Debates of April 11th, 2019

Babasaheb Ambedkar

[Frank Baylis, Liberal, Pierrefonds—Dollard, QC]

Madam Speaker, Dr. Ambedkar was an exceptional Indian jurist, social reformer and one of the founding fathers of the modern Indian state.

Babasaheb, as he was known, fought for equality and justice. He campaigned against social discrimination against those considered untouchable. He served as India's first law and justice minister and oversaw the drafting of the Constitution, which treats all people equally, regardless of their birth status. These achievements cannot be overstated.

Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar was a man who built the foundations for the largest democracy in the world based, on universal suffrage and respect for all. On April 14, we will honour his great legacy.

Orangeville Lions Club

[David Tilson, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the Orangeville Lions Club, which celebrates its 70th anniversary on April 27. Its history of service to our community is exemplary and its accomplishments are numerous.

Over the years, it has worked with many other groups in Orangeville and coordinated many activities. Some examples include the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life, The Salvation Army's Christmas kettle campaign, the Orangeville Food Bank, Habitat for Humanity, the Scouts Canada, Choices Youth Shelter, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Headwaters Healthcare Centre, Lions Sports Park, the Santa Claus Parade, the Northmen Lacrosse club, the Wolves hockey team, Orangeville Legion and Community Living Dufferin and so many more.

The Lions Club has been an integral part of Orangeville life for 70 years, and its future looks just as bright. Therefore, it is my great honour to congratulate the Orangeville Lions Club on 70 wonderful years. We know the next 70 years will be just as great.

Religious Amity

[Ken Hardie, Liberal, Fleetwood—Port Kells, BC]

Madam Speaker, we approach Easter, the time of sacrifice, renewal and hope in the Christian world, I wanted to share a story.

In Fleetwood—Port Kells, we have a very large Catholic high school, Holy Cross. Last year, I was there to help it celebrate the grads, and with me was a member of my constituency office staff, a devout Muslim. Afterward, I asked him if Islam had any equivalent to the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus and the lessons he provided. His answer was, “Yes—Jesus.”

The Lord and Saviour to our Christian world is an important prophet in Islam, the most mentioned person in the Quran by reference, mentioned over 100 times. Christians and Muslims alike believe that He will return.

To me, this demonstrates that there can be more in faith that unites us than divides us and that perhaps our thoughts of sacrifice, renewal and hope at Easter can be shared with more people of goodwill than we realize.

The Environment

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

Mr. Speaker, last week we learned that Canada is warming at twice the global average. This finding should be a wake-up call for all of us.

As the vice-chair of the Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development, I am pleased that on Tuesday the committee tabled two reports, one entitled “Clean Growth and Climate Change: How Canada Can Lead Internationally”, along with a second report on forestry, agriculture and waste, with a total of 34 recommendations on how the government can and must do better.

Climate change is no longer a distant threat, and the cost of inaction is too great. The impacts are already being felt in my riding of Kootenay—Columbia and across the country. My constituents are calling for stronger action, just like the high school students who protested in Nelson or the grades 5 and 6 Ktunaxa students who wrote me letters worried about polar bears and the environment, or my granddaughter Lalita, who at times worries if her generation will have a future at all.

Canadians expect us to work together, and we must all commit to doing so. Let us start by agreeing to more ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets and to making climate change a non-partisan issue. Our children and grandchildren deserve no less.

Pegasus Community Project

[Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, Liberal, Beaches—East York, ON]

Mr. Speaker, 2019 marks the 25th anniversary of the Pegasus Community Project for adults with special needs, which was founded in 1994 by former Beach Citizen of the Year Marie Perrotta. Its work at three locations supports over 50 adults with developmental disabilities through five programs, with a focus on community involvement, individualized supports and helping participants to achieve personal goals.

Pegasus has a social enterprise thrift store on Kingston Road in the Upper Beaches that helps fund the organization so that it is not completely reliant on public funds. This coming fall, October 5 is the third annual Pegasus Inspirational Film Festival, which showcases short films made in partnership with Pegasus participants, film students and filmmakers.

Special thanks go to executive director Paula Murphy and board president Scott Burns for their tireless work to help people with autism and adults with special needs in Beaches—East York.

