Debates of April 9th, 2024

Cancer Research

[Marcus Powlowski, Liberal, Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON]

Madam Speaker, every three minutes in Canada, someone is diagnosed with cancer, a diagnosis that will change their life and the lives of all their family members forever because, if one is diagnosed with cancer, pretty well everything else in life, including much of what we do here, seems pretty insignificant in comparison.

The COVID pandemic showed us what the global scientific community can do when it puts its collective mind toward something. Experts were predicting it was going to take us years to come up with vaccines, and we came up with several within a year. Why can we not do the same thing to try to beat cancer?

In the United States, the Biden administration has pledged to prevent four million deaths by the year 2047. We in Canada can and ought to make a similar commitment. Nothing in life is ever accomplished unless one tries.

Pro Gaz/Studio Rythme et Danse Team in Rouyn-Noranda

[Sébastien Lemire, Bloc, Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the coach in me is very proud to announce that my team, Rouyn-Noranda's Pro Gaz/Studio Rythme et Danse team, is the Quebec champion. Thanks to some spectacular saves by goalie Alexy Lajeunesse against the mighty Sherbrooke Phoenix 2, we won the interregional championship in the M13 B category in Drummondville on Sunday.

Hard work was an integral part of the Pro Gaz team's identity, with a devastating offence made up of Landen, Félix, Alex, the courageous Océane, Raphaël and Jules, and an impenetrable defence made up of Natan, Samuel, Emrik and Éloick. I want to congratulate my coaching team, including Éric, the brains behind it all, Steven, Sandy and Marc-Antoine. I also want to thank all the parents.

In closing, I need to talk about a unique player, our own “Captain Clutch”, Jules Lemire, who scored the final goal in the shootout. He notched seven goals in five games, including the overtime winner in the quarter-final. His total was just shy of a hundred goals this year. He took on all the pressure, but at the end of the year, he was the one who got to hold the big banner.

Jules Lemire, you are my hero. I love you, son.

National Defence

[Marie-France Lalonde, Liberal, Orléans, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the House that, yesterday, the Minister of National Defence released our defence policy update entitled “Our North, Strong and Free: A Renewed Vision for the Defence of Canada”.

This update includes a $73‑billion investment over 20 years and a clear plan to build forces that will protect our country and our interests around the world. We know that our Canadian Armed Forces and their families are central to everything we do. Now more than ever, it is important to invest in them. That is exactly why our plan commits $295 million over 20 years to establish a housing strategy for Canadian Armed Forces personnel and $100 million over five years to improve their access to child care.

This is an important update for giving our troops the tools they need to defend Canada.

Member for Durham

[Jamil Jivani, Conservative, Durham, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to the communities of Clarington, North Oshawa and Scugog for electing me to fight for them and their families. We are a diverse riding that brings together working- and middle-class families from all cultural backgrounds.

This is why I must oppose the NDP-Liberal government's elitist ESG policies and divisive diversity, equity and inclusion agenda. ESG and DEI are smokescreens that allow big businesses and Liberal politicians to create a false sense of progress while life gets harder in this country.

Conservatives stand for all Canadians, no matter what one looks like or where one's parents are from.

Inter-Parliamentary Union

[Pam Damoff, Liberal, Oakville North—Burlington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, earlier this month, I was part of an all-party delegation led by the member for Ottawa South to the 148th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the global organization of national parliaments founded in 1889. Our Canadian delegation played an important role on a number of fronts, including AI, climate change and the situation in Gaza.

While I was in Geneva, I was privileged to represent Canada at the debate on the resolution entitled, “Partnerships for climate action: Promoting access to affordable green energy, and ensuring innovation, responsibility and equity”. Canada introduced amendments that were accepted during drafting, particularly dealing with more inclusive language to include women, girls, people with disabilities and indigenous peoples.

I would like to extend special thanks to Matthew Pringle from the Library of Parliament. He supported me in successfully having the final resolution reflect Canada's perspective on the importance of parliaments around the world taking decisive action on climate change.

