Debates of Dec. 12th, 2019

Resumption of debate on Address in Reply

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Surrey Centre, BC]

Madam Speaker, the debt-to-GDP ratio has been dropping year after year in the last four years. Compared with our European colleagues, on average our debt-to-GDP ratio is one-third of that of any European nation in the OECD, and compared with the Americans, our ratio, as a percentage, is way less than half of theirs.

If we look at the outlook, it is on a constant decline, so we are on the right trajectory, where our GDP is growing and the deficit and debt are decreasing year by year. We are on the right track, and that is why Canadians chose this progressive government once again.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Speaker, as we know, we are faced with a climate emergency. Young people from coast to coast to coast have taken to the streets with a climate strike, yet in the throne speech, while the government talked about climate action, it is silent with respect to real action. There is no mention of implementing an environmental bill of rights, a climate change accountability act or anything that would ensure real action will be taken to protect mother earth.

Could the member comment on that and whether the government will be tabling legislation to protect the environment?

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Surrey Centre, BC]

Madam Speaker, we have taken the most comprehensive action. We are protecting our coasts and land masses, we have put a moratorium on tanker traffic along the coast and we have taken the most stringent environmental measures in the resource sector, with Bill C-69 and Bill C-48. We have committed to net zero by 2050, we have committed to the Paris targets and have implemented a price on pollution, which has been scientifically and economically proven to be the best and most effective way to bring our carbon footprint down.

We are on the right track. Canadians accepted that and it is what Canadians are looking for in their government.

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Madam Speaker, I want to start by mentioning that I will be sharing my time with my colleague from Salaberry—Suroît.

As Bloc Québécois critic for agriculture, agri-food and supply management, I will be talking about agriculture today.

We were pleased to see that the compensation that had been promised to dairy farmers before the election campaign was included in the Speech from the Throne. The government can be assured of our full co-operation for the follow-up.

However, I want to point out to the government that much of the compensation promised when the trade deals were signed has failed to materialize. Chicken, turkey, hatching egg and table egg farming are not covered, and no agreement has been reached yet between those farmers and the government.

We therefore call on the government to act diligently and as swiftly as possible to resolve this matter. It must make good on all of its commitments and promises of compensation. The financial health of our farming businesses depends on it.

There was also no agreement for the dairy processing sector. Not only has no compensation been determined for that sector, but also, all the contingency plans, such as import permits, have yet to be definitively established. We have one concern about that particular issue. Regarding the agreement with Europe, we were told that a permanent determination of import licences would be announced in January. We have no other information at the moment.

Quotas were provisionally set at 55% for retailers and 45% for processors. However, it seems that that ratio is harmful to Quebec's industry. Retailers are taking advantage of the situation to import substantial amounts of cheese, even though the same cheeses are produced here at good prices. Those products are replacing local products on store shelves and causing Quebec producers to lose out.

Accordingly, for the optimal benefit of our local production, that ratio must be amended immediately, with the processors' share increased significantly. When processors are licence holders, they import products that complement the local production, which makes sense. This means less competition for our local producers. This distribution is also better for consumers, who will have access to a broader range of products. It is a win-win.

Therefore, today I am asking about the government's intentions in this regard. Producers, processors, consumers and we, the members, need a clear answer.

That is what I wanted to say about compensation. Although the compensation is necessary and our agricultural producers now want it, it is not their preferred option. Quebec farmers are proud people. They do not want government handouts. What they want is to work. What they need to do that, now more than ever, is for the government to take action and to put in place permanent and unequivocal protections for the supply management system.

We will not be satisfied this time with a commitment or a simple motion. What we want is legislation that protects our supply management system so that it will never again be amputated. This system is unparalleled in the world. It results in a quality product, a stable price and a decent standard of living for our producers. This system should not be cut up into pieces. Instead, we should maintain it and promote it abroad. This system works well. Furthermore, it requires no government subsidies. It is surreal to see this innovative system be gradually replaced by a system of compensation, in essence by subsidies.

The Bloc Québécois wants a firm commitment from this government. Is the government prepared to step up and protect the way we manage our agricultural sector?

NDP members have said that they will support our efforts. Conservative members have been talking a lot about agriculture since we returned, and the opposition leader has spoken in favour of our supply management system in the past. I would imagine, or at least I would hope, that his party will also support our request.

