Debates of Oct. 31st, 2022

Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act

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

Madam Speaker, this debate should have been settled a long time ago. What I find deeply concerning is that the Conservatives continually raise questions about a fundamental part of the bill, which is a right to a clean environment. I would think we would agree across all party lines to a clean environment, but apparently not the Conservatives. Also, I am very concerned about their promotion of single-use plastics and toxic chemicals, and not getting a bill through the House that would protect and keep the environment safe.

[Dan Albas, Conservative, Central Okanagan—Similkameen—Nicola, BC]

Madam Speaker, we know that member is feeling the heat from the new Conservative leader, who has been putting out a message, particularly if we look at how the last election went in his neck of the woods. People are starting to abandon the New Democrats because they do not champion the regular working person and, instead, champion certain issues without necessarily having any balance whatsoever.

When I raised the concern that the so-called right to a healthy environment was just one factor that a bureaucrat would bring up in a regulatory policy, that is not really a right. If the member is pretending to his constituents that it is somehow more substantive than that, then he is kidding himself, and he is kidding himself that his leader is resonating in places like northern Ontario. Being focused on the wrong issues will be a problem the NDP will have in British Columbia in the next election.

Emmy Pruneau

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

Madam Speaker, just over two weeks ago, during question period, I brought to the Minister of Health's attention the situation of a young woman in my riding, Emmy Pruneau, who is fighting a wretched incurable cancer and who unfortunately did not have access to a medication that could increase her life expectancy.

Today, thanks to the efforts and exceptional collaboration of the Minister of Health and his staff, Emmy's doctor, Ramy Saleh of Health Canada, her father, and journalist Jasmin Dumas, I can confirm that she will now have access to the medication.

Today, I want to thank from the bottom of my heart all these people who demonstrated, with their determination and their professionalism, that anything is possible if we work together and that politics can be beautiful, effective and compassionate.

Thanks to you all, the lives of Emmy and her family and, consequently, the lives of everyone else who might find themselves in the same situation in future have taken another path, the path of hope.

Emmy, we are all with you. Keep smiling.

Lieutenant Governor's Community Spirit Award

[Mike Kelloway, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

Madam Speaker, I rise in the House today to recognize my constituents of Judique, Nova Scotia, who have recently been awarded the Nova Scotia Lieutenant Governor's Community Spirit Award.

The Lieutenant Governor's Community Spirit Award celebrates the power, strength and diversity of vibrant communities across Nova Scotia. With that, it is clear to me why Judique was considered for this prestigious award. Despite being a small community, Judique has always maintained a very large presence in the realm of arts, culture and overall community spirit. From community tartan projects to the creation of custom musical reels, Judique's identity as a proud and unique community remains strong.

I am proud to represent the people of Judique within my riding of Cape Breton—Canso. I extend my sincere congratulations to Warden MacIsaac, Deputy Warden Gillis and, most of all, the people of Judique for this well-deserved award.

Deborah Foster-Stahle

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

Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise to recognize the passing of local entrepreneur Deborah Foster-Stahle. Deborah had been part of our community since 2009 and was passionate about helping local business owners succeed and grow.

Being an entrepreneur was in Deborah's DNA. Deborah was the owner of BNI Ontario Central North and OfficeInc!, a place for local businesses to operate, refer business and network. In fact, in her time, Deborah helped chapter members exchange $15 million a year in goods and services. Guided by her leadership, it is estimated that local businesses created over $1 billion in local economic activity. Never one to sit back on her success, in 2019, she established commercial kitchens in OfficeInc! to help “foodpreneurs” bring their products to market.

Deborah lived her life with passion, enthusiasm, determination and vision. She will be missed greatly by her family, friends, the business owners she stood side by side with, her Great Dane KoKo, who stood by her, and the communities and businesses she touched.

Human Rights in Iran

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

Madam Speaker, on Saturday I joined the human chain in Toronto, holding hands with thousands of other Canadians across the country in solidarity with the Iranian people protesting for almost two months now. These ongoing rallies across Iranian cities and around the world demonstrate a great resistance to the suppression of democracy and human rights. I would like to acknowledge the tremendous courage, perseverance, sacrifice and selflessness of the Iranian people, who every day stand up against the Iranian regime, fighting for universal values of life and freedom.

The brutality of the regime in Iran has shown no limits. So far, hundreds of people have been killed and thousands have been arrested. We also see the Internet shutdown by the regime, accompanied by the non-stop disinformation and propaganda against dissidents and the opposition. However, mass rallies continue across Iran and around the globe.

The world shall not and cannot be silent. We all stand in solidarity with the Iranian people in their quest for freedom.

