Mélanie Joly

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for Mount Royal for his important question.I am proud of our government's commitment to the National Holocaust Monument.It will serve as a vital and sobering reminder to all Canadians of the tragedy of the Holocaust. It will honour those six million Jews and millions of others, including Roma, homosexuals, and disabled people, who lost their lives. We must never forget the horrors of the Holocaust, and we must continue to fight the hatred and disregard of humankind.

Mr. Speaker, as we have said many times, our diversity is our strength. Members across the aisle are refusing to admit that Islamophobia is real.We condemn fearmongering and misinformation campaigns. We condemn policies that seek to divide us. I am proud to say that we have taken a strong stance on this issue. We will fight all forms of systemic racism and religious discrimination, including Islamophobia.

Mr. Speaker, the comments made in the Washington Post op-ed are unacceptable and we denounce them. Quebeckers, like all Canadians, are open and welcoming. The surge of solidarity following the terrorist attack in Quebec City made that very clear. It is up to all of us to speak out against discrimination and injustice.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to clarify that Ms. Telford and Mr. Butts never discussed with Ms. Meilleur the possibility that she could become the Commissioner of Official Languages. That was never discussed. Furthermore—

Mr. Speaker, first, I would like to thank my colleague, the member for Scarborough—Rouge Park, for his important question and his hard work.Today our government reaffirmed its commitment to the fight against racism. Through budget 2018, we are investing $23 million, which will include support for multiculturalism programs. We are also investing $19 million to take meaningful action to address the problems faced by our black Canadian colleagues. We have come a long way, but of course, there is still much more work to do.

Mr. Speaker, let me be clear, our government will not be introducing a tax on the Internet. Since we were elected, we lowered taxes for the middle class and increased them for the wealthiest 1% of Canadians. Canadians of all walks of life rely on Internet services for business and personal use, and we will not be introducing a tax on the Internet that would further burden them.

Mr. Speaker, the government is committed to building a more inclusive society, and the National Holocaust Monument commemorates the six million Jews, as well as the five million other victims, who were murdered during the Holocaust. It stands as a reminder of the dangers of hatred, racism, and intolerance, while affirming respect for human rights, dignity, and resilience. The plaque has been removed and will be replaced with language that reflects the horrors experienced by the Jewish people.

Mr. Speaker, of course, it is Canada’s 150th anniversary and tomorrow we are kicking off the celebrations. It will be June 21, National Aboriginal Day. Then we will have the day celebrating Quebec and the Canadian Francophonie, Canadian Multiculturalism Day, and finally Canada Day. I encourage all members in the House and all Canadians to celebrate Canada Day and to show off the best technologies that are proudly Canadian and that of course help in our fight against climate change.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to reassure my colleague that my department did not fund this duck. I would like to tell her what we have funded, because of course, in the context of our reconciliation efforts with indigenous people, we supported the Redpath Waterfront Festival in funding the Rhythm of the Nation performance component of the Ontario 150 Tour. This funding will allow communities across Ontario to discover indigenous music and dance—

Mr. Speaker, the member for Ottawa South asked an excellent question. I would like to inform the House that, on July 1, there will be a number of celebrations in the greater national capital region, including at Major's Hill Park, on Parliament Hill, of course, at noon and in the evening, and at the Canadian Museum of History.The programming will be very diverse. There is going to be iconic Canadian artists such as Coleman Hell, Les Hay Babies, Coeur de pirate, Metric, and of course, Indian City. I really hope that Canadians from coast to coast to coast will be joining us in Ottawa and if they cannot, they can watch CBC/Radio-Canada—

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to answer my colleague's question about the fair treatment of francophones in our armed forces.I remind the member that we reinvested in Royal Military College Saint-Jean to finally give our service members access to university training, which was not available under the former Conservative government.Once again, we are showing leadership on the French fact in Canada, and, unlike the former Conservative government, we will always be here to protect the French fact and francophones.

Mr. Speaker, we were proud to stand with members on both sides of the House to inaugurate the National Holocaust Memorial, which commemorates the six million Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust along with other victims. This government is completely committed to building a more inclusive society. I am surprised to hear these concerns coming from opposition members, as the conversations was initiated under their watch. The NCC is responsible for the day-to-day operations and management of this monument, including snow removal.

Mr. Speaker, Air Canada must comply with the Official Languages Act, and I understand that the president of Air Canada testified in committee yesterday.I will be speaking to my parliamentary colleagues who sit on the committee to hear their recommendations, and I will take those recommendations into consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I agree with my colleague.It is important to have these difficult conversations in our society. The problem of Islamophobia exists, and refusing to give it a name will not make it go away. The first thing we need to do to fight the phenomenon is to name it, to identify it.I am glad that my colleague from Mississauga—Erin Mills has taken a leadership role on this issue and that the parliamentary committee will study it if we support the motion. This issue needs to be examined.

Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons from the Conservatives.The fact is that we have invested $2.7 billion in official languages, which is the largest investment in history, and $500 million of that is new money.Last week, I announced the court challenges program, which is crucial to defending language rights in Canada but was abolished by the Harper government. The program will be very useful to all francophones who want to defend their rights against injustices perpetrated by the Ontario Conservatives.