How about the government?

I listened carefully to the statement the minister made on December 3 at the Union des producteurs agricoles congress in Quebec City. The minister was trying to reassure farmers under supply management and guarantee that his government would protect the system and not give away any new market shares. I can only assume that the government will agree to enact legislation that will truly protect our supply management system.

If that is indeed the case, we will have a very strong consensus in the House and our supply management system will forever be off the table in future international negotiations. This is of vital importance. Mercosur negotiations and the likelihood of Brexit are forcing us to move faster. I am urging all MPs to act swiftly.

I would also like to talk about the recent propane crisis, which had a very negative impact on the agricultural sector. After a year of terrible weather, a late, rainy spring and early snows and winter, the sector was hit by the CN strike. The 2019 season was bad enough for grain producers, and all those factors made it even worse.

The propane supply was interrupted from day one. The company gave no notice. Producers were left with silos full of wet grain they could not dry and snowy fields they could not harvest. They had no choice but to watch the grain rot in the fields because they did not have fuel to dry it.

This situation is unacceptable. The Bloc Québécois called for action from the start. We wanted CN to make shipping propane a priority so farmers would get the supply they need. The service interruption doomed many crops.

According to Mr. Overbeek, the president of Producteurs de grain du Québec, many businesses will not make it through 2019. On top of that, when rail service resumed, farmers were subject to an unconscionable increase in the cost of propane. It is disgusting to see one industry profit while another suffers. On Saturday, farmers in Saint-Barthélemy, in Berthier—Maskinongé, told me about all of the problems they have faced this year and struggled to control their emotions. Some are still trying to salvage some of the grain by harvesting it at night, because the conditions are better. A number of them have given up. Our grain farmers need a sign. They need real action to know that their elected officials support them.

The federal government has little control over the price of propane. However, we must take action when possible. In the short term, we are talking about compensation. Will the federal government commit to follow the Government of Quebec's lead and show our farmers some extraordinary support, in light of the exceptional crisis they have just experienced?

Long-term action is needed as well. Is the government prepared to reflect on how it can guarantee farmers a basic energy supply? We in the Bloc Québécois believe that what our farmers went through was unacceptable and must never happen again. We need to take steps.

The subject of our relations with China has come up in this debate. In that case too, farmers are getting shafted. Pork exports have recovered, but our farmers suffered major losses they will have to be compensated for. We also believe that an emergency fund should be established to support any farm sector that is affected by future diplomatic crises. Our canola farmers have also been hit hard. We need to help them.

We must bear in mind that other countries do not hesitate to support their farmers. That gives foreign farmers an unfair advantage over ours. We should also ask ourselves what kind of support we can offer to our cattle farmers. With regard to the transportation standards that are set to take effect in February, the minister has announced a two-year delay before penalties are enforced.

We should use that time to think about how we can help our farmers and establish reasonable standards that do not jeopardize our agriculture industry.

There were a few other topics I wanted to address, but I will wind up my remarks now and come back to them in my answers. The agriculture industry has been under a lot of strain over the past few years. Rural folks need help and recognition. They need us. We must never forget that agriculture not only provides our food supply and our food sovereignty, in other words, our security, but also ensures the full, dynamic use of our land.

[Lloyd Longfield, Liberal, Guelph, ON]

Madam Speaker, I welcome hon. member across the way to the House. It is great to have another person in the House talking about agriculture. My riding is Guelph. Agriculture is very important to my constituents and really it is important to all the country.

I sat in the previous Parliament on the agriculture committee and I hope he is considering that committee. We focus on agriculture and helping our farmers and our food producers, instead of fighting each other through politics.

Could the member expand on what the main challenge is in Berthierville, in his area? He mentioned supply management, but are there other things around developing food security for the people in his riding or other research that he might want to bring forward?

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for his question. Of course I would be pleased to work with him on the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food.

We face many local challenges. Berthier—Maskinongé is an enormous agricultural riding that is home to various types of products, some of which are supply managed. In the current context, grain farmers are struggling with psychological distress.

