Randy Boissonnault

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his question.Our government is extremely proud of Canada's international reputation when it comes to official bilingualism. A Liberal government put that policy in place, and a Liberal government is going to clean up the mess caused by 10 years of ignorance on the part of the former Conservative government. We are going to improve conditions for francophones in minority communities and the anglophone minority in Quebec. That is our duty, and we take it seriously.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her question.I want to make it clear that our government has official languages well in hand with its whole-of-government approach. Not only is there someone guiding the ship, but there are many capable hands on deck because our whole-of-government approach represents Canadians from coast to coast and upholds our government's rights and responsibilities vis-à-vis official languages. We intend to stay the course.

Mr. Speaker, I recognize my hon. colleague's work on these issues.It is clear that our government can always do better on our commitment to official languages. We are going to work closely with Parks Canada. The Minister of Canadian Heritage and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change will deal with this problem.It is also important to note all the progress that we have made when it comes to official languages, including the appointment of a bilingual judge to the Supreme Court and a court challenges program. We are here, we are serious about official languages, and we will continue on that path.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to a state-of-the-art hospital in Ottawa, and we understand the need, from the community, to make a decision quickly. It is because we believe in transparent, rigorous, evidence-based decision-making that the minister has asked the National Capital Commission to lead a site review. That site review will take into consideration 12 federal land sites across the city. We encourage Canadians to get involved in this process, which was launched September 22. We are confident in the NCC's ability to lead a thorough study in order to provide the government with the best recommendation possible.

Mr. Speaker, under the Conservative government, nothing was done to support our artists or modernize our laws on culture. After this decade of indifference for our artists and creators, our government is taking action. Last week, our government announced reforms aimed at modernizing the Copyright Act. Thanks to changes to the Copyright Board of Canada, creators will now be paid for their work faster.Would the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism explain what the modernized system means for our artists and creators?

Mr. Speaker, our government came to office with a commitment to invest in infrastructure across Canada, including my home province of Alberta and my hometown of Edmonton. Since taking office, we have been doing just that. After a decade of inaction from the Harper government, we have been making the much-needed investments in transit, recreational infrastructure, water systems, cultural spaces and more that Edmontonians deserve. Could the Prime Minister please update the House on the investments our government has made to support Alberta's communities and those infrastructure investments in the city of Edmonton?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. If by “the Liberal war on history” he means bringing indigenous people back into their historical context, referring to LGBTQ2 members, making sure that we have rich relationships with multicultural communities, and making sure that we fully value official bilingualism, then our government is resetting the record on history. We are going to celebrate Canada 150 with four themes. This is what we will do as a government. We value history in this government.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question.Our government takes our country's official languages very seriously. We will certainly develop a new roadmap, which is set to begin in 2018. This summer we will enter into consultations on this process.

Mr. Speaker, Jordan's principle was established in response to the death of Jordan River Anderson, a five-year-old member of Norway House First Nation in Manitoba.This principle seeks to resolve jurisdictional disputes so that first nations children can receive the care they need, when the need it. For a renewed nation-to-nation relationship, we must ensure that there is timely access to care in my province of Alberta and across Canada.Can the Minister of Health inform this chamber on the measures she is taking to ensure that our government fully implements Jordan's principle?

Madam Speaker, no relationship is more important to Canada than that with indigenous peoples and our government is committed to building renewed relationships based on recognition of rights and mutual respect. The Lubicon were left out when Treaty 8 was signed in 1899, and as a result, they have been negotiating with the government for almost 40 years over their rightful title to lands and treaty benefits.Could the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations update the House on reconciliation with the Lubicon Lake Band?

Mr. Speaker, our government understands emphatically the need for a state-of-the-art hospital in downtown Ottawa and we support that project. For this reason, the Minister of Canadian Heritage has asked the National Capital Commission to review possible sites for the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus through a rigorous and transparent process in order to provide the government with a recommendation.It is important to note that the member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre also supports this project and she and we support a transparent and open process so that a Civic hospital in Ottawa may be built.

