Carol Hughes

[Petitions, March 30th, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to table a petition that highlights the ongoing persecution of Falun Gong practitioners in China.

The petitioners state that Falun Gong is a traditional Chinese spiritual discipline that consists of meditation exercises and moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion and tolerance.

They note that they are the victims of various forms of persecution in China, including forced organ harvesting and trafficking.

The petitioners call on Parliament to pass a resolution to establish measures to stop the Chinese Communist regime's crime of systematically murdering Falun Gong practitioners for their organs, to amend Canadian legislation to combat forced organ harvesting and to publicly call for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong in China.

[Public Safety, February 2nd, 2023]

Mr. Speaker, we all have a shared commitment to public safety, but when it comes to indigenous policing, services are chronically underfunded. Indigenous police forces such as those within my riding, the UCCM Anishnaabe Police, Wikwemikong Tribal Police Service, Anishinabek Police Service and the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service, do great work in serving first nations communities.

However, there is an urgent need to ensure that negotiations to renew agreements include a healthy increase to core funding.

Often, there are only two officers working each shift, and when officers respond to a call in one community they are consistently unable to respond to calls from other first nations.

Lately, there has been an increase in homicide, gun, drug and human trafficking-related crimes. First nations police services need more funding to hire more officers and dedicated funding for crime units to better respond to public safety issues so that no community is left unprotected.

Today, I ask all parliamentarians to call for increases to core funding and the renewal of first nations policing agreements.

[Women and the Green Transition, December 14th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, we have a duty to take bold measures to deal with the climate crisis and build a strong economy while creating a work environment that helps women thrive and closes the gender wage gap.

By making a just transition, we can create the green energy jobs of the future and attract more women to the skilled trades.

This new economy can lift women and their families out of poverty, providing them with training and sustainable job opportunities currently not offered in our traditional natural resources sector. This work must start now. Just transition legislation should focus on delivering a credible plan for clean energy jobs, provide training programs for women in the industry and create affordable child care spaces that respond to the reality of shift work.

Organizations such as the Alberta Federation of Labour have been clear that just transition legislation can no longer be delayed. Canadians know we need to deal with climate change, and we must do all that we can to ensure that women are at the forefront of this new energy economy.

[Trucking Industry, November 28th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, today, I recognize the hard work of trucking companies and drivers who keep our supply chains and economy moving. However, those companies and employees are coming face-to-face with an illegal tax scheme that threatens the livelihood of the industry, the rights of truckers and the safety of people on our highways.

Driver Inc. is a tax scheme designed to convince employees to register as a corporation. The company then pays the corporation, which is not subject to normal tax deductions. Drivers are not entitled to overtime pay, paid sick days, vacation or severance pay.

This illegal tax scheme leaves truck drivers unprotected in the event of a workplace accident and vulnerable to unjust termination.

Legitimate carriers and labour stand together in condemning this practice that benefits large corporate entities that push the demand for this illegal tax scheme.

We must work together to clamp down on systemic labour abuses, close tax loopholes and support those who respect the rules, protect workers and keep our economy rolling.

[Mrs. & Ms. Regional Canada Empowerment Pageant, October 31st, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, this weekend women across Ontario took the opportunity to compete in the Mrs. & Ms. Regional Canada Empowerment Pageant in Sudbury. This was not the traditional pageant people are used to. It was designed for women between the ages of 25 to 65 and focused on their accomplishments, their education, their careers and their commitments to volunteer and community service. It empowered women, offered workshops and self-care, and raised funds for a great cause, the Northern Ontario Families of Children with Cancer.

The organizers and contestants raised $34,000 for the NOFCC, which will make a big difference for families in the north. There were many impressive contestants from my riding of Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, including Andréane Blais from Mattice, Alex Powers from Val Rita-Harty, Rosalind Russell from the LaCloche Foothills, and Shannon Kennedy from Manitoulin Island.