Mr. Speaker, being a bilingual country is who we are and what we believe in. The reality is that while the Conservatives are cutting services to French immersion and also francophones, we are investing. There is a French teacher shortage in this country. We just reinvested $62 million to make sure that our kids have the capacity and the chance to become bilingual.Will the Leader of the Opposition stop taking his orders from Doug Ford and denounce these cuts the provincial Conservative government is making in Ontario?

Madam Speaker, I would like to stress to my hon. colleague that we have many programs within Canadian Heritage which are in line with celebrating the important landmarks of Canadian history.That being said, I would also like to stress that I will not take any lessons from a past government that forgot to include indigenous people as part of their way to commemorate our history. That is why the reconciliation with indigenous people will be part of the 150th anniversary.

Mr. Speaker, like my colleague, I am disappointed that Postmedia and Torstar made this decision a month before Christmas. Of course my thoughts are with the workers and their families. These are cynical business decisions that were taken by Postmedia and Torstar, and it is up to these companies to explain them. The government will continue to support local media. We are investing $75 million a year and will continue to do so.

Mr. Speaker, of course, the application of the Official Languages Act is a priority for our government. It goes without saying that Air Canada absolutely must comply with its obligations under the Official Languages Act. It is unacceptable that these problems that have been going on for years have still not been dealt with and are compromising the service to which Canadians are entitled.I will have the opportunity to work on this issue with my colleague, the Minister of Transport, and we will consider all of the recommendations in this report.

Mr. Speaker, it goes without saying that we will always work with the provinces and territories that want to invest in our official languages and Canada's Francophonie. We will always take a collaborative approach.However, the reality is that the unjust situation in Ontario needs to be condemned. We have done that. The NDP has done that. The Bloc Québécois has done that. There is one party in the House that has not, and I hope that it will finally wake up and do so, because it is time for the Conservatives to speak up.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Tobique—Mactaquac for his question.Now more than ever, our government firmly believes in the importance of our public broadcaster. When we talk about CBC/Radio-Canada, we cannot help but remember the Conservatives' legacy.The Conservatives slashed funds at the CBC, were at war with it, and did everything to weaken our public broadcaster. That is their record. Our record is reinvesting $675 million and appointing a CEO from the sector, the first woman, as head of this very important institution. We will ensure that what the Harper Conservatives did never happens again, because they would, if given the chance.

Mr. Speaker, our government promised greater involvement of citizens in decision-making. I am proud to announce today that my department has launched an online public consultation on the memorial to the victims of Communism. I call on Canadians from coast to coast to coast to share their vision on how we can honour the millions of people who fled communist regimes to find refuge in Canada. Based on these consultations, I will announce next steps.

Mr. Speaker, this morning I presented an amendment to the Conservative motion. My hon. colleague from Cypress Hills—Grasslands did not accept the motion, because he said he had not seen it. As my hon. colleague has had a generous amount of time to reflect, I would like to seek once again unanimous consent for the following motion. That, the motion be amended by deleting the words “the House: (a) recognize that Canadian society is not immune to the climate of hate and fear exemplified by the recent and senseless”—

Mr. Speaker, Canada is very proud of its leadership on the world stage. Canada is a steadfast ally and friend of Israel, and a friend of the Palestinian people.Canada's long-standing position is that the status of Jerusalem can be resolved only as part of a general settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli dispute. This has been the policy of consecutive governments, be they Conservative or Liberal. We are strongly committed to the goal of a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in the Middle East, including the creation of a Palestinian state, living side by side, in peace and security, with Israel.

Mr. Speaker, as all colleagues in this House, of course, we stand by the national Holocaust museum and its importance, because it commemorates the six million Jewish people as well as other victims who were murdered during the Holocaust. Our government is committed to building a more inclusive society. The NCC is responsible for the day-to-day operations and management of the monument. This decision was made by the National Holocaust Monument Development Council, along with the NCC.

Mr. Speaker, Canada Day is a time when Canadians of all ages can take part in a wide range of activities that celebrate our communities.This year, Canada Day programming will showcase the important contributions of indigenous peoples and the inspiring women who shaped this nation.Artists such as Arkells, Lights, Brigitte Boisjoli, Charlotte Cardin, and Iskwé will be on stage on July 1.I look forward to all Canadians from coast to coast coming to Parliament Hill for July 1 to celebrate Canada Day together.

Mr. Speaker, New Democrats say one thing in the House, but behind closed doors they admit this is the deal to protect Canadian jobs. The NDP leader celebrated the deal during a recent event in Ottawa, and the NDP member for Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, who is also the NDP Quebec lieutenant, called the new NAFTA the best deal possible.We will continue to fight for good Canadian jobs. That is exactly what we did over the weekend and will continue to do in the future.

Mr. Speaker, we know that diversity is our strength, which is why Canadians expect us to stand up for the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We will always do so. As the Prime Minister has said repeatedly, it is not up to the government to tell people what they can and cannot wear. Of course we will follow the discussions currently under way on this topic and we will be looking carefully at how the law is enforced.

