House of Commons Hansard #289 of the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was change.
Opposition Motion—Production of Documents on the Carbon TaxBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Alice Wong Conservative Richmond Centre, BC
Mr. Speaker, I really enjoyed the talk by our colleague, who listed how important it is to know the impacts of the carbon tax. My question is on behalf of seniors. In British Columbia the cost of living is very high, and on top of that, the carbon tax actually increases everything. It will be a hardship for everything.
Could the hon. member comment on the impact to seniors? Ironically, the government actually took away the credit for taking mass transit. What is the government doing right now?
Opposition Motion—Production of Documents on the Carbon TaxBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Robert Sopuck Conservative Dauphin—Swan River—Neepawa, MB
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for commenting about seniors. Being one myself, it is very close to my heart. The Liberal federal government wants to take us to where Ontario is: high energy prices, high costs, devastating impacts on low-income people. We read stories in Ontario of seniors who look at their hydro bill and say to themselves, “Do I heat or do I eat?” That is the stark issue they are facing.
I represent a fairly low-income constituency. My constituents are tough as nails. They live on low incomes and are self-sufficient and very proud, but they will suffer under the burden of a carbon tax at a time when costs are high everywhere else. When they get in their pickup trucks and drive, it is going to cost even more. The effects on seniors will be more devastating than on anyone else.
Opposition Motion—Production of Documents on the Carbon TaxBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
The Assistant Deputy Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota
Resuming debate, the hon. member for Mégantic—L'Érable. The hon. member will have three and a half minutes now, and another six and a half minutes after question period.
Opposition Motion—Production of Documents on the Carbon TaxBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Luc Berthold Conservative Mégantic—L'Érable, QC
Mr. Speaker, it is my turn to rise to talk about the motion brought forward by the member for Carleton. It is worth reading the text again, since I have the impression that the government members have not fully grasped its meaning, based on their speeches. The motion reads:
That, given the Liberal government made a specific campaign promise to Canadians that “government data and information should be open by default, in formats that are modern and easy to use”, the House hereby order that all documents be produced in their original and uncensored form indicating how much the federal carbon tax proposed in Budget 2018 will cost Canadian families in order to put an end to the carbon tax cover-up.
This is a very simple motion. We are calling on the government to release the documents that will show us, once and for all, how much the carbon tax will cost the average family. I listened closely this morning to the Minister of the Environment's 20-minute speech. Not surprisingly, her speech promoted the carbon tax and her vision to lower greenhouse gases. One could even argue that she was promoting herself, since she she seems to have taken all the credit for this carbon tax from the beginning.
However, she was asked a simple question about how much the carbon tax will cost the average Canadian family. Not once in her entire speech did the Minister of the Environment refer to this motion or to what the carbon tax will cost Canadian families. That is unacceptable. She even had the nerve to say that, historically, cynics have stalled action on climate change. The cynics, however, are on the other side of the House. This government was elected on false promises of openness and transparency.
Today, we have a government that refuses to tell Canadians the truth about how much the carbon tax will cost Canadian families. We submitted a simple access to information request to find out what impact carbon pricing will have on household final consumption expenditures by income distribution. The answer we received was a memorandum supposedly providing this information, but the results were hidden under a black square. We were therefore not given a response. The Minister of the Environment has the gall to talk about cynicism. The political cynicism in Canada and the House originates with the government. I will elaborate immediately after question period. No one will want to miss it.
Opposition Motion—Production of Documents on the Carbon TaxBusiness of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
The Speaker Liberal Geoff Regan
The hon. member for Mégantic—L'Érable will have six and a half minutes after question period to finish his speech.
Simon Marcil Québec debout Mirabel, QC
Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Groupe parlementaire québécois, I wish those who are the backbone of Quebec a happy International Workers' Day.
We have so much work ahead of us at the federal level to preserve the quality of life of our families. Think of all those affected by the Phoenix fiasco. This is serious. The Canadian government cannot even pay its employees properly. It is totally ridiculous. Think of employment insurance to which far too many workers contribute only to be denied benefits when they need it. Think of the new mothers who get absolutely no support if they lose their jobs when they return from parental leave. Think of all those who have just filed their tax returns. All those people make sacrifices while Ottawa allows the rich to hide their money in tax havens.
We want to assure all these people that we stand behind them and that together we will get more done for Quebec.
Jati Sidhu Liberal Mission—Matsqui—Fraser Canyon, BC
Mr. Speaker, the village of Cache Creek is facing one of the worst floods in 90 years in the northern part of my riding. Over this last week, water levels rose due to a rapidly melting snowpack, and this is only the beginning of the season. As the community prepares for devastating floods for the third time in four years, I am reminded of the resilience of this community. In 2017, the same area faced devastating floods in the spring, followed by a harsh fire season in the summer.
