Official Languages  Madam Speaker, our government is determined to promote and foster the use of both official languages throughout Canada, especially in communications and service to the public. The Minister of Canadian Heritage is mandated to work with the president of the Treasury Board to ensur

Secularism of Government Institutions  Madam Speaker, our government does defend all the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We value the diversity of the population, we respect the laws and the right of people to pray and to subscribe to a particular faith, and we represent

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2  Madam Speaker, I am honoured to share my time with the member for Gatineau. It is with immense pleasure and pride that I rise to speak in favour of Bill C-29, A second Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 22, 2016 and other measures. O

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2  Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. It should be noted, now that we form the government of Canada, that our approach ensures that our economy will experience full growth. That is what is behind all of our planning. Our two strategies, our two main theme

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2  Madam Speaker, I think what is important to note, and it is interesting that you had 12, and I think we had 13, and one of the things—

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2  Yes, Madam Speaker. What was important in our campaign, and since, is to make sure as a government that the ratio of our deficit to the size of the economy remains among the lowest in G7, and certainly in the G20. What is important is that we continue investing in small busines

Budget Implementation Act, 2016, No. 2  Madam Speaker, it was important to us in the campaign and has been since we have been in government to make sure that we provide for the middle class, including seniors. After listening to Canadians for two years before the last election, it was clear that some of the most vulner

Official Languages  Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Drummond for this opportunity to affirm our government's commitment to official languages. Since its privatization in 1988, Air Canada has been subject to the Official Languages Act and must serve the public in both official languages. Th

Official Languages  Mr. Speaker, as I clearly stated here in the House, the minister is working closely with her colleagues on this issue, and the Standing Committee on Official Languages is also working on this important file. Canadians expect federal institutions that have been designated bilingu

Holidays Act  Mr. Speaker, it is an honour for me to rise in the House this evening to speak about Bill C-311, an act to amend the Holidays Act (Remembrance Day), introduced by my hon. colleague the member for West Nova. I deeply respect and admire my colleague's dedication to honouring our co

Questions on the Order Paper  Mr. Speaker, the NCC does not attribute the cost of any furniture acquisition to any of the official residences, since all furnishings, acquired or existing for the official residences, are considered part of the NCC’s crown collection or general service asset inventory. Therefor

Official Languages  Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Drummond for his question. The minister and her department consider the information and the clarifications made to both chambers of Parliament in October to be quite useful. The minister's appearance before the Standing Committee on Offic

Official Languages  Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, I want to reiterate once again that our government truly believes in the importance of bilingualism in federal institutions and their capacity to serve Canadians in the official language of their choice. I would therefore like to reaffirm this g

Canada Pension Plan  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to address what has transpired in this House over today and yesterday. Today would have been the sixth day of debate on Bill C-26, a bill that would help Canadians achieve a secure, safe, and dignified retirement. The Conservatives have requested more

Canada Pension Plan  Mr. Speaker, returning to the matter at hand, when we are talking about the Canada pension plan, what does the agreement in principle mean for Canadians? As my hon. colleagues may not like to understand but is true now that so many provinces have agreed, once fully in place, the