Mr. Speaker, Canada's energy sector is a key driver of our economy and an important source of good, middle-class jobs in my community.Edmontonians and all Albertans want to see good projects move forward in the right way. They know first-hand what happens when they do not.For 10 years, the Conservatives cut corners and failed to get a single inch of new pipeline built to non-U.S. markets. We were elected on a plan to do things differently, and we have delivered.Could the Prime Minister please update the House on our government's decision on the Trans Mountain expansion project?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians elected our government in part because of our commitment to help strengthen and grow our economy, to help the middle class, and to create well-paying jobs for Canadians.Can the Minister of Finance share with this House how today's decision to purchase the Trans Mountain pipeline and related assets will help to uphold this commitment?

Mr. Speaker, the minister has always said that Radio-Canada had a social and historic responsibility to Montreal and to its neighbourhood. Radio-Canada acknowledged that. She also hoped that the more modern and green new facilities would be able to meet our digital realities for years to come.As the project unfolds, we hope that the crown corporation will engage in an open process with its neighbourhood, its employees, and Canadians in general. We will follow the developments of this project with great interest.

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 the multiculturalism of our great nation. We respect the laws and the rights of all Canadians in the House and across the country.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his question. I would also like to thank the people of Edmonton Centre for bringing me here, to the House.The minister has taken this situation in hand. Radio-Canada operates at arm's length from the Government of Canada, of course. When we have all of the information, we will let the member know what is going on with this very important issue.

Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister's special adviser on LGBTQ issues, I know that Canada has an incredible reputation as one of the most LGBTQ-friendly countries in the world. Cities like Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Halifax, and of course Edmonton are internationally recognized LGBTQ destinations. Our community contributes over $4 billion annually to tourism in Canada. Can the Minister of Small Business and Tourism inform the House of our government's plans to strengthen our brand as a destination for LGBTQ2 tourism?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the question.This government is passionate about defending both official languages of Canada, whether it is English in Quebec, French outside Quebec, and French in Quebec. This includes the entire immigration process, access to employment, and access to the federal and provincial systems. We are fighting for this issue and will continue to do so.

Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes that strategic investments in public infrastructure play a key role in supporting dynamic communities while creating good jobs that help grow the middle class.Budget 2017 commits new funding for investment in public transit, water and waste water, culture and recreation, and rural infrastructure. These are all much-needed projects in Alberta.Can the minister tell the House how our government is supporting infrastructure investments across Alberta?

Mr. Speaker, all options were considered for the CBC/Radio-Canada tower. It is important that the Maison de Radio-Canada facilities be modern and adapted to the new media reality, with the shift to digital. We value CBC/Radio-Canada. We will reinvest in the corporation. I would remind the House that CBC/Radio-Canada is an arm's-length corporation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question.My colleagues are working hard on matters pertaining to official bilingualism in this country. We are drafting an action plan for Canada's official languages for 2018-2023.As far as Parks Canada, the RCMP, and our whole-of-government approach to official languages are concerned, we are working on it and will continue to strengthen standards throughout Canada.

Mr. Speaker, since taking office, our government has been a strong supporter of the province of Alberta and of Albertans. This has been true on extending EI benefits, on providing fiscal stabilization, and especially on federal infrastructure investments. The evidence is clear. We have invested in more than 150 projects, including the long-awaited upgrade to the Yellowhead freeway, and we are not stopping there.Can the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities update the House on the latest infrastructure investments our government is making in the great province of Alberta?

Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, Albertans received the news that Amazon was making a major investment in Calgary's economy, committing to opening its seventh facility in Canada. This is great news for Alberta, proof positive that investing in Alberta's talented and skilled workforce is a smart investment.Could the minister update the House on the state of the economy, as the world takes note of the strength of our economy, and why an investment in Canada is a smart investment?

Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. If you seek it, I hope you will find unanimous consent for the following motion: That the House agrees with the recommendation from the 27th report of the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights, and that the name of the—

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for giving me this opportunity to talk about the government’s dedication to official bilingualism and linguistic duality. The social contract we have in our country is based on the founding peoples, anglophones and francophones. We have built a pluralistic country on this foundation, and we are in the midst of reconciliation with indigenous peoples.We will promote English in Quebec, and we will promote French outside Quebec. That is who we are as Canadians.

Mr. Speaker, before coming up with this recommendation, the National Capital Commission did a comparative analysis of 12 potential federal sites using 21 criteria. The Tunney's Pasture site best meets the 21 criteria, and its pre-eminence is supported by the most recent data concerning the long-range plans for urban transportation, demographics, and federal land use in the National Capital Region.There were 8,000 people consulted on this, which is 7,999 more than the last government consulted.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.We are waiting for CBC/Radio-Canada to consult with its partners to evaluate all the options. We realize that Maison de Radio-Canada is very important to Montreal and that it is a meeting place for Canadians.We will reinvest in CBC/Radio-Canada to help with the digital transformation and plan for the future. All reinvestments will be made in co-operation and consultation with the broadcaster and the artistic and cultural communities.

Mr. Speaker, we are taking charge of Canada's official bilingualism. We respect the jurisdictions of each level of government in this country. The mayor and councillors of a city are the ones who decide on its bilingual status. We are going to work to encourage any city across the country that wants to become officially bilingual.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his question.Our government is committed to fulfilling the official languages mandate in all federal government departments. We are working closely with them to ensure that bilingualism is practised in our country. We are working with the RCMP and all of the departments. We care about official languages.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her constant work on this file on behalf of LGBTQ2 people in our country. It is important that we work both at home and abroad to promote human rights across the world. It is important that in our statements that we advance human rights, that we are sensitive to where countries are in their own evolution, and that we always defend the rights. Over time, the long arc of history bends toward progress, and we are helping with that long arc.

Mr. Speaker, in the fall economic update, our government announced the social finance fund, which will help businesses and charitable organizations bridge the gap between business and philanthropy.Organizations such as the McConnell Foundation say that this fund will enable us to generate economic growth while addressing urgent social challenges.This being our last day in the House, would the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development tell us more about the social finance fund?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question.My colleagues are working hard on matters pertaining to official bilingualism in this country. We are drafting an action plan for Canada's official languages for 2018-2023.As far as Parks Canada, the RCMP, and our whole-of-government approach to official languages are concerned, we are working on it and will continue to strengthen standards throughout Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question.Our government takes our country's official languages very seriously. We will certainly develop a new roadmap, which is set to begin in 2018. This summer we will enter into consultations on this process.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the question.This government is passionate about defending both official languages of Canada, whether it is English in Quebec, French outside Quebec, and French in Quebec. This includes the entire immigration process, access to employment, and access to the federal and provincial systems. We are fighting for this issue and will continue to do so.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his question. I would also like to thank the people of Edmonton Centre for bringing me here, to the House.The minister has taken this situation in hand. Radio-Canada operates at arm's length from the Government of Canada, of course. When we have all of the information, we will let the member know what is going on with this very important issue.

Mr. Speaker, our government is committed to a state-of-the-art hospital in Ottawa, and we understand the need, from the community, to make a decision quickly. It is because we believe in transparent, rigorous, evidence-based decision-making that the minister has asked the National Capital Commission to lead a site review. That site review will take into consideration 12 federal land sites across the city. We encourage Canadians to get involved in this process, which was launched September 22. We are confident in the NCC's ability to lead a thorough study in order to provide the government with the best recommendation possible.

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 the multiculturalism of our great nation. We respect the laws and the rights of all Canadians in the House and across the country.

Mr. Speaker, since taking office, our government has been a strong supporter of the province of Alberta and of Albertans. This has been true on extending EI benefits, on providing fiscal stabilization, and especially on federal infrastructure investments. The evidence is clear. We have invested in more than 150 projects, including the long-awaited upgrade to the Yellowhead freeway, and we are not stopping there.Can the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities update the House on the latest infrastructure investments our government is making in the great province of Alberta?

Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, Albertans received the news that Amazon was making a major investment in Calgary's economy, committing to opening its seventh facility in Canada. This is great news for Alberta, proof positive that investing in Alberta's talented and skilled workforce is a smart investment.Could the minister update the House on the state of the economy, as the world takes note of the strength of our economy, and why an investment in Canada is a smart investment?

Mr. Speaker, as the Prime Minister's special adviser on LGBTQ issues, I know that Canada has an incredible reputation as one of the most LGBTQ-friendly countries in the world. Cities like Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Halifax, and of course Edmonton are internationally recognized LGBTQ destinations. Our community contributes over $4 billion annually to tourism in Canada. Can the Minister of Small Business and Tourism inform the House of our government's plans to strengthen our brand as a destination for LGBTQ2 tourism?

Madam Speaker, no relationship is more important to Canada than that with indigenous peoples and our government is committed to building renewed relationships based on recognition of rights and mutual respect. The Lubicon were left out when Treaty 8 was signed in 1899, and as a result, they have been negotiating with the government for almost 40 years over their rightful title to lands and treaty benefits.Could the Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations update the House on reconciliation with the Lubicon Lake Band?

Mr. Speaker, our government came to office with a commitment to invest in infrastructure across Canada, including my home province of Alberta and my hometown of Edmonton. Since taking office, we have been doing just that. After a decade of inaction from the Harper government, we have been making the much-needed investments in transit, recreational infrastructure, water systems, cultural spaces and more that Edmontonians deserve. Could the Prime Minister please update the House on the investments our government has made to support Alberta's communities and those infrastructure investments in the city of Edmonton?

Mr. Speaker, before coming up with this recommendation, the National Capital Commission did a comparative analysis of 12 potential federal sites using 21 criteria. The Tunney's Pasture site best meets the 21 criteria, and its pre-eminence is supported by the most recent data concerning the long-range plans for urban transportation, demographics, and federal land use in the National Capital Region.There were 8,000 people consulted on this, which is 7,999 more than the last government consulted.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. If by “the Liberal war on history” he means bringing indigenous people back into their historical context, referring to LGBTQ2 members, making sure that we have rich relationships with multicultural communities, and making sure that we fully value official bilingualism, then our government is resetting the record on history. We are going to celebrate Canada 150 with four themes. This is what we will do as a government. We value history in this government.

Mr. Speaker, Jordan's principle was established in response to the death of Jordan River Anderson, a five-year-old member of Norway House First Nation in Manitoba.This principle seeks to resolve jurisdictional disputes so that first nations children can receive the care they need, when the need it. For a renewed nation-to-nation relationship, we must ensure that there is timely access to care in my province of Alberta and across Canada.Can the Minister of Health inform this chamber on the measures she is taking to ensure that our government fully implements Jordan's principle?

Mr. Speaker, we are taking charge of Canada's official bilingualism. We respect the jurisdictions of each level of government in this country. The mayor and councillors of a city are the ones who decide on its bilingual status. We are going to work to encourage any city across the country that wants to become officially bilingual.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for her question.I want to make it clear that our government has official languages well in hand with its whole-of-government approach. Not only is there someone guiding the ship, but there are many capable hands on deck because our whole-of-government approach represents Canadians from coast to coast and upholds our government's rights and responsibilities vis-à-vis official languages. We intend to stay the course.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.We are waiting for CBC/Radio-Canada to consult with its partners to evaluate all the options. We realize that Maison de Radio-Canada is very important to Montreal and that it is a meeting place for Canadians.We will reinvest in CBC/Radio-Canada to help with the digital transformation and plan for the future. All reinvestments will be made in co-operation and consultation with the broadcaster and the artistic and cultural communities.

