Debates of Dec. 9th, 2019

Resumption of debate on Address in Reply

[Don Davies, NDP, Vancouver Kingsway, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate my hon. colleague on his first speech in the House and welcome him to this august chamber.

During the last federal campaign, I heard from many people, particularly from young people and those who were particularly concerned about the climate emergency facing our planet. We know that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued some extremely serious and dire warnings that we have 11 years to take serious action now in order to avoid raising global temperatures above 1.5°. If we do not, we risk planetary catastrophe, melting polar ice caps, disappearing coral reefs and mass extinction.

What are my hon. colleague's thoughts on this subject? Does he agree with the New Democrats that we need to take urgent, pressing action on climate change now and start making the transition to a sustainable economy that not only is the economy of the future but also is necessary to save our planet?

[Marty Morantz, Conservative, Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that for countries like Canada to transition to a low-emissions green economy, we need to have the revenue to do it. Countries with smaller GDPs have a harder time converting to green economies because they just do not have the ability to invest in sustainable technologies.

We had one of the most comprehensive environmental platforms ever tabled by a political party in the history of this country. It was not just a tax on soccer parents; it was a very comprehensive plan. It had some very good things in it. For example, it talked about the green home tax credit, which would affect millions of Canadians and incentivize them to make our homes more fuel efficient. It talked about taking the climate change globally, that a molecule of carbon does not know borders.

What I am saying is that balanced budgets, growing our economy and getting harsh bills like Bill C-69, the no more pipelines bill, and Bill C-48 out of the way so we can get our products to market will provide our economy with the strength it needs to make that conversion.

[Kody Blois, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I would like to acknowledge that I will be splitting my time with the member for St. Catharines.

What a privilege it is to be here today at the centre of democracy in our country as the elected representative of the great people of Kings—Hants. Located on the shores of the Bay of Fundy and Minas Basin, Kings—Hants is home to the highest tides in the world; to Acadia University, one of Canada's top-ranked undergraduate institutions; the birthplace of hockey, in Windsor; a wine industry that is gaining international recognition; and a dynamic and diverse agricultural sector that is the backbone of our economy and a key piece of our identity.

I would invite all members of the House, and indeed all Canadians, to come and visit us in Nova Scotia where diverse cultures co-exist, extraordinary seafood abounds, breathtaking vistas await and exceptionally friendly people will serve as their host. They will not be disappointed.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to congratulate you on being elected. I am glad we will be able to rely on you to hold us accountable for ensuring the highest possible degree of decorum in the House.

I would like to thank the people of Kings—Hants for the support and confidence they have placed in me. I recognize both the privilege and the responsibility that accompany this role. I will be putting all my energy into serving them and all Canadians in the days ahead.

All parliamentarians can attest to the importance of families and having their support as we take on this important role as lawmakers in this chamber. I am so fortunate to have the love of a supportive family and friends in Nova Scotia, especially my fiancée Kimberly and my mother Shelley. Without them, I would not be the one standing in the House. I know they are back home in Nova Scotia, watching proudly today.

I would also like to recognize my volunteers. All of us have volunteers who help us get to this place, to be privileged. I want to thank all my volunteers at home who are watching today.

Finally, I have two special people looking over me today in the chamber. My father, Gordon, passed away when I was 14 years old and I recently lost my grandfather, Leroy, in January. Both were incredible supporters. They never missed a hockey game or softball game. I know they are watching from above today and I hope they are proud.

Canadians sent us here to work on the issues that matter most to them. I am proud to be a member of the Liberal Party, and I am eager to work with all MPs under the leadership of the Prime Minister as we strive to improve the lives of Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

I want to talk about the importance of continuing the good work our government has done to support the middle class and those working to join it. I grew up in a working-class family. My father was a truck driver and my mother is an administrative assistant at the local school. I saw first-hand how hard they worked to ensure I had a better future. In fact, there were times when we did not even have enough money to pay for the groceries. Therefore, I am proud to be a member of the governing party that is focused on supporting people who need help the most.

I want to tell a story of a single mother I met during the campaign. Her name is Sarah and she is working two jobs to support her two girls. Sarah was in tears on the doorstep when explaining to me how the Canada child benefit was allowing her to buy healthier groceries and to put her two girls in soccer.

Our government's policies have lifted 250,000 seniors out of poverty. Child poverty in Canada is at an all-time low. At the same time, we have created over one million jobs and unemployment is near an all-time low. We know there is more work to be done, but when we invest in people and put money in the pockets of those who need the help, they spend it and drive our economy forward.

I am 28 years old. I am one of the youngest members of this House and I am proud to be a member of a party that is taking concrete measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change. I want my children and grandchildren to have a future and an environment we are all proud of. In the same breath, we need to be mindful of ensuring that no one is left behind, and that our rural communities and residents can afford our necessary transition. This will not be an easy balance, but it is necessary to ensure we can all move forward united together.