My thoughts are with the families affected by the flooding in Cache Creek and elsewhere in Canada. As Canadians across the country prepare for flooding this spring, I want to remind everyone to thank the first responders in our communities, who help to keep us safe and prepared against the elements.
Gérard Deltell Conservative Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC
Mr. Speaker, Sunday, the Québec-Val-Bélair Rotary Club held its colours and flavours of the world brunch. It was a resounding success with over 400 guests attending the two sittings.
The Québec-Val-Bélair Rotary Club was founded in 1996 and does wonderful work to support young people in the community of Val-Bélair. Every Friday, they meet at the Normandin restaurant for breakfast.
The club has been holding its colours and flavours of the world brunch since 2004. This initiative, which was spearheaded by Louis-Marie Lavoie, gives people the opportunity to try food from other cultures. This year, the theme was the Maghreb region, which includes Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. The club had the excellent idea of inviting Boufeldja Benabdalla, co-founder of the Centre culturel islamique de Québec. This was a positive expression of unity and solidarity in the wake of the mosque attack.
Congratulations to club president Marius Gaudreault and to all Val-Bélair Rotarians on another success for young people in Val-Bélair.
Jean-Claude Poissant Liberal La Prairie, QC
Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to an exemplary person, a person who has always been willing to help others and put people first, a person who has been involved in a wide variety of organizations for over 60 years. I am very pleased to have Pauline Miron Gaudreau in my riding.
Over the years, she has been involved in helping the less fortunate in every area of western Montérégie, particularly through the Association Marie-Reine, where she contributed at the regional, provincial, and even national level to make life better for people in need.
Pauline Gaudreau was also there for my mother when she was suffering in the terminal stages of cancer. She was a great comfort to her. Some people just naturally want to help people and have good hearts. They are model Canadians whom we can never thank enough.
Thank you to Pauline and to all of the volunteers and social workers who give back to their communities every day.
Pierre-Luc Dusseault NDP Sherbrooke, QC
Mr. Speaker, the 32nd Reconnaissance Estrie gala was held in Sherbrooke on Friday, April 20. This annual event, which is organized by the Sherbrooke chamber of commerce, honours many local businesses for their outstanding work. These business owners play a vital role in the development of our local economy and in the promotion of our region, as highlighted by the theme of this year's gala, which was “openness to the world”.
I want to extend my warmest congratulations to the winners: Kezber, in the service business category; Groupe Précigrafik, in the manufacturing category; Conceptromec, in the large business category; Tchaga Kombucha, in the new business category; Boomerang, in the small business category; the Coopérative de l'Université de Sherbrooke, in the retail category; Sercovie, in the non-profit category; and FilSpec, in the openness to the world category.
I also wish to congratulate Dany Sévigny, a businessman known for his many community initiatives who earned the 2018 Eastern Townships resident of the year award.
Congratulations are also in order for all the finalists, for their fantastic work and success over the past year. Everyone did a great job.
Paul Lefebvre Liberal Sudbury, ON
Mr. Speaker, every year on April 28 we pay our respects and remember the thousands of workers who have been killed or injured, or have suffered illness as a result of work-related incidents.
I had the privilege of attending the National Day of Mourning event in my riding of Sudbury. Many individuals have been injured or even killed in workplace accidents, especially in the mining sector.
The National Day of Mourning was started in my riding in Sudbury in 1984.
That is why I urge my colleagues to work not only with each other, but with employers, workers, and our health and safety partners, to prevent worker injuries and deaths before they happen.
It is crucial to be proactive on occupational health and safety because, while we mourn the dead on April 28 every year, we must remember to fight for the living.
David Sweet Conservative Flamborough—Glanbrook, ON
Mr. Speaker, after a particularly long winter season this year, the beautiful spring weather is finally arriving, and I and many others cannot wait to get out on our motorcycles and ride. There are close to one million motorcyclists in Canada from every walk of life. For some it is a family affair, for some it is a hobby, and for many it is an opportunity to get away from everyday life and just enjoy the open road.
There are those who use it as an opportunity to give back. In the riding of Flamborough—Glanbrook, which I represent, and across the greater city of Hamilton, there are many great charity rides and organizations that do just that. The North Wall Riders Association is just one of those groups. It does great work supporting and advocating for our veterans, those who put their lives on the line to defend our country and our freedom.
May is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, and motorcyclists, passengers, motorists, friends, and family members can go to motorcycling.ca and take the motorcycle safety pledge. As the long-awaited warm weather finally arrives and motorcyclists hit the road, I ask all motorists to keep an eye out for motorcycles. I wish all motorcyclists a happy and safe riding season, and to keep the rubber side down.
Wayne Long Liberal Saint John—Rothesay, NB
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my pride in the City of Saint John and its partners for their groundbreaking application now submitted to the federal Smart Cities Challenge.
