Michael Coteau
Scarborough—Woburn, Ontario · Liberal · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, the member did mention just fighting hate, and he mentioned anti-hate legislation. A proposed change came through the Senate to include the noose as a hate symbol, which the Conservatives have voted against.”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak on behalf of the people of Scarborough—Woburn and on behalf of families and patients across this country, people who have suffered from sickle cell. It is a great honour to channel their voice here in this great chamber. We have heard a lot about paperwork.”
“When I talk to an actual patient of sickle cell and ask them to describe how that pain feels, they say it is a throbbing, sharp, stabbing pain. It almost feels like their bones are being broken. It feels like they are being crushed. This is how they describe it.”
“There has been a lack of research applied to studying this particular disease and a lack of knowledge that doctors and people within the health care system have been provided.”
“Here we are today, in Canada, where there is a disease impacting several thousand people, that we know of, and there is a cure, yet there are people in our system, Canadians, who are living with this disease.”
“Of course the provinces and the territories are the ones that have jurisdiction over health care, but we have an opportunity as a House to provide leadership to help build a system right across this country to better the lives of so many Canadians. I want to thank every single member in the House for their words today.”
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“He said that we collectively as Canadians protect each other through our rights by making sure individual and collective rights are protected, and these are the things that help define who we are as Canadians. We are here to protect each other. We are here to protect people so they can pray to whoever they decide, love whoever they want and have the ability say what they believe or criticize the government. These are the protections afforded under our Constitution. Within those constitutional rights, Canadian citizens have the right to enter and return to the country. There is another section for equality. There is no question that we need to continue to support lost Canadians. We need to make sure there is a pathway so Canadians can return home and we can continue to build the type of country that has made all of us proud.”
“They will say that Canada is not the country it used to be. I do not believe that. I believe Canada is the greatest country in the world. I believe that wholeheartedly. I was in an Uber a couple of days ago and met a gentleman who is a doctor in his country. He is a Canadian citizen now and is trying to get his Canadian medical residency in order to practise here. I said to him that I knew this was very challenging, because the statistics sometimes do not support any optimism in the possibility of becoming a doctor. He said the fact that he was in this country and that his rights were protected meant a lot to him. I asked him what he meant by that. He told me where he came from and talked about some of the challenges there.”
“We all have an immigrant past in this country outside of our indigenous brothers and sisters. This country has been built by the efforts of many people from many different places around the world. (1130) If someone who is granted Canadian citizenship decides to do some travelling, under a first-generation rule for someone who is the descendant of a Canadian citizen, they should be allowed to come back to their country. I believe the Ontario Superior Court made the right decision on that, because it is about equality and our ability to have mobility. It means that under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, we can leave, travel from and return to Canada at our own choosing as Canadians. It is part of our constitutional rights. It is part of our charter protections. There are people who will say that Canada is broken.”
“I grew up in Flemingdon Park in Toronto, and in that part of town, the majority of people were first-generation Canadians. There were people from all around the world in my building, from the Philippines, Korea, Europe, Africa, the Caribbean and a lot from Greece. It was such a multicultural environment. At dinnertime, in the hallway where I lived, we could smell every spice from around the world because there were so many different cultures in the building. Many people now vilify immigrants coming to this country. They blame them for a lot of things, but make no mistake that outside of our indigenous past and the indigenous people in this country, every single person in this country has an immigrant past. They could have been here for 400 years, 40 years or four years.”
“My father went to England and met my mother, and they started a family and came to Canada. To quote one of the greatest prime ministers this country has ever had, “Canada is the best country”, period. I love this country. It has been so good to the many people from Carriacou, Grenada, who have come here and people from all around the world. The reason this issue is so important to all members of Parliament is that we understand the value of Canadian citizenship. We love our country. I would say there is no debate on that in the House; each of us loves our provinces and our country. Being immigrants, coming to Canada was probably the best decision my parents could have made. We value Canadian citizenship, and that is why this issue is such a difficult issue for some people to debate.”
