Debates of June 20th, 2023

Carbon Pricing

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

I would like to remind members that, when they read out a text, the light can vary depending on how they hold the document. This is just a little reminder to help them to read out their text.

The hon. member for Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Clifford Small, Conservative, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Mr. Speaker, these Liberals have had eight years of blaming everyone and everything for their failures, and they have failed yet again.

This time the Liberals have failed to release quotas for northern cod, east coast capelin, mackerel and southwestern Nova Scotia herring on time. Harvesters and processors cannot count on the fisheries minister to deliver the decisions that their livelihoods depend on.

Will the Liberal government stop failing the fishing industry and announce these quotas immediately?

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, my goal is to grow Canada's fish and seafood sector, and to do it in a sustainable way so it is there for the long term and for the next generations.

With respect to the stocks mentioned, decisions have not yet been made. When they are made, I will announce them for the member and for all the fish harvesters in eastern Canada.

Public Safety

[Dane Lloyd, Conservative, Sturgeon River—Parkland, AB]

Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the chair of the public safety committee.

Just before question period, members of the committee were informed that the meeting had been cancelled for this afternoon. We were told that all parties had consented to this. None of the opposition parties have consented to this. I can only think that the reason the meeting has been cancelled on such short notice is to protect the Minister of Public Safety from a Conservative motion calling on him to appear to answer questions about the Bernardo transfer.

Could the chair of the public safety committee tell the House why the Liberals are going this far to protect the Minister of Public Safety? Why did they cancel the meeting?

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, what we have seen—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order, please.

Can I have the person who is going to answer the question please stand up?

The hon. government House leader has the floor.

[Mark Holland, Liberal, Ajax, ON]

Mr. Speaker, what we have seen, unfortunately, over the last three weeks is a party that is bent on obstructing everything at every turn, whether it is members pretending to have technical problems they do not have, members raising phony points of order or members screaming and yelling when others are trying to talk and have the floor.

They know very well the decision in question was made independently by corrections, and what they are covering up is the ability of the House to do its work on behalf of Canadians. We will not be deterred. We will continue the business of this nation. We will adopt the legislation that is needed, and we will be there for Canadians.

News Media Industry

[Brenda Shanahan, Liberal, Châteauguay—Lacolle, QC]

Mr. Speaker, a free and independent press is vital to our democracy. Last week, we learned that 1,300 families were affected by Bell's layoffs, while the online platforms and web giants benefit from access to the Canadian market, but have no responsibility towards our artists, creators and local Canadian media. That is another example of why we need Bill C-11 and Bill C-18 to make the web giants pay their fair share to our local media.

Can the Minister of Canadian Heritage tell the House how our government made a commitment to defend our democracy?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member for Châteauguay—Lacolle for her question and her absolutely great work.

Bill C‑18 is crucial to save our newsrooms and make web giants pay their fair share. However, at every step of the process, Conservative politicians have filibustered to block passage of Bill C‑11 and Bill C‑18, because they would rather defend web giants than defend Canadians, jobs and our freedom of the press.

On this side of the House, we will continue to stand up for our democracy. We did it in the past, we are doing it today, and we will continue to do it.

Grocery Industry

[Heather McPherson, NDP, Edmonton Strathcona, AB]

Mr. Speaker, rising food prices are putting pressure on families. Edmonton's Food Bank has had to cut the amount of food in its hampers by 25% to meet demand, and 40,000 Albertan kids who get lunch at school will go without once the school rises for the summer. Grocery CEOs are making millions in surplus profits, and the government is doing nothing to help Canadians. While the Prime Minister and the leader of the official opposition have private chefs and fridges full of food, Canadian children are going hungry.

When will the Prime Minister finally start tackling corporate greed and implement a windfall tax?

[Ya'ara Saks, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families]

Mr. Speaker, we understand that food insecurity has been on the rise, and we continue to make investments to support those facing hardships. We have made significant investments for Canadian families through targeted social programs and income supplements such as the CCB so families do not need to make difficult choices when it comes to food and other essential needs.

We have made funding available to food banks and charities, and we will continue to trust the work against food insecurity, including delivering on our national school food policy program. The Prime Minister highlighted this priority in his mandate letters to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. We will continue to work for Canadians.

Small Business

[Taylor Bachrach, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the other day I got an email from the owner of Grizzly Jim's General Store in Topley, B.C. Like hundreds of thousands of other small business owners across this country, he accessed the Canada Emergency Business Account to keep his doors open during some of the most difficult times this country has seen. Revenues have still not fully recovered, and now small businesses are facing the added pressures of inflation and a tight labour market.

There is a simple way the minister could help businesses such as Grizzly Jim's, and that is to extend the repayment period for the CEBA business loans by an additional year. Will the minister do this?

[Mary Ng, Liberal, Minister of International Trade]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my hon. colleague for his advocacy, and thank all members for their advocacy in the House for small businesses across the country.

It was really heartening to see that almost a million small businesses got through the pandemic with the CEBA loan. We have, of course, been in touch with many of the businesses, some of which we know are still having a tough time throughout this period. I want to thank the Canadian small businesses for their resiliency, and we will continue to keep working on this very issue.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The opposition whip is rising on a point of order.

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, South Surrey—White Rock, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I have received a notice that the chair of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security has unilaterally cancelled the committee's meeting this afternoon. The committee was scheduled to meet to begin a clause-by-clause study of Bill C-20, government legislation regarding a complaints process for the RCMP and the CBSA.

Conservatives have given notice of a motion to call the Minister of Public Safety to appear on the Bernardo transfer travesty. I call on all party whips to manage the resources of the House in a way that reflects the priorities of the House.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Elmwood—Transcona is rising on a point of order.

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I am just rising to express concern about an issue coming out of question period. Not for the first time at committee, a chair has been asked a question in question period, and the government House leader has either answered himself or has been allowed to pick who asks.

In this case, where committee chairs are asked a question, I think it is very important that either a committee chair or a committee vice-chair, when they show up, is allowed to be able to answer that question as a matter of priority. I think this is important to protect the independence of the committee. It should not be the government who chooses who answers on behalf of a committee that is properly independent from the government.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

The hon. member for Kingston and the Islands is rising on a point of order.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I was just going to add this: Although I would agree with the member that there are certain circumstances in which a chair would be asked a question, the content of the question is what is key here. It has to be about the schedule or the agenda of the committee. One cannot just ask about any issue they want.

I would encourage you to consider—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

Order.

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Liberal, Anthony Rota]

If I could have your attention, please. I have just consulted with the Table, and the rules are that if the chair of the committee stands, then that person gets to—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!