Mr. Speaker, this year we are commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel in France. Our government is committed to honouring the soldiers of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment who were killed in this brutal battle in the First World War. For this reason, we are investing $1 million in The Rooms, a beautiful museum in St. John's. Through online and on-site exhibitions, we will have the opportunity to learn more about the valour and the courage displayed by the young men of Newfoundland and Labrador in this—

Mr. Speaker, it goes without saying that the relationship with China is important. That is why this file is a priority for the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister.We are particularly concerned about the unjustified detention of Canadians in China. That is why we established an international coalition of countries that support our position. We have also signed a joint statement with the United States calling for the immediate release of the Canadians held in China.

Mr. Speaker, let us be clear: the government will not be implementing a tax on Internet services. We have been clear on that issue all along.Since our government came to power, we have increased taxes for the wealthiest 1%, in order to reduce them for the middle class. Canadians across the country depend on Internet service for their businesses and personal use. We are not introducing any taxes that would cause them undue harm.

Mr. Speaker, we have nothing to learn from the Conservatives about protecting language rights, as we recently saw with what is happening in Ontario with respect to the French fact.It is important to know that our government wants to strengthen the Official Languages Act because we want to ensure that francophones and francophiles across the country have access to job opportunities with our system. That is why I am working with my colleague, the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, to ensure that language rights and the rights of our country's francophones are well protected.

I would like to set the record straight, Mr. Speaker. I said that Mrs. Telford and Mr. Butts did not discuss the nomination of Madeleine Meilleur or her wanting to be the official languages commissioner, and that is an important fact.That being said, we have the right candidate. Her name is Madeleine Meilleur. Every single stakeholder in the official languages community knows that Mrs. Meilleur has been involved for 30 years in the promotion and protection of their rights. That is why we are very—

Mr. Speaker, francophones in Ontario and across the country know full well that our government is there for them. It was the Conservatives who let them down and decided to protect Doug Ford in Ontario, rather than protecting francophones across the country.It goes without saying that we will always stand with our linguistic minorities. We invested $2.7 billion in linguistic minorities. This is the first time that so much money has been allocated to support official languages in Canada. We are proud of our track record and we will continue on that same path.

Mr. Speaker, like my colleague, I am disappointed to see that Postmedia and Torstar decided to close these local media a month before Christmas. My thoughts are with the workers and their families. These are cynical business decisions that were taken by Postmedia and Torstar, and it is up to these companies to explain them. As for local newspapers, Canadians value them, and of course, as government, we will continue to provide our support to the local media.

Mr. Speaker, I will be pleased to send my colleague the speech that I gave at the end of September in either print or digital format.In that speech, I clearly stated that we are going to continue to support our local media and help them through this difficult transition so that we can retain our journalists and maintain jobs in this field across the country. We know that journalism lies at the heart of our democracy. As a government, we believe in the importance of print media, whether it is in paper or digital format.

Mr. Speaker, throughout the country we know we have amazing Canadians. We also think that we should not only be taking a top-down approach, but also a bottom-up approach. That is why we will ensure we have amazing ambassadors, from Nobel Peace Prize and Nobel Prize in Physics recipients to great artists, but also local leaders from throughout the country. I want to reassure my colleague that of course that idea of—

Mr. Speaker, it goes without saying that our Prime Minister is an ardent defender of official languages. That is why he gave me a strong mandate to support him on this issue.Official languages are a priority for our government and we have done more than just talk. We have taken action. We reinstated the Mobilité francophone immigration program. We appointed bilingual judges to the Supreme Court, and we reinstated the court challenges program. Those are not just words. We have taken action.We are also going to launch a new official languages action plan in 2017.

Mr. Speaker, words matter. Let us talk about Islamophobia and the troubling rise in hate crimes against the Muslim community across the country. It is real; it can be defined, and it has no place in Canada. Neighbours, friends, co-workers of the Muslim faith endure systemic racism and religious discrimination here in Canada. Islamophobia is real. Recognizing it is the first step toward fighting the climate of hate and fear surrounding the Muslim community.

Mr. Speaker, our Prime Minister, our entire government and I are proud to stand with Franco-Ontarians, whose right to live in French in Ontario is currently under attack.The Prime Minister has been clear in denouncing the cuts. In fact, we call on the leader of the Conservative Party to denounce these cuts. Beyond that, we stand in solidarity with Franco-Ontarians. Today, I had the opportunity to meet with them, and we are—

Mr. Speaker, I would like to place the question in context.Why are Franco-Ontarians calling for the Ford government to take action? It is because the Ford government first created an injustice. The reality is that the opposition leader is the only leader in the country who has still not spoken out against what happened in Ontario. The reality is that francophones—Franco-Ontarians, Acadians and Quebeckers—living in English Canada have formed a united front. All of these people want the opposition leader to recognize the current injustice against Franco-Ontarians.

Mr. Speaker, I repeat that the comments made in the Washington Post op-ed are unacceptable. We strongly condemn them. As my colleague mentioned, we firmly believe that we must speak out against all forms of injustice and discrimination. That is why we condemn the statements that were made and support the Bloc Québécois's motion in that regard.

