Peter Fragiskatos
London Centre, Ontario · Liberal · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, this member spent a half hour in a video going after Tim Hortons for converting to paper lids. Paper lids are her contribution to this discussion. She talks about Liberal policies. Liberal policies are squarely focused on the economy, on jobs, on youth, on child care, on dental care and on pharmacare.”
“Mr. Speaker, more than 4,000 Canadians live with ALS, and June is ALS Awareness Month. ALS has been called a rare disease, but that does not take away from the very real impacts it has on people who are living with it.”
“Mr. Speaker, yesterday in the House, we heard from the Conservatives and the government. In a rare moment of unity, we expressed sympathy with what has happened. We condemned what has happened, and we continue to condemn what has happened. The hon.”
“Mr. Speaker, we continue to entrust law enforcement, in particular the men and women of the Canada Border Services Agency, to do what is necessary to keep Canadians safe. As I said before, since 2024, the IRGC has been recognized as a terrorist entity. Everything we do will be in accordance with public safety.”
“Madam Speaker, this member is doing outstanding work, first of all, on the committees for environment and for defence. He brings with him years of experience as a city councillor and as a journalist. He has been a pillar of his community.”
“Mr. Speaker, I will say what we will not do for seniors. We will not propose, as our central seniors policy, cutting pensions, for which the Leader of the Opposition fought for 20‑plus years. Housing is a very legitimate issue to talk about. We need more housing.”
The complete record
Every one of 181 lines we hold for Peter Fragiskatos, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 4 of 4.
“Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague who is among the most dedicated parliamentarians I have ever worked with in almost 10 years of serving the people of London Centre. I would say to the member what I have said throughout my time as an MP looking at legislation. The place to offer amendments and address concerns is not always in the House of Commons, where one can do that through debate and discussion, of course. Committees enjoy a special place in the life of this democracy. If Conservatives, as seems to be the case, are getting ready to obstruct a very important piece of legislation for political reasons, that is not just wrong on substance. There is a place for them to raise issues, not to obstruct there too. The committee level is where members can put forward amendments, call witnesses and do any number of things.”
“Mr. Speaker, the court provided its perspective on a very important matter for the House, and there is an issue. [ English ] For that reason, we cannot get bogged down in what has happened in the past. I am not here to speak about the past. We can spend a great deal of time on that, but the courts have recognized that there are issues. They have put it to this House to rectify and they have given extensions when that has not happened in the past. We have an opportunity to do what is right. I urge colleagues to get behind it. I know my colleague will.”
“Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with the hon. member on the committee responsible for immigration. The Conservatives continue to bring up matters of crime and tie them to this bill. Again, it opens the door to the argument, wide open in fact, that they are trying to politicize immigration. I know the hon. member is not trying to do that; he is a respected member of this House. I will focus on the other aspects of his question, only to say that there is nothing in this bill that is inconsistent with existing citizenship requirements. The bill simply seeks to rectify an existing and very significant gap in the law. We need consistent citizenship, and this is exactly what Bill C-3 would achieve.”
“I hear the same from the Bloc. I hear the same from the NDP. I do not hear that from the Conservatives, but I hope that, at committee, their concerns will be assuaged somehow. We will have experts there to speak to the matter on a range of points that Conservatives wish to raise. We have something very substantive here and I urge colleagues to get behind it.”
“There is a court deadline, as we just heard. That court deadline is in November of this year. It is a deadline that must be adhered to. Otherwise, we would have a very significant gap in the law. The reality is, if we are dealing with, as we are, a matter of citizenship and rectifying an issue that exists as identified by the court, then there is a special responsibility on all of us to work together so that the outcome ensures fundamental justice, ensures consistent citizenship and meets a particular standard. That 1,095-day period is exactly that; it is three years. It is, as I say, not arbitrary by any means, but draws from existing Canadian law, and specifically immigration policy, relating to permanent residency, and that is why I think the bill needs to be supported. Certainly our side will be getting behind the bill.”
