Sylvie Boucher

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are showing their true colours when it comes to Quebec. Despite their hypocritical smiles, they are not listening to what Quebeckers need. The Prime Minister is ignoring the consensus in Quebec regarding the single tax return, concocting some big story about how it could lead to more tax evasion in Quebec. He might as well call us a bunch of thieves.Why are the Liberals incapable of granting a legitimate request from Quebeckers?

Mr. Speaker, what a joke. The more Ms. Meilleur talks, the deeper she sinks and brings the government down with her. She is hell-bent on taking the job, but she does not understand that Canada has two official languages.When answering questions yesterday regarding what she would do for anglophone minorities, she replied using examples from the francophonie. She has no clue what anglophone minorities in Quebec need. It is therefore not surprising that she is declaring herself the new French language commissioner.When will this shameful circus finally end, in order to start from scratch—

I will bite my tongue, Mr. Speaker. Everything about the Minister of Finance is shady and hypocritical, yet he is still trying to convince us that the opposite is true by refusing to answer our questions. Canada's finances must be managed by someone who is responsible, transparent, and honest because this is Canadians' money we are talking about.In light of the commissioner's investigations, the minister's personal gains and his refusal to respond to questions about his financial transactions, will the Prime Minister fire his finance minister, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, during question period yesterday, the Prime Minister asked us to listen to Tori Stafford's family. That is what we have been doing since this debate began.We are listening to the family, and we are their voice in the House. Tori's father wants to see the criminal who heinously took his daughter's life back behind bars.Why do the Liberals insist on defending the indefensible, when they should be defending and listening to the victims of this awful crime?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's arrogance is killing me.In Canada, like in other places around the world, the Prime Minister has no problem giving taxpayers' money to his billionaire friends, while simultaneously eliminating the public transit tax credit. Yesterday we learned that the Aga Khan was financially compensated by the state during the leader of the Liberal Party's personal vacation. Once again, Canadian taxpayers are paying for his arrogance and poor judgment. When will the Prime Minister walk his talk and treat the middle class—

Mr. Speaker, when the Minister of Finance's chief of staff became directly involved in the SNC-Lavalin corruption scandal, the Liberals did not admonish him. They rewarded him and gave him a promotion. Now we learn that he threatened the staff of the former attorney general and tried to subvert the rule of law.Why does this Prime Minister reward those who do his dirty work and fire those who stand up to him?

Mr. Speaker, Terri-Lynne McClintic committed a heinous crime when she viciously murdered 8-year-old Tori Stafford, who had her whole life ahead of her. This is a wound that will never heal for Tori's parents. This woman was found guilty of first degree murder and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. She was not sentenced to a a healing lodge where children are present.Will the Liberals do the right thing, prove to Canadians that victims' rights must take precedence over criminals' rights, and vote in favour of our motion today—

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister said that low-income families do not benefit from tax breaks because they do not pay taxes. That is totally false and further proves how out of touch the Prime Minister is with Canadians' real lives. People who earn $12,000 per year pay tax on gas, food, prescription drugs and everything else.Can our millionaire Prime Minister, who inherited his family fortune, look thousands of low-income people in the eye and tell them they do not pay taxes?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have been in office for a year and a half.For a year and a half, the economy has been mismanaged, no full-time jobs have been created, and SMEs have been abandoned. What is the government's solution? It is overtaxing SMEs, which is cutting into their revenue and preventing them from hiring middle-class workers, all so that it can finance its out-of-control spending.Why is the Prime Minister directly attacking those that contribute the most to our economy?

Mr. Speaker, I have a number of questions regarding the new Liberal tax and yet I keep hearing the same broken record. The Liberals are insulting farmers with their inane one-liner. The farmers, their families, and the people in my riding who purchase our high-quality local products at reasonable prices are worried. The Minister of Agriculture is creating doubt in their minds, instead of encouraging them to cultivate prosperity in Canada.When will the minister stop being the Prime Minister's yes man and start acting responsibly to defend farmers?

Madam Speaker, while the Prime Minister takes selfies, shows the world his socks, and flashes a phony smile, people suffering from serious mental health problems are being denied the disability tax credit. The Liberals have no compassion and would rather line the finance minister's pockets.Will the minister immediately order her department's collection agents to revert to the criteria they were using last April? Will she stop blaming everyone else and start taking responsibility?

Mr. Speaker, another week ends under the pall of Liberal arrogance. It is a complete disgrace that the Minister of Canadian Heritage refuses to backtrack following her terrible decision to appoint Madeleine Meilleur as official languages commissioner, not because she lacks the skills, but rather for reasons that give a whole new meaning to the word partisanship.When will the minister realize that Ms. Meilleur has already lost all credibility to fill the position before she has even begun, and that it is high time that the appointment process became transparent and apolitical?

Madam Speaker, this government does not respect what Canadians have to say. When a government wants to change a the basic rules of democracy, everyone should have a say. All options should be on the table, and Canadians should not be denied an opportunity to say yes or no. However, the minister is refusing to listen to reason, and her answers insult the intelligence of Canadians. Will the Minister of Democratic Institutions step out of her bubble and hold a national referendum—

Mr. Speaker, with little to speak of in terms of achievements over the past four years, the Prime Minister is racking up scandals and appalling behaviour from members of his entourage.By promoting Ben Chin, the staffer who tried to circumvent the rule of law in the SNC-Lavalin scandal, the Prime Minister is confirming that he endorses this kind of totally unacceptable behaviour.How would the Prime Minister explain to Canadians why such behaviour was rewarded with a promotion rather than a dismissal?

Mr. Speaker, in January, there were two incidents where the Prime Minister should have answered a question in one language but instead he answered in the other.With his usual arrogance, the Prime Minister demonstrated his lack of respect for Canadians and official languages. On behalf of Canada's linguistic minorities, I am calling on the Prime Minister to publicly apologize for his blatant lack of respect for those communities.Will the Prime Minister apologize and finally show respect for Canada's official languages?

Madam Speaker, we all know that the party opposite could not care less about the regions and jobs there. The Liberal government had an opportunity to sign a softwood lumber agreement with the former American administration, but it chose to play games with the Trump team instead. Well, the Liberals got the short end of the stick, and now the forestry industry is paying the price for their incompetence with a 24% hike in Canadian softwood lumber import prices.The Liberals had an agreement. Why did they let it slip through their fingers, and when will they finally take softwood lumber and our regions seriously?