Mr. Speaker, 11 days have passed since that dark Thursday and the opposition leader seems to finally be showing some interest in the issue. I want all francophones in Canada to know, whether they are Franco-Ontarians, Quebeckers, Acadians, Fransaskois, francophiles, or official languages allies, that they can count on our government. We will be there to defend their rights.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the chairperson of the CRTC and his team for their work, as well as all the stakeholders who took part in the study that I commissioned last September.Ultimately, our objective is to modernize our laws to protect and promote our culture in the 21st century. The Minister of Innovation and I will have the opportunity to make announcements shortly regarding the modernization of the Broadcasting Act and the Telecommunications Act. Unlike the Harper Conservatives, who made draconian cuts to the cultural sector and waged war on it, we are taking action.

Mr. Speaker, our colleague opposite refuses to talk about Creative Canada, our new cultural policy. That is because the Conservatives know that it lines up perfectly with our election promises, which were much more ambitious than theirs, and because they know that we are investing additional billions in culture, something they never could have done.The NDP lost its credibility when it comes to investing in culture. What is more, last week the NDP lost its credibility when it comes to defending the French language before the Supreme Court.

Madam Speaker, I want to thank the member for Cloverdale—Langley City for his question and compliment him for his excellent French.After a decade of Conservative indifference and inaction on official languages, we are taking action. We announced an unprecedented investment of close to $2.7 billion in official languages. We also recently announced a 20% funding increase, effective immediately, for all community organizations in the sector, which went through a funding freeze under the Harper government. By taking action on immigration, early childhood services, infrastructure, and education, we are supporting our communities.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his excellent question.Five days have passed since that dark Thursday when the Conservative Government of Ontario and Conservatives in general decided to attack Franco-Ontarians. Not once in those five days has the leader of the Conservative Party of Canada spoken out against what is going on in Ontario.We hope to work with all parties in the House to put pressure on the Conservative Party to stand up for the rights of linguistic communities and Franco-Ontarians.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Dorval—Lachine—LaSalle for her important question.I want to take this opportunity to condemn the acts of discrimination that were committed this past weekend in North York and Montreal.On February 9, 2017, I had the opportunity to announce a call for projects through the community interactions program.Our government will dedicate $5.5 million per year to organizations that submit projects to work toward the elimination of discrimination and racism. We have said it many times, diversity is our strength and inclusion is a value that we as Canadians hold dear. We will continue to work and to fight for these values.

Mr. Speaker, my two colleagues spoke about the Barreau du Québec. There are proceedings underway. Some organizations have decided to initiate proceedings; that is their choice. As the matter is before the courts, we will not comment further.

Mr. Speaker, Canada is a steadfast ally and friend of Israel, and a friend of the Palestinian people.Canada's long-standing position is that the status of Jerusalem can be resolved only as part of a general settlement of the dispute between the two parties. This has been the policy of consecutive governments, be they Conservative or Liberal. We are committed to the goal of a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, including the creation of a Palestinian state, living side by side, in peace and security, with Israel.

Mr. Speaker, like my colleague, I am disappointed that Postmedia and Torstar made this decision a month before Christmas. Of course my thoughts are with the workers and their families. These are cynical business decisions that were taken by Postmedia and Torstar, and it is up to these companies to explain them. The government will continue to support local media. We are investing $75 million a year and will continue to do so.

Mr. Speaker, this morning I presented an amendment to the Conservative motion. My hon. colleague from Cypress Hills—Grasslands did not accept the motion, because he said he had not seen it. As my hon. colleague has had a generous amount of time to reflect, I would like to seek once again unanimous consent for the following motion. That, the motion be amended by deleting the words “the House: (a) recognize that Canadian society is not immune to the climate of hate and fear exemplified by the recent and senseless”—

Mr. Speaker, like my colleague, I am disappointed to see that Postmedia and Torstar decided to close these local media a month before Christmas. My thoughts are with the workers and their families. These are cynical business decisions that were taken by Postmedia and Torstar, and it is up to these companies to explain them. As for local newspapers, Canadians value them, and of course, as government, we will continue to provide our support to the local media.

Mr. Speaker, words matter. Let us talk about Islamophobia and the troubling rise in hate crimes against the Muslim community across the country. It is real; it can be defined, and it has no place in Canada. Neighbours, friends, co-workers of the Muslim faith endure systemic racism and religious discrimination here in Canada. Islamophobia is real. Recognizing it is the first step toward fighting the climate of hate and fear surrounding the Muslim community.

Mr. Speaker, this is a time of upheaval for the television, radio, and media industries. We have been proactive. We reinvested in our television producers and we also recognize that we will need to modernize our laws, which we are doing. The Prime Minister has said so, we made a promise, and we will follow through on it.We realize that this is a complex situation that requires a comprehensive solution. This means that we must take a comprehensive approach to the taxation of digital platforms instead of a piecemeal one.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her question.My team and I are working very hard on organizing festivities for the 150th anniversary of Confederation. Of course we will be focusing on a government-wide approach that will bring together Canadians from every community in the country.Various projects have already been announced, including the tall ships and the Sesqui multimedia project that will travel across the country. Over the next few weeks, I will be making other announcements about further initiatives that will allow us to celebrate the 150th anniversary of our Confederation together.

