Health  Madam Speaker, the government has made a firm commitment to Canadians that it will develop, fund and implement this new permanent mental health transfer. To do that, we must work collaboratively with the provinces and territories. I know that my colleague understands without a doubt that mental health is sharply declining across the country.

Health  Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to have the opportunity to respond to my esteemed colleague this evening and to talk about what our government is doing to support mental health care across Canada. We have made historic investments in mental health, including $5 billion to the provinces and territories through ongoing bilateral agreements.

Health-based Approach to Substance Use Act  Madam Speaker, the opioid and toxic drug supply crisis is heartbreaking and has taken a tragic toll on the families, loved ones and communities of those we have lost across Canada. I would like to thank the member for Courtenay—Alberni for his advocacy on this critical issue and for prompting this important debate in the House of Commons.

Health  Madam Speaker, our government recognizes that problematic substance use is a health issue, and we are working to divert people who use drugs away from the criminal justice system and toward supportive and trusted relationships in health and social services. With the budget 2022 investment of an additional $100 million, we have now committed over $800 million to support community-led harm reduction treatment and prevention projects since 2015.

Addictions Prevention and Treatment  Mr. Speaker, although alcohol consumption is legal and socially acceptable in Canada, it can have significant health and safety implications for Canadians and can exacerbate a number of social problems, such as homelessness. That is why our government is committed to supporting researchers in Sherbrooke and all across the country who are leading the way when it comes to addictions prevention and treatment research.

Health  Mr. Speaker, our government has made historic investments in mental health, including $5 billion to the provinces and territories through ongoing bilateral agreements. We are also engaging with provinces and territories to inform the development of a new mental health transfer, building on the principles of the Canada Health Act, and sharing data on indicators and outcomes.

Health  Mr. Speaker, our government is working to implement this crisis line as quickly and as effectively as possible. While the CRTC is completing its process, PHAC is working concurrently to ensure there will be capacity for the new line to connect people to the most appropriate support in the most appropriate way.

Health  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his question. We are conducting a thorough process. The CRTC has reviewed the comments received during recent consultations and it is working to ensure that every call is routed efficiently. This will require significant changes to the Canadian telecommunications system, including converting telephone switching stations across the country.

An Act respecting the French language  Madam Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to discuss Bill C-238 on the French language, sponsored by the hon. member for Salaberry—Suroît. This bill is similar to bills tabled in previous sittings of Parliament. In the 43rd Parliament, we had Bill C-223, which would have required that immigrants living in Quebec have an adequate knowledge of Quebec, as well as Bill C-254, which sought to apply Quebec's Charter of the French Language to federally regulated companies by amending the Official Languages Act, the Canada Labour Code and the Canada Business Corporations Act.

An Act respecting the French language  Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague from Salaberry—Suroît for her speech. I agree with many of the things she said in her speech, in particular the fact that the two official languages do not have equal status and that French is in decline in Quebec. However, we need to concern ourselves with minority languages across Canada and not just in Quebec.

National Child and Youth Mental Health Day  Madam Speaker, May 7 is National Child and Youth Mental Health Day, which is all about building caring connections between young people and the caring adults in their lives. That is why we are investing $39 million to promote the mental well-being of children, youth and others likely to experience inequities, and giving $7.5 million to Kids Help Phone to provide crisis services to children and youth.

Affordable Housing  Mr. Speaker, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance tabled a budget yesterday that will invest in the backbone of a strong and growing country: our people. Sherbrooke is experiencing a serious housing crisis. The measures set out in the budget to increase the number of housing units and speed up housing construction and repairs will help families, workers and seniors find a safe and affordable place to call home.

Autism Month  Madam Speaker, as Autism Month begins, I would like to share the story of Emmanuel and his parents. Emmanuel will soon be 20 years old. His autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, has always been challenging for his parents and the people who love him. When he was three, nobody knew if he would ever learn to talk.

Health  Mr. Speaker, border measures continue to be an important part of Canada's response to the COVID‑19 pandemic. COVID‑19 numbers continue to rise here in Canada and around the world. We will therefore continue to use the latest scientific data and evidence to guide us as we adjust our border measures.

Health  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question and for the opportunity to provide an update on the measures our government is taking at our borders to protect Canadians from COVID-19. Throughout the pandemic, the government has used available data and scientific evidence to inform its decisions regarding border measures.