Please join me in thanking organizers Cheryl Kozera and Natalie Carriere for making this event so impactful for the contestants and for raising so much for a great cause.

Congratulations to those who were crowned as winners: Melanie Champagne, Nathalie Restoule, Sammie Barrette and Jennifer Natti.

[1972 Team Canada Players and Representatives, September 22nd, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to honour the 50th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series and the team members who captured the hearts, minds, and imagination of an entire nation. It is that rare event in sport that had all Canadians on the edge of their seat and would become a legend across the nation, creating role models, inspiring songs and establishing Canada as the dominant hockey nation on earth.

This series is so iconic that it almost has no rivals in terms of its importance to our country, except for Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope. It eclipses all other historic moments in Canadian sport, such as the Blue Jays' back-to-back championships, Donovan Bailey's gold medal sprint, and Sidney Crosby's golden goal at the Vancouver Olympic Games.

I would like to begin by thanking all the players on Team Canada 1972 for their historic win in the Canada-Russia series, including the many players who have joined us today to celebrate the 50th anniversary.

In case my colleagues did not know this, a good lot of the players originated from northern Ontario: The Esposito brothers, Phil and Tony, learned to play in Sault Ste. Marie; brothers Frank and Peter Mahovlich were from Schumacher; Mickey Redmond called Kirkland Lake home; and Gary Bergman hailed from Kenora.

I also want to give a special shout-out to the late, great Jean-Paul “J.P.” Parisé, the hard-working left-winger from Smooth Rock Falls in my riding of Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, who scored two goals and two assists, and had the single most controversial moment in the series. I will have more on that in a minute.

The series is often spoken of as a parable of the Cold War these days, but I doubt that anyone playing in the series was thinking of that. The players went out there for eight games and, through grit and determination, brought this historic win home for our great nation. They inspired a generation of young people to embrace hockey and did so much to establish it as Canada’s national sport, to the extent that this House legally declared it as such in 1994.

It is the historic moments that will be remembered forever across Canada. To quote commentator Foster Hewitt’s play-by-play at the end of game eight of the series, “Cournoyer has it on that wing. Here's a shot. Henderson made a wild stab for it and fell. Here's another shot! Right in front. They score! Henderson has scored for Canada!”

Paul Henderson’s iconic game eight winning goal, often called “the goal of the century”, will always live on as part of the Canadian psyche. Phil Esposito’s seven goals and six assists set the pace for the entire series and, of course, J.P. Parisé’s frustration at the officiating in game eight that got him ejected for game misconduct is often cited as the turning point that led to less questionable calls on the ice and strengthened the rest of the team’s resolve.

I am proud to say that Parisé's name is now permanently commemorated on a recently inaugurated sign in his home town of Smooth Rock Falls, at the suggestion of Johnny Lemieux and with support from the town council. They wanted to be sure to pay tribute to J.P while also marking the 50th anniversary of the 1972 Summit Series.

Parisé was touched to be selected to represent Canada internationally, but he was so respected in the NHL that he was asked to play for Team Canada as a surprise pick. He went on to enjoy a successful career in hockey, playing 890 games in the NHL, including two all-star games. He never won the Stanley Cup, but his widow, Donna, said that winning gold for Canada meant the world to him.

I hope I was properly able to convey just how important this event was for the history of our nation.

I will quote the lyrics of another Canadian legend, and I am not going to sing them, because I cannot do them justice. Maybe the member for Timmins—James Bay would have been able to, but not me. This is from the Tragically Hip singer Gord Downie:

If there's a goal that everyone remembers, it was back in ol' 72
We all squeezed the stick and we all pulled the trigger
And all I remember is sitting beside you

I have also been lobbied by my colleague, the MP for Windsor West, to put in a selfless plug to have a member of the team, Paul Henderson, inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and I was pleased to do that.

I thank members for their attention and, more importantly, I thank team Canada from 1972 for all it has done for this country.

[Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, September 15th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I am honoured, saddened and humbled to stand in this House to pay tribute to our monarch and sovereign Queen Elizabeth II in front of her representatives of the Commonwealth nation of Canada. It is a responsibility I do not take lightly, as it is nearly impossible to adequately convey the importance of a life that has helped shape our nation for nearly half its existence.

I would like to begin by quoting Her Majesty herself, not from a period during her reign, but from the speech the young princess delivered in Cape Town, South Africa, on her 21st birthday in 1947. She said:

I declare before you all that my whole life whether it be long or short shall be devoted to your service and the service of our great imperial family to which we all belong.

But I shall not have strength to carry out this resolution alone unless you join in it with me, as I now invite you to do: I know that your support will be unfailingly given. God help me to make good my vow, and God bless all of you who are willing to share in it.

Her declaration that her whole life would be devoted to service, regardless of its length, would follow her as she became the longest-serving British monarch and the second longest-serving monarch in history.

Another important quote was while touring Canada for her golden jubilee in 2002 when she said:

I treasure my place in the life of Canada, and my bond with Canadians everywhere.... It is my privilege to serve you as Queen of Canada to the best of my ability, to play my part in the Canadian identity, to uphold Canadian traditions and heritage, to recognize Canadian excellence and achievement and to seek to give a sense of continuity in these exciting, ever-changing times in which we are fortunate enough to live.

She loved this nation, its people, its traditions and its identity, as she visited Canada 22 times over the course of her 70 years as sovereign. With that in mind, I spent a significant amount of time considering the best way to pay tribute to a person who, for all accounts, will be written about for decades, if not centuries, in history books. Those stories will be told, but what may not be told to the extent that is necessary is the impact she had on people throughout the nation.

She always expressed such a joy in the Canadian identity, and I want to take some time to highlight thoughts and memories of the bonds Canadians shared with her. However, before I get to that, I want to give a nod to one of my constituents, Luc Morrissette of Alpine Flowers & Gifts in Elliot Lake, who has a memorial guest book on display, which will be forwarded to the palace to commemorate the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

I would like to begin the memories and thoughts shared with that of Douglas Elliott's Facebook post. He wrote, “The death of Queen Elizabeth II marks the end of an era for Canada, and in many ways, for our world.

“She was the last world leader who was a veteran of World War II. Like most Canadians, I cannot remember a time before she became our Queen.

“I never had the pleasure of meeting Her Majesty, who was renowned for her dry wit and personal charm. However, I did see her in person twice.

“The first time was in July of 1959, when I was not quite 3 years old. The Queen came to Canada to open the St. Lawrence Seaway, and the new Royal Yacht Britannia toured the Great Lakes. One of the stops was in Parry Sound, and my mother took me to see Her Majesty. I am told that when my mother pointed out that the pretty young woman waving to the crowd was the Queen, I proudly responded ‘I know!’

“I don't really remember that sighting, but I do remember the second. It was in 1984 at Queen's Park. Coincidentally, the Toronto Star's published image of the walkabout captured myself and my Great Aunt Grace beaming at our Queen with joy. I was struck first by how tiny she was, with an erect military posture, a good figure and an impeccable complexion. Not a hair was out of place. She was like a perfect little porcelain doll, and beautifully dressed.

“I will remember Her Majesty best for her role in presiding over the patriation of our Constitution and the creation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982. The Queen had a good sense of humour and she was known to take delight when things went slightly awry on official occasions. Jean Chrétien (who was the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs at the time) acknowledged that Her Majesty spoke excellent French, and she often conversed with him in French. I personally confirmed this royal story with him.”

Douglas' post was accompanied by a photo, and he explained, “The photo was taken on that blustery day on Parliament Hill in April of 1982 at the official signing ceremony for the new Constitution. Chrétien looks grim, while the Queen is grinning. Apparently, his pen malfunctioned, and as he reached for another he muttered ‘merde!’ The Queen heard him and chuckled.”

Douglas then writes, “Rest in peace, good and loyal servant, and may flights of angels sing you to your rest.”