Madam Speaker, the parliamentary secretary just said that the government will not legalize hard drugs. I hope this is true. However, if they will never legalize these drugs, does the Liberal Party's Minister of Justice have a specific plan to prove that it will not legalize crack, heroin, or any type of hard drugs?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are fed up. Everywhere they look more Liberals are displaying their lack of ethics. What bothers them most is that the Minister of Finance, the person responsible for our country's budget, is hiding his assets in numbered companies. He hid his Morneau Shepell shares for two years. He never disclosed that he owns a company in France. He was found guilty by the commissioner, and more importantly by all Canadians, and he had to pay a fine. How many more conflicts might we find in the rest of his numbered companies?

Mr. Speaker, in February, the Prime Minister called out a woman for using the term “mankind” and said that he preferred the term “peoplekind” because it is more inclusive. He later conceded that the remark was a dumb joke, yet another one. Today, Service Canada employees who interact with the public are no longer allowed to use terms like “Mr.” and “Mrs.” and now have to use gender-neutral language.Can the Prime Minister confirm whether this new practice has truly been imposed because—

Mr. Speaker, the government's partisan choice for Commissioner of Official Languages is par for the course.When someone gives no less than $5,000 to the Liberal Party and works at Queen's Park in the same place as the architect of the Liberal agenda, getting a senior civil service position is payback, plain and simple. Does this mean that anyone who is not a Liberal Party crony and does not contribute to the Liberals' coffers has no chance of being appointed to a senior position by this government?

Mr. Speaker, one cannot put a price on respect. All Canadians and all military personnel know that when the honour of the Canadian Armed Forces is sullied by a members' actions, that member has committed a serious mistake that deserves to be punished. The Minister of National Defence voluntarily committed perjury at least twice and would still have us believe that he just made a mistake that can be forgiven with an insincere apology.If this minister really wants to show the minimum amount of respect that he owes to his former brothers in arms, then what is he waiting for? When will he step down?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians do not like corruption. Four people have left the Prime Minister's inner circle since January, and he continues to say that nothing happened. The former attorney general says the opposite, however. She says that this matter is serious and that some questions remain unanswered.As the saying goes, the longer we wait, the worse things will get. This story reeks of corruption, and Canadians want the truth.What is the Prime Minister hiding? What is he so afraid of?

Madam Speaker, our electoral system and the right to vote do not belong to this government or this Prime Minister.No government in Canada has tried to impose a new electoral system without a referendum since the 1950s. The last time a government tried to do that, politicians manipulated the system. They paid for it, because Canadians punished them.Will this government seek the consent of all Canadians before changing—

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are forever rolling out the red carpet for foreign lobbyists who constantly influence this government's decisions and are brushing off the interests of Canadian companies.This government has had 99 meetings with Amazon, 37 with Google, and 16 with Netflix, all companies that we know for a fact are seeking changes to our copyright and broadcasting laws.It makes us wonder if the heritage minister is just a puppet for American Internet giants. How can the minister stand by and let American corporations rewrite our laws?

Mr. Speaker, breach of trust, partisanship, loose ethics, and the list goes on. The Liberal Party opposite is taking us back 15 years to the time of the sponsorship scandal, when the doors were thrown wide open to welcome friends who contributed to the party.Today, the Liberals are appointing party donors and tough luck for everyone else. Ms. Meilleur is the perfect example. When will the Minister of Canadian Heritage stop making up stories, tell members the truth, and redo the selection process?

Mr. Speaker, we know the Prime Minister is eager to show my wonderful riding off to the whole world during the G7 meeting. We also know that events like these attract protestors and vandals. We all deplore that type of violence, and the Prime Minister must stop denying its existence. He needs to step up and provide assurances to people affected by the G7. Can he tell us if his government has set aside a special fund to compensate the people who end up being victims of vandalism?

Mr. Speaker, I get a real kick out of listening to the Liberals over there.In January 2014, the Prime Minister booted Liberal senators out of his caucus. Now he is trying to convince everyone that newly appointed senators are independent.Liberal blood is thicker than their respect for an independent appointment process, so it is not at all surprising that our newest senators were appointed because they are Liberal Party pals. When will the Prime Minister stop lying to us, respect the process and tell the truth?

Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals came to power in 2015, the woman who murdered eight-year-old Tori Stafford was locked up, behind bars, in prison. Today she is residing at a healing lodge, where children often stay for visits. It is unacceptable.The Prime Minister is well aware that he is the only one that can reverse this decision. Will the Prime Minister stand up for victims' rights and reverse this decision so that this murderer goes back behind bars?

Mr. Speaker, I have had it up to here with this government and its supreme arrogance toward elected members of the House. We were elected to stand up for Canadians. We are here to ask questions on behalf of taxpayers. That is our responsibility. Never again will we let the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance bully us and refuse to answer questions. Will the minister wait until a commission of inquiry finds out what he did, or will he do the only honourable thing he can at this point and resign?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities does not have what it takes to be minister. A minister must listen to people, and be receptive and empathetic. The minister clearly does not get this, and has repeatedly acted inappropriately and made condescending comments to Canadians, like Kim Davis. What is worse is that the minister ordered his staff to publicly humiliate Ms. Davis.Does the Prime Minister endorse his minister's actions?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance's lack of ethics is becoming quite an embarrassment to the government. The person responsible for the country's budget has woven quite a tangled web for himself. He is refusing to explain why he sold his shares just days before introducing a new tax policy. He is now the subject of a comprehensive investigation by the Ethics Commissioner because he introduced a bill that could benefit his family company.Considering all of these developments, will the Minister of Finance do the right thing and resign?

Mr. Speaker, all of the charges against alleged notorious gang leader Nick Chan were stayed because of court delays. That means that we are now seeing more and more big criminals go free because the Minister of Justice has failed in her duty. It seems that she is doing a lot more to protect criminals than victims.When will the minister take her responsibilities seriously and appoint judges so that justice can finally be done?

Mr. Speaker, last fall the Minister of Justice pledged to fill 60 judicial vacancies in Canada in order to address the issue of inordinate court delays. Since then, only 24 positions have been filled, which is clearly not enough and has led to trials being dropped, including trials involving such serious offences as murder and rape. When will the Minister of Justice finally keep her promise and show consideration and respect for the victims and their families?

Mr. Speaker, the G7 is just around the corner and despite the crowds in La Malbaie and the Prime Minister's smiles, people are worried.Local residents did not choose to be within the perimeter of the facilities and they already know that they will be denied any compensation from the government if they are victims of vandalism during the summit.Since the government has no qualms about spending more than $10 million to compensate the terrorist Omar Khadr, how can it refuse to compensate honest Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, in light of the minister's comments, it might be time to pull the plug on this project. Canadians are very worried. They are worried about having the government digging around in their private financial information without their consent. This is an intrusion—an intrusion into their private lives.When will the government, which claims to be in touch with Canadians, do right by them and permanently shut down this project?