Health care is on the minds of Canadians across the country. This was a prominent issue on the doorsteps in Kings—Hants. Recruitment and retention of family physicians in rural areas of our country is a top priority for many. As we know, health care is a challenge not only in Canada but across the western world. While the provinces administer health care, it is vital that the federal government be a willing partner to support their efforts, and I am proud to say that our government has been, and will continue to be, a strong partner with the provinces.

For example, in Nova Scotia, since the Canada health accord was signed in 2016, there has been more money than ever before transferred to the province to support health care. I say this knowing that there is more work to be done. Between our commitment to launch a national pharmacare plan and to provide more money to support the recruitment of rural doctors, I know our efforts will improve health care in this country.

My riding, Kings—Hants, is home to three indigenous communities, namely the Sipekne'katik, Glooscap and Annapolis Valley nations. I believe that all members, not just the Government of Canada, have a duty to forge strong relationships with indigenous communities because of the special constitutional relationship we share.

No other Prime Minister or government in Canadian history has done more to support indigenous communities and work toward true reconciliation. Our critics will say not enough has been done, but the legacy of neglect and the impact of the residential school system cannot be turned around in four years. Our government will continue the hard work needed to bring meaningful change and long-lasting opportunities to these communities, which represent the fastest-growing segment of the Canadian population.

As part of our government's efforts to make life better for all Canadians, we committed to make historic investments in infrastructure. I am proud to see that work is well under way on significant infrastructure projects in Kings—Hants. The twinning of Highway 101 at Windsor will save lives. The new Lantz interchange will ease traffic congestion. The new recreation complex in Windsor-West Hants and the new aquatic centre in East Hants will increase opportunities for people to lead healthier lives. Completed major projects, like the new interchange in New Minas, the renovated science facility at Acadia University and the rebuilt wharf in Halls Harbour have all led to increased economic prospects.

Finally, I want to speak about agriculture. Kings—Hants has the largest concentration of agricultural producers east of Montreal. It is the backbone of our economy and a key piece of our identity. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Kentville Research and Development Centre has been providing vital support to Nova Scotia's agricultural sector for over 100 years. The facility has developed 60% of the strawberry varieties grown in Canada and identified the Honeycrisp apple, a high-value apple well suited to the maritime climate.

Importantly, our government recently opened a research winery at the facility to support Nova Scotia's burgeoning wine sector. I look forward to working with the Minister of Agriculture, and indeed all members of this House, on the issues that matter to farmers and on the initiatives that will support and continue to grow the agricultural sector.

Yes, there are and will be challenges for Canadians to face every day, but with those challenges come opportunities. That is why it is important that we all work collaboratively in this House to make a positive difference for all the people we represent.

[Alice Wong, Conservative, Richmond Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, congratulations on your election as our Deputy Speaker.

Since this is the first time I rise to speak in this 43rd Parliament, I would like to take the opportunity to thank my campaign team and all the volunteers. I thank the Richmond Centre voters for sending me back here for the fourth time; I am going into my 12th year of serving them.

There are a lot of issues that have not been dealt with in the throne speech. First of all, when I looked at the word count, the word “seniors” only came up once. Of course pensions were mentioned, but those areas are probably very complicated and not all seniors are looking at that.

The first issue is about affordability for our seniors. When they go to the grocery store, all the prices have gone up because of the carbon tax. Also, the Liberal government took away their transit credit and there is no protection against fraud to seniors. Some seniors become lost physically and mentally, and the government has done nothing to help them so far.

There is also nothing for family caregivers who have to look after their kids, their grandparents and often their own parents. This is something we should look at.

Why are the Liberals forsaking seniors?

[Kody Blois, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the member opposite on her fourth election to this House and of course 12 years in service. That certainly speaks for itself in terms of her ability to provide for her constituents.

The question was on seniors, and Liberals have committed to increasing old age security by 10% for those who are 75 years and over. Over the last four years, we have invested in the guaranteed income supplement to make life easier for all seniors. This is an issue that resonates for me because there are many senior residents in Kings—Hants and this is an issue I heard about on people's doorsteps.

I ask the member opposite to look at the government's record. Some 250,000 seniors were helped across this country in the last four years. We will continue that work, and we will continue to fight for seniors and to make sure they have a sustainable living.

[Kristina Michaud, Bloc, Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, QC]

Mr. Speaker, last Thursday, in the excitement of giving my first speech, I forgot to thank the people of Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia. I will take the time to do so today. I thank them for trusting me and for electing me.

Like my colleague, I am 26. I am also one of the youngest elected members of this Parliament. Like him, I worry about the state of the planet we are leaving for future generations.