Battle of Vimy Ridge

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Surrey Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today we commemorate the Battle of Vimy Ridge, which took place in France in 1917 during the First World War. We honour those who bravely served our country in the war and paid the ultimate price to secure the peace and freedom we enjoy today.

The ridge had fallen into German hands during the initial advances of 1914. Beginning on April 9, 1917, the soldiers of the Canadian corps fought their way up the ridge. By April 12, the Canadians were victorious, capturing Vimy Ridge.

The Battle of Vimy Ridge proved to be a great success, but it came at a heavy cost. Almost 3,600 Canadians lost their lives and 7,000 were wounded during the four-day battle.

More than a century has passed since the Battle of Vimy Ridge, but the legacy of the Canadians who served live in our memories.

[Pierre Paul-Hus, Conservative, Charlesbourg—Haute-Saint-Charles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, 107 years ago today, on April 9, 1917, a fierce battle began on the slopes of a hill in Vimy, France, between the Canadian Expeditionary Force and the defending German forces.

At 5:30 a.m., a single cannon sounded in the distance. On that signal, all hell broke loose on the battlefield. At the same time, all of the available artillery, supported by underground mines packed with explosives, destroyed the German positions. The infantry, protected by the artillery barrage, rose up and charged toward the enemy trenches.

For some, this battle represents the birth of Canada as a sovereign nation because, for the first time, all divisions of the Canadian Expeditionary Force came together to storm the heavily defended enemy ridge.

Following the Battle of Vimy Ridge, the Canadian army erected a wooden cross on the battlefield in memory of the soldiers who fell in that battle.

When the Vimy Memorial was built, that cross was entrusted to the Royal 22e Régiment and taken to the Quebec Citadel. The cross is still used in ceremonies commemorating the Battle of Vimy Ridge, as it is today.

Benoît Pelletier

[Mona Fortier, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Benoît Pelletier.

A published author and distinguished minister in the Government of Quebec, Benoît played an important role in strengthening ties between Quebec and francophone communities across Canada. His bold vision and his commitment to the francophonie marked a major turning point in our country's history. As minister, Benoît worked to promote Quebec's place within Canada's francophonie, leaving a lasting legacy for future generations. Standing up for our language was a cause close to his heart.

The Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne awarded him the Boréal Prize. France honoured him with its Ordre des Palmes académiques for his commitment to education.

He was a caring man who loved the Outaouais region, his adopted home. As a legal expert and politician, he left an invaluable political legacy, and his dedication as a lawyer and professor at the University of Ottawa inspired countless students.

My thoughts are with his family. May Benoît rest in peace.

Carbon Tax

[Eric Melillo, Conservative, Kenora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, while Canadians are struggling to feed, heat and house themselves, the NDP-Liberal government went ahead with a 23% carbon tax hike on April 1. We already know that it is not worth the cost. After eight years, rent and mortgage payments have doubled, deficits are driving up inflation and food banks received two million visitors in a single month last year.

With budget day just around the corner, Conservatives are calling for a cap on government spending through a dollar-for-dollar approach and a plan to build homes, not bureaucracy. In addition, we are calling on the government to axe the tax on food and farmers by immediately passing Bill C-234 in its original form. That would support farm families and ensure that all Canadians can afford to put food on the table.

It is clear that only common-sense Conservatives have a plan to make life more affordable and bring home lower prices for all Canadians.

Housing

[Arnold Viersen, Conservative, Peace River—Westlock, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, Canadians cannot afford to live. Rent and the cost of owning a house have doubled. The Liberal government is out of touch and not worth the cost.

This week, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation said that the problem is only getting worse. Despite all the photo ops and billions of dollars of promised spending, Canada is building fewer homes today than it was in the 1970s. This crisis is causing the Liberal government to keep hard-working Canadians from owning a home.

By axing the tax, Conservatives will make all aspects of home ownership more affordable. We will balance the budget and bring down interest rates. We will cut the red tape that keeps communities from building homes Canadians can afford. Only common-sense Conservatives have a real plan that will build homes for Canadians so they can afford to live.

