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Hon. Bardish Chagger

Member of Parliament
Liberal

Waterloo
Ontario
Voting Attendance: 67%
Expenses Last Quarter: $93,957.02

Government Page

Hon. Bardish Chagger (Waterloo, Lib.)

Dec/6/23 6:13:17 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I am very proud to rise here to represent the people of Waterloo. Not everyone knows this, but the history of the francophone community in our region is very important to the people who live in Waterloo. I am also the chair of the procedure and House affairs committee, and I have a lot of regard and respect for this debate. I welcome the debate at PROC. I do not make any decisions, because I chair the committee; members will determine the outcomes. However, within the parameters of this motion is reporting back to the House of Commons by Thursday. As the chair, I am uncomfortable with this issue: Do we have the resources to ensure that we are reporting back in both official languages? This motion and this issue are of utmost importance to all members in this House, and I am really hoping that all parties will agree to find a way forward, where we work as much as we can to ensure that not only do we respond as a committee but also that we respond to the House in both official languages. I am not sure what other members think, but as a person who represents a community where people often do not feel that they are represented for their two official languages, and as someone who supports and will always fight for Canada's two official languages, I just want to bring to members' attention as chair that I know that our interpreters are working around the clock. Members should understand that reporting back to the House has to happen in both official languages. Are members are willing to ensure that we do the work, so that they have the time to do their work with regard to the official languages of our country?

301 words

Context: House Hansard - 211 - Jun/12/23

Hon. Bardish Chagger

Jun/12/23 7:40:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise on a point of order. At the procedure and House affairs committee we have been trying to make the systems better in this place. Sometimes when something is drafted, it is easier to share it with the interpreters. Then they have an easier go at providing it in both official languages. That is just a friendly suggestion to the opposition House leader.

66 words

Context: House Hansard - 211 - Jun/12/23

Hon. Bardish Chagger

Jun/12/23 7:30:24 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I hate to interrupt the opposition House leader, but I just think it is interesting that he is talking about interpreters, who do really important work, and he is almost suggesting that it is they who are causing committees to be cancelled when it is actually Conservative filibusters that have been—

54 words

Context: House Hansard - 208 - Jun/7/23

Hon. Bardish Chagger (Waterloo, Lib.)

Jun/7/23 7:11:24 p.m.
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Madam Speaker, I know constituents in the riding of Waterloo, and all constituents in Ontario, will be happy to know that I have the honour to present, in both official languages, the 46th report of the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, entitled “Report on the Report of the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for the Province of Ontario, 2022”. As the procedure and House affairs chair, I would just also state that committee members have been looking at how we make this place function, and I do want to say thanks to the NDP today for raising the concern to interpreters. I know that during votes, interpretation does not take place, but I do notice that their headsets are on because they never know when they might need to interpret. I would say that their health and safety is of the utmost importance. People applaud and say it often, but sometimes their actions do not demonstrate that, and that is a concern for me. I really hope that we rectify the matter. With that, here is our report.

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Member of Parliament

Hon. Bardish Chagger