Mr. Speaker, 11 days have passed since that dark Thursday and the opposition leader seems to finally be showing some interest in the issue. I want all francophones in Canada to know, whether they are Franco-Ontarians, Quebeckers, Acadians, Fransaskois, francophiles, or official languages allies, that they can count on our government. We will be there to defend their rights.

Mr. Speaker, we know that diversity is our strength, which is why Canadians expect us to stand up for the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. We will always do so. As the Prime Minister has said repeatedly, it is not up to the government to tell people what they can and cannot wear. Of course we will follow the discussions currently under way on this topic and we will be looking carefully at how the law is enforced.

Mr. Speaker, we recognize the importance of our two official languages and the importance of our French-Canadian youth. I was actually at the Jeux de la francophonie canadienne, which the Department of Canadian Heritage supports every year.That being said, my colleague has little credibility when it comes to bilingualism. Perhaps she should talk to her leader about his position on bilingualism in the Supreme Court because he is once again saying one thing when he is outside Quebec and the opposite when he is in Quebec.

Mr. Speaker, after a long, and clearly merit-based process, we chose Mrs. Meilleur as the candidate for commissioner of official languages. A selection committee consisting of mostly public servants established this process and reviewed the different candidates. Every measure was put in place to ensure that employees who had contacts with Mrs. Meilleur in the past were not part of the process.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Nickel Belt.I would like to join him in celebrating Franco-Ontarian Day, which is why I am wearing green and white today.This morning I was at École élémentaire catholique Notre-Dame-des-Champs, where I got to meet 300 students and announce $7.5 million in funding to give students at 700 francophone schools and 300 anglophone schools in minority communities access to cultural activities. This government believes in our official languages and in our children.

Mr. Speaker, being a bilingual country is who we are and what we believe in. The reality is that while the Conservatives are cutting services to French immersion and also francophones, we are investing. There is a French teacher shortage in this country. We just reinvested $62 million to make sure that our kids have the capacity and the chance to become bilingual.Will the Leader of the Opposition stop taking his orders from Doug Ford and denounce these cuts the provincial Conservative government is making in Ontario?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his question, but I would also like to remind him that the position of CRTC commissioner was posted this summer. Therefore, I invite him to consult the website.I would also like to say that in the next few weeks, we will be introducing the new consultation process for appointments to the board of directors of CBC/Radio-Canada. This process is open and transparent in order to maintain the independence of the corporation's board members.

Mr. Speaker, I must remind the hon. member that we reinvested $675 million in CBC/Radio-Canada because there were important cuts in the past 10 years that really negatively affected our public broadcaster.I would also advise my colleague in front that we just did public consultations on Canadian content. The reality is that members of the NDP and the Bloc participated in the consultations, but nobody from the Conservative Party participated.We clearly heard that Canadians love—

Mr. Speaker, we have said it quite clearly. The Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and I have stated, in this room, that the security of the Canadian detainees in China is a priority. As my colleague just mentioned, we engage with Chinese officials regularly and as often as possible.Destination Canada, as my colleague knows, is an arm's-length corporation from the government. I must remind him that tourism is a big business in Canada: 700,000 visitors from China come to Canada every year, which accounts for 13,000 people working in the sector.

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the member's work on this motion. I am happy to say that unanimously we all supported it and we will be studying the question.

Mr. Speaker, our position on the issue of diversity has always been clear.We have always maintained that we will defend the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and that it is not up to the state to tell someone what they can or cannot wear. We will follow the discussions in the coming days and have a good look at how the law is applied.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Vimy for her excellent question and for the great work she is doing on behalf of her constituents.We have an excellent plan to support linguistic communities and francophones across the country.We have invested $2.7 billion, the largest investment in history, in our official language minority communities. We have always said that we would be here, we have always done our share and we will continue to do so.I will be marching on Saturday along with Franco-Ontarians. I hope to see many MPs there, as well.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce, along with my colleague the Minister of Justice, the reinstatement and modernization of the court challenges program. This program has helped to hold successive governments accountable for defending the rights and freedoms of all Canadians.It has given groups and individuals a strong voice to argue for language rights and equality rights in all spheres of life.This is good news, and I am very happy to announce it here today.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for that excellent question. The Ontario Conservatives' decision is a direct attack on Franco-Ontarians, and I will be happy to work with him to protect them. The fact is, one party is not standing up to protect Franco-Ontarians, and that is the Conservative Party. We fully expect the Conservative leader to speak out against this situation and talk to Mr. Ford in the interest of protecting francophones in Ontario and across the country. We, as a government, will stand up for francophones.

Mr. Speaker, of course, it is Canada’s 150th anniversary and tomorrow we are kicking off the celebrations. It will be June 21, National Aboriginal Day. Then we will have the day celebrating Quebec and the Canadian Francophonie, Canadian Multiculturalism Day, and finally Canada Day. I encourage all members in the House and all Canadians to celebrate Canada Day and to show off the best technologies that are proudly Canadian and that of course help in our fight against climate change.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleagues that in the context of this nomination, we wanted to find the perfect candidate. That person needed to have experience and expertise in the context of defending official languages in our communities and country. Since we are a government that values the importance of bilingualism and official languages, of course we did a thorough and very merit-based process. That is exactly what Mrs. Meilleur went through. That is why we have a very good and strong—

Mr. Speaker, I think the issue is more within the Conservative caucus than with the population of Canada. Therefore, we are very pleased to have brought, through the initiative of the member of Parliament for Ottawa—Vanier, a gender-neutral national anthem. We can all be proud that we made this important decision, which will change the history of Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his very good question.I am aware of this file. I would like to point out that the certification office put in place tighter criteria in June 2015. I was also informed by the certification office that programs with evidence of productions that are under way or planned will be certified.

