National Defence  Mr. Speaker, the Liberals, with support from the Bloc, have shut down the investigation into abuse of power and sexual misconduct at the highest levels in the Canadian Armed Forces. Key witnesses have not appeared, critical information has not been provided and we still do not kn

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, so the Prime Minister maintains there has been no wrongdoing by his government as the military failed to eradicate sexual misconduct in its ranks. After being made aware of the allegations against General Vance in 2018, the Clerk of the Privy Council gave the Prime M

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, this is a very important motion before the House today, one that should make Canadians very concerned. It is a motion that should never have had to come before this House. The fact that we, as opposition members, have been left with no other choice but to bring it fo

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, all military members need to be able to report abuse of power and sexual misconduct, confident in the knowledge that they will not suffer further abuse or reprisal. The passing of Bill C-77 in 2019 ensured that the privacy and security of victims within the Canadian

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, Canadians continue to learn that far too many military members who have experienced sexual assault and misconduct remain trapped in a culture where their voices go unheard. Bill C-77 protects in law the anonymity and security of victims and witnesses in these cases,

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, under the Prime Minister, sexual misconduct at the highest levels of our Canadian Armed Forces continues unchecked. Serious allegations are ignored, investigations are shut down, critical evidence is lost and charges are dropped. Those who are complicit through their

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is defiant that he has consistently got it right for the men and women in uniform, but he failed to have General Vance suspended or allegations against him investigated. Worse still, he approved a salary increase of $50,000 for him. He approved a r

Opposition Motion—Plan for Reopening the Economy  Mr. Speaker, this is a very important topic. We are not saying, in any way, shape or form, that lockdowns do not have an important health responsibility and consequence. What we are saying is that there can be no economic recovery without opening up the country at some point, wh

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on National Defence is looking at serious allegations of sexual misconduct within our Canadian Armed Forces. These testimonies are important, both for the committee and for the public. However, Zita Astravas, the former chief of staff of the

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, understanding who knew what, and when, with regard to sexual misconduct allegations against the former chief of the defence staff is critical to achieving a Canadian Armed Forces where women can serve equally and without fear. As a public servant, Zita Astravas is in

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, when first asked about General Vance's sexual misconduct, the Prime Minister said he was not aware of any allegations, but at last Friday's press conference, he pivoted from “any allegations” to “specific allegations”. Is the Prime Minister committed to zero toleranc

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, to understand what the Prime Minister knew about the cover-up of sexual misconduct in the Canadian Forces, the facts matter. The defence minister knew in March 2018. Janine Sherman, the deputy secretary to cabinet, knew in March 2018. Michael Wernick, then deputy min

Employment Insurance Act  Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for a very comprehensive overview of some of the real opportunities and challenges within the current employment insurance system and, of course, the emergency benefits with the CERB that were put in place to address some of those things.

Employment Insurance Act  Madam Speaker, my colleague offered some suggestions for improving the EI program. Can she tell us more about that and explain why this reform is important so that we can better understand what this is about?

National Defence  Mr. Speaker, today is International Women's Day, a day when we celebrate strong women who had the courage to break barriers and inspire the generations that followed them. Women in our Canadian Armed Forces have the right to proudly serve alongside men as their equals. However,