“The folks watching at home or paying attention to this debate should know that the Ontario Superior Court made a decision that was based on two parts of the Constitution. It was based on sections 6 and 15, which speak to mobility rights and equality rights. If Canadians living abroad have descendants, they have the right to be Canadians. It is a very simple piece of legislation. I am an immigrant to this country. I was born in the U.K., in Yorkshire, England, in a town called Aidensfield. I spent the first four and a half years of my life in England. My mother is from a small town in Yorkshire called Barnsley. It is known for coal and glass-blowing. If we look at its coat of arms, that is what we see. My father is from a small island off the coast of Grenada called Carriacou, where there are about 10,000 people.”
“Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Davenport , a great member of Parliament. It is an honour to stand in the House of Commons today on behalf of the people of Scarborough—Woburn to talk about this important issue, Bill C-3 , an act to amend the Citizenship Act. To me, this is a very simple piece of legislation that would extend automatic citizenship to anyone who was born abroad to Canadian parents before the legislation came into force, which I believe was in 2009. This includes people who are not currently able to claim citizenship by descent due to the first-generation limit, such as the remaining lost Canadians and their descendants. This is about fairness, equality and protecting the rights of Canadians.”
“Mr. Speaker, that was a very informative speech. Can the member speak a bit more about the consequences of implementing a new law and the impact the Ontario Superior Court ruling would have on that decision if the law was not implemented?”
“Madam Speaker, listening to Conservatives in the House today is like going back in time to the 1990s, when Republicans were talking about “three strikes and you're out”, which does not work. What Conservatives are proposing does not work. That is why we have come up with a piece of legislation that is right for this moment. It is interesting that the Conservatives say this bill copies Conservatives, yet they criticize the bill. They cannot have it both ways. Either Conservatives support the bill or they do not support the bill. Is the member opposite going to support this bill when it is brought to the House for third reading, yes or no?”
“Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the member opposite if he will be supporting this bill that really would reform the justice act to put in place harsher sentences when it comes to bail reform. I also want to know if the Conservatives will help pass the legislation.”
“Madam Speaker, Bill C-238 looks at putting first responders, victims and communities at the forefront of justice and repair. I would like to ask the member to take a minute to explain the balance between justice and punishment, and repair.”
“Mr. Speaker, near the end of the minister's speech, she talked a lot about families she is connected to and has spoken to personally. Maybe she could share some of those stories of the families that would benefit from this change in legislation with the House.”
“Mr. Speaker, there is some big news coming from Scarborough. Our government is investing billions into Scarborough transit. The Scarborough subway station will extend line 2 from Kennedy Station to Sheppard Avenue, stopping at McCowan Road and the Scarborough Town Centre. This will cut travel times and connect residents to jobs, schools and services. This is one of the largest transit investments in the history of my city. Up to $2 billion is being invested into the Scarborough extension. This means more jobs and more economic growth while reducing congestion and emissions with a cleaner, more efficient transit system. This is about investing in our community, investing in our city and investing in our future.”
“Mr. Speaker, we are here talking about how to make Canada, our country, safer. We are talking about issues that matter to Canadians. Canadians are watching. There are many people in this room watching today, and people are watching online. It is important for MPs to set a tone in the House to ensure that, at the end of the day, we move forward in the right direction. The Leader of the Opposition has clearly said that he thinks the RCMP is “despicable”. In fact, the Leader of the Opposition will not even do a security background check to ensure he can have access to certain information. Do you think the Leader of the Opposition should get the background check and that he should stop calling our top officers despicable?”
“Mr. Speaker, this morning when I turned on the television, there were a bunch of Conservatives coming into the building, and everyone was moving so quickly. I thought, “Is a race going on, a marathon?” No, the Conservatives were trying to avoid the media, because their leader has doubled down on the statement that he does not have confidence in the RCMP's leadership. To me, that sends a very negative message. He called them “despicable”. That sends a very bad message to Canadians when it comes to border control. Does the member opposite believe that the RCMP's leadership is despicable? Does he believe the RCMP plays a massive role in our protection when it comes to the border, yes or no?”
