Debates of Feb. 15th, 2018

2018 Winter Olympics

[Bob Zimmer, Conservative, Prince George—Peace River—Northern Rockies, BC]

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize northern B.C.'s own Denny Morrison.

Denny is no stranger to Canadians in this place, as he has had three previous appearances in three previous Olympics. However, he not just appeared and competed in previous Olympics, he also medaled with a bronze in Sochi, a silver in Sochi, a silver in Turin, and a gold in Vancouver.

In my opinion, this is not his greatest achievement. Simply making it to Pyeongchang in 2018 is his highest achievement, after suffering near fatal injuries after a motorcycle accident a number of years ago.

I would like to list his injuries to highlight how great of a comeback this was: broken left fibula; broken right femur; punctured lung; tore the ACL in his knee; ruptured liver; lacerated kidneys; bruised heart; fractured ulna; broken kneecap; fractured a small bone near his spine; damaged intestines; a separated shoulder; sliced his forearm open, requiring 77 stitches to repair; cut across his quad; a concussion; and a damaged jaw. If that was not bad enough, he had a stroke a year later while training in Utah.

As Denny stated, “I had broken bones but I never broke.”

Denny is our hero, our Olympian. From all of us in Canada, go Denny go.

National Flag of Canada Day

[Sean Casey, Liberal, Charlottetown, PE]

Mr. Speaker, 53 years ago today, the Canadian flag was raised on Parliament Hill for the very first time. Today, our flag is the strongest symbol of our Canadian identity. That is why, every year on February 15, we celebrate National Flag of Canada Day.

In my riding of Charlottetown, which was recently recognized by law as the birthplace of Confederation, there is immense pride in our flag. This pride can be seen while driving through the streets of our beautiful city, seeing our maple leaf proudly flying from peoples' porches.

As our best and most talented athletes are currently wearing their red and white uniforms in Pyeongchang, this is perfect time to be celebrating the flag they so proudly wear.

I wish everyone in Charlottetown and across the country a very happy flag day.

Clayton Murrell and Joan MacKinnon

[Wayne Stetski, NDP, Kootenay—Columbia, BC]

Mr. Speaker, sometimes life just is not fair.

On February 3, a tractor trailer lost control on Highway 3 in my riding of Kootenay—Columbia and ran head-on into a truck, resulting in the deaths of Clayton Murrell and Joan MacKinnon. This tragedy has left their families, friends, co-workers, and the people of Cranbrook with a deep sense of loss. Memorials in front of the fire hall and community pool are testaments to how much they were loved.

Clay was a fire department captain and was well known for his kindness, his constant teasing, and for always asking, “What is the right thing to do?”

Joan was an aquatic supervisor with the Leisure Services Department, training hundreds of lifeguards. Her dedication was recognized with the Life Saving Society’s Outstanding Achievement Award. Her staff speak of Joan's caring and grace, and her mantra, “Let it go”.

With Joan and Clay's passing, heaven received two beautiful souls. We wish them much love, everlasting peace, and an endless trail ride.

Sometimes life just is not fair.

Active Adult Centre of Mississauga

[Peter Fonseca, Liberal, Mississauga East—Cooksville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the grand reopening of the Active Adult Centre of Mississauga in my riding of Mississauga East—Cooksville.

The centre aims to enrich the lives of Mississauga seniors by keeping them active, independent, and involved in the community. It offers a colourful range of over 80 weekly social, recreational, health, and multicultural programs, such as yoga, line dancing, cooking classes, and a senior seminar on health.

The Active Adult Centre was established in 1992, thanks to a group of concerned citizens who wanted help to maintain a high-quality of life in the aging community. Since its inception, it has become a central hub for the community and currently has over 1,700 members.

As a charitable organization providing affordable and accessible programs, it goes out of its way to meet the diverse social and educational needs of its members.

I am a proud member of the centre, as it is open to those who are 50-plus young. I wish it another 25 years of success.

2018 Winter Olympics

[Bev Shipley, Conservative, Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, ON]

Mr. Speaker, with respect to the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympics, it seems that every opportunity we get we are watching our Canadian athletes compete in the Olympics, and we are continually impressed with their incredible talent and perseverance.

