Jim Bélanger

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present two petitions on behalf of my constituents of Sudbury East—Manitoulin—Nickel Belt. The first petition calls on the Government of Canada to cancel the firearms buyback program and, instead, focus its efforts on strengthening border security, combatting the illegal smuggling of firearms and targeting criminal activity rather than law-abiding firearms owners.

Cloverdale—Langley City C-218 Mr. Speaker, the second petition is in support of my colleague from's private member's bill, Bill. The petitioners urge the government to support this bill, which would reverse the expansion of medical assistance in dying eligibility to individuals whose sole underlying medical condition is mental illness and, instead, prioritize access to appropriate treatment, [more]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to welcome two constituents from my part of northern Ontario, who join us today from Espanola: Matthew Hannah and his mother, Rebecca. I first met Matthew at a meet-and-greet where he impressed me with his strong knowledge of Canada's parliamentary democracy and its leaders, past and present. From a young age, Matthew has shown a genuine passion for Canadian politics and [more]

Mr. Speaker, first-time homebuyers need supply and affordability. That means more homes being built in communities across Canada, not another federal bureaucracy. We need to be cutting unnecessary taxes and lowering material costs. Speeding up approvals would give young Canadians a real chance to own a home rather than staying in their parents' basements.

Prime Minister Mr. Speaker, Canadians need more homes. Northern Ontario needs more homes. Thepromised to build 500,000 new homes a year at speeds not seen since the Second World War, but his own agency confirmed that housing starts have collapsed. While the Liberals fail to get housing built, Conservatives will bring real solutions to restore a country that puts home ownership within reach. That [more]

Mr. Speaker, it is true that we cannot control what happens abroad, and we cannot make excuses on affordability issues that stem from bad decisions from the Liberals. Prime Minister Thecontinues to go ahead with bad policies, like the industrial carbon tax and the fuel standard tax, which will rise to 17¢. This applies to every Canadian, especially those who bring us our food, driving up the [more]

Mr. Speaker, the facts are clear. After a decade of Liberal government, housing prices in Canada have doubled and the dream of owning a home has never been further out of reach for millions of Canadians, especially in Sudbury East—Manitoulin—Nickel Belt. For generations, owning a home was a cornerstone of the Canadian dream. It represented stability, security and the promise that if we worked [more]

Mr. Speaker, I totally agree with my colleague that construction costs are too high. Something definitely needs to be done for the forestry sector to help with housing construction.

I see problems arising with respect to substantive equality. I just read a report on health. The situation must be similar in some industries and various departments. There are a lot more people retiring than there are graduates with French skills. What are your thoughts on that?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Ms. Chouinard, there have been many discussions about the importance of consulting stakeholders while developing these regulations. In your opinion, was the consultation process rigorous enough? Do you feel that the voices of francophone minority communities were heard in a meaningful way?

Do we have enough statistics and data for federal institutions to identify concrete, measurable targets?