Mr. Speaker, for over a week now, the Minister of La Francophonie has been playing petty politics at the expense of Ontarians by attacking us, the members on this side of the House. I have plenty of evidence to prove that she misled the House by saying that my leader has done nothing. He wrote a letter today, and we requested a positive response, which we have not yet received.If the minister does not want to explain herself to the House, she should join me outside. I have plenty of evidence against her.

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister enjoys making grandiose statements that he knows will make him look good, such as when he apologized to certain groups. However, when it comes to protecting Canadians from abuse and harassment, he comes up with all kinds of excuses and does nothing. Will he do the right thing once and for all and apologize to our military personnel for dishonouring them by refusing to protect them from all forms of workplace harassment?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is refusing to reimburse taxpayers for his vacation. This week, all of his MPs clearly supported his decision. That is an insult to Canadians. His leader is refusing to answer questions and just keeps repeating that he accepts responsibility for the report and that his travel expenses were for security costs that all prime ministers are entitled to. That is not true. No prime minister should ever take advantage of the position and spend honest working people's money. When will the Prime Minister reimburse taxpayers? That is what accepting responsibility really means.

Mr. Speaker, for some time now we have noticed the laxness of the Liberal Party and its propensity to reduce criminals' sentences.The Liberal government's priority clearly seems to be lighter sentences for criminals, as demonstrated by its Bill C-38. We can see that the Liberals care more about criminals and that they have no consideration for victims and their families.When will the Prime Minister stand up for victims of crime?

Mr. Speaker, after all that overspending, the government has run out of taxpayer money. To replenish its coffers, the Liberals are picking the pockets of Canadians once again. This time, it is persons with disabilities who are paying the price. A person in my riding was denied the disability tax credit for the first time in 20 years. The reason provided was that his illness does not affect him 90% of the time.Why is this government counting the seconds when persons with disabilities are affected, but not the billions of dollars that the Prime Minister's friends are hiding in tax havens?

Mr. Speaker, we have finally reached the end of this government's first term in office. Unfortunately, it has cost taxpayers dearly. The Prime Minister has made the cost of living much too high for Canadian families, but he thinks they will forget all about that by October 21.In addition to raising taxes, he eliminated tax credits for public transit and children's fitness.Why do Canadians always have to pay more when the Liberals are in power?

Mr. Speaker, for weeks now, the Minister of National Revenue has been saying over and over again that her government has recouped nearly $25 billion that the Liberals had lost to tax evasion over the past two years.However, her senior officials and the assistant deputy commissioner are refusing to confirm the much-vaunted yet unsubstantiated amount. It seems obvious, then, that the minister has been misleading Canadians.Given these facts, how can we continue to trust this minister, when she too is hiding the truth from us?

Madam Speaker, Canadians are beginning to realize that the Liberals' ethics are rather loose. By way of evidence, we learned that the Minister of Finance, the very same member who sits on the cabinet committee that looks after the government's legal proceedings, is cooking up fundraising activities with Apotex, a company that is suing the federal government. Does this fundraising campaign with Apotex show a lack of judgment on his part, or is it a blatant conflict of interest?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has been asked a slew of questions about its ethics and all it is giving us in response is talking points.Many organizations are warning that the government lacks credibility when it comes to its fundraising activities. The more the government refuses to give us honest answers to our questions, the more dishonest it proves itself to be.Are the ministers waiting for Canadians to call for an inquiry or will they finally put a stop to this questionable behaviour and follow the Prime Minister's ethics rules?

Mr. Speaker, the government has chosen a new commissioner of official languages. Apparently, all it takes to get this position is a $5,000 donation to the Liberal Party of Canada, a $500 donation to the Prime Minister's leadership bid, and being a former Liberal minister.This Liberal government's first appointment could not be more partisan, and that is a shame.Are being a long-time Liberal and donating to the party the criteria of the Prime Minister's new appointment process?

Mr. Speaker, this government turned on the taps and is promising outrageous deficits. Canadian families know how tough it is to make ends meet, and they know that racking up credit card debt to put food on the table is not the right way to handle things.Will the government cut up its credit card and stop mortgaging our children's future?

She was certainly the best, Mr. Speaker, as she gave $5,000 to the Liberal Party. Madeleine Meilleur’s appointment as Commissioner of Official Languages is a disgrace when it comes to ethics in the selection process.The Minister of Canadian Heritage keeps defending the indefensible, when she knows full well that it was unethical of her to interfere in the process.When will she finally take her job seriously, reconsider her unacceptable decision to appoint Madeleine Meilleur and finally acknowledge the non-partisan nature of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages?

Mr. Speaker, we have a plan to let women speak.Yesterday, the Prime Minister ousted two of his former ministers from his caucus for reasons that are unclear and to try to save his image. When the Minister of Tourism, Official Languages and La Francophonie was asked about the Prime Minister's fragile standing in the wake of that decision, she simply said that people are either loyal or they are not.Since when is telling the truth considered to be disloyal?

Mr. Speaker, do you remember that 70s quiz show Who is Telling the Truth? We have been watching it since May 15. The Minister of Canadian Heritage assured the House that Madeleine Meilleur never talked to either Mr. Butts or Ms. Telford.However, on May 18 in the Standing Committee on Official Languages, Ms. Meilleur said that she had discussed an appointment as a senator or commissioner with Mr. Butts and had coffee with Katie Telford for the same reason.Will she apologize for misleading the House once and for all?

Mr. Speaker, whenever a simple question comes her way, the Minister of National Revenue could just answer with, “This is a recorded message”. For weeks, she has been saying that the eligibility criteria for people with type 1 diabetes have not changed, but a memo from May 2 says the exact opposite. For her to mislead the House and Canadians is unacceptable.When will the minister finally do the right thing and reverse her decision?

Mr. Speaker, I am sorry, but the fact is that we want him to tell the truth.

Mr. Speaker, now that the Prime Minister has said that it is in fact illegal to cross the border, could he tell the House what the plan is and what he intends to do to stop illegal migration at the border?

Mr. Speaker, during question period yesterday, the Prime Minister asked us to listen to Tori Stafford's family. That is what we have been doing since this debate began.We are listening to the family, and we are their voice in the House. Tori's father wants to see the criminal who heinously took his daughter's life back behind bars.Why do the Liberals insist on defending the indefensible, when they should be defending and listening to the victims of this awful crime?