As members may know, Saint John was the only CMA in Canada to lose population in the 2016 census. Our smart cities team has developed a plan to use data and smart cities technology to boost immigration to our city. This will be accomplished through an advanced platform designed to be scalable to our sister cities, Moncton and Fredericton.
Population loss is a pressing and substantial challenge for Saint John—Rothesay. Giving community leaders like those who worked on this application the opportunity to implement innovative and transformational projects like this is one big step in the right direction for Saint John. I hope the jury will consider the national significance of this project when making its deliberations. I am proud to be part of a government that has given our city this tremendous opportunity.
Don Rusnak Liberal Thunder Bay—Rainy River, ON
Mr. Speaker, I rise in the House today to recognize the remarkable student-led initiative in the city of Thunder Bay, which is helping preserve the Ojibwe language, Anishinaabemowin, and increase its accessibility to the new generation of speakers.
The Preserve Our Language Project was started in 2016 by three indigenous students at Bishop E.Q. Jennings School. Rayne, Gene, and Tarcisius, with the help of their principal Mike Filipetti and the native language teacher Joan Esquega, designed the first Ojibwe keyboard for Macintosh computers. Two years later, these students continue to innovate by working with Google to create the first Ojibwe keyboard extension for Google and Chrome users.
This project is an example of the resilience of indigenous youth across Canada and offers an inspiring model for indigenous nations across the world who are working to preserve their languages. To these young, innovative, inspiring students, I say, “meegwetch”.
David Tilson Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
Mr. Speaker, members will know of the tragedy that struck the community of Grand Valley on February 21 of this year, when three-year-old Kaden Young was swept from his mother's arms into the swollen Grand River and taken from us.
What members may not know is that hundreds of volunteers worked tirelessly over the intervening weeks until, sadly, Kaden's body was found on April 21. Some of the volunteers who helped in the search for Kaden did so for weeks, every day, in the hopes of finding the young boy. Many came from across all of Ontario, some even donating their vacation time.
Grand Valley and the surrounding community were hit hard by this tragedy, but residents rallied to aid in the search. Such is the strength of their community spirit and determination to help the young family that they put aside their evenings and weekends to help. These volunteers came to the aid of Kaden's mother and father in helping to search for their son, and on behalf of all members of this House, I would like to thank them for their tireless efforts.
May Kaden rest in peace.
Rob Oliphant Liberal Don Valley West, ON
Mr. Speaker, on Sunday evening, I gathered with tens of thousands of Torontonians to remember the victims of the April 23 van attack. Ten candles burned on stage during our vigil, one for each life cut short and for the families and friends left to mourn.
Toronto is not the first city to be hit by a tragedy like this, but this felt close to home, too close, just steps away from Don Valley West, claiming lives of people who have contributed to our community. It has shaken the people of my riding to their core.
Renuka Amarasingha is fondly remembered by students and staff at Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute, where she worked. Sohe Chung and Anne Marie D’Amico graduated from Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School just metres from my riding's boundary line.
The violence on Yonge Street, our main street where we shop, work, eat, and play, has touched all of us. However, Toronto is strong, inclusive, and caring. A legacy of the victims from last Monday will include a city united, and a city moving forward together with respect for all.
Pat Finnigan Liberal Miramichi—Grand Lake, NB
Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about the French Kiss. Not the kind of French kiss that first springs to mind on hearing those words, but a highly prized gift of the sea distributed worldwide by Neguac's Maison BeauSoleil: oysters.
Like the greatest French wineries, Maison BeauSoleil's meticulous farming practices coax forth the most refined and sought-after flavours in its products. The company is proud to offer a high-end product all year round. Maison BeauSoleil employs over 200 people and is leading the way in positioning the oyster farming industry as an economic powerhouse in New Brunswick. Its generously sized oysters are high in amino acids, zinc, and vitamin B12. They are as tender as their flavour is delicate. Irresistible both raw and prepared, BeauSoleil oysters give new meaning to the words French kiss.
Erin O'Toole Conservative Durham, ON
Mr. Speaker, this week is Iran Accountability Week. On behalf of the Conservative Party, I want to remind Canadians why we need to hold Iran to account.
In the last year alone, thousands of Iran's own citizens have been detained simply for asking for the basic human and democratic rights that we take for granted here in Canada. One of those people illegally detained was Canadian Professor Seyed-Emami who died in Iran's notorious Evin prison. Fifteen years ago, Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi died after being tortured in that prison. On the security front, Iran is helping or funding terror groups in Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, making peace and serious talks in the Middle East almost impossible.
Unfortunately, the Prime Minister has been virtually silent in support of the democratic protest in Iran. During this week, instead of selling large products to that country and warming relationships, I ask the Prime Minister to ask the Iranian regime for basic human rights for its citizens.
