Carol Hughes

[Community Futures Network of Canada, May 12th, 2022]

Madam Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the Community Futures Network of Canada and the excellent work it is doing to diversify, support and strengthen economies in rural and remove communities.

The Community Futures Network of Canada works to support communities by providing small business loans, tools and training to people looking to start or expand their business. In Ontario alone, during 2020-21, the Community Futures Development Corporation recruited over 1,000 volunteers, issued over $7.5 million in business loans and created over 6,000 jobs. In addition, the CFDC has provided over $116 million in business loan relief and helped maintain 8,500 jobs.

In Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, many entrepreneurs have taken advantage of the services provided by CFDCs, more specifically those of Waubetek, East Algoma, Superior East, Nord-Aski, LAMBAC, North Claybelt and Sault Ste. Marie, whose team members are dedicated to making northern Ontario a business-friendly destination. Today, I say thanks.

[Hon. John William Bosley, May 4th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Hon. John Bosley, former MP, 31st Speaker of the House of Commons and former parliamentary secretary to Prime Minister Joe Clark.

Mr. Bosley's time in the Speaker's chair was not extensive, lasting from 1984 to 1986, but his work laid the foundation for important changes to the Standing Orders, requiring MPs' questions to be relevant and on topic. Those are the same rules that, from time to time, some parliamentarians still try to ignore to this day.

One interesting fact about the changes to the Standing Orders was that they were used as quickly as they came into effect. As a matter of fact, NDP MP Jim Fulton, on the day the Standing Orders changed, was ejected from the House for accusing a minister of lying, with Speaker Bosley stating:

The Member gives me no choice. I must name the Member and require that he leave the House for the rest of the day. I must do so. I must name the Hon. Member for Skeena and I must ask him to leave the House for the rest of the day, under the authority of the new rules.

Speaker Bosley was the very last Speaker appointed by a prime minister after changing the rules in 1995 to allow MPs to democratically elect the Speaker of the House of Commons by secret ballot. He resigned from the Speakership unexpectedly in September of 1986, paving the way for the House’s first elected Speaker, The Hon. John Fraser.

Sadly, I never had the opportunity to meet the Hon. John Bosley, but former NDP MP Bill Blaikie shared some of his memories of Mr. Bosley. I remind members that Mr. Blaikie also served as Deputy Speaker of the House between 2006 and 2008.

Bill Blaikie described Speaker Bosley as a very kind colleague who was fair and honest in his role and decisions as Speaker.

Bill also recalled that, even back then, Wednesdays were always a bit rowdier following each party's respective caucus meetings. Bill related that on Wednesdays, Speaker Bosley would often comment, “Oh, it must be Wednesday. Wonderful Wednesdays.”

In my experience over the years, I and so many other speakers who are chairing or have chaired in the House can relate to John's sentiment about “wonderful Wednesdays”. As we saw, today it is no different.

Mr. Bosley dedicated his life to public service. I touched upon his duties as a parliamentary secretary to former prime minister Joe Clark, but he also spent the entirety of the eighties as an elected MP.

His tenure in the House of Commons lasted for 14 years. We can infer that his defeat was likely not a result of his performance as an MP, given that the election of 1993 proved devastating to the Progressive Conservatives, as they were reduced from 257 seats to two.

Even after losing his seat, he retained his passion for politics and served as an advisor on institutional development to parliaments all over the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

To John's family, I know that they have lost a tremendous individual who, over the years, dedicated so much of himself to not only this country but to others abroad as well. They should know that his legacy will live on throughout these halls.

On behalf of our NDP leader, my NDP colleagues and myself, may they please accept our deepest condolences for their loss.

[Climate Change, March 29th, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, the climate emergency is real. We all have to redouble our efforts to achieve net-zero emissions.

Today, I rise to highlight two forward-thinking innovative individuals on Manitoulin Island. Craig and Kelly Timmermans know that being part of the solution to climate change and reducing or eliminating electricity costs means changing the way we think about energy. In 2020, Craig and KT built their new radio station for Great Lakes Country 103 FM and Hits 100.7 FM powered by solar energy, which created Canada's only off-grid radio station. With excess energy to spare, Craig will be installing a single class 2 green energy EV charging station, offering competitive rates with a view to expand.

It is vital that we acknowledge the work of those leading the way in mitigating climate change, so today I say cheers to Craig and KT. Their entrepreneurial spirits show that we can embrace the shift to green technology and reinforce the fact that transitioning off our dependence on fossil fuels is truly doable.