“Mr. Speaker, the member spoke about Conservatives not being fooled and then went on to talk about how the Leader of the Opposition is the right person to take leadership in this country and move it in the right direction. However, the Leader of the Opposition clearly stated that he had no trust in the RCMP, and he basically insulted our protective services across this country, which do a lot of work to keep us safe and protect our borders. How can we build a foundation of trust to build a stronger border service if the Conservatives do not even trust the men and women who are put in charge of protecting us?”
“Madam Speaker, the very foundation of the protective services at our borders in this country is based on our relationship with the men and women at the front line who are providing the service to protect Canadians. The Leader of the Opposition recently showed massive disrespect toward the RCMP as an institution. I want to give the member opposite the opportunity to clarify his party's position on that relationship with the RCMP. Does the Conservative Party believe the RCMP, our frontline workers and the people who provide protective services are essential for stronger borders, yes or no?”
“Madam Speaker, this morning I was watching the news; a bunch of reporters were asking Conservatives, as they were coming into the House, what they thought about the Conservative leader 's comments on the RCMP. If we are going to build strong borders, we need to make sure that we have good relationships with our top officials in law enforcement. Some hon. members: Oh, oh! Michael Coteau: Madam Speaker, maybe they were busy this morning, and they could not stop because they had to get into the House. Does the member believe it is important for us to have a strong and respectful relationship with the RCMP, and does he agree with the Conservative leader 's comments?”
“Mr. Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 34(1), I have the honour to present, in both official languages, one report of the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association for the following activity: the bilateral mission to the Republic of Senegal and the Republic of Cabo Verde, held in Dakar, Senegal, and Cabo Verde from March 16 to 21, 2025.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government takes our borders quite seriously, especially strategic borders like Niagara and others in Ontario. There is the largest infrastructure project to build a great bridge out in Windsor. There is investment in these regions because we know it is part of our economic trade and development, and it connects us to our largest trade partner. However, I want to talk about a serious issue: the Leader of the Opposition and his comments around law enforcement. Recently, he made a comment that really broke down the trust between law enforcement and, I believe, legislators, especially the Conservative opposition. I want to know if the member believes that a strong relationship with our top law enforcement personnel across this country is essential for building a stronger border. It is yes or no?”
“Mr. Speaker, I want to re-approach the question asked by one of the members on this side. We think the first line of defence for mitigating crime in this country is building a relationship with law enforcement. The Leader of the Opposition clearly showed huge disrespect towards some of the top RCMP and police officials in this country. Does the member opposite think that in order for us to move forward as a country, as a government and as members we need to have a respectful relationship with our top law enforcement?”
“Mr. Speaker, the member said this was a historical moment, and it is a historical moment. That is one of the most positive speeches I have heard from the opposition in a long time, with a constructive approach to building good government policies and strengthening bills. He talked about the police being effective. He talked about being very supportive of many of the measures. It is a huge contrast to what we usually hear in the House, where Conservatives are trying to disrupt and divide, not bring Canadians together. I am very thankful for the member's speech. I think it was a positive speech. I think the member opposite has a bright future in his riding as a very positive Conservative. It is exactly what Canadians are looking for.”
“Mr. Speaker, the member brought up several concerns about asylum seekers. Some pretty substantial changes are being proposed in this bill in order to strengthen our asylum processing system. Is the member prepared to join Canadians in supporting a bill that would bring more integrity to the asylum system here in Canada, yes or no?”
“Mr. Speaker, the hon. member talked a bit about some of the pieces that will have an impact on businesses and our border and will enhance our system overall, with more compliance issues. Would the member care to expand on some of those pieces that will be important for building a stronger border and immigration system in Canada?”
“Mr. Speaker, this country has been built by immigrants. Outside the indigenous community, we are all from immigrants at some point in time. Immigration is part of our past; it is part of who we are today, and it will be a big part of who we are in the future. I know that constituents in Pickering—Brooklin share many different immigration stories. How important is it to get the immigration file right in this country, and what does that mean to the member?”