In its Speech from the Throne, the government shared its ambitions of fighting climate change, but it failed to offer any substantive polices to go with its good intentions.

I want to know what tangible actions the government plans to take to fight climate change.

[Kody Blois, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Speaker, over the last four years this government has done more than any other government in the history of this country to work on the issues related to climate change. We are on pace to be able to beat our climate accord by 2030.

As it relates to the Speech from the Throne, I would remind the member opposite that it is a general document that outlines the principles and the work that will continue in the next four years. I would refer the member opposite to our platform during the election, which highlighted a lot of the work we will continue to do in the next four years.

[Scott Duvall, NDP, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the member mentioned seniors and how the Liberal government is helping them. He was boasting about helping the people on old age security who are 75 years and older.

When I was campaigning and door knocking, many of the seniors who are 65 years and over were crying for help because of the high costs of living, rent increases and the amount of money being taken up by inflation. Why is it that the government has taken the approach of raising the pension, which is good news, but only for people who are 75 years and older and not for people who are 65 years old and over?

[Kody Blois, Liberal, Kings—Hants, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I want to remind Canadians that it was our government that brought the retirement age in this country from 67 back down to 65. It had been raised by our Conservative colleagues. I would like to point to the fact that we are going to be raising the personal exemption to $15,000. That will provide a family, on average, upwards of $500 a year in savings. We are also going to invest in a national pharmacare plan, hopefully with the support of the House, because it is important for all Canadians, and it will be very beneficial for seniors.

We look forward to working collaboratively in this House to make sure that we focus on issues that matter. I take a vested interest, as does this government.

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Mr. Speaker, before I begin my speech, I would like to congratulate you on your reappointment as Deputy Speaker. I know in the last Parliament there was a great deal of respect on both sides of the House for the work that you did in the chair. Thank you so much.

Since this is my first time speaking in this Parliament, I would like to thank the people of St. Catharines who put their trust in me. It is an incredible honour to represent such an amazing city in this place. Going door to door and hearing from the residents, it was a much different feeling this time around than the last, when we were running on adrenalin in 2015. However, hearing the concerns, addressing what we have done as a government, going to the polls and coming back with an increased margin really speaks to a lot of what our government has done. As the Prime Minister says, for all 338 of us, our time in this place is temporary. I want to thank the people of St. Catharines for the opportunity to represent them here again.

I also want to thank my wife, Charlene, and my children, Ethan and Hanna. This is not the most family-friendly job and it is difficult on all of our loved ones, on our friends and family. My three-year-old son is old enough now to tell me that he does not like his dad going to work. It is difficult to walk out the door for a week, but it is oftentimes the families that make the greatest sacrifice as we are doing what we love in this place.

I would also like to thank my team, Cass, Zach, Sam and Kelly, and all of my supporters and volunteers. We all know it is not a team of one that gets people elected. Members of Parliament are not always the easiest people to work with. To have members of a team behind us who have our back is an incredible honour. They do outstanding work for the people of St. Catharines. All across this country the people behind the scenes are the unsung heroes of what is going on.

Four years ago, I ran because I saw a great deal of poverty in my riding. I saw a great deal of concern. I did not like what I was seeing, and that is why I put my name on the ballot. Too many politicians in Niagara were saying that everything was all right, and I did not see it that way. We knocked on a lot of doors. We were elected, and the first thing we did was a middle-class tax cut, lowering taxes on the middle class and raising them on the wealthiest 1%. That had an impact on people's lives. We coupled that with the Canada child benefit, increases to the guaranteed income supplement for those who need it most and, as my hon. colleague mentioned, lowering the age of eligibility to receive old age security and the guaranteed income supplement back to age 65 after the increase by the previous government. Those policies prevented hundreds of thousands of people from falling into poverty. It had an impact.

I was happy to see announced today action on increasing the basic personal amount. It is something that we promised in the campaign to bring in as our first act in this Parliament. It will remove 700,000 people from the tax roll. It will help 20 million people save money. It will reduce poverty for tens of thousands of people and could save families $600 a year. We will make sure that it does not go to the highest income earners in this country. This is real action. This is continued action on poverty to help those who need it the most

Too often we hear politicians say we need to give tax breaks to the wealthiest and the wealthiest corporations and eventually that will trickle down to the rest of us, to those who need it the most, but we have never seen that. What we have seen over the past four years is that giving money to those who need it most, either through tax breaks or the Canada child benefit, allows those people to spend the money in our economy. Those are people who are going to invest in Canada.

They are going to spend it right back, as opposed to saving it for perhaps a vacation or a rainy day. They are going to help stimulate the economy. This is an opportunity to do that again. I am happy to see the finance minister moving forward on that step. I am sure there will be support across the House for this.