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, March 21st, 2022]

With regard to the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), between March 2020 and now, broken down by month: (a) how many air passenger complaints have been received, broken down by the subject matter of the complaint; (b) of the complaints received in (a), how many have been resolved, broken down by (i) facilitation process, (ii) mediation process, (iii) adjudication; (c) how many air passenger complaints were dismissed, withdrawn, and declined, broken down by (i) subject matter of the complaint, (ii) mediation process, (iii) adjudication; (d) for each complaint in (a), how many cases were resolved by a settlement; (e) how many full-time equivalent agency case officers are assigned to deal with air travel complaints, broken down by agency case officers dealing with the (i) facilitation process, (ii) mediation process, (iii) adjudication; (f) what is the average number of air travel complaints handled by an agency case officer, broken down by agency case officers dealing with the (i) facilitation process, (ii) mediation process, (iii) adjudication; (g) what is the number of air travel complaints received but not yet handled by an agency case officer, broken down by agency case officers dealing with the (i) facilitation process, (ii) mediation process, (iii) adjudication; (h) in how many cases were passengers told by CTA facilitators that they were not entitled to compensation, broken down by rejection category; (i) among cases in (h), what was the reason for CTA facilitators not to refer the passengers and the airlines to the Montréal Convention that is incorporated in the international tariff (terms and conditions) of the airlines; (j) how does the CTA define a "resolved" complaint for the purposes of reporting it in its statistics; (k) when a complainant chooses not to pursue a complaint, does it count as "resolved"; (l) how many business days on average does it effectively take from the filing of a complaint to an officer to be assigned to the case, broken down by the (i) facilitation process, (ii) mediation process, (iii) adjudication; (m) how many business days on average does it effectively take from the filing of a complaint to reaching a settlement, broken down by the (i) facilitation process, (ii) mediation process, (iii) adjudication; and (n) for complaints in (a), what is the percentage of complaints that were not resolved in accordance with the service standards?

[Economic and Fiscal Update Implementation Act, 2021, February 3rd, 2022]

Resuming debate. The hon. parliamentary secretary to the government House leader had 16 minutes left for his speech.

[Jamie Burgess, January 31st, 2022]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to an extraordinary individual who left us suddenly on January 10th while working from home. Jamie Burgess was my legislative assistant and the first employee I hired when I was elected to the House in 2008.

Jamie was a mainstay on Parliament Hill for over 20 years, having worked for the likes of former NDP MPs Iain Angus, Rod Murphy and Bill Blaikie. His aptitude and experience always left us in awe. Jamie was opinionated, generous and eager to share his knowledge and talent. His colleagues, friends and family appreciated his openness, dedication, quirky sense of humour and his passion for life.

We are all devastated by his passing, and our hearts go out to his family, whom he cherished so much. On behalf of my team and NDP colleagues, I extend our deepest condolences to the love of his life, Kim, and his sons Owen and Darcy, whom he was so proud of.

Being the political junkie he was, there is no doubt he is watching from above while sitting in a boat fishing and playing his guitar.

Rest in peace, my friend. We sure do miss you. Tight lines.

[Supplementary Estimates (B), 2021-22, December 7th, 2021]

Today's debate is a general one on all votes tabled before the House on Friday, November 26, 2021. 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.

Pursuant to order made on Thursday, November 25, 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 five 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, meaning 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. When the time is to be used for questions and comments, the Chair will expect the minister's response to reflect approximately the time taken by the question, since this time will be counted in the time originally allotted to the members.

Pursuant to order made earlier today, 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 session.

The House in committee of the whole, pursuant to order made Thursday, November 25, 2021, consideration in committee of the whole of all votes in the supplementary estimates (B) for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022.

The hon. member for Wellington—Halton Hills.

[Austin Hunt and Gordon Waindubence, November 30th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, Manitoulin Island recently lost two political titans.

Earlier this month, the Township of Billings lost legendary municipal leader Austin Hunt. From his earliest days as Lester B. Pearson's driver, to a 65-year municipal career that saw him retire as the longest-serving politician in Canada, Austin was a force. His vision for municipal politics resonated throughout the north, including his work as a charter member of the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities.

Last week, Anishinabek Nation head Gordon Waindubence began his journey into the spirit world. A resident of Sheguiandah First Nation, Gordon worked to unite the Anishinabek Nation and preserve the culture and language. He sought to bring back the traditional clan system and create the Anishinabek Constitution in order to strengthen the traditional governance structure. Anishinabek Grand Chief Reginald Niganobe said Gord's teachings and kindness will continue to be shared well into the future.

Our deepest sympathies to the families and communities of these leaders who left indelible marks on Manitoulin's political culture.