Canadian Cancer Society

[Peter Schiefke, Liberal, Vaudreuil—Soulanges, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this past week, my family and I celebrated my 12th year in remission from cancer. I am immensely grateful for the continued time we have together.

Today, I am privileged to rise in this House to extend a heartfelt thanks to the team at the Canadian Cancer Society for the role it played in seeing me through my own experience and the support it has provided to countless more each and every day since 1938.

For people like me, that support came in the form of the invaluable information that it provides on its website, the first place I turned to after my diagnosis. For others, the support comes from the work it does on the ground by providing emotional support or petitioning to get more resources to find a cure for this disease, which will affect one in three Canadians during their lifetime.

To its incredible leadership team, led by Andrea Seale; dedicated team members, such as Kelly Masotti and Rose D'Souza; and army of dedicated volunteers, such as Kirsten Watson and Shailly Prajapati, I say a heartfelt thanks. Canadians are healthier, better and stronger because of the unwavering advocacy, dedication and support they give.

HIV and AIDS

[Randall Garrison, NDP, Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to stand with the community-based prevention services and the other dedicated organizations that serve those living with HIV/AIDS. For the upcoming budget, they are calling on the government to deliver the funding necessary to eliminate HIV.

The government committed to having 95% of those vulnerable being tested, 95% of those tested receiving treatment and 95% achieving viral suppression by 2025, but it has failed to meet its interim targets. Instead, rates of new infections are rising, not falling. New infections in Saskatchewan have increased by over 30% since 2020. Among indigenous people in Saskatchewan, the rates of testing, treatment and suppression are only 67%, 67% and 68%. Rates of new infections are falling dramatically in other similar countries.

All we need is an investment of $100 million annually over five years, yet federal funding for self-testing kits ran out on March 31. Funding for outreach in indigenous communities on the Prairies also came to an end. Without investments in self-testing kits and community outreach, Canada will continue to fail at limiting the spread of new HIV infections.

Employment Insurance Reform

[Louise Chabot, Bloc, Thérèse-De Blainville, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Mouvement Action-Chômage de Montréal, or MAC, is currently running a campaign about EI reform for workers on maternity leave. With this campaign, MAC is demanding that anyone who is on maternity leave and loses their job not be unfairly penalized by an archaic and outdated system.

This is the perfect illustration of the need for EI reform. We must put an end the discrimination women face in accessing this program and address the injustices faced by working women.

This is also why the Bloc Québécois has been pushing for reform for a long time. We have been pushing for equality, we have been pushing for accessibility. It is time for this government to act. There is a budget in the works and it must put an end to this sexist rule and modernize the EI system.

I want to salute the MAC members who are leading this fight. We stand with them.

Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as Canadians know all too well, the Prime Minister has abandoned any pretense of fiscal stewardship, with his government racking up more national debt than all previous prime ministers combined. His record-shattering tax and spend agenda has driven up inflation and interest rates, increasing the cost of food, fuel and housing. It has gotten so bad that leading economists are warning that the record-high spending may delay interest rate cuts.

The common-sense Conservatives have a simple solution that could be implemented in next week's NDP-Liberal government budget: The government ought to find a dollar in savings for every dollar spent. This is a reasonable and simple lever they could use to get their inflation under control.

After eight years, Canadians are in debt, exhausted and looking for relief. Let us axe the tax, build the homes, cap the spending and fix the budget. Let us bring it home.

Carbon Pricing

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

Mr. Speaker, one unlikely person has recently emerged as a new champion of carbon pricing. This is someone who has done the math personally and knows first-hand that the vast majority of Canadians get back more than they pay. I am, of course, referring to the Premier of Alberta, Danielle Smith, who recently said, “I do my family's taxes, so I know we got $808.50.... When I go back and look at what I spent last year in carbon taxes...I would say that I probably ended up better off with that transfer.” Premier Smith went on to say that carbon pricing is “the optimal way of going about and getting the outcomes you are looking for” and that this almost seems like the perfect policy.

