Debates of Dec. 3rd, 2021

Public Services and Procurement

[Tony Baldinelli, Conservative, Niagara Falls, ON]

Madam Speaker, Canada’s new PPE manufacturing industry is already in a state of crisis. These patriotic innovators answered the government’s call to help Canadians when PPE supply was short and badly needed at the start of the pandemic. Despite the Prime Minister promising to buy made-in-Canada PPE, all I can find in the Parliamentary precinct are masks that are made in China.

When will the Liberal government start supporting Canadian PPE innovators and manufacturers, and stop breaking its promises?

[Filomena Tassi, Liberal, Minister of Public Services and Procurement]

Madam Speaker, I am rising for the first time in the House for the 44th Parliament. I want to thank the good people of Hamilton West—Ancaster—Dundas for electing me. It truly is an honour.

With respect to the member's question, we know that Canadian businesses have pivoted. They have retooled, and we have supported them every step of the way. We are in a position now where we are not short on PPE. Why? It is because Canadian businesses stepped up and our procurement efforts have supported those businesses. We are going to continue to do that.

Regional Economic Development

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON]

Madam Speaker, when the Prime Minister called the unnecessary, unneeded election, federal development applications were put on hold. Three months after the election, these applications are still on hold.

When will these applicants hear from the government?

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Madam Speaker, that is a very important question. The members know that on this side of the House we have been there for small businesses and that we have been there for businesses throughout the pandemic.

I take this question very seriously. If the hon. member has a case in point, we would be happy to look at it on this side of the House and provide a response.

Public Safety

[Joël Lightbound, Liberal, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Madam Speaker, sadly, last night, Montreal was once again witness to a shooting that took the life of a young man and injured another.

It is imperative to our government that we take every measure at our disposal to stem the flow of guns that are illegally diverted through theft, fake purchases or smuggling at the border. On that, I would ask the Minister of Public Safety to inform the House of the measures being taken to vigorously combat gun trafficking in Canada and Quebec.

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Madam Speaker, our thoughts are with the residents of Montreal, who have faced gun violence far too often, including last night.

This past week, nearly 60 illegal firearms were seized at the border,thanks to a massive undertaking between the RCMP and several partners, including the Sûreté du Québec and the Montréal police. We have to do everything in our power to ensure the safety of our communities.

As I was saying earlier today, I will be having a virtual meeting with my Quebec counterpart.

Official Languages

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Madam Speaker, the government must take our official languages seriously. This week the commissioner tabled a report indicating that francophone immigration is seriously falling behind. He said, “It is time to do more and do better.”

Why not kill two birds with one stone and welcome foreign francophone workers to solve the labour shortage problem and increase the number of French-speaking citizens?

I am therefore asking the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship to establish more effective administrative measures to immediately address the labour shortage and at the same time increase the presence of French speakers in Canada.

[Marco Mendicino, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Madam Speaker, our government recognizes that it has a responsibility to protect and promote the French language, not just outside Quebec, but also within Quebec.

A key element in the protection and promotion of the French language is encouraging francophone immigration in all regions of our country. As we promised in our platform, we will move forward with creating an ambitious national strategy to foster francophone immigration outside Quebec while continuing to support French language training for immigrants to Quebec.

Natural Resources

[Dave Epp, Conservative, Chatham-Kent—Leamington, ON]

Madam Speaker, there are over 4,400 natural gas wells throughout southwestern Ontario, a number of which are in my riding, including the community of Wheatley that was rocked by a natural gas leak explosion this past summer.

On August 17, the Ontario Petroleum Institute and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry wrote to the Minister of Natural Resources and the Minister of Finance, seeking to collaborate on the development of a program for Ontario's orphan wells.

Will the government commit to working on this critical issue in southwestern Ontario?

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Madam Speaker, certainly the issue of orphan wells and the environmental liabilities that they represent is a significant issue for all Canadians. As members know, we introduced a program focused primarily on the western provinces during a time of great financial crisis.

Typically the issue of the regulation of oil and gas producing companies and the environmental liabilities associated with that are addressed at provincial jurisdiction, but we are always happy to engage in a conversation with our counterparts in provinces and territories when they raise concerns.

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

[Kevin Waugh, Conservative, Saskatoon—Grasswood, SK]

Madam Speaker, in its race to the moral high ground, the CBC has blindsided Canadians by appointing itself Canada's word monitor. It recently brainstormed a list of 18 words that should never be uttered. I wonder if it was a really slow news day for the taxpayer-funded public broadcaster.

Dictating a list of words is actually no substitute at all for the real work needed to end aggression.

Does the Minister of Canadian Heritage actually think it is the job of the CBC to think for Canadians?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Heritage]

Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question. He knows full well that the CBC is an independent corporation and makes its own decisions. At the same time, we know how badly the Conservatives want to make cuts to the CBC. They have said so many times in the past, which is a concern for our national broadcaster.