The number of bronze, silver, and gold medals keep going up each and every day. The first gold was won by the figure skating team, in which Canada's opening ceremony flag bearers Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue led.

On Family Day, in Scott and Tessa's skating hometown of llderton, the community centre will be packed as we cheer on Tessa and Scott in the ice dance event, and watch this dynamic ice dance team pursue yet another gold medal.

I thank all of our athletes as they represent this incredible country of Canada. We wish all of them every success.

[Kyle Peterson, Liberal, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this past Sunday was a golden day for Canada. Thousands of people in Newmarket—Aurora cheered on Team Canada's figure skaters as they danced their way to gold in the team event.

When all was said and done, Newmarket's very own Gabrielle Daleman stood atop the podium alongside her golden teammates.

Gabby is a two-time Canadian champion, and can now add Olympic gold medalist to her name, all by the age of 20. Gabby's performance was absolutely spectacular, the twists, the turns, the spins, and the impressive triple-toe jumps. Her performance made us all #hometownproud.

Gabby will next take to the ice on February 20, when the ladies single skating competition gets under way. Gabby can be sure that all of Newmarket—Aurora will be cheering her on as we watch live from the Newmarket Riverwalk Commons at 8 p.m.

I congratulate Gabby and wish her good luck. She makes all of us proud. Go, Gabby, go.

Louis Riel

[MaryAnn Mihychuk, Liberal, Kildonan—St. Paul, MB]

Mr. Speaker, on the third Monday of February, celebrated in some other provinces as Family Day, Manitobans choose to commemorate a hero. Within his lifetime, his actions led to the foundation of our great province.

The first Louis Riel Day was celebrated on February 18, 2008. This decision was made in the face of decades of racism and marginalization of the Métis people. It was a decision to work toward reconciliation.

Today, Louis Riel is recognized as Manitoba's founding father. However, his legacy reaches far beyond the borders of our province. His story is the story of a true leader: brave, resilient, and unwavering in the face of racism and injustice.

On this day we invite all members to consider the unsung heroes of their communities and join us in celebrating the 10th Louis Riel Day.

Canada Summer Jobs Program

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government changed the rules around which employers could qualify for funding for the students through the Canada summer jobs program by requiring applicants to sign on to the Liberals' values test.

I have spoken extensively to groups in Saskatoon—Grasswood. Let me share one of the many comments from my office.

Pastor Eldon Boldt wrote, “The concern is the intent to stop funding groups that oppose matters of conscience. This is a slippery slope for the Government to blatantly deny funding to groups who hold opposing values. What happened to diversity and tolerance?”

The right to freedom of belief and opinion is guaranteed by Canada's Charter of Rights and Freedoms. I join my constituents in the call for the government to immediately remove this shameful attestation from the Canada summer jobs application.

Black History Month

[Emmanuel Dubourg, Liberal, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, it was a huge honour for me to help kick off Black History Month in my riding of Bourassa. At an event to honour community leaders in Montreal North, local social development agency Un itinéraire pour tous celebrated the dedication and involvement of eleven prominent Canadians of African descent.

I am proud to introduce them in the House of Commons of Canada. They are: Isabelle Alexandre, Micheline Cantave, Sheilla Fortuné, Rose-Andrée Hubbard, Guerline Rigaud, Roger Petit-Frère, Guillaume André, Williamson Lamarre, Don Harley Fils-Aimé, Wilmann Édouard, and Pierre Richard Simon

Every day, these honourees advocate for communal harmony, target school dropouts, and help immigrants integrate.

Congratulations to these honourees and to the organizers from Un itinéraire pour tous. Thank you for being role models.

Festival du Voyageur

[Dan Vandal, Liberal, Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB]

Mr. Speaker, February 16 to 25 is the time to celebrate and sing your heart out in Saint-Boniface—Saint-Vital. Léo La Tuque, the Festival du Voyageur's mascot, and his winter team have been working hard for months to prepare for this huge festival in downtown Winnipeg.