Some members have indicated that there was no mention of seniors in the throne speech or no mention of action on seniors. This is going to have a direct benefit on those seniors who are making less than the 1%. For those seniors who do need assistance, it will be money right in their pockets, coupled with pharmacare, which my friend talked about as well. I am sure hon. members of the Conservative Party will take immediate action.

What I heard on the streets and at the doors of St. Catharines was that seniors are worried about pharmaceutical prices. They are worried about paying the rent or paying for pharmaceutical drugs. Action on pharmacare is a must. It will have a disproportionate impact on seniors, alleviating many of the costs that they face and many of the costs that they are concerned about.

I did mention my kids. What I would like to talk about in terms of the focus of my speech is climate change. It was just my wife and me in 2015, but climate change was always an important issue to me. Looking ahead and after the birth of my son and daughter, I look at this issue through their eyes. Everyone in the House will probably be fine, will probably be okay, but what are we going to give to the next generation? What are we going to give to the generation after that? I talked to a lot of seniors in my riding who agreed with that sentiment. Their time may not be long, but they wanted to know what I was going to do for their grandkids. How are we going to make this a better planet?

I challenged my opponents during the election to name a government that has done more in four years on the environment than our government. No one could provide me with an answer. I will challenge my colleagues on the other side as well.

We are moving forward on an ambitious plan. Does it mean our plan is perfect? Absolutely not. Does it mean there is more to be done? Absolutely. We are committed to doing that.

The residents of St. Catharines do not have to look far to see the impacts of climate change. In the last three years, we have seen two years of floods and one year of drought. We used to refer to 50-year storms, 100-year storms, but they are happening annually. We need to take action. It worries me.

I hear some of the language from members on the the other side who believe climate change is man-made, but then they will use the language of denial. I just heard a member say CO2 has no borders. Does that not mean we need to take action right away? This is the type of language that stalls progress. This is the type of language that hurts our kids and our grandkids. This is the greatest crisis facing Canada. People may throw up their hands and say that is just a bunch of Liberal nonsense. When the chief of the defence staff was asked what was the greatest security threat facing Canada, he answered that it was extreme weather.

Small business organizations and the insurance industry all say we need to take action. Bond and rating agencies are reducing the credit ratings of governments that refuse to take action on climate change. The time is now. I saw in St. Catharines that this was the first election on climate change and the residents of St. Catharines spoke loudly that they want to see action and we are here to deliver. I hope we are able to work across the aisle to deliver on progress that Canadians demand and deserve and that our children and grandchildren deserve.

[Ed Fast, Conservative, Abbotsford, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I, too, want to acknowledge the fact that you have again been appointed Deputy Speaker. You have won the respect of everyone in the House in the past and I am sure you will going forward.

I did note in the member's speech that there was scarcely a mention of trade and how much trade contributes to Canada's prosperity. However, what we have seen under the current Liberal government over the last four years effectively is a dismantlement of Canada's trade agenda.

Originally, the Prime Minister appointed a minister of international trade. Then he changed that to a minister of trade diversification. The most recent minister appointed is the minister of small business. Basically, trade was appended as an adjunct, sort of an afterthought to the appointment of that minister.

Quite frankly, I despair, because we have seen a complete decline in the agenda that Canada has moving forward to use trade as a driver of prosperity in our country. Beyond the renegotiation of NAFTA, we have seen virtually nothing from the Liberal government.

I would ask the member to comment on why it is that the responsibilities attributed to the various ministers over the last four years have declined in importance.

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member asked why I did not talk about trade, but I only had 10 minutes to talk about the great things the government was doing. If I had a few hours more, we would get to all of the great things, including trade. I thank him for pointing that out.

Canada is the only G7 country that has free trade agreements with all of the other G7 countries, and that is because of this government. This government got the CPTPP across the line. This government got CETA across the line. They were signed under this government's watch. This government is committed to free trade. The member can ask the previous leader of his party how well the NAFTA negotiations went and how strong Canada's trade policy is.

We have a strong free trade policy. We have done outstanding work, and I look forward to seeing what the next few years bring.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I noticed that one of the things not mentioned in the throne speech was the arts and culture community. In Vancouver East, we have a very vibrant community. In fact, we are one of the highest per capita in terms of artists in our community, and we are very proud of that.

However, one of the issues that we are faced with in our community, of course, is the space in which artists can thrive, and we are losing that space at a rapid rate. Therefore, in the spirit of a minority government, in the sprit of co-operation, I wonder if the member would be amenable to working with NDP members across the aisle to ensure that the government provides infrastructure dollars to secure those much-needed artist spaces so that the artists can continue to thrive and contribute to our economy as well.

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we are always happy to work across the aisle.

