Anju Dhillon

Mr. Speaker, whether in my riding of Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle or anywhere else across this country, Canadians are proud to call such a diverse and vibrant place home.We cannot afford to ignore incidents of hatred or violence directed against our minority communities, such as the incidents that occurred in Quebec City, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and Hamilton.Can the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell Canadians what measures the government is taking to combat racism and discrimination?

The Minister of Transport went to Paris in September and to Seoul last week on behalf of the federal government to support keeping the World Anti-Doping Agency's headquarters in Montreal. Montrealers are proud that their city has been home to the agency's headquarters since 2001.Can the minister tell my constituents and all Montrealers about the work our governments are doing to keep the agency's headquarters in Montreal?

Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of neglect by the previous government, federal science and research infrastructure was at an all-time low. Our researchers were muzzled, our labs were shuttered and evidence-based decision-making was nowhere to be seen. It has taken three years of hard work by our government to return science to its rightful place.Can the Minister of Science and Sport please tell this House how our government is repairing the 10 years of damage to our researchers and our research infrastructure?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question.Our Prime Minister appointed not only a gender-balanced cabinet, but he also appointed a minister dedicated solely to the status of women, a first in the history of Canada. Our government has taken positive steps toward achieving gender equality.A gender-based violence strategy, an inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women, gender-based analysis of our policies and all of our future budgets, pay equity legislation, over 3,000 shelter spaces, the Canada child benefit, a framework for early education and child care, and a national poverty reduction strategy.We are just getting started.

Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday, a major wind storm cut communications for the people of the Magdalen Islands. The storm made it impossible to communicate with the mainland and the people were cut off from the rest of Quebec.Thursday afternoon, the Quebec public safety minister, Geneviève Guilbault, declared that the emergency was beyond the provincial government's capacity to respond.Can the minister explain what our government is doing to help the people of the Magdalen Islands?

Mr. Speaker, today marks the beginning of the torch relay for the 2019 Canada Winter Games, which will take place in Red Deer. The torch will leave Ottawa and travel to Halifax, Thunder Bay, Regina and Victoria, passing through more than 40 communiites across the country.I am excited to see the success of our athletes in 2019. Can the Minister of Science and Sport tell us more about this great event?

Mr. Speaker, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen are faced with a terrible crisis affecting food and nutrition. The UN recently even declared it to be the worst humanitarian crisis since 1945. Last Friday, Canada announced funds to assist the poorest and most vulnerable of those affected by the crisis.Can the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie inform the House of the details of this major announcement?

Mr. Speaker, technological change has shown us that we must continue to encourage innovation in our country. In order to provide tangible help to those who are worried about being left behind, the government has already stressed the importance of giving Canadian workers the tools they need to succeed in the new economy.Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour explain to the House what this government is doing to make sure that Canadians can get the training they need to find and keep good, well-paying jobs?

Mr. Speaker, women have a right to choices when it comes to their health. An important part of women's health involves access to a variety of safe and effective forms of contraception. However, the Public Service Health Care Plan currently covers only oral contraceptives.What has the government done to correct this situation for more than 650,000 federal public servants and their family members?

Mr. Speaker, there is a national public health crisis in Canada. Yesterday, Alberta reported it had 343 deaths due to fentanyl overdoses last year, compared to 257 the previous year. This tragic crisis continues to make its way east. Seizures of fentanyl and carfentanil are on the rise across the country.My hometown of Montreal has decided that supervised injection sites are an appropriate tool for dealing with the situation we are facing.What is the government doing to address this national public health crisis?

Mr. Speaker, we had the honour of welcoming Malala Yousafzai to the House today. Malala is a model of courage and perseverance. Her fervent plea for the education of girls has inspired millions of people around the world.Will the Prime Minister take this opportunity to tell the House how important the education of girls around the world is to Canada?

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is committed to preventing all forms of gender-based violence. We are working very hard towards this matter. Throughout the summer we held consultations, and we will continue our good work on preventing such situations.

Mr. Speaker, the government is marking Gender-based Analysis Plus Awareness Week from May 16 to 20. Encouraging the use of this analysis leads to decision-making that takes into account the needs of all Canadians. As parliamentarians, we can promote equality by applying GBA+ to all projects we undertake on behalf of Canadians. I therefore encourage all my colleagues to take up the challenge and complete the online training course available on the Status of Women Canada website.