Madam Speaker, as the House knows, it was the Queen's 90th birthday yesterday, and we celebrated the occasion. I would once again like to wish the Queen a happy birthday and remind members of her importance as Canada's head of state.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her excellent question.As Minister of Canadian Heritage, I have the duty to ensure that CBC/Radio-Canada operates at arm's length from the Department of Canadian Heritage.That said, pursuant to my mandate letter, I also have the duty to review the process by which members are appointed to the board of directors, and I assure my colleague and all of my colleagues in the House of Commons that if everyone agrees, we will bring in a new process in the coming months.

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud to have found a very good candidate, because when searching for candidates to become the commissioner of official languages, we wanted to find the best one. This is exactly what our process allowed us to do. Based on a short list I received, I had the opportunity to conduct interviews and then appreciate Mrs. Meilleur’s 30 years of experience and expertise during these interviews.She clearly emerged on top, so I am very pleased that she is our candidate.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Madawaska—Restigouche, who does excellent work on the Standing Committee on Official Languages. It has been seven days since Ontario's Conservative government cut services for Franco-Ontarians, but so far, no one in the Conservative Party has condemned what is happening in Ontario. That is unacceptable.

Madam Speaker, when searching for the best candidate for the position of Commissioner of Official Languages, we wanted to ensure that they were chosen on the basis of their expertise and experience. That is exactly what we did. We used a rigorous, open, merit-based process, which identified Madeleine Meilleur as the most qualified candidate because she has all the expertise to be an excellent Commissioner of Official Languages.

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned many times in the House, we are extremely proud of our candidate for official languages commissioner, because she has the experience and also has the expertise to make sure that she will be a good official languages commissioner.I am proud of my team. I have been able to gather great people from across the country who understand the importance of official languages communities. Of course, I have explained the process many times, and that all the members of my team who have had contact in the past with Madeleine Meilleur were not part of the process.

Mr. Speaker, I am surprised by my colleague’s reaction, because she herself acknowledged Madeleine Meilleur’s experience and expertise. Why? Because Ms. Meilleur is a language rights pioneer.I would like to go over her career. For 30 years she has fought for francophone rights and services. She was involved in protecting the Montfort Hospital, Ottawa’s francophone hospital, and in establishing the position of French-language services commissioner, which until then did not exist in the Ontario government.That is why we were satisfied that she is an excellent candidate and will be able to serve impartially as Commissioner of Official Languages.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Glengarry—Prescott—Russell for his question. He is a strong advocate for official languages and an excellent representative of his Franco-Ontarian community.We have invested $2.7 billion in official languages, including $500 million in new money. We are here to support the Assemblée de la francophonie de l'Ontario and the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne. We support organizations that are working across the country to oppose the Conservative government's decision. We stand with them.

Mr. Speaker, I assure my colleague that our two official languages are very important to this government. Enforcing the Official Languages Act is, of course, a priority for this government.Under the circumstances, it goes without saying that Air Canada must obey the law. The status quo is unacceptable. That is why I will work with my colleague, the Minister of Transport, on this issue, to ensure that the recommendations of the Commissioner of Official Languages will be examined. This work will, I hope, be done in collaboration with the Standing Committee on Official Languages.

Mr. Speaker, Canada 150 is an important moment to remember the events that have shaped us as a country. Our government is proud to have invested just under $1 million to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Halifax explosion. This includes the creation of a memorial space, and it also includes the installation of 12 plaques across the country connecting the many stories of this disaster. Let us continue to ensure that the true legacy of this event is the resilience of the people of Halifax and Dartmouth in the face of unspeakable tragedy.

Mr. Speaker, of course in the context of Canada 150 we made sure to support the importance of reconciliation. We know that our history has had some wrongs and we want to make sure that we can acknowledge them and make sure that we all work together on the path of reconciliation. Many indigenous communities across the country have engaged in Canada 150. Again this morning I was there to support a great Canada 150 indigenous project. I really hope that all of us in this room and this House will be able to support the importance of reconciliation in the context of Canada 150.

Mr. Speaker, our government believes in the importance of the official languages commissioner and the office of the official languages commissioner in the protection and promotion of official languages.We are committed to find the best candidate to occupy this important position through a rigorous, open, and merit-based process. We conducted multiple interviews. I had a chance to talk with my critics from the two parties opposite. They both acknowledged she had great experience, great expertise in the field. That is why we are convinced Madeleine Meilleur is the best the candidate for this office.