Mr. Speaker, when we ask questions about the honour of our men in uniform, it is not a matter of money. I am asking the Prime Minister to answer our questions honourably. Even if he has no respect for the House, he should at least have some for our men in uniform.

Mr. Speaker, this government turned on the taps and is promising outrageous deficits. Canadian families know how tough it is to make ends meet, and they know that racking up credit card debt to put food on the table is not the right way to handle things.Will the government cut up its credit card and stop mortgaging our children's future?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons to withdraw her remarks about members on this side of the House not respecting the House. That is not true. All members here respect the House, and we respect everyone.

Mr. Speaker, Canadians do not like corruption. Four people have left the Prime Minister's inner circle since January, and he continues to say that nothing happened. The former attorney general says the opposite, however. She says that this matter is serious and that some questions remain unanswered.As the saying goes, the longer we wait, the worse things will get. This story reeks of corruption, and Canadians want the truth.What is the Prime Minister hiding? What is he so afraid of?

Mr. Speaker, Terri-Lynne McClintic committed a heinous crime when she viciously murdered 8-year-old Tori Stafford, who had her whole life ahead of her. This is a wound that will never heal for Tori's parents. This woman was found guilty of first degree murder and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. She was not sentenced to a a healing lodge where children are present.Will the Liberals do the right thing, prove to Canadians that victims' rights must take precedence over criminals' rights, and vote in favour of our motion today—

Mr. Speaker, let us talk about Mr. Guilbeault. Everyone in the Quebec City area, including the premier, is in favour of the third link. Is the party opposite afraid to stand up and tell the Premier of Quebec that it is against the third link?

Mr. Speaker, today we learned that Canada 2020 just introduced some rules to provide a framework for fundraising activities involving the Prime Minister and Liberal ministers, recognizing that there is a serious problem.Given that Canada 2020 recognizes this important problem, why is it that the government opposite finds it impossible to also recognize that there is a problem and that it is breaking the ethics rules that the Prime Minister himself put in place?

Mr. Speaker, I see a Liberal scandal on the horizon. While the Prime Minister tries to persuade us that legalizing pot is supposed to fight organized crime, the media are reporting that 40% of the money invested in Quebec in companies that will produce marijuana comes from tax havens. That means it is impossible to know who the investors are, although we know that many Liberal cronies have both hands in the cookie jar.Can the Prime Minister table a list of investors in the House, or will we be forced to demand—

Mr. Speaker, we met with representatives from the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec this morning.The consultations now at an end, the federation is sounding the alarm. It is asking the Minister of Finance to extend the consultations in order to carefully assess the impact of the proposed measures and submit an economic impact study. The minister is unable to tell us how his reform will affect SMEs across the country.Is the minister going to wait until our SMEs pack up and leave the country or will he extend the consultation period?

Mr. Speaker, in January, there were two incidents where the Prime Minister should have answered a question in one language but instead he answered in the other.With his usual arrogance, the Prime Minister demonstrated his lack of respect for Canadians and official languages. On behalf of Canada's linguistic minorities, I am calling on the Prime Minister to publicly apologize for his blatant lack of respect for those communities.Will the Prime Minister apologize and finally show respect for Canada's official languages?

Mr. Speaker, it only makes sense for the Minister of Finance to put his holdings in a blind trust.However, things become unacceptable when the minister puts himself in a conflict of interest, as he did in the file involving the tax agreement with Barbados.Can he answer the question that is on everyone's lips?Did the minister recuse himself from the discussions on Barbados or any other file that would open the door to potential conflicts of interest?

Mr. Speaker, the Atwal affair has not been cleared up since the Prime Minister's disastrous trip to India, because he still refuses to answer our questions on this matter. We know that Daniel Jean is a professional public servant who did not provide any classified information to the media at a briefing on February 22. We are therefore asking that he be allowed to answer our questions, but the Prime Minister still refuses to let that happen.Since he did not provide any classified information, why does the Prime Minister refuse to allow Daniel Jean to give the same briefing to the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security?

Mr. Speaker, one cannot put a price on respect. All Canadians and all military personnel know that when the honour of the Canadian Armed Forces is sullied by a members' actions, that member has committed a serious mistake that deserves to be punished. The Minister of National Defence voluntarily committed perjury at least twice and would still have us believe that he just made a mistake that can be forgiven with an insincere apology.If this minister really wants to show the minimum amount of respect that he owes to his former brothers in arms, then what is he waiting for? When will he step down?

Mr. Speaker, when the Minister of Finance's chief of staff became directly involved in the SNC-Lavalin corruption scandal, the Liberals did not admonish him. They rewarded him and gave him a promotion. Now we learn that he threatened the staff of the former attorney general and tried to subvert the rule of law.Why does this Prime Minister reward those who do his dirty work and fire those who stand up to him?

Mr. Speaker, when the Liberals came to power in 2015, the woman who murdered eight-year-old Tori Stafford was locked up, behind bars, in prison. Today she is residing at a healing lodge, where children often stay for visits. It is unacceptable.The Prime Minister is well aware that he is the only one that can reverse this decision. Will the Prime Minister stand up for victims' rights and reverse this decision so that this murderer goes back behind bars?

Mr. Speaker, I have a number of questions regarding the new Liberal tax and yet I keep hearing the same broken record. The Liberals are insulting farmers with their inane one-liner. The farmers, their families, and the people in my riding who purchase our high-quality local products at reasonable prices are worried. The Minister of Agriculture is creating doubt in their minds, instead of encouraging them to cultivate prosperity in Canada.When will the minister stop being the Prime Minister's yes man and start acting responsibly to defend farmers?

Mr. Speaker, senior officials at the Department of Finance have said that they are having trouble finding a solution with regard to the transfer of family farms from one generation to the next. The Prime Minister is willing to do whatever it takes to fatten government coffers, even if it makes life incredibly difficult for the families who help our country prosper. If the Minister of Agriculture does not want to ensure the survival of family farms, we will.When will the Liberal government back down on its tax reform and stand up for our farmers?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities does not have what it takes to be minister. A minister must listen to people, and be receptive and empathetic. The minister clearly does not get this, and has repeatedly acted inappropriately and made condescending comments to Canadians, like Kim Davis. What is worse is that the minister ordered his staff to publicly humiliate Ms. Davis.Does the Prime Minister endorse his minister's actions?

Madam Speaker, Canadians are beginning to realize that the Liberals' ethics are rather loose. By way of evidence, we learned that the Minister of Finance, the very same member who sits on the cabinet committee that looks after the government's legal proceedings, is cooking up fundraising activities with Apotex, a company that is suing the federal government. Does this fundraising campaign with Apotex show a lack of judgment on his part, or is it a blatant conflict of interest?