Volunteerism

[John Brassard, Conservative, Barrie—Innisfil, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we are so fortunate that many people volunteer in our great nation. This week is National Volunteer Week.

Statistics Canada has reported Canadians volunteer roughly 1.9 billion hours annually, an equivalent of 1.1 million full-time jobs. Even more exciting is that young Canadians are the demographic most likely to volunteer.

These caring individuals work day and night on their own time. They feed the hungry and give company to the sick and the elderly. They coach our kids, plan community events and raise money for numerous causes.

Tomorrow, I am hosting my third annual Barrie—Innisfil volunteer award ceremony. I look forward to recognizing the outstanding work of 13 individuals and three organizations that have gone above and beyond as volunteers. These individuals always put their community above all else. I know that Barrie and Innisfil would not be as great a place to live if it were not for their selfless work.

I thank all volunteers across Canada from the bottom of all our hearts.

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

[Randeep Sarai, Liberal, Surrey Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, this month, millions of Sikhs around the world will gather to celebrate Vaisakhi, the day the Khalsa was initiated.

It was on this day 100 years ago that thousands of men, women and children gathered in a park meters away from the Golden Temple to celebrate Vaisakhi, when the colonial Colonel Dyer marched in with a regiment of soldiers, blocked all entranceways, and opened fire. He did this over and over again.

Hundreds were killed by bullets, while others died jumping into a well or while trying to scale the walls surrounding the park. This became the tipping point for the Indian independence movement.

Families never saw justice for this atrocity. Colonel Dyer was merely forced to retire and was barely disciplined.

I rise today, 100 years later, to honour the victims of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. Our thoughts and prayers are forever with them, and we will never forget this tragedy.

Mississauga Town Hall on Plastics

[Sven Spengemann, Liberal, Mississauga—Lakeshore, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the accumulation of plastics in our oceans and lakes is one of the most pressing challenges of our time here and around the world.

In Mississauga, plastics enter the Credit River watershed and make their way into Lake Ontario, along with 22 million pounds of plastic that end up in the Great Lakes each year.

On March 9, our community gathered at the Small Arms Inspection Building for a town hall on plastics. We welcomed the participation of over 200 residents, organizations, and environmental advocates, including Chief Stacey Laforme of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, indigenous adviser Cat Criger, Chris Pyke of the City of Mississauga, the 1st Port Credit Sea Scouts, the Canadian Plastics Industry Association, the Port Credit Salmon and Trout Association, Professor Chelsea Rochman, the MDA corporation, Chantler Packages, Coextinction Film, Trash Walking Moms, Pixie Blue Studio, CVC's Jean Williams, and 4ocean.com.

I would like to thank the people of Mississauga—Lakeshore for their collective effort on this important issue, and I look forward to working together towards an environment free of plastic waste.

Saskatchewan Farmers' Concerns

[Larry Maguire, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, last week I travelled through northern Saskatchewan to meet with farmers in Spiritwood, Big River and Meadow Lake.

Their message was loud and clear: their concerns are being ignored and they want a member of Parliament to champion their interests in Ottawa.

There is huge anxiety out there, and it is real.

They are troubled that Canada has lost its largest canola market and they do not know why their MP is doing nothing to get this issue resolved.

They know the carbon tax disproportionately hurts rural communities and will raise the price of everything.

I can only imagine what they would have to say about the Liberals giving Loblaws $12 million to buy new freezers and fridges out of taxpayers' dollars.

As well, they know the tanker ban and the no-new-pipelines bills will hurt the economy and kill jobs.

Our Conservative team will always stand up for rural Canadians, and we will oppose bad policies and out-of-touch politicians who ignore their concerns.

Organ and Tissue Donation

[Judy Sgro, Liberal, Humber River—Black Creek, ON]

Mr. Speaker, April is Be A Donor Month across Ontario. Organ donation is one of the most important and life-changing decisions a person can ever make.

Today, in Ontario alone, 1,600 people are waiting for a life-saving transplant. While 85 % of Ontarians agree with organ and tissue donation, only one-third of residents are actually registered. Registration is incredibly easy and only takes minutes. I urge people to visit the website at beadonor.ca

Today I want to encourage my constituents in Humber River—Black Creek and my fellow Parliamentarians to advocate for organ and tissue donations in their riding. I firmly believe that being able to give the gift of life after passing on is one of the most compassionate and Canadian things a person can do.

