Debates of Dec. 11th, 2015

Harry Pratt

[Gord Brown, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as this is the first time I am making a statement in this place in the 42nd Parliament, I want to begin by congratulating all of the new and returning members.

I also want to thank the fine people of Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes for electing me to represent them for a fifth time. I am humbled and honoured by their trust and expectations.

On a more sombre note, I was saddened this week to learn of the passing of my friend Harry Pratt of Kemptville in my riding. As a real estate broker, Harry worked tirelessly for his community, serving on numerous boards and organizations. He has been called the town's biggest cheerleader.

He was hospitalized with pancreatic cancer. This past Saturday, friends and family turned the cafeteria of the hospital into a wedding chapel so that Harry could watch his daughter get married.

Harry passed away on Sunday afternoon at 68 years old.

Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife Sheila and his family.

Julia Turner

[Vance Badawey, Liberal, Niagara Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, next Tuesday, December 15, the Welland minor hockey midget teams and people across Niagara Centre will be dressed in purple to remember the life of Julia Turner. Julia tragically lost her life to cancer at the age of 15. She was an avid hockey fan, and every year her friends come together to play in the Julia Turner Hockey Night in Welland in her memory.

Throughout her community, Julia was committed to helping those who were less fortunate. To celebrate her life and her work, everyone is asked to bring a non-perishable food item to donate to The Hope Centre in Welland, Ontario.

I would like to thank the organizers of the Julia Turner Hockey Night in Welland, especially her family and friends, for their heartfelt tribute to a remarkable young woman.

In the spirit of Julia's dedication to helping those in need throughout her community, I would like to remind all members of the House, people throughout the community, and all Canadians to think of those less fortunate as we enter the holiday season and to support their local food bank.

James Chaplin

[Bryan May, Liberal, Cambridge, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as this is the first time that I rise in this House, I would like to thank the residents of Cambridge, North Dumfries, and North Brant for placing their confidence in me to represent them.

Today I rise to pay my final respects to James Chaplin, a man who changed the course of many lives in Cambridge, including mine throughout my time with the YMCA.

Jim spent 57 years leading Canadian General Tower, as president, chairman and CEO, and was a member of Galt city council. Jim Chaplin was truly known for his patronage and support of many worthy causes in our community. He was an ardent champion of both the namesake Chaplin Family YMCA and The Bridges shelter.

One minute is not nearly long enough to detail his dedication, commitment and passion for his family and his community.

I thank Jim for living such an exceptional life. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family.

National Defence

[Larry Miller, Conservative, Bruce—Grey—Owen Sound, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the House of Commons has been back only a week and already Santa's elves are seeing who is being naughty and nice. With broken promises on deficits, refugees, transparency, and Senate reform, our Liberal colleagues must be getting worried about the carbon emissions from the coal they will get in their stockings.

On a more serious note, Canadians are disappointed that the Liberals are sticking with their plan to step back rather than step up in the fight against the brutal terrorists of ISIS. They should listen to people such as the Liberal members for Fleetwood—Port Kells and Kelowna—Lake Country, who both wisely indicated during the campaign that continuing air strikes was a key component of a balanced approach. Rather than listening to their own members, why has the government forced them to vote against their beliefs on a matter of such importance to millions of victims of the brutal ISIS regime?

Canadians do not cut and run; only in Canada do the Liberals run from ISIS.

Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador

[Scott Simms, Liberal, Coast of Bays—Central—Notre Dame, NL]

Mr. Speaker, next week is a special week for Newfoundland and Labrador. A gentleman by the name of Dwight Ball, whom I have known for many years, as many of us have, will be sworn in next week as Newfoundland and Labrador's next premier. It is a moment we have been waiting for for quite some time.

Dwight is a compassionate individual and empathetic to all citizens of Newfoundland and Labrador. He is certainly a fantastic member of the House of Assembly, and will now become our next premier.

Specifically, I would like to congratulate the new MHAs in my riding: Brian Warr, Baie Verte-Green Bay; Al Hawkins, Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans; Jerry Dean, Exploits; Derek Bennett, Lewisporte-Twillingate; Tracey Perry, Fortune Bay-Cape La Hune; Dr. John Haggie, Gander; and, Derrick Bragg, Fogo Island-Cape Freels.

I congratulate the Liberal Party in Newfoundland and Labrador. We look forward to—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

Order, please. The hon. member for Essex.

Agriculture

[Tracey Ramsey, NDP, Essex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the people of Essex for trusting me to represent them in Ottawa. I will work hard every day to be a strong voice for their priorities.