Rosemère

[Luc Desilets, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to talk about a city in my riding that deserves a bouquet of the best blooms. This city, where I live, has been making a name for itself in various ways over the past few years and has been awarded numerous prizes by the judges of the Communities in Bloom competition.

On October 22, Rosemère was declared the grand champion at the Communities in Bloom national and international awards ceremonies in Victoria, British Columbia. It also received a “5 Blooms - Gold” award and a special mention for its commemorative poetry garden.

This competition recognizes cities in Quebec and Canada that foster the nurturing of environmental sustainability, the enhancement of green spaces and heritage conservation. The City of Rosemère was given the highest possible bloom ranking. I am very proud that a city in Rivière-des-Mille-Îles has stood out among such other formidable rivals.

Clearly, Rosemère is a proud, green and prosperous city.

Official Languages

[Marc Serré, Liberal, Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I accompanied the Minister of Official Languages to the launch of the final report of the États généraux sur le postsecondaire en contexte francophone minoritaire. It is important for the federal government to be at the table with the provinces.

Congratulations to Lynn Brouillette of the Association des collèges et universités de la francophonie canadienne and to Liane Roy of the Fédération des communautés francophones et acadienne.

We consulted many stakeholders across Canada. More than 6,000 people submitted suggestions and solutions for the new action plan for official languages 2023-2028. I want to thank them for that.

I would like to note the participation of community organizations and their representatives, such as Joanne Gervais from the ACFO du grand Sudbury and Marc Lavigne from the West Nipissing Arts Council. These organizations represent the many francophones in my region of Nickel Belt.

This demonstrates why Bill C-13 and the upcoming action plan on official languages are so important. They will enable us to continue supporting communities and institutions from coast to coast to coast.

I hope that all parties in the House will support us in passing Bill C-13 as soon as possible.

National Defence

[James Bezan, Conservative, Selkirk—Interlake—Eastman, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the world is at a crossroads. The ongoing power struggle of dictatorships like Russia and China against western democracies is threatening our future and way of life. Russia's brutal and illegal war against Ukraine is the most obvious symptom of this threat. The communist regime in Beijing is weighing options on when to invade Taiwan. Both are challenging Canada in our Arctic.

Meanwhile, the Liberal government is refusing to invest in our military. It has failed to modernize NORAD and update our North Warning System. The Liberals are still making our forces fly obsolete fighter jets and sail archaic submarines. Most shockingly, according to retired General Rick Hillier, we have roughly half the number of troops we need. Our current chief of the defence staff characterized it as a crisis. I call it a catastrophe.

However, there is good news on the horizon. Our Conservative leader, the next Prime Minister of Canada, will put Canada first, give our troops the kits they need and restore honour and respect to those who serve our country in uniform.

Light the Night

[Tony Van Bynen, Liberal, Newmarket—Aurora, ON]

Mr. Speaker, on Saturday, October 22, Canadians came together from coast to coast to coast, in person and virtually, to celebrate the Light the Night walk 2022. Dedicated to the blood cancer community, it is a celebration of the many donors, supporters, volunteers, blood cancer survivors and loved ones lost.

The event is on a path to raising more than $6 million for critical research, community programs and advocacy for all 137 types of blood cancer. Light the Night continues to shine a light for the blood cancer community and shows those affected by blood cancer that they are not alone.

I want to congratulate all those who participated in Light the Night 2022 for their dedication and commitment to shining a light over the darkness of cancer.

Municipal Elections

[Peter Fragiskatos, Liberal, London North Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to a political colleague and friend, the Hon. Ed Holder, who was sworn in as London's 64th mayor on December 1, 2018. After much success, he decided not to seek re-election in the recent municipal election.

Before being chosen by Londoners to lead our city, Ed served as the Conservative member of Parliament for London West from 2008 to 2015 and as the federal minister for science and technology. Though we come from different political backgrounds, collaborating with Ed has been an excellent experience and one that saw us always put partisan interests aside for the best interests of Londoners.

Prior to politics, Ed served as the president of Stevenson & Hunt Insurance and dedicated himself to the community. He has held leadership positions in more than 40 community organizations and not-for-profit organizations in particular.

It has been a privilege to work with Ed. I wish him nothing but success in the future.

I say to London's newly elected mayor Josh Morgan that I know we are going to achieve great things together, and I wish him nothing but success as well.

Government Spending

[Kelly McCauley, Conservative, Edmonton West, AB]

Mr. Speaker, Edmonton's Veterans Association Food Bank is in need. The shelves are empty and donations are down. It has been asking the government for help.

However, what is the Liberals' spending priority? It is $54 million for ArriveCAN. That is $54 million for an app that could have been created by a bunch of pimply faced teenage hackers over a weekend using a Commodore 64. That is $54 million for an app that falsely sent 10,000 Canadians, under threat of the government, into quarantine. That is $54 million for an app that has clogged up our airports and led to long waits and missed flights. That is $54 million for ArriveCAN while veterans turn to food banks to eat.