Mr. Speaker, the G7 summit was held in my riding. I have written to the office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs twice seeking answers about the compensation program for businesses that suffered serious financial losses. My colleagues can guess what came next: radio silence.It emerged today that the government spent $23 million on 631 cars that are no longer in use, while local businesses struggle to get compensation. When is the government going to uphold its commitments and compensate—

Mr. Speaker, the government's partisan choice for Commissioner of Official Languages is par for the course.When someone gives no less than $5,000 to the Liberal Party and works at Queen's Park in the same place as the architect of the Liberal agenda, getting a senior civil service position is payback, plain and simple. Does this mean that anyone who is not a Liberal Party crony and does not contribute to the Liberals' coffers has no chance of being appointed to a senior position by this government?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister tried to stop criminal proceedings. The former attorney general said no.My question is simple. Why did the Prime Minister, the PMO and the Clerk of the Privy Council continue to interfere in the case after the September 17 meeting? Why?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's arrogance is killing me.In Canada, like in other places around the world, the Prime Minister has no problem giving taxpayers' money to his billionaire friends, while simultaneously eliminating the public transit tax credit. Yesterday we learned that the Aga Khan was financially compensated by the state during the leader of the Liberal Party's personal vacation. Once again, Canadian taxpayers are paying for his arrogance and poor judgment. When will the Prime Minister walk his talk and treat the middle class—

Madam Speaker, we all know that the party opposite could not care less about the regions and jobs there. The Liberal government had an opportunity to sign a softwood lumber agreement with the former American administration, but it chose to play games with the Trump team instead. Well, the Liberals got the short end of the stick, and now the forestry industry is paying the price for their incompetence with a 24% hike in Canadian softwood lumber import prices.The Liberals had an agreement. Why did they let it slip through their fingers, and when will they finally take softwood lumber and our regions seriously?

Mr. Speaker, another week ends under the pall of Liberal arrogance. It is a complete disgrace that the Minister of Canadian Heritage refuses to backtrack following her terrible decision to appoint Madeleine Meilleur as official languages commissioner, not because she lacks the skills, but rather for reasons that give a whole new meaning to the word partisanship.When will the minister realize that Ms. Meilleur has already lost all credibility to fill the position before she has even begun, and that it is high time that the appointment process became transparent and apolitical?

Madam Speaker, the parliamentary secretary just said that the government will not legalize hard drugs. I hope this is true. However, if they will never legalize these drugs, does the Liberal Party's Minister of Justice have a specific plan to prove that it will not legalize crack, heroin, or any type of hard drugs?

Mr. Speaker, it is sad to see someone like the Minister of Finance think he is beyond reproach.The Minister of Finance is responsible for the tax treaty between Canada and Barbados. We just learned that he finally decided to show some common sense thanks to our constant pressure. He finally realized that the noose was tightening around his neck and that he was in a conflict of interest.Before he put his assets in a trust, did he bother to withdraw from any cabinet discussions related to the tax treaty with Barbados?

Mr. Speaker, for weeks now, the Minister of National Revenue has been saying over and over again that her government has recouped nearly $25 billion that the Liberals had lost to tax evasion over the past two years.However, her senior officials and the assistant deputy commissioner are refusing to confirm the much-vaunted yet unsubstantiated amount. It seems obvious, then, that the minister has been misleading Canadians.Given these facts, how can we continue to trust this minister, when she too is hiding the truth from us?

Mr. Speaker, the former ethics commissioner released her report over a month ago.Since then, the Prime Minister has repeatedly said that he takes full responsibility and accepts the recommendations, but he has shown no leadership on this front. As head of state, he should lead by example, be proactive, and stop lowering the bar. The commissioner cannot force him to pay back the taxpayer dollars he spent on an illegal vacation, but nothing is stopping the Prime Minister from reimbursing the public for his extravagant spending. Why won't he do that?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have been in office for a year and a half.For a year and a half, the economy has been mismanaged, no full-time jobs have been created, and SMEs have been abandoned. What is the government's solution? It is overtaxing SMEs, which is cutting into their revenue and preventing them from hiring middle-class workers, all so that it can finance its out-of-control spending.Why is the Prime Minister directly attacking those that contribute the most to our economy?

Mr. Speaker, in 2004, the Gomery commission uncovered the truth about the sponsorship scandal. One of the key players in the scandal, Jacques Corriveau, was found guilty as charged.The government refuses to admit that it is breaking its own ethics rules, but will it at least ensure that taxpayers get the remaining $600,000 from the Corriveau affair back?

Madam Speaker, while the Prime Minister takes selfies, shows the world his socks, and flashes a phony smile, people suffering from serious mental health problems are being denied the disability tax credit. The Liberals have no compassion and would rather line the finance minister's pockets.Will the minister immediately order her department's collection agents to revert to the criteria they were using last April? Will she stop blaming everyone else and start taking responsibility?

Madam Speaker, never before has a Canadian prime minister been the subject of two ethics investigations, one of which could lead to sanctions.Either the Prime Minister does not understand that he is supposed to be above suspicion or he does not care. Will the Prime Minister finally admit that he broke the law when he rode in his friend's private helicopter during his personal vacation?

Mr. Speaker, with little to speak of in terms of achievements over the past four years, the Prime Minister is racking up scandals and appalling behaviour from members of his entourage.By promoting Ben Chin, the staffer who tried to circumvent the rule of law in the SNC-Lavalin scandal, the Prime Minister is confirming that he endorses this kind of totally unacceptable behaviour.How would the Prime Minister explain to Canadians why such behaviour was rewarded with a promotion rather than a dismissal?

Mr. Speaker, it would be naive to think that Ms. Meilleur withdrew from the process on her own, without pressure from the Prime Minister's Office. Now we know why the government had been acting shady for the past three weeks. The Liberals now have a second chance as they appoint the next ethics commissioner and official languages commissioner. Will the government assure this House that the next appointments will not be limited to candidates who happen to be Liberal Party donors, and that it will consult the party leaders before imposing its choices on us?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are forever rolling out the red carpet for foreign lobbyists who constantly influence this government's decisions and are brushing off the interests of Canadian companies.This government has had 99 meetings with Amazon, 37 with Google, and 16 with Netflix, all companies that we know for a fact are seeking changes to our copyright and broadcasting laws.It makes us wonder if the heritage minister is just a puppet for American Internet giants. How can the minister stand by and let American corporations rewrite our laws?