Mr. Speaker, since we are talking about the importance of expertise and experience, and because I have already given many explanations regarding the process, I would like to talk about Madame Meilleur's participation in associations and organizations. She has been a member of the Association of French-Speaking Jurists of Ontario. She has been on the Ottawa-Carleton Regional District Health Council. She has been on the board of directors of the Cité Collégiale. She has been on the board of the Vanier housing corporation.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook for his excellent question. Our official language minority communities are very important to us. In order to have strong communities, we need strong media outlets, like community newspapers and radio stations. We heard their calls for help, and today, we answered them by announcing $14.5 million to support our minority language community radio stations and newspapers, as well as to create more jobs and support young journalists, whether they are in Nova Scotia's Isle Madame, Whitehorse, or Sherbrooke.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Ottawa—Vanier for her excellent work, her very good question and everything she does for Franco-Ontarians.We, on this side of the House, believe in the Canadian francophonie and particularly in the importance of bilingualism in Canada. We know that we still need to protect Canada's francophones and always will. We need to protect our linguistic minorities.We also know that Franco-Ontarians have the right to their university, and we are going to do everything in our power to make that a reality.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for his work for creators in his riding. Through Creative Canada, we are investing in incubators to give creative entrepreneurs access to the tools they need to nurture their ideas. We are proud to have invested $5 million in the new Cape Breton centre for the arts, culture and innovation, which will support creators and grow the cultural sector in the Atlantic region. This is great news. Congratulations to my colleague.

Mr. Speaker, as my colleague mentioned, CBC/Radio Canada operates independently. That being said, we are always prepared to support any good initiative from the sector to protect our heritage. We will have the opportunity to engage in good discussions with sector stakeholders.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, the member for Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook for his question.Our two official languages are a priority, and I am very proud to be part of a government that truly understands that. My parliamentary secretary, the hon. member for Edmonton Centre, and I held consultations all summer. We visited more than 20 communities, and more than 3,000 people participated in the online consultations. Unlike consultations held in the past, these ones are not held in camera. They are the most open and transparent consultations in our history. We are very proud of the process and we hope that all parliamentarians will participate in it.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his important question. We are very proud of the vision we have put in place for the Canada 150 celebrations and of the lasting legacy they will leave, based on four themes: youth, the environment, reconciliation with indigenous peoples, and diversity.I am confident that my colleagues recognize the importance of those four themes and that we can work together to build our future for the next 150 years. We are also proud that thousands of projects funded in co-operation with our partners across the country will be carried out all over Canada and showcasing the best of who we are.

Mr. Speaker, we know that more and more Canadians are getting their news on the internet. Because of that, our media have to innovate. In budget 2018, in response to calls from the industry, we announced that the government would study new models that would enable media outlets to accept donations.The budget also included $50 million to support journalism in underserved communities and $14 million for community radio stations and newspapers in official language minority communities. We have also allocated $675 million to Radio-Canada/CBC to ensure good nationwide media coverage that respects journalistic independence, of course.

Mr. Speaker, I mentioned many times that Mrs. Meilleur is an amazing candidate because she had the chance to serve 30 years in supporting the promotion and protection of official language rights in our country. Of course I would like to be precise in the fact that never was there any discussion relating to the fact that she could become the official languages commissioner. That is why we are very proud and will continue to support Madeleine Meilleur to become the next official languages commissioner.

Mr. Speaker, I have risen several times in the House to point out that we were committed to finding the best candidate for the position of Commissioner of Official Languages.This is exactly what we were able to do. How were we able to do it? We were able to do it through a merit-based process. In these circumstances, 72 applications were received, and a selection committee conducted several rounds of interviews and tests. In short, Madeleine Meilleur was the best candidate.As well, her experience and expertise have been recognized on both sides of the House. This is why, as a government, we are extremely proud of Ms. Meilleur’s candidacy.

Madam Speaker, our government believes in the importance of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages and the protection and promotion of official languages. We are committed to finding the best candidate for this important position through a thorough, rigorous, and merit-based process. We conducted multiple rounds of interviews. I even had the chance to talk with my critics from the two opposition parties. They both acknowledged that she had the experience and expertise, and that is why we are convinced that Madeleine Meilleur is the best-suited candidate for this important position.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Brome—Missisquoi for his excellent question. We are proud to give a strong voice to over 1.8 million Canadians who work in this sector. In fact, not only are we proud, but it is time that that sector got the recognition it deserves.If we combine the right economic conditions with smart policy decisions and ensure that the business community gets involved, the potential for development is huge: $25 billion more annually and 180,000 jobs.We are going to come up with a good strategy to develop tourism around the country.

Madam Speaker, we are extremely proud of everything we are doing in line with Canada 150. We believe in the importance of our four themes: youth, environment, reconciliation with indigenous peoples, and diversity and inclusion. We want Canadians to be able to celebrate across the country. We want to make sure that all regions are adequately represented. Of course, we are making sure that this process is non-partisan. Ultimately, this is a year to celebrate, so let us celebrate Canada 150 all together.