A few weeks ago I attended a fundraising dinner marking the 90th anniversary of the UPA in the Lanaudière area. The purpose of the event was to raise money to create a farm outreach program. To have reached the point where we need someone to meet with people on their turf, on their farms, to listen to their concerns is a sign that farmers are extremely distressed. This is also a very important aspect that must receive our support.

[Richard Cannings, NDP, South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague and seatmate for his speech on the Speech from the Throne.

Like the member for Guelph, I am glad to hear this discussion of agriculture. My riding has a lot of agriculture. I live in a very dry, hot part of the country, at least in summer, and we are very concerned about climate change. When I look at the Speech from the Throne in terms of climate action, there are some nice words but there is no mention of real accountability.

For years, we have been hearing promises from various governments and no accountability. I am wondering if the member could comment on that and why we need a separate accountability office to keep the government honest when it comes to climate action.

[Yves Perron, Bloc, Berthier—Maskinongé, QC]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his very relevant question.

We quite agree with the idea that we need to take swift and meaningful action to fight climate change. Climate change is having an impact on our farmers year after year, and things are only getting worse. Think of the flooding in 2017 and 2019. The media talked a lot about residents living along the river who had to abandon or renovate their homes, but we also need to consider the farm land that was flooded, making it impossible for farmers to plant crops there. When nothing is planted, nothing can be harvested. That is simple logic. We therefore need to take swift and meaningful action.

The Bloc Québécois thinks that, at minimum, the greenhouse gas reduction targets should be set based on the Paris agreement targets. We also think that those targets should be made legally enforceable so that the government is required to meet them.

In the past, we have seen governments make commitments, announce good news and give nice speeches on television. However, after a few months, they all announced that the targets would not be met. We have even seen some governments withdraw from a signed agreement. We think that embarrasses Canada on the world stage and should not be happening. It is high time we took action.

I am very pleased to hear that my NDP colleagues agree with us that we need to take swift action on climate change.

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Salaberry—Suroît, QC]

Madam Speaker, congratulations to you. It is always a pleasure to see a female parliamentarian occupy the Speaker's chair, and it is my sincere wish to one day see you fully serve as Speaker.

As this is the first time I rise, I want to thank the people of Salaberry—Suroît for putting their faith in me on October 21. It truly warmed my heart. I am returning to the House after an eight-year absence. I am pleased and honoured to have the confidence of the people of my riding.

Obviously, an election campaign like the one we just went through requires a lot of energy, but most of all it requires being surrounded by good people. I was surrounded by very passionate supporters and volunteers. I would like to name one who has been by my side since the beginning, in 2006. Louise Laître was my campaign manager and deserves to be applauded for her passionate commitment to Quebec and the riding of Salaberry—Suroît.

I also want to thank my three daughters, Audrée, Jade and Florence. Florence, my third daughter, is 23 and ran all my communications during the election campaign. She does exceptional work and I am very proud of her. Today, she has an interview, and I hope that the employer will hire her because she is the best.

I would also like to thank my spouse, who already knows what it is like to be the spouse of an MP. He agreed once more to be my partner and accomplice and to support my dream to be an MP again. He knows the sacrifices that have to be made in our personal and family lives and our relationship. After 35 years, he again committed to working with me and he placed his full trust in me. I want to publicly thank him for being at my side and for supporting my passion, because he deserves it.

Today, I want to talk about what I really care about, seniors and health. I am a social worker by training and I have also worked in the Quebec public health network. In recent years, I was a manager at a CLSC and I coordinated housing for seniors. These seniors are less fortunate, poorer and weaker than most or are in precarious health. Today, in my speech in reply to the throne speech, I will focus on seniors and health.

Front-line workers in a community can quickly and clearly see what the people need. I work as part of a team, in collaboration with community workers. The community needs to act in response to a given social or health problem. All of the stakeholders need to examine the problem and think about a solution, which will be the best possible solution since it is chosen by the people involved. The evidence shows that when solutions are found at the grassroots level, they are better able to address a community's needs.

Imagine my surprise when I read in the throne speech that the government wants to give money to the provinces, provided that they hire family doctors and offer mental health services.

I have to wonder what the Government of Canada, here in Ottawa, knows about the needs of Quebeckers in my community. What does it truly know about our needs? Why will it not go along with what Quebec and the provinces are calling for and increase transfers by 5.2%? This would allow the provinces and Quebec to tailor their services to the specific needs of their communities.