Mr. Speaker, who is telling the truth, the Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner or the Prime Minister? I do not trust the Prime Minister, so I will go with the commissioner, as the Prime Minister has asked us to do every time a Liberal scandal has erupted over the past two years. However, we see through the Prime Minister, who is using the commissioner to distract from the real problem, namely the Minister of Finance and all his cover-ups.Why is he defending the indefensible? What is the Minister of Finance hiding in his numbered companies?

Mr. Speaker, Canada's election laws have always worked well, but now, just 18 months before the next election, the Liberals continue to look for trouble and have decided to create mass confusion among voters.Across the country, Canadians must show at least one piece of official ID to vote, and this applies to everyone, no exceptions.Why are the Liberals trying to undermine the integrity of our electoral system, which is fine as is?

Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Official Languages recently learned that the French language test that immigrants have to take to be accepted into Canada is much more expensive than the English test. This situation is completely unacceptable.The committee asked Citizenship and Immigration Canada to provide a copy of the test, but that request has been ignored.Can the minister assure us that the French test will cost less than the English test for immigrants? Will he send us—

Mr. Speaker, no one can claim that the Liberals are champions of provincial jurisdictions. One of their favourite slogans is “Ottawa knows best”. The Liberals do not listen to the provinces or the Senate. Quebec and Manitoba are refusing to allow home growing of cannabis. They want the federal government to respect their jurisdiction over the regulatory framework for home growing. Will the government respect provincial jurisdictions, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to see that we all want to defend Franco-Ontarians.The partisan games on the backs of Franco-Ontarians have to stop here and now. This morning, the leader of the official opposition sent a letter to the Prime Minister requesting an urgent meeting to talk about this file.Will the Prime Minister accept the opposition leader's help or not?

Mr. Speaker, the G7 is just around the corner and despite the crowds in La Malbaie and the Prime Minister's smiles, people are worried.Local residents did not choose to be within the perimeter of the facilities and they already know that they will be denied any compensation from the government if they are victims of vandalism during the summit.Since the government has no qualms about spending more than $10 million to compensate the terrorist Omar Khadr, how can it refuse to compensate honest Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, we know the Prime Minister is eager to show my wonderful riding off to the whole world during the G7 meeting. We also know that events like these attract protestors and vandals. We all deplore that type of violence, and the Prime Minister must stop denying its existence. He needs to step up and provide assurances to people affected by the G7. Can he tell us if his government has set aside a special fund to compensate the people who end up being victims of vandalism?

Mr. Speaker, during the election campaign the Prime Minister said that it made no sense to impose plans to decrease greenhouse gas emissions on the provinces, and that it was up to them to find a solution to the problems in their provinces. Now the Liberals are imposing a carbon tax that will increase costs for middle-class families.Why do the Liberals want to help themselves to more money from Canadian middle-class families?

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are fed up. Everywhere they look more Liberals are displaying their lack of ethics. What bothers them most is that the Minister of Finance, the person responsible for our country's budget, is hiding his assets in numbered companies. He hid his Morneau Shepell shares for two years. He never disclosed that he owns a company in France. He was found guilty by the commissioner, and more importantly by all Canadians, and he had to pay a fine. How many more conflicts might we find in the rest of his numbered companies?

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Canadian Heritage has misled the House day after day and has not even bothered to apologize. It is shockingly easy to talk out of both sides of one's mouth and to avoid the issue.We are simply asking that the appointment of Ms. Meilleur to the position of official languages commissioner be rescinded and that a new transparent, fair, and non-partisan process be conducted.Knowing full well that the opposition parties do not approve of this appointment at all, when will the minister do what is right and start over?

Mr. Speaker, for some time now we have noticed the laxness of the Liberal Party and its propensity to reduce criminals' sentences.The Liberal government's priority clearly seems to be lighter sentences for criminals, as demonstrated by its Bill C-38. We can see that the Liberals care more about criminals and that they have no consideration for victims and their families.When will the Prime Minister stand up for victims of crime?

Mr. Speaker, I just heard the good news. Ms. Meilleur is withdrawing her candidacy. She finally saw the light. Now it is up to the government to restart the process and make it truly transparent, open, and non-partisan.Can the Prime Minister promise the House that he will consult the opposition parties so that we can have a non-partisan official languages commissioner that we can all agree on?

Mr. Speaker, I get a real kick out of listening to the Liberals over there.In January 2014, the Prime Minister booted Liberal senators out of his caucus. Now he is trying to convince everyone that newly appointed senators are independent.Liberal blood is thicker than their respect for an independent appointment process, so it is not at all surprising that our newest senators were appointed because they are Liberal Party pals. When will the Prime Minister stop lying to us, respect the process and tell the truth?

Mr. Speaker, after all that overspending, the government has run out of taxpayer money. To replenish its coffers, the Liberals are picking the pockets of Canadians once again. This time, it is persons with disabilities who are paying the price. A person in my riding was denied the disability tax credit for the first time in 20 years. The reason provided was that his illness does not affect him 90% of the time.Why is this government counting the seconds when persons with disabilities are affected, but not the billions of dollars that the Prime Minister's friends are hiding in tax havens?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Commissioner of Official Languages tabled a report denouncing the shortage of bilingual agents at Canadian airports. Only 9% of employees in Vancouver, Edmonton, and Toronto speak French.The Official Languages Act stipulates that all Canadians flying through an airport in Canada should be able to be served in the official language of their choice. Complying with legislation is mandatory, not optional.When will the Minister of Transport enforce the use of official languages by the employees in question?

Mr. Speaker, I would like my friend from Louis-Hébert to apologize for saying that we did nothing for the Quebec City region when we were in power. Nothing could be further from the truth. Just read any newspaper to see that we did a lot more than the Liberals are doing today.

Mr. Speaker, “transparency”, “openness”, and “integrity” are words the Liberals opposite keep bandying about, but they never walk the talk.The first officer of Parliament appointment is a partisan one. Donating to Liberal Party coffers or helping our famous Prime Minister during his election campaign is a path to becoming the commissioner of official languages.Will the Prime Minister put partisanship aside and protect official languages ahead of his personal interests?

Mr. Speaker, construction of the energy east pipeline is vital for creating thousands of jobs in Quebec and New Brunswick. Studies show that it could generate billions of dollars in economic benefits.The Liberals were never going to support this important project for eastern Canada. They prefer to make ideological decisions instead of sharing Canada's natural resources from coast to coast to coast.Why does this Prime Minister, who claims to defend the middle class, refuse to stand up to create good jobs here in Canada?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister enjoys making grandiose statements that he knows will make him look good, such as when he apologized to certain groups. However, when it comes to protecting Canadians from abuse and harassment, he comes up with all kinds of excuses and does nothing. Will he do the right thing once and for all and apologize to our military personnel for dishonouring them by refusing to protect them from all forms of workplace harassment?