I wonder if they still intend to make such draconian cuts to our national broadcaster or if they plan on supporting the CBC in future.

Fisheries and Oceans

[Joanne Thompson, Liberal, St. John's East, NL]

Madam Speaker, 90% of Canadian seafood goes through small craft harbours and Canada's fish harvesters depend on these facilities to support their livelihoods. In my riding, the Harbour Authority of Portugal Cove/St. Philips is the centre of community life and an industry hub for fishing, trade, shipping and other marine sectors.

Could the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans please provide an update to the House on what our government is doing to support small craft harbours?

[Joyce Murray, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Madam Speaker, I would like to congratulate the new member for St. John's East on her election and thank her for the hospitality she showed me when I visited Atlantic Canada just weeks after my appointment, including to the harbour of Portugal Cove-St. Philips where I met with the authority members in her riding.

Small craft harbours, of course, play an integral role in many of our communities and their economies. Our government recognizes their importance. That is why, through budget 2021, we invested $300 million to repair and—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. member for Timmins—James Bay.

Natural Resources

[Charlie Angus, NDP, Timmins—James Bay, ON]

Madam Speaker, the environment minister announced that he had blown yet another deadline in dealing with the climate crisis. God help our planet. It is no wonder the government is now at the bottom of the G20 when it comes to renewables, right down there with Russia and Saudi Arabia.

While Joe Biden has committed to an energy transformation that is tied to well-paying union jobs, the Prime Minister is tied to targets he keeps missing.

Where is this plan to invest in the diversification, using the skill and training of energy workers, so that no region is left behind? The clock is ticking.

[Jonathan Wilkinson, Liberal, Minister of Natural Resources]

Madam Speaker, as my hon. colleague knows, Canada has developed a climate plan that is perhaps one of the most detailed and comprehensive in the world. I would invite him to actually read the document.

Canada also, I would remind him, has one of the cleanest grids in the world as it exists today. More than 80% of Canada's power comes from non-emitting sources, the vast majority of it from renewables, which is one of the highest levels of renewable production anywhere in the world.

However, we certainly understand that more needs to be done. We will be bringing forward an enhanced reduction plan associated with our commitments under the net-zero legislation, and we will be working to ensure there is economic prosperity—

Oral Questions

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order.

During Oral Questions, the member for Kelowna—Lake Country, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, said the following in response to my colleague's question:

“I think the member is misleading in her question.”

All members here, and especially the minister, know that we cannot accuse or suspect a member of misleading the House.

The minister is an honourable man, so I encourage him to act with the dignity befitting his position, especially since he spent the entire question period sitting in the Deputy Prime Minister's chair.

[François-Philippe Champagne, Liberal, Minister of Innovation]

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the point made by the opposition House leader.

I apologize if my colleague was offended by what I said. That was not my intention.

Persons with Disabilities

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

Madam Speaker, there have been discussions among the parties and if you seek it, I hope you will find unanimous consent to adopt the following motion:

That today, on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and in the spirit of “Nothing without us”, the House reaffirm its commitment to continue to work to identify, remove, and prevent barriers that still exist and increase the opportunities available to persons with disabilities.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

All those opposed to the hon. member moving the motion will please say nay.

The House has heard the terms of the motion. All those opposed to the motion will please say nay.

Hearing no dissenting voice, I declare the motion carried.

(Motion agreed to)

[Peter Julian, NDP, New Westminster—Burnaby, BC]

Madam Speaker, with thanks to my colleague from Port Moody—Coquitlam, on this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, there have been consultations among the parties and if you seek it, I hope you will find unanimous consent for the following important motion: That given that 50% of the homeless and half the people who rely on food banks in Canada are Canadians with disabilities, the House call on the government to put into place, without delay, a guaranteed livable basic income for Canadians with disabilities.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Alexandra Mendes]

All those opposed to the hon. member moving the motion will please say nay.

[Some hon. members]

Nay.

Farmers' Markets

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

Madam Speaker, I rise to table a petition from constituents from the Comox Valley, Courtenay, Cumberland and Royston.

The petitioners cite that farmers' markets are a key tool for a COVID‑19 recovery as small business incubators, domestic food system resilience and security builders, local economy community builders and farmers' market coupon programs are a key support for new and existing market development and their provincial associations.

Farmers' market nutrition coupon programs help create food security and resiliency by giving vulnerable people access to healthy, locally grown foods and dietary education, while positively impacting the physical and mental health of participants by increasing the amount and diversity of the fruits and vegetables they consume.

The petitioners therefore call on the Government of Canada to initiate a national matching program for all provincial farmers' market nutrition coupon programs across Canada that would match those provinces already contributing to their farmers' market nutrition coupon programs and encourage the provinces that do not have such a program to implement one by offering matching funding.