In the previous government, we made historic investments in the arts, and refunded the CBC. There were projects for the arts that I can speak to in my riding of St. Catharines that were funded. I have no doubt that we will continue that great work, and we will build upon the progress of the last Parliament.

[Louise Charbonneau, Bloc, Trois-Rivières, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the Speech from the Throne proposes making it easier to pay down student debt. That is very good news. It also contains proposals to deal with climate change.

However, what will the Liberals do for the scientific researchers who are working on alternatives that will have a real impact on the environment, in a time of climate emergency?

At Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, our researchers are about to unveil a forest biomass-based product that will replace plastic. These biodegradable products will limit the excessive waste that is hurting our environment.

Can our scientific researchers, who are working directly on reducing the impact of climate change, get some support? The planet will benefit directly from their research.

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we ended the war on science in the last Parliament.

We have invested $4 billion into the granting councils. I have seen the incredible work being done by researchers at Brock University. I have no doubt that at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, they are experiencing the same type of increased funding that will fund the projects to help us out into the future and meet our commitments on climate change.

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank the people of Vancouver East for returning me to this House with a strong mandate.

I would like to take a moment to congratulate all members of this House for being here today. I look forward to working with the new and returning members, because I do believe that a better Canada is possible.

It is a privilege and an honour for me to bring the voices of Vancouver East to Ottawa as their representative. Vancouver East is one of Canada's most diverse and progressive communities in the country. I am so very proud of our record here in Vancouver East. We fight hard for what we believe in. Whether it is with respect to a call for a national affordable housing program, climate action to tackle the climate emergency, justice for indigenous peoples, calling out the government for taking indigenous kids to court, demanding action on the calls for justice for the missing and murdered indigenous women and girls, or electoral reform so that every vote would count, we speak with a united and strong voice in Vancouver East on these issues.

I have no doubt that my colleague, the member for Courtenay—Alberni, would join with me on this call as well, and I will be splitting my time with him today.

Before I get too deep into the throne speech, I would like to give a shout-out to the Vancouver Japanese Language School and Japanese Hall. Just last month, it was formally designated as a national historic site. People who had been displaced and interned were at the ceremony that day. It was incredibly moving. This recognition is so important on so many levels. It is a piece of history that all Canadians should learn about.

On a similar note, I hope the government will also work with the community to get the city's application for Vancouver's Chinatown to be designated as a UNESCO historic site. That would be something that we would all be proud of. It would showcase this diverse and multicultural community and the Canadians who helped contribute in building this great nation of ours.

Today, we are in a minority government situation. The people of Canada have sent a clear message to the current government: business as usual is not good enough. We all listened intently to the throne speech that was delivered last week. Unfortunately, like me, the people of Vancouver East were left wanting after this throne speech. Over the last four years, we have heard lots of pretty words and big talk. Sadly, there were no actions to match those words.

For example, the throne speech talks about the need for reconciliation. In the last four years, we heard over and over again that the new nation-to-nation relationship is the most important relationship for the Liberal government, yet over and over again we saw the government fail to take action to match those words. If reconciliation is the most important thing for the current government, then why on earth is it continuing to take indigenous children to court? How does that make sense? How does it justify that kind of action? Why is it the people in Grassy Narrows, who are suffering from mercury poisoning, are not getting immediate action from the government so they can have clean drinking water? I do not mean a bottle of water; I mean a permanent solution.

Why are indigenous people continuing to live in poverty and in mouldy housing? Canada is in the midst of an affordable housing crisis. In Vancouver alone, this year's homeless count identified more than 2,000 homeless people and more than 600 who are living on the streets, 40% of whom are indigenous. With indigenous women and girls getting murdered and going missing, reconciliation means that indigenous people must have access to safe housing. All Canadians across the board are being hit by the housing crisis. High rents and low vacancy rates mean that even working professionals have precarious housing. Never mind saving for ownership, many people are one paycheque away from being homeless themselves.

Almost one in four homeless in Vancouver are actually seniors. Imagine that: seniors today are finding themselves in the streets without a home, and the number is growing. To address the crisis today, we need robust funding for the whole spectrum of housing, from social housing to co-op housing to purpose-built rentals, and real paths to home ownership for Canadians.

We want no more delaying of funding flow and no more rhetorical advantages, double-counting or word games. It is not good enough that the Liberals choose to spend 19% less than the Harper government on affordable housing and that much of this decline was in programs that are targeted to low-income households. It is not good enough that we saw a $325-million, 14% reduction in funding for assistance for housing needs programs.

According to the Parliamentary Budget Officer, it is clear that the vast majority of the remaining national housing strategy funding will not flow until after 2024. That is another election cycle away. Funding in 2024 will not help anyone in my community struggling to find affordable housing today, tomorrow, next week, next year or the year after. They cannot wait years. They need action now.