Mr. Speaker, all options were considered for the CBC/Radio-Canada tower. It is important that the Maison de Radio-Canada facilities be modern and adapted to the new media reality, with the shift to digital. We value CBC/Radio-Canada. We will reinvest in the corporation. I would remind the House that CBC/Radio-Canada is an arm's-length corporation.

Mr. Speaker, the minister has always said that Radio-Canada had a social and historic responsibility to Montreal and to its neighbourhood. Radio-Canada acknowledged that. She also hoped that the more modern and green new facilities would be able to meet our digital realities for years to come.As the project unfolds, we hope that the crown corporation will engage in an open process with its neighbourhood, its employees, and Canadians in general. We will follow the developments of this project with great interest.

Mr. Speaker, Canada's energy sector is a key driver of our economy and an important source of good, middle-class jobs in my community.Edmontonians and all Albertans want to see good projects move forward in the right way. They know first-hand what happens when they do not.For 10 years, the Conservatives cut corners and failed to get a single inch of new pipeline built to non-U.S. markets. We were elected on a plan to do things differently, and we have delivered.Could the Prime Minister please update the House on our government's decision on the Trans Mountain expansion project?

Mr. Speaker, I recognize my hon. colleague's work on these issues.It is clear that our government can always do better on our commitment to official languages. We are going to work closely with Parks Canada. The Minister of Canadian Heritage and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change will deal with this problem.It is also important to note all the progress that we have made when it comes to official languages, including the appointment of a bilingual judge to the Supreme Court and a court challenges program. We are here, we are serious about official languages, and we will continue on that path.

Mr. Speaker, in the fall economic update, our government announced the social finance fund, which will help businesses and charitable organizations bridge the gap between business and philanthropy.Organizations such as the McConnell Foundation say that this fund will enable us to generate economic growth while addressing urgent social challenges.This being our last day in the House, would the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development tell us more about the social finance fund?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for her constant work on this file on behalf of LGBTQ2 people in our country. It is important that we work both at home and abroad to promote human rights across the world. It is important that in our statements that we advance human rights, that we are sensitive to where countries are in their own evolution, and that we always defend the rights. Over time, the long arc of history bends toward progress, and we are helping with that long arc.

Mr. Speaker, our government understands emphatically the need for a state-of-the-art hospital in downtown Ottawa and we support that project. For this reason, the Minister of Canadian Heritage has asked the National Capital Commission to review possible sites for the Ottawa Hospital Civic Campus through a rigorous and transparent process in order to provide the government with a recommendation.It is important to note that the member of Parliament for Ottawa Centre also supports this project and she and we support a transparent and open process so that a Civic hospital in Ottawa may be built.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his question.Our government is extremely proud of Canada's international reputation when it comes to official bilingualism. A Liberal government put that policy in place, and a Liberal government is going to clean up the mess caused by 10 years of ignorance on the part of the former Conservative government. We are going to improve conditions for francophones in minority communities and the anglophone minority in Quebec. That is our duty, and we take it seriously.

Mr. Speaker, our government recognizes that strategic investments in public infrastructure play a key role in supporting dynamic communities while creating good jobs that help grow the middle class.Budget 2017 commits new funding for investment in public transit, water and waste water, culture and recreation, and rural infrastructure. These are all much-needed projects in Alberta.Can the minister tell the House how our government is supporting infrastructure investments across Alberta?

Mr. Speaker, under the Conservative government, nothing was done to support our artists or modernize our laws on culture. After this decade of indifference for our artists and creators, our government is taking action. Last week, our government announced reforms aimed at modernizing the Copyright Act. Thanks to changes to the Copyright Board of Canada, creators will now be paid for their work faster.Would the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism explain what the modernized system means for our artists and creators?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for giving me this opportunity to talk about the government’s dedication to official bilingualism and linguistic duality. The social contract we have in our country is based on the founding peoples, anglophones and francophones. We have built a pluralistic country on this foundation, and we are in the midst of reconciliation with indigenous peoples.We will promote English in Quebec, and we will promote French outside Quebec. That is who we are as Canadians.