These needs are not all the same; some are greater than others. There are community groups in my region that look after all mental health problems. I would like to single out one in particular, Le Pont du Suroît.

The director, Marc André Bédard, is a fantastic guy, a nurse who has dedicated his career to the public realm and saw the little cracks in the system. He therefore decided to spend most of his career working for a community group that supports the loved ones of people with mental health problems. His work is so highly regarded that he gives talks throughout Quebec and indeed around the world. He created an innovative approach, and the Quebec minister of health thought it was so good that he decided to fund the group.

However, just because this group works well in Quebec and in my community does not mean it will work elsewhere. The one who is best suited to determine what a community needs is Quebec's health minister, who can consult local stakeholders, create programs and pay for them. The needs are increasing at this time, but the money is in Ottawa and is not being transferred to the provinces. I see it as a matter of respecting areas of Quebec and provincial jurisdiction. What is being asked is that Ottawa transfer the money to the Government of Quebec, which is the authority that really knows where investments are needed to adequately meet the needs of its communities.

I do not know how what to make of this desire to centralize provincial jurisdictional powers in Ottawa. I am talking about the government, but the NDP also keeps proposing all kinds of national strategies that blatantly infringe on provincial jurisdictions. I see this as a lack of trust. The government is essentially saying that the provinces are not inventive or smart enough to create programs that address the real needs in their communities.

The government would rather tell the provinces what to do with their money. The government thinks it knows what works and that it is in the best position to determine that. This makes me even more passionate and reinforces my vision of Quebec as its own country. If Quebec were to be in control of its own destiny and hold on to the money it sends to Ottawa, it would invest that money into good programs, since Quebec knows what is good for its communities. Although Quebec knows what is needed right now, it lacks the means to take action. I urge my colleagues opposite to respect the provincial premiers' demands for increased health transfers.

Seniors in our communities are really suffering. They need home support and higher incomes to cover the rising cost of prescription drugs and housing. Right now, old age security is not enough. Anyone who gets sick and has to rely on the guaranteed income supplement and old age security will have a hard time paying for housing and any services they might need. Seniors who worked their whole lives in the expectation of a dignified retirement should not have to worry about being able to pay for those services.

One way to solve the problem is to enhance the guaranteed income supplement and old age security. The Bloc Québécois wants the government to increase old age security for people 65 and over and allow people who lose a loved one to collect the guaranteed income supplement for three months following their loved one's death. The death of a loved one is traumatic enough as it is. If those left behind are afraid they will not be able to pay their rent, that is even worse. We are asking the government to show some compassion and increase the guaranteed income supplement and old age security for seniors 65 and over.

In closing, I call on the government to respect areas that fall under the jurisdiction of Quebec and the provinces and increase provincial health transfers by 5.2%. The government needs to let the provinces do what they do best: manage their own issues and find their own solutions.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the comments of my colleague across the way, but I do not necessarily agree with them.

The constituents I represent believe that the federal government does have a role to play in health care services. Whether in Montreal, Winnipeg, Vancouver, Halifax or any rural community, I believe there is a high sense of expectation that the federal government will work with other jurisdictions to ensure there is a national health care system. Therefore, if one goes from one province to another, one can at least anticipate what to expect.

Provinces will change, which is we why we have the Canada Health Act. Many of my constituents are very upset with the direction in which health care is going. I try to influence where I can.

Would the member opposite agree with the view of constituents, who she represents as well, that the national government has a role to play in health care other than just providing money? As representatives, we have a sense of what our constituents want. I believe that even some of the member's constituents would want Ottawa to have a presence in health care.

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Salaberry—Suroît, QC]

Madam Speaker, I certainly do not agree with my colleague, because I believe the government's role is to redistribute wealth.

I believe that the provinces and Quebec are in the best position to meet needs. No Quebec health minister, whether affiliated with the Liberals, sovereignists, CAQ or Québec Solidaire, would let anyone tell them how to manage health care. Moreover, the Constitution clearly states that health is a provincial responsibility.

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

Madam Speaker, I really appreciate my colleague's message. She talked about her interest in social issues and the consequences of insufficient government support.

People back home who are grappling with mental health or financial problems cannot access the government programs and support they need.

