Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I want to share some really good news. Two athletes from my riding, Bennedict Mathurin and Luguentz Dort, have made it to the NBA finals. We are bursting with pride in these young Quebeckers from Montreal North. They are of Haitian descent, were born and trained here, on our streets, in our schools and in our parks. This is a great response to people who, like the president of our neighbour to the south, have denigrated communities with Haitian roots. This time, greatness is a 100% Canada-Quebec production made in Bourassa. In addition to these two athletes, I would also like to mention Chris Boucher, past winner of the NBA finals.

This news illustrates the strength of our community's talent, perseverance and pride. These three young people shine and, today, their light is illuminating the world's largest basketball stage. Their journey is an inspiration that drives us to keep investing in our young people, celebrating our local talent and showcasing the riding of Bourassa at home and abroad. Now more than ever, a sports centre is an important and essential asset sorely lacking in Bourassa. The borough is organizing a public screening of the finals at Pilon Park in Bourassa so that we can all share this historic moment. Everyone is welcome to join in this collective outpouring of pride. Fortunately, these young men did not turn to crime as some unfortunately do.

We are talking about crime today, and I want to acknowledge that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Safety have done careful, concrete work on this. The bill before us is ambitious, pragmatic and, above all, necessary in the current context. It is based on clear and focused SMART principles. It is a clear and effective response to very real threats: drug trafficking, organized crime, money laundering and weaknesses in our intelligence system. This is about more than legislative principles; it is about human lives. In Montreal and other big cities, people want to live in safe, peaceful neighbourhoods free from violence and crime. This bill is not just a legislative exercise; it is a commitment to people's peace of mind.

I will give a few examples. The situation is alarming in our major cities such as Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary. In the greater Montreal area, we are seeing a resurgence of violence and clandestine synthetic drug labs. The chemicals arrive through indirect channels, often by mail or international packages. This bill will allow for better monitoring of these products and rapid intervention by the Minister of Health.

In Toronto, criminal networks are exploiting gaps in data access to operate large-scale fraud and money laundering schemes. Amendments to the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act, as well as cross-border information-sharing mechanisms, will give our police officers the tools they need to take action. In Vancouver, customs officers are facing an influx of suspicious goods arriving by sea. Amendments to the Customs Act and the Oceans Act will allow for upstream interventions, which I will discuss later. There is a lot of talk about being proactive. In Laval, Ottawa and Halifax, police are struggling to intercept packages containing prohibited substances because of restrictive postal laws. By amending the Canada Post Corporation Act, this bill will finally give them the means to do something about it. We also want to modernize legislation and strengthen operations.

I would like to highlight some aspects of this bill. Bill C-2 aims to clarify exemptions from drug and cannabis laws to better regulate investigative tools. It seeks to amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, giving the Minister of Health targeted powers over precursor chemicals. Once again, this is about being proactive. It is essential to take action upstream to stop these precursor chemicals, as they enable clandestine labs to operate. These precursor chemicals are used in the manufacture of fentanyl, for example. The bill seeks to enact the supporting authorized access to information act to ensure that electronic service providers can legally co‑operate with investigations.

Access to cross-border data has to be improved, with respect for fundamental freedoms, and the Canada Post Corporation Act has to be amended to allow suspicious mail to be opened within a strict legal framework. Of course, there are a number of concrete measures against money laundering, including restrictions on cash payments and third-party deposits.

As former vice-chair of Montreal's Commission de la sécurité publique, I saw first-hand the challenges that our police services are facing: legal limitations, administrative delays and a lack of coordination between the agencies. The bill addresses many of those gaps. It is not just a technical adjustment but a real strategic shift toward more proactive—as I have pointed out—more coordinated and better equipped public safety. That is why we need to ensure that new powers are balanced with mechanisms for transparency, accountability, and parliamentary oversight.

In conclusion, the bill is a direct response to the everyday problems experienced by our constituents and especially by our police services. Passing the bill will send a clear message that Canada is protecting its borders, its children and its families. In other words, our sovereignty is being exercised in our neighbourhoods, on our streets, in our ports, in our digital networks and in our democratic institutions.

I therefore support this bill with determination, but also with vigilance, to protect our communities, strengthen our security and uphold the values of justice and freedom that make our country, Canada, strong. This is a comprehensive bill that does not include any proposals from the opposition parties, which always come from a silo perspective. It really prioritizes prevention and proactive measures to ensure that Canada is truly safe and secure.

Abdelhaq Sari

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