Peter Julian

[Privilege, May 28th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, my comments are definitely relevant because today's debate is derailing all the discussions on Bill C-64, which has just been tabled in the House at report stage.

Does my colleague think that there is a connection between the Conservative Party's and the Bloc Québécois's determination to block this bill and the fact that these two parties always want to debate the topic that we are debating today?

[Privilege, May 28th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, yesterday we witnessed the sad spectacle of the Conservatives, along with their allies in the Bloc Québécois, trying to block the pharmacare bill.

In Quebec, a coalition of nearly 2 million Quebeckers is calling on the Conservative Party and the Bloc Québécois to pass this law because it finds it important. The Centrale des syndicats démocratiques, the Confédération des syndicats nationaux, the Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec and the community organizations in Quebec say that this bill should be enacted.

Now, we know that today's debate will derail this entire important discussion. Why are the Bloc Québécois and the Conservative Party insisting on blocking—

[Privilege, May 28th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, we have had Conservatives viciously attacking the Speaker repeatedly. We see what has happened in Saskatchewan. A conservative party is ruling in Saskatchewan, and what they did to the Speaker I will cite for the record. The Speaker, in his final statement, said:

...my experience with the [conservative] Government House Leader includes threatening gestures whenever I rule against him in the Assembly. He will start yelling at me and standing up and flashing his suit jacket. As the gestures and behaviour became more aggressive, I worried that he might be carrying a handgun. My concerns over his mental stability and his obsession with guns was only confirmed when he heckled after the passing of the motion to devolve all relevant parts of the Firearms Act to the province. He twice yelled, open carry, open carry next.

It goes on, but I think what we see taking place in conservative-held provinces, what we see with the Speaker and what we see happening federally are an attempt by conservatives to try to move aside from the agenda. Why are they doing this?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, May 27th, 2024]

With regard to federal investments in Canada’s telecommunications sector, since January 1, 2006: how much federal funding has been provided to (i) Rogers Communications Inc., (ii) BCE Inc., (iii) Telus Mobility, broken down by company, year and type of funding?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, May 27th, 2024]

With regard to the Deficit Reduction Action Plan, between January 1, 2011, and January 1, 2016: how many jobs were cut or eliminated from the federal public service, broken down by (i) province and territory, (ii) department and agency, (iii) job type?

[Canada–Newfoundland and Labrador Atlantic Accord Implementation Act, May 27th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, it is no surprise to anybody that the Conservatives are blocking, yet again, legislation that would make a difference in the lives of people. We saw them oppose dental care, even though 100,000 seniors have already had access to a dental care program that the NDP forced the government to put into place. They have opposed pharmacare. They have opposed anything that has a net benefit.

It does not surprise me either that the Conservatives are opposing a bill that would provide benefits to Atlantic Canada, because the member for Carleton is on the record making disparaging, negative and derogatory comments about Atlantic Canada. It is no surprise to me either that Conservatives are opposing clean energy. That is really the wave of tomorrow, but Conservatives, because they want to drag Canada back to the 19th century, absolutely refuse to accept any portion of a clean energy strategy that would create potentially hundreds of thousands of jobs across the country. Therefore, I am not surprised. Is my colleague surprised by the Conservatives', yet again, blocking important legislation?

[Canada Labour Code, May 24th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, for this historic vote, decades in the making, I would ask for a recorded vote.

[Canada Labour Code, May 24th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, you have already ruled on this in the past. There have been MPs speaking from a variety of locations.

I would ask you to ensure that Conservative MPs respect the member's speech and respect the bill. If they are in favour of anti-scab legislation, there should be no problem with allowing the speech to continue. It is absolutely appropriate, as you have ruled in the past.

[Northern Affairs, May 24th, 2024]

Uqaqtittiji, water is life, and access to safe drinking water is a human right. In Nunavut, only eight out of 25 water treatment facilities pass their health and safety tests. The result is a very real possibility of unsafe drinking water for the people of Nunavut. Liberals have neglected to provide healthy drinking water for indigenous communities.

Will the Liberals act urgently to provide the funding that ensures Nunavut communities have clean, safe drinking water now?

[Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023, May 22nd, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, the member for Nunavut, who is an extraordinary voice for Nunavut, for northern Canada and for indigenous peoples. She brings so much to the floor of the House of Commons and has been such a remarkable fighter for her constituents and for people right across this land.

It is appalling to me to hear these figures. The member is talking about nearly $1.8 million dollars paid in salary and bonuses to the CEO of a company that has been part of what can only be described as massive food price gouging in northern Canada and Nunavut. I have been to Nunavut, and I have seen the prices, which are unbelievable for any regular family to try to afford to put food on the table. If it were not for country food, people simply would not be able to survive. This is why it is so important to have NDP MPs in the House, and ultimately to have an NDP government.

Simply, Liberals and Conservatives will never take on the corporate CEOs who gouge Canadians. NDP MPs and an NDP government will.