We need emergency funding so that we can build modular housing for the people in Oppenheimer Park. These are people who have been living in tents for more than a year now, and the cold and wet weather is here. Imagine that.

The 58 West Hastings project has been waiting for federal funding for years now. We have funding commitment from the city and we have funding commitment from the province, but the federal government is missing in action. It is nowhere to be found. We need the federal government at the table, working with the city, the province and the non-profits to deliver housing.

UNYA, the Urban Native Youth Association, is a fantastic organization in my riding that has been working diligently to support urban indigenous at-risk youth. Its space is oversubscribed and it needs a new centre. Youth need safe housing as well. The city and the province are in support of its work, and again we need the federal government at the table.

In Vancouver East there are some 47 co-ops, with a total of over 1,600 units. All but five were constructed before the Liberals cancelled the national affordable housing program in 1993. The Liberals also promised in 2015 to renew operating agreements with Canada's co-op housing providers. Unfortunately, they only signed short-term agreements, and now we are back to where we started. Real action is needed. We need long-term agreements and stable funding with subsidies so that we can ensure that the existing units remain affordable.

In short, homelessness is systemic and structural, caused by a failure of government to meet the needs of the people it serves.

I hope we can work together in the minority government in order to better address the housing crisis across the country.

On the opioid crisis, we need the government to get on with it. We need to declare a national health emergency, and it would be so good if, at a minimum, the government got on with a pilot program on safe supply so that we can start the work to save lives. It would be so good for the government to support the front-line workers who are burning out there right now by providing resources to them so that they can continue with this critical work.

Let us not judge people for who they are. Let us get on with saving lives. Let us look at each other with humanity and say that we can do better.

On pharmacare, I challenge any member in this House to tell me that they did not come across someone at a doorstep who said that they needed affordable medication. The government can do this. It has been promising this for decades. The New Democrats have been pushing this hard. Our critic for health has been pushing this hard. I urge the government to utilize this minority government to make that happen: single-payer, universal pharmacare for all.

Today we also put forward a suggestion on dental care. Instead of giving a tax reduction for people earning over $140,000 on their annual income, let us reduce that to $90,000, and let us redirect those dollars so that we can bring forward a dental care program that will support some 4.3 million people in Canada. Would that not be something, if we could get to work on all of this?

We are putting forward these suggestions in the spirit of co-operation and saying to the government that it is a minority government and New Democrats are here to work with it. Let us work for the people and make the changes.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am really encouraged when the member says we should work with Canadians and for Canadians. There are many wonderful things in the throne speech, and I would encourage members of the New Democratic Party give serious consideration to those positive things.

The member spoke about the pharmacare program, and yes, it has been on the books for decades, but it is only in the last four years that we have seen any significant movement from a leader of a political party on that issue. For the first time since we had universal health care and the Canada Health Act, we are finally looking to see it become a reality. A vast majority of Canadians support it.

Whether it is that or the income tax cuts, or tax breaks for low-income Canadians, are these not good, solid progressive initiatives that the member could support?

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I know the member wants to brag about what a great job the government is doing, but the reality is this. I met seniors who are in need of pharmacare because they cannot afford their medication. The government says it has been moving on this issue. The Liberals have talked about moving on it, but we have yet to see real action.

New Democrats want to see the government bring forward a universal single-payer pharmacare program so that people can afford the medication they need. Let us stop the big talk and let us match those words with real action. New Democrats will be there with the action.

[Karen Vecchio, Conservative, Elgin—Middlesex—London, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Vancouver East for all the work she has been doing. I know that there are many challenges in that area, one of them being the drug epidemic. When I was in that area, I could see it, and we are seeing it across Canada.

Could she share with me what she has seen over the last four years in Insite, what is happening in her own community and how the government has failed?

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I hope that the member's question would mean that all members of the House would support innovative ideas.

One of the things our community wants to see is safe supply. That means dealing with the drug addiction issue as a health care issue and not as a criminal justice issue.

For example, if someone is struggling with an addiction, they would go to see their doctor, and the doctor would prescribe something to address the addiction issues. For whatever drug they would prescribe, individuals would be able to access that medication through pharmacare to manage their addiction. That is what we are talking about in order to save lives.

Insite is a tremendous program that has been working in our community. It is saving lives and it is reducing the spread of diseases, but that alone is not enough. We have the fentanyl crisis, and some 12,000 people have died across this country. It is not just in the Downtown Eastside. It is in all of our communities.

I call on the government to announce a pilot program, at the very minimum. Let us do it in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside with a safe-supply program to save lives. Let us show the rest of the country how this could be done without judgment.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Vancouver East for her intervention, in particular noting dental care and pharmacare. I know that the cost reductions from businesses also create employment. It is one the areas where we have been able to compete with the United States and other jurisdictions. When people know that companies have basic services and coverage for employees, productivity goes up as well.