Mr. Speaker, this is national Victims and Survivors of Crime Week. This year's theme is “Transforming the Culture Together”.Let me point out that the ombudsperson for victims of crime position has been vacant for over seven months. The government did, however, fill the correctional investigator position on January 2, so maybe it does not think victims need the help.Why are the Liberals not giving victims of crime a strong voice by appointing an independent ombudsperson to protect them, as I proposed in my bill?

She was certainly the best, Mr. Speaker, as she gave $5,000 to the Liberal Party. Madeleine Meilleur’s appointment as Commissioner of Official Languages is a disgrace when it comes to ethics in the selection process.The Minister of Canadian Heritage keeps defending the indefensible, when she knows full well that it was unethical of her to interfere in the process.When will she finally take her job seriously, reconsider her unacceptable decision to appoint Madeleine Meilleur and finally acknowledge the non-partisan nature of the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages?

Mr. Speaker, controversy is swirling around the Liberals again; it is in their DNA. Conflicts of interest abound at the office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage. Apparently her chief of staff, Leslie Church, attended a number of meetings to discuss important plans between the department and Google, where she used to work.We know that Google has special access to the minister's office and her team and that changes are set to be made to the Broadcasting Act.Can the minister assure us that the process for making these changes will be independent, transparent, and free from political interference?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are showing their true colours when it comes to Quebec. Despite their hypocritical smiles, they are not listening to what Quebeckers need. The Prime Minister is ignoring the consensus in Quebec regarding the single tax return, concocting some big story about how it could lead to more tax evasion in Quebec. He might as well call us a bunch of thieves.Why are the Liberals incapable of granting a legitimate request from Quebeckers?

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is refusing to reimburse taxpayers for his vacation. This week, all of his MPs clearly supported his decision. That is an insult to Canadians. His leader is refusing to answer questions and just keeps repeating that he accepts responsibility for the report and that his travel expenses were for security costs that all prime ministers are entitled to. That is not true. No prime minister should ever take advantage of the position and spend honest working people's money. When will the Prime Minister reimburse taxpayers? That is what accepting responsibility really means.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance's lack of ethics is becoming quite an embarrassment to the government. The person responsible for the country's budget has woven quite a tangled web for himself. He is refusing to explain why he sold his shares just days before introducing a new tax policy. He is now the subject of a comprehensive investigation by the Ethics Commissioner because he introduced a bill that could benefit his family company.Considering all of these developments, will the Minister of Finance do the right thing and resign?

Mr. Speaker, I will take no lessons from the Liberals on democratic reform. They will not listen to anyone. The Canada Elections Act has been working just fine so far. What do the Liberals do whenever something is working just fine? They find a way to mess it up. With the election just 18 months away, they are only too happy to confuse voters. Across the country, Canadians must identify themselves with at least one piece of official identification, with no exceptions and not excluding anyone.Why are the Liberals—

Mr. Speaker, the government has chosen a new commissioner of official languages. Apparently, all it takes to get this position is a $5,000 donation to the Liberal Party of Canada, a $500 donation to the Prime Minister's leadership bid, and being a former Liberal minister.This Liberal government's first appointment could not be more partisan, and that is a shame.Are being a long-time Liberal and donating to the party the criteria of the Prime Minister's new appointment process?

Mr. Speaker, since coming to power, the government has been silent on the subject of official languages. Official languages are no longer part of the minister's title, and nobody seems to want responsibility for this file.I would like to know if there is someone at the helm of the good ship official languages or if the government intends to keep ignoring this file.

Mr. Speaker, if we voted against anything, it was against the cover-up.The former president of the Treasury Board has said that there is much more to the story, and the former attorney general has said that she has more to add. Today, we learned that she will be providing copies of her emails and written correspondence to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights.When the Prime Minister says that he is working to save 9,000 jobs at SNC-Lavalin, he is giving the House untruthful answers because the CEO of the company, Neil Bruce, has indicated that it was never about jobs.When will the Prime Minister stop his cover-up?

Mr. Speaker, the G7 summit will be held in La Malbaie, in my riding, in June. It is quickly approaching and people have many questions and want answers, especially about the significant costs associated with this event.For several weeks now, major transformations have overshadowed the natural beauty of the region and inevitably resulted in significant expenses. With the G7 only three weeks away, is the Prime Minister able to inform us of the cost of the G7 summit?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals seem ready to go to any lengths to prevent energy east from moving forward. We have just learned that the assessment process has had to be suspended for 30 days. This government is throwing open the doors to petroleum importers like Saudi Arabia and Venezuela, but is constantly creating obstacles for Canadian companies that would like to create jobs in Quebec and the Atlantic provinces.Why does the Prime Minister persist in making decisions that are costing good jobs all across the country and that prevent the wealth of the west from flowing to the east?

Mr. Speaker, this government recently crowed about fighting for the middle class. I have my doubts about that when I see the debt spiralling out of control. This spending is motivated by Liberal ideology and it is going to hurt our economy.Can the Minister of Finance explain to Canadians how debt is going to make us better off?

I will bite my tongue, Mr. Speaker. Everything about the Minister of Finance is shady and hypocritical, yet he is still trying to convince us that the opposite is true by refusing to answer our questions. Canada's finances must be managed by someone who is responsible, transparent, and honest because this is Canadians' money we are talking about.In light of the commissioner's investigations, the minister's personal gains and his refusal to respond to questions about his financial transactions, will the Prime Minister fire his finance minister, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government has been asked a slew of questions about its ethics and all it is giving us in response is talking points.Many organizations are warning that the government lacks credibility when it comes to its fundraising activities. The more the government refuses to give us honest answers to our questions, the more dishonest it proves itself to be.Are the ministers waiting for Canadians to call for an inquiry or will they finally put a stop to this questionable behaviour and follow the Prime Minister's ethics rules?

Mr. Speaker, breach of trust, partisanship, loose ethics, and the list goes on. The Liberal Party opposite is taking us back 15 years to the time of the sponsorship scandal, when the doors were thrown wide open to welcome friends who contributed to the party.Today, the Liberals are appointing party donors and tough luck for everyone else. Ms. Meilleur is the perfect example. When will the Minister of Canadian Heritage stop making up stories, tell members the truth, and redo the selection process?