The NDP often talks about the disastrous impact of growing inequality in our society and the problems that have gotten worse, such as mental health and poverty.

I would like to know what she thinks about that, and about the need to put resources in place to help people escape from poverty and access the services they need.

[Claude DeBellefeuille, Bloc, Salaberry—Suroît, QC]

Madam Speaker, I agree that needs in the areas of mental health and poverty must be addressed. However, it is up to the provinces and Quebec to administer their own programs.

The best way to improve services is to give the provinces the 5.2% federal health transfer. Naturally, all the provincial premiers are asking for this.

If I understand correctly, my NDP colleague does not agree with the fact that the premier of the province she represents is seeking a 5.2% transfer from Ottawa to the provinces. We see it as the best way to improve the quality and level of service in our communities.

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

Madam Speaker, it is an honour for me to rise in the House today to speak to the Speech from the Throne. Thank you for giving me this opportunity.

I will be splitting my time with the member for Scarborough Centre.

I spent the past five months in the beautiful riding of Saint-Laurent, the riding I have the honour of representing in the House of Commons and that I have considered home since the day I was born.

Over these five months, I had the opportunity to talk to my constituents about the federal issues that concern them the most.

Overwhelmingly, the message that my constituents wanted to relay to me about what they most wanted was for us to do more for our planet. It was that we need to act fast to counter the devastating effects of climate change. This is one of the main messages that I heard at the doors at least a few times every single day during the electoral period. That is why I was thrilled that the Speech from the Throne emphasized and prioritized fighting climate change.

The previous Liberal government, which I was proud to be a part of, did more than any prior government for the environment. The current government has committed to making the fight against climate change a priority. We have set the target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, which may seem like an ambitious goal, but it is one that is absolutely necessary.

We absolutely must try to achieve the net zero emission target by 2050 to protect the environment in order to give our children and grandchildren the chance to grow up in a world where there is still fresh air and clean drinking water.

It is time to listen to scientists who are telling us that we cannot exceed the 1.5°C temperature increase and Canada must contribute to that effort. That is why our government will continue to put a price on pollution across the country and work with its provincial partners on further reducing emissions.

We know that our target is ambitious. We have to make the transition to renewable energy sources not only because we currently do not have the capacity to rely on renewable energy sources alone, but also because we have to provide support to the people who work in Canada's natural resources sector.

As is highlighted in the Speech from the Throne, our government is committing to protecting 25% of Canada's lands and 25% of Canada's oceans by 2025. To go further, one of the commitments that we made public during our election is the plan to plant two billion trees over the next 10 years to purify our air and water, as we know this is the best way to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions.

Those who know me well, know why I entered politics. They know I have always felt a deep passion to make the world a fairer place for everyone, that the inequalities that exist in this world make my blood boil. They know how I feel about the unfairness that exists based on socio-economic and racial or ethnic background. Back home in my constituency, one of my main priorities is to do my best to help those in need by helping organizations that help those who need it most, or by giving a voice to those who are marginalized and providing space for them to come and communicate and express themselves to make life a bit fairer for them.

In Saint-Laurent, community organizations such as the Bon Courage centre, COCLA, l'Unité, the Centre ABC, CARI, the Maison des familles de Saint-Laurent, and the Au cœur de l'enfance pediatric services centre, as well as many others, are indispensable and make all the difference for families in the region.

Another reason I support the Speech from the Throne is for its focus on strengthening the middle class. Our government has a goal of making life more affordable for Canadians. The personal income tax exemption is being raised to $15,000 so that Canadians can do more with their money, whether that is putting more money into their savings accounts or being able to afford better-quality food on their table for their families.

When I was growing up, my parents did not have a lot of money. My father was my family's only breadwinner, and sometimes it was tough, but he and my mom made up for it by giving us an amazing family experience and ensuring that we took part in extracurricular activities. They wanted to give us a good life and tried hard to do so. However, I began working at the age of 15 in order to pay for my personal expenses, because I did not want to be a burden on my parents. They made sure that there was a roof over my head and healthy food on the table every single day, but I felt that if I wanted more, it was up to me to earn some money. My mom told me to save half of every paycheque so that I could pay for my university tuition one day. If I wanted a cellphone, I had to pay my own bill.