Seniors

[Wayne Long, Liberal, Saint John—Rothesay, NB]

Mr. Speaker, seniors in Saint John—Rothesay deserve more support from their federal government. That is why I am pleased to rise today to talk about the historic investments our government is making in support for our seniors through budget 2019.

To help low-income working seniors keep more of what they earn, we are enhancing the GIS earnings exemption to provide a full or partial exemption on up to $15,000 of annual employment income. We are also investing an additional $100 million over five years for the new horizons seniors program.

Finally, we are working to ensure that all seniors have access to the prescription drugs they need, regardless of their means, by moving toward the full implementation of a national pharmacare program. We are doing this by establishing the Canadian drug agency, a national formulary and a national strategy for high-cost drugs for rare diseases. These investments will change the lives of thousands of seniors in my riding.

Carbon Pricing

[Glen Motz, Conservative, Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, AB]

Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Prime Minister avoided every question as to when he would testify under oath to his numerous false statements, instead claiming he is focused on what Canadians care about.

In my riding, Canadians care about the carbon tax and the fact that life is getting more and more expensive. Among my constituents, 80% say they do not want a carbon tax and are already struggling to pay their bills.

Hard-working Canadians are worse off under the high-tax, scandal-plagued Liberal government. A carbon tax will not have any positive impact on global emissions. It only hurts hard-working Canadians.

Canadians want action, not a sales tax masquerading as an action plan. Canadians want change. They want a government with sound environmental policies, one that fights for them and makes life better. In a few short months, they will get that opportunity with a new Conservative government.

2019 Firefighter of the Year Award

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the achievement of seven firefighters from Mississauga and their bravery in performing their duty when responding to an explosion that rocked the community in my riding last year.

On February 11, 2018, they arrived at the scene of a gas explosion at a Mississauga plaza. Three occupants were stranded on top of the collapsed section of the structure, which was still on fire. Acting without regard to the dangers that were present, pumper 101 and squad 101 acted quickly to rescue occupants and bring them to safety.

The men and women who are first responders put their lives on the line daily to keep us safe. They should be commended for their bravery.

I want to congratulate acting Captain Scott Taylor, firefighters Brendon Martin, Vanessa Gilbert and Jeff Duggan as well as acting Captain Mike Belan and firefighters Jeff Beatty and Brent Thomas as co-recipients of the 2019 Firefighter of the Year Award that will be presented to them later this month at the annual civic awards ceremony.

Keep keeping us safe.

The Environment

[Daniel Blaikie, NDP, Elmwood—Transcona, MB]

Mr. Speaker, a company by the name of Canadian Premium Sand has proposed a major frack sand mining operation on the shores of Lake Winnipeg. Many people living close to the site, as well as many Winnipeggers, are concerned about the impact of this project on Lake Winnipeg and the highways between it and the city.

While a provincial environmental assessment process is under way, the information on the project comes from a 2014 technical report with a number of apparent inconsistencies. In fact, the company announced in January that it will be releasing an update to all financial and feasibility information previously released in a report that will replace and supersede the previous report.

The federal Minister of Environment has the power to trigger her own assessment process, one that could be based on the latest information. Manitobans deserve clear, reliable answers to their concerns before the project is allowed to move ahead. Responsible regulators should ensure that their decision-making is based on accurate and timely information.

I call on the minister to implement her own thorough review process, one based on the best and latest information.

Government Priorities

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Mr. Speaker, my riding of Edmonton West is blessed to be home to many charities and not-for-profits serving Edmonton. One of them is the Our House Addiction Recovery Centre. Our House runs a vital year-long residential program for addicts. The people there discovered massive mould issues in their kitchen and they had to renovate and replace a refrigerator. They faced a crisis, though, as they had no money for the renovations and were at risk of shutting down.

I reached out to the Liberal government and it offered nothing, yet somehow the Liberals found $12 million to give to Loblaws and the Weston family. The Westons are Canada's second-richest family. The 1% of the 1% of the 1% are not even close to that family's wealth.

What in the world is wrong with the Liberals that they would give money to billionaires for a photo op, but deny funding to our most needy? The Liberals have obviously lost their moral compass. October cannot come soon enough.