I would like the member to add to her discussion with regard to dental care. I represent a riding where we have some of the highest child poverty in Canada. How wrong is it for a country like Canada to let kids be in pain because we do not have a dental care program?

[Jenny Kwan, NDP, Vancouver East, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I congratulate my colleague on his return as the dean of the NDP caucus.

Children are suffering in our communities today. There are children in my community, for example, who need food at the table, and we need the government to bring a national food program into schools. That is one item.

On the issue around dental care and how people deal with a dental issue, it will make a difference in their lives, and not just at that moment. Dental care can build up their confidence, and it has life-long implications. If we address dental issues now, it can prevent other illness down the road, which will save money in the health care system. As well, I have people in my community today who, because of their dental issues and the lack of dental services, are unable to apply for employment. They are embarrassed about their teeth and do not have the confidence to apply for employment.

I think that by doing this, we will actually save money down the road. It is the right thing to do. The formula that the NDP has put forward is one that would work. Let us cap the tax changes at $90,000. Then that money, the $1.6 billion that would be saved from that change, could be invested into a dental care program that would support some 4.3 million Canadians from coast to coast to coast.

[Gord Johns, NDP, Courtenay—Alberni, BC]

Mr. Speaker, it is a huge pleasure and honour to rise today on behalf of the people of Courtenay—Alberni. I would like to extend my thanks to all of the people in Courtenay—Alberni for giving me such a strong mandate to return here. I would also like to congratulate you, Mr. Speaker, on your new appointment.

I would like to point out my thanks especially to the Nuu-chah-nulth leadership, the Ha’wiih, which is the hereditary chiefs of the Nuu-chah-nulth, who bestowed a name on me this fall, ciqh=sii, which is the speaker of the hereditary chiefs of the 14 Nuu-chah-nulth nations. I am deeply humbled and honoured to deliver their voice here in the House of Commons.

I would like to also honour my family, because we do not get here without our family. Most notably, we lost my grandma at 94 years old just last month. She was the daughter of the late Chief Solomon Mallett from Fisher River. She was the last Cree speaker in our family.

I pledged to her and to all of my family to fight for indigenous languages to ensure that we do not lose native speakers like my grandma Mabel Lazar and lose their language. We must do everything we can to support indigenous languages.

We are here today to talk about the Speech from the Throne. We are hearing from everyday Canadians who need help right now. If this throne speech is all the Liberals are willing to offer, then it is simply not good enough for the people in our communities.

The Liberals had a real chance with this throne speech to make a commitment to help Canadians deal with the challenges that they are facing right now. Instead, they completely ignored the message that they heard from Canadians during the election. These are broken promises again in the early going. We cannot have these pretty words without concrete actions. Canadians expect more.

Almost half of Canadians in every part of this country are $200 away from not being able to pay their bills.

We see the effects and the urgency of the climate crisis all around us. Young people are taking to the streets. They are worried about their future. In downtown Courtenay just last week, Youth Environmental Action was calling for the government to take urgent action. Instead what we received in the government's platform was a date of 2050.

What this group was expecting, and what we were all hoping for, was to see the sense of urgency, to see what has been recommended by the IPCC in terms of reducing emissions by 45% by 2030. We did not hear anything about that. Instead of working with us to help make Canadians' lives better, the Liberals offered more empty words and no indication of any real action.

We hear Liberal members talk about their pharmacare plan but there really is no language about any universal, comprehensive or public pharmacare plan. There is no funding amount and no timeline.

I hear from people in my riding. I heard from a young mother who has a child with cystic fibrosis. She simply cannot afford the medicine. When children cannot afford to get the medicine they need in a country as wealthy as Canada, we are failing miserably.

In terms of the environment, the Liberals have given billions of dollars in fossil fuel subsidies instead of investing in renewable energy and job creation. There is nothing on stronger emissions around 2030 and nothing to confront the urgency of the problem that is facing us right now. Instead, the Liberals continue to give massive subsidies to the oil and gas industry.

The Liberals failed to work with us to make sure that the ultrarich pay a little more. Instead, the Liberals continue to throw away and write off billions in corporate debt that is owed to Canadians. They could have worked with us to stop profiting off Canadians who struggle continually to pay off their own debts.

In terms of reconciliation, the Liberals continue to cite that their most important relationship is with indigenous people. The Liberals are refusing to stop dragging indigenous children to court. They refuse to commit to dropping the appeal against fairness for indigenous children. They are also failing by refusing to fix the problem with the child welfare system.