Let me say that kids who know that their parents are going through financial struggles feel it. It is a heavy weight to carry. I know this because I taught in public schools on the Island of Montreal, and kids whose families did not have an easy time knew not to ask their parents for things that they could not afford.

Our government is going to make a real difference in situations such as these by cutting cellphone and wireless bills by 25%, which will help middle-class families in particular.

We also plan to help students so that they all have the opportunity to have a quality post-secondary education, no matter their family's socio-economic status. Students will not have to pay back their student loan until they find full-time employment.

The government will also implement measures to reduce the number of homeless people by investing in affordable housing. During our last term, we reduced poverty by improving the situation of 900,000 Canadians through the Canada child benefit. We will continue to make these crucial investments for the people that need them most.

Last week, we commemorated the 14 lives that were taken at École Polytechnique in Montreal 30 years ago just because they were women. I want to point out that, as a feminist, I am proud of the fact that our government took seriously the challenges faced by women in our last term of office. I am also proud that the throne speech referred to the gender-based violence strategy. We will do more to fight violence against women and the LGBTQ2 community.

Speaking of the École Polytechnique shooting, gun violence has been on the rise in Canada, and our government has a plan to tackle this issue. We will ban military-style assault rifles like the one used at École Polytechnique, and we will introduce a buyback program. While we know that this is only the beginning and a that lot more needs to be done in order to completely eliminate gun violence, this is an important step in the right direction.

At a time when certain powers around the world are turning their focus inward, taking steps back on the international stage and taking less of a leadership role to help countries around the world, Canada will continue its efforts to make this world a fairer, safer and more sustainable place.

We will continue to support international development and we will invest to make education more accessible in third world countries. We will continue to work hard to make the world a more equal place so as to empower women who do not have the same liberties and freedoms as we do here in Canada.

My thanks once again for giving me the chance to express my thoughts in support of the Speech from the Throne.

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Madam Speaker, in my riding of North Island—Powell River, we have a huge and growing population of people who are really challenged to find housing. During the campaign, I had multiple people come to my office and talk to me about their realities. Some of them were living in tents, some in summer trailers, and the winter was fast approaching.

What I heard again and again is that there is just not enough housing. Several people made significant wages and had enough to pay rent, but there was simply nothing there, and then the range went all the way to desperately homeless, low-income people.

When I look at the housing crisis that is happening not only in my riding but across Canada, I wonder if the member could tell the House what strategy is actually going to happen. How long are Canadians going to have to continue to wait for resources in their communities to actually make the difference?

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

Madam Speaker, we have already committed to investing $40 billion for the national housing strategy. That money will begin to be available as of January 2020. We are extremely excited that money will finally be going into this program in order to start building affordable housing.

In the last mandate, we came out with the first-time home buyer incentive for young families that wish to start a family and start living in their first home, giving a tax break for people who are buying their first home. If it is a new home that is being built, it is an even bigger incentive.

Therefore, we do have some incentives in place and we do hope to reduce the homeless population by at least 50% with the Canada housing strategy.

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Madam Speaker, the throne speech specifically mentions help to address the opioid crisis. It was just announced today that 14,000 Canadians have lost their lives to opioid use and 17,000 have been sent to the hospital just in the last four years. That is in the throne speech, which is fine.

However, just this week on Monday, when the government introduced its supplementary estimates (A), which provide the funding, the cash programs, there was not a single penny put in from the government coffers to address the opioid crisis. At the same time, though, the government put in vote 5, which is considered to be for urgent needs, $265 million to subsidize wealthy people to buy Teslas.

Why is the government more focused on helping wealthy people buy Teslas than on addressing the opioid crisis?

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

Madam Speaker, yes, we know that a lot more needs to be done in order to tackle the opioid crisis and that not enough has been done up until now, but we have invested millions of dollars to help with this crisis. We made help available in some of the big city centres, and with pharmacare, which will eventually be brought forward, we will be able to help people overcome the struggles they have because of overdoses and different health issues.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Madam Speaker, speaking of overdoses, there is a major crisis in the Downtown Eastside community. We have been calling on the government to declare a national health emergency, yet it refuses to do so.