In Essex, family farms fill the landscape and are vital to the success of our local economy. Too many family farms have disappeared over the last decade in Essex, but despite farmers' many challenges, they are embracing environmentally sustainable and progressive conservation practices.

I want to specifically honour the work of Don and Neil Huber, who, like many farmers in my community, are spearheading innovative agricultural practices. By using no-till planting and helicopter seeding methods, they are helping the environment and reducing soil erosion and improving water quality.

To be a farmer is about more than growing food. A farmer is a small business owner, an employer, an accountant, a mechanic, and a climatologist, all the while living on a razor thin profit margin and working far more than the traditional 40-hour work week.

I want to thank Don and Neil Huber and all the farmers in my riding and across Canada. They do not just feed their families and their neighbours, but are truly artists in their “field”.

18th Prime Minister

[Rob Nicholson, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is my great honour today to rise in the House to pay homage to the Right Honourable Brian Mulroney, Canada's 18th prime minister. He has just been awarded the Supreme Companion of Oliver Reginald Tambo, South Africa's highest award given to a foreign national. It is a tribute to Mr. Mulroney's courage, conviction, and leadership in his stand against apartheid and his call for the release of Nelson Mandela.

I am also very proud that his leadership on the world stage is once again being recognized. During my tenure as defence minister and foreign affairs minister, I travelled to Ukraine three times. During my visits, I planned to bring up the fact that Canada, under Brian Mulroney, was the first country to recognize the freedom and independence of Ukraine. On two occasions, the Ukrainian ministers beat me to it and brought the matter up first.

Also, the defence minister of Kuwait made a point of telling me how grateful he was that Canada came to his country's defence, again under Brian Mulroney's leadership.

The award from South Africa is a great honour for Canada's 18th Prime Minister, Brian Mulroney, and I share the pride of all Canadians in celebrating his achievements.

Toronto—Danforth

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Toronto—Danforth, ON]

Mr. Speaker, since this is my first time rising in the House, I would like to start by thanking the people of Toronto—Danforth for putting their trust in me. I also want to thank my family for supporting my decision to serve the voters in my riding.

Happy Holidays. This is a season to give us a chance to connect with the people we care about. It is also a time for us to remember the people around us who are struggling and to see how we can make their new year brighter.

Next Friday, I will be participating in the Riverside Antler Breakfast, which supports a nutrition program for local kids. This past weekend, I attended the Riverdale Share, a local concert that supports local programs. This Monday, the Ripple Refugee Project, a local group, welcomed a Syrian family of eight to our community.

These are examples of the important charitable work under way in Toronto—Danforth and across Canada.

Let us thank them.

Happy holidays.

The Senate

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister talks a good game about the Senate, but in reality, he is up to the same old Liberal trick of appointing friends. The Prime Minister's first move was to appoint the Speaker of the Senate without consultation, and he is unilingual to boot.

Let us be clear. The only test for this appointment was being a good buddy of the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons.

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague knows very well that we have embarked on a new process for appointing senators. This process is much more open and transparent, and people across the country will be able to participate.

With respect to the Prime Minister's decision to appoint a new Speaker of the Senate, we chose a parliamentarian with tremendous integrity and considerable experience. This is the first time we have had someone from Newfoundland and Labrador as Speaker of one of our houses of Parliament.

Government Appointments

[Denis Lebel, Conservative, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the way I see it, a friend is a friend.

The Leader of the Government in the House of Commons is on a witch hunt. Yesterday, the chair of Canada Post's board of directors thwarted the government's plans to lay off quality Canadians. Ms. Matthews indicated that the CEO of Canada Post, Deepak Chopra, was chosen through a proper appointment process. He should be commended, not humiliated.

Will the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons continue with his ploy to once again appoint friends of the Liberal Party?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, I am quite fond of my colleague opposite, but the fact that he is talking about appointing friends to government positions is a bit rich.

With regard to the appointment in question, we were concerned because we deemed the appointment process carried out by his government to be improper. The action we have taken will make the appointment process more transparent and open. If Canadians who have been appointed through a process that we found to be faulty want to apply for those positions again, they can do so. That is what I indicated in my letter. However, I am surprised that the chair of the board decided to release the names of the people who received letters. We never released anyone's name.

[The Speaker, Liberal, Geoff Regan]

I now recognize someone who has been of enormous assistance to me in the last few days. The hon. member for Regina—Qu'Appelle.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, House Leader of the Official Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, we have already seen the Liberals' inability to manage costs related to resettling refugees, with their campaign promise of $250 million ballooning to over $1 billion, and now we know why.