Doug Eyolfson Liberal Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB
Mr. Speaker, today marks the beginning of Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month.
As a motorcycle rider, Winnipeggers may see me riding my Triumph Bonneville down Portage Avenue or taking part in the upcoming TELUS Ride For Dad in support of prostate cancer research.
Riding a motorcycle is an exciting experience, and I am proud to be part of a strong community of motorcycle enthusiasts in Winnipeg. However, as an emergency room physician, I am all too familiar with the tragic consequences of motorcycle accidents, and in every case, a fatal accident could have been easily prevented.
Safety is everyone's responsibility. I would say to fellow riders that when they make a plan, they should share their plan. They should ensure that family and friends know where they are going. They should ride with a buddy who can provide assistance in case of a breakdown. They should always ride sober and watch their speed. Motorists are asked to be alert and to check their blind spots for smaller and hard to see vehicles.
By following these simple safety tips, the next life being saved could be theirs or mine.
Don Davies NDP Vancouver Kingsway, BC
Mr. Speaker, Neighbourhood House Week 2018 celebrates the multi-faceted contributions of these outstanding organizations to our communities and our country. The rich history of the neighbourhood house movement in metro Vancouver dates from 1894, when the precursor of the Alexandra Neighbourhood House, a children's orphanage, opened on Pine Street.
Today, we have 14 neighbourhood houses that serve more than 100,000 people every year. These treasures provide a broad array of services that bring every part of our community together. They feed the homeless, teach our youth, and nurture our citizens. From social, cultural, and recreational programs to helping individuals, families, and new Canadians develop and connect, neighbourhood houses are welcoming homes for everyone.
In Vancouver Kingsway, we are blessed with three outstanding neighbourhood houses: Cedar Cottage, Collingwood, and Little Mountain, which will celebrate its 40th anniversary tomorrow with a community feast. On behalf of the Parliament of Canada, we thank them and all neighbourhood houses for their contributions to our nation.
Ed Fast Conservative Abbotsford, BC
Mr. Speaker, during the last election, the Prime Minister promised to raise the bar on openness and transparency. Since then, his trail has become littered with broken promises and obfuscation.
More recently, right here in this House, we have been asking how much the Liberal carbon tax will cost the average Canadian family. We have received no answers. All we get is quotes from millionaires and billionaires, while working families cannot even afford to drive their cars with gas now being at $1.61 per litre in my home province of B.C.
Not surprisingly, B.C.'s carbon tax has not reduced greenhouse gas emissions. It is not even revenue neutral anymore.
The Liberals cannot name one province where a carbon tax has reduced emissions. The truth is we cannot tax our way to a cleaner environment. The carbon tax is nothing but a blatant tax grab from an incompetent Liberal government.
What Canada needs now is Conservative leadership.
Jean Yip Liberal Scarborough—Agincourt, ON
Mr. Speaker, my riding, Scarborough—Agincourt, is one of the most diverse in Canada.
There are people who have come from across the world, but in particular from Asia, people from the Tamil community, the Philippines, India, Korea, Pakistan, Vietnam, many different parts of China, and more. This diversity is a source of strength. As a Canadian of Asian descent, I am proud to see how many of these communities have made an impact on Canadian society over the course of our country's history.
Every May during Asian Heritage Month, we celebrate their ongoing contributions to our communities. I encourage all Canadians to take the time to explore the many cultural festivals that will be happening this month, and to try different cuisines. If people are looking to embark on some culinary exploration, they should come to Scarborough—Agincourt. Believe me, we have everything.
Lisa Raitt Conservative Milton, ON
Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister was asked a simple question, whether Canadians can expect to pay higher fuel prices with the carbon tax. His response was a bit jarring. He said, yes, and that is what Canadians expect because that is leadership.
What the Prime Minister views as leadership is literally terrifying to widows and single moms across this country. At the very least, they deserve to know one thing. How much will the carbon tax cost them?
Justin Trudeau LiberalPrime Minister
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are yet again demonstrating not just their tenuous relationship with the truth, but also with the understanding that we have to take good, clean action on carbon. After 10 long years of the Harper Conservatives doing absolutely nothing on the environment, the same Conservatives show that they just do not get it.
We are putting a price on carbon pollution because it will reduce emissions and drive growth in the right direction at the same time. While Harper Conservatives believe that by making the economy and the environment work together and that somehow Canada is broken, we will continue to invest in clean technology.
Lisa Raitt Conservative Milton, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister's lead ministers simply do not understand that they are very much out of touch with the reality of what's happening and the gravity of the issue that we are speaking of. I remember the days, and a lot of us do, of being able to put just five bucks in the gas tank in order to get to my work at the Dairy Queen, and there are people like that today in my riding who experience that.
This is a serious matter that is going to affect the affordability of life for many Canadians. His government knows how much it costs. Why will he not tell them?