As we just heard, the number of overdose deaths has increased, so it is not just in the Downtown Eastside community, but across the country.

Would the Liberals be prepared to at least pilot a safe supply program so that we can begin to save lives and demonstrate to communities across the country that we can save lives and that the world will not end if we ensure there is a safe supply program for people who need help?

[Emmanuella Lambropoulos, Liberal, Saint-Laurent, QC]

Madam Speaker, I am willing to work alongside the member for Vancouver East in order to look for strategies to help improve these issues in society. I will also be speaking to the ministers who are responsible for these files in order to try to push this along and help.

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Madam Speaker, congratulations on your appointment.

It is a pleasure to rise for the first time in this 43rd Parliament. Before I turn to the Speech from the Throne, I would like to take a moment to thank the people of Scarborough Centre for returning me to this place. They have put their trust in me to continue to be their strong voice in Ottawa. I am so grateful for their confidence and support. None of us would be here without our dedicated supporters and volunteers. I have an amazing team and I would like to thank team Salma for its countless hours of hard work over these past months and years. I also want to thank my family, my husband Salman, and my boys Umaid and Usman, for their love and support.

I am proud to have received a strong mandate from the people of Scarborough Centre to fight for their values, hopes and dreams in this place. They have shared with me their struggles, their hopes for the future and the challenges their families are facing. It is their priorities I bring to this Parliament.

I also recognize that in a minority parliament it is ever more important that we all work together. No one has a monopoly on good ideas. I am ready to work with those who share the values, hopes and dreams of the people of Scarborough Centre. We are a riding of Canadians by birth and Canadians by choice. Many of us come from somewhere else and have chosen to make Scarborough our home. We are a community of senior citizens and young families. We are a community of Canadians working hard to join the middle class. They are concerned about being able to stretch each paycheque to the end of the month. They worry about the ever rising cost of housing. They lay awake worrying if they can provide a better future for their children. They work hard and are looking for a little help to get ahead.

That is what I was looking for as I listened to the Speech from the Throne. I was pleased to hear some of the priorities of my constituents addressed in the speech. That a tax cut that will deliver a real benefit to those families working hard to join the middle class will be the first order of business for this government was welcome news for the families of Scarborough Centre. Rather than handouts to millionaires, we know that putting more money into the pockets of families working hard to join the middle class is money that will be invested back into the economy. It means new clothes for going back to school. It means healthier groceries going into kids' lunch bags. It is an investment that will support not only families but also local jobs and economies.

The throne speech mentioned the historic reductions in poverty achieved by the government in its last mandate. Nearly 900,000 Canadians were lifted out of poverty, many of them children, thanks to programs like the Canada child benefit. That is a program we are committed to strengthening even more.

One of the many families in Scarborough benefiting from the Canada child benefit is the Tareen family. Thanks to the CCB, Lenna and Najib are able to provide healthy food for their children, Abdullah, Ahmed Yasin and Habibullah. They can take them on educational outings and allow them to participate in more activities in school. We are proud of that record, but I know this government will be the first to admit there is still more work to be done.

Probably the biggest expense that families in Scarborough face is housing. There is a serious lack of supply. What housing is available is often old, overpriced and inadequate to meet the needs of the average Scarborough family. Therefore, I am pleased to hear that the government reaffirmed its commitment to the national housing strategy and to making continued investments in affordable housing.

Programs like the first-time home buyer incentive are already making a difference. The money already being invested in Toronto community housing is funding long-overdue renovations in community housing facilities in Scarborough and across Toronto. Moving forward with the Canada housing benefit in the coming year will help many families who are struggling with the rising rents they have to pay.

In this Parliament, I will be a voice for continued investment in affordable housing. As well, we must ramp up our investment as fast as our provincial and municipal partners can build the capacity to make new projects shovel-ready.

Another key priority for my constituents is community safety. Too often the sound of gunshots echo through our neighbourhoods. Too many of my constituents have lost loved ones or know a family who has lost loved ones to senseless violence.

I recently attended a community safety meeting in an apartment complex where a family had lost a son in a shooting. Nothing can compare to the grief of a mother who has lost her child. The community came together to grieve and to discuss meaningful action to end these acts of violence. In Scarborough, in Canada, no one should feel unsafe walking the streets of their community. The time has come for serious action to combat gun violence and the gang activity that fuels it.

