House of Commons Hansard #6 of the 43rd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was need.
The Deputy Speaker Conservative Bruce Stanton
It being 6:15 p.m., it is my duty to interrupt the proceedings and put forthwith every question necessary to dispose of the subamendment and the amendment now before the House.
The question is on the amendment to the amendment. Is it is the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment to the amendment?
Resumption of Debate on Address in ReplySpeech from the Throne
Some hon. members
Agreed.
No.
The Deputy Speaker Conservative Bruce Stanton
All those in favour of the amendment to the amendment will please say yea.
The Deputy Speaker Conservative Bruce Stanton
In my opinion the nays have it.
And five or more members having risen:
Call in the members.
The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota
The question is as follows. Shall I dispense with reading the amendment to the amendment?
(The House divided on the amendment to the amendment, which was negatived on the following division:)
The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota
I declare the amendment to the amendment lost.
The question is on the amendment. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment?
The Speaker Liberal Anthony Rota
In my opinion the nays have it.
And five or more members having risen:
A motion to adjourn the House under Standing Order 38 deemed to have been moved.
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Mr. Speaker, I want to take a short moment to thank everyone in Edmonton Strathcona for electing me as a new member of Parliament. Edmonton Strathcona is a very special riding, home to great festivals, a thriving art scene, many post-secondary institutions, the francophone community, the Old Strathcona Farmers' Market, a beautiful river valley and so much more. I am incredibly honoured to be able to represent the people of Edmonton Strathcona in this House, and I am deeply grateful to everyone who helped elect me.
I want to particularly thank the wonderful team of staff and volunteers who supported my campaign, people like Erica, Gale, Tom, Epiphany, Eleanor, John and so many others who worked so hard. I would like to say a special thanks to my good friends Scott Parker and Megan Rich for being such incredible supports for me and for our campaign.
I would also like to take a moment to thank my family: my parents, my brothers and my wonderful children, Maclean and Keltie, and my husband Duncan, for supporting me and sharing me with my constituents and with the House. My gratitude to those who have supported me on this journey is immense, and it serves as fuel for my commitment and dedication to advocate on behalf of the citizens of Edmonton Strathcona and all Albertans.
We have a problem. On Monday, I asked the government what it was doing to support Albertans who have lost their jobs and cannot find work. I asked the government how it intends to support the over 20% of young men in Alberta who are unemployed. I asked the government how it was going to show, with actions not words, that it understands what is happening in Alberta and how it would show that it would do the right thing and fight alongside my colleagues and me to ensure that every Albertan has a good, family-sustaining job and that hard-working Albertans are equipped to work in the new economy.
I am proud to be the granddaughter of Daniel McCoy, one of the infamous McCoy brothers, who were pioneers in Alberta oil and gas. My husband and brother work in the sector, as did my father before his retirement. As with so many Albertans, my family's story is woven together with oil and gas. Like other families, I profoundly and personally understand what is at stake here.
For many years, Albertans benefited from the oil and gas industry, and the rest of Canada benefited from the wealth produced by Alberta workers. This wealth paid for health care, social programs and other initiatives that improved the lives of all Canadians. We were happy to contribute to a greater good.
Albertans need support for economic diversification, green energy, energy efficiency and transportation infrastructure. Albertans need employment, education and training support. Albertans need jobs. In November alone, over 18,000 jobs were lost.
Under Rachel Notley, Alberta took significant steps toward diversifying its economy and fighting climate change. Unfortunately, the province is now going backwards. Is the government prepared to offer real solutions to Albertans? Is it prepared to make serious investments in infrastructure, green energy and transportation, and in employment and education supports for Alberta workers?
The Deputy Speaker Conservative Bruce Stanton
Before I go to the hon. parliamentary secretary, again, there is too much noise in the chamber. I would ask hon. members who wish to carry on conversations to go to their respective lobbies.
Also, members may not realize it, but when a member is standing and speaking in the chamber, other members are not to come into the line between the member who is recognized and the Speaker. They should make their way on either side, or behind the Speaker's chair as necessary, but please do not come between the Speaker and the member who has been properly recognized. I would ask for members' co-operation in that.
We will go to the hon. Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages with responsibility to Western Economic Diversification Canada.
Terry Duguid LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages (Western Economic Diversification Canada) and to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change (Canada Water Agency)
Mr. Speaker, as this is the first time I rise in this House, I want to thank the amazing people of Winnipeg South for their continued support. I promise them that I will do my very best to serve them well over the next number of years.
I want to congratulate the hon. member for Edmonton Strathcona on her election. I thank her for her passionate address and for her question.
We know, as we move forward as a country, that we have to include all Canadians and ensure that everyone has a real and fair chance to succeed. This government worked hard in the last Parliament to support Albertans who are going through tough times, and we will continue to do so in this Parliament.
We recognize the challenges facing workers in our resource sector. With the lower prices on international commodities, there have been some very difficult times for workers, particularly in the prairies. That is why, after many years of trying and failing by previous governments, we are moving forward on building the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. There are shovels in the ground and thousands of Canadians hired to make sure that we can get our energy resources to new markets responsibly and sustainably. Our government is about partnering with westerners to develop the west's economy and advance its economic interests.
I am from the prairies. I have lived most of my life in the prairies. I am a University of Calgary graduate. I worked with farmers in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba over many years, and I know that westerners want to be heard and seen. Let me assure the hon. member that this government is listening and acting.
Our priority is to spur innovation, diversification and economic growth in communities across Canada, including Alberta. One key way our government supports Alberta is through the regional development agency focused on the west: Western Economic Diversification Canada, or WD for short.
Through WD, the federal government is partnering with Albertans and other western businesses and entrepreneurs to harness their skills and ingenuity. This partnership helps create the business environment and opportunities that will grow the economy. WD offers support to businesses that are starting up, want to scale up or need help getting their products and services to international markets.
Earlier this year, after engaging with westerners, WD developed the western Canada growth strategy. Grow West is a whole-of-government effort to build on a solid climate for investors, support small and medium-sized businesses and connect western enterprises to export markets and offshore supply chains.
As recently as September of 2019, our government announced over $27 million in new investments for 23 projects across the city and surrounding areas. Over $18 million was provided through business scale-up and productivity funding, which will support small and medium-sized businesses in Edmonton by providing interest-free loans for these projects. Another $6 million was announced through the regional innovation ecosystems program for projects in Edmonton, supporting a diverse range of innovations in advanced manufacturing.
This government's support for Alberta does not stop there. However, I have a little too much to say and too little time, so I will end by saying that this government will continue to invest in Alberta and Albertans, because we know that when Alberta does well, Canada does well.
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, the comments the member made are in fact not going to help us with a just transition. Again the Liberal government is offering Alberta words instead of action, and we need more than just platitudes and lip service.
People are hurting. We are not talking about statistics; we are not talking about job numbers. We are talking about real people and real families facing real challenges in my province. We need to see serious investment in new industries, new forms of energy production and training and apprenticeship for the new economy.
Will the Prime Minister provide a timeline for when Albertans can expect actual action? What steps are being taken to get Albertans working?