Mr. Speaker, I want to set the record straight for my colleague, who is an advocate for official languages.I did have an opportunity to speak to Ms. Mulroney. I spoke to her about how important the French-language university project is. I also had the opportunity to reiterate that we are prepared to negotiate with the Government of Ontario because we believe in this project. The Ontario government is leaving money on the table. As members know, Franco-Ontarians are not a priority to this government.We will always stand with Franco-Ontarians. We will always ensure that good projects receive funding. This evening, I will see Doug Ford and I will have the opportunity to—

Mr. Speaker, as we have said many times, our diversity is our strength. Members across the aisle are refusing to admit that Islamophobia is real.We condemn fearmongering and misinformation campaigns. We condemn policies that seek to divide us. I am proud to say that we have taken a strong stance on this issue. We will fight all forms of systemic racism and religious discrimination, including Islamophobia.

Mr. Speaker, our relationship with indigenous peoples and nations is our government's most important relationship. I know that the topic of indigenous languages is very important to my colleague, and I would be happy to work with him to ensure that we have solid legislation on indigenous languages.As he knows, and as you know, Mr. Speaker, we are developing original legislation on indigenous languages that will protect, promote, and revitalize our country's 90 indigenous languages.

Mr. Speaker, our primary goal since the beginning has always been to get a good deal for Canada and for Canadians. We held for a good deal and we got a good deal.This agreement will be good for our economy, good for Canadian families and good for our middle class. It will preserve jobs, foster growth, expand the middle class and support people working hard to join it.

Madam Speaker, as I already mentioned, we have four important themes in the context of Canada 150, and one of them is engaging with young people. We Are Canada was reviewed by my department and recommended as it met the eligibility criteria as a Canada 150 community project. I invite all members of this House to participate in Canada 150 projects, because this is a great year for Canada.

Madam Speaker, of course we are really delighted with this new project.If my colleague had listened to what I have said in the past, this rink will be given to a community in need afterwards. Meanwhile, Canadians will have until February to enjoy the great Winterlude and also this important infrastructure.I hope I will have the chance to go on the ice and enjoy ice-skating with her. This is a great way to celebrate Canada 150.

Mr. Speaker, our two official languages are a priority for our government. After a long, open, merit-based process, which included 72 candidates, a selection committee, multiple rounds of interviews, and psychometric tests, Ms. Meilleur stood out as the best candidate because of her expertise, skill, and impartiality.For over 30 years, Ms. Meilleur has fought for francophones' rights and French-language services, for example to protect the Montfort Hospital, and I am convinced that she will be able to carry out her duties in a non-partisan way. She is the best candidate.

Mr. Speaker, we are very proud of the process that we have put in place. I am also proud of the fact that I have been able to put together a very strong team that of course assists me in my responsibilities and duties. These individuals have experience and expertise in the area of official languages. The individuals who have had previous contact with Madeleine Meilleur in the past were never part of the process and were in no way involved in Madeleine Meilleur's appointment.

Mr. Speaker, we promised to find the best person to be the official languages commissioner, and that is exactly what we did.Mrs. Meilleur has been recognized for her skills, experience, strength, professionalism, and integrity throughout her career. The work she has done for language rights in Canada is some of the best work that has been done over the past 30 years. Why? Because she protected the Montfort Hospital to ensure that French-language health care services are available in Ottawa, and she also helped create the Office of the French Language Services Commissioner in Ontario. In short, we know that we have found the best candidate, and that is exactly why she will be—

Mr. Speaker, we found an excellent candidate, Madeleine Meilleur, who was very involved in protecting Ottawa’s francophone hospital, the Montfort Hospital. She also created within the Ontario government the position of French-language services commissioner, which is the equivalent of the commissioner of official languages. That is why she is duly qualified to impartially and knowledgeably fulfill this key role.

Mr. Speaker, I would remind my colleague that official languages are important to our government and that the official languages commissioner is, too.We will have an official languages commissioner. The Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages is fully operational and I will be making some announcements soon.

Mr. Speaker, throughout the country we know we have amazing Canadians. We also think that we should not only be taking a top-down approach, but also a bottom-up approach. That is why we will ensure we have amazing ambassadors, from Nobel Peace Prize and Nobel Prize in Physics recipients to great artists, but also local leaders from throughout the country. I want to reassure my colleague that of course that idea of—

Mr. Speaker, we have committed ourselves to find the best candidates to make sure that there would be a strong official languages commissioner, and that is exactly what we have done. How did we find that person? We found that person through a round of interviews, 70 candidates—

Mr. Speaker, our relationship with China is extremely important. We are very concerned with the detention of Canadians in China, which is why we are rallying a number of friendly countries. Also, we were able to make sure that we had a joint statement with the United States, calling for the immediate release of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig and rejecting their wrongful detention.

Mr. Speaker, we were determined to find the best candidate for the job of Commissioner of Official Languages, and that is exactly what we did. Madeleine Meilleur's expertise and experience were recognized by many members of the House on many different occasions.For over 30 years, Ms. Meilleur has fought for francophones' rights and French-language services, for example to protect the Montfort Hospital. She was key in creating the position of French-language services commissioner in Ontario. I am confident that her expertise, skills, and experience will allow her to carry out her duties in a non-partisan way.

Mr. Speaker, Canada's museums are spaces of exchange, creation, and discovery. I was proud to launch a new process for the 45 positions available on the boards of our six national museums. The government has adopted a much more open, transparent, and merit-based approach. I invite all Canadians who love history, science, or the arts to contribute that passion to our national museums.