“Mr. Speaker, I know there are going to be some enhancements to border security and additional RCMP officers. For the member's province, I am sure this would have a very positive impact. I know that, for Ontario, it would be quite good. Could the hon. member talk about some of those enhancements, like the new police officers, and how he thinks they would impact border security in Canada?”
“Mr. Speaker, in my community of Scarborough—Woburn, border protection is an important aspect. I am quite happy that the government has looked for ways to enhance our border security. Has the hon. member had conversations in his community about border security? What does the bill mean for the people he represents in his riding?”
“Mr. Speaker, the immigration system is an important aspect of building a strong country. I am an immigrant. I came here from the U.K. when I was four years old, almost five years old. I would like to ask the member, why is building a strong immigration system so essential in this country?”
“Mr. Speaker, this is astonishing. I do not think folks on the other side have read the throne speech, because it is full of different solutions, ideas and themes, but what a throne speech really does is set the tone for the direction in which a government is going. I would be happy to talk about some of those—”
“Mr. Speaker, as Canadians, we need to rethink how we approach trade. I meet with people who are promoting Africa and the African diaspora within the Americas. We have to look for alternative ways to build trade. In the Americas alone, there are 220 million people of African descent. Throughout the Caribbean and throughout America, there are chambers of commerce. We need to tap into those networks as Canadians and leverage them, because we have the people here. The great thing about our country is that we have representation from all around the world, and we need to leverage it today to build for tomorrow.”
“Mr. Speaker, when we look at history and the position of Liberals across the country and among members of Parliament, there is no question that, in the House, we have been at the forefront of looking for ways to mitigate climate change. We, as a country, are looking for different ways to do it, but I would say that all people in the House agree that we need to keep our country clean, and we need to keep our country beautiful. We may have different ways of doing it, but at the end of the day, we are all on the same page.”
“Mr. Speaker, I congratulate the member on his recent election. I do not know if the member read the actual throne speech, but I would advise the member to take a look through it, because there are a lot of concepts and ideas. Some are traditional ideas that Liberals hold as values, but we do talk about lowering taxes. We talk about removing GST from homes and apartments. I am hoping that the member opposite will support the throne speech.”
“Through war and global challenges, we are always called to lead, and we will continue to do so. Let us shape a Canada that works for everyone, not just today but for generations in the future.”
“We will look at how we spend and will look for ways to reduce the growth taking place naturally through inflation and other systems to keep it at a reasonable rate that is good for Canadians. We have to embrace technology, automation and AI, and look for ways to strengthen our country by making sure that at the end of the day, we take advantage of them. We will also keep investing in national programs such as child care, pharmacare and dental care. Of course, we are promoting a tax cut, which I hope all members of the House will support. In my final 30 seconds, I would like to say that as Canadians, we stand for fairness, democracy and inclusion. We protect the vulnerable, fight climate change and push forward on reconciliation. We celebrate our bilingualism, multiculturalism and shared values, and we step up to big moments.”
“I have always talked about how Africa is on the rise, and we as Canadians should be looking toward Africa as we look for ways to reshape and rethink our entire trading system. We have to invest in the Canadian economy. We have diversity here. We represent all countries around the world. We need to leverage that to build a stronger economy, and we need to build this future together. We know that democracy is not perfect, but we also know it is the best system we have in place to shape our future. It reflects our values of fairness, justice and opportunity. We are going to look at how we move forward to build stronger, safer communities. We are investing more, as the throne speech said, in defence, securing our borders and keeping communities safe.”
“We must meet the challenges our country faces, and there are many challenges. As I said, our entire global trading system is being reshaped by the threat of tariffs and the divides that people are working behind the scenes to create. We need to take on these challenges, and having a strong democratic system is the key to continuing to build a strong country. The government in place under our new Prime Minister is going to look for ways to take on trade and create economic fairness to make sure that we not only continue to build a relationship with the United States and redefine this relationship, but also open up trade routes and trade relationships around the world.”
