senio

Passports  Mr. Speaker, a passport is a secure document. We must ensure the integrity of the process, which involves stringent screening measures. This document confirms Canadian citizenship, and the integrity of the process is paramount. In addition, nearly 85% of the passport application

Families, Children and Social Development  Mr. Speaker, I have good news for the hon. leader of the NDP. We are providing assistance right now in the 13 provinces and territories, right across the country, through the child care agreements. Families with young children will save thousands of dollars every year. We are tal

Passports  Mr. Speaker, the situation in Montreal is unacceptable and does not reflect what is happening in other places in the country. For the past four business days, more than 1,000 people have been waiting in line, and we do not want people to be forced to do that. That is why, starti

Passports  Mr. Speaker, I see that all the other parties in the House agree that the Bloc Québécois could never form the government here. We will ensure that Canadians receive their passports. It is a difficult situation. After two years, we know that Canadians want to travel and that they

Families, Children and Social Development  Mr. Speaker, I welcome the hon. leader of the NDP's little person. I am glad he brought her in. This government is delivering for families. In fact, across the country, we have delivered 13 child care—

Families, Children and Social Development  Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to congratulate the hon. leader of the NDP for bringing his little person in here. It is wonderful to see children here as well. I am so thrilled to hear the members opposite be so excited about child care, because there are 13 agreements right across