Whereas the more than 150 artists and musicians will have people's bodies swaying, it is the traditional French Canadian food will make their tastebuds sing. There is no other festival like western Canada's largest winter festival.

Grab your voyageur sash, your maple-taffy sticks, and your caribou, and come celebrate our history at the Festival du Voyageur. Hé ho!

[Some hon. members]

Hé ho!

Persons with Disabilities

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Mr. Speaker, imagine if someone told us that the harder we work, the poorer we will become. That is exactly what governments tell people with disabilities. When they get jobs, they suddenly lose benefits and immediately start paying taxes, sometimes losing more than they gain. All parties and levels of governments are to blame.

The opportunity for workers with disabilities act seeks to solve the problem by requiring that Finance Canada calculate how much workers lose for every $1,000 they earn. If they lose more than they gain, the finance minister would be required to propose changes to federal taxes and benefits to fix it. Provinces would be required to meet the same standard as a condition of receiving $13 billion of social transfers.

While the bill would not micromanage provincial programs, it would instill one simple principle: that people with disabilities must always be allowed to earn more in wages than they lose in taxes and clawbacks.

Incident at Florida High School

[Matt DeCourcey, Liberal, Fredericton, NB]

Mr. Speaker, today, Canadians are heartbroken for our American friends and neighbours. On behalf of all Canadians, I offer our deepest sympathies to the parents, families, and friends of the 17 victims who were killed yesterday at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida. We wish a full recovery to all those who were injured.

Canadians were truly devastated to hear of this horrendous act. Our American friends and partners should know that all Canadians have them in our hearts today as we grieve the deaths of these innocent victims. We stand united during this tragic and difficult time.

Have a Heart Day

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Mr. Speaker, when I think of the future of our nation and the immense task of reconciliation, I am not only hopeful, I know better days are coming. Why? Because I have seen the future, and it is young people.

On Have a Heart Day, indigenous and non-indigenous youth across this nation are marching and organizing for the rights of indigenous children.

Being with the young people on the Hill today brought me back to that moment in 2008 when 13-year-old Shannen Koostachin, who had never seen a real school, made history when she called out the government and said that children were no longer going to live in third world conditions and hopelessness. Shannen never lived to see the beautiful school that bears her name, but the young people have taken up her fight. Their message to government has the same urgency: children have only one childhood and once it is gone, it can never be restored.

It is up to us as parents, adults, and politicians to make Shannen's dream and the dream of every indigenous child in our country a reality. Let us make it happen.

School Shooting in Florida

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday morning, children got up, some perhaps more enthusiastically than others, to go to school, to learn, to see their friends, to grow.

No one imagined that the day would be marred by such a tragedy. Sadly, by the end of the day, 17 people were dead and 14 others had been injured in a shooting at a Florida high school.

This was an atrocious act that affects all of the families and friends who lost a loved one, as well as the whole community.

As a former teacher and principal, and as a father, I was shaken and profoundly moved by this tragedy. This kind of tragedy should never happen, still less in a school, a place where children have fun, study, socialize, and grow. For children, school is more than a place for learning. It is a place for living, where everyone should be able to feel safe.

Our thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims and the injured. We must never forget the 17 people who will never come home from school.

Canada-China Year of Tourism

[Shaun Chen, Liberal, Scarborough North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, in December, I had the privilege of joining the Prime Minister's official delegation to China. During our trip, we promoted trade, deepened our bilateral ties, and officially launched the 2018 Canada-China Year of Tourism.

This year, more Chinese tourists than ever will experience our beautiful Rockies, breathtaking north, world-class cities, and our stunning east coast.

Tourism helps drive Canada's economy, supporting over 1.8 million jobs and 200,000 small businesses across the country.

There is no better time than now for visitors to experience Canadian hospitality and multiculturalism as we mark the upcoming year of the dog. The dog is an animal known for its friendship, loyalty, and kindness, traits that make Canada the successful and welcoming nation it is today.

This lunar new year, I wish all Canadians and visitors to Canada a joyous and jubilant year ahead.