Former Liberal MP Denis Coderre has found a way to use money meant for resettlement to take care of his friend, with an $1,800-a-day consultant's fee. This is money that could actually go to help refugees. The City of Toronto has employed four people for the same amount.

What steps will the government take to ensure that federal tax dollars are being spent on the world's most vulnerable instead of on high-priced Liberal friends?

[John McCallum, Liberal, Minister of Immigration]

Mr. Speaker, I was unaware of this point regarding Denis Coderre, but I will look into that immediately.

I just want to say that my colleagues, the Minister of Health and the Minister of National Defence, and I were with the Prime Minister and two opposition colleagues last night. It was a wonderful evening to greet the first refugees in an air force plane to arrive in Toronto. It was a wonderful night for all Canadians to celebrate.

Democratic Reform

[Andrew Scheer, Conservative, House Leader of the Official Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, I just hope that Mr. Coderre's friend was not there and on the clock.

As it stands now, the only vote the Liberals are planning to hold on changes to the electoral process is a vote in this House where they can use their majority to get their preferred outcome. Only 184 Liberals will get the final say on how 30 million Canadians choose their next government.

The Prime Minister has used language like “strong” and “broad consultations” when talking about electoral reform. We all know that the ultimate way of consulting Canadians is through a referendum where every Canadian has the right to be heard. Why would the government settle for anything less than the best, and not hold a referendum?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Minister of Democratic Institutions]

Mr. Speaker, as I have been clear in this House all week, we will convene an all-party committee to review the process and to ensure that it is a collaborative one and a thoughtful one. We believe decisions on this issue deserve to be approached in such a manner, and I look forward to working with my colleagues opposite to make sure that the next electoral system we introduce makes sure that every vote counts.

[Gord Brown, Conservative, Leeds—Grenville—Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the member for Ajax said this week that to presume the outcome of consultations on electoral reform is nonsense, but that is exactly what the Liberals are doing.

They have already decided for Canadians that one option is not on the table, and they will not commit to giving Canadians a say in a referendum. Even if Canadians do want change, there is no consensus on what it should look like. All Canadians should get to make that choice.

Why is the government scared to let Canadians choose in a referendum?

[Maryam Monsef, Liberal, Minister of Democratic Institutions]

Mr. Speaker, if we want Canadians to trust that their votes really matter, we must be willing, as members of Parliament, to set aside party preoccupations and undertake a serious examination of the way elections work.

We want to explore this issue in the right way. That means that, before taking action, we are going to engage in a thoughtful and thorough process about the various electoral reform options available. Unlike the previous government, we have every interest in making sure that the voices of Canadians are heard throughout this process.

The Environment

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Paris talks have stalled on the subject of compensation for the most vulnerable countries. Who do you suppose is standing in the way of a deal on this issue? None other than the Canadian delegation, led by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Canada has even garnered two fossil awards for obstructing the negotiations. Are the Conservatives still in charge or what?

Will the government stop obstructing the process, keep its promises and work toward getting an agreement signed?

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague is misinformed. Canada is pushing hard for a robust agreement that will unite humanity in the fight against climate change. We can be very proud of the role that the Minister of Environment and Climate Change is playing. What a change compared to the last 10 years.

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Mr. Speaker, with two fossil awards, the government is catching up with the Conservatives pretty quickly.

The draft Paris agreement includes the commitment to “limit the temperature increase to 1.5 °C...[to] significantly reduce risks and impacts”.

The NDP's targets would have meant Canada was finally doing its fair share. Conservative targets, which as of now are also Liberal targets, will not get us there.

Will the government commit to adopting ambitious new targets with real accountability, or does the government just want to keep collecting fossil awards?

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Minister of Foreign Affairs]

Mr. Speaker, the international community is celebrating the role Canada is playing in Paris.

We are playing a very positive role. We have been a laggard for the last 10 years, and now we are a leader. We may be proud of it. We may hope that we will have a strong international agreement that will allow Canada to implement a very strong plan with the provinces to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and to make sure that Canada will do its share to fight climate change.

Families

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB]

Mr. Speaker, this morning, a report revealed that day care costs are rising across the country. Families and women are paying the price.

Instead of tackling the problem, the Liberals chose to cut taxes for people of means.

The new government needs to get its priorities straight. Can it tell us what it plans to do to keep day care costs from rising?