Members have heard me talking in the House about the government spending $19 million on lawyers alone to fight the Nuu-chah-nulth on their right to catch and sell fish. They won this case twice in the Supreme Court of Canada.

Instead of choosing to honour the courts, the government continues to fight them and spend taxpayers' money. The Nuu-chah-nulth want to share. They want to walk together. They want to be out on the water fishing, where they belong.

In terms of housing, the Liberals failed to deliver a real concrete plan. We need 500,000 housing units right now to make up for the last 25 years. We need co-op housing. I am a product of co-op housing and we desperately need it.

In Courtenay, there is a conversation right now about the need for co-op housing and federal help. The government made a promise to end veteran homelessness. There is nothing in the throne speech about veteran homelessness. We also know a lot of indigenous people are living in terrible housing conditions.

I heard my friend from Vancouver East talk about the opioid crisis and seeking a pilot project on a clean source of supply. Over 12,000 Canadians have lost their lives unnecessarily to a poisoned drug supply.

We also need therapeutic recovery communities like there are in Italy and Portugal, where they have been able to reduce the number of overdose deaths. In Canada, especially in British Columbia, people are 79 times more likely to die of an overdose. Seven times means we got it wrong, but 79 times means we need to ask who is accountable. We need to take urgent action.

I have to highlight the biggest thing that is missing for the west coast in this Speech from the Throne. There is no mention of the salmon emergency, none. The member for West Vancouver—Sunshine Coast—Sea to Sky Country yesterday talked for 20 minutes and did not mention the salmon emergency taking place.

I had the privilege today to sit down with the new Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and I called on her to take action. This is as big as a forest fire taking place in northern Alberta or flooding in eastern Canada. There is a billion-dollar salmon economy in British Columbia. It is not just our economy. It is our food security, our culture and our way of life. Everything is interconnected in our ecosystem.

There was the lowest return in the Fraser this year in recorded history. It was not just the lowest return. It was half the lowest return. In the Skeena, there were record lows. In the Alouette River, 60,000 chum were expected and 450 came back. There was the Big Bar slide, and now we are hearing most of the fish did not make it.

This is a catastrophic time. The government does not want to be the government that watched the west coast and the Pacific salmon go the way of the Atlantic cod. We need the government to act with the sense of urgency that is taking place on the west coast right now. I am appealing to the Liberals. This is not about blame or shame. This is about doing the right thing right now. We need action.

The government announced its salmon restoration funds, whether it be the B.C. salmon restoration fund or the coastal restoration fund. That money simply is not flowing. There are tons of volunteers out there trying to do the good work and they are not seeing that money.

There were over 60 people in Ucluelet with the Central Westcoast Forest Society in Clayoquot and Barkley out on Saturday. They removed 23,000 tonnes of plastic and debris from the steams so the fish would return. A simple $102 million from the federal government is not enough. We need $500 million right now, just in restoration.

The enhancement groups have not seen a raise in over 29 years while there is an urgent situation. The catching and retention of marked fish is not allowed. It does not make sense. We should mark every fish from every hatchery and make sure that the fish are allowed to be kept by our sports fishers. That will help in conservation.

The government made a commitment that it would remove salmon farms by 2025. There is nothing in the Speech from the Throne on that, despite the fact that we are seeing a record number of sea lice.

The government still allows the transfer of fish that are infected with PRV, a disease. We have seen massive die-offs with algal bloom. This is happening along migratory routes of juvenile salmon and the government is acting as a double agent. It is acting as an agent for the industry, yet it says it is there to protect our wild stocks. It was recommended by the Cohen commission that the government cannot play that double role.

The government is allowing the herring fishery to open right now, unless we hear different. This is fundamental because everything is interconnected. It is the bedrock species for salmon and southern resident killer whales. It is a reduction fishery and it does not make sense. New Democrats are calling on the government to listen to local and indigenous knowledge.

We need the government to highlight that there is a salmon emergency going on in British Columbia and it needs to announce that right away. The government is needed on the ground.

[Sherry Romanado, Liberal, Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, QC]

Madam Speaker, as this is the first time I am speaking in the 43rd Parliament, I would like to thank the citizens of Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne for their support again in this election, and of course my family, friends and volunteers.

I listened to the member opposite's speech. I had the great pleasure of working with him in the 42nd Parliament on veteran affairs. I noticed in his speech that he said there was absolutely nothing in the throne speech for veterans. I would like to correct the record. In fact, at the bottom of page 12 of the Speech from the Throne he can see very clearly our commitment.

In addition to the $10 billion of investments over the last four years for veterans, the Canadian Armed Forces, the military and their families, we have also committed, working through partners such as VETS Canada and others, to ending veterans' homelessness.

I ask the member opposite if he will support the throne speech with respect to our support for our men and women in uniform and those who have supported them.