While I supported the common sense gun crime legislation passed in the last Parliament, it is long past time to go further. This is why I fully support the commitment in this throne speech to ban military-style assault rifles and introduce a buyback program. Too many of these weapons have been involved in mass shootings in Canada and around the world. Outside the military, they serve no legitimate purpose. These weapons are not designed to hunt deer. They are designed to kill people, as many people as possible, as quickly as possible.

I understand the need for a rifle on a farm for protection, and I respect the hunting culture practised in many communities, but military-style assault rifles do not belong in our communities. The safety of our children must come first. It is time to get these guns off the streets.

I also welcome the commitment to work with municipalities and communities that want to ban handguns. This is something that I have heard loud and clear from my constituents, and something that the mayor of Toronto and Toronto council have asked for. While these measures alone will not eliminate gun crime, the evidence from jurisdictions around the world shows that it will make a big difference. We owe it to our children to do everything we can.

We must also continue to invest in measures to stop the flow of illegal guns at our borders. As important as getting guns off the streets is, the most important thing we can do to ensure safer communities is to show our youth that better is possible for them. We need to show them that they have opportunities to grow and prosper and succeed.

During its last mandate, our government made significant investments in programs to tackle youth gang violence. I hear from my constituents, especially the mothers, how important this is. As the mother of two sons myself, in this Parliament I will be a voice for further investments in our next generations.

Those are some of the highlights for my constituents, but other priorities of Scarborough Centre are also reflected in this Speech from the Throne. My constituents know that climate change is a real and serious threat, and they want us to do more to achieve our emissions reduction targets, ban plastics and get to net-zero emissions by 2050.

My constituents know we have a moral obligation to Canada's indigenous people to walk the road of reconciliation together. That means eliminating all remaining boil water advisories, enshrining the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in legislation and so much more. They believe that every Canadian should be able to get a family doctor much more easily, and that universal pharmacare is the next natural evolution of the public health care system of which all Canadians are justifiably proud. As well, they want Canada to continue to be a voice for human rights and the freedom of all people, both at home and around the world.

Historically, minority parliaments have been some of the most productive in Canadian history, but that is only possible if we park our egos at the door and work to find common ground. I look forward—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker, NDP, Carol Hughes]

I am sorry, but the time is up. I am sure that the hon. member will be able to finish her thoughts during questions and comments.

[Richard Cannings, NDP, South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Madam Speaker, my colleague across the aisle mentioned the national housing strategy. We heard a lot about that in the last Parliament and now we are hearing it again. Unfortunately, in the last Parliament the government spent less money on housing than the previous Harper Conservative government spent. We are getting concerned about these fine words and promises.

During the election campaign I attended the opening of three new important housing centres in my riding. One is a centre in Penticton to house the homeless. Another one is for low-cost housing. Another one in Okanagan Falls is for seniors housing. Not one penny involved in those housing projects came from the federal government, not even indirectly.

Could the member comment on that? Can we really rely on the government to do the right thing on housing?

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Madam Speaker, we are committed to a 10-year, $40-billion national housing strategy. In our last mandate we introduced the first time home buyer incentive and we are committed to expanding it for cities like Toronto and Vancouver. We have already invested in more affordable housing units. Construction has started at many sites. We have committed money toward renovating the existing units.

We also committed in our last mandate $1.3 billion for renovations of Toronto community housing units. The repairs have started in many units, including those in my riding of Scarborough Centre.

We will continue working together so that we can make sure that housing remains one of the top priorities in this mandate.

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

Madam Speaker, we have heard a lot today from Liberal members around the concern over violence in communities across the country.

I want to bring attention to a concern in my riding in the north and a concern that we are seeing across the country when it comes to first nations specifically with the suicide crisis that is taking place. Young people are taking their own lives. As a result, communities are taking unprecedented steps to issue emergency calls for help. It is taking too long for the federal government to even recognize these calls for help. It is taking too long for it to step in and even begin to hear from the leadership and the young people who are most impacted.

While I appreciate the concern around people taking the lives of others, where is the government's priority when it comes to first nations and recognizing the immediate crisis that is taking place on too many first nations and the need to take direct action to prevent these suicides from taking place.