“The other point that cannot be lost on us is the fact that we live in a modern age in which mobility is crucial to so many jobs. Think of military officials or diplomats, or individuals who spend their time working abroad for non-governmental organizations. They need to be paid attention to here. We should put ourselves in their position. (1640) If someone is in a position, in a role, where they were born abroad and do not have this ability to transfer citizenship, even though they have a Canadian tie, then there is an issue. The substantial connection test allows for that to be acknowledged and brought to bear in the force of law. If my colleagues have concerns on the merits of the bill, then of course they can raise them at committee. However, I do not want to see a situation where this bill is obstructed needlessly.”
“Bill C-3 seeks to change this, so that Canadians born abroad can transfer that citizenship to their children if their children are also born abroad, provided that there is a substantial connection to Canada that is established. That connection is cumulative. I heard the hon. member speak on the Conservative side, taking issue with that. One thing that he did not mention, interestingly, and I think this is key to this whole discussion, is that the 1,095 days that stands as the substantial connection test in the legislation, which is three years, is not drawn from thin air but represents and takes its cue from the requirement that permanent residents have when they seek to go through the immigration process and obtain citizenship. That is also a three-year requirement in terms of spending time in Canada.”
“I believe the NDP has put this on record, and I believe the Bloc has put it on record as well, that the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruling of December 2023 is something that cannot be ignored. The justices, in fact, have said that the problem that needs to be responded to by the government is the fact that citizenship is two-tiered at the present moment. What does that mean? The court came to that decision because a Canadian who obtains citizenship either through birth or through the immigration process can freely transmit that citizenship to their children, but this is not true for a Canadian who is born abroad.”
“We know that individuals, all of us, have natural inalienable rights: the right to dignity, the right to fundamental justice and the right to fair treatment. Citizenship strengthens that principle, because it codifies rights. In Canada, of course, we have the charter, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which stands at the heart of our democracy, making all else possible, including debates in the House of Commons. The document expresses, in the clearest terms, the rights of all of us and the rights that come, again, from citizenship. Without those rights, democracy cannot be said to exist. The House is now considering Bill C-3 . I give credit to anyone who has spoken on the matter but, in particular, the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands made a spirited speech talking about court rulings of the past.”
“We know, for example, that all of us, or, I would assume, those of us who have been elected in a previous Parliament and those of us who are new in the chamber, newly elected, will go to citizenship ceremonies and see how special those ceremonies are. There is something quite valuable in that. I know that there is a debate and a discussion ongoing in Canada now about immigration levels, and I think the government is responding appropriately to that. This is what I worry about, in fact, with the whole politicization of immigration that may be going on. I hope it is not going on, but I think it might be. When it comes to immigration, when that matter is politicized, we lose the understanding of the value of immigration and the sense of how special it is when citizenship comes through that process, but I digress.”
“Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to be here again after a summer in London engaging with constituents and listening to their concerns. I very much look forward to working with all colleagues in the House on matters of immigration, obviously, but, in general terms, we have a lot to do to serve our constituents and ensure that our country is on a very good footing going forward. Today, obviously, with Bill C-3 , we are debating an issue that, at its heart, speaks to our democracy, and that is citizenship. It was Hannah Arendt, the great philosopher, who said that citizenship is “the right to have rights”. That is because of the fact that from citizenship, all else follows in our democracy. There are no rights, there is no sense of belonging, without that fundamental value of citizenship and everything that means.”
“Mr. Speaker, our colleague evidently read the article that was on the front page of National Newswatch yesterday, but he did not read it closely. What he would have seen if he had is that the issue is squarely in the provincial jurisdiction. We know there are American doctors trying to come to Canada, who are leaving the United States. Of course our health care system is in need of more doctors, but the issue is tangled in bureaucracy in British Columbia. If the member wants to bring matters to the House of Commons, that is fine; it is a very good issue to raise, but the issue is misplaced. It is an issue of provincial jurisdiction.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honour the extraordinary life of Beth Hundey, who passed away at the age of 40 this past April after a courageous battle with cancer. She was wife to Seneca and stepmother to Percy, cherished daughter of Rick and the late Jane Hundey, sister of Eric and Tim and their wives, Julie and Yvonne, and an aunt who was adored by her nieces and nephews. Incredibly bright, she finished her PhD in geography at Western University in 2014. She later served as a professor at Western and was widely respected on campus and throughout Canada, in fact, for the innovations she made specifically in the area of curriculum development. A passionate advocate for fighting climate change as well, Beth was loved, respected and admired. May she rest in peace.”