Mr. Speaker, the government recently launched the federal community housing initiative, a program that will protect housing affordability and provide greater stability for residents of over 55,000 federally administered community housing units across the country.Could the minister responsible for housing tell the House how this new initiative aligns with the goals of Canada's first-ever national housing strategy?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.I was honoured to be part of the Canadian delegation at the UN Commission on the Status of Women. I am proud to have had the opportunity to work with other nations to give women and girls all over the world the tools they need to reach their full potential. I am especially proud that Canada was elected to be a member of the commission, which means it will be able to participate more vigorously in defending and promoting the rights of women and girls around the world.

Madam Speaker, having a gender-wage gap in Canada in 2016 is unacceptable. We are committed to working with key partners, provinces, and territories to help close the gap through investments in home care and palliative care, expanding compassionate care benefits, and improving access to child care. We will work on increasing the number of women in senior leadership roles and in key growth sectors of the labour market, including the skilled trades.

Madam Speaker, having a gender wage gap in Canada in 2016 is unacceptable. Budget 2016 announced a number of important measures that would support women's labour market participation and help address the gender wage gap: the new Canada child benefit, which will be better targeted and more generous than previous benefits; the investment to support early learning and child care; a commitment to explore flexible work arrangements for federally regulated employees. We have supported the appointment of the Special Committee on Pay Equity and are looking forward to reviewing its findings when it tables its report.

Mr. Speaker, the 40th ADISQ gala was held last night.The gala provides a unique showcase for our musical artists and creators. We already know that the government is taking action to modernize our copyright, broadcasting and telecommunications laws because it is important for our creators to be able to earn a living from their work.Could the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell us more about how our government is supporting Quebec's artists and creators?

Mr. Speaker, in my constituency, creative industries are an integral part of the economy. We know that our francophone creators are among the most respected in the world. Recently, the Minister of Canadian Heritage unveiled her vision for Creative Canada, which calls for a major investment to help our creators through the Canada Media Fund.Can the minister give us more details about her vision for this major investment?

Mr. Speaker, Nigeria, Somalia, South Sudan and Yemen are faced with a terrible crisis affecting food and nutrition. The UN recently even declared it to be the worst humanitarian crisis since 1945. Last Friday, Canada announced funds to assist the poorest and most vulnerable of those affected by the crisis.Can the Minister of International Development and La Francophonie inform the House of the details of this major announcement?

Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of neglect by the previous government, federal science and research infrastructure was at an all-time low. Our researchers were muzzled, our labs were shuttered and evidence-based decision-making was nowhere to be seen. It has taken three years of hard work by our government to return science to its rightful place.Can the Minister of Science and Sport please tell this House how our government is repairing the 10 years of damage to our researchers and our research infrastructure?

Mr. Speaker, last Wednesday, a major wind storm cut communications for the people of the Magdalen Islands. The storm made it impossible to communicate with the mainland and the people were cut off from the rest of Quebec.Thursday afternoon, the Quebec public safety minister, Geneviève Guilbault, declared that the emergency was beyond the provincial government's capacity to respond.Can the minister explain what our government is doing to help the people of the Magdalen Islands?

Mr. Speaker, there is a national public health crisis in Canada. Yesterday, Alberta reported it had 343 deaths due to fentanyl overdoses last year, compared to 257 the previous year. This tragic crisis continues to make its way east. Seizures of fentanyl and carfentanil are on the rise across the country.My hometown of Montreal has decided that supervised injection sites are an appropriate tool for dealing with the situation we are facing.What is the government doing to address this national public health crisis?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.I was honoured to be part of the Canadian delegation at the UN Commission on the Status of Women. I am proud to have had the opportunity to work with other nations to give women and girls all over the world the tools they need to reach their full potential. I am especially proud that Canada was elected to be a member of the commission, which means it will be able to participate more vigorously in defending and promoting the rights of women and girls around the world.

Mr. Speaker, today marks the beginning of the torch relay for the 2019 Canada Winter Games, which will take place in Red Deer. The torch will leave Ottawa and travel to Halifax, Thunder Bay, Regina and Victoria, passing through more than 40 communiites across the country.I am excited to see the success of our athletes in 2019. Can the Minister of Science and Sport tell us more about this great event?