I agree with Danielle Smith. Our plan does leave more families better off while, at the same time, addressing climate change. I want to thank her for her clarity and rational understanding of this policy.

Finance

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the common-sense Conservatives are going to axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime.

However, this Prime Minister is not worth the cost. After eight years, he has doubled the national debt, causing generational inflation and forcing two million Canadians to turn to food banks thanks to programs that did not work. His own figures show that the Prime Minister will be spending more on servicing interest on the debt than on health care.

Why is he giving more money to bankers than to doctors and nurses?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, the Conservatives are the ones who keep advocating for austerity and cuts while we invest in nurses and doctors.

We are here to invest $200 billion over the next 10 years in improving our health care. We are here to offer a national school food program to help children learn on a full stomach. We are also going to be here to expand early childhood centres and child care spaces to ensure that families can care for their children and do their jobs.

We are here to invest—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, yet more proof that he is not worth the cost.

His continued out-of-control spending has caused the worst inflation in 40 years. Two million people now have to go to food banks every month. He has doubled the cost of housing, even with $80 billion in housing programs. These programs inflate government spending and encroach on provincial jurisdiction.

Will he meet with our premiers to defend his inflationary, expansionist, centralizing approach?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I will continue to meet with the provincial premiers to work on affordability for families and investments in housing.

In Quebec, for example, we have put up $900 million for the housing accelerator fund. Quebec is in the process of matching that amount and investing to build housing across the province.

We are here to work hand in hand with the provinces to fight climate change, fight the housing crisis, invest in young people, invest in seniors and build a stronger future. Meanwhile, the Conservatives continue to preach austerity.

Carbon Pricing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, common-sense Conservatives will axe the tax, build the homes, fix the budget and stop the crime. The Prime Minister is not worth the cost. Indeed, his carbon tax, which the Parliamentary Budget Officer has proven costs 60% of Canadians more than they get back in rebates, is now opposed by 70% of Canadians. Everybody understands that the tax is driving people to food banks. That is why six premiers, including the Liberal Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, have asked for a meeting.

Will the Prime Minister agree to a televised carbon tax conference if he is so sure of himself on this issue?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Budget Officer has confirmed that eight out of 10 families across the country get more money back with the Canada carbon rebate attached to the price on pollution than it costs them. That is $1,800 for a family of four in Alberta. It is thousands of dollars right across the country. These are things that are helping people with the high cost of living and groceries, at the same time as we fight climate change.

What would also be helpful is if we were able to deliver the doubling of the rural top-up to put hundreds of dollars in the pockets of Canadians, but the Conservative Party is blocking the legislation to double the rural top-up.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, that is mathematically impossible given that the NDP-Liberal government has a combined majority and can pass anything it wants, which is exactly why we are in such a mess today as a country. After eight years, the NDP-Liberal Prime Minister is not worth the cost. That is why the Parliamentary Budget Officer confirms that 60% of Canadians are paying more in carbon taxes than they are getting back in rebates.

If the Prime Minister believes the contrary, why does he not have the courage to sit down in a televised and open forum and have a carbon tax conference with the premiers?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we did sit down with the premiers, eight years ago, and established the pan-Canadian framework on climate change that both puts a price on pollution and puts more money back in the pockets of eight out of 10 Canadian families in the jurisdictions where the federal backstop applies. That is a way of both fighting climate change and helping with affordability.

The Conservative Party is counting on taking away those Canada carbon rebate cheques, but they are arriving this coming Monday, April 15. People will see, in their bank accounts, the Canada carbon rebate that puts more money in their pockets ahead of the costs associated with fighting climate change.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, he met the premiers in 2016. Since that time, he has broken the promise he made them. He said the tax would only go up to 11¢ a litre. Now, he admits it will go up to 61¢ a litre. He said the tax would make people better off. Now, we have the Parliamentary Budget Officer's report, which confirms that 60% of Canadians pay more than they get back.

The Prime Minister said, in 2015, “Canadians need a Prime Minister who will meet with the Premiers”. What happened?