“When a good democratic institution is working, people feel like their voice is being reflected in it. Democracy protects our freedoms. The freedom of speech, the right to vote, the freedom of the press and the right to protest are not just ideals; they are foundations to a strong democracy. Democracy creates space for change, which is really important, especially in a time like now when as Canadians we need to make sure there is space for discussions and respectful discourse. Then at the end of the day, we can bring forward the type of change necessary. Democracy also keeps our government leaders accountable. It is so important because it allows us to make changes if we do not like a politician or a party. That is what is beautiful about democracy. It reflects who we are and allows us to build a stronger future together.”
“We know that there has been a statistical decline historically in voter participation. The good news is that in this election, the numbers increased compared to the election in 2021, but we are seeing a decrease compared to the period from post-World War II to the 1980s, when we saw about 75%. In 2008, the lowest numbers came forward, at 58%, and in the recent election in 2015, we saw 68.3%. We are seeing an increase right now, but traditionally over the last 30 to 40 years, we have seen a decline. Democracy matters in this country. Democracy is what keeps our country moving forward and is going to be our pathway forward to strengthen the relationship of all Canadians. I am a big supporter of the preservation and promotion of democracy because it gives people a voice.”
“We have seen a massive increase in hate, and we as Canadians should not tolerate that. Even during the campaign, I saw many different types of interference. Hundreds of my signs were destroyed. Pieces of literature were being distributed, which I am sure folks saw, with disinformation about churches and other religious institutions having their charitable status removed. There was misinformation about the sale of homes and capital gains, even to the point where letterhead was being manipulated showing positions by governments and parties that were not real. We have had politicians decide not to run because of the threats they have felt, and the media and reporters have talked about this as well. (1750) One thing that always fascinates me about democracy is who shows up to vote.”
“We see the changes taking place around the globe, with attempts to overturn elections; democratic backsliding with governments weakening courts, media freedoms and civil liberties; and crackdowns on opposition and the free press. There is a lot happening in this country and a lot happening around the world, and Canada is not immune to the challenges that democracy faces. In Canada, we have a strong democracy, but we need to pay attention to the challenges we are facing. We have seen the rise over the last little while of polarization and extremism in this country, with increased hostility, misinformation, divisive rhetoric and an erosion of respectful democratic discourse; foreign interference, which we are all concerned about; online disinformation; and an increase in hate.”
“One of the pieces that really resonated with me was the King's position and words on democracy, as reflected through, of course, the government's position. He talked about democracy in the world and how everything is shifting. We have found ourselves at a place where the world is shifting and where there is more division and uncertainty. Canada is not immune to that. We are feeling pressure. We feel our economy being challenged, as well as our safety and way of life. Global trade is being redefined. At home, we are struggling with the threat of tariffs, which compromise industry and make life more expensive for people overall. We are seeing threats toward our democracy. I want to talk a lot about democracy today.”
“I want to thank volunteers. We had a lot of volunteers, hundreds, who came out for the campaign. I thank, of course, my team at the constituency office. Without them, it would be very difficult for me to do my job. I thank my campaign manager and CFO and the entire team. Of course, I also thank my family: my wife Lori and my daughters Maren and Myla. Again, I thank the people of Scarborough—Woburn. I appreciate that they have put their faith in me. If members were in Ottawa last week, or anywhere in the country, actually, they may have noticed that something special happened. We had a throne speech and the King came to deliver that speech. It was a pretty big deal. I thought it was a fabulous speech.”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to speak today. I will be sharing my time with the member for Willowdale . First, I would like to congratulate all members of the House. As they say, there is not a bad seat in the House of Commons, so congratulations. We have a lot of work to do. Welcome to the 45th session of Parliament. I just reminded myself that throughout our political careers, we should never lose sight of the fact that it took a lot of people to get each and every one of us here. We should never forget where we came from and who helped us get here. I have been elected for 22 years. I started off as a school board trustee and then was a provincial member. This is my second term in the House of Commons. I want to thank the people of Scarborough—Woburn for putting their faith behind me and supporting me during the election.”