The Minister of Transport went to Paris in September and to Seoul last week on behalf of the federal government to support keeping the World Anti-Doping Agency's headquarters in Montreal. Montrealers are proud that their city has been home to the agency's headquarters since 2001.Can the minister tell my constituents and all Montrealers about the work our governments are doing to keep the agency's headquarters in Montreal?

Mr. Speaker, we had the honour of welcoming Malala Yousafzai to the House today. Malala is a model of courage and perseverance. Her fervent plea for the education of girls has inspired millions of people around the world.Will the Prime Minister take this opportunity to tell the House how important the education of girls around the world is to Canada?

Mr. Speaker, in my constituency, creative industries are an integral part of the economy. We know that our francophone creators are among the most respected in the world. Recently, the Minister of Canadian Heritage unveiled her vision for Creative Canada, which calls for a major investment to help our creators through the Canada Media Fund.Can the minister give us more details about her vision for this major investment?

Mr. Speaker, the 40th ADISQ gala was held last night.The gala provides a unique showcase for our musical artists and creators. We already know that the government is taking action to modernize our copyright, broadcasting and telecommunications laws because it is important for our creators to be able to earn a living from their work.Could the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell us more about how our government is supporting Quebec's artists and creators?

Madam Speaker, having a gender wage gap in Canada in 2016 is unacceptable. Budget 2016 announced a number of important measures that would support women's labour market participation and help address the gender wage gap: the new Canada child benefit, which will be better targeted and more generous than previous benefits; the investment to support early learning and child care; a commitment to explore flexible work arrangements for federally regulated employees. We have supported the appointment of the Special Committee on Pay Equity and are looking forward to reviewing its findings when it tables its report.

Mr. Speaker, women have a right to choices when it comes to their health. An important part of women's health involves access to a variety of safe and effective forms of contraception. However, the Public Service Health Care Plan currently covers only oral contraceptives.What has the government done to correct this situation for more than 650,000 federal public servants and their family members?

Mr. Speaker, the government is marking Gender-based Analysis Plus Awareness Week from May 16 to 20. Encouraging the use of this analysis leads to decision-making that takes into account the needs of all Canadians. As parliamentarians, we can promote equality by applying GBA+ to all projects we undertake on behalf of Canadians. I therefore encourage all my colleagues to take up the challenge and complete the online training course available on the Status of Women Canada website.

Mr. Speaker, whether in my riding of Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle or anywhere else across this country, Canadians are proud to call such a diverse and vibrant place home.We cannot afford to ignore incidents of hatred or violence directed against our minority communities, such as the incidents that occurred in Quebec City, Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and Hamilton.Can the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell Canadians what measures the government is taking to combat racism and discrimination?

Mr. Speaker, the government recently launched the federal community housing initiative, a program that will protect housing affordability and provide greater stability for residents of over 55,000 federally administered community housing units across the country.Could the minister responsible for housing tell the House how this new initiative aligns with the goals of Canada's first-ever national housing strategy?

Mr. Speaker, technological change has shown us that we must continue to encourage innovation in our country. In order to provide tangible help to those who are worried about being left behind, the government has already stressed the importance of giving Canadian workers the tools they need to succeed in the new economy.Could the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour explain to the House what this government is doing to make sure that Canadians can get the training they need to find and keep good, well-paying jobs?

Madam Speaker, having a gender-wage gap in Canada in 2016 is unacceptable. We are committed to working with key partners, provinces, and territories to help close the gap through investments in home care and palliative care, expanding compassionate care benefits, and improving access to child care. We will work on increasing the number of women in senior leadership roles and in key growth sectors of the labour market, including the skilled trades.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada is committed to preventing all forms of gender-based violence. We are working very hard towards this matter. Throughout the summer we held consultations, and we will continue our good work on preventing such situations.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for the question.Our Prime Minister appointed not only a gender-balanced cabinet, but he also appointed a minister dedicated solely to the status of women, a first in the history of Canada. Our government has taken positive steps toward achieving gender equality.A gender-based violence strategy, an inquiry into missing and murdered indigenous women, gender-based analysis of our policies and all of our future budgets, pay equity legislation, over 3,000 shelter spaces, the Canada child benefit, a framework for early education and child care, and a national poverty reduction strategy.We are just getting started.