Xin Nian Kuai Le. Gong Hey Fat Choy.

Veterans Affairs

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has disrespected and has not been honest with our veterans.

During the campaign, he said, “Liberals will honour our sacred obligation to veterans and their families.” He has done anything but honour them. Instead, he has insulted them by saying that they are asking for more than he can give. Our veterans have given so much, and the Prime Minister always seems to have something for everyone else.

Why will the Prime Minister not hear our veterans' legitimate concerns?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, not only have we heard the legitimate concerns of veterans, but we have also acted.

Canadians know that our government is committed to the well-being of veterans and their families. Our Canadian Armed Forces members and veterans deserve to know that they will be supported if they become ill or injured. Veterans were disillusioned by 10 years of neglect under the previous Conservative government.

Our government has invested over $10 billion to increase compensation for pain and suffering, and to provide a pension for life, something we committed to Canadians. We will continue to support the brave men and women who served Canada and are now our veterans.

[Candice Bergen, Conservative, Portage—Lisgar, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the minister can rant and rave and pat himself on the back all he wants, but he can tell that to veterans who are on the Hill today.

Maybe at the same time he can tell them why he and his colleagues voted against a bill yesterday that would restore respect, dignity, and fairness to our veterans. Maybe he can explain which of these three things he feels our veterans do not deserve. Maybe it is respect he thinks they do not deserve. Is it dignity he thinks they do not deserve? Is it fairness that he thinks they do not deserve?

What of those three things is too much to ask of the government?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, we believe that those three things are exactly what our veterans deserve, and that is exactly what our government has delivered and will continue to deliver.

It is a bit ironic to hear a member who served in the previous Conservative government talking about respecting veterans. We will take no lessons from a party that cut staff, closed offices, and underfunded veterans programs.

We committed to reopening those offices. We committed to supporting Canada's veterans and to give them a pension-for-life option. That is what we have done. We will not stop continuing to support our veterans.

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, they say all the right things, but the irony is that the time to act was yesterday. They should have stood up and voted for the motion we moved.

While campaigning on August 24, 2015, our Prime Minister said that if he were given the mandate to govern the country as Prime Minister, veterans would not be forced to fight their own government for the support and compensation they have earned. Now we know how that turned out.

Now that he is in office, why is the Prime Minister breaking yet another promise and turning his back on our veterans?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, we are doing exactly the opposite of what my hon. colleague says we are doing.

We made solemn promises to veterans during the election campaign. We have not only kept our promises, such as the pension for life, but we will also continue to provide more support to the brave men and women who served this country. We will take no lessons from the former Conservative government.

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, meanwhile, yesterday, all of the Liberals opposite remained seated when the time came to visibly demonstrate their support for veterans.

Here is an excerpt from the mandate letter that the Prime Minister gave to the Minister of Veterans Affairs. It reads:

As Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, your overarching goal will be to ensure that our government lives up to our sacred obligation to Veterans and their families.

With regard to the disrespectful comments that the Prime Minister made to a veteran in Edmonton, will he show a modicum of respect and apologize to all veterans across Canada?

[Dominic LeBlanc, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, our Prime Minister was very clear during the election campaign, as were my Liberal caucus colleagues, and my colleague the Minister of Veterans Affairs. Everyone very clearly indicated that we respect the solemn obligation to our veterans. We kept our election promise regarding the lifetime pension. I hope members will agree that it is rather ironic to hear a Conservative Party member lecture us on respect for veterans. Perhaps he should talk to Julian Fantino about that.

[Alain Rayes, Conservative, Richmond—Arthabaska, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this is yet more lip service and yet another broken promise.

To govern, a government must set priorities. One and a half years in, the Prime Minister still does not understand this. Then, he has the gall to tell a veteran in Edmonton that veterans are asking for too much money, when every day we learn about a new case of irresponsible spending and gifts to Liberal cronies. Take, for example, the temporary skating rink in front of Parliament, the $1.1-million renovation of a minister's office, and billion-dollar deficits every year.

Here is the question everyone wants to ask: will the Prime Minister apologize?