National Volunteer Week

[Angelo Iacono, Liberal, Alfred-Pellan, QC]

Mr. Speaker, from April 7 to 13, we are celebrating National Volunteer Week 2019 to thank the volunteers in our communities for their many contributions.

This year's theme is “The Volunteer Factor—Lifting Communities”. Volunteers make a big difference for the people who need it the most. Their generosity, their time and their cheerfulness greatly contribute to the well-being of our community.

I thank the Canadians of all ages who demonstrate a commitment and willingness to improve our communities. I thank Nina Iacono, Brenda Sabbatino, Niko and George Tomaras, Mario Pecorra, Rosaria Rossini, Véronique and Erika Licursi and Guy-Philippe Helou. Thank you for giving of your time and energy. Thank you for your unwavering commitment. Thank you for making our communities better places.

As Gandhi said, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

Justice

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

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is politically interfering in a court case. He is denying the truth, resorting to intimidation, and trying to silence all those who do not think like him.

If the Prime Minister has any courage at all, even just a little bit, will he agree to follow through on his notice so that we can all find out the truth in this case? Is he afraid to testify under oath?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, we know that Canadians need to know the truth. That is exactly why the Prime Minister had the courage to waive cabinet confidence and solicitor-client privilege. He did that so that Canadians can know the truth.

We did in fact send a letter to the Leader of the Opposition. We put him on notice because he continues to say things that he should not. That is exactly why he deleted his tweets.

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

Mr. Speaker, for four days now, we have been standing in this place and asking the Prime Minister whether he intends to follow through on his notice. We are told “yes” over and over again, but that he needs to change his story. He has not changed it and keeps repeating it every day. He stands by everything that has been said. This is nothing but bullying on the part of the Prime Minister, because he is not happy when anyone has different ideas.

Will he show some courage and follow through on his notice, so that we and all Canadians will hear the whole truth?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, Canadians deserve to hear the truth, and that is exactly why all the facts are now public. Yes, we took a first step. That is exactly why we put the leader of the official opposition on notice. He continues making false and misleading statements to Canadians. After receiving that notice, he changed the words that he has been using. He deleted some tweets and statements made online. He has already responded through his actions, because he knows he should not be doing what he is doing.

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister threatened to sue the Leader of the Opposition for daring to criticize his actions on the Liberal SNC-Lavalin scandal, he thought he could pressure the Conservative leader into backing down. Instead, the Conservative leader continues to state, inside and outside of the House, that the Prime Minister inappropriately interfered in an ongoing criminal proceeding and then conspired to cover it up.

If the Prime Minister actually believes he has a case, when will we see him in court?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, yes, the leader of the official opposition was put on notice, and after he received that notice, the leader of the official opposition quickly deleted tweets online. He changed the words that he had been using. Even though Conservatives talk a big game and say there has been no effect of the notice that was provided to them, we have already seen that they have deleted tweets.

However, this was not the first time they did this. After the Minister of Innovation put the leader of the official opposition on notice, the leader retracted his comments at that time and deleted those tweets as well.

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister is threatening to sue the Conservative leader for stating that the former attorney general told the Prime Minister that she was feeling inappropriate political pressure from him. The only problem with that strategy is that the Prime Minister has now admitted that the former attorney general did warn him about his inappropriate political pressure to his face and in person. Therefore, the Prime Minister is threatening to sue for something he now says is true.

Threatening to sue is weak sauce if a person does not back it up, so when will we see the Prime Minister in court?

[Bardish Chagger, Liberal, Leader of the Government in the House of Commons]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives' only plan is to mislead Canadians. That is exactly why, when they did it earlier this year and the Minister of Innovation put the leader of the official opposition on notice, the leader of the official opposition retracted those comments and deleted those tweets.

The Conservatives, once again, continue to mislead Canadians, so the Prime Minister put the leader of the official opposition on notice. What did the leader of the official opposition do on March 31? He deleted those tweets. The only plan Conservatives have is to mislead Canadians.

[Mark Strahl, Conservative, Chilliwack—Hope, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals have put the Conservative leader on notice. He has repeated the exact same statement outside of the House. Now he is calling on the Prime Minister to take further action, to come before a court and get on the stand if he has nothing to hide. If he stands by everything in his threatening letter to sue the Leader of the Opposition, I ask again, when will we see him in court?