Douglas received the following responses.

Ralph Carl Wushke wrote, “I must be a more loyal subject as I saw her at least six times, including when she stepped out on the caboose of the Royal Train in Broadview, Saskatchewan to greet the Chiefs of three First Nations: Cowessess, Ochapowace, Kahkewistahaw, all in Treaty 2 territory and the farmer settler families. I was 5 and it's the most vivid pre-school memory I have to this day. She was wearing powder blue. It was high summer.”

Shelley Heinrich wrote, “In 2010, she came to Waterloo. My husband was part of her security detail. I was on a day off and as he was doing the escort. He let me know when they would be passing by our little town on the highway that cuts thru. My husband sent me a single text which read: ‘The Eagle has left the Nest’. His way of letting me know when to get Hailey to the intersection where we saw her. Neither one of us wanted to compromise her safety on her route.

“We were both very fortunate to have been a part of her visit. I walked Hailey down. She was 2 at the time. Hailey waved like crazy at the Queen and the Duke as they drove by. Both waved at her and the Queen waved at Hailey exactly how Hailey waved at her. Open hand, fingers out and a little twist at the wrist with that broad smile. The Duke raised his hand and with a smile gave a little wave. We were the only two standing there. They didn't have to, but they did. Hailey just shrieked with delight!”

Debra Pain Mallon wrote, “My uncle was the Reeve of Muskoka and my cousin had the honour of presenting flowers to the Queen. Such a gracious lady. She is with Philip now. She will be deeply missed.”

Janet Babcock wrote, “My then spouse and I were invited guests to the signing of the Constitution as he was an assistant to a Cabinet Minister. It was not only blustery but near the end of the signing it began to rain heavily. We were sitting behind Andy Haydon, then Regional Chair of the Region of Ottawa Carleton. He was bald and the rain poured off his head onto my rather stylish clothes and hat as we were all trying to imitate Princess Diana. We got a signed copy of the program with signatures from Trudeau, Chrétien and Paul Martin. It is in a box somewhere in my basement. An historic day no doubt!”

The AFN national chief, RoseAnne Archibald issued the following statement on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II:

Like many, Queen Elizabeth II is the only British monarch I have ever known in my lifetime. Throughout her reign, she has been an influential role model for generations of women and will be remembered for normalising and evolving the perception of strong, female leadership. My condolences are with King Charles III and all members of the British royal family as they grieve the loss of their matriarch, Queen Elizabeth II.

I also want to share the thoughts from Kate Matuszewski. She posted, “What a sad day in history we are all sharing in today. My heart is heavy.

“Your Majesty, Ma'am, thank you for your lifelong dedication to duty and service to our Great Britain and the Commonwealth. Throughout your reign you have led by example with strength and dignity. You have lifted us up when times were hard and given us hope; you have walked among us, your subjects, and shown us compassion, loyalty, dedication, grace, intelligence, warmth, humour, and love.

“You have endeared yourself to all of us and been a shining example. For many of us, you have been our only Queen in our lifetimes! Today I mourn your passing and wish you God speed to your beloved Prince Philip, and the peace you richly deserve. God bless you, Ma'am, you have made an indelible mark on the world and in history. What a long and glorious life you have lived. I am so proud to be British and to have been raised in such a great country with its magnificent history, values and traditions. Thank you for your service. Rest in Peace.”

In response, Kimberly MacVoy Arnold wrote, “So deeply saddened by this news. I've long admired Her Royal Majesty. May she rest peacefully and may her family find comfort and strength in the coming days of the long goodbye she most graciously earned and deserves.”

Gladys Wiggins wrote, “I saw her in Kapuskasing, Ontario, as a young child. It was just before her coronation. Back then I knew this was a special event and that she was a special lady. Rest in Peace, Queen Elizabeth.”