“Mr. Chair, Canada is a bilingual country and I am very proud of that. I wonder if the minister could say a few words about immigration and francophone communities. What is her vision for the future with regard to this issue?”
“Mr. Chair, I know the minister brings a great deal of experience to this role, including as minister responsible for immigration in the province of Nova Scotia. Could she speak about the importance of the provincial nominee program, her experience with it and her vision for it going forward?”
“Mr. Chair, I also want to ask about Bill C-2 . The government recently introduced the bill. It focuses on a number of areas, but it is in many ways a bill that strengthens our immigration system. Can the minister focus on particular aspects of Bill C-2 that she thinks really stand out for ensuring the integrity of the immigration system?”
“To the minister, first of all, can she talk about labour market needs and in particular how the changes in the temporary resident numbers and the temporary foreign worker numbers help to focus on this issue of labour market needs?”
“I am glad to see in this House, and I hope it continues, that there is a spirit of unity, which I heard members speak of in and outside the House, in fact. We see provincial premiers collaborating with the federal government in ways that, frankly, we have not seen in many years. We hear municipal governments wanting to work with the federal government. We need to continue to work in that vein, but the immigration system can be a fundamental part of that in making sure there is economic success, particularly by ensuring that labour market needs are met. That has always been the purpose of the immigration system. It needs to continue, as I said, in that kind of way.”
“Finally, before I ask questions of the minister, to ensure public confidence in the immigration system, I am glad to see the estimates fund integrity measures such as expanded biometric collection to help with identity verification. Of course, that is important to help counter fraud. We do have this focus in the main estimates. It is about fairness. This last point does relate to fairness. It is about ensuring that diversity, yes, is at the core of our country. The immigration system allows for that in spades. Also, I return again to the point I began with about the economy. The economy is challenged around the world. We see headwinds not of our own making. What the United States is doing with respect to tariffs is completely unacceptable.”
“There are many other examples, but I choose to focus on just these. They are absolutely central to homebuilding. There are home builders in the Chair's community and home builders in my community. I acknowledge the incredible advocacy of the London Home Builders' Association, which feeds up through the national Canadian Home Builders' Association. They have been absolutely instrumental in championing policies that will ultimately lead to more homes being built. Along the way, what they have said is that we have to make sure we have the labour needed to build those homes. That is why immigration can serve this need and why we see in the main estimates tonight that there are pathways to ensuring that particular outcome.”
“We have to do better to ensure that market-based housing in the form of rentals and ultimately home ownership is more affordable for Canadians, in particular young Canadians, but we also have to address the challenge of homelessness. We have to make sure that people are off the street and given a roof to live under and are provided with the wraparound supports that are so vital in ensuring the transition to something better and the recovery that comes along with that. (2120) As far as residential construction is concerned, again from the IRCC's data, immigrants account for 23% of all general contractors of residential buildings. Let me break that down further: 20% of all roofers are immigrants, 16% of all electricians, 15% of all carpenters, 14% of plumbers and 12% of steamfitters and pipefitters.”
“We do hear from the provinces about the importance of making sure that roles are fulfilled. There is a continued need for nurses and doctors. I also mentioned pharmacists. There are many examples that the immigration system can serve. Of course there will be opportunities, and there are opportunities, for Canadian-born citizens, but the immigration system is vital as well. Let us talk about construction and, as I said, residential construction. Prior to this role, I had the pleasure of working as the parliamentary secretary responsible for housing. Housing is an issue in my community. Housing is an issue, a challenge—a crisis, in fact—across the country.”
“I will talk about residential construction as well. First of all, with regard to health care, immigrants account for no less than 25% of all health care sector workers in Canada. That is a little-known fact, but a very important one. It speaks to the issue that we are taking up here tonight. Let us break that down a bit: 25% of registered nurses and 42% of nurse aides and related occupations are immigrants, as well as 43% of pharmacists, 37% of physicians, 45% of dentists and 61% of dental technologists and related occupations. This, of course, comes from the website of the IRCC. It reflects, as I say, the importance of immigration in ensuring that labour market needs are met. Certainly, our health care system is challenged in a number of different ways.”