[Election of Speaker, November 22nd, 2021]

Merci.

I would like to begin by acknowledging that we are gathered on the unceded territory of the Anishinabe Algonquin nation. If members would indulge me, I would also like to send a message of condolence and healing thoughts to the community of Constance Lake First Nation, which is struggling with multiple confirmed and suspected cases of blastomycosis, which has led to a growing number of hospitalizations, the loss of community members, and a search for answers about the source of exposure.

Mr. Chair, thank you for the opportunity to speak today. I am very pleased that the people of Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing put their trust in me once again and sent me back here to the House to continue working with you all to build a better Canada for them.

I also want to congratulate each one of you for having earned the trust of your constituents. I am happy to see many familiar faces, and I look forward to getting to know those of you who are newly elected.

I am confident that you will benefit from the experience of your colleagues, not only in your party's caucus but throughout Parliament, in the same way that I did when I was new to this place. That was 13 years ago.

Since first being elected, I have served on several committees. In the last two Parliaments, I served as Assistant Deputy Speaker. I gained much experience within that role, and I believe that with your support I will be able to fulfill the position of Speaker.

In my time in the chair, I have overseen numerous scenarios, including some challenging moments. Some of my decisions even resulted in New Democrats across the country questioning my loyalties to the party, which I took as a feather in my cap. I feel this speaks to my ability to be fair and steadfast in the position. That is why, when I wrote to you recently, I stressed that I am fair, open-minded and impartial. More than that, I am hopeful.

I understand, as most of you do, that there is more that ties us together than divides us. Even in this institution, which is built around the notion of division of opinion, circumstances can be shared across party lines as easily as they are within them. I believe that it is time for us to identify more commonalities even as we discuss big, potentially divisive issues. We can all see that discourse has been strained throughout society and that civility is more elusive than ever. It is important for us to consider that and act accordingly if we are to lead.

I make that point since the common narrative outside of Parliament is that this place does not work or is dysfunctional in some way. While many of us might provide an eloquent defence as to why that is not always the case, the fact is that the perception exists, is widespread and has only grown in recent years. Part of that may be sensationalism, but the narrative is persistent enough that we are best served to take it seriously and do our best to rehabilitate this institution's reputation.

One way that can occur is to change the habits of this place. I would argue that selecting a Speaker outside from outside the traditional governing parties is an important step in that direction. It would send the message that the desire for change is being matched with action.

I would also say that selecting a woman as Speaker would be another important step in that direction. When I look around the House, I am encouraged by all of the young faces. I think it is important for Parliament to reflect the diversity of our population, and young members full of enthusiasm and energy are significant assets.

It is unbelievable to me that so many of you have never seen a woman as Speaker of the House. It has been 37 years since Jeanne Sauvé's historic tenure as Speaker came to an end. With each new Parliament, her achievement fades further into the past, and the glass ceiling has been restored. Will we have to wait even longer?

As so much of society changes to value the roles and contributions of women, will Parliament remain an old boys' club? If so, is that why little seems to change in a positive direction with respect to the institution's reputation among Canadians?

Alternately, I think it is important that Parliament elect a woman Speaker so that young women can see themselves represented in our work in another meaningful way. I believe it might help to lower the temperature during impassioned moments of debate, but I would also add that I am personally more than prepared for the to-and-fro of heated debate. I have come from the labour movement, where I have extensive experience helping resolve disputes in an elbows-up environment.

In closing, I would remind members that Canadians are looking to us to make Parliament work in a way that will deliver results to them. I believe that choosing a Speaker from a smaller party sends a clear signal that we are prepared to do things differently. It would serve as a symbol of the kind of co-operation we are capable of and should strive for.

This is why I am asking members for their support.

[Homelessness, June 10th, 2021]

Mr. Speaker, according to the Women's National Housing & Homelessness Network, homelessness among women, girls and gender-diverse peoples in Canada is a crisis hiding in plain sight.

It explained the extent of the problem is difficult to fully understand due to the hidden nature of their homelessness and the way women tend to avoid traditional shelters and other options since these spaces tend to be dominated by men. That puts women in precarious scenarios as they rely on relational and potentially dangerous supports when what they really need is a system that understands their needs and a housing policy that prioritizes them.

The network identified eight challenges and opportunities in seeking to prevent and end homelessness amongst women, girls and gender‑diverse peoples, and it does not consider the challenges to be insurmountable.

While there is a plan to allocate 25% of housing strategy funds for the unique needs of women and girls, it is critical that responses to homelessness among women, girls and gender-diverse peoples are urgently prioritized.