Erika MacLellan wrote, “I remember seeing her as a small child when she came to visit my hometown. My mother took me and my playmate, all dressed in our Sunday best, waving our flags as the Queen and Prince Philip drove slowly by, standing in their black open convertible waving and smiling to the crowds. I still can see it and remembering as if it was yesterday. My mom then took us for a treat.”

Reverend Valerie Isaac's Facebook post reads, “Rest well, Your Majesty. You promised to serve for your life, however long or short. It has been an Elizabethan era that has concluded. Our sympathies to King Charles III, and the rest of the Royal Family.”

I hope that by sharing these stories and these insights, we may get a better sense of how Canadians are grieving the loss of their monarch and, by extension, the impact that she has had on the lives of people of this country.

May Her Majesty rest in peace.

[Summer Festivities in Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, June 16th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are looking forward to summer activities and seeing everything this wonderful country has to offer.

If anyone is looking for a top-tier tourist destination, look no further than Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing. Kapuskasing will be throwing its biggest party of the year as it hosts a Saint-Jean festival this weekend.

The Iron Bridge Music Fest has a great line-up of musicians. Everyone should be sure to add Manitoulin Country Fest and St. Joseph Island’s Go North Music Festival to their schedule.

People can learn about indigenous culture by attending National Indigenous Peoples Day events or the many powwows, including the Wiikwemkoong 60th Annual Cultural Festival.

There is also a host of Canada Day and Pride festivities. People should not forget White River's Winnie the Pooh Festival.

Are engines music to people's ears? They can get revved up at the North Shore Challenge Drag Race or the Smooth Truck Fest.

People who love the outdoors can put their line down at the 40th annual Wawa Salmon Fishing Derby.

People who love food can drop by the Espanola Poutine Feast or Little Current’s ribfest.

We can see that Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing has something for everyone. Come join us.

[Business of Supply, May 30th, 2022]

The House will now resolve itself into committee of the whole to study all votes under Department of Fisheries and Oceans in the main estimates for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023.

Today's debate is a general one on all votes under the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. The first round will begin with the official opposition, followed by the government, the Bloc Québécois and the New Democratic Party. After that, we will follow the usual proportional rotation.

Each member will be allocated 15 minutes at a time, which may be used for both debate or for posing questions. Members wishing to use this time to make a speech have a maximum of 10 minutes, which leaves at least 5 minutes for questions to the minister. When a member is recognized, he or she should indicate to the Chair how the 15-minute period will be used, in other words, how much time will be spent on the speech and how much time will be used for questions and answers.

Also, pursuant to order made earlier today, members who wish to share their time with another member shall indicate this to the Chair. The Chair will receive no quorum calls, dilatory motions or requests for unanimous consent. When the time is to be used for questions and comments, the minister's response should reflect approximately the time taken to pose the question, since this time will be counted in the time originally allotted to the member.

Pursuant to order made Thursday, May 19, 2022, the time provided for the debate tonight may be extended beyond four hours as needed to include a minimum of 16 periods of 15 minutes each. I also wish to indicate that in committee of the whole comments should be addressed to the Chair. I ask for everyone's co-operation in upholding all established standards of decorum, parliamentary language and behaviour.

We will now begin tonight's debate.

The hon. member for South Shore—St. Margarets.

[Women and Gender Equality, May 18th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, recently a leaked draft opinion revealed that the U.S. Supreme Court is considering overturning Roe v. Wade, a landmark decision on abortion rights. This unprecedented disclosure raises deep concerns about the existing guarantees of abortion access, and it is more important than ever to ensure that reproductive rights and justice are protected in Canada.

Today, I rise to highlight that, while abortion rights have always been a priority in Canadian society, access barriers still exist. Recently, Manitoulin Island-based writer Ruth Farquhar described the situation in our country as abortion being “only truly accessible to women of privilege”, due to numerous issues related to geography, age, gender, race, socio-economic factors and immigration status.

It is critical that we, as parliamentarians, strengthen policies to advance reproductive justice by addressing the needs of the most marginalized women, families and communities and expanding access to sexual and reproductive health care across the country.