Mr. Speaker, there are reports that the parliamentary secretary announced the government's true position at an event in Washington when he mentioned there would be “room to negotiate” on supply management. This government keeps selling out the farmers in my riding, Lac Saint-Jean, and Quebec as a whole to accommodate Washington. It is plain to see that this government is all too willing to bow and scrape to the United States.Will the Prime Minister confirm for our farmers that he plans to use them as a bargaining chip, despite claims that supply management is not on the table?

Mr. Speaker, during the many consultations held by the Minister of Canadian Heritage, CBC/Radio Canada asked the government to provide an additional $400 million and to depoliticize its funding by indexing it to inflation I imagine that the minister will grant all the corporation's requests because, as she herself said, “That's easy: Radio-Canada”.Is this government going to play Santa Claus for its friends and unfairly spend another $400 million of taxpayers' money?

Mr. Speaker, that was not the question.Given that the Attorney General of Canada has unique responsibilities in relation to upholding the rule of law and the administration of justice, and that our justice system must be free of any political interference and maintain the highest level of public confidence, that position should never be tainted by partisanship and must always be absolutely transparent.The question is simple. Did the Prime Minister's Office discuss a special deal for SNC-Lavalin with the former attorney general?

Madam Speaker, we are a few days away from the opening of the G7 meetings and many questions about public safety remain unanswered.Yesterday we learned that special constables have not received any training to contain the anticipated demonstrations and that the customs officers that will be on duty during the summit will be unarmed, which happens only when there is zero risk.Can the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness assure us that law enforcement agencies will be adequately deployed during the G7?

Madam Speaker, our electoral system and the right to vote do not belong to this government or this Prime Minister.No government in Canada has tried to impose a new electoral system without a referendum since the 1950s. The last time a government tried to do that, politicians manipulated the system. They paid for it, because Canadians punished them.Will this government seek the consent of all Canadians before changing—

Mr. Speaker, the government keeps saying that it is a strong advocate for the middle class, but it is in cahoots with the wealthy to help them get richer at the expense of the poor, who are being forced to cover the government's outlandish spending. We just learned that the government has given access to new tax havens in Granada and in Antigua and Barbuda.When will this government be truly transparent with taxpayers, honestly work in their interests, and stop signing agreements with tax havens?

Mr. Speaker, from Bombardier and the Aga Khan to Chinese billionaires, it is clear that the Prime Minister likes padding his friends' pockets. It turns out that the director of Canada: The Story of Us is John English, the elder Trudeau's biographer. The series will also be used in university settings, which will certainly be good for Mr. English's bank account.Did the Prime Minister use $675 million in public funds to indirectly line the pockets of another friend of his?

Mr. Speaker, in their arrogance, the Liberals are trying to impose their electoral reform on Canadians before Parliament votes on the bill. That is completely unacceptable.The Prime Minister decided to cut the process short by skipping the democratic vote on the new bill by all members from all parties in the House, even though that is their responsibility and right as elected officials.On behalf of Canadians, will the Prime Minister ask Elections Canada to halt the implementation of this bill until Parliament passes the version—

Mr. Speaker, once again, the Prime Minister has been called out for his disparaging remarks. He said that the mass arrival of male workers in Canada's rural areas would have a negative social impact. For several years now, seasonal workers have been travelling to regional areas every year; they keep the economy going and no one complains. Instead of asking how to adjust and adapt, the Prime Minister should be happy that Canada has such a skilled workforce.

Mr. Speaker, we are tired of hearing talking points; we want real answers today.The former minister of status of women spent the tidy amount of $1.1 million renovating her office. Many organizations that help women could have really used that money.Can the Minister of Status of Women explain why her priority was renovations rather than women who are very short of money?

Mr. Speaker, at the most recent Sommet de la Francophonie, in Dakar, Canada and the heads of state and governments passed a resolution expressing their concerns about the rise in the number of acts of terrorism and their unwavering support for the fight against terrorism.While our allies around the globe are intensifying their fight against ISIS, Canada is stepping back by withdrawing its CF-18s. Does the Liberal government also plan to turn its back on our partners in the Francophonie in the fight against terrorism?

“Always scheming,” Mr. Speaker. That is the new slogan of the Liberal Party across the way.Schemes are what led to the appointment of the new Commissioner of Official Languages. We do not even have to dig anymore. The Liberals went way beyond decency in a process that is supposed to be non-partisan. There is no transparency. Even the Minister of Canadian Heritage decided she would take a seat at this partisan table. She clearly should have kept walking.In these circumstances, will the minister take responsibility and rescind Madeleine Meilleur’s appointment?

Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Victims Bill of Rights is a supra-constitutional statute, which includes the right to information for victims and their families. It is unacceptable that Tori Stafford's parents were only informed after their child's killer was transferred. They should have been informed much sooner. This fiasco has only added to the family's pain and trauma. Will the Prime Minister take responsibility and cancel this offender's transfer, yes or no?

Mr. Speaker, the leader over there keeps saying that these proposed changes are designed to help MPs achieve work-life balance, but here is what is really driving the changes: the Prime Minister wants to sit just one out of five days, one whole, entire hour per week. The Prime Minister has been in the House since 2008, so can he explain to taxpayers who work five days a week why his full-time job should turn into a part-time job for the same pay?

Mr. Speaker, this government's first appointment of an officer of Parliament is clearly based on partisanship and loose ethics. Even when an individual is fully qualified for the job, if that person does not donate to or help the Liberal Party, he or she is pushed aside and we are led to believe that another candidate is better.Getting the job of official languages commissioner is easy: just donate $5,000 to the Liberal Party, $500 to the Prime Minister's leadership campaign, and that is it.What will be the Prime Minister's modus operandi for future appointments?

Mr. Speaker, none of that is true. The Liberals never consulted the opposition parties. Our party leaders received letters two days in advance.I want to ask the Prime Minister a simple question. Will the next process be non-partisan? Will the candidate be someone who does not donate to the Liberal Party?

Mr. Speaker, for over a week now, the Minister of La Francophonie has been playing petty politics at the expense of Ontarians by attacking us, the members on this side of the House. I have plenty of evidence to prove that she misled the House by saying that my leader has done nothing. He wrote a letter today, and we requested a positive response, which we have not yet received.If the minister does not want to explain herself to the House, she should join me outside. I have plenty of evidence against her.

Mr. Speaker, we are still waiting for answers on the SNC-Lavalin scandal. It is high time Canadians got the whole truth.The former attorney general must be allowed to speak her whole truth. In her March 14 letter, she clearly reiterated that recent events have been a wake-up call for many across the country, and further clarity and information are needed. Will the Liberal members on the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights back off and agree to let her appear at committee tomorrow morning?