“There is a rationale to all of this. We heard from the Canadian population. We saw this government run on a platform that championed many things, but making sure there is that balance, as I mentioned before, in our immigration system was one of those issues. Housing capacity is a factor. Ensuring that public services are sustainable is another factor, and there is also the labour market. Let me just point to that. I began my comments here tonight by talking about the importance of the economy. When we do that, we cannot ignore the labour market. It is central to the economy, and its needs can be met, in large part, by immigration. In fact, we see areas that are in need that are served by immigration, which will continue. I am thinking in particular of the health care sector and the construction sector.”
“However, we do have to make sure that there is a balance, and in the throne speech that was recently given by King Charles in the name of the government, we did see that balance articulated. The main estimates reflect this, of course. There is going to be a decrease in the number of permanent residents, along with the number of temporary residents, and that is reflected in the estimates, because there is less funding that is being requested. Let me just go over those numbers briefly. In 2025, 395,000 permanent residents will be in Canada; in 2026, there will be 380,000, and in 2027, there will be 365,000. The number of temporary residents, meaning international students and temporary foreign workers, will be capped at 5%, as we heard the minister articulate just a few moments ago. They will make up 5% of Canada's population by 2027.”
“The immigration system has always played a fundamental role in that regard, but it is also a source of pride and it is an example of how Canada can continue to foster the values that come with diversity, to foster a kind of society that is inclusive, with all of those benefits that flow from the multicultural society that is Canada. In fact, I speak of my own background here, but I think almost every one of us in this House who does not claim indigenous ancestry can point to immigration. My mother's side of my family came here in the 1950s from Greece, and in my father's case, it was in the early seventies. He also migrated here from Greece to find a better path, to find new opportunities. That is what Canada certainly afforded him.”
“Mr. Chair, congratulations on your post. I know that you are from southwestern Ontario as well. It is an honour to rise as the member for London North Centre and also as the newly appointed parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship . Some hon. members: Oh, oh! Peter Fragiskatos: I was not fishing, but I will take it. It is certainly going to be an honour as well to work with the minister, members of the government and all colleagues in this House on this very important issue. Mr. Chair, when we think of immigration, of course we think of many things, but at the core of it is finding a way forward to support our economy. That, I think, is central to this question: How can we support our economy?”
“Mr. Speaker, in the long and storied history of the London Knights franchise, a new chapter was written just a few days ago: Memorial Cup champions. They are also champions of the Ontario Hockey League. This is an incredible franchise. Alumni include Darryl Sittler, Patrick Kane, one of my favourites and little talked about Kelly Cain, Chris Taylor, Mitch Marner, Matthew Tkachuk, Brendan Shanahan, Dino Ciccarelli and many more. This year's team stands on the shoulders of those giants and many more. It is a testament to their hard work and dedication, as well as their families' commitments, that they put the effort in and have the success they now enjoy. In London, we really hold up high the example of the Hunter brothers, Dale and Mark Hunter, owners of the team who took it over about 20 years ago in a very difficult time.”
“With regard to housing issues, I have spoken about housing and homelessness many times in previous Parliaments. That will continue. That work is absolutely vital. Of course, affordability issues are paramount for all of us. Let us work together to get it done.”
“Mr. Speaker, recently I had the honour, for the fourth time, to be sworn in as a member of Parliament, now representing the constituency of London Centre. Naturally, I thank my colleagues and look forward to working with everyone in this House. I thank my family, my beautiful wife Katy, our daughter Ava, and all the volunteers who put aside so much time to put in signs, to knock on doors and, yes, to write cheques so the campaign could happen in the first place, all of those things. I know that every member in this House feels equally about those volunteers. Nothing happens in democracy without them. The work begins. We are prioritizing matters like trade. I am from London, Ontario. London is situated in southwestern Ontario, an area of the country that is disproportionately impacted by the Trump tariffs.”
“Mr. Speaker, congratulations on your election as Chair. I look forward to working with you. The hon. member is a new member, and I thank him for his speech. I know that any number of us in the House of Commons have identified priorities that we wish to deliver to our communities. The member comes from a beautiful part of the country in Victoria. What is the number one priority that he wishes to deliver for his riding in the coming years?”