The government is like ArriveCAN: not working, of little use and far too costly for Canadians.

Sri Guggan Sri-Skanda-Rajah

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Scarborough—Rouge Park, ON]

Mr Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to Sri Guggan Sri-Skanda-Rajah. Sri Anna, as he was affectionately known, worked for a better, inclusive and just Canada since coming here in 1975. He served as the president and founding member of the Tamil Eelam Society of Canada and as commissioner on systemic racism in the Ontario criminal justice system, was a member of the Immigration and Refugee Board and the Ontario Human Rights Commission, was an adviser at the Jane-Finch community legal clinic, was a facilitator at the Canadian Tamil Youth Development Centre, and volunteered with many organizations, including the Urban Alliance on Race Relations, the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, the Organization of Canadian Tamils with Disabilities and many more organizations that empowered Black, racialized, newcomer and Tamil-Canadian communities.

On a personal note, he was a mentor, a friend, an elder and a highly principled man who was universally admired. He has been recognized with many lifetime achievement awards, including from CanTYD, the Urban Alliance on Race Relations, the Ontario New Democratic Party, OCASI and OCTD.

He will be missed by his partner and soulmate, Janet, his daughter, Anya, and a grateful Tamil nation.

Government Spending

[Cheryl Gallant, Conservative, Renfrew—Nipissing—Pembroke, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the nightmare on Wellington Street continues. The government may have turned Ottawa into a ghost town, but that has not stopped all the spending. With the government it is trick or treat every day of the year. Members of the government trick Canadians into thinking they are taking action to stop inflation, and then they treat themselves to lavish hotels. They trick Canadians into using the ArriveCAN app, saying it will save lives, then they treat their friends to fat contracts. One former Liberal MP got $237 million for ventilators we never used. They trick us with talk of climate action and then treat themselves, jetting on carbon contrails to Costa Rica.

Tonight, every child who pays the parents' candy tax will get their first taste of life in Canada. When the Prime Minister is not wearing a racist costume, he is reaching into the candy bags of every Canadian. We get tricked while the Liberals eat our treats.

2020 Shootings in Nova Scotia

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

Mr. Speaker, the Nova Scotia mass murder was the deadliest in Canadian history, claiming 22 lives. It was a tragedy for families, Nova Scotia residents and all Canadians.

While victims' families mourned, the Liberal government seized the moment. It had an ideological agenda to implement, after all. With the backdrop of grieving families, the Liberals implemented and played on Canadians' emotions as they introduced their misguided 2020 order in council gun ban, which fails to improve public safety. It was cold, callous, inappropriate and extremely disrespectful.

Then the cover-up began. The former minister's responses have changed from not asking for anything to there was a conversation. Now, with the recording, we know the RCMP commissioner received a demand from the minister's office, on which she failed to deliver. How could the minister even think that using a tragedy to push the Liberal agenda was appropriate?

Canadians have lost trust in a government that has peddled legislation on the graves of victims of national tragedy. The minister must resign.

Women Entrepreneurs in Newfoundland

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

Mr. Speaker, a resilient, prosperous and inclusive economy is one that fosters and promotes women and their contributions. For 25 years, NLOWE, the Newfoundland and Labrador Organization of Women Entrepreneurs, has been doing exactly that: mentoring, supporting, inspiring and celebrating women entrepreneurs.

Women entrepreneurs are building and growing successful businesses that drive Canada’s economy and better our communities, yet in 2022 they are still facing and overcoming barriers every day. From small, one-person studios to large, high-tech firms, the vision, grit and tenacity of women entrepreneurs have made a real and lasting impact across the province and the country.

To Jennifer Bessell, NLOWE's CEO, and the eight deserving entrepreneur of the year award recipients, congratulations. Well done. My thanks to them for their contribution to the growth and resilience of the Newfoundland community and economy.

Mrs. & Ms. Regional Canada Empowerment Pageant

[Carol Hughes, NDP, Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON]

Mr. Speaker, this weekend women across Ontario took the opportunity to compete in the Mrs. & Ms. Regional Canada Empowerment Pageant in Sudbury. This was not the traditional pageant people are used to. It was designed for women between the ages of 25 to 65 and focused on their accomplishments, their education, their careers and their commitments to volunteer and community service. It empowered women, offered workshops and self-care, and raised funds for a great cause, the Northern Ontario Families of Children with Cancer.

The organizers and contestants raised $34,000 for the NOFCC, which will make a big difference for families in the north. There were many impressive contestants from my riding of Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, including Andréane Blais from Mattice, Alex Powers from Val Rita-Harty, Rosalind Russell from the LaCloche Foothills, and Shannon Kennedy from Manitoulin Island.

Please join me in thanking organizers Cheryl Kozera and Natalie Carriere for making this event so impactful for the contestants and for raising so much for a great cause.

Congratulations to those who were crowned as winners: Melanie Champagne, Nathalie Restoule, Sammie Barrette and Jennifer Natti.

LGBTQ+ Rights

[Andréanne Larouche, Bloc, Shefford, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge the 30th anniversary of the end of the LGBT purge. Between 1950 and 1992, LGBTQ+ members of the military, RCMP officers and other federal employees were subjected to discriminatory policies and practices based on their sexual orientation.

On this sad 30th anniversary, the LGBT Purge Fund and Egale Canada came to the Hill to raise awareness among elected officials about the rights of the LGBTQ+ community. They want the federal government to implement the recommendations set out in the report titled “Emerging From the Purge” to create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace for LGBTQ+ people.

I also met with the leaders of Fondation Émergence, Laurent Breault and Patrick Desmarais. They spoke to me about the importance of the federal government doing its fair share to ensure that LGBTQ+ people are included in the civil service.

In a world where established rights are increasingly coming under attack, I urge everyone to remember this tragic anniversary so that we do not wipe out years of progress.

Taxation

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

Mr. Speaker, Canadians are bracing for hard times ahead due to the costly Liberal-NDP coalition.

Its carbon tax is making everything more expensive: groceries, home heating and gas. Saskatchewan families can expect an extra $1,500 bill. Conservatives moved a motion on October 24 to remove the carbon tax on home heating and cancel the tripling of the carbon tax.

What did the NDP do? It voted in favour of keeping these crippling taxes, yet this week the leader of the NDP flip-flopped and tweeted that he is demanding the government remove the GST from home heating. No wonder the Saskatchewan NDP did not invite the federal NDP leader to its recent convention.

By voting to triple the carbon tax, the NDP has abandoned working families and seniors in Canada.

Freedom of the Press

[Chad Collins, Liberal, Hamilton East—Stoney Creek, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it has been 48 days since the Leader of the Opposition last spoke to the mainstream media, 48 days of ducking, dodging and hiding from basic, simple questions.

In fact, the last time the Leader of the Opposition took questions from the mainstream media, he used the exchange as an opportunity to politically profit and fundraise, telling prospective supporters, “We can’t count on the media to communicate our messages to Canadians.”

The same political playbook was used by former president Trump, who bashed and demonized the press with his nonsensical “fake news” narrative and went so far as to state that the press was the enemy of the people. Like former president Trump, the Leader of the Opposition has turned to Twitter and Facebook to sow mistrust in mainstream media and silence critical voices.

Canadians demand and deserve answers from elected officials at all levels. Freedom of the press is critical to a democracy in which the government is transparent and accountable to the people. Without it, our democracy is in trouble.

The Economy

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the $500‑billion inflationary deficit has caused the highest rate of inflation in 40 years.

Canadians are cutting back on food so they can afford groceries, and 35-year-olds are having to live in their parents' basement.

The fiscal update presents an opportunity for the government to reverse the policies that have caused this crisis. Is it not ironic that the only solution to this crisis is for the government to reverse 100% of what it has done for the past seven years?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, we have a concrete plan to address inflation. It involves reducing child care fees for families, doubling the GST/HST credit, providing an additional one-time $500 payment for housing and providing dental coverage for 500,000 kids.

What is ironic is that when the Conservatives had the opportunity to vote to support Canadians, they voted against it.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, future Liberal leader Mark Carney has said inflation is domestically generated, and so has the Governor of the Bank of Canada. After a half-trillion dollars of inflationary deficits, the finance minister is pretending she believes, like Conservatives, that government spending is driving this crisis in the first place.

Is it not ironic that the solution to the problem the government will have to pursue if it wants to make life more affordable is to do exactly the opposite of what it has been doing for the last seven years?

[Randy Boissonnault, Liberal, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance]

Mr. Speaker, on inflation, the government is taking concrete steps to reduce child care fees. In my own province, it is over $6,000 on average per family. We are doubling the GST credit, providing a one-time, $500 payment for renters, and 500,000 kids will get the dental coverage they have never had before.

What is ironic in the House is that when the Conservatives had the chance to vote for Canadians, they voted against them. We voted for them.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, none of what the Liberals have done has actually worked. This week, we found out that 20% of Canadians are skipping meals or cutting portions to afford groceries. In fact, 1.5 million Canadians, in one month, have visited a food bank. Speaking of food banks, the one at Jane and Finch actually got kicked out of its location, because the rent doubled.

How much